That Towel

By Chrys (Chaabreh) Apruzese <chaabreh@snet.net>

Rated: PG13

Submitted: May, 2004

All of the characters are wholly owned by DC Comics and Warner Bros. I will not profit in any way; this is written purely for the enjoyment of the fans of the TV Show Lois and Clark: the New Adventures of Superman.

***

Clark Kent answered his door wearing only a simple white bath towel. This wasn't the first time that had happened. Lois always did a serious double-take when she saw Clark, the "Hack from Nowheresville", naked from the waist up. Her growing attraction to her partner had clearly started to frustrate her. <Was he trying to taunt me with that perfect body? I mean, Superman looks great in that spandex, but there is nothing like bare, muscled flesh!>

The way she was feeling today, it would be impossible from this point on to concentrate on anything but his buff upper body. She was quite certain that his lower body, hidden by the towel, was just as nice! <So much for work, an opportunity like this doesn't happen that often>.

Throwing caution to the wind, she walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder. Clark's hormones kicked in and he felt a wave of electricity engulf his body. He felt himself react to Lois' touch, much to his embarrassment.

"Clark, I don't know when you get time to work out," Lois said in a soft sexy voice. "I really like what I see and would like to see more," she continued, taking her hand and working it down his rippled abdomen. She paused at his waistline, where the towel was tightly wrapped.

Clark, flabbergasted, stammered, "Lois, we better get going. Thanks for the compliment - I think." He fled to the bedroom to change into his work clothes.

Lois, feeling as if she had been possessed, followed him and closed the door.

"Lois, what are you doing?" Clark had removed the towel. He turned away from her, showing her only his muscled buttocks.

"Taking off my clothes. Do you have a problem with that?" she purred. "It doesn't look like you do," she said, as a compliment.

"Lois...this isn't you. You're embarrassing me. I know you would never come on to a co-worker like this," argued Clark. "Let the moment pass. We'll both be glad about it."

Lois walked up to Clark and rubbed up against him. "Clark, you're the most attractive man I've ever seen. Can you honestly tell me that you want me to leave this room right now?" Lois took her hands and pulled Clark's head down to hers and kissed him. Her tongue wriggled inside his mouth and she felt him kiss her back.

"Lois, I've wanted this since the day we met," he whispered, "but I don't want you to have any regrets, or it to ruin our working relationship. Can you honestly tell me you won't feel uncomfortable if we do this now?"

"Clark, I know what I'm doing, and I *know* you're from "Nowheresville" now, because any other guy would have jumped at this invitation, and you're arguing with me. Don't you find me attractive?"

"Omigod, Lois, you're all I think about. You're all I've ever wanted," he said.

"Are you man or Superman? You *must* be from out of this world," she said, "because I've never been with a man as impressive-looking as you."

Clark, never having really "been" with a woman like this before, could barely breathe. "Oh, Lo-is," he said, feeling like he was going to lose it any minute.

Lois stood up and moved them over to Clark's bed. "I have to experience this for myself," she said.

Clark had never been so turned on his life. He felt himself losing control. He wanted Lois to enjoy this as much as he was. "Lois, wait. I don't want to be selfish here."

He put his own needs aside for the moment and demonstrated to Lois what an unselfish lover he could be.

Clark held her in his arms afterwards and they gradually nodded off.

A cry for help stirred Clark from his sleep. There was a fire several blocks away, and the firefighters were unable to save several women and children trapped on the top floor.

Lois was lying in his arms, fast asleep, with the most angelic look on her face. What to do? Run off on the woman he loved and had just made love to, or stay and face his conscience later if he didn't save the fire victims?

Should he be lying to the woman he loved about being Superman?

Furthermore, did she *know* he was Superman already? She had made that crack about him being "out of this world", after all.

There was no choice. Secret, or no secret, he was "Superman". Saving people is what he did. Shame on him for even considering lying in bed with Lois versus saving lives.

He floated out of bed, and went to his closet to retrieve one of his suits. He left Lois a note next to the bed stating that he went to get Chinese, and he'd be right back.

He kissed Lois on the forehead before he left. Lois, unbeknownst to Clark, opened one eye and saw Superman streaking out of the room, thus confirming her recent suspicions.

