This author note might get annoying if you read multiple of my fics because I'm going to copy/paste it over all updates for maybe the rest of the month.
I really have been neglecting some of my fanfics for about a year and some even two years. I've decided to try to update as many as I can (or as many as I know people want to see). I'm going to be scheduling fic updates but based on the number of hits on the latest chapter (there is a way to see on fanfiction net a huge discrepancy between unique IP visitors and hits and I will make sure that no one is just continually clicking refresh on fics). Right now I am updating fics that have 75+ hits on the latest chapter. That is 46 fanfics at this present time. Once I finish the updates of all of those (hopefully before the end of the month) I will update my stat list (an Excel document) and start again. Hopefully this will explain my updates until the end of the year (although there may be a handful I write just for fun). Thank you for checking out my work. I appreciate every well-intentioned reader. Love the reviews but I still appreciate every well-intentioned reader. Thank you.
Chapter Ten
10.1
Now that his health had improved, Clark felt himself let off the leash a little. He was still dealing with things happening to him mentally but the physical problems were getting better. It was just hard to trust people and hard to focus on the things that made him happy when the world was so different. He had noticed the people staring at him when he had done something as mundane as shopping for groceries.
Thankfully his parents had been eager to do their grandparenting duties and he had been able to come here with Lois, he was actually glad that he wasn't alone because with all the people staring at him it made him really nervous. "So," Lois said as she put her hand on his arms. "What vegetables do your parents like? I mean, I don't expect them to be the same quality as a farming community like Smallville but I was thinking carrots, beans, that kind of thing."
"Great," Clark nodded as he could see some kids staring at him, he fixed the glasses which everyone knew he didn't need anymore and wore out of habit. He looked to the kids and winked at them. The kids were okay. He wanted to be a role model to them but it was the women and adult men that concerned him.
"I think it's really cute that you still wear those," she told him and he laughed weakly.
"It's hard not to," he said as Lois checked over the grocery list and then gestured for them to queue up.
"I think this one is good," she said as she stopped behind a large man who was buying about eight pounds worth of steaks. "So, have you thought about what you want to do next. I completely understand that you want to stay at the Planet but if it's not what you wa-"
"Excuse me, Superman," a young woman in her twenties blushed as she pointed to an empty register. "I can take you in our VIP line."
Clark bowed his head feeling a little embarrassed as now the entirety of the store was staring at him. This was why he needed to have a secret identity. He didn't want this kind of special attention but it was too late now. "It's Clark and I'm fine. It's not a work day and I'm happy to wait my turn."
"We opened it just for you," the cashier repeated as she looked at him star struck.
Clark laughed uneasily, "Thank you," he told her with a genuine smile but anyone could see his unease about this. "But my wife and I am fine waiting until it's our turn. I'm sure that everybody here is in the same boat but maybe you could take some people over there because the lines are a little long."
"I'm so sorry about that, Superman," the manager dashed over and Clark shared a look with Lois. "I'll make sure to speed everyone up. Of course we don't work with your type of speed but we're pretty great workers when we work together. So, everyone please make sure that you are quick and efficient," he said to the cashiers and Clark's jaw dropped.
"No. We're fine. I don't need anyone to do that for me, just continue doing what you were all doing," he said as he felt the circle around him growing tighter. Even though it was a pair of glasses that hid his disguise, Clark had definitely preferred it when people didn't care who he was or if they did, they were fans of his writing. He wasn't even in the suit but it felt like he could never take it off now or cover it up.
"Sure, Superman," the manager said and Clark coughed.
"Clark," he told him, "My name is Clark Kent."
"We know who you really are though," the managed chuckled. "Well, Mr. Superman, we've got a register newly opened for your convenience. You'll have a faster check out if you use that."
Lois took a step forward as she saw Clark looking at them and trying to find a new way to explain what he wanted from them. He was always kind to the people who didn't deserve to be locked up but she could see how much this was a burden on him. "We're fine. We'd like to wait here. We'd like to wait in this line and check out like normal Metropolitans. Thank you for your generosity but as my husband has said, we'd prefer to have a normal shopping experience where we are treated just like everybody else. Isn't that right, honey?"
"Exactly," Clark nodded. "It really isn't that we don't appreciate what you've been offering us but we're just like everyone else."
"So it would make you happy were we to allow just anyone to use the open line?" the manager asked and Clark shared a look with Lois.
"Yes, that would, I'm sure that would be a help to everyone here. I'm sure that we'll all appreciate it," he said and the manager turned to the cashier and nodded before she went to the man second in the line to where he was. "Sir, I can help you over here," she gestured and a few more people changed their line to go over there. Clark bowed his head, still feeling everyone staring at him.
