One SuperJerk to the highest bidder!!! Erm... FDK for Bidding for Attention part 2

You're welcome, Wendy. Glad to help.

Okay... when I wasn't laughing, I was "AWWWWWW"ing. So I left most of those out.

Quote

He didn’t hang around once he’d deposited Lois in front of her apartment building. For one thing, she thought he was supposed to be answering a cry for help. For another... he didn’t know what to say.

Well, no kidding! "Here's your shovel back, I don't think I'll need it any longer. Can't dig any deeper than that." ... Just a suggestion.

Quote

He’d never intended to scare her. But it was too late to undo the damage now. Not without undoing the rest of what he’d done, too. If he reverted back to his normal Superman manner, she’d realise that it had all been an act. And, knowing Lois and her Superman crush, there was even a chance that she’d forgive him. He couldn’t risk that.

Argh!!!!! Maybe he can dig deeper after all...

Quote

SUPER SLEAZEBALL

“To the world, he's a hero in Spandex. Gentle, courteous, the saviour of hundreds. But the truth about Superman is far from heroic. In his private life, he’s a jerk...”

Whoops! Tsk, tsk.

Quote

Superman, a thug? Not so far, at least in his dealings with criminals and with the public at large. But now she knew that he was capable of overruling someone’s wishes. And of using his strength against someone.

What if he started doing that to other people?

Uh oh! You'd better write an expose, then! Forty point head line that reads something like... SUPER SLEAZEBALL.... for example.

Quote

He looked at her again. The shock was wearing off, he could see, and disillusionment was beginning to set in. Why hadn’t he realised he’d feel this much of a heel?

Not exactly sure... because when you shoot yourself in the foot, the heel's kinda all you got left...

Quote

His *mother* had... She pictured the very tight, very figure-hugging spandex. “I think I’d like to meet your mother.”

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quote

She continued to study him as he sat facing her. He looked uncomfortable under her scrutiny, but said nothing. This was Clark Kent, the geeky-looking guy she’d complained about having foisted upon her, the hick from the sticks, the too-innocent-to-be-true farmboy who hid an impressive physique behind over-large clothes, too-long hair and old-fashioned glasses.

I really love this description of Clark. Can we frame it?

)

Yeah, what she said

Nothing like an abject confession and grovelling to clear the air! It took me by surprise when he said he was Superman, and then even more by surprise when he admitted he was interested in her. But it seems to have worked out for him...

And yes, that was a seriously cute ending -- loved it.

Thanks for writing & posting, Wendy

PJ

Quote

A bit of a jerk.

That was my thought too.

Quote

Lois stood outside her apartment building for several moments before she realised that she was shaking.

I love this image...

Poor Lois.

I loved the revelation, Wendy - the way he resigned himself to confessing without preparing himself or her or anything. Just... "I'm superman."

Quote

She was shallow; he was a jerk. Maybe that made them even.

LOL!! Fair is fair. <g>

Quote

“Babe,” he murmured against her lips.

“Jerk,” she whispered back.

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!! I join Sara in Cutest Ending camp!!! Awesome ending!!!!!

Julie

Wendy

An excellent finish!

Hopefully, there'll be another Wendy story soon.

Tricia

Well that was resolved nicely. What is blinkered? Never heard that expression before. I love the little humor at the end "Babe", "Jerk"! LOL! Very cute little story Wendy. I am glad Clark came clean. Laura

A nice little diddy. The fortress of solitude almost became just that! With Leopardskin no less!

That was cute. I like the way things came together.

Fred and Wilma -the continuing adventures

Hi,

Cute story!

Since there were two threads, I combined them.

Great Fic, Wendy ... though you got my reaction first hand. <G>

I like this story. Lois is very Lois, attacking Clark when she finds out who Superman really is. She's lucky she didn't hurt herself while beating on him.

And Clark's reaction to Lois's attack - to stand there and let her whack on him - is so very Clark. He made a huge mistake, and now he has to pay the price.

I have to agree that the "Babe/Jerk" ending was hysterical. It also shows that they've both worked through the emotional impact of this episode. They'll be fine. I can see them exchanging these endearments in the newsroom, then smiling privately, then refusing to explain to Perry or Jimmy or Cat what the heck's going on.

Oh, "blinkered" refers to the things horses wear to limit their field of vision so they don't get distracted by things that aren't directly in front of them. Another name for them is "blinders" and you can see them today on horse-drawn carriages in cities. It's a great metaphor for Lois, a woman who focuses on what's right in front of her and ignores the peripheral stuff (like Clark) until she trips over it.

I couldn't believe Clark told Lois he was Superman so fast, but then I realized the story was only a two-parter and you had to get on with it.

Thanks a lot for the fun.

gerry

Great story, Wendy!

I agree with everybody else - that was a great revelation, and their reactions very believable.

Lois gets out of her apartment - acts first, and then realizes she's reacting: shaking. She runs to Clark. Where else would she possibly go? And he realizes it - she's run to him, not to collaborate on the story to end all stories, but because he is her support system.

And he had to tell her the truth. He didn't even have to think about it, he knew

Quote

“I had to. You came here looking for comfort, expecting me to sympathise with you over what Superman had done to you. I’d have felt like a hypocrite if I’d continued pretending that we’re two separate people. I did that to you. I had to take responsibility for my actions.”