<Well, it's a good thing that Clark *is* Superman, because if there was a man alive any better built than him, I'd have quite a choice to make now, wouldn't I?> Lois smiled to herself. <Better call Lex and cancel our date for tomorrow night. He definitely will *never* measure up to Clark!>

As she lay in bed, analyzing the situation, she realized that she could have a lot of fun with Clark, knowing that he was Superman. <He doesn't know that I know he's Superman! I wonder if he plans to tell me anytime soon. All those poor excuses he's made to disappear to become Superman. Hee hee. This is going to be FUN.>

Clark got to the scene of the fire in the nick of time. One of the women already had suffered from smoke inhalation, and the children were barely alive. He felt good that he had been able to make the right decision. Leaving Lois in his bedroom was easily one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do. As he left Metropolis General, he analyzed his brief encounter with the woman that he had loved at first sight.

Ever since he and Lois began to work together at the Planet, he had fantasized about an intimate situation with her - hoping that she would be the first woman he made love to. In his mind, however, the evening would have started with a much more romantic ambiance - dinner, wine, candles...instead of the intensely passionate version he had just experienced. Not that he was complaining - he *was* a guy, after all. But he - in no way, shape, or form - was simply interested in a one- night stand with Lois. Now, he had to determine exactly what the mysterious Ms. Lane had in mind for them - him.

He suddenly remembered his promise of Chinese food, and abruptly changed direction. There's no Chinese like *real* Chinese, after all!

Back in Clark's apartment, Lois' mind was whirling in many directions. Should she play dumb when he came back? She had turned on the TV and saw breaking news coverage of Superman saving the day at the apartment fire. Even if he changed clothes, he would smell of smoke when he came back, wouldn't he? She felt herself tingling at the thought of taking a shower with Clark...he was absolute eye candy!

She figured she could go one of two ways with the information she had: play completely dumb, and see if he revealed himself to be Superman voluntarily; or, option two, have some fun with the situation. The devil in her voted for "option two"!

She sat on Clark's couch with *the* towel wrapped around her. Finding absolutely nothing in his refrigerator, she made herself a cup of tea and waited patiently for Clark's return with the Chinese food that he had promised her in his note. Now she understood why Clark would never tell her exactly where the restaurant was...because it wasn't from the continental United States, for sure!

Clark landed on the roof of his apartment building. Peering into his apartment with his enhanced vision, he quivered at the sight of Lois sitting on his sofa, clad only in the same white towel he had been wearing when she came over. God, she was the sexiest woman alive! He changed into his "Clark clothes" and re-entered the apartment with the Chinese food. It was only after he placed the food on the kitchen table that he realized he reeked of smoke!

"Hey sexy," cooed Lois. "Whatcha got there? I missed you."

Clark, not wanting to get too close to Lois lest she question why he smelled of smoke, started heading towards the bathroom in earnest. "I missed you too. I'll be right out," he replied, closing the bathroom door and *locking* it this time.

How could he explain having to take a second shower to her? She had already seen him in a towel once already...obviously, he had already taken a shower today. Maybe it was time to be completely honest with his partner and tell her he was Superman. It would make life a whole lot easier. In the meantime, he needed to clean up ASAP!

He decided that a super-fast shower would be the only solution. The smoke smell was mostly in his hair, anyway. He washed his hair by running the water for a brief moment, drying it by bouncing his heat vision off the mirror towards his head (nearly giving himself a "Mohawk" in the process). He realized that his "Clark clothes" also smelled of smoke, from being inside his cape. He threw them in the hamper and at super-invisible speed, went to his bedroom, changed, and then appeared to come out of the bathroom, fully dressed as Clark again.

Lois laughed when she saw him emerge from the bathroom wearing different clothes than he had been wearing when he entered. "Do you keep a change of clothes in the bathroom, Clark? I could swear you were wearing something different when you went in." <Yes, this is *so* much fun!>

Clark felt himself flush. Lois had become a premier investigative reporter by developing a talent for observation of the most minute details! "Lois - let's eat, OK?" Clark replied, not wanting to lie, side-stepping her comment altogether.

Lois sat at the table. "Hey, Clark, this Chinese is 'out of this world' as usual. Where did you say you got it?"

"I didn't, Lois. Remember, if I told you, it wouldn't be a secret anymore."

"Secret. Right. Funny how there's never a word of English on these containers, not even the fortune cookies," she said, smiling. "Well, no matter, I worked up quite an appetite from before. This is great!"

They devoured the various containers of Chinese food in relative silence. Clark was unable to accept the current situation (Lois Lane eating Chinese food with him in his apartment) without further clarification.

"Lois, I'm not one to look a 'gift horse' in the mouth, but I think we should talk about what happened. Are you OK? This seems really out of character for you. I thought you were dating Luthor, anyway. I don't mean to come across as controlling or selfish, but I really can't share you with another man - not when we're doing *this*," Clark said. "You're not on drugs or something, are you?"

