This idea came to me when my husband started wearing Superman t-shirts earlier in the year. He gradually acquired about 5 different t-shirts with pictures or logos on them. One day it occurred to me that a plain blue t-shirt with the logo on is obviously the real t-shirt of choice for Superman wanabees and what would happen if Lois caught a glimpse of Clark dressed in one. It's been months since then and I've struggled with getting this down and being happy with it. Thankfully I have two wonderful betas who kept asking me how it was going. I'd like to say an awesome thanks to KenJ for providing me with some superb scenes to use as flashbacks along with inserting real-life knowledge of the location for this story. Hopefully it will make you feel like you are really there. Thanks also to Cynthia (Morgana) for her comments and encouragement which is greatly appreciated.
Although this story was initially supposed to fulfill the revelation challenge for July it currently fulfills the
Exotic Locale challenge for September.
***---***---***---***---*** indicates flashbacks
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* indicates scene changes or character POV changes
Character thoughts are in 'single speech marks'
Disclaimer: Superman, Clark Kent, Lois Lane and all other character and place names are owned by DC and/or Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. I own nothing ... except my fantasies -- which frequently include Clark/Superman.
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Part 1Clark sneaked a sideways look at the woman 'shucking' out of her light, white cotton jacket. His heart flipped over at the sight of her tight, strappy top perfectly displaying all those parts of her body that he fantasised about each night. Well, all of the parts that were above the waist anyway. Below the waist … he refused to let his eyes wander there, fully aware that she was only wearing shorts.
He glanced around the beach and immediately took in the whole scene around him. Beautiful sandy beach, clear sky reflected in a crystal clear azure sea, other tourists putting out their blankets, deckchairs and beach umbrellas. He sighed in contentment. There was no more perfect place to spend today and no more perfect person to spend it with. When Perry had decided to send them both on a week long conference to Pensacola, Florida he'd been overjoyed. A week with Lois, in the warm sun, away from work, was his idea of paradise. And the fact that it was to be in the winter, getting both of them away from the bitterly cold weather in Metropolis, was a real bonus.
He took in a deep breath and smiled. Behind them was the Hampton Inn, Pensacola Beach where the conference was taking place. This morning seminars had included a talk on removing redundancies in prose by Larry Edwards and the correct use of commas by someone with the unlikely name of Artemis. Both had actually been incredibly fascinating but Clark had still been itching to leave. His eyes had drifted to the clock far too often knowing that today's lectures were morning only. 1:30 pm could not come around fast enough as far as he was concerned. Except both lectures had run over significantly and it was now almost mid-afternoon. He'd rushed Lois off immediately, before she could become captured by some post lecture discussions, once Artemis had finally drawn to a close, and led them straight out onto the beach at the Hampton rather than walk back to the Holiday Inn.
Staying at one hotel while travelling on to another for the conference put Clark in mind of the flight here a few days ago. Lois' reactions at the check in desk had been memorable.
***---***---***---***---***
She was squinting at the boarding pass suspiciously. The trip had been arranged by the travel department and this was the first that Lois was seeing the itinerary. She questioned the clerk at the desk. “This says that we are going to Atlanta! I thought we were going to Pensacola, International Airport.”
The clerk checked her monitor and replied with a friendly smile. “You are, but there is half hour lay-over and plane change in Atlanta.”
"Lay-over and plane change?" Lois blurted out without any thought. "Why weren’t we put on a non-stop flight?”
“There are no non-stop flights from Metropolis to Pensacola,” replied the agent.
Lois was incredulous, a frown crinkling her forehead. “No non-stop flights to another *international* airport?”
“Your plane departs from gate ‘D-33’ in forty-five minutes,” smiled the clerk, wisely choosing not to get into a discussion with the irate customer.
“Gee, thanks,” came Lois' sarcastic reply. Turning to Clark she spoke in a resigned tone, “Let’s go Clark, ‘D-33’. I *hope* we can find it without getting lost.”
***---***---***---***---***
It had only taken Lois about three days to get over her surprise at the size of Pensacola airport and finally lose the last remnant of sarcasm; the same number of days it had taken to realise, once Perry has informed them of this trip, that Clark's birthday fell right in the middle of the conference week. For some reason she'd been especially put out by that, but Clark couldn't figure out if that was because she truly thought he wouldn't want to go to any seminars on his birthday, or that she didn't want to have to interrupt *her* seminars to spend any 'birthday' time with him.
