--- ??? - NYC ---

A TV screen can be seen flickering through channels.

It was raining out.

A thunderstorm over coming the city of New York. The constant changing of the channel seemingly not due to user input, but rather the storm roaring aloud. 

Or is it?..

The channel finally comes to a stop on a channel for longer than a few seconds.

It was old news archive footage.

Two Years ago.

Superman can be seen hovering down to the ground carrying a girl into a crowd of people. It was clearly old footage due to the clear sign of his suit still being in color.

A building just in the background was collapsing. But everyone was clear of the fall. The girl was the last one that was inside.

He had a smile on his face as he landed, gently placing the girl in front of what can be assumed to be her family.

Tens of people in the crowd (roughly 50 or more) said not a single word, but instead held out their hands towards him and gazed upon him as if in awe.

As if they were worshiping him.

The smile on his face slowly faded as he looked back at them..

"We, as a population on this planet, have been looking for a savior. Ninety percent of people believe in a higher power, and nearly every religion believes in some sort of messianic figure--"

The screen cuts away from the archive footage to a man speaking rather adamantly. 

Vikram Gandhi, Documentary Filmmaker.

By the fervor with which he's speaking, one may assume he's talking negatively or angrily. But he seems simply very interested in the topic.

"--And when this savior character actually comes to Earth, we want to make him abide by our rules? We have to understand that this a paradigm shift. We have to start thinking beyond politics. Despite the incident with SHIELD just last year, we need to understand one simple thing. He may help us and enjoy doing so, but that does not mean he answers to us."

Another News Outlet flickers on.

Even more Archival Footage.

Four years ago.

Superman (no suit) held a plane up in the air for a moment before slowly dropping it down. This was in Denmark, moments after his first meeting with Heimdall.

He finally turns around to notice the thousands of people in the stands now aiming their cameras at him. 

He just forms a wide smile at all of them and glances back at the plane once more before launching himself up into the skies.

The screen cuts to another man speaking about Man of Steel.

Andrew Sullivan, Actor, Author. Pundit AKA Political Commentator and Former Editor of 'The New Republic'.

The Chyron below him on the bottom of the screen says: 'Superman's Actions Are Political'

He says only one thing.

"Are there any moral constraints on this person? We have international law. On this Earth, every act is a political act."

The screen switches again.

This time to a very familiar channel. With two equally familiar older men sitting just next to each other. One of them definitely belonged there but the other looks as if he just walked in and is now randomly a part of this.

The first older man, who seems to be a 'True Believer' says to the other, "Is it really surprising that the most powerful man in the world should be a figure of controversy? Humanity is a very controversial species as a whole."

"To have an individual engaging in these state-level interventions should give us all pause," The other man replies, "I mean, for Christ sakes, NEWSFLASH! The man's a criminal, that's who he is! A Vigilante! A Public Menace!"

The channel flashes the logo momentarily: 'The Daily Bugle'

Then it flickers to another channel.

Some phone footage from when Malekith was on Earth plays. It focuses over on Superman throwing swings at an Army of Dark Elves, tossing them into one another.

This goes on for a solid minute before he runs off and dives, disappearing into a wavy portal-like thing in the ground.

"Human beings have a horrible track record of following people with great power down paths that led to huge human atrocities," A voice says over the footage.

Another one adds just as it came to an end, "We have always created icons in our own image. What we've done is we project ourselves onto him. The fact is, maybe he's not some sort of devil or Jesus character. Maybe he's just a guy trying to do the right thing."

Another channel switch.

Neil deGrasse Tyson was now talking, much more factually rather than politically or emotionally.

"We're talking about a being whose very existence challenges our own sense of priority in the universe even when compared to other beings who do the same. And you go back to Copernicus, where he restored the Sun in the center of the known universe, displacing Earth. And you get to Darwinian evolution, and you find out humanity's not special on this Earth, we're just one among other lifeforms. And now we learn that we're not even special in the entire universe, perhaps no other species is, because there is Superman. There he is. An 'alien', so to speak, among us. We are not alone."

The channel changes one last time.

'WHiH World News'

Christine Everhart was interviewing President Matthew Ellis.

"Are you, as the United States President, personally comfortable saying to a grieving parent, 'Superman could have saved your child, but on principle, we did not want him to act'?," Ms. Everhart asked him

"I'm not saying he shouldn't act," Ellis replied, "My appreciation for his efforts shouldn't be misconstrued as a blank check though. I'm saying he shouldn't act unilaterally. No one should."

"What are we talking about here, then? Must there be a Superman?"

President Ellis thinks for a moment before speaking, then plainly states, "There is."

Before either of them says more, the TV shuts off.

Just across from the TV, on the couch, Y/N and Peter Parker were sitting staring at the TV. Peter had the remote in his hand as he slowly glances over at the other boy.

Y/N just sat there holding his head up with his hand on the armrest. He just stared at the TV, not really saying a word.

So Peter spoke first, "They um.. They've been talking about you a lot for the past year. You know, after SHIELD and HYDRA, while you were up in space... It's not.. It's not all bad things."

"Have they talked about the others yet?" Y/N asked, much more worried about the things they could be saying about them rather than himself.

"Every so often," Peter replied, "I mean not as much as you of course. But it's been happening more frequently."

Y/N looks lost in thought for a moment, then takes a deep breath before looking over at Peter and saying, "Enough political talk, I'm kinda bored of it. Let them talk. Meanwhile The Superman will be playing Assassin's Creed Unity with his best friend."

Y/N had a grin on his face.

"Oh, you mean me? What about that 'other Peter'? The one you met in space?," Peter jokes.

"Quill?," he replies, chuckling, "He may be a close friend after everything, but I wouldn't exactly call him my best friend. I mean, the guy brags about his room being a Jackson Pollock painting when put under a black light."

"That is disgusting!"

Peter had grabbed the controller from the table in front of them. He had a disgusted look on his face but still with a smile at the story. They were both laughing at it.

"I know! That's what I told him," Y/N said.

The PlayStation was just turning on as Peter asked, "Why didn't you tell me about any of that any of the other times you were here? I mean you literally came back to Earth like every other week."

"You wanted me to tell you about 'Quill's Pollock room'?"

"Well not specifically that," Peter replied, "You never really got into detail about anything you did out there. You mentioned general things, like saving an alien civilization. Fighting a guy with a glowing rock. Fighting a bunch of cat things, which I still don't understand. Oh and a literal freaking planet."

"Don't think it's really needed," he told him, watching the screen as Arno dropped from a rooftop onto two guys, "And by the way, those 'cat things' were definitely not cats, they were aliens."

Peter paused the game, "It's just.. I don't know, you seem scared about something. Or worried. You did mention that it took you longer than normal to get back to Earth."

"Isn't everyone worried about something," Y/N rhetorically asked, before turning to Peter, "I'm fine, Peter. Trust me."

Peter just looked at him for a moment before nodding and turning back to the game. Eventually, soon enough, the two were grinning and laughing at taking out a bunch of Templars. 

But one thought lingered on Y/N's mind.

Why didn't he go into detail about the things that went on up in space?

..'Every song must end'..

...'It's time to rest.. Baldur'...

.....'There are no strings on me'.....

He looks over at Peter, who was grinning wildly at the game.

Why would anyone keep things like that from a friend?

Why would anyone lie to a friend?

That's why..

Because every time you see them happy you remember how sad they're going to be. And it breaks your heart. Because what's the point in them being happy now if they're going to be sad later?

The answer is, of course...

Because they are going to be sad later.

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