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Hack from Nowheresville
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Hack from Nowheresville
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 104 |
This is such a wonderful little fic...the opera is lovingly described and the interaction between Lois and Clark is so sweet. I love how Clark wants so desperately to help Lois overcome the pain associated with her past by replacing it with good memories.
It's also beautiful how he uses the words of the opera to demonstrate his love for her, hoping that her acceptance of the characters' plight will lead to her complete acceptance of him.
I must say that I'm not an opera fan, but the passion you put into the piece almost makes me want to try the experience again.
I wish that the story hadn't ended where it did, but I'm assuming there's a sequel in the works...?
Lovely story...thanks!
"Women frustrate men because they're too complicated. Men frustrate women because they're not complicated enough."
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
Joined: Jan 2007
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Yay! A new Lara story! Which ever of the two was able to collect the most interesting piece of news by the end of the evening would win. I love Lois and Clark challenging each other.  One dance wouldn't kill her, after all. If it had been anyone else, she wouldn't have had any second thoughts about refusing, but dancing with Clark, well... it would definitely be worth a few more blisters on her feet. No, dancing with a gorgeous single man who adores you, I <guess> won't kill you. "Actually..." he started, before the irony dawned on him. "It's a love story between a count and a young woman. Figaro merely helps the count get closer to her," Clark explained, leaving out the fact that the count starts off by assuming another identity in order to make sure that the young woman would love him for himself and not his money or his title. What a cool fact! I never knew that. I love how the Lois/Clark/Superman love triangle is repeated in literature and song earlier on. snuggling up to him so she would be able to hear without him needing to speak up. Lois! You smooth devil. And what a pick up talent, Clark! "Lean in closer so I can translate" For a second, she let herself imagine that there was no opera and that Clark wasn't simply translating. Her heart started racing and every little thing started making her head spin: his breath on her cheek, the feel of his body so close to hers, the smell of his aftershave, the soft sound of his voice. She turned her head and looked up at him. Her breath caught as she saw the expression in his eyes – was that love she saw in those dark chocolate pools? Oh that whole paragraph just left me a pool of mush. *sighs* I loved that! Please say you'll write a little more? Wonderful job, Lara! As always. --Laura
Thanks to CapeFetish for the awesome icon.
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
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Oh, Lara! That is one of the sweetest, most romantic things I've ever read! What a lovely idea for a story. *melts*
Thank you for a wonderful read!
C.
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
Joined: Dec 2004
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Aww, how romantic. So very sweet. Loved it.
Jackie
Superman: I hear you've been looking for me.
Lois: All my life.
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Jul 2006
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awww!!! You guys have me all teary eyed! I can't tell you how happy I am that you liked this! ...unlike Caroline, WAFF is *not* my default setting (comedy and Batman seem to be mine... *lol*) and I must admit that while I didn't exactly struggle to write this, I was a little apprehensive about posting it - I really wasn't sure that it "worked" the way I saw it in my head... As for a sequel... for now I'm going to say "I don't know" because I have other things in the works. But I'm not one to say "never" so who knows... QueenOfAces - you know... if you had asked me a few years ago if I liked the opera, I would have said no, not at all. But I do enjoy it now. I suppose it has something to do with the frame of mind you're in - or the company? Mind you, there are operas that aren't nearly as fun to see as others. Il barbiere di Seviglia is a great one to see. I love it because it's amusing and it's romantic. Rigoletto is also a nice one, it's tragic despite it's name and, in my opinion, it's a beautiful love story. Laura - hi!! Thank you for the comments!! I love how the Lois/Clark/Superman love triangle is repeated in literature and song earlier on. Hehe! So do I! And there are soooooo many!! When I first got the idea to write a story that would have them see an opera, I did a bit of research and you have no idea how many I found that I could have used instead of this one. Stories where someone does something heroic and doesn't take the least bit of credit for it - or does it under an assumed identity, for instance the story of the Scarlet Pimpernel (though I'm not sure there's an opera for that one). It's great because there's lots of possibilities and lots of inspiration to be taken from these. Caroline - I can't even begin to tell you what your comment means to me. I can barely see the keyboard and the screen well enough to type anything anyway... Thank you *so* much!!  Oooh! Jackie! You posted while I was reponding. *lol* Thank you for the comments, I'm really glad you liked it!!
Superman: Why is it that good villains never die?
Batman: Clark, what the hell are good villains?
=> Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
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This is over?  It was sitting so close to "Heaven"--that sounds funny by the way--that I thought this was a 3-parter. I loved the way this was written. You included so much in such a small space. I find that as I go through real life, I tend to wonder what kind of a fic this will make or that will make, as well. James and I were stuck in traffic once (Gosh! That was 8 yrs ago.) when I was pregnant with my oldest. We sat for 2 or 3 hours where the car literally didn't move. When we did move, the police had decided to close the highway and traffic was diverted to going the other way. We were 8/10 of a mile from home and found ourselves heading the other direction at a snail's pace. Of course, being very pregnant, I had a very full bladder and a very empty stomach. Plus, the air smelled like car exhaust. So James and I mused about how Clark would be patient and Lois would be fuming mad and looking at her options. It must include dancing, because our poor OTP never got to dance much! OTP? OK, so maybe sometimes he disappeared right in the middle of a conversation, but whenever she needed a shoulder to cry on or a strong arm to lean against, there wasn't anyone else she knew who she would rather turn to than Clark Kent. So true. "Oh, it's just that the first - and last - opera I've ever been to was..." Lois closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath before going on, "Last year. With... um, with Lex."
"I'm sorry," Clark said, not really knowing what the right thing to say was. "But I'm a much better date," he then added, hoping that a bit of humor might bring a smile back to her face. Hearts take such a long time to heal. Clark is so good about this, too. "Sure you have. Figaro," Clark explained before launching into the first few notes of an aria he was certain she would recognize.
Lois giggled softly, Clark's signing was way out of tune, but somehow she had managed to identify the song anyway. She hummed a few notes of it herself. "Is that it? Yeah, I remember that from Bugs Bunny." I had a co-worker/friend that went to this one. He reasoned that if it was good enough for Bugs Bunny, it was good enough for him. Okay, with a quick re-read I suppose you can get away with ending it there.  Nice story. Elisabeth
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Columnist
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Columnist
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Eee, it's posted!  Sorry I don't have a whole lot of time to leave feedback, but this is sooooo adorable and sweet! "Oh, I haven't gotten any more information than you have. But the way I see it, I can't possibly be a loser. You're dancing with me, after all." Aww! /pile of mush She had to fight back the urge to lean in and kiss him right then and there. C'mon, just do it! "So, it's the story of a barber?" she asked. "And what, they sing about hairdos?" Hehe, that's just so Lois. Lois closed her eyes. My love. A long shiver ran through her spine. For a second, she let herself imagine that there was no opera and that Clark wasn't simply translating. Her heart started racing and every little thing started making her head spin: his breath on her cheek, the feel of his body so close to hers, the smell of his aftershave, the soft sound of his voice. She turned her head and looked up at him. Her breath caught as she saw the expression in his eyes – was that love she saw in those dark chocolate pools? Awww. Yes that's love, it's about time you noticed! "I am consumed by so many emotions, all that I feel for you." It barely resembled what the words meant, but Clark had lost track of the story. He'd simply started adlibbing the words, substituting the libretto with all these words he'd been aching to say out loud to her. The opera was now merely a backdrop to the sounds of Lois's heart, singing melodiously for only him to hear. Lost in its music, he forgot all about his surroundings. A small nudge from Lois brought him back to reality and he started, once more, to tell her what they were singing about, until a few minutes later, when the intermission came. I sooo, sooo love this paragraph. *Melt* "Oh... um. Lois? There's something I need to tell you..." You can't leave us there!
"Lois Lane is Clark Kent's Superman." - Brian Miller
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
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I know what it was that confused me. I thought "three acts" meant 3 parts.
Elisabeth
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Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Aaaaawww, what a sweet story, Lara!  (and the first opera I ever saw was Rigoletto... I was twelve years old and learnt the hard way that most operas are about the death of a woman. Rigoletto himself is a man, so he couldn't die, so his twelve-year-old daughter had to die instead...it felt as if I myself would have been killed, too, if I had been written into the libretto. Since then I don't much like opera. Ah, but Figaro is not like that!) "Sure you have. Figaro," Clark explained before launching into the first few notes of an aria he was certain she would recognize.
Lois giggled softly, Clark's signing was way out of tune, but somehow she had managed to identify the song anyway. She hummed a few notes of it herself. "Is that it? Yeah, I remember that from Bugs Bunny."
