This is a little Christmas fluff. It's a reply to a challenge VirginiaR posted in 2015. Okay, I realize it's a bit late to answer it, but better late than never, I guess. I've actually started writing this in 2015, but then I hit a major writer's block (another one, yeah!!!) and my two kids didn't help my muse to get this finished. Poor Morgana, who betaed the first two parts.Thank you very much for your effort! I did some rewriting since she pointed out my mistakes, so I guess I've added a few along the way.
Usual disclaimers apply. I don't own any characters and make no money writing this fic.Fool, Fool, Fool
Lois looked at herself in the mirror and carefully reapplied the lipstick that had faded after lunch. That was something she hardly ever did. But she needed the excuse to stay in the lady's room just a bit longer. It was the only place in the whole Daily Planet building that didn’t look like Christmas wonderland. When Lois was done, she tapped her foot, checked her watch and heaved a sigh. She didn’t want to go out there again. Walking into the newsroom was like running the gauntlet. There was some magic mistletoe that always seemed to appear out of nowhere with some desperate forty-something guy camping underneath it. And as if that alone wasn’t bad enough there also was the problem with Clark.
Lois took another look at her watch. She was already spending more time in the bathroom than she could reasonably explain. It was still too early to call it a day. Besides, there was work that needed to be done. Perry would want to know what took her so long. Not that he usually controlled how long anyone of the Planet’s staff stayed at the restroom. But he had a way of knowing when something was off. Lois really didn’t want to divulge what was going on or listen to another Elvis story for that matter. She had no choice but to go out there and face Clark.
She had done her best to avoid him all day. Since it was a slow news-day, Lois had pretended to be too busy wrapping up the whole Nightfall incident. But they had already covered most angles, including an interview with Superman. There were only so many human interest pieces she could write before Clark and Perry became suspicious.
Lois had one last look at the mirror and took a deep breath in order to brace herself. She silently counted to three. Suddenly the door swung open. Cat’s reflection appeared in the mirror as she walked in. Lois felt the strong urge to slip into one of the stalls.
"Lois! Preparing for your date with Clark, I see." Cat’s voice crushed any hope of going unnoticed.
From the corner of her eyes, Lois watched Cat as she walked up to the mirror next to hers. A satisfied grin appeared on Cat’s lips as she gave herself a once over. She was dressed to the nines and evaporated that same air of confidence that usually left at least three guys drooling in her wake. Only Cat was able to even turn a trip to the loo into a grand appearance. Despite herself, Lois couldn’t help but feel a bit envious of Cat’s self-assurance.
Maybe that was the reason Lois’ voice sounded so acerbic. "That's none of your business."
She turned on her heels to leave the lady's room. On her way out Lois almost ran into Mandy from City Desk who could have been Cat's much younger twin sister. Both shared the same fancy for skin tight dresses that were too short to be legal. Lois was pretty sure the notches in Mandy's garter belt were soon going to rival Cat's. Lois groaned at the fact that they had chosen this moment to meet at the lady’s room of all places, cruelly invading her refuge. And Mandy had no intention of stepping aside to let Lois make her escape.
"Oh, Lois!" Mandy greeted. Her grin was just as broad as Cat's. "You sure you want to go out with Clark? Because I would take your place anytime."
A dreamy expression appeared on Cat’s face. "Yeah, he is something. Best night I ever had." She winked at Lois.
"I bet," Mandy said. She giggled hysterically. "I heard some stories... But Lois should know firsthand, don't you?"
Lois just stared at Mandy, speechless. She wanted to ask what the heck Mandy was talking about, but words just eluded her.
"Oh, right, the pheromones." Cat chimed in.
And suddenly the penny dropped. Of course they would think that something happened after they had been exposed to Miranda's perfume. Lois still felt the embarrassment of the moment she had come to her senses, dressed in a harem’s costume.
"Pity, you wouldn't remember much of it," Cat mused. She heaved a sigh. "Heaven knows I'm grateful that I don't." With a chuckle she added. "Unless of course, you explored the many features of the Honeymoon Suite."
"I'm not going to dignify that with an answer," Lois spat. She waltzed her way past Mandy and stormed out of the room, not sure why she had even stayed long enough to listen to all that rubbish in the first place.
"Hey Lois, I just meant to say that it's a good thing you're finally having a social life," Cat yelled after her, before the door fell shut.
