DC/Justice League Oneshots

Coffee

A/N Written by @Bekkoni. Plot minorly changed.

All alone by the table of food in my wrinkled suit and my borrowed tie
Only thinking of something to say in the moment after the girl walks by
Everyone else is having fun or else pretending to eat another crudité

Clark sighed, standing by the refreshment table with a lukewarm cup of punch and a handful of Chex mix, watching Lois on the other side of the room. Gorgeous as ever.

Eight years. Eight years and she's barely looked his way once. Sure there was the "Hi, Smallville" and the friendliness, but if he so much as brought up "Hey, want to get dinner?" she turned so cold so fast that it was worse than arctic breath.

The door to the staff lounge swung open, heads turned. Clark looked over and saw Bruce Wayne stride in. For a minute he was confused, then realized it probably wasn't too unusual for the owner of a newspaper to show up at its 75th anniversary party.

Of course, Bruce went right to Lois, put an arm around her waist, and said, "Hey, Lois, how about a kiss for old times' sake?" She laughed and kissed him on the cheek.

Clark felt the Chex mix turn to dust in his hand. He glared at Bruce. Maybe he didn't realize how absolutely annoying that was, how he was just rubbing it in that he'd gotten farther than Clark ever had (or most likely, would)…

Bruce turned around, saw Clark, and grinned. Of course the bastard knew what he was doing.

I quit, I'm done
Cause I don't think it's gonna turn out OK
It's no fair, it's no fun
If every time it's gonna end the same way:
Me zero
Big bad world one

At the office we're all having cake cause it's someone's birthday, I don't know who
Got my plate and I'm scanning the room and the only seat is right next to you
I get the nod, the tiny smile that doesn't come with teeth
Maybe you don't know who I am

When he'd really fallen for her was six months after he'd started at the Planet, at lunch. They were all gathered around sharing a dry cake for John-someone-or-other. He'd been aching to get off his feet (three days of no sleep and crimefighting will do that to you, even with superpowers).

There was one empty chair, and she was right next to it. He caught sight of her face for the first time and stopped dead. At the time she'd been dating a guy from the marketing department, Bill. Not a bad guy, but he caught Clark looking at his girl and gave him a look to freeze napalm.

Lois had turned around then, and given him a little half-smile. Friendly but indistinct.

Later, he wished that he had sat down next to her. But Superman was the brave one, and Clark Kent was a wimp.

I quit, I'm done
Cause I don't think it's gonna turn out OK
It's no fair, it's no fun
If every time it's gonna end the same way:
Me zero
Big bad world one

Staying inside, lying in bed
Noticing something that's not there
Follow my heart, follow my head
I'll follow anything that might get me somewhere

Of course, nothing had worked as Clark Kent. She thought of him as a nice guy at best, and someone to offload a bad story on at worst. Meanwhile, it was a good thing he had superspeed because otherwise he'd never get anything done from staring at her.