Webs of Steel

Chapter 6; Acting Lessons

"No, no, no!" Clark cried in frustration. "I would never say it like that."

"Come on, it sounded like something you'd say." Peter protested.

"I want to make witty comments and tease her, not be an asshole."

"Well, we don't need to do this. If we can reverse this mess then it really will be you that she goes on a date with."

"Yeah, a date I really didn't want. Thanks, Peter."

"Of course you didn't. I saw you two outside, you were very nearly cuddling." Peter insisted.

"We were not!" Clark snapped and ran his fingers through his hair with a sigh. "Let's take a break, we've been up in this barn trying to impersonate one another for hours."

Peter exhaled sharply. "Yeah… I can't think straight."

Both boys flopped down on the couch simultaneously. Sweat dripped down both their foreheads and they exchanged the odd glance, but didn't speak for a good minute. Even with them coaching each other, neither had managed to get the hang of pretending to be one another. Clark was beginning to doubt that it was even possible.

"Maybe we should just focus on finding a way to reverse this instead of trying to be one another." Peter suggested.

"I couldn't agree more, but we need to get the basics down so that no one suspects a thing in the meantime."

"Unless we avoid everyone until then."

"Smallville is… well… too small to avoid everyone, and not to mention that it would worry my parents, your girlfriend and whoever else to no end." Clark pointed out.

"What would worry them?"

Clark and Peter glanced over to the stairs as Lois reached the top of them. They exchanged a glance, wondering exactly how much of their conversation she had heard. She smirked as she pulled up a wooden chair and sat backwards on it.

"Have you ever heard of knocking?" Peter asked.

"You don't even have a door." She scoffed.

"She has a point." Clark agreed.

"Right, exactly how much of our conversation did you hear?" Peter questioned wearily.

"Nothing much, just something about worrying everyone." She answered truthfully.

Both boys relaxed after hearing her answer. If there was anyone that Clark didn't want finding out about the swap more than anyone else, it was Lois. Not only would it provoke endless teasing, but she was chatty, a little too chatty, and he wouldn't put it past her to accidentally let it slip to everyone else.

"So, what do I owe this visit?" Peter asked, hoping that he was passing as Clark just this one time.

"Oh, I just came to see if you're still up for our date tonight or if you'd had a little too much to drink last night." She inquired.

Peter froze and broke into a coughing fit as he opened his mouth to answer. He recomposed himself quickly, though his face had already reddened and Lois was already laughing. Clark side eyed him, as if to silently tell him to get a grip, and Peter cleared his throat.

"Yes, I'm still up for it." He finally answered.

Lois raised her eyebrow, almost disbelieving of his response, and his lack of comments her way was starting to make her nervous. The Clark Kent she knew couldn't stand her, and she couldn't stand him. They could never be in the same room for five minutes without insulting one another. Yet, here they were, in the same room for nearing the five minute mark, and not one insult had been traded.