Title: Green Pepper and Olive Pizza
Rating: PG-13
Season:
7
Spoilers: Takes place after Siren.
Author's Note: We're going to pretend Siren went a little something like this: Clark and Lana breakup, but they decide to remain friends. Lana's in Paris… for good.


Serendipity: an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.

-Two days before Valentines Day-

"Hey Lois," Jimmy called out, weaving his way through the basement of the Daily Planet.

"What is it?" Lois asked, pounding away at the keyboard, here eyes remained glued to the screen.

"Are you going to attend the Daily Planet's Valentines Day party?"

She looked up. "Do you remember what happened last time I went to a Valentines Day party?" Not waiting for his response, she continued. "Well, I don't and I don't know about you, but I'm too young to be forgetting things."

"I take that as a no," Jimmy said changing the subject abruptly. "Here are the pictures you wanted for your story," he said placing the envelope on the mounds of paper that seemed to replace her desk.

She tore her eyes away from the screen and grabbed the envelope. "These are fantastic, Jimmy," she said, spreading them out on her desk.

"Your welcome. I'll see you later. Need to deliver more pictures," he said holding up several envelopes.

Clark, who had been searching for Chloe in the basement with a brown paper bag in hand, watched as Jimmy left Lois' desk. He started in the direction of Lois' desk when he was interrupted by Jimmy.

"Hey CK, what brings you out here?"

"Hey Jimmy. I'm looking for Chloe. Have you seen her?"

"No. But Lois is at her desk. She might know where Chloe is."

"Thanks Jimmy," Clark said heading back down the stairs.

"No problem."

Clark zigzagged his way to Lois' desk.

"Hey Lois."

"Hey Smallville. If you're looking for Chloe, she's out."

"I figured that much," Clark said as he pulled up a chair and examined her desk.

"I brought you a sandwich," he said placing the brown paper bag on the sea of papers.

"What kind is it?"

"Ham and Swiss."

"My favorite. How did you know?"

Clark blinked. "Just a hunch," he replied. He wondered how many sandwiches Chloe had thrown away when he could have given them to Lois instead.

"Clark?"

"What?"

"You were staring off into space," she said with a mouthful of sandwich.

"Sorry."

"As I was saying, this is a good sandwich. Where did you learn to cook?"

"Mom gave me lessons. I picked up fast," he said with a shrug.

"Apparently you didn't pick up the fashion lesson," she replied between bites. "You're always in that outfit. And what happened to your plaid?"

Clark rolls eyes. "You took all my shirts. And I wear the blue shirt with red jacket too!"

She snorted. "Because that is better than the red shirt and blue jacket."

He frowned and defined his clothes. "It's simple and I like it."

"A little too simple if you ask me"

"I didn't."

She resumed typing her story. "You should come shopping with me after work today. It's time you got a new wardrobe….and colors too."

"What? No."

"Afraid of change?"

"No," he lied.

Lois looked up at him and grinned. She knew he was lying. He was a horrible liar; the worst liar she had ever met. "Pick me up at 5."

He sat there a moment, trying to decide if he could win the argument. He give in knowing full well he couldn't win. "Fine, I'll be here at 5pm," he said, leaving.

"Be ready to shop!" She called after him as he entered the elevator.

She saw him smile before the doors shut. She leaned back in chair with a smug expression.

-The store: men's department-

"Let's get you in some color, Smallville."

"What's wrong with red and blue?"

"Those are the only colors you wear!"

He was going to deny it, but there was no use.

"What's your size?"

"I don't know"

"What do you mean you don't know? How can you not know? Come here."

Clark walked over to Lois.

"Take off your jacket," she ordered.

"Why?"

"Just do it."

" What if I don't want to?"

"Then I'll take it off you."

His eyes went wide and took off his jacket and handed it to her.

She smiled. "Thanks."

Clark returned to the clothing rack he was looking at before Lois interrupted him. She returned with an armful of jackets, hoodies, and shirts. None of them were red or blue. Throwing the pile of clothes on top of rack, she pulled out a green hoodie.

Taking a step back, Clark declared, "I'm not wearing that."

"Honestly, Smallville. Are you that afraid of color."

"No. I just don't like hooded sweatshirts."

She didn't believe him. His resistance to putting on the sweatshirt, or the color green only increased her curiosity to see him in green, and she wouldn't stop until it was done. "Fine. Come here and try on the grey jacket."

He let out a sigh of relief.

Lois held out the jacket out for him. As Clark reached for it, Lois let it drop. They both looked at the grey fabric sprawled on the ground, then back at each other.

"Pick it up already," Lois said.

Clark shook his head and bent down to pick up the jacket. While he was down, Lois grabbed the green hooded sweatshirt and pulled it over his head.

