Chapter 1
Hi Barbara!
All he wanted was to rinse off the dirt and despair of the past two days.
Poor guy. Natural disaster?
When Clark had first seen them, he’d thought they were resting.
It’s like Pompeii all over again.
On days like this, her voice kept him going, her reassurance that whatever he was able to do was enough. He needed her so much.
But then he remembered their date and how it had ended and his smile crumbled.
Ah, we’re in the season-two-dating-disappointed stage of their relationship.
Apparently, not even a relationship.
Again, poor guy. Also, the other parts are because he is only human and the last part is because lying isn’t his superpower.
Closing his eyes, he took deep steadying breaths until he heard knocking.
Aww, he’s gonna get a shot of adrenaline courtesy of Lois Lane.
Clark straightened. The knocking resumed, louder, more impatient. Someone was on his front door.
*Snickers* yes, ‘someone’.
She knocked again, even harder this time. The door rattled in its hinges.
Good thing he can fix it himself.
He groaned and wiped his face dry, not sure he was ready to deal with her. What did she even want? She’d told him she never wanted to see him again after what he’d thought had been a really nice date. There was not much left to say, was there?
Did he attend the entire date? Oh, wait, this is a Lucky Leon follow up. And he’s been missing for several days after Lois told him she didn’t want to see him again. The poor dear must be beside herself.
Her knocks rang in his ears. “Clark, where the heck are you? Either you open that door or I’ll do it.”
Yes, she will.
In his bedroom, he spun into something a little more appropriate than the towel and slipped the glasses back on his nose.
But naked o’clock Clark might have been helpful in defusing the situation.
when on the other side of his door Lois already seemed to be searching her handbag for her lockpicking equipment.
Most cute.
But she gave him a once over, her gaze drifting over his stubbly cheeks much longer than was comfortable with him.
See, he really should have worn the more comfortable towel skirt.
CLARK: Kilt.
READER: huh?
CLARK: It’s called a kilt.
LOIS: /pulls away kilt and examines it/ No, it’s a tow…
“Can we talk or are you going to run out on me again?”
Hey! It was Lois who sent him packing!
LOIS: I offered chase. It’s part of the human mating ritual. It says so right there in the Metropolitan’s new column Sex in the City by C. Grant. … I mean, you ran!
She thought he was running out on her? Who had slammed a door in whose face? Who had told Perry she needed another partner? Not that he was supposed to know that.
/Tries to remember this is Clark’s first real girlfriend
He’d fed her his chocolate desert, feeling he might lose his sanity whenever she’d closed her eyes with that little moan of contentment she always seemed to make while savoring a taste.
/Checks if this is the dark chocolate side of the boards/
Clark still had no idea what he might have done to get on her bad side.
He became a real relationship option and that’s SCARY.
And his heart fluttered with the prospect of reconciling and, perhaps taking up where they’d left off before…
Hence the reason she’s scared. Before, with other dates, she had a perfectly valid response – ick!
Clark pinched the bridge of his nose, not sure how he was supposed to explain any of it. He felt too exhausted, too wired to make up excuses.
I just had this flash where Clark sighs, tells Lois they’ll talk tomorrow because he’s exhausted, opens the window and flies off. Only works of course when they’re at Lois’s place.
Clark’s desperate attempts to convince Mayson to stay off the conference, her repeated refusal. And finally his offer to go with her.
Oh no, and there was some mix up over overbooking and now Clark and Mayson are booked into the same room.
LOIS:
“We’ve been on a date, Clark! Don’t you think you should at least discuss it with me before you go ahead and pose as Mayson’s fiancé?”
They so got a shared room.
CLARK: You didn’t ask me when you decided to pose as Lex’s fiancée.
LOIS: I wasn’t pos- erm. That’s right. I didn’t ask you. There’s a difference because I was the senior partner in the investigation.
CLARK: /cocks eyebrow/
It was obvious she didn’t want anything beyond friendship.
He’s not the smartest cookie, is he?
What was it to her that he wanted to protect a friend in need?
Definitely not the smartest cookie.
It was her decision to act as bait and finally lure out Intergang. You, me and Burke tried to convince her otherwise but she refused. It’s her choice, Clark. And Burke promised the police will protect her.”
It could have been worse. Ten years later, and it would have been Lois insisting she pretend to be Mayson’s fiancée. Now wouldn’t that have been a recipe for disaster squared.
Why did she have to make this so difficult? She’d gone undercover countless times, dressed in flimsy feathers, flirting with other men. What was so different about his assignment?
Because that was her choice.
She squinched up her face. “It’s also a perfect opportunity to get to know her on a more intimate level,” she said bitterly.
Aaaaahhhh there are the claws.
“You think I’m doing this because I want to share a room with Mayson?”
“Not just a room, Clark,” Lois snapped. “Or are they offering separate beds?”