Lois looked Clark straight in the eye and said, "Drugs? No. The closest thing I've been to being on drugs would be the new horrible perfume I had on briefly today - some woman at the Planet named Miranda was spraying it on everyone, when you were at the Dock Workers Strike - but I didn't like it - it smelled like sweat - so I took a shower to get rid of the smell before I came over here. Why? Don't you think that it *is* possible for someone like me to be attracted to a 'Hack from Nowheresville' like you? You are every bit as good-looking as Superman, you know," she smiled. <That comment ought to hit a nerve>.

Clark was beginning to become suspicious. Normally uptight Lois Lane was showing a side of herself he had never known existed. He liked it - HECK, he *loved* this side...but if it wasn't real, he would be really heartbroken. What if she continued to date Lex Luthor? Did she suspect he was Superman? What was going on in that beautiful head of hers?

"Really? I thought Superman was the only one for you, Lois. I figured you started dating Lex because you didn't think Superman would ever ask you out," Clark countered.

Lois suddenly realized that Clark was jealous of Superman. How crazy was that? He *is* Superman. Maybe she could use that information to her advantage. Hmmm.

"Clark, I started dating Lex so I could interview him. I've had my eye on *you* since the very first time I saw you in that towel. I was *so* attracted to you that very first day when I came to pick you up. Remember? You were living in that horrible Hell Hole when you moved to Metropolis. Superman is flashy, but he's not real. You, on the other hand, are very real and very sexy; you're my partner and have become my best friend."

"Really, Lois? Because as recently as last week you told me that you thought you were in love with Superman. This just doesn't add up!"

<Wow. He thinks I'm in love with his other self, and he still can't tell me the truth>.

"Clark, if I told you I would never see Luthor again, and that I'm no longer interested in Superman, could we continue our previous session? Practice *does* make perfect, you know!"

Lois stood up, towel dropping to the floor. He had the strength of character of Superman, but the woman he loved was parading her beauty in front of him, freely offering herself. He felt his resolve weakening. "Lois, I'm not one for casual relations, you know. In fact, you were my - first. Being with you means everything to me. I know it's usually the guy saying this to the girl, but I don't want to be used."

Lois was touched by his words. <He wants to be loved as Clark, not as Superman. I get it. I *finally* get it. So if he knows that I know he's Superman, he's going to think that I was with him because I found out he's Superman. Omigod. I've painted myself in a corner and I don't know how to get out!>

"Clark, all I know is that you are the only man who's been able to break through the wall I've had up ever since the Claude fiasco. You're incredibly attractive, you're my best friend, and I want to be with you. I want you to know that I accept all of you. If there is anything that you want to share with me, I promise that I will not betray your trust. I know today I'm acting a lot more forward than usual, but I'm glad. Hiding how you really feel is hard. I'm glad it's out in the open. Let me show you how much I mean what I'm saying right now."

Lois started unbuttoning Clark's shirt, revealing that chest that she loved so much. She had worked her way down to his waist when he suddenly stopped her.

"Lois, there's something I have to tell you before we go any further."

<He's going to tell me he's Superman. I just feel it. I have to keep a poker face and act like I didn't know, or he's going to be suspicious and think that I was playing up to him as Clark because I really wanted Superman. Omigod - here he goes!>

"Lois, remember when we went to Smallville recently? That whole incident with Jason Trask, and 'Bureau 39?'"

"Yes...and..."

"Jason Trask was right. I *am* the alien. I landed in Smallville as an infant, the Kents found me, and raised me as their adopted son, Clark Kent. My mother - Martha Kent - made me the Superman costume. I was born on a planet named Krypton..."

"Y-y-ou're Superman? Really?" Lois interrupted Clark with all seriousness, and then unexpectedly, burst out laughing. "I can't do it, Clark, I can't. I tried, though, I really did!" She was howling with laughter now.

"What??? You think it's funny that I'm Superman?"

"Funny? No. Absolutely *not*. I've never been more dead serious in my life," Lois replied, still laughing hysterically. "Clark, I'm so sorry. I kind of had it figured out after the Smallville trip, but I only became sure of it after I saw you streak out of the bedroom before, dressed as Superman."

"You *saw* that? Geez, I thought you were still sleeping," Clark said sheepishly. "Oh well. So why - how did you have it figured out, anyway? How did I slip up?"

"You didn't *really* slip up, Clark. But I started analyzing Trask's conclusions, to see if they could be valid at all, and it did start to make sense to me that Superman appeared right around the same time *you* arrived in Metropolis, you are *never* around when he is, you dash off unexpectedly at times with no valid explanation, then there's a Superman incident reported on the news shortly thereafter...*plus*, I am with you so much...some of your mannerisms, as best as you try to disguise them, are the same."

