39/'Friendly' Dinner Date

'Friendly' Dinner Date
Date of Scene:	20 February 2020
Location:	Chez Villa - New Troy
Synopsis:	Clark takes Lois to dinner. It may or may not be a date.
Cast of Characters:	Clark Kent, Lois Lane

---

Clark Kent has posed:
"Right this way, if you please," their waitress says, smiling at the pair, and leading them to a cozy, private table on one end of the restaurant. They are not terribly busy, so there isn't a loud of crowded people in the way on the Wednesday evening. Clark pulls up the rear of the group as they are led to the table, quiet and pretending not to be slightly nervous.

Clark's eaten with Lois more times than he can count, this should be the same. She's even dressed up nicely before - there's been business meals, meals in hotel rooms during some convention or even some story while they were in costume trying to get a scoop - all sorts of situations. He tells himself to relax, it's the /same/.

Clark seats himself, accepting the menu offered to him and the explanation of specials. There's a fresh salmon special, and a cheddar-potato soup. When the waiter leaves, that just leaves Clark and Lois alone at the table; Clark distracts himself by fiddling with his jacket, and finally deciding to take it off, as others around him have done, adjusting his tie a little bit.

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois glances over her menu, looking at it briefly, then switches to the wine menu for a brief glance too. It doesn't seem to take her long to decide, leaving her there, in front of him, unoccupied. Sure, it's just the same as all the other times they'd been out together... but this time, he was filling in for a /date/. "It's nice to have dinner and catch up. We usually only get lunch or coffee, never dinner. Nice change."

She's making polite conversation, but is she nervous too? She lays her hands atop her menu. "You been doing a lot of paperwork at the office? It feels like you've been busy the last few days. A little distracted. You okay?" It's a gentle question, one not sounding like she's trying to pry, but it's still filled with concern.

Clark Kent has posed:
"Not never," Clark chuckles at her. "I can think of a lot of pizza nights," he reminds her, and then blushes a little. The last pizza night he remembered involved her being angry over a busted story with a source that suddenly went into witness protection, and Clark's attempt to comfort and distract her...

"What're you having?" Clark wonders, indecisively, as she seems so certain about what she wants. The question to his distraction makes him slowly turn a page of the menu, looking down, shoulders a bit curved as he turtles slightly. "Ah, yes, a paperwork project," Clark says, "Perry needed someone, and..." And Clark's a doormat sometimes. "I'll get through it," he says, with a quick smile. "I don't mind being in there. Some time to think." Clark rarely minds doing someone a favor.

"Do I really seem distracted?" He hadn't meant to leak any of his current worries or stress; it seems that's failed.

Lois Lane has posed:
"Pizza nights are not Chez Villa, and when was the last time I wore a dress like this to pizza?" Lois protests, shaking her head. "This is a dress for being /seen/, Clark. You wear a dress like this when you want to be looked at." The assumption was, she'd have a date doing that. Instead there was...

"Clark, you shouldn't let Perry rope you into every single project that he needs doing. There are /interns/ for that. You're an amazing reporter and you should be working on top stories. Besides, I've got stories involving /three/ heroes since we did our stakeout. Gotta keep up, Smallville. Oh, I'm having the scallops. And some wine. Whatever they recommend, really. I am not picky at this point."

She does lean forward a bit, looking him over. "You usually have a calm sort of distance, but you seem a little more in your head than usual. Can't fool me, I see you every day. I can tell when something's up. That the kind of stuff you want to talk about or the kind you just mull about in your head?"

Clark Kent has posed:
"I see you," Clark offers as she explains that she wants to be seen. It was automatic, gentle, and honest, and he realizes what it sounded like after he said it. Whoooops. "I mean, I can tell you put effort in, and you look really good," Clark appends, looking at his super interesting menu. He's often awkward, so it isn't like this is different, really. He's complimented her plenty of times, always there to support her the moment she doubts or needs it. He's a good friend...