/Points at earlier fdk/ I was right? I was just kidding! I mean, I don’t mind. I just… /eyes left field for more balls/
He didn’t like where this was going. Did she really believe that after asking her out, he’d jump into bed with the next best girl? To get back at her? Clark took a steadying breath and tried to swallow down his anger.
Maybe he should not play with the pin sticking out of the handle of the live hand grenade.
With as much composure as he could muster, he said. “You and I have shared rooms before, Lois. And nothing happened. Mayson is a friend. And that’s all she is.”
Maybe not bring up his jilting her in such perfect opportunities?
“This woman is practically drooling every time she sees you. And she doesn’t take no for an answer. Don't tell me you’re not going to give in if she's set out on seducing you.
To be fair, the same could be said about Lois, and Superman almost never once gave in to her seductions.
I happen to know you would have ended up in bed with me if the pheromone spray hadn't worn off in time.”
Oooooooooh!
Over the past year and a half he’d almost forgotten about that side of her.
‘almost’… uh-huh.
I must have missed the part where we agreed to be exclusive.”
Thin ice, Clark. Very thin ice. Probably never seen the episode of Friends where Rachel and Ross were on a break.
Instead of giving him the third degree, she should have apologized for her behavior. She'd been meaning to. But her emotions had gotten the better of her.
Of course they had.
In fact, he gave no indication at all that he knew she was standing there, waiting for him to make the first move.
Probably frozen stiff trying to ignore her.
But I swear I’m not in love with Mayson. I haven’t been sleeping with her and I’m not planning to.”
So, he’s both not in love with her, nor is he sleeping with her. But he’ll still do so because plans don’t survive when they meet reality.
Not to mention Mayson came without all the baggage, the broken pieces that need fixing and the overwhelming urge to push away the people she needed most.
True. She’s also not a fan of Superman.
Oh, she trusted him. With her life. Her heart was another matter.
She pursed her lips. “I’ll find myself a job there.”
Awwww, she can play Ingeborg the Maid and surprise Mayson and Clark with fresh towels.
“I don't like this.”
“Neither do I.”
Clark reached out and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. She considered slapping his hand back. But she’d already slammed a door in his face. And he’d asked her to trust him. So she let him touch her, fighting to ignore the strange flutter of excitement deep in her belly. After all, he was about to spend the night with another woman.
So adorable
As if there was no doubt in his mind she was the one for him. The flutter in her belly intensified, a million butterflies swirling through her insides. His lips curled in a smile, the kind that made her heart skip a beat.
She could try to seal the deal before Clark goes off to assist Mayson with her night terrors.
Perhaps this was it, perhaps she should just… Her heart raced and she fought the panic bubbling up inside her. Just a few inches was all it took. Why did it feel like she was about to jump off a cliff?
Mayson is going to pick me up in about ten minutes.”
Darn it. No time for funny business.
AL BUNDY: Hold my beer.
*When you’ve made good on your promise and told Mayson to jump in a lake,* Lois thought bitterly.
He never promised to take Mayson skinny dipping. Also, I don’t think Lois would appreciate him taking Mayson skinny dipping.
Lois Lane would get a job at the hotel. There was no question about it!
It’s a conference. There’s always jobs available for self-employed entrepreneurs. She might even manage to get herself invited to Clark and Mayson’s room that way.
Though Clark suspected that she wouldn't take any more kindly to his endeavor if she were aware of his other identity.
She’d know that Mayson doesn’t like him. This might help.
“Don't,” Mayson said huskily. “I think I like the scrubby look. It's sexy on you.”
Awwww, Mayson goes for the scruffy-looking nerf herder look.
Mayson answered with a mock pout. “And here I thought this was going to be a relaxing weekend.”
Nope, he’s not going to be offering any full-body massages complete with a happy ending.
he’d been at the receiving end of Lois’ not so gentle rejection of his declaration of love.
And if she really saw him in a different light now was anybody’s guess.
He’s not the most astute observer of the female mood, is he?
“That’s not true! Lois wouldn’t… “ The words died on his lips. After all, she’d just suggested joining him undercover at the hotel. Not that she'd have a huge chance at succeeding.
Suddenly, Mayson interrupted the silence. “How was work?”
[...]
And it must have shown on his face, because when Mayson looked at him, she wore a sympathetic smile. “That bad, huh?”
Oh dear. Lois is going to get thrown under the bus.
“It was Lois, huh? Bet she hated the Superman debacle.”
Oh boy.
This could be the starting point of a diplomatic disaster. If Superman is viewed as a representative of the United States…”
Oh boy.
“I…” Clark caught himself just in time. “Superman would never do that.”
I mean, there was that New Krypton incident. And he went after President Doe.
But for now, he needed to keep up the charade, or she’d never let him get close enough to protect her.
You sure wove an evil tale there. Also, what will he do when Mayson decides to take a shower?
He wouldn’t fail Mayson.
He owed her that much.
That’s a very creative start. Mayson taking the other side of the bed instead of Lois is not something we get to see all that often. And Clark’s still not coming clean.
Michael
