1061/Hotdogs and Smack Talk

Hotdogs and Smack Talk
Date of Scene:	20 June 2017
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	In which Clark takes Lois out for hot dogs to brighten her mood, and Lois ends up buying them. Or Savage Lois is Savage.
Cast of Characters:	Lois Lane, Superman

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Lois Lane has posed:
Lois Lane is currently in legal's office this morning.

Loud words might be heard. So many loud words. Maybe even yelling. Which is mostly done by Lois Lane.

Then like a tornado the door opens and Lois says, "I did nothing wrong. Pull your big boy pants up and do your job." Then she's stepping outside and slamming the door shut.

Those poor lawyers. They're probably trembling in their boots right about now.

Now comes Angry Lois as she stalks back to her desk. Stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp. Her coffee mug (which is empty) is slammed with such force that a faint crazed-crack line appears upon the ceramic surface.

There might also be some heavy breathing from the reporter and it's not the good kind /either/.

Superman has posed:
Superman landed down on the rooftop in an inconspecuous spot. Clark Kent made this way into the bull pen just as the crack appears in the cermic mug.

He had heard the angry voices in New Dehli, but was pulling people out of a mudslide. He had heard the slamming of the door as he was hitting the eastern Atlantic.

Clark gets his own mug, with his coffee he had poured when Lois got called into a meeting and he had heard cries for help. A quick glance about, and Clark dips his chin down, glasses down, and 'glares' his coffee back to warm while no one is looking before stepping over to Lois and offering his caffeine fix over.

Lois Lane has posed:
Her angry eyes lift up and turn to Clark for a moment. If Lois' look could kill, not even the Sun's powerful rays could save him form it, thankfully, her look can't. And so -

"Kent, if I could strangle someone I would." Are her harsh and clipped words, and while her gaze drops to that offered mug of his, it takes Lois a long time to actually uncurl her fingers from her own cracked one. Slowly she'll peel her fingers from around the empty mug and reach for Clark's filled one. She might even throw in a muttered 'thanks', but she might not. It's some type of noise from the reporter, just not a necessarily safe one. A sip will be taken and while it doesn't do anything for her anger, it at least gives her a moment to collect herself.

Her voice, even her words are a smidgen better. A smidgen. "What're you up to?"

Superman has posed:
It's moments like these that make Clark SUPER thankful that he's a bullet-proof alien from another planet and that Lois is a regular human with no superpowers whatsoever. That's the only reason he doesn't cower fully under her gaze. He doesn't respond to her growling threat, having learned long ago that those words are not bait to be taken.

Instead, Clark waits for his coffee to be taken before he turns to settle his hip against her desk, one hand on the wood (GENTLY!!!), the other in a pocket of his pants. What is he up to? Pulling people out of the mud in New Dehli, speed-heating some coffee for you, hoping you don't suddenly gain superpowers and kick my ass...

"None much. Slow news day, truth be told. I was thinking about writing something on the soup kitchen down in Harlem? Maybe see if it'll get them some more donations..." he comments on a faint shrug, eyes still on Lois, ears still trained on her too-angry heartbeat.

"Didja wanna go grab a 'dog or something out at Centinnial Park?" he offers, hoping if he gets her out of the office and some fresh air she'll calm down. Plus, the Park was sounding - and looking, because Clark totally cheated and sneaked a peek - pretty calm, uncrowded, and pleasant today.

Lois Lane has posed:
Slow news day. That earns another noise from Lois. A still vaguely threatening sound. That phrase for her is typically one she argues about. Every day is a fast /news/ day. You just have to find it.

Lois Lane's famous stink-eye will last a few seconds longer as she listens to what the casually lean man has to say. Finally, after several more gulps of coffee, Lois pushes the mug back at Clark. "Soup kitchens." Grumbles the dark-haired woman, but her expression seems less tight thanks to that dose of caffeine. Now she considers his offer of a hotdog, or something, out at the park. "Sure, Smallville. Let's go."

Her purse will be snagged from her desktop and then she's turning towards the elevators. Then it's a quick stomp-stomp-stomp and when the two pass the door that leads into the lawyers offices, Lois will reach out and smack the door as she passes. "Do your jobs!" She says loudly through the door, even as she continues to the elevators. An angry finger-jab will push the down arrow button and with an impatient tap of her foot, she waits.

And while she could allow the silence to str-et-ch onward, she doesn't. "Were you around when the Fantastic Four arrived yesterday?"