"Suzie's been sick, I think she has bronchitis," Clark supplies. Suzie is one of the interns; of course Clark would know about intern health.

Clark looks up finally as Lois attempts to delve into the vaults of Clark, and is saved by the waitress! "I'll have the salmon special, please. Just water is fine..."

Lois Lane has posed:
"Should've stuck with the first line," Lois murmurs with the slightest shake of her head. "Anyway, we need more interns then. I'll ask Perry if there's room in the budget for another. Seems like a waste to have interns if the whole place falls apart when one of them gets sick." She's not going to mention the amount of times she's worked while she was sick. They'd have to pry the laptop out of her hands to get her to stop from meeting her deadlines.

"Scallops, and a bottle of whatever white you recommend. White's supposed to go with seafood, yeah? Yeah, let's go with that." She instructs the waitress, waiting for her to go before picking up her train of conversation. "It's not the same chasing a story without you there to run away from it," she's teasing, of course, it's said as a gentle prod to try and get him to lighten up.

Clark Kent has posed:
Should he have stayed with the first line? It would have been better, perhaps: but also something rather different, if he'd let that sit there... something a little too brave, maybe. Yet he did still say it, it did come from Clark, and he meant it.

"It's not the story I'd run from, just the fire-breathing monsters that want to crisp the innocent bystanders," Clark defends. "There's no story if the reporters are jerky. Not all of us are as lucky as Ms. Lois Lane. How you go unscathed is a miracle," he smiles at her. Her words did work, he has lightened up at her urging. She does know, in fact, how to manage him to some degree, much as he does with her.

Lois Lane has posed:
"Gun-wielding mobsters wanting to kill you and throw you in the river?" Lois suggests, entirely hypothetically. She grins, however. "I do get awfully lucky, don't I? Call it my superpower, then. I know when to take risks and what I need to get out of them. Wit and charm get me half the way, the other half from a friendly helping hand." She's certainly had a few of those as of late. "Still not the same without my partner, though. No one's gonna be there to tell me something's a bad idea if they're busy doing an intern's work. Then I'm liable to get eaten by a giant fish or crushed between some cars, brutalized by some thugs..." She trails off. The list could probably go on and on. "I need you around."

Clark Kent has posed:
Clark looks at her, a curiosity to it. The expression of needing him is falling on a wound she may not be aware is there. Does the world need him still? Maybe, maybe not. And here Lois is, saying she does need him.

Normally Clark might shy or hemm around it, but he's really not in the mood to do that this night. If the world might not need him, well, maybe....

"All right," Clark says, as she asks that of him. He watches her, hands resting on the table, relaxed. "I'm with you. Okay?"

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois smiles brightly across the table at him, reaching over to pat the top of his hand lightly for a moment before her hand retreats. "Good, because you're my favorite sidekick." The smile turns to a grin as she settles back against her chair, making herself comfortable. "You keep me grounded. Sometimes I need that. That's what a good partner does." She clears her throat. "So, anything exciting other than paperwork? Surely you've got something to share. Have a nice salad or something?"

Clark Kent has posed:
Clark glances down at his hand where she patted him, but it's the blush that betrays how he feels about that, even as he instead reaches for his water and has a drink of it, focusing on her questions instead.

"Sidekick? Thanks; feels like a demontion from partner, though," Clark answers with mock dismay. He's amused, not insulted, but not really /pleased/ about the sidekick description. "It sounds like you're the one with all of the excitement. Wedged between cars? What happened?"

Lois Lane has posed:
"Sidekick because that's what I have to do to get you to come along to some of these," Lois smirks, leaning forward. "If you want me to be the sidekick, you've gotta take more risks, Smallville. You wanna be the hero, you've got to put in the gruntwork."

Lois slowly folds her arms across her chest. "I was on a ferry, pursuing a lead. It got upset by a giant fish and we were down where they keep the cars... kind of felt like a ping-pong ball while things were moving. I luckily didn't bruise or I'm sure it'd be visible in this dress. Doesn't stop my muscles from feeling like the cars ran over me." She smiles. "But I survived, got an /excellent/ picture of Aquaman, avoided the nefarious hands of some thugs who I got some dirt, although not enough to do anything with, I think." She leans forward again, hands on the table. "See, doesn't that sound appealing?"

