“Did you see Superman?”
“Yeah, that would’ve made it the perfect story, wouldn’t it have? Superman comforting the young girl…” He threw up his hands and turned towards his desk in annoyance. He couldn’t take a cheerleader at the moment.
Whoah, Clark. There's no need to snap at Lois. If nothing else, she's better than Trask. Then again, is there a Trask in his world?
“It’s not like he can be everywhere at once and save everyone who happens to be involved in a crime. We haven’t put Superman in charge of stopping all violence in the world, or in Metropolis even. It’s enough that he can do what he can. Everything else, well, that’s our problem. You know, we’re lucky to have someone like him whom we all can believe in. That he’s here to help at all, to assist where and when he can, gives most of us hope for a better tomorrow.”
Sometimes a cheerleader is still what he needs. Cheerleading is more than simply drooling over the body you know.
Clark stared at Lois. He wanted to cry at the beauty of her words, and how they touched his very soul. He wanted to laugh, because she had shouted them at him more than anything. Mostly, he wanted to wrap his arms around her, laughing until he cried or crying until he laughed. He wanted to share everything with her. How could he have considered, even for a moment, ever living his life without her in it? Even before he met her, he had dreamed of a woman who accepted and understood him like she did, and this woman didn’t even really know him, yet.
Seriously Clark, you need to hear a different perspective. It sounds like he was so hung up on Lois he never looked to see that there might be others out there with that point of view (mind you, that's a very "Clark" trait.)
But he didn’t hug her; he couldn’t do that. Instead, he cleared his throat as best he could and murmured a rough, “Thank you.”
His gratitude seemed to shock the fire out of her. “For what?”
“For reminding me,” he whispered, following her back to her desk. He leaned against the cubicle partition. “Can I ask you a question?”
She raised a brow at the stupidity of that inquiry, as he read her expression as ‘you just did’, and he smiled.
“What makes you believe in him so?”
Lois sat there, thinking, concentrating on something. He hadn’t ever seen her consider an answer to a question so thoroughly. When she bent down to pick up her briefcase, he figured she wasn’t going to respond.
“I can’t say.”
“You can’t say, or you won’t?” Clark needed to know.
I guess it's hard to explain when you find yourself inexplicably attracted to the one person in the whole world that is (in her mind) so far out of her league when that's not your usual go-to guy. Her previous experiences that we know about (at this time-frame) were all co-workers of one sort or another. Even the high school guy we see later on in "It's a Small World" might fit that if she became interested/involved with him while working on a project with him.
“Can’t.” She sighed, not looking at him as she filled her bag with odds and ends. “It’s hard to explain…” She halted briefly what she was doing to gaze up at him. “I just… do.” She shrugged, closed her briefcase, and turned off her light and computer. She stood up and gave him her full attention. “If you should happen to see him around, tell him thank you from me…” Lois said this with a subtle wink to hint she meant something else entirely. “And that he still owes me an interview.” She turned to the stairs and called to him over her shoulder with a wave, “And I expect that you won’t show up with him. It is still my story and my story alone.”
Unfortunately it still sounds like she's attracted to the suit and not what's behind it to him, I'm sure.
Clark watched her go, unknowingly taking his heart along with her. She wanted him to contact Superman and send him her way. He wished with all his might that he could, but Superman needed to fix his uniform first. It wouldn’t do to show up at Lois’ apartment with a tattered cape and bomb stains down the front of his blue Suit. For the first time since Lois had first called him Superman, Clark was tempted to break his groupie vow to himself and kiss the stuffing out of that woman.
Well, this is one "groupie" that is attracted to more than just the suit so it wouldn't be as bad as you think it could be.
“I’d offer a penny for your thoughts, Clark, but you’re wearing them on your sleeve for free,” said Cat, suddenly by his side.
Or maybe it hadn’t been suddenly, Clark didn’t know. She could have been standing there for awhile, only he hadn’t noticed because he had been thinking of what it would have felt like to kiss Lois when she had said those inspiring words about his alter-ego. He turned away from the elevators, from where Lois had long since departed, and headed back to his desk.
With his mind on Lois, I'm sure everything else faded to the background not, didn't it Clark? Just the imagination is enough to make everything fade into a sepia background, doesn't it?
“Do you know how to sew?” he asked her.
Cat laughed as she sat down on edge of his desk. “Interesting segue. Want to explain it?”
“Sew with a sewing machine?” he repeated softer and covered his mouth with his hand, mumbling, “I need to fix my uniform.”