Superman has posed:
Taking the mug back, Clark almost has to scramble to keep up. It means he's not quite quick enough to keep her from banging on the lawyer's door. He gets to her side to wait for the elevator, sucking in a very small breath.

Where was he when Reed and Company showed up? He was ....in Germany, helping with a nuclear plant before it could go boom. "I was checking out a thing.. that ended up not being critical."

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois' attention is pulled from the elevator doors (because she was totally trying to will them to open) and focused back on Clark. A dark black eyebrow will be raised upward at what he has to say. "Really. A thing. What was this non-critical thing you had to run off to?" And while on normal days she'd barley pay attention to his answer, to that almost comically rhetorical question of hers, today she does. She waits to see what was /so/ critical, but not, that pulled Clark away.

Her gaze is expectant and perhaps still a little angry; though not really with him, with other things, he's just getting the brunt of it.

And whether he answers, or the silence grows, eventually the faint sound of *DING* will be heard as the elevator arrives upon their floor.

Perhaps saving the Man of Steel from being verbally eviscerated by one Lois Lane.

Superman has posed:
You should just TELL her! The scenario plays out in his head. She doesn't believe him, and he has to drag her into a stairwell to proof it... by flying. Lame as hell.

She doesn't believe him, gets mad at him for trying to make a joke of the wondeful things Superman does for the planet and the Planet and her and she stomps off, so upset she doesn't see some muggers and he flies into to rescue her only to have her round on him as Superman to chew him out as Clark... Yeah, no.

She completely believes him, and says it stupid loud. It silences the bull pen, everyone looks over, then crowds him and he has to flew away from the grabby hands and can no longer live a normal live.

UGH! Why are all of these so selfish!? Is it that he's lying to himself that NOT telling her keeps her safer? Clark shifts his weight uneasily, inhaling again as he tries to think of something that's isn't an out and out lie, when...

Ding.

Saved by the bell.

He reaches out to catch the door so the people coming out can get out and Lois going in can go in. And to stretch the non-answer a bit longer.

Lois Lane has posed:
While Lois isn't always the best at reading Clark, she's actually good at reading people, and with her attention so focused upon him, she can't miss the subtle play of emotions upon his face. It's enough to cause Lois Lane's eyes to narrow in speculation, but like him, her attention is soon upon the elevator when the doors open.
Shehe'll wait until the mad exodus is over and when it is, she'll step inside. Behind them two more people step into the elevator, as well. Which might once again save Clark Kent.

The first floor button will be jabbed by Lois again, even as she gives Clark the side-eye. Something is going on -

- And Lois is just the person to figure it out.

Well, perhaps after a hot dog, as the elevator announces their arrival upon the first floor. Even when the two step out Lois' thoughtful gaze stays upon Clark, consideration easily read within those blue-eyes of hers. Finally, with a faint impish smile, the woman says, "Got a secret girlfriend, Kent? Midnight rendezvous sort of thing?" She doesn't necessarily believe that he does, she's just going for shock right now, to try and elicit an unguarded response from him.

Superman has posed:
Oh no. She's got that 'story in hand' look on her face! And there's nothing but the small four's a crowd to hold her at bay. Clark turns not to appear ill at ease, which just means that to Lois he totally does. It also doesn't help that just over the sound of the too loud elevator, he can barely make out sirens. He dips his chin and looks at the wall of the elevator barely over the frames of his glasses. Like he's just staring off into space, as usual.

he's just not staring out as FAR as space. Hit and run. Drunk driver. Cops have him.

Not that Clark could get away anyway right now.

Free from the 'press' of bodies, Clark holds the door open and then moves into step with his partner, headed for the front door.

"What? No!" unguarded is excatly what you get. Clark's eyes ar wide as he double-takes on Lois and hastly shoves his glasses up with an index finger. He'd been peeking out at the hot dog stand when she side-lined him.

"No, of course not!"

Lois Lane has posed:
Yes, she does have that look upon her face. He should recognize it quite easily.

His unguarded reaction allows a more natural expression to flit across Lois' features. A grin. Well, a sardonic grin, when he reacts so and then hastily shoves his glasses back up the bridge of hise nose. "Well, that's an honest answer if I ever heard one." Comes her words, even as she continues towards the door. "But don't think you're safe, I'll figure it out one of these days what you're really hiding."

Oh how ironic those words are; not now for Lois, but eventually they will be.

