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Posted By: HappyGirl FDK: The Man Under the Suit, Part 6/31 - 11/01/09 11:05 AM
FDK goes here. smile

I'm taking a major turn away from cannon. I hope I've laid enough groundwork for it to seem plausible. Let me know how it's working.

Next post hopefully Wednesday.
Posted By: Laurach Re: FDK: The Man Under the Suit, Part 6/31 - 11/01/09 11:19 AM
Norbert? Cute take on things. We'll see where it goes. No mention of his un-caped ASSets though. Wasn't she looking?
Posted By: HappyGirl Re: FDK: The Man Under the Suit, Part 6/31 - 11/01/09 03:00 PM
Laura, you crack me up. You really do have a one-track mind, don't you. The funny thing is, I actually had a line about his...assets...which got lost in the editing process. Just for you, I want back and put it in. devil
*SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!* hyper

And LOL, "Norbert"?! rotflol

This was excellent, Hap! ^^ My heart started hammering when she told Superman she was on to him, but I like the way it played out. smile This whole conversation was very touching. ^^

So *now* do we get to the smoochings? grovel
Wow, this fic is really attracting me! I think you've got a wonderful idea at the start. And it was extremely interesting what Clark said:

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“And…this might sound silly, but since we’re being brutally honest here, sometimes I’m not sure that even I know who I really am anymore. Or that I like who I really am. And I’m almost certain you wouldn’t. Like me, that is.”

Lois gave him a look of utter disbelief. “What’s not to like? You’re a pretty great guy.”

“You might not think so if you knew the real me.”
Isn't this at the heart of most Superman fics? But I like how you've put your own original spin on it.

And:
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“Good afternoon, Superman. Thank you for coming.” Her voice was pitched for the entire room to hear. “I’ve got the conference room all set up for our interview.” By this time he’d met her halfway down the newsroom ramp, and they shook hands in the manner of professional acquaintances.

“It’s my pleasure, Ms. Lane. I can think of no finer reporter to tell my story.”
What a coup for Lois Lane! Actually getting Superman to come to the Daily Planet for an interview! That means that she gets some serious respect from her peers. (I know I'd be goggle-eyed.) And Perry has to be licking his chops. When they get back to the newsroom, do you think that people will come up and try talking to Superman? Or is Clark's persona stiff and forbidding enough that the gawkers will keep their distance?
Posted By: bobbart Re: FDK: The Man Under the Suit, Part 6/31 - 11/01/09 05:59 PM
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It was lucky for her that he sat down when he did. Otherwise she would have been far too distracted by the sight of that magnificent backside to focus on the job at hand. With ruthless determination, she forced her gaze onto his face.
dance Nice addition! dance

Bob
Posted By: HappyGirl Re: FDK: The Man Under the Suit, Part 6/31 - 11/01/09 06:41 PM
"Nice addition!"

Thanks, Bob. It was Laura's idea. laugh
Posted By: KathyB Re: FDK: The Man Under the Suit, Part 6/31 - 11/02/09 11:53 AM
I like it. This chapter gives us a more global look at what your twist is and ... I like it. smile

In the show, Lois gets to know Clark pretty well, but she never really gets to know Superman because he usually has his guard up with her. In this story, however, it's Clark who always has his guard up, and Superman ends up being his way to finally be himself. It's unexpected and ironic and multi-layered and the more I think about it, the more delighted I am with it. smile1

Kathy
Posted By: smileyem Re: FDK: The Man Under the Suit, Part 6/31 - 11/03/09 01:15 PM
Another great part HappyGirl clap

Your plot direction away from canon makes perfect sense.

In the show, although Lois didn't give Clark much time or credit to begin with, he was still able to an extent to subtly influence her away from the truth, particularly through being there with her most of the time when she could have uncovered things. A prime example was in the Bureau 39 warehouse, but there were hundreds of instances during the first two seasons.

It's completely believable that a Lois out investigating on her own, though her reporting may be lacking in some ways without Clark, would have realised Superman wasn't all he seemed sooner.

