Intermezzo

Metropolis – Evening

Clark had a rare night off.

There was always more he could do, he knew that, but he needed to set some limits. Even the nights he went dancing with Diana he had already put in a full shift with the League as well as Superman. He did what he could, yet some people always worried that someone with his abilities would lose touch with regular humanity and needed to be grounded. They really didn't understand him or his situation at all. If you take away that he was born on an alien world, he was probably the most grounded of anyone in the Justice League.

Just using Bruce as an example proved the point. Bruce had grown up in the upper 1%, the richest of the richest, while Clark had grown up in the lower third of the 99%. Bruce had grown up in what he called a mansion but it was really a castle. Clark grew up in a family farmhouse. Bruce attended the most exclusive, private schools while Clark went to public school, Smallville High. Bruce was the head of a multi-billion dollar corporation while Clark worked as a reporter on a fledgling website. Who really was out of touch with the common man when you think about it?

Bruce was just one example, there were others. One of his teammates was the ruler of Atlantis; another was the daughter of an immortal woman and a supposed God, yet another was part of an intergalactic police force and the list went on and on, yet no one every mention how they needed to stay grounded and in touch with humanity. Apparently it was just the alien boy that grew up pretty much like most people that needed grounding.

If people could see him tonight, they might worry less about him losing touch with humanity. The alien they all feared was doing one of the most human of things on a Saturday night. He had ordered a pizza and was planning on doing a little binge watching on Netflix. His show of choice was Black Mirror, which Cat had been raving about, so decided to check it out. He sat down with a beer in his hand and opened the pizza box picking out a still hot slice and settled back to do what a lot of those normal people that were worried he wasn't in touch were doing.

Before he could start the first episode, there was a knock on his door. Usually he'd automatically knew who it was but he'd pulled back on his senses tonight. Setting the beer down but still holding the slice in his hand Clark got up and walked over to the door. He took a bite of the pizza figuring it was probably one of his older neighbors needing some help. When he opened the door he was surprised to see Diana standing there. She was dressed like a civilian as she called it, tailored black suit and white blouse with black two-inch heels. She looked great and the thought that he should kiss her or something since they were dating crossed his mind, but the mouthful of pizza dissuaded him.

"Hi, she said.

"Um, hi,' he replied.

Diana glanced at the slice of pizza in his hand.

"If this is a bad time, I apologize, Kal,' she offered.

He managed to swallow.

"No, no, come on in, Diana,' he said, moving out of the way and gesturing with the hand holding the slice for her to come in. She looked at him for a moment and then entered. As he closed the door, Clark had to admit he hadn't expected visitors tonight but it was a nice surprise.

Diana walked into the center of the room and took in her surroundings. This was the first time she'd been in his apartment. It was small in comparison to what she was used to, but it was clean and uncluttered. She wasn't sure what she expected, but it struck her how ordinary it was considering who occupied it.

Clark had quickly polished off the slice of pizza and shifted into host mood.

"Would you like a glass of wine, a beer? Water?' He asked.

"Wine would be nice,' Diana replied with a smile.

"Okay, coming up,' he said with a smile of his own. "Make yourself comfortable."

Diana moved over to the sofa and sat down. She noted the pizza box on the table in front of her.

"Did I interrupt your dinner?' She asked as he came back from the kitchen.

"No,' he replied, handing her a glass of wine and sitting down next to her. "A growing boy needs to eat, they say."

She knew he was joking.

"So you're planning on growing in width?' She teased. "Beer and pizza, a moment on the lips a lifetime on the hips, Kal."

"Yeah, I work out, so not really worried about that,' he said with a laugh. "So what brings you here tonight, Diana? I wasn't expecting to see you until the next dance class."

"Well you haven't come to see me, so I thought I'd take the initiative and come seem you,' Diana explained. "I was never in Steve's place he always came to mine, but I saw pictures."

"Steve huh?' Clark commented and then turned to grab another slice of pizza.

Diana sensed him stiffen a bit at the Steve's name.

"Does it bother you when I mention Steve, Kal?"

"Not really," he replied. "Would you like some pizza? It's still hot and really good."

Diana had a feeling his 'not really' was at most, a self-delusion, at worst, a lie. He seemed to bristle whenever someone mentioned that she and Steve used to date or when she brought him up at all.

"Are you sure about that?" She asked. There was no sense in pursuing a relationship if he was going to be the jealous type.

"Pretty sure,' he replied, thinking she was asking about the pizza, although that did seem like an odd way of asking. "The delivery guy just brought the pizza a little bit before you arrived."

"I wasn't talking about the pizza," Diana stated. "Which by the way, aren't you at least going to use a plate? Are you just going to shove it in your mouth with your hands?"

He gave her a look, still holding the slice between his fingers.

"We're talking about two different things and yet both at the same time, aren't we?" He asked.

"Yes," Diana admitted. "I just think a plate and perhaps a napkin would be a little more civilized than using your hands."

"Why not a knife and fork while your at it?" Clark sarcastically suggested.

"Ideally, yes,' Diana replied. "Oh, and don't think I didn't notice the sarcasm, Kal, I did."

"Thought I could slip that one by,' he admitted. "So not crazy about the way I eat pizza. I think I got that, so what's the other thing?"

"Steve."

"What about him?" Clark said, getting up from the couch and heading towards the kitchen.

"You're walking away just at the mention of his name, Kal,' Diana said. "I know you have a problem with him, but walking away isn't going to help."

Clark came back from the kitchen holding two plates and some napkins. He also had a knife and fork in his shirt pocket.