"Ah, the things you learn from watching Saturday morning cartoons!" He laughed. Hmmm, all the classical music we hear in movies and other forms of popular entertainment.... "So, it's the story of a barber?" she asked. "And what, they sing about hairdos?" ![[Linked Image]](http://blinds-wallpaper.net/images/borders/novelty/BA7012B-HAIRDOS.jpg) Something to sing about! "You really are a much better date," she whispered in his ear, snuggling up to him so she would be able to hear without him needing to speak up. She probably wouldn't have needed that as an excuse to do so, but she was glad to have one, nonetheless.
"I'm glad you think so," he told her.
The statement sent butterflies fluttering through her stomach. It was silly, probably. All he'd said was that he was glad she appreciated his company, but the fact that it mattered to him made her feel special and appreciated as well. Awwww!!!! "The count is telling Figaro that he doesn't want Rosina to know who he really is. He wants to be sure that she loves him and not the wealth and titles of Count Almaviva," Clark explained.
"He starts lying to her before he even knows her?" Lois asked, surprised. "Why would he do that?" Ummm... you need to be a man to understand the logic behind this, Lois? Clark gulped, a surge of guilt running through him at the thought that he was doing something quite similar with Lois. "Wouldn't you like to find someone who would love you for the real you - not for whatever power you have?" He was fairly certain he knew the answer to this. She had told him once, even though she didn't know she was telling him and although the circumstances had made the statement hard to hear and that it still stung a little to think about it, he was just about convinced that she'd meant every word.
"Of course," she said. "But he shouldn't lie to her. He should tell her the truth."
"He will," he answered, making it a promise that he, too, would eventually tell the truth about who he really was. You should think about that "eventually", Clark. Don't drag your feet! Make it happen! Egli attende qualche segno, poverin, del vostro affetto.
"He is awaiting some sign, poor man, of your affection."
The words weren't directed at her, Lois knew, but she reacted to them by lacing her fingers with his, without really realizing she was doing it. She felt Clark's fingers tighten around hers as if telling her he'd understood what she'd meant to say.
Ah, tu solo, amor, tu sei che mi devi consolar.
"You alone, my love, can soothe my heart."
Lois closed her eyes. My love. A long shiver ran through her spine. For a second, she let herself imagine that there was no opera and that Clark wasn't simply translating. Her heart started racing and every little thing started making her head spin: his breath on her cheek, the feel of his body so close to hers, the smell of his aftershave, the soft sound of his voice. She turned her head and looked up at him. Her breath caught as she saw the expression in his eyes – was that love she saw in those dark chocolate pools? Aaaawwww.... how adorable! *happy sigh* "I am consumed by so many emotions, all that I feel for you." It barely resembled what the words meant, but Clark had lost track of the story. He'd simply started adlibbing the words, substituting the libretto with all these words he'd been aching to say out loud to her. The opera was now merely a backdrop to the sounds of Lois's heart, singing melodiously for only him to hear. Lost in its music, he forgot all about his surroundings. So absolutely delightful! "Thank you for the translation services," Lois told him, as the lights came up. "It's sweet of you to do."
"I take it you're not having such a bad evening, after all?"
"I'm glad you insisted so much." She smiled. "He will tell her who he really is, won't he?" she asked after a moment's reflection.
"Yeah, he does."
"And she'll be mad at him and turn to Figaro instead, is that it?" Lois wondered, trying to figure out how the story continued.
"Turn to Figaro? No... Why?"
"To Bartolo, then? Or someone else?" Hmmmm.... this doesn't sound promising, does it, Clark? "She forgives him?" she said, surprised. "Well obviously this summary is missing a few key details. She's got to be mad at him, for sure."
"Well... this is Rosina, not Lois Lane," he offered. "And she loves him, I guess. Wouldn't you forgive someone you love for a few little white lies? "
"It depends." She shrugged. Please forgive him, Lois.... "I don't know. Would you forgive me if you knew I'd lied to you?"
Of course he would, he thought. He would and he had before, too. Heck, he'd even forgiven her for breaking his heart – twice, in the same day – and running off to marry Lex Luthor. There wasn't a whole lot that she could do that he wouldn't forgive.
"Clark?" she asked, seeing that he was miles away.
"Oh... um. Lois? There's something I need to tell you..." Yes!!! He's going to tell her! And whether she is going to be terribly mad or not, of course she will forgive him eventually. (That word again... *sigh*) Your father used to be an opera singer, Lara? I'm impressed. Singing opera takes very great skill. I really like opera music, just not the stories most operas tell! Ann
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Columnist
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Columnist
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What a sweet story! You don't know how much I went 'ooh' and 'aaawww'!! Well.... a lot!!  There was not point arguing with him, she knew. He could read her better than anyone. like this, so sweet and true! and... Oh, I haven't gotten any more information than you have. But the way I see it, I can't possibly be a loser. You're dancing with me, after all." aaawww  and I thought it was so cute that Clark was translating the opera for her!! such a sweet adorable story!!!