After all, Lex Luthor worked out Superman had been on earth for a long time in a different guise after his experience with the globe, it's quite possible Lois would have done the same if the facts were available to her.

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But, whereas people who recognized Clark Kent normally either pretended not to out of courtesy, or attempted to make small talk with their favorite writer, these people, who didn’t have the option of pretending not to recognize Superman, had clearly decided to give him a wide berth. Clark chose to assume that it was a matter of respect and not fear.
Because of the scenario we're used to, it seems funny to think of Superman just walking into The Planet for an interview, it being so much Clark Kent's domain and therefore avoided by his alter-ego except in emergencies. Of course this Superman, other than his fears about his developing feelings for Lois Lane, has no real reason to fear being found out by wearing his disguise a little too close to home. This Clark is used to a kind of celebrity as Clark Kent the writer but the Superman celebrity is completely different.

It must be so hard for this Clark to use his real name as essentially an alter-ego. If Clark Kent isn't real, who does he really think he is? It seems he doesn't know, but it's likely Lois will help him find out. Having two identities is hard enough!

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It was lucky for her that he sat down when he did. Otherwise she would have been far too distracted by the sight of that magnificent backside to focus on the job at hand. With ruthless determination, she forced her gaze onto his face.
Aside from his obvious distracting assets, it must be a strange sight to see Superman sat on a log on a deserted island. Not the easiest setting for a serious chat.

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Clark felt positively naked without his cape, but what else could he have done?
I'm not surprised!

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“Yes, well, the thing is, I’ve been thinking about you a lot over the last few days.” The eyebrows climbed even higher. “Not that way,” Lois hastened to add. At least, not *only* that way, she edited silently to herself.
laugh

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It was a classic piece of Clark Kent misdirection, and it might have worked. On anyone other than Lois Lane.
Yup, he was never going to fob her off that easily, not now she's this close.

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“I see.” Internally, Clark was repeating, ‘Don’t panic, don’t panic, don’t panic!’ in an endless loop. It wasn’t helping.
I can imagine his panic at being found out so soon. He must be partly so afraid of what Lana, Pete and his parents will think.

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“I swear to you, Lois, that I never stepped foot in Metropolis before last month.”
Typical Clark/Superman non-lie!

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Lois shrugged. “Like I said, we need to talk before I can interview Superman. If I’m right, if Superman isn’t really you, then, after you’ve told me whatever you’re willing to about who you are, you step back into character and I interview Superman—you know, that guy who appeared out of nowhere and saved my life a couple of weeks ago. The one who, as far as I’m concerned, has no past.”
She has already formed for herself a remarkable understanding of what Superman is and why.

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Lois leaned just a little closer and put a gentle hand on his knee. “Can we be really honest here? You stop being Superman and I stop being Ace Reporter and we just talk? Person to person?”
I like how now she knows (even though she doesn't fully know yet the 'man underneath!') she is managing to talk to him as just another person. Clark likes it too!

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Meanwhile, he was almost certain that her hand was burning a hole right through his tights.
wink

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“Okay.” He covered her hand with his own. “Strictly off the record,” he smiled.

Lois sat up again, releasing their mutual grasp, but she didn’t release his eyes from hers.
This was nice, subtle, contact. I actually missed it on the first read.

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“In theory? It’s not working out so well in practice?”

“Who’s asking? Friend Lois or Reporter Lois?”
Hee, hee, I liked this!

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“This is just me,” he said quietly, as if he’d just now thought of it. A slow, satisfied smile spread over his features. “Thanks, Lois .”
Poor Clark, he barely knows the true him himself, he just knows it's not Superman or celebrity Clark Kent. He's talking to her now as the real him, but dressed as Superman, no wonder he's confused!

Looking forward to seeing where the next part takes them!

Em smile
Posted By: HappyGirl Re: FDK: The Man Under the Suit, Part 6/31 - 11/04/09 05:59 PM
dance Happy feedback dance dance

You guys rock! Thank you for all the lovely detailed feedback. It's encouraging to know that what's in my head is coming across in my words.