"Like what? Give me an example," Clark requested.

"Well...let's see. Sometimes when you think I'm not looking, I see you type - and write - at super-speed. When you try to calm me down, you use the same tone of voice when you're Clark as you do when you're Superman. Your profile is the same, your hair is the same color - but I have to say, I like Clark's hair much better than Superman's. All that hair gel - ick!"

Clark smiled. "So, what does this mean? You like Clark better than Superman? Superman is just a persona I created so I can have a private life - *be* Clark Kent. Protect my loved ones from harm. It wasn't meant to hurt your feelings, Lois. I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't be sure that the 'scoop of the century' would be too hard for you to pass up. I'm sorry to say that...but I had to be sure you were trustworthy. My parents' lives could be at stake. You saw the mess Jason Trask created for my neighbor, Wayne Irig. I don't want your sympathy, Lois, but it's not easy, being *me*."

"That sounds like the beginning of a great country-western song that we could line- dance to, Clark," Lois said, now continuing to undress him. "And I have a confession to make, too."

"What's that, Lois?" Clark said, almost breathless with excitement again.

"When I came over here, I think I *was* under the influence of that stuff I was sprayed with. I never felt so free before. I had buried my attraction for you so deep, and all of a sudden, I had the confidence to just go for what I had always wanted. I'm telling you, Clark, the first time I saw you in the towel, I was *very* glad I was born a woman. Whew!! It's a good thing mind-reading isn't one of your powers, because I would have been in serious trouble that day."

"Really? Tell me more," Clark said, cupping Lois' face in his hands and kissing her gently.

"Well, when I came over here and you had just the towel on again, this time I had no inhibitions or reservations, showing you how I felt. It was like being a child again, no hang-ups, no reasons to play games with you like I always did." Lois' hands continued to wander around as she spoke.

"Like you *always* did?" Clark stuttered. He could barely keep the conversation going, he was so distracted by Lois' activities.

"Yes, Clark. I mean, Superman was this exciting, good-looking man that could fly, for God's sake. But he also was the untouchable icon - a fantasy that my subconscious deemed to be "safe". There was no risk involved with having a crush on Superman. On the other hand, you, my partner...someone I saw every day...it was very scary to pursue you. I had already had another work relationship go down the tubes. It was safer to pretend that I wasn't interested. My college girlfriends always told me, 'If you want to be in control of a relationship, go after someone that you're not really interested in. That way, you can't be hurt.' So I played that game with you - pretended I wasn't interested and - ooooooooooooh! What did you just do to me?"

Lois looked down and realized that they were floating towards the bedroom, and whatever Clark was doing to her with his tongue was making every cell in her body scream, "don't stop! keep it up!"

"So, Lois, how do you know you're not still under the influence of this bad-smelling perfume?" Clark said, landing them on the bed, with Lois face-up.

"Well, when I saw you streaking out of the bedroom dressed as Superman, all of a sudden I felt queasy. Reality sunk in. I looked around and realized that whatever forward motion I had started with you felt *good*. Scary, but *good*. And then I realized a few things about you and how you probably feel that you're in competition with your 'other self', and it occurred to me that you were probably just as scared as I was. So, somehow in the weirdness of all of that analyzing, I relaxed and started enjoying this mess that I created!"

"Lois...only your partner, me, Clark Kent, could understand what you just said. Do you want to keep talking?"

Lois kissed him back in reply, and then they made *real* love this time, with a meeting of the minds, mutual appreciation and affection, and, of course, all of the passion of Planet Earth and Planet Krypton, united as one.

Several hours later, Lois opened her eyes and smiled. <I just *have* to do this!> "Clark! Omigod! You're naked! I'm naked! Yikes! What I am doing here?"

Clark jumped out of bed, eyes as big as saucers, grabbing the covers to hide his more private parts. "Lois? What's the matter? Did you have a bad dream?" <Please don't tell me that the stuff just wore off and now she remembers nothing!>

"Clark...wow...did anyone ever tell you that you look just like Superman? Well, I guess being with *you* is as close as I'll ever get to being with *him*! Ready for another adventure?" Lois asked, smiling in glee at Clark.

Clark's expression changed from alarm to one of disbelief. "Lois Lane!!! There are severe penalties for jokes like this, you know."

"I'll take the penalty gladly, Superman...as long as I can watch you get out of the shower with just a towel on, later."

"Deal."

FINI

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