"I have no regrets. If you regret things, then you're sort of stepping backwards.
I'm a believer in going forwards." ~Kate Winslet
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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Hi Lara!  Forgive me if I quote what others have quoted... I didn't read your fdk, just jumped right in here. <g> and, adamant that there wasn't a Gala on earth that she could go to and not come back with some sort of scoop, Lois had had the very bad idea to turn this into a wager. Hah! I sense something fun coming on. <g> Lois Lane was staring defeat right in the eyes and she didn't like the look it gave her back. Ooooh, nice line! Not that she didn't want to dance with him - as a matter of fact, the prospect was very appealing - but her feet hurt and she really just wanted to go home My feet are so aching in protest for her. I know exactly how she feels! I had a hard time dancing at my own weddding because my feet hurt so bad. Honestly, I tell my bride-to-be-friends to wear flip flops under their wedding dresses... no one sees your shoes anyway. LOL! "Oh, I haven't gotten any more information than you have. But the way I see it, I can't possibly be a loser. You're dancing with me, after all." Awwwwwwww! She had to fight back the urge to lean in and kiss him right then and there. Not that she thought he'd protest or anything, but they were in public and she didn't exactly want a picture of them - lip locked on the dance floor - to end up in the social events pages of a competing newspaper. LOL!!!! Lois refrained from saying that, considering the sort of monster Lex Luthor was, even Dr. Jekyll would have made a better date. But that would probably have hurt Clark's feelings and he was just trying to be nice LOL at the first part and then awwww, good for her for thinking of his feelings. <g> "He can't hurt you anymore," he added, knowing this was probably where her mind was at. "Even if he wasn't in jail for the rest of eternity, I promise I wouldn't let him hurt you ever again." Awwwww <sniffle> Lois giggled softly, Clark's signing was way out of tune, but somehow she had managed to identify the song anyway. She hummed a few notes of it herself. "Is that it? Yeah, I remember that from Bugs Bunny." <giggles madly and falls out of her chair> Me too! Me too! Totally know that from Bugs Bunny - how sad is that? <g> "Ah, the things you learn from watching Saturday morning cartoons!" He laughed. It's SO TRUE!!! LOL! "He starts lying to her before he even knows her?" Lois asked, surprised. "Why would he do that?"
Clark gulped, a surge of guilt running through him at the thought that he was doing something quite similar with Lois. Oooooh! I LOVE this! "You alone, my love, can soothe my heart."
Lois closed her eyes. My love. A long shiver ran through her spine. For a second, she let herself imagine that there was no opera and that Clark wasn't simply translating. <DJ melts into a puddle of goo> Lara!!! I LOVE this!!! It's wonderful!... Wouldn't you forgive someone you love for a few little white lies? "
"It depends." She shrugged.
"Oh?" Clark asked, his heart caught in his throat. What if she never forgave him? <choke> I'm glad I finally found a way to turn some of these ideas into a story and I really hope I didn't make to much of a mess of it. NO! No mess at all!! It was wonderful! I definitely look forward to part 2 of the 3 part series. Yippee!!! -- DJ
Smile and the world smiles with you ... frown and you're just giving yourself wrinkles.
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Boards Chief Administrator Pulitzer
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Boards Chief Administrator Pulitzer
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,094 Likes: 40 |
So, is this where I applaud and ask for an encore?  Sara
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
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"Oh, I haven't gotten any more information than you have. But the way I see it, I can't possibly be a loser. You're dancing with me, after all." Aww! she didn't exactly want a picture of them - lip locked on the dance floor - to end up in the social events pages of a competing newspaper. What a great way to make Perry go ballistic! Must try it sometime. "The opera, on the other hand -" No - too Lex-ish. Yeah, I remember that from Bugs Bunny. *giggle* Oh, Lara, I can't even continue quoting because I'm just too caught up in how breaktakingly beautiful this was. I'm swept up in the images of Clark and Lois together in the opera house and his whispers in her ear. So, so lovely. Great work.