Part 7 is up. Sorry, Queenie, like I said before, interview first, then dessert..uh..or whatever. wink
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He’d done it again. It seemed that every time he saw Lois Lane, Clark came away with an appointment for yet another interview.
Didn't the last part start like this, too? laugh

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Without preamble she glanced at the closed door, then leaned forward and told him in hushed tones, “I think we have a problem.”
Eavesdropping colleagues?

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“There are some things we need to discuss before I can interview Superman. But not here.” Cold fingers walked up and down Clark’s spine. Why was Lois referring to Superman in the third person?
She figured him out rotflol

I wonder what she's going to connect first. Clark and Clark Kent, Clark Kent and Superman, or will she go from meeting Clark somewhere on the street to Superman only to be surprised he's also Clark Kent?

Great fun, Happy smile

Michael
Posted By: HappyGirl Re: FDK: The Man Under the Suit, Part 6/31 - 11/11/09 02:40 PM
No, Smartie-pants, Kal-El isn't too difficult. But he doesn't know that name yet. goofy
Posted By: HappyGirl Re: FDK: The Man Under the Suit, Part 6/31 - 11/12/10 01:04 PM
Bumping right along. smile
Posted By: Laurach Re: FDK: The Man Under the Suit, Part 6/31 - 11/12/10 05:37 PM
Hey I didn't realize I read this already! LOL. Sometimes senior moments are a good thing. Now I get to enjoy the story all over again. Thanks for putting the ASSetts back! Laura
Posted By: Laurach Re: FDK: The Man Under the Suit, Part 6/31 - 11/12/10 09:12 PM
So I went back and read all 27 parts again, only to find that there is no part 28!!! I hope you post the whole fic this time around. Now I have to wait a long time for the end. Unless you take pity on me and send it to me <g>. By the way I loved all of it so far. Laura
Finally had time to catch up to this story!! Love the angle you are working from here. And keeping the events basically in canon really works for me as well. Enjoying this fic!! laugh
Another terrific part.

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“Who’s asking? Friend Lois or Reporter Lois?”
What a fun spin on Lois' response to Clark's proposal! (And on Clark's response to Lois' proposal, for that matter.)

Joy,
Lynn
Posted By: HappyGirl Re: FDK: The Man Under the Suit, Part 6/31 - 11/13/10 11:14 AM
dance Happy feedback dance.

I'm reposting this story so that we'll all be caught up when the new parts come out, which they will, I promise. I'm working on the last part now. I know I could just point everyone to the TOC, but I need to review it bit-by-bit myself, so I figured I'd invite everyone else along for the ride. It shouldn't be too long since it looks like I'm able to post a part just about every weekday.

I'm glad to see that we're picking up some new readers along the way. wink

Lynn, I love it when FoLCs pick up on subtle references to the show. laugh
Posted By: VirginiaR Re: FDK: The Man Under the Suit, Part 6/31 - 11/01/11 09:12 PM
I know everyone liked the second half of this paragraph:

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To Lois’s consternation, he calmly removed his cape and draped it over one of the logs, motioning for her to sit before taking his own seat on the opposite log.
But what I find usual is Superman actually being a gentleman and taking off his cape so Lois won't get her suit dirty. I don't think I've seen a Superman sans cape angle before. (and I'm not talking 'assets'.)

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Clark felt positively naked without his cape, but what else could he have done? He couldn’t expect Lois to sit bare-legged on the rough log in that short skirt, and neither one of them had anything else to use as a blanket. He very carefully kept his knees together as he sat, placing his hands as casually as he could in his lap.
I bet! lol Maybe that's what all those old-timey gentlemen thought too when they took off their capes so ladies wouldn't muddy the hems of their dresses, only to reveal the tight pants that were the rage back then.

I also love the juxaposition of Lois knowing Superman but knowing he's Clark. Brilliant!
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