Returning his concentration to his bag he knelt down and unfastened it. He laid out the red picnic blanket and then placed the bag at one corner, dropped his jacket at another, then slipped off his shoes to anchor a third point. He lowered himself down and waited for Lois to join him, or to make some indication of what she expected to happen.
The picnic lunch on the beach, although it was more like late afternoon, had been Clark's idea when he'd discovered that the conference was only a half-day on his birthday, but surprisingly, Lois had jumped at the suggestion. Her enthusiasm worried him rather than soothed his nerves, though. Lois was only ever this excited about something when she figured she was in charge and that everything would go her way. But Clark resolved to make the most of this chance. He was spending his birthday, on the beach in Pensacola, with the woman he loved more than life itself. He intended to romance her … in an extremely subtle, best friend/partner way and to that end he leaned over, as Lois slid down next to him, and pushed his hand into the pseudo picnic basket; his bag. It didn't take long to feel for the small bottle. He pulled it out then dived right back in for the plastic glasses.
Lois was removing her sandals as he unscrewed the bottle. She carefully placed them, side by side, on the fourth corner of the red blanket then turned to face him.
"Clark, are we gonna … oh!" Her eyes widened when she saw him pouring out the wine. A grin came to her face, unbidden. "Clark. This is *your* birthday. You're not supposed to supply your own wine. That's for your friends to do."
He looked up and handed a glass over to her. "It's only a mini bottle, and I wanted this picnic to be special." As he proceeded to fill his own glass he looked over at her with a cheeky grin. "And I couldn't exactly leave the responsibility of the picnic basket up to you, could I?"
Immediately recognising Clark's banter for what it was, friendly affection, rather than taking offence, she countered in a mock droll tone. "Not unless you think a trip to the hospital is an exciting birthday outing."
He laughed and then his face was lit up by his smile.
"To spending my birthday …" he raised his glass and put down the bottle, "… with the most amazing reporter I know."
"In the world!" Lois corrected. Clark laughed and they raised their glasses together then sipped. Lois blinked a few times as she regarded Clark. Lifting her wine once more she spoke clearly. "To an amazing friend, who I hope has an amazing birthday." She grinned. "In fact … may it be just completely Super."
Clark blinked in shock. He hoped that his face didn't reflect the jump his heart had just made.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lois laid herself back on the blanket and put her hands behind her head. She watched as Clark busied himself placing out more picnic items.
He hadn't yet mentioned the lack of a present or even card from her, but Clark was just that way. Spending his birthday with her would be the present as far as he was concerned. Lois smirked to herself. 'Boy is he naive. Naive and sweet and … wonderful.' The smirk dropped from her face. He considered her cynical and thoughtless, the complete opposite of himself. She frowned. Plus it actually didn't bother him that she was this way. Well, she was determined to prove him wrong. The present she bought him was both hopeful and thoughtful. The symbol on it … well, it brought hope to the whole world, and she'd definitely thought long and hard about it, eventually coming to the conclusion that it fulfilled all criteria for the 'perfect' present:
1. He needed one.
2. Although he 'needed' one - in her opinion - it wasn't a boring household necessity, practical or plainly disappointing.
3. It reflected his personality, his aspirations, his loyalties and friends.
4. It also, secretly, reflected the way that she'd begun to think of him recently.
She cast her mind back to when the package had originally arrived.
***---***---***---***---***
Answering the door Lois was momentarily shocked to see a delivery man rather than Clark. She panicked that, somehow Clark would come round the corner, this very second, and see her taking delivery of his birthday present. Grabbing the parcel quickly she thanked the delivery man with a barely raised smile then turned away while closing the door quickly. She walked over to the table and made a space by pushing her paperwork to one side then placed it down.
All urgency was suddenly gone even though Clark could arrive at any time. Her heart pounded, partly with the thought of being caught, and partly with sudden worry over what was in the package. Was the ridiculous impulse she'd given into two days ago going to cause her joy … or pain? It had seemed so right. She'd giggled, she'd grinned and she'd been completely elated once she'd put down the phone after calling in the order to the fan club. But that mysterious subconscious guest called 'second guess' was making itself known. If Clark was offended, then she'd be disappointed ... but only in her own ability to buy presents for her best friend, she convinced herself.
