Known Too Well

By Zoomway@aol.com

Summary: Superman becomes annoyed with Lois when, after finishing dinner in her apartment, she confides that she knows him “so well.”

Known Too Well (short revelation story)

***

Clark, still throwing himself at Lois as Superman, was eating a nice candlelight dinner at Lois’ apartment, dressed as the S man of course. He sighed with satisfaction after the meal, “That was wonderful, Lois. You’re an excellent cook.”

Lois looked a bit pensive, “Oh, it was nothing, really. It’s an old family recipe — ” She interrupted herself and dropped her hands in her lap, “Who am I kidding. I didn’t cook this. I had to order it.”

Superman smiled, “That’s okay, Lois.”

“I tried to do it myself, Superman. I really did, but the only thing clean I had to cook the pasta in was a tea kettle and elbow macaroni started shooting out of the spout — ”

“Lois — ”

“And then the recipe called for drop biscuits — I dropped ‘em all right!”

“Lois — ”

“And I’ve never been good at telling the difference between the abbreviations for teaspoon and tablespoon — ”

Superman moved around the table and sat down next to Lois in the adjoining chair. “Lois,” he said softly, and placed his hand over hers, “Let me tell you something. You could have poured gravy over cardboard, and I’d never have known the difference.”

Lois smiled faintly, “It almost came to that, but I couldn’t make gravy either.”

Superman laughed, “All I’m saying, Lois, is it doesn’t matter to me what’s on the table, as long you’re sitting across from me ‘at’ the table,” he leaned forward. “In the candlelight.”

Lois accepted the invitation, and kissed Superman. As she pulled away, “That’s why you mean so much to me, Superman, I know you so well.”

Clark’s jaw tensed. He found it hard to maintain the Superman fantasy when Lois made blatantly false statements. She did not know Superman at all, and yet found nothing wrong in perpetuating the lie. “I’d better go.”

“Why?”

“Someone’s in trouble.”

“The never-ending battle?”

He kissed her cheek. “Something like that” He said, and flew out the window.

The curtains had barely stopped rustling when Lois heard someone knocking at her door. “Who is it?”

“Clark.”

Lois opened the door and smiled, “Hi, Clark. Come in.”

Clark faked a smile and looked around the apartment. He hated the idea that Lois’ jovial mood was due to a blue costume and cape. “Looks like you had company for dinner.”

“Yes...um, Superman was here.”

“Ah,” Clark nodded. “I guess a man of mystery has some sort of romantic appeal.”

Lois began blowing out the candles, “He’s no mystery me, Clark. I know him like a book.”

That was more than Clark could stand. “Oh, come on, Lois! You know nothing about him.”

Lois, to Clark’s surprise, did not become combative. She sat down on the sofa and smiled serenely. “I know him, Clark.”

Clark sighed loudly and sat heavily on the sofa next to Lois. “What do you know about him, Lois? I mean ‘really’ know beyond what he gave you in that interview, which wasn’t a whole lot.”

“Give me a little credit, Clark. I’m the one who named him Superman, so I know he has some other name.”

Clark shrugged, “That sort of goes without saying.”

“I just don’t mean a Kryptonian name, Clark. He probably grew up with a pretty average name like Bill, or Jeff.”

Clark swallowed, “That’s a pretty big assumption, Lois.”

“Not really,” she smiled. “I’m certain Superman was raised right here on Earth, by very human parents.”

Clark felt his heart start pounding, “Now you’re reaching. Why couldn’t he have been raised in some laboratory somewhere?”

“The first time I saw Superman was on the sabotaged shuttle. A little girl complimented his costume. He thanked her and said that his mother had made it for him.”

Clark’s heart rate increased. “Good point.”

“Add to that, the fact that Superman’s dialect is definitely American, I had an expert check it out, so he was raised right here in the U.S.” She shrugged, “And since no one ever reported a super boy, that means that he either had no power as a child, or he grew up in a remote area where he might have been able to go unnoticed.”

Clark shifted uncomfortably, “I see your point...you may be onto something.”

“I know I am,” she leaned her head back. “Since he only recently appeared on the scene, I think it was a decision prompted by a desire to stay in Metropolis for some reason, and that decision to stay in one place, prompted the need for a disguise.

“I don’t see — ”

“It’s simple, Clark. Why else would Superman need a costume? He’s not a showboat, in fact, he’s pretty shy, and why accept someone like me giving him a name, unless he’s trying to protect another name?”

Clark cleared his throat, “I wonder what Superman would say if you asked him the same questions?”

Lois patted Clark on the cheek and then quickly snatched the glasses from his face, “You tell me.”

Clark’s jaw dropped open, “How long...I mean when — ”

Lois flashed a smile he had only been privy to as Superman, “Relax, Clark. I haven’t known that long, but it wasn’t very bright of you to keep visiting as Superman. The more you stopped by, the more I could see your Clark mannerisms fading through.”

“You’re not mad?”

Lois shrugged. “A little...at first. Okay, I was a ‘lot’ mad, but — ”

Clark moved closer, “But?”

“I couldn’t get past the fact that you loved me enough to feed into my fantasy, but never took advantage of it.” She leaned forward.

Clark accepted the invitation and kissed her. The kiss intensified. Clark pulled away breathlessly, “I’d better go.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to stay.”

They both leaned forward.

THE END

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Known Too Well