She smiled seductively. “And what do I get in exchange for being a goddess of domesticity?”
“Dinner, my treat. Do you like Mexican?” he inquired. “I know a great little restaurant…”
“In town?” she probed. “Because I have this charity thing at the Metropolis University I’ve got to cover at nine.”
“Yes,” Clark insisted, glancing down at his watch. “I need to type up this drive-by story, pick up a few things, and tidy up my new apartment.” He scribbled his new address down on a piece of scrap paper. “Can you meet me about six?”
That certainly would sound like a date to anyone else. I mean, the suit if fairly form fitting, she'd need to make some measurements to make it fit right. Speaking of... I wonder if Canon Lois did the same thing. She couldn't have known his (Canon-Clark's) measurements at that point, could she have? And how would she have known it would fit the same way. Then again, didn't Canon-Lois buy a wetsuit to use as a base?
“Oh, right.” Cat laughed and waved the idea from the air. She leaned towards him, taking the piece of paper with his address and whispering, “Maybe you can give me a ride on your interstellar vehicle.”
“My what?” Clark stammered. “Cat, I don’t have…”
FLIRT ALERT!! FLIRT ALERT!!! FLIRT ALERT!!!! RETREAT!!!!!! RETREAT!!!!!! RETREAT!!!!!!!!
Was his boss referring to him? Oh, Cat! “Chief, I think people have the wrong idea.”
Perry gave him a ‘maybe they do, maybe they don’t’ expression.
“Well, it’s definitely not what you’re thinking,” Clark clarified as plainly as he could. “Cat Grant and I are only friends.”
“Really?” his boss said with a heavy dose of sarcasm. “Kent, just between you and me, Cat doesn’t have male friends who are ‘just friends’ and especially not ones who aren’t gay.”
Clark crossed his arms and stood his ground. “She does now.”
Nice Guy. Love this. I hear complaints about this all the time from guys over on tumblr (at reblogged with commentary by people I follow.) They tend to complain about being "friend zoned" (as they call it.) I appreciate that Clark wouldn't have any problem being
just a friend. Sadly, I think Cat's of the belief that a guy can't be only a friend.
His boss reached out his hand, and Clark shook it. Perry thought Clark was breaking Lois’ heart? Where in the world had he gotten an off-the-wall idea like that?
Because he's seen Lois interact with partners in her past and find herself in love (or believing she's in love) with them in the past. At least, that's my belief.
“Where are you going to sleep?” Cat asked him, walking around Clark’s debris-filled apartment.
Priorities, Cat! Priorities!
She had shown up a half-hour early, hoping the extra alone time with her might change his mind, favorably, in her direction. She hadn’t expected such a mid-renovation mess. Clark had told her he had just moved into this apartment and that he needed to tidy up, but this was ridiculous. There was no way they would be able to work on his uniform tonight, which was fine by her. She hadn’t used a sewing machine since she had made her own clothes in college. She only hoped that he planned on taking her out for dinner.
We'll see about that, now won't we?
He had been kind enough to give her the grand tour when she had arrived five minutes before, but frankly, she didn’t see the appeal.
Which is why you won't be staying there.
Clark smiled knowingly. “I guess you’ve never seen me in action.”
“Excuse me?” Cat responded with a shake of her head. Action? Now, they were talking her language.
I guess he should be a little more careful about the unintentional double entendres with her. Of course, the way Cat's mind works it may not matter.
Cat leaned against the staircase and studied her dinner date, biting her bottom lip slightly in the process. His arms looked even more muscular in that black t-shirt, but not Mr. Universe big. His butt fit very nicely into that old pair of jeans. Yes, Clark had a very nice seat indeed. If he looked that good in clothes, she couldn’t wait to pull those suckers off him.
I love how she's constantly trying to get in his pants. I do wonder when and how this is going to come to a head, though.
“‘Floated’, technically. ‘Hovered’ might also work. But, trust me, that wasn’t flying. You did realize that was part of the whole package, right?” he said with a laugh. She had never seen him seem so light-hearted and happy. It was the first time she had ever seen him be himself.
Clark had never looked sexier.
Being comfortable with who you are can be very attractive in it's own right so it's not really surprising.
Not knowing what else to do, she applauded. “Impressive.” Another thought struck her. “You don’t do everything that fast, do you?”
