All right, I started a story for Valentine's Day, and then gradually realized that there is no way I'm going to finish this on time for the holiday, not to mention that I keep coming up against a brick wall when I try to write it and would much rather work on something else.
So, if anybody else is interested in finishing it... I challenge you to give it a happy ending. The number 21 was just chosen because it sounded nice, you're completely welcome to choose any other number you would like instead. And if you'd like to rewrite it in your own style instead of starting with mine, that's fine, too!
If nobody's interested in finishing it, I will eventually... maybe for next Valentine's Day. 
21 Ways to Ruin Valentine's Day
#1: Steal the covers. Repeatedly.
"Clark!"
Clark started and fell three feet downwards, hitting the bed with a force that made it shake.
That had been exasperation in Lois's voice. Clark rolled to face her.
"Did I do it again?"
In exasperation she hit him with a pillow. "For a man who doesn't need to eat, sleep, or keep warm, you sure steal the covers a lot. And it's not fair, you know I can't fly."
He grinned and leaned over to kiss her. "Sorry, my love. But happy Valentine's Day anyway."
She mumbled something that sounded like "Happy Valentine's Day" back before curling up against his side to go back to sleep.
#2: Burn breakfast.
"Clark!"
When Clark flew back through the window after the rescue, he found Lois standing in front of the stove, holding the fire extinguisher and looking in dismay at the smoking, foam-covered remains of their breakfast.
"So much for breakfast in bed, huh?" Lois said ruefully. "Think Denny's is open?"
#3: Abandon your wife on the way to work.
"Clark!" Lois called behind her as she unlocked the Jeep. "Aren't you coming?"
"I can't, I have to--" and he made the flying motion.
"Oh." Lois nodded, but he could see the disappointment in her face. "All right. See you at work, then? Perry will kill us if we're late for the morning meeting."
"I'll hurry." He gave her a quick kiss, ducked behind another car in the underground garage to change, and flew at super-speed up the stairwell and into the bright February sunlight.
#4: Miss the very important morning meeting.
"Clark!" Jimmy called as Clark hurried into the Daily Planet building slightly after ten a.m. "You missed the meeting! Perry's spitting bullets!"
"And Lois?"
Jimmy made a face. "She's not happy about it, either. Perry paired her with somebody else to go to the mayor's press conference this morning. Better have a pretty great Valentine's Day present to make up for it."
Valentine's Day present? Clark knew there was something he'd been forgetting...
#5: Leave Lois to be paired with Ralph.
"Clark!" Lois said in a tone only slightly lower in pitch than an air-raid siren. "It took you *two hours* this morning? Two hours?" She dragged him by the air into the conference room and closed the door.
"Lois, I'm so sorry," Clark said, feeling like he'd been saying he was sorry a lot today. "There was an entire cruise ship floundering off the Alaskan coast. It took forever to get everybody to shore somewhere where they'd be safe."
"Do you know who Perry paired me with for the press conference? Ralph. Ralph, Clark! He fell asleep during the mayor's speech and drooled on my best suit."
She paused for a moment, then asked hopefully, "Did you at least get the story?"
#6: Get your wife the wrong kind of chocolates.
"I did get you something to make up for my absence this morning, at least," Clark said once they were back at their desk's. He handed her a wrapped box.
Lois, never one for subtlety, ripped it open and tossed the paper into her trash can. She looked at the chocolates for a moment in silence, then looked up at Clark. "What's this?" she asked.
Uh-oh. "Uh... chocolates?"
"Low-fat chocolates?" Lois asked, her voice trembling. "Clark, are you trying to tell me something? I mean, I know that I did give birth to two children, but I thought I'd done pretty well at keeping my figure..."
Clark cut off the babble mid-stream. "Low-fat?" He grabbed the box. Sure enough, it said "low-fat" right on the cover. How had he missed that? "Honestly, Lois, I didn't mean to buy you low-fat chocolates. I was so worried about upsetting you with being late this morning and missing the press conference that I grabbed the first chocolates I saw. I thought they looked good, chocolate and caramel and everything. I really didn't mean...
Lois smiled, although her eyes were still gleaming with the tears that had threatened. "It's all right, Clark, I believe you. You're starting to babble almost as badly as I do."
He hugged her, and while he held her close he whispered into her ear, "And trust me, Lois, there's absolutely nothing wrong with your figure. It's perfect. I'll remind you later if you'd like." And Lois, his fearless, indomitable investigative reporter wife, blushed.
#7: Stand your wife up for lunch.
Clark landed in the alley behind the diner where he'd agreed to meet Lois for lunch, changed at super-speed into his Clark clothes, then hurried around to the front. He and Lois always sat at one of the outside tables when it was nice weather, but he didn't see her anywhere.
"Mr. Kent?" one of the waitresses asked.
"Yes?"
"Here." She handed him a napkin, then continued clearing a table.
Clark sighed and looked at the note on the napkin. "Clark- Sorry, I had to get back to the Planet. Guess you got sidetracked. Catch you later. -Lois."
He'd better bring *something* to make up for this one. Maybe flowers from the Andes again?
#8: Get your wife the wrong kind of flowers.
“Oh, Clark, they’re…”
Lois paused, the flowers held close to her face so that she could smell their fragrance.
“They’re what?” Clark asked with a smile. He’d made a special trip to South America for these, wanting something beautiful in season for his wife. *Something* had to go right this Valentine’s Day.
“They’re—ACHOO!” Lois sneezed. She held the flowers at arm’s length away from her. “Clark, you don’t think that I could be—ACHOO!”
“Allergic?” Clark offered with a wry smile. “It makes perfect sense, given how the day has gone so far.”
“Oh, Clark, I’m sorry,” Lois said, handing him back the flowers. “I love them, and they’re beautiful. It’s just…”
He hugged her. “I know. Don’t worry, I’ll get rid of them.”
“Happy Valentine’s Day!” he heard her call after him as he walked towards the garbage disposal.
To be continued...