"Okay Lois," she said to herself. "You can do this. Once you open it you'll remember the all reasons you thought this was a good idea." She nodded. "No, a *great* idea."
Her hand swooped out, suddenly, and ripped at one edge of the brown packaging. Adrenaline surged through her muscles and she couldn't stop until she'd exposed the item inside fully. Heart racing and palms sweating she then stepped back to admire the item. She couldn't stop the grin from overtaking her face.
"Oh, yes. It was definitely the right decision."
Laid out on the table in front of her was Clark's birthday present. Something she believed that he desperately needed, given his close, personal friendship with the superhero. An item he didn't seem to currently have; which was a complete surprise to Lois. She would have thought that all 'fans' of the man would have something like this, yet Clark didn't. It made no sense at all.
He was bound to love it. Something to show his loyalty, something to declare his hero-worship.
'Something you can ogle him in and fantasize about!!!'
"No!" she shouted to the voice teasing in her head as she stepped back and away from the teasing item. "That is absolutely not a reason on the list of 'why this is the best present for Clark ever'." She shook her hand in the air; a finger pointing up at no-one in particular.
She picked it up and carried it through to her bedroom where an open suitcase lay on the bed; advance preparation for next weeks conference in Florida. She laid it on top of the other clothes and once more stepped away to admire the present. Reaching out she smiled and smoothed her hand over the blue fabric, tracing the red 'S'. "But, you could be right. I bet he'll look just 'Super' in this."
***---***---***---***---***
Bringing her mind back to the present and the sun baking down on her she looked over to Clark. If she gave him his present now, then he'd have to remove his top. She caught her breath at the image which flitted through her mind. He bent over to reach for something and his red beach shorts pulled tightly over his behind. Lois only just halted the moan in her throat before it spilled out. She gulped and closed her eyes. 'Okay, I admit it. One of the reasons for buying this present *was* because of all the fantasies it will inspire.' She opened her eyes to find Clark looking at her.
"Hi," he smiled.
'Okay, time to do this,' she thought. Rolling over she reached for her bag.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Clark was still smiling at Lois when she turned away. Somehow, even though he was basking directly in the sun, he was sure that Lois' presence was strengthening him more than the sun ever could. She turned back and levered herself up. The grin on her face hit him straight in the heart.
"Happy birthday, Clark," she spoke and held out a package. Clark hadn't noticed it when she'd turned back. He gave a little chuckle. How the heck he had missed that he had no idea, it wasn't exactly a tiny box.
"Lois, you know you didn't have to. I wasn't expecting anything from you. Just spending today with you is enough."
She laughed. "Just as I thought … farm boy."
His shy look sent her into further peals of laughter. At his obvious confusion she brought her hand to her mouth and tried to get herself under control. "Sorry," she said, embarrassed. Clark looked down at the present wrapped in blue and silver shiny paper currently resting on his crossed legs. The soft, flexible feeling had him sure that it was going to be a blanket or something like: maybe a tablecloth, although it would have to be particularly small! Possibly it was a scarf, useful once they were back in Metropolis. Anticipation filled his stomach as he began to open it. A bright royal blue colour was revealed and Clark slid out the soft item. As he began to unfold it more colours appeared. His anticipation turned to apprehension. When the yellow and red was finally in view it revealed the recognisable shield of his superhero alter ego. A stab of fear hit his chest and he flashed back to an incident at the airport on the way here a few days ago.
***---***---***---***---***
Sat in the car, traffic backed up for what looked like blocks up ahead, Lois slapped at the wheel in frustration. “This is just great. We should have allowed more time to get to the airport. This stupid rain is going to tie up traffic for too long! It's never gonna clear in time. Or is it snow? It could at least make up its mind instead of dithering between the two.”
Clark laughed. “Look at it this way Lois, we are leaving all of this behind! We are headed for the ‘land of sun and fun’, Florida!”
“Yeah, if we can make it,” she replied cynically.
The traffic began to clear and the snow finally gave up and became rain. Reaching the airport only half an hour later than expected, but still in time for check in, Lois slid her jeep into a space in the long term parking lot. Clark carried all of the luggage while Lois ran for the covered walkway to the terminal holding her bag over her head. After she was under the cover she stopped and turned, looking back at Clark. She watched as his wet coat became soaked and his pant legs soaked up all the water from the puddles along the way.
