Thanks for reading

Comments welcome.

Seems a little out of character for Clark - he needs privacy to maintain his secret identity - but maybe he's aware of Jimmy's plans and trying to stop him without a scandal.

Interesting but a few things about this threw me off. One was from the very first episode, Jimmy was interested in Lucy. There was little puppy adoration here in the way Jimmy was often portrayed. The second was that Clark didn't have a two bedroom, just a one bedroom with a stairwell (to where? we never find out). The third was that the Jimmy of the "Lois and Clark" series was not a red-head (in either version.)

With that said, I did find the concept funny and might have enjoyed it in a different uni/version of the characters.

I know that Jimmy of S3 LnC confesses to having a crush on Lois (Just Say Noah), but I think that's the only time we see it (unless you count UW). So, it's possible, he's being resentful and faking his friendship during S1 with Clark, and his crushes on Lucy and Cat. One little nitpicking thing, LnC's Jimmy always called Clark "CK". I constantly forgetting that too, and having to do Find/Replaces to change it out.

This sounds more like the relationship between Clark and Jimmy of the early comics, especially with Jimmy's red hair. Didn't they share an apartment at one time? I don't recall Perry ever telling Jimmy "why can't you be more like Clark" on the show, but I could see it happening in the comics. Also, LnC's Perry didn't mind being called "Chief" but the one in the comics did. I think this story would work better in the new section (forum) at the bottom of the page for 'Superman in Other Canon'.

If I set this story in that comics canon, I could totally see it working. There were times in the comics canon when Clark and Jimmy had falling outs, I think even to the point where Jimmy tried to kill Clark once or twice (when he'd gone bad). It makes me wonder, though, what Jimmy did to tip his hand to Clark for him to know that Jimmy was planning on doing something to him. It must have been when he left that morning and saw Jimmy in the van.

Of course, if Clark knows Jimmy's trying to off him, it seems a bit vindictive to invite him to move in with him, as if he's trying to have Jimmy kill himself with the poisoned water, so let's hope that Clark removes the poisoned filter. Very noir-esque. I've never heard of pipes in an apartment building only going to one apartment from the basement, so if Jimmy poisoned Clark, he probably poisoned everyone else in Clark's building as well. Thus, Jimmy is in serious need of mental help.

The one paragraph that didn't sound like Clark at all, was this one:
LnC's Clark being a farmboy was a strong believer of drinking out of the tap. Also, being Superman it wasn't like tap water could ever hurt him, no matter what crud was in it, so I couldn't ever see him as a bottled water guy only. The only reason I could see Jimmy thinking that Clark was a total trend-follower is that he noticed that Clark wants to blend in with everyone else, and does so by following all the current trends. Again, this doesn't sound like LnC Clark, but maybe one of the Clarks in other canons was like this.

An interesting alt-verse. But I can see the potentials.

A slightly older Jimmy Olsen with a little more ambition (enough to have a Chemistry major) and a lot less friendliness. Now, mix in an attraction to Lois and a situation that leads him to believe that he had been establishing a foundation for a more intimate relationship. Now bring in Clark who effortlessly takes Jimmy's perceived future - both professional and personal.

I can see it. Clearly a very different universe than canon.

To be honest, when I finished the story I went back to the top expecting to see (1/x) instead of (1/1). There just feels like there should be more here.

Q1: Was Clark's timing in being friendly to Jimmy pure coincidence?
Q2: Why would Clark invite him to be a roommate?
Q3: Is it possible that in this verse, Clark isn't Superman?
Q4: What next?

Still, an interesting look into what jealousy can do.
Bob

Funny and cute I liked it.

Actually what told me this is not really a Lois and Clark story, is Perry says "don't call me chief", he outright encourages the title in Lois and Clark.

This story feels more like it belongs in the Other Superman fan-fiction section than the Lois and Clark fan fiction section. The only maybe a little L&C aspect is Clark being overly politically correct, but even the only example of that I can think of is SM going overboard to get a milk jug in the recycling. L&C Clark was not a bottled water drinker, he was a milk/pop/orange juice/wine drinker. Especially per the Pilot, bottled water is just too healthy for him. As we learn in ASU he is into full café, sugar and all that.

Thanks for the comment. Clark needs privacy but if he can hide his secret from the folks at the DP then he can do it from a roommate.

Think of it as a combo L&C with AU elements. I find it more creatively effective to stretch the strict L&C elements a bit.

I purposely left the ending open-ended. Hoping someone here might write "the rest of the story". I might do that too. We'll see.

To answer your questions - Clark being friendly with Jimmy was sincere on his part. He suddenly realized Jimmy was being put down by Perry and being compared to Clark. Clark does not like that.

Clark can't afford to rent a two-bedroom. He needs a roommate and likes Jimmy though Jimmy has not felt the same about Clark.

Clark is Superman but he is debuting as such in a low key way.

What next? Lots of possibilities. Some good and some bad.

Thanks. It works as a nice stand-alone though it could be added to as a more complete fic.

One general comment - the description of Clark in the fic is through the eyes of an envious co-worker- - it is not necessarily objective. Perry's perspective would be totally different.

For instance, I can envision a scene where Clark takes Jimmy, a very nervous Jimmy, to his apartment before they go to the game. Once there Clark fills a glass with water from the tap.

Jimmy freaks and knocks the glass of water out of Clark's hand before he can take a drink - shouting something like "don't you know tap water is bad for you, I only drink bottled water Clark and you should too".

Hi Randi!
/scratches head/ Jimmy?

To be fair, Clark constantly lies about every aspect of his being.

Photoshop a photo of Clark with Linda and give it to Lois?

What happens when Clark offers Lois a drink?



Michael