Back in his sparsely furnished apartment, Clark couldn't forget about the green on Maddie's fingers. There's no way that could have been kryptonite, could it? He sprawled across his bed, his hand tucked under his back and touching his scar. Ever since she touched it, the throbbing was gone, the burning was gone.
It wasn't a human thing; that much he knew. Lois had been the one to remove the kryptonite shard from his body in the first place. He's helped thousands of people, and if their skin touched, it didn't give him the glow Maddie did.
Part of Clark told him to let it go, and just appreciate what seemed to be a good thing. The journalist in him couldn't stop thinking about it; this little bit of unknown in his life drove him crazy.
He glanced at his alarm clock: five in the morning.
'He'll be up,' he thought. Rolling over to the side of the bed, he swung his legs over and stood up. He walked to his dresser and picked up a small cell phone. He hated the idea of a cell phone tying him to the rest of the world, but after missing a few headline story opportunities, his boss at the Daily Planet practically threw it at him. He scrolled through the contacts and, when he found the one he needed, pushed the green send button.
"Hey, Bruce? It's Clark," he said when the other side picked up. "Can I pick your brain for a minute?"
Maddie was collecting empty glasses from tables when she felt a pair of hands on her hips. She froze, her anger about to bubble over. Just as she was ready to give the owner of the mitts a piece of her mind, they spun her around. A pair of lips softly covered hers in a kiss, and she relaxed as she realized who this man was.
"Clark, I'm workin', darlin'," she protested when they pulled apart. "You're gonna get me in trouble, and you almost got yourself smacked."
Clark laughed, dropping his hands, withdrawing into the awkward Clark Kent character. "Gosh, sorry, Maddie. I didn't think about that."
Maddie shook her head, picking up the rest of the glasses on the table and putting them on a tray. She couldn't help but let her eyes trail over him. It was a Saturday, which meant Clark didn't work, which meant, for the first time she'd seen, he wasn't wearing a suit. Instead, he wore a pair of well-fitting jeans and loose, long sleeved black t-shirt with "METROPOLIS UNIVERSITY" written on it in white. The sleeves were pushed up to his elbows, and his muscular forearms looked like they belonged to someone else. "Anyways, what's goin' on? Haven't seen you for a day or two."
"I know, I've been… busy," he apologized. Maddie nodded; she knew he wasn't talking about his career. He cleared his throat. "Um, I was wondering… maybe you'd want to come over for dinner at my place tonight?"
Maddie was surprised; she knew he had to live somewhere, but she had begun to believe that he flew around the globe at night and spent his days at the Daily Planet. "S-sure!" She smiled, picking up the tray. "I'd love to."
"Great!" Clark was actually worried she'd say no. He took the tray from her, balancing it on one palm and reaching out to grab Maddie's hand with the other.
"I didn't know you could cook," she teased, walking over to the bar with him.
"Like I said, I never get a chance to." He placed the tray on the counter and took her other hand, reveling in the warmth spreading up his arm. Based on the dreamy look on Maddie's face, he could tell she was, too. "And I'm pretty good at it, too."
"I'll be the judge of that." Maddie sighed when she had to drop both of his hands to go behind the bar. "Want me to bring anything?"
"Just yourself." Clark leaned up against the bar. "What time are you off?"
"Five," she replied. They both glanced up at the clock behind the bar; two hours to go in her shift.
"I'll see you at eight, then?" A goofy grin spread across his face as he slid a piece of paper with his address on it across the bar to her.
"See you then, darlin'." She leaned on the bar, hopping up so she could reach across to him. He met her halfway and they shared a sweet kiss before he stood back from the bar, waved awkwardly and walked out the door.
'231A, West Fourth Street.' Maddie scanned the buildings as she stood on the sidewalk outside the metro station. This was a nice neighborhood, quiet and well-lit with brown stone buildings lining the street. She was standing outside 223, and started walking in what she thought was the right direction. She smiled when she saw the house numbers going up, and it didn't take her long to find 231.
It was a tall building with revolving doors leading into the lobby. A directory of tenants was on the wall near the door, and she scanned up the list to find "C. Kent, Fourth Floor." She noticed an elevator across the empty lobby and made her way over, heels clicking loudly.
Inside the elevator, the walls were mirrored. Maddie did a last minute one-over, making sure everything was in place. Her curly hair had been pinned up, and her make-up was more dramatic than usual, with smoky eyes and bright red lips. Underneath her black coat, she wore a curve-hugging, black strapless dress with heels, but slung her every-day bag across her chest. The elevator bell rang as she reached the fourth floor. She stepped into the small hallway and walked to the one door. Taking a deep breath, she reached up to knock, but stopped as the door opened. Surprised, she smiled and awkwardly dropped her hand. "Hey, how'd ya know it was me?"
"Ah… super hearing," Clark stumbled over his words as he looked her over. "I-I heard you the moment you got in the building."
"Right." Maddie noticed he wasn't wearing his glasses, but was dressed smartly in a blue dress shirt and khaki pants. "I forgot about that."
"Come in," he grabbed her hand and pulled her through the door, closing it behind her. The apartment was warm and smelled like garlic and citrus. It was large and beautiful, but simple. The wood floors were dark and the walls white, with only a few pieces of furniture. A few black and white photographs decorated the walls, and a few picture frames held colored pictures of a boy with thick glasses with a golden retriever or an older couple. The entry way opened up to a small lounge area, with a couch, a few armchairs, and a simple table; a modest-sized flat screen hung on the wall, showing an animated picture of a waterfall.