He stood up, with the hood over his head and the sweatshirt bunched around his shoulders. He waited for her reaction, but nothing came.

"Lois?"

She was staring at him with an expression he'd never seen. He was concerned. Did she figure out he was the Green Arrow that night?

Lois looked at him unblinkingly. He wasn't the one she kissed that night; it couldn't have been. It didn't make sense. He had been with Oliver in the apartment. But Oliver had shown up when she kissed Green Arrow. If Oliver had left the apartment, then maybe Clark had too. She tried to get a hold of her scattering thoughts. Had Clark been the one playing dress up? She recalled the conversation she had Oliver a week ago.

Lois suddenly stopped talking and looked out onto the balcony.

Frowning, Oliver asked "Lois, what are you doing?"

"Black Canary's not going to attack us again, right?" she asked before continuing. "Because I'm not planning on getting knocked unconscious again during this conversation."

"No, she's not going to attack. You have nothing to worry about." Oliver replied with a smile.

"Good. So, who was it that I kissed in the alley last year?"

"Lois, I can't tell you who it was."

"Can't you give me a hint?"

"No," he replied amused.

"Why? It's not like I know him."

Oliver gave her a funny look. If she ever found out, she would be in for the surprise of her lifetime.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"I know him, don't I?"

"NO!" He replied quickly.

Lois raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

Oliver let out a sigh. "Lois, please drop it."

She crossed her arms and searched his face, looking for a clue as to who the mystery man was. "Fine, but you can't keep it a secret forever." With that final comment, she turned on her heel and exited the building.

Oliver let out a deep sigh. "That's what I'm afraid of."

Maybe Clark was the wannabe hero. She bit her lip. This was going to consume her until she found out the truth.

Clark called her name again, "Lois?"

She looked up at him and smiled. "You look good in green. You should wear it more."

He looked at her once again, making sure she was okay before he tried on the rest of the jackets in the pile.

They resumed shopping, all the while she thought of ways to put her theory to test.

-Valentines Day-

"Lois." Clark said, walking into her apartment.

Lois looked at the clock above the mantle. "You're early."

He shrugged. "I had nothing better to do since Kara and Chloe left half an hour ago for the Daily Planet Valentines Day Party."

"Well, I was just about to go buy some snacks and get a couple movies. Want to join me?"

"Sure."

"I'll call the pizza place on out way there."

They entered the store arguing about the pizza toppings. In the end, Lois won, like always.

"Clark, you can grab the food and I'll go get the movies."

"Why can't I pick the movies?"

"Because you always rent bad movies."

"Mission to Mars wasn't bad!"

Lois gave him a pointed look and walked to the movie rental section of the grocery store. "Don't forget the ice cream! And chocolate!"

They arrived back at the apartment with three grocery bags full of food. They barely had time to set them down when there was a knock at the door.

"Pizza's here," Lois announced as she took a $20 out of Clark's wallet.

The guy looked at her and smiled. "You sure had an odd order. First time I've made a pizza like that."

Lois didn't care what the teenager thought. "Thanks," she replied, shoving the money into his hand and shutting door.

"what movie do you want to watch first?" Clark asked from the living room. He help up two movies, one in his right hand and the other in his left.

"Right," Lois replied, puts pizza box on table.

Clark set the up movie up while she went back to get plates.

Clark opened box, ready to dig in, but stopped and stared at the pizza. He looked over at Lois who was in the kitchen.

"Um, Lois?'

"Yeah?"

"I think we got the wrong pizza."

"Why?"

"It has 'kiss me' written out in green peppers and olives."

"That the right pizza," she replied returning to the living room.

He looked at her confused.

'Do me a favor, will you?" She asked placing the plates on the table.

"Sure," he replied more confused.

"Do what it says to do on the pizza."

He looked at the pizza. "What?" he exclaimed. "Why?"

"Do you have to ask so many questions? Just do it."

"I don't know Lois…"

Lois shook her head and reached for Clark's face. Both hands resting on his cheeks, she pulled forward and kisses
him.

Seconds passed before his arm wrapped around her waist and the kiss deepened. Kissing Lois was better than her remembered. She was so intoxicating that he didn't want the kiss to end.

Panting, Lois pulled away with a glint in her eyes and a beaming smile.

Clark looked at her, still recovering. He recognized the smile; it was her 'I just figured out something' smile.

She had her answer. The wannabe hero she kissed that night in the alley was Clark, and it was just as she remembered it. He had the same gentle touch, the same minty taste and same hand had curled around her waist, pulling her in for more. It was glorious.

"Thanks Smallville," she said making herself comfortable on the couch as the movie previews played.

Smiling, Clark took his seat, rubbing his thumb over his lips. He would never wash them again.

-The End-