Clark Kent has posed:
If she was angling to get Clark's worried face, she gets it. His brows furrow a little and he angles to look at her more critically for injuries and bruises. "I'm not sure 'appealing' is the word I'd use to describe it, Lois," Clark says critically but with a sigh of air: after all, she doesn't really know how to hang back, he's found, no matter what he tries to do to get some caution involved.

"I'm glad you're okay. Aquaman was there, though? That's a hard picture to get, congratulations," Clark says, honestly. "Well, we'll just have to dig up more dirt on them, and finish what you started," Clark suggests.

Lois Lane has posed:
There's that face she likes seeing! Lois certainly looks pleased with herself. "Don't look /too/ worried, Smallville. I'm alright. Like I said, best luck in the world." She looks back at Clark before grinning. "Thor was there too, but I didn't sneak a snap in. Aquaman, the timing was just right. Even if I don't write much of a piece on that, the picture is absolutely worth it."

"You said 'we'. Planning on putting aside that paperwork and bringing the truth to see the light of day?"

Clark Kent has posed:
"Well, I don't intend to put it aside; I made a promise to Perry," Clark barters, "But I can go in bright and early and get it out of the way. Of /course/ I prefer to be working a story." It's a given: Clark likes to hunt a story as much as Lois does, he just does it differently. He suddenly has his moments of boldly going somewhere, or seeing something, that can create great opportunities for them. They /are/ a good team.

"I've been working my Avenger angle more, I think I have a tour of the Avengers mansion in my future. Where is safer than the heart of a hero team base?"

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois sighs. "Sometimes I think you use paperwork as an excuse." She doesn't elaborate on an excuse for /what/, just that he hides behind it. "Thor seemed nice, very chivalrous. I'm sure the two of you will fight to open a door or something." She gives him a look. "But really? I certainly won't pass up a good Avengers interview, but you pointed out that it's safe. Trying to keep me out of trouble?"

Clark Kent has posed:
"If I let him open the door, does that make me more or less chivalrous?" Clark wonders, interested in the logic of that one. More, perhaps, to allow another to have the honor? Hmm.

"Trying to keep you out of trouble---? Hmmm. Trying to invite yourself along on my Avengers tour?" Clark teases in return, moving a hand over to poke a finger at her wrist, his smile quick and comfortable. He's often less shy when he's relaxed and being more himself with her: just takes a little work to coax him out: or rather, to have him relax out of the role he plays.

Lois Lane has posed:
"That's cute, you're pondering the philosophy of chivalry. You are very much a nerd." Lois is still being playful, poking at him verbally even still.

Lois flutters her lashes at him. "Why Clark, would I talk my way into an interview by using my wits and charm even if it has to be applied on my partner? I dare say so." She seems to be a bit relieved at the way he's relaxing... it had been the intent. "I'll be your sidekick."

Clark Kent has posed:
"It sounds like you've met a number of them, and so have I, now. We'll have them all giving us a grand story on the whole team soon enough, or the next big event, between the two of us," Clark teases her, with a warm smile and shake of his head.

"My sidekick? I'll remember that," Clark points out, with a direct 'look' at her over his glasses, blue eyes bright before he smiles privately and looks down.

Lois Lane has posed:
"It's my job to meet people, Smallville. I find ways to sneak my way in to talk to anyone and everyone. But it'll be a lot easier to cover a big event if we've got some nice connections to get in and talk to people. I've got my sources. I'm sure you've got yours."

He looks at her over his glasses, so she looks back. "You'd better remember it, Smallville." She reaches over and slowly pushes his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "Careful, you might lose those."