"It'll be okay, honey," she told him as she cupped his cheek and kissed his softly. "They'll understand in time. They'll get used to it with time."
10.2
Clark was attempting to get his mind wrapped around everything and how to proceed. People treated him differently now that he had been exposed even in things that he never thought they would. Men who he had used the office restroom with now guarded the door so that they weren't using it at the same time. They had never had issues with that before.
Then there were all these little bios he had to write about his life because The Planet had the Superman exclusive. One of his joys in life had been in writing investigative cases where he could expose someone or even when he could use his writing and journalistic ambitions to make the world a little brighter for people. Now it seemed the only things other than himself were the effects of the disasters Superman had prevented.
He wanted something more, something that took him out of his own world and made him feel normal. That seemed impossible. He had managed to sneak out of the private office they had stuck him in and sat at one of the junior writers desks.
Jimmy came up to him with a cup of coffee, he still had some of his disbelief but just as Lois had said would happen to everyone, Jimmy Olsen had calmed down a lot from the shock and was still a great guy and a good friend. "CK, brought you some coffee, it's amazing the amount of caffeine you can -"
"Energy burns," Clark cut him off before realizing how snappish that might have sounded. "Sorry, Jimmy," he apologized. "I've been having a pretty hard time recently. I think I might be claustrophobic."
"Makes sense," Jimmy nodded. "I mean, it's like when I go into a room where I've already dated one of the girls or painfully one time a month ago when I had dated three of the girls. It's as if they know intimate details about you and you don't really want to talk about yourself when you're not supposed to be the focus of attention, something like that?"
"Something like that but the whole world knowing that even though you were brought up by human parents and you believed you were human for a very long time, you realize that you one of what was supposed the last of an alien species," he said and Jimmy laughed weakly.
"Okay. So I do keep putting out of my mind that you're an alien because -"
"I'm not green with tentacles?" he asked. He sighed and took off his glasses, reaching for the coffee. "I appreciate that. I would prefer that people think that I'm human instead of whatever they now think that I am. I mean, I don't know what Perry thi-"
"That's what I wanted to give you the heads up on, Chief wants you back in your office," he gestured and Clark gave him a look that seemed to beg for help before he sighed. He didn't ask for a private office, he was much happier when he sat at his own desk. He wanted to be part of the team, working together with them instead of put on a pedestal. "I'd do it. He's pretty serious about you being seen working in there."
"Fine," Clark sighed as he took everything over to the office and sat down in the chair at the desk. He looked over to Lois who gave him an apologetic smile before she focused on her own work. At least he had friends here. At least he didn't have to feel alone. It surprised him how acceptant Jimmy was of him now but he really was a darn nice guy.
After a while of sitting in the office and finishing up some drafts, Clark heard a tapping on the door to the office and turned to see Perry there with a couple of investors of the Planet. He stood, adjusted his glasses and walked over to them. He took a step back as he compared the way they were eagerly staring at him as the same as eager schoolboys. His stomach dropped but he continued to smile.
"Hi," he held out his hand, "Clark Kent."
"We know who you are, Superman," one of the men said and Clark forced himself to continue smiling.
"I told you that we had him on our staff," he said and then saw the two men looking around the office as Clark took a step to the side. As much as he wanted to protest or question these two men he knew that they were judging the whole office, the whole team, if they were Superman aficionados this was a time to play up that role for them. He didn't like this change in how people saw him but he knew that he should always act professionally in this position. His words and actions reflected on his manager and any senior staff of The Planet. It wasn't so much an inspection of him but of the way that the newspaper worked with having a superhero alien on the team.
"So," one of the men said as he turned to Clark, "I'm glad to see that we've been able to make you comfortable with this office, you are comfortable, aren't you?"
Clark looked to the outside desks where Lois was trying to silently observe what was going on with these important visitors. He shook his head trying to tell her not to worry before looking back at the men. "I'd be good out there. I mean, it is a little isolated in here but that's good for…thinking, writing, so…"
"You'd prefer to be editor in chief?" one of the men said and Clark looked to Perry who was starting to splutter. That was his job after all and if Perry didn't have it then maybe but maybe not, being a writer afforded him more freedom to do what he wanted to do, write, or at least it had. Plus, he couldn't take a job away from someone he respected so much.
"I am happy being a journalist, I just feel that with my level I should really be out there," he said attempting to move the situation whilst still being polite and respectful.
"So, I think that we need to talk about a promotion offer we have that would take you out of this office entirely, allow you to work from home, do something special," he said and Clark took a step back uneasily.
"What would you like me to do?" he asked feeling suspicious of these men.
End of Chapter Ten
Thank you for reading
Thank you to the reviewers of Chapter Nine
DarthLeia19, Guest