Lois took a deep, calming breath as she was back in the newsroom. Her mind was still reeling with what was being said. It didn’t help her shaken composure that even more sappy Christmas decoration had materialized in every last corner of the newsroom. Candy canes, artificial fir green and blinking lights assaulted her senses. Lois was in a desperate need of a cup of coffee. Her encounter in the restroom had been several weeks of utter embarrassment squished into an awkward and fairly one-sided conversation. Talking to Cat had always had an unsettling effect on Lois, which was why she frequently lashed out at her. Usually that helped to keep her at arm’s length, preferably with her mouth shut. But unfortunately not this time.
While Lois walked over to the coffee maker, she threw furtive glances at Clark, who was deeply immersed in his work. He seemed like his usual mild-mannered self, not exactly the fiery lover type of guy. But still waters ran deep. Lois remembered the sound of jungle drums she had heard on the phone when he stayed with Cat. An uneasy feeling settled deep in her stomach. She tried to push those memories aside as she poured herself a cup of coffee.
But involuntarily, Lois’ thoughts returned to this ugly conversation. She had sort of known about Clark and Cat. So far, no man had been able to fend off her advances. According to Mandy, Cat was not the only woman, though.
Her words were reverberating in Lois’ mind.
<I heard some stories.> Looking around, Lois tried to determine who of her female coworkers could know Clark intimately. None of them stroke her as his type. But then again, how was she to know what his type was, exactly? She didn’t think Clark was the kind of guy to sleep around. But Lois knew for a fact that she was not the best judge of character when it came to men. It was a weakness that ran in the family.
So, maybe Clark really was just another one of those infidel jerks. That should be fine with her. After all, she didn’t expect men to be anything else. But if she was completely honest with herself, she would be terribly disappointed if he had asked her out just to get another notch on his bedpost.
Lois wanted him to be the exception to the rule, the last decent man, who didn’t take advantage of her, even when she literally threw herself at him high on pheromones. Clark had told her that he was not attracted to her. But why else would he ask for a date? Lois didn’t want to believe that Clark could actually fall for the likes of Cat or Mandy.
She remembered his kisses. His gentle lips on her had made her knees go weak. Ever since the pheromone incident she found it hard to fight her attraction towards him. Sharing the Honeymoon suite - a night of playing games, easy conversation and just a bit of gentle teasing - had only made it so much harder.
Lost in thought, Lois took a sip of coffee and studied Clark. In her mind she was trying to determine which version of him was true, Cat's or hers?
Was he really just a jerk, who just wasn’t attracted to her? But why would he ask for a date? Of course, he hadn't been in his right mind, then. But still...
Clark briefly looked up from his work and raised a quizzical brow. Lois knew him well enough to recognize it as an unspoken invitation to tell him what was bothering her. Of course, her long absence hadn’t been lost on him. Her staring into space and drinking coffee sure was another dead give-away. She waved off his concern, walked back to her desk and did her best to look busy.
The conversation between Cat and Mandy was still too fresh in her mind to actually do anything productive. She really wished she could tell Clark about it. They could have a good laugh at how shallow they both were. Clark would blush all over and swear that there had never been anything between him and Cat or any other woman.
Only, Clark was the reason Lois had fled to the lady's room in the first place. And she wasn’t quite sure she would believe his assertions that there had been no fling with Cat or any other woman in the newsroom. After all, even Lois knew a thing or two about Clark's abilities as a lover, though not quite as intimately as Mandy and Cat seemed to think.
And that evening they were going to go out on a date - the thought alone sent her heart back into panic mode. Lois checked her watch again. At least she had got a few hours left to get a grip and decide how exactly she was going to play this. Or maybe it was better if she told Clark that she couldn’t go through with it?
But before Lois could waste another thought on their date, Clark came over to lend a sympathetic ear.
"Lois?" he asked tentatively. "Are you okay?"
She looked up. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"You have been staring into space for the past ten minutes," he replied. "Usually, that means something is on your mind. Look, we don't have to do it - go out I mean. I'm not going to hold you to your promise if you feel uncomfortable about it."
"Clark, I am very well capable of going out on a date with you," Lois said defensively.
Inwardly, Lois cursed herself. What had she been thinking? Just a moment ago, she had contemplated calling this whole date off. Why did she feel this sudden determination to go through with it? Was she afraid of once more becoming the hottest topic of the office gossip?
"Okay, then I'm going to pick you up at seven o'clock?" A huge smile was plastered across Clark’s face.
"Don't be such a boy scout," Lois replied. "I own the car. I'm going to pick you up."
The feeling that at least she had regained a modicum of control didn’t stay with Lois for long. She registered that the smile on Clark’s face looked a little forced. He nodded, solemnly. After working with her for half a year, he knew exactly when to give in.
Lois had another look at her watch. Only a few hours left. So what was the appropriate dress code for a federal disaster? Formal or casual?
To be continued in Fools Rush in