Clark Kent has posed:
Lois reaching out directly for Clark's face sends a bolt of fear down Clark's spine, but he doesn't jerk away or back off. He's not truly a coward in any sense: it's only the facade he puts up when he decides his mild-mannered reporter should be afraid. Still, there's a pause where he doesn't move as she reaches out, and allows her to slowly push his glasses up, watching her through them.

There's something there in that gaze that generally isn't-- or at least, when it is, Clark drops his eyes from her. Maybe something familiar, even so. And it comes with a mix of relief and some other emotion. She came close to something, to /seeing/, and walked past it. His expression melts into kind, warm. "Thanks. Wouldn't want that," Clark says, from a slightly lower place of his voice, but he clears his throat to fix it.

Lois Lane has posed:
There's familiarity to it, but it's one that Lois can't place. She returns her hand to the table, looking back over to him. "I don't think I've ever seen you without glasses on. Every time I've known someone with glasses the second they take them off it's like another person." She shakes her head. "It's always strange. Anyway, you mentioned the other day you saw Steve Rogers, right? I had completely forgotten that I technically have a connection there as well. Janet van Dyne and I are good friends and it entirely slipped my mind that it was /that/ Steve she was dating. So we've got connections all around."

Clark Kent has posed:
"Mmmm, I look the same, except for not being able to see as well, and I'd like to continue to see you," Clark says, skirting THAT land mine with nerves that threaten to chew his stomach up into shreds, turning his head to look for their waitress. He heard someone coming with food, and he's not disappointed: she is headed over and deposits the food in front of each of them.

"Anything else? All good here you two?" The waitress checks with a smile, as she adds Lois's wine as well. "We are, thank you," Clark says to her politely. Her smile to Clark goes unnoticed, he's arranging his napkin.

"Janet, the one who set up this date?" Clark asks. "Was he a, uh, hero?" Clark sure can't compete...

Lois Lane has posed:
Was that a blush? For half a moment, Lois actually looks flustered. Much to her dismay, while she may return to acting casual, that hint of a blush is still visible. She avoids the potentially blush-worthy topic entirely, looking up as the food arrives. "Ah!" She says, giving the waitress a nod of her approval as she straightens up the plate in front of her, taking her glass of wine in hand.

She sips, mostly to hide behind the glass for a moment before she's fully recovered. "Yes, that Janet. I may have agreed to let her set me up and she seems to be really taking to it." She shakes her head. "I don't know his personal accomplishments, but he's no 'hero' as far as I know. Just some rich guy I think she had the number of." She seems to have gotten her bearings again. "Why, you want her to hook you up with someone? Or maybe you're a bit jealous."

Clark Kent has posed:
"I just... want to be sure she's not giving you guys that aren't going to appreciate the opportunity," Clark says diplomatically, a careful generosity in his words, but also his usual care. It's a breed of his worry: it's a very low-key jealousy, in a protectiveness for her. He doesn't want her to be sad, or upset over it.

"You deserve better, that's all," Clark tells her, examining the steamed vegetables that came with the salmon on his plate, and then settling in to eat. Clark is less slouchy when he eats in a formal setting: mostly because he doesn't know it happens. He was raised to sit up properly at the table while eating. Still, it's /Clark/, so a bit less slouching doesn't mean a lot.

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois studies him for a long moment, not bothering to hide it behind her wine or her food. She just watches him like he's a puzzle she's still trying to figure out. "If Janet landed Steve, I imagine she knows how to at least find someone quality." There's a moment where she scowls, likely remembering Janet's assessment of Clark. "But I'm glad you hold me at such a high caliber. You think I deserve a superhero then?"

Lois begins to take a bite of her food, but that sharp gaze hasn't left Clark for a second.

Clark Kent has posed:
"Well, I wouldn't say /superhero/, necessarily," Clark adjusts, with a slight wrinkle of nose. It's a callback for perhaps eleven years ago, when Clark first was skeptical about Superman. That look was there, as well, as if he wasn't entirely sure he bought into superheroes being perfect symbols of hope and yadda yadda. In a way, he never did FULLY buy in. Heroes have their flaws.