"Actually I don't have a problem with Steve Trevor, Diana," he said as he sat down next to her placing the cutlery and the plates on the table. "Plates, napkins, knives and forks for the pizza."

"Thank you,' she said and then added, "You haven't asked anything about him."

"Was I supposed to?'

"Kal, if we can't be honest with each other, there's no point in continuing,' Diana stated.

"Okay, would you like me to ask about him?" Clark offered.

"What do you want to know? I'll tell you anything, Kal,' Diana replied.

He seemed to think about it for a moment, before turning and looking into her eyes.

"Is it over?" He asked. "Do you still have feelings for him?"

"The first part is easier to answer than the second,' Diana replied. "Yes, the relationship is over between us but I will always have feelings for him, just not the kind of feelings he has for me."

The held each other's eyes as she waited for him to reply.

"Fair enough,' he finally said. "So yea or nay on the pizza?"

"Kal!" Diana shouted, pushing against his shoulder in frustration. "Would you please take this seriously?"

Clark put the slice back in the box and then leaned back on the couch.

"I am, you have my full attention, Diana."

"So?" She asked.

"So what is you want me to say, Diana?" he asked. "If you're not still in a relationship with him than I'm not seeing what the problem is?"

"You're being stubborn is what you're doing,' she grumbled turning away from him and crossing her arms in front of her.

"Would you rather me say I'm jealous?' He asked.

"I'd prefer if you were honest with me, Kal,' Diana replied. "I saw you react when I mentioned him earlier."

"I wasn't jealous, Diana, I just wasn't interested,' he offered.

She turned to look at him in surprise, not sure she understood what he'd said.

"What?"

"I'm not interested in who you used to date,' he replied. "Just as I imagine you're not interested in whom I used to date. You said it was over, I believe you so I didn't see any reason to bring it up."

"You're saying it doesn't bother you that I used to date Steve?" She asked, not sure she believed him.

"I know you'll find this shocking, but most of the people I've dated have dated other people before me,' He said. "When I was in high school yes it bothered me a lot. I almost screwed it up with the girl I was dating, but then she pointed something out to me. She said I picked you, Clark, not anyone else. It took awhile, I'm not going to lie to you but I finally got it. I could worry and be jealous over who she used to date or I could just enjoy that she was dating me."

"So being my first isn't important to you?" Diana asked. "It seems to be for most men."

"First isn't always as great as everyone makes it out,' he said with a smile. "I'm not your first and you're not mine, Diana. I've found a little experience isn't such a bad thing when it comes to that. If we keep dating maybe I'll get to prove it to you."

He gave her a wink and a suggestive smile before turning back to the pizza.

"So are you going to help me with this while it's hot or just sit there and watching in judgment as I eat it all with my hands?"

"I've seen pigs eat before, Kal, so no need for you to reenact it,' Diana teased. "If you'll put a slice on a plate I'll join you."

"As you wish,' he formally said and then put a slice on one of the plates and handed it to her along with a napkin, knife and fork.

The two of them sat back and dug into the pizza, Clark with his hands and Diana with a knife and fork. Clark figured his binge watching of Black Mirror would have to wait for another night and he decided some music was in order. One of the things he brought with him when he moved to Metropolis was his father's old record player and collection. Jonathan Kent had been something of a frustrated musician and loved music. Jazz was his favorite and after a night working on the farm he would take out his albums and play them. The house would fill with that warm, oh so human music.

Taking one of the records out of its sleeve, Clark placed it on the old turntable and gently set the needle down on the edge. Ahmed Jamal's But Not For Me came on and filled the small apartment.

Clark moved back over and sat down next to Diana. He reached for the last slice and sat back to listen to the music.

"This is nice," Diana commented.

"It's one of my dad's records,' Clark replied between bits. "It's the music I grew up on at home."

"Did you ever thinking of playing?" Diana asked. "Didn't they have some sort of band in your high school?"

"Not really the marching band type,' he admitted. "How about you? A marching band that sounds like just the sort of thing Amazons would love. Everyone marching around in sync to some militaristic song about war seems right up their alley. Or are you a cheerleader type, Diana? Cheering them on while shaking your pom-poms?'

She knew he was teasing her and she was up for the challenge.

"Is that how you want to picture me, Kal?" She whispered, moving closer to him. "I've read of how cheerleaders hold a special fantasy for some men who never got a chance to date them in high school. Is that your fantasy, Kal?"

She was very close, and it would take little effort to close the distance.

"Want to recapture what you never had back then, Kal? I thought you said the past didn't matter?" She whispered seductively, moving fractionally closer to him.

"I dated a cheerleader in high school, Diana,' he softly replied, closing the last bit of distance between them and kissed her. "No need to relive anything."

"Good," she said with a smile. "Cause I will never dress up like a cheerleader or shake my pom-poms so just put that thought out of your mind."

He smiled and couldn't help laughing.

"Duly noted," he said when he finally stopped laughing. "It wouldn't have been in the top ten anyway."

"I'm learning so much about you, Kal,' Diana said with a laugh. "Cheerleaders don't do it for you, is that right?"

"I do like pom-poms, 'he jokingly offered. "I also always had a thing for women in business suits. All professional and sophisticated, yet sexy at the same time."

"I'm wearing a business suit, Kal."

"I noticed."

He was looking at her and Diana could plainly see the desire in his eyes, yet he made no move towards her.

"So is that your plan for the evening, Kal, teasing me?" Diana asked.

As if in answer to her question he kissed her and didn't stop at just once. When they did finally pull apart, Clark could see the passion in Diana's eyes.

"Now would be the time to start taking off your clothes Kal,' she said with a seductive smile.