He raised a brow and the light dimmed in his eyes. “No, Cat. I can do everything super fast or at human speed.” Then a naughty grin slipped onto his lips as he walked towards her. “I can also be very, very slow, if I need to be. I never get exhausted; I need less sleep than other men, so I guess I could go all night long, nonstop, if I wanted to.”
Her jaw dropped. He didn’t just say that, did he? Not shy Clark Kent? Her skin felt warmer, and her heart raced with eagerness. “If Lois is ever incredibly stupid…” she began.
Um, Clark, I wouldn't recommend feeding the animals.
I know Cat from Lois and Clark is slightly based on the comic book one but I have to wonder if it's intentional the tension between "Mad Dog" Lane and "Cat" Grant.
“Cat,” he said with no remorse, the teasing flirtation gone from his voice like a face full of snow. “I told you there is only one woman for me. There will be no test drives, no lonely nights, no drunken deeds, no melancholy mishaps, and no hope for anybody else. I’m sorry.” Damn, his flirtation had only been a test, and one she had failed with flying colors.
It can't hurt to try.
“You’re starting to sound like her Super stalker, Clark,” she teased.
His shoulders fell as he took her words at face value instead of the joke she had intended. “Don’t think that I don’t know that,” he admitted with a sigh. “Having Lois love me – the real me – is a pipedream, I know that. This is basically my one chance for the life I’ve always wanted, always dreamed of, and never thought I’d have. I’m unwilling to rush things or screw everything up by sleeping around. I want to earn her trust and her love, but if I never do, if work colleagues is all I’m allowed, then that’s okay too. Really, I’m just happy being in a world where Lois exists.”
Considering the seemingly bleak world he came from that's not really that surprising.
He moved away from her. “There is nobody else for me, Cat. Please, understand that. Lois… Lois is my soul mate.”
Her jaw dropped. He didn’t mean ‘soul mate’ as in literal soul mate, did he? “Huh? Is that a Krypton thing?”
It doesn't really surprise me that Cat doesn't believe in the concept. She's just a little bit cynical when it comes to relationships and the concept of soul mates requires a belief that marriage is not only forever but also eternal. If you don't believe in one part of that, the concept of soul mates falls apart.
One question, how does he know that they are soulmates? I mean, I know that the Canon one does. Did Lois tell him about it while he was in the canon dimension? Or is this something he came upon on his own. Actually, now that I think about it, I'm guessing H.G. told him.
I've been thinking about this and in a way I suspect it is, except it's more a matter of growing to meet the other soul rather than immediately being connected.
Clark nodded, still not looking at her, but staring out the windows into the dimming sunlight. “When we find our true love, it’s like everything and everyone else fades away.”
Did he get a chance to interact with Zara and find this out through her as well or did he just make that up?
Well, that did put a bit of a kink in her plans. Cat thought back at the way Clark looked at her when he told her he could go all night long, and swallowed. He must be lying. Everything else, his desires, his sexual urges couldn’t have faded completely away. He was still a man and she was a woman.
lol, sure he may have a very basic appreciation for the female form (just like women have a basic appreciation for the male form) doesn't mean that they're at all likely to act on that sort of thing.
She leaned against the bricks of the archway. “So, if you Kryptons…”
“Kryptonians,” he corrected.
Ah, editing the copy I see.
“If Kryptonians mate for life, how come you’re not a virgin, Clark?”
“Enough chit chat,” Clark announced, clapping his hands. “Why don’t you stand in the living room, while I finish cleaning in the bedroom?” he suggested, making an illegal left turn in their conversation.
Interesting response, Cat pondered, taking her purse and moving into the clean living room. There was plenty of time to revisit the question later.
Of course he wouldn't want to admit that he had formerly been engaged to someone who didn't appreciate his more unique traits.
For some unfathomable reason, Clark was obsessed with Lois, who obviously had none of his redeemable qualities. He was sweet, kind, shy, considerate, and generous. Lois was not. He had a playful quality to him, and when he laughed, he did so freely and without reservation. Lois did neither. If he wanted to be, which sadly he did not, she was sure Clark would be a stallion in the sack. And Lois, well… Cat shook her head… Never entertained.
LOL, love Cat's side jaunt to try and avoid referencing Lois and more adult activities. Who says
Clark wants to entertain? I mean, we know he want to "entertain" Lois but does he really want to entertain other people? I think being Clark is his "private" time and unless it's friends (Jimmy, Lois, Cat and maybe even Perry) I doubt he wants a ton of other people around making nice small-talk. He has enough of that as Superman.