"People like Tony Stark are in that group," he points out the well known playboy. "But then, I believe anybody /can/ be a hero," he adds carefully, echoing Superman's views, a little. Maybe without intentionally doing so. "It's not about a cape. Or a mecha suit." He draws his hand back his food, starting to eat, thoughtful. "I think you deserve somebody that helps you be the best you." Clark gives her a soft, quick smile, and then buries it in his food.

Lois Lane has posed:
"I'm not saying people have to have capes or suits to be a hero, just to be a /super/ hero. It's a matter of specifying they're both a hero and someone with an ability that someone like me doesn't have." Lois seems amused at the thought. Clark's skepticism had always been one she never quite understood. "Plenty of heroes without capes. I see them all the time. Some even get me to write about them."

She looks away from her food for a moment to observe him. "I appreciate the sentiment, Smallville, but I've already got /that/." She takes a bite, washing it down with some wine before speaking again. "If we were talking dating superheroes, though, I'd have gone for Superman in a heartbeat." She shakes her head. "Hindsight is 20/20, they say."

Clark Kent has posed:
"Already have---? I meant, in whoever, ah, you pick to date," Clark clarifies unnecessarily. Foot isn't quite in mouth, but there's some stumbling here. And it isn't really play-acting. Sure, Clark pushes a lot of awkwardness and cowardliness into this character, but often, he really is the polite dork, when it comes right down to things. He isn't always under a heavy mask.

"Can I ask, what /was/ going on, with you and Superman? Was there something there?" Clark wonders, conversational, and gently empathetic about it. Also deliberately steering away from himself as a topic. To talk about himself.

Secret identities make things confusing.

Lois Lane has posed:
"Oh, of course," Lois says, offhandedly. It doesn't seem to bother her that she suggested Clark had qualities that would be good in a partner. It's waved off as she looks down onto her plate, taking a quick bite. It's there as a distraction while she gathers her thoughts. Another sip of wine, and she looks up.

"I think there was something. Nothing I could put a name to, but I like to think he thought I was special. I've always had a soft spot for him, aside from being a reporter. He was reliable, he was kind, and when I was in trouble, he was there. I regret not getting to know him better. He stood for a lot of things for a lot of people. I just wanted to know what /he/ wanted. Just him, as a person. I thought I might have been someone who could have figured it out. The real Superman."

Clark Kent has posed:
MAYDAY, MAYDAY. This was not a good idea!

Clark was drinking his water, unwisely, and he ends up coughing into it a little bit. And then... Clark's really leaning into that as a proper escape, choking on the water and coughing hard, as if water went down the wrong pipe, letting his fork go with a clatter to the side of the plate, and brings in a fist towards his upper chest.

"Sorry," he rasps thickly. Give this man an acting award. "Well, you are special. Doesn't take X-ray vision to see," Clark pivots, still coughing a little, in awkward wheeze. The compliment was just straight, easy, without overthinking or difficulty - his attention was more on the rest of the acting: so the compliment is quite smooth in delivery.

Lois Lane has posed:
"Careful there, Smallville, don't want you dying on me," Lois states, her hand halfway forward as if to help before realizing that there's literally nothing she can do in this situation and it slowly retracts back to its place on the table. She takes a larger than normal sip of her wine. "You know, coughing fit aside, this is pretty nice. You make for a good replacement date." It's not meant to sound mean even if the words might seem a little sharp. It's said in a complimentary tone, as if she had only just now realized he could be a good date.

Clark Kent has posed:
"Yes, forgive my drinking problem," Clark requests, in a deadpan, easy joke. "I'm the Second string, best-friend fill-in," Clark coughs, but gives her a real smile. Clark hasn't smiled like that in, well. It might be two years. It's been a long time. He isn't happy very often anymore. It is as if the mortality of his parents somehow clung to him in a deep way. Something happened, that he hasn't been able to shake.

"I'm glad to do it. Whenever you need me," Clark gives, without pause, and much more carefully, methodically, drinks his water with a clear look of 'see, I can drink'.