lisa in the sky with diamonds
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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*bounces up and down* Thank you for the comments, everyone! Hi Elizabeth! This is over? It was sitting so close to "Heaven"--that sounds funny by the way--that I thought this was a 3-parter. Ermm.. I'm sorry, I guess I was being a little obscure when I thought I was being funny, what with the 'acts' thing. I went back and edited the story so the acts are 'labeled' now. OTP means One True Pairing. I believe. I had to ask, too. *lol* But my memory isn't great so I'm not sure if it's 'pair' or 'pairing' - it's the same anyhow, right? Hey Jessi! Thanks for the FDK.  I see you met the bottom dweller. Yeah, I guess this is where you should do that. There might be a sequel, there might... I'm glad you liked this! *hugs* Lisa - thank you so much! "breaktakingly beautiful" huh? I'm glad you think so!! *happy sigh*
Superman: Why is it that good villains never die?
Batman: Clark, what the hell are good villains?
=> Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
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Kerth
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Kerth
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I had no beta reader for this, so I'm the only one to blame for the whole thing. I think it's more like "credit" than "blame". "Great, great," she replied, unconvincingly. "I'm this close to something really big."
"That bad, huh?" Clark chuckled. "I don't have anything either." When I got done snickering like a teenage boy over the possible double entendre on her part, I still loved that exchange. I love it when Clark teases her. "Oh, I haven't gotten any more information than you have. But the way I see it, I can't possibly be a loser. You're dancing with me, after all." And that's just, as you say, "awwww". <g> There were times, in fact, when he would have given away all his powers in exchange for her never to be hurt again – physically or emotionally. <sniffle> That's one of his best qualities. Lois closed her eyes. My love. A long shiver ran through her spine. For a second, she let herself imagine that there was no opera and that Clark wasn't simply translating. Her heart started racing and every little thing started making her head spin: his breath on her cheek, the feel of his body so close to hers, the smell of his aftershave, the soft sound of his voice. Mmmm. You did this so well! It's so seductive and we're all being seduced right along with Lois. Especially since we know that he isn't just translating, he really means the words. <sigh> "She forgives him?" she said, surprised. "Well obviously this summary is missing a few key details. She's got to be mad at him, for sure."
"Well... this is Rosina, not Lois Lane," he offered. "And she loves him, I guess. Wouldn't you forgive someone you love for a few little white lies? "
"It depends." She shrugged. Heh. Be *very careful* how you answer that one, Lois. You have no idea what's at stake here. I can't believe you're just going to leave it hanging there!
Lois: You know, I have a funny feeling that you didn't tell me your biggest secret.
Clark: Well, just to put your little mind at ease, Lois, you're right.
Ides of Metropolis
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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Sue!  When I got done snickering like a teenage boy over the possible double entendre on her part, I still loved that exchange. I love it when Clark teases her. Oh no!! I'm so embarrassed, I've turned positively *crimson*. I always make an effort not to leave in things that may lead people to think they mean something else -- unless I meant to have them there, obviously... I never even saw this one at all.  Mmmm. You did this so well! It's so seductive and we're all being seduced right along with Lois. Especially since we know that he isn't just translating, he really means the words. <sigh> Awww! thank you! this means the world to me! I can't believe you're just going to leave it hanging there! um... I have another story in mind that I'd like to start writing because it's got me soooooo excited just thinking about it, but at this rate it looks like it's going to be my NaNoWriMo this year. *lol* I've been talking about it since April and I still don't have a single line of it written... Things just keep coming up and it gets pushed back again and again.  But, OK, OK... I promise to seriously think about a sequel to this one as soon as I come back from Alaska, next week. How's that?
Superman: Why is it that good villains never die?
Batman: Clark, what the hell are good villains?
=> Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
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Kerth
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Kerth
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as soon as I come back from Alaska, next week. Alaska! Oh man! Tell Jessie "hi!" for me (I haven't seen her around much lately). So how come you'll visit Sara and Jessie, but you won't get out here to see me? I'll take you hiking... Desert or mountain - your choice.
Lois: You know, I have a funny feeling that you didn't tell me your biggest secret.
Clark: Well, just to put your little mind at ease, Lois, you're right.
Ides of Metropolis
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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Hey, if you'll introduce me to "Clark in the closet" I'll make a detour on my way back from Anchorage!
Superman: Why is it that good villains never die?
Batman: Clark, what the hell are good villains?
=> Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
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Columnist
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cute fic and I loved the dance and the opera. Oh I loved everything and I will go to bed with figero ín my head. Thank you for this waffy and sexy and cute fic. I am with the others a sequel would be fantastic. 
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