This was written for
This Dare on the boards. LLF, I hope you like!
Many thanks to CarolM for the quick beta. ^^
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Lois heard giggling as she approached the coffee station. Worse still, she thought she heard her name. Quickly, she ducked out of sight, just as Cat laughed to the point of snorting.
"So there she is, all covered in--in--I don't even want to *think* about it," Cat was saying, "all because some 'anonymous source' claimed to have information on Superman." She laughed again, then took a few minutes to regain her composure. "I'm telling you, she's hit a new low. That woman will do *anything* if someone tells her Superman is involved."
"A-n-y-t-h-i-n-g?" One of the guys at the coffee station drawled out slowly. Lois flushed at the tone in his voice. "So do you think if I tell her *I'm* Superman, she'll---"
That was enough. Lois marched up to the merry little group, causing a few of them to scatter. She glared at the ones who were left, then locked eyes with Cat Grant. "Cat," she hissed.
Cat met her gaze coolly. "Lois." The woman smirked.
Lois folded her arms. "I'll thank you not to spread any more lies about me around the newsroom," she stated.
Cat tilted her head back and laughed. "And what 'lies' would these be, Lois?" she asked once she had caught her breath and met Lois' eyes again. "Do you mean that you didn't go on a hike to the Metropolis Sewage Reclamation facility?"
Lois shifted. "Well, no..." she conceded.
Cat put a nail to her lips and pretended to think. "Or maybe," she said, "You didn't go because of a map that claimed to give the whereabouts of Superman's ship. Is that it, Lois?" She turned and grinned smugly at her.
Lois' face burned. She dropped her hands to her sides, clenching her fists. "That---that's just---good journalism!" she sputtered. "Obviously, Superman is a big story, and--and it would be---irresponsible!--of me not to--you know, look into--into..."
Cat just stood there, grinning at her.
"Just shut up!" Lois snapped, throwing her hands into the air. "I already learned my lesson, Cat. I don't need any more of your gossip-mongering."
"Oh, but it's what I do," Cat replied, bringing a hand to her chest and beaming. "I handle gossip, and you chase blindly after men in tights."
"I do not 'chase blindly after men in tights'," Lois retorted, making quotes in the air with her fingers.
Cat snorted. "Please, Lois," she drawled, placing a hand on her hip. "Ever since Superman showed up, you've done nothing but drool over him like a sixth-grader with a crush. It's embarrassing, really."
"I have not!" Lois protested, flushing again.
Cat raised an eyebrow at her.
"Okay." Lois sighed and loosely folded her arms. "I'll admit to being attracted to Superman," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "But honestly, what other woman *wouldn't* be?"
Cat grinned, wickedly. "You're past attraction, Lois," she taunted. "You just want to drag him home, tear the suit off and lick whipped cream off his naked body, don't you?"
"No," Lois insisted aloud. Then under her breath, she muttered, "Chocolate syrup." She took a step back, bumping into something solid. Lois turned to find her partner standing behind her. "Clark?"
Clark held his empty mug and had a rather distracted expression. "Coffee---" he stammered, "I was just---getting coffee..."
"Hello, Clark," Cat purred. She sauntered over to him and straightened the non-existent wrinkles out of his tie. "Well, if you'll excuse me," she said, "I have to go interview Senator Wilson about his recent sex scandal."
"What sex scandal?" Lois asked, one eyebrow raised. "I didn't hear about any sex scandal."
"Hasn't happened yet," Cat replied, giving her hips a shake and sashaying out the door.
Lois rolled her eyes. "Honestly," she muttered. She reached for Clark's tie, grabbing it like a leash and pulling him after her. "Come on, Kent," she ordered. "We've got work to do, too."
Clark swallowed and compliantly turned to follow. "Um, Lois?" he squawked. "About Superman---"
She snorted. "Save it, Kent."
The End
