Cat: Hey all! This was a bit of fluff with just occurred to me. You can read it as either "Clark and Chloe are friends" or as Chlark if you like (I do). Unfortunately I couldn't decide how I wanted to start, so there are two beginnings. The first chapter has the first opening. I think it's better written, but it feels darker (which is not the mood that I wanted). The second chapter is much lighter, a bit funnier, etc. However, the dialogue and action is exactly the same. I would appreciate it if you would read both and tell me which you liked better, but if you want to just read one that's fine with me.
Disclaimer: Not mine. You can ask my mommy, she'll agree with me.
The night was almost entirely silent. Winter's chill had quieted the insects and a prediction of snow had forced most drivers off of the roads and home to their families. However, there was one person awake and aware that night. He'd parked his car out front and left it running. It was the singular warm place on the desolate street but the driver had abandoned it to cautiously mount old stairs.
As he opened the inner door he was met with a room that glowed. The neon lights outside illuminated everything that lived there, casting their lives into unnatural colors. But this person didn't need that light to guide him to the bed; he was very familiar with the room and with its solitary occupant. His boots thundered against the quietness and excitement beat through his veins.
She slept on her side, one bare shoulder exposed in the blue and red pallor. A calloused hand fit around her muscled arm and shook a bit as he called to her. "Chloe?"
Her eyes jumped open and a small shriek echoed in the room. The man, as startled as she was, started backwards a bit, relinquishing his grip automatically. However, a moment later he began to chuckle softly.
"Geeze, Clark." Chloe grumbled, recognizing both the laugh and the shape of his nose in the semi-darkness. Clark laughed a bit more, old tensions falling away in the presence of his best friend. To contrast him Chloe continued to snipe. "Give a girl a heart attack."
Clark sobered a bit as he was instantly reminded of why he'd come. "You'll thank me later, Chlo." He assured her.
In that moment a thousand horrible scenarios assailed her mind. There were a thousand reasons why Clark could be waking her in the middle of the night, though none of them inspired confidence or joy.
She threw back her covers and Clark couldn't help but notice that the shorts she'd worn to bed were unintentionally high up on her thighs, showing more skin then he'd even seen from her. He tore his eyes upwards and was suddenly uncomfortably aware that Chloe only wore a tank top to bed and that it was cold in that room. His face reddened, and he hoped that she couldn't see it.
"Why? What's up?" Her concerns filled her voice, pouring into Clark's ears and he felt a familiar guilt. He'd made her worry again even though he'd come there with a surprise that was intended to excite her.
He responded by intentionally adding humor to his tone, implying calm and expressing anticipation instead of fear. "You'll see."
"See what?" The response was automatic, almost unintentional. Chloe had wanted answers to the world for as long as she could remember. Secrets were meant to be discovered. She crossed her arms over her chest, accentuating her seriousness and challenging the man who'd had the gall to wake her up.
Clark saw her standing there and couldn't help but tease her a bit. "You'll see." He repeated. She scrunched up her face at him in distaste and Clark took some pity on her. "Get your coat." He nodded towards the closet. He was eager to show her the surprise, but also knew better than to take her outside in her pajamas.
"Clark," Clark almost flinched and the serious challenge in her tone. Chloe was going to be stubborn about this trip; he knew it at that very moment. All his hopes of quietly escorting her in stunned silence were bashed. Surprisingly though, Clark wasn't at all saddened by that. Chloe was more fun when she was loud.
"Where are we going?" She demanded firmly. Clark met her gaze evenly. He let the tension between them spread for a momentary age. Like ripples in a pond it filled the entire room with heat and the both of them just stood there. Eventually Clark decided that she'd suffered enough and responded.
"You'll see." Chloe sighed, the loud exhale only adding to the humor of the moment. She fumbled awkwardly in her closet, the darkness that continued to perforate the room flooding the corners and small places and impairing her vision.
Clark watched her carefully and wondered if he'd gone too far. After all, he had woken her up and nearly given her a heart attack in the process. Then he'd conjured up mental images of friends in labs and meteor freaks and other horrible Smallvillian incidents. While that had all been unintentional, he had purposely defeated her at her own challenge. Clark knew Chloe better than anyone and right then he was quietly regretting that he hadn't gotten her a cup of coffee first. "You'll like it." He promised over her shoulder.
Chloe jammed her foot into a shoe without responding to him and Clark spent a moment utterly terrified that she was angry with him. Chloe was glaring down at her feet, too impatient to both with untying the laces. Her heel was sore from where she was trying to slid it into the other shoe while she mentally debated how best to get back at Clark. It was better if she got her revenge quickly. Then they could be even and just enjoy whatever was happening.
She stood and Clark rushed to the door. She tried to hide her amusement and pleasure as he opened it for her and ushered her through. His impersonation of a butler was astounding and clearly a pure accident.
As she was passing through the doorway she briefly considered forgiving him just because he was acting like such a gentleman. Her demonic side got the better of her and she rounded on him.
She was much shorter than Clark, but the height difference was almost unnoticeable when she was trying to look taller and he was slouching. If she openly turned her head to meet his eye she was reduced in appearance by several inches, and if she was going to win this challenge she couldn't do that. Therefore when both of them were standing in the cramped door frame she ended up staring directly at his lips.
"It's 3 o'clock in the morning." She announced sternly. She saw him tense in surprise and continued happily. "This had better be good." At that point she passed to the other side of the door, turning halfway around on the stairs to meet his gaze. He was left completely speechless by her unexpected statement and she grinned at him.
Clark found himself in a daze as he entered the car. It was not the first time that he had silently marveled at the powers that Chloe held over him; however, it felt different this time. He should have foreseen that the curious reporter would not tolerate him keeping secrets from her. He couldn't blame her for that, not after she had been forced to discover his bigger secret alone.
Cat: See second chapter for the exciting conclusion….