I thought this exchange:

Quote

“I’d feel a lot better if I thought you’d actually get a couple of bruises.”

He grimaced. “Sorry. I can’t - ever since I was about ten I couldn’t get hurt.”

was particularly revealing for Clark. Lois is angry, and she says the kind of thing people say - almost inane - when they start to take a breath from reacting, start to think. She's grumbling as she winds down: 'I can't even hurt you and you deserve it.' And Clark takes her literally: 'Sorry, I can't since I was little.' And she sort of has to do a quick mental double take, and it gets her thinking about something besides her anger. And they start to talk.

And I'm happy to cast my vote for Best Ending Lines - maybe there should be a new Kerth category?

Well done! Thank you for another great story!

~Toc

Wow, Wendy. When you fix things, you fix them well!

I love the whole discussion, and glad that Clark fessed up (good boy *pets*). And of coruse, the last two lines were great. Once again, excellent!

/me quietly takes the shovel for her garden since Clark had better not be using it again!

Wendy, loved it, loved it, loved it!! The cave was hilarious, the whole babe, upside down, butt patting was too funny for words, especially since Clark knew darn well she would HATE every second of it - I was seriously waiting for the Don't-mess-with-me-Lois to break free from the But-it's-Superman-and-I-idolize- him-Lois, but this was even better. I'm glad she went to Clark and I'm glad he told her who he really is. Wonderful conversation with the mingled vulnerability on both their parts, with honest disclosure and introspection, and humor.

The very final exchange "Babe" "Jerk" was the perfect ending.

Did I mention that I loved it? What's next?

Vicki (who misses this site and everyone on it)

Yay! A happy ending.

Like the others said, cute last lines.

Yvonne

Babe, meet Jerk.

Quote

“Babe,” he murmured against her lips.

“Jerk,” she whispered back.

Love at first sight.... well, not quite. This was great! And so so funny! I like how you handled the revelation (between babe and jerk, there was some wonderful 'swine' and 'bastard').

Truly original and completely fun!

~NICOLE

Cute Wendy... more soon?

Jose

Great story, Wendy, that was so funny, where Superman took Lois to the cave.

My favorite scene:-

Quote

Lois let a slow smile creep across her face. "Just tell me one thing, Clark. Do you always kiss like that?"

His eyes widened; she'd shocked the innocent spaceman from Kansas. But then he smiled too. "No, and you already know that."

"I do?" But then she remembered. Trask's plane. Kissing Clark goodbye - a kiss that had scorched her soul. "Oh, yes."

"You look like you need some convincing." Was it her imagination, or had his smile turned sensual?

Nice story(Superman discourages-> Lois disillusioned -> Lois seeks Clark -> Clark confesses -> Lois reluctantly forgives -> WAFFs)

Loved your lunkheadedly righteous Clark and intelligently fiesty Lois.

~ Ankit

LOL! Oh my, that was great, Wendy.

I finally caught up and I spent the past half hour reading both parts and laughing out loud in turns with awwwing in plenty of places. Beautiful story!

Kaethel

Wow!!! What wonderful feedback! I'm overwhelmed.

Thank you all!!

The ending lines... I'm just blown away by your reaction to them. There I was, sitting on IRC while trying to finish up the story, convinced that I only needed one or two more sentences to do it. But everything I added seemed incomplete and needed more. Finally, in an IM with Sara (Krafty), I admitted my frustration. She started joking around and something she said just put that babe/jerk exchange into my head. So thank you, Sara!

I can't even begin to do justice to your wonderful comments, insight and praise, so please believe me when I say that you made my month.

This is the first story I've written in what, for me, is a very long time - I've had several months of writers' block, being unable to dredge up the motivation to write. But I wrote this. And finished it. And now I'm working again on a long story I'd started in the spring, and I think I might actually finish it.

Which feels really good. Your comments help even more to keep the motivation going on that.

By the way, I mentioned in my reply to part 1 that I'd say something about what inspired this story. It was a conversation on IRC between a some of us who love Season 1 Lois and some others who only liked her once she mellowed. One of the Season 1 Lois camp argued that Clark was guilty of cruel behaviour: that he played mind games with her all season. Thinking about it, I realised that I didn't entirely agree. Yes, Clark did play up to her as Superman. He did seem to take advantage of his dual identity to keep her confused and in a spin. But at least some of what he did was done because he just didn't know any better.

He loved Lois from first sight. She had no time for Clark. She fell for Superman like a ton of bricks. He ached for a smile or a kind word from her. All he got from her as Clark was sarcasm. So when he got smiles and active encouragement as Superman he couldn't help but respond. Give a starving man a crust of bread, and he'll devour it... and that's what Clark did, the way I see it. Just like he couldn't help pretending to be under the influence of the pheremone at the end of PML - after all, she'd driven him to the end of his endurance when she'd been under the influence and trying to seduce Clark. So no mind games, I think, just confusion, naiveté and feeling his way in the dual roles. And that's what I was trying to show in this story.

I'm glad you all liked it! Thank you again.

Wendy