No, much better to be a sympathetic shoulder to cry on when Lois’ actions and personality were shown to be undesirable in one’s chosen life mate.
*sigh*
As if there could be only one right person out there for everyone. Please! Of course, it did make some peculiar sense that Lois and Clark were soul mates: opposites were known to attract. She shook this thought out of her head.
I'm not at all surprised she dismissed the concept of soul mates out of hand.
She wasn’t thrilled at being Clark’s seamstress, but she couldn’t wait to get her hands on Superman’s blue Suit and red cape.
It was strange that he had only the one. According to Lois’ initial Superman story, he cited a friend as the original creator of the Suit. Cat was very curious as to whom that friend was, but she was willing to place money that Clark wouldn’t tell her. Were the fabrics Earth fabrics or something new from beyond? Whatever they were they weren’t as indestructible as their owner, from what she could tell from LNN’s coverage of the bombing of the Carlen Building, Clark had fared better than his cape. Had the Suit been made here on Earth? Or before leaving Krypton? If it had been made on Earth, exactly how long had Clark been living here?
All interesting questions Cat, and ones that would show a wealth of history but a convoluted (and potentially perjurous) if applied to the wrong Earth.
Clark returned again, this time with two bags. The first was full of red fabric. The second contained dinner from the Mexican restaurant. He dropped the first bag on top of his suitcase and set the food on the table.
“Shall we eat first?” he suggested. “I hope you like it spicy.”
Why do I get the feeling the "spicy" part is actually going to work in his favor somewhere down the line?
He looked at her like she was nuts. “Cat, my cape doesn’t compare to the American flag in value.”
“Sure it does.”
“It reminds me getting my butt blown up in a building by some crazy radicals out to kill me,” he replied. “Not something I really want to think about.”
“Clark,” she said, holding up her hand. “Don’t think of this as part of your Suit. Think of it like a journalist would. Do you know what this cape represents?”
Why do I get the feeling Cat wants to keep it for more than [I}just[/i] historical significance?
He glanced over at Cat with skepticism. “So, what do you think I should do with it?”
“Well, you could hold on to it for now. We could use it for a model for future capes. Once we’ve replenished your wardrobe, then you could donate it to a museum, like the Smithsonian in Washington DC, for example, or the local Metropolis Museum of History, or donate it to a charity to be auctioned off.”
“Auction it off?” he gasped. “It’s worthless. Who would pay money for a dirty, ratty, cape?”
Cat rolled her eyes. “Lots and lots of people, Clark, would pay lots and lots of money, and not only for your cape, for any part of your Suit – especially the shorts… ” She shot him a naughty grin with bouncing eyebrows, and he took a step away in dismay. “Your autograph, items you’ve touched, photographs of you, a chance to have lunch with you, hell, probably even a lock of your hair or even a kiss.”
“Why would a charity auction off things? Don’t people donate money to charities from the goodness of their hearts, not to get stuff?” he asked. Was this another facet of how this dimension differed from his own?
I find it interesting that he has to be taught the basics of charity. In this aspect it really
is alien to him but because it came from a different dimensional culture, not because he came from a different planet.
“You know a man’s sexual appetite doesn’t hinder his reputation with women,” Cat said, sitting back down at the sewing machine to finish hemming the bottom of Clark’s new cape. “Now watch what I’m doing, because this is a one-time deal, handsome. I’m not coming over to do this every time someone tries to blow you up.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, standing behind her shoulder, amazed at her blasé attitude towards his fate. “And it matters to me.” He figured it would matter to Lois that he hadn’t slept with the woman who had shared Lois’ sexual history with the entire newsroom.
But it's not who Clark is (Cat's description of his experience and sexual habits.)
She stood up and snapped out the cape. “Okay, big guy, take off your shirt and let’s see how this fits.”
Clark pulled off his shirt and took the cape from Cat. He hooked it around his arms. “How does it look?”
Cat came over to him and straightened the fabric around his neck, running her fingers over his bare chest.
He pressed his lips together in annoyance. “Cat, that’s my chest. The cape is on my back.”
She swallowed. “The chest… cape looks good, but I think I need to see the full effect. Drop them drawers.”
*snort* I love Clark's response to her come-ons.
“What?” she asked, batting her eyelashes innocently. “I need to see the cape with the Suit. You know, see the whole ensemble together.”
He grinned. “Okay.” Then he spun into the Suit.
Cat’s scowl didn’t match her rough voice as she stared at him, “You’re just cruel, Clark Kent. Cruel.”
Clark laughed.