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois watches carefully to make sure he doesn't somehow drown in his water glass before she looks on in approval. "Regardless of what string you think you're on, you kept my night from being ruined. That's the sweetest and most Clark thing to do that I can think of. So thank you. You saved the evening, cape-free. I'd say that's pretty heroic." She smiles across the table at him and takes another sip of her wine.

"You should try one of these scallops, they're really very good..."

Clark Kent has posed:
"Gladly," Clark says, picking up his small bread-plate. Before he slides it over for to put scallops on, though, he cuts some of his Salmon off as an offering to Lois, putting that on the plate. He then slides it over as is customary to trade for the expected scallop.

"The night is still young, I could still accidentally ruin it, but I appreciate your confidence," Clark sighs. At the very least he hasn't run off to look after his dry-cleaning or to pick up a college friend from the airport or any NUMBER of things he's ditched her to do in the past. He has been more reliable lately. Just also sad.

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois puts the scallops on the plate and trades for the salmon, sliding the plate across the table in a smooth motion. "Smallville, you need some more self-confidence. That right there? You're assuming you're ruining things. But look where you're sitting! You're at a nice restaurant sitting across from award-winning reporter Lois Lane, who is, of course, looking incredible tonight." She puffs herself up for the pep-talk, doing her best to look like the alluring Lois she's describing herself to be.

"There are plenty of people who would kill to be in your shoes. But here's the best part, Clark..." She gestures at him with a butter knife. "You want to be here and I want to be here and that means you've beaten out everyone else. So perk up or else I'm going to go cause trouble with whoever is bringing you down."

Clark Kent has posed:
"I'm---" Clark catches himself, holds up one finger. "/Not/ going to say that I'm sorry," Clark says in the same voice that he would have apologized in. Even if the words are different, and contain a smile both verbally and slightly on his face. "I appreciate how lucky I am," Clark gives more quietly, spreading his hands, indicating the whole of what she'd explained: getting to sit across from the alluring Lois Lane. His smile is kind, though still shy.

"I'll work on the perking up, then. No need for knife threats," Clark says, watching the knife with a mock 'fear'.

Lois Lane has posed:
"Only Clark Kent would be afraid of a butter knife," Lois teases before looking back to her food. "Anyway, that's my pep talk. You seem a little more perked up." She gestures with the knife, amused by it, before it's set down. She pours herself a little more wine. "Enjoy life a little, it's not perfect, but it's a pretty good one."

With that, she goes back to her meal, having done her part in the great campaign to restore Clark's confidence.

Clark Kent has posed:
The rest of the dinner continues without too many hitches (only a lost napkin, some chat about old stories and that one time they got stuck in the hotel elevator for an hour), able to relax, to laugh. It's comfortable, really; they've been best friends for years. And Lois may sense that Clark does ease out of his funk to engage with her. The effort is really there.

Finally, the meal ends, though, and with the check paid, they're back to the car. "Back to your car, then?" Clark questions as he starts the engine, polite, but sensing the 'date' - or whatever it was - is drawing to an end.

Lois Lane has posed:
"Sounds good," Lois agrees, settling in. Before he's got the car into gear, she leans over to sneak a kiss to his cheek before he's got a chance to react. "I know I've said thanks before, but thank you. I had a lovely time and I hope I can convince you to do it again sometime." She properly settles herself in the seat, glancing out the window. While she would normally quip something witty at the end of that to potentially lessen the meaning, she just leaves it there, plain and simple.

Clark Kent has posed:
Clark can, in fact, react faster than a speeding bullet, but whether or not he /does/ is another matter. Shyness for the traditional country boy floods in, and turns into a mild paralysis of the situation. He's got a big weaknesses for Loises.

It does create a new awkwardness of silence as after she does that, and then looks out the window, Clark sort of sits there and looks at her, instead of doing any driving. He just sat there, instead, and the lack of motion will draw out a little bit too long.

"Me too, Lois," Clark finally says, and puts the car in motion.