Clark helped her out of her coat and took her bag, hanging both on a hook and coming back to her side before she noticed he had gone. He stepped behind her, sliding his arms around her waist. He was excited, and he fought to keep his strength under control. "You look beautiful," he said softly in her ear.
"You look pretty darn good, yourself, Mr. Kent." She turned around and placed her hands on the back of his neck, pulling his face towards her. They stood, locked in a kiss for half a minute before Clark pulled away.
"I bet you're hungry," he commented as he pulled her hands from his neck and held them.
"You're right," she admitted. "I'm lookin' forward to seein' whether or not Superman can cook, too."
"Oh, no pressure there." He faked a nervous look as he walked backwards, leading her into the dining room. It was another plain room, with a dark wooden table with four chairs around it. On the table were two place settings; she could see fish and pasta arranged neatly on white plates, with a glass of white wine sitting nearby. She blinked, and Clark was standing behind a chair, pulling it away from the table for her.
"I don't think that I'll ever get used to that," Maddie remarked as she sat down. Clark helped her scoot it in before reappearing over at the seat across from her. He smiled sheepishly and shrugged in response.
As they ate, they discussed the construction on the metro, talked about work, and told jokes. It was like they were a normal couple, not a superhero and a human trying to pass as one.
When the food was gone, Maddie couldn't help herself.
"Clark, I…" Her voice trailed off as her confidence dissipated.
"What is it, Maddie?" Clark smiled. "The only thing I can't do is read minds."
"I know, I know." She laughed half-heartedly. She placed her hands on the table, palms up. "When we were at my place, and I touched your scar, and my hands turned green… you seemed to know why."
Clark was silent for a minute, and he looked at her hands as he tried to organize a complete thought. "I think," he said slowly, "it was kryptonite."
Maddie looked horrified, pulling her hands into her lap. "Clark, you know I'd never touch you with—"
"I know, I know!" In an instant he was at her side. He touched her cheek and pulled gently so she was looking at him. "It wasn't from you… it was from me."
She was silent as her brow furrowed into a confused frown. Clark stood, taking her hands and pulling her up from the table. The napkin fell from her lap as he led her into the sitting room. He motioned for her to sit as he started to unbutton his shirt.
"Did you hear in the news, a year or so ago, when I… when Superman was in the hospital?" Maddie nodded as she fell back onto the couch. "I was stabbed with a kryptonite shard. Ever since, it's been like the stuff's been stuck in my body. I've been so tired and… and weak." The last button came undone under his fingers and his shirt opened. He shrugged out of it and balled it in his hands. Maddie had to remind herself to not drool at his toned torso. He hesitated for a moment before turning around so his back was to her. The lighting was brighter here than it was at Maddie's place, and her mouth dropped open at the sight of the red, angry scar on his lower back.
"When you touched it," Clark said slowly, "it was like you pulled the kryptonite out through the scar."
Maddie reached up and placed her finger tips on the raised scar. "How?"
Clark's eyes closed as he sank onto the couch next to her. "I don't know," he sighed, his frustration evident in his voice. "I even asked a friend, and he doesn't know for sure."
The two sat in silence for a few minutes. Maddie ran her fingers gently over the scar, watching them turn from pale apricot to bright green and back again. The colors swirled with the familiar warmth that occurred whenever their skin touched. The longer she massaged the area, the less green seemed to dance across her skin. Even Clark noticed the cooling feeling becoming less noticeable.
"Maddie?"
"What's up, darlin'?"
Clark turned around so his knees touched hers. He reached out and took both of her hands in his. "I'm sorry I keep disappearing."
"Aw, Clark, don't be. I… I get it." She laughed. "Well, I'm tryin' to, at least. Not every girl can say her boyfriend's savin' lives all 'round the world."
"Just you," he agreed.
He wasn't sure what did it; her full lips begging to be kissed, her curves hugged sensually by her dress, the steady beat of her heart thumping in his ears… something threw him over the edge. Quickly, Clark wrapped his hand around the back of Maddie's neck and drew her towards him, their lips crushing together in a passionate kiss. Maddie let herself fall forward into him, her hands resting on his bare chest. He heard her heart pound faster, heavier as their kiss deepened, tongues dancing together. Clark's hands slid down to her waist and pulled her on top of him as he lay back against the couch cushions.
Maddie's stomach flipped and flopped as lustful feelings spread with the warmth from their lips. One hand trailed down his hard torso while the other wove into his ebony locks. Her knees moved to straddle his hips as one of his hands reached up to pull the comb out of her hair, letting her curls fall down over her shoulders. Their kisses grew more demanding, their skin growing flush from the warmth spreading from their lips throughout their body. Clark felt like he was soaking in direct sunlight, his muscles pulsing with strength and energy. His hand trailed back down her spine, making Maddie shiver.
Maddie's dress started to work its way up to her hips, and Clark's hands gripped her lean thighs. His grip began to get tighter, and Maddie couldn't keep her pained whimper from escaping her lips. Clark realized what he was doing and quickly relaxed his grip, instead slowly rubbing the red skin. He ducked his head, moving to kiss her neck.
"We shouldn't do this." His lips moved against the skin of her neck erotically as he mixed his words with kisses. "I can't promise… that I can control my strength."
"Just try, okay?" She half whispered, half moaned. "I can't promise that I can control myself anymore."
A strangled groan caught in Clark's throat as his lips moved back to hers, and the two tangled together, giving in to lustful passion.