When he was finally under the cover Lois laughed up at him. "Clark, how can you see?” she smiled and shook her head then reached for his face and snatched his glasses off. “Here, let me dry your glasses for you.”
Panic set in immediately. His hair, plastered down against his head and without his glasses, was sure to give the game away. He dropped the luggage in an attempt to stop her but it was too late. He was soon relieved to see that she was more concerned with finding a dry spot on the hem of her jacket to wipe his lenses with, than what he looked like without them. His heart beat wildly as he waited for her to notice. He ran his hands through his hair to ruffle it up, distancing his current look as far as was possible from Superman. He then resolved to just take his chances and he simply stood there waiting.
Lois held up his glasses and looked at them and, once she was satisfied that they were dry, she held them in two hands and carefully placed them back over his eyes. “There, now it won’t be like you’re looking through a waterfall.” Glancing at her watch she started and then grabbed one shoulder bag leaving the rest for Clark again. “Oh, come on, Clark, we need to get to the ticket counter and pick up our boarding passes. We have to hurry, or we will miss our flight!” She set off at a rapid pace toward the registration desks.
***---***---***---***---***
Had that been what gave him away? For sure this was her way of being angry with him, calling him out for his year long deception. He looked up at Lois in terror. She was grinning at him. Possibly this was not what he initially feared.
"Oh, come on Clark," she chattered, "it's not such an odd thing to give you," obviously misinterpreting the look on his face. "I'm actually surprised you don't have one already. I mean he is your best friend, or is that you are his? I know he and I are close, but I think you and he are closer. I guess that's cause you are both guys. Anyway I know you admire him. I'm sure there's even a little hero worship in there. So I don't understand why you don't already have a Superman t-shirt. I do. And you saw my pyjamas." Lois voice, although she continued to speak, faded away and Clark was suddenly back in their hotel room on the first night of the conference.
***---***---***---***---***
They spent most of the first night in their room watching an old Sci-Fi movie making fun of the terrible b-movie cliches the whole time. Lois constantly pointed out how Superman could have saved the day and Clark pointed out the scientific principles violated in the plot. When the movie, along with Lois' ice cream, was finished Clark offered Lois first use of the bathroom. She got up and rummaged in her bag pulling out her pyjamas, tooth brush and toothpaste then headed for the bathroom.
A short time after the door closed Clark heard the shower start. Waiting for his turn in the bathroom he couldn’t help but think about what might be going on behind that door. His super-hearing picked up on every sigh and giggle making him wonder just what was passing through her mind while she showered. He loosed the restraint on his fantasies and imagined being allowed to join her. He would scrub her back, wash her hair, maybe even soap up her body. He imagined running his fingers through those wet dark tresses. Suddenly the door opened and Lois exited wearing a robe.
Clark nearly jumped in shock. He gulped, turned away from the enticing sight of the woman he loved and then stood, reaching for his towel. As he strode across the room he noticed Lois taking off her robe. When his peripheral vision caught sight of bright blue and a familiar symbol in red and yellow he turned in surprise. She tried to hide what she was wearing by climbing under the covers as quickly as possible, but it was too late, he had seen her.
He turned to her and chuckled. "Lois!" he said, “I can’t believe it! Superman pyjamas?”
She gave him a smug look and said, “Almost everyone has a Superman souvenir of some sort. Don’t you?”
He shook his head in the negative.
“I can’t believe that you don’t," she replied, her tone indicating that she did know it was the truth, but couldn't understand why. "He’s your best friend and you don’t have something with a Superman logo?” As she finished she arched her brow.
He replied matter-of-factly, “Nope. Nothing.”
***---***---***---***---***
As Clark returned his consciousness to the beach Lois' voice became clear again. "Plus I also have a baseball cap, a mug, a throw cushion and this little squishy thing that kind of dangles off the bottom of my bathroom light switch. So I bought you this because I think you should declare your support for him to the world." When her rant finally trailed off he laughed delightedly.
He wasn't in any trouble after all.
He grinned and looked down at the item in question and his face dropped as it suddenly hit him.
Oh yes he was.
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