"Come on, partner. Let's go get a damn hot dog. I promise I won't try to pull the rug from beneath your feet." Though that promise will be broken when the two step outside, as the reporter silently mulls over his response, as well as the many other things from the previous days. "Why not?" She'll finally say, as Lois turns her gaze to Clark. "And to clarify I mean why don't you date? You're not bad looking Clark, terrible with schedules sure, but bad looking no."

Superman has posed:
"No doubt," Clark says to himself, hand rubbing at the hair just behind an ear before he tucks it back fully and follows Lois toward the 'dot stand. Just arriving, her gaze settles back on him as he had been peering a few blocks away. A young man has valiantly stopped traffic for an old lady. He smiles faintly only to get startled from the expression and refocus on Lois.

"What?" I'm so glad you clarified there, Lo. Clark lost track of what you were taking about. Vowing to be more present, Clark keeps his thoughts and vision and hearing and focus on the woman in front of him. ONly to end up rubbing at his hair again.

"Oh, jolly, Lois. That's nice of you to say, theat I'm not bad looking. I... don't know.. I guess.. I'm just... still ...looking for the...right...umm..?" Moment? Super Lame! Girl, implies he hasn't, and that would tip her off and WHY DOES SHE MAKE ME FEEL LIKE A FRIGGING TEEN AGAIN! I AM SUPERMAN GOSH DURN IT!

Lois Lane has posed:
A look is just given to Clark; both for his inattention and also for his answer.

She'll let him stew there a moment, as she pulls out several dollars from her purse. Enough for a dog for her, one for Clark and a nice tip for the vendor. "Two hot dogs please." She'll say when it's their turn. "Ketchup and mustard for me -" And a look will be pivoted upon Clark now, for his order.

She'll wait patiently for both to get their hot dog, before nodding for them to walk again. Also, napkins are grabbed. Many napkins. Lois is not getting ketchup on this particular pant-suit, thanks.

"You need to work on your smooth talking skills, Smallville. Too many awkward pauses there -" Though she's quite unaware of just why his pauses are awkward; she's going to go with his farmboy shyness. Yup. That's how she sees it.

Superman has posed:
"Same," Clark orders, because somedays he likes all the things on his hot dog. Sometimes he likes none of the things. Today, he's too focused on Lois' heartbeat and the soft whoosh-whoosh of her inhale exhale and the gentle deepness of hearing her voice in her chest to think about what he'd REALLY like on his hotdog. Eating it the way Lois does sounds a good compromise. 'Dog in hand, Clark walks with Lois, starting to eat.

"My smooth talking? ...I didn't know that I should be trying to smooth talk you?" he counters, getting comfortablte aagain.

Lois Lane has posed:
"Smallville you will never ever be able to smooth talk me." Lois says quick as lightning, even as she splits her attention between Clark and the stretch of sidewalk ahead of them.

"Ever."

Is that added word there. She'll stay quiet for a few minutes as she takes a bite of 'dog, chews thoughtfully, then swallows. Then it's back to baiting Clark, as Lois slides a look towards him. "I'm sure your parents would love grandchildren, right? They always strike me as wanting them."

Poor Clark.

Superman has posed:
"Thanks for clearing that up for me," Clark says, trying to hide the 'Challenge Accepted' tiny grin on his face. He chews thoughtfully, like she does. Because it takes nothing to smooth talk her as Superman somedays. But how to do it as Clark that won't come off weird... Lost in that thought, Lois once again catches him off guard and hotdog down wrong pipe and Clark coughs, sputtering.

"...what?" Hey look. Clark can blush.

Lois Lane has posed:
Coughing and blushing. That earns an actual laugh from Lois. "Clark. Really." She says, lightly admonishing him, "You're losing the game here." Lois says, even as she tries to helpfully pat his back. Wouldn't want him to die on a bite of hot dog, after all.

When it seems like he's all good, Lois will add, "Alright. I suppose I'm done torturing you. You just make it too easy sometimes." A grin will be added for him, to show she really is joking; though he does make it far too easy.

The silence is there again on Lois' part, as she walks, eats and thinks. Eventually she'll come back around to say, "Thanks." Though she doesn't quite say thanks for what, but hopefully Clark will know.

Superman has posed:
For heling improve her mood, of course! Clark gets the airways clear again, grining at Lois for relenting, though really he didn't mind. Girls always tease the boys they like. He resumes walknig and eating with her, keeping his senses int he here and now as he does so.

"hmm? Oh. You're welcome, Lois," he says, calm and content.