Chapter Text
Y/N wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans as she got off the elevator on Clark’s floor. She rolled up her sweater sleeves and took a deep breath. She spent all day trying to compose herself. On top of all her stress, she had a less than appropriate dream about Clark last night, which, of course, morphed into a Superman dream. She shivered when she thought of it. Could Kryptonians even reproduce like humans could? Huh. What would a little human/Kryptonian baby be like? She let out a wheeze. What was wrong with her? She gripped the cheap wine bottle in her hand as she used her free hand to knock on Clark’s door.
“Coming!” His voice echoed, muffled slightly by the wood.
Y/N shifted from foot to foot, giving herself a mini pep talk as Clark made his way to the door.
You’ve got this, Y/N. It’s just a little dinner between two best friends. You and Clark have had plenty of dinners together in the past! What makes this one different, huh? You were in love with Clark then, and you still are. Then again…you hadn’t kissed Superman and told him that you loved Clark with no hesitation. Yikes. Yeah, that was a definite development. On top of that, you have a photo floating out in Metropolis of you kissing Superman on the lips and the photo left little to the imagination. You can definitely see that it’s you, Daily Planet Reporter Y/N L/N, and Metropolis’ angel in the sky, Superman. Hell, if Clark sees it, he will be crushed. Wait…what if Perry got his hands on it? Oh God! You’ll be fired in a heartbeat! How the hell are you gonna make rent if that happens? Shit! You’re gonna have to move back in with mom! Oh, please, anything but that—
“Y/N!” Clark exclaimed opening the door.
“…” Y/N stared blankly at the floor.
“Uh…Y/N?” Clark swallowed, waving a spatula in front of her.
Shit! Say something, dumbass!
“H-Hey Clark! I brought a ten-dollar bottle of wine for our special occasion,” She covered, grateful that the man didn’t question her strange behavior.
“Oh, you sure know how to spoil me, Y/N. Come on in, get comfy – I’m almost done with dinner. My copy of the DP is on the kitchen table…I hope you brought your sharpie…”
Y/N beamed and followed Clark into his apartment – it smelled magnificent and felt so homely. She wondered if this was what it would be like if she and Clark moved in with each other. Homecooked meals every once in a while, take out menus strewn on their kitchen counter.
“I wouldn’t dare leave the house without it. Let me get this wine on some ice first,” Y/N followed Clark to his small kitchen and got his little ice bucket, opening his freezer and pulling ice cubes from the ice maker.
“Good call, Y/N. We should have more homecooked meals together,” Clark suggested, tending to the last touches of their meal, “you can be the sommelier…”
“Oh please,” Y/N threw her head back and cackled, putting the bottle of white wine in the ice bucket, setting it on the already set kitchen table, “the way I judge wine is if it tastes slightly okay and doesn’t cost me more than fifteen bucks.”
“You’ve got taste!” Clark defended, turning off the stove and pulling bread out of the oven, “I just hope that you think I have taste. Ma sent me over this recipe since I forgot some key components of it…” He rubbed the back of his neck before pushing his glasses up his nose, “you’ll have to taste my version and then I’ll take you to Kansas to taste Ma’s.”
Y/N blushed, quickly helping Clark bring the dishes to the table. God, she’d love to finally meet the legend that was Ma Kent. Pa Kent had died of a heart attack when Clark was a teenager, and she felt a slight emptiness in her chest when she thought about it. He sounded like an amazing man. Ma and Pa had to be extraordinary people to raise someone as extraordinary as Clark Kent.
“You better make good on that promise, Clark,” Y/N raised an eyebrow, walking back into the kitchen to get serving spoons, “you said you’d take me to Kansas during a long weekend to star gaze…”
“Our next long weekend off is the middle of next month. What do you think? It’s not a very entertaining trip, but you’ll love the farm. Promise.”
“Plan on it!” Y/N exclaimed, quickly sitting in the seat that Clark pulled out for her. Clark patted her shoulder gently, taking the seat across from her.
“I hope you came hungry, I made quite a bit…” Clark murmured, beginning to serve her. She shook her head as she filled up their wine glasses.
“Just as Ma taught you, I’m sure. I love leftovers…”
“Don’t ask for leftovers until you’ve tasted it…” Clark grumbled, never one to compliment himself.
--
Dinner was nothing short of delicious, and conversation flowed between them as easily as the wine. Y/N stayed sober, though – she had to keep her wits about her. She knew if she got even slightly tipsy she may spill the beans. Clark was also not a big drinker – after two glasses he was content. She drank one glass and then grabbed some water. Risk was not on the menu. They were now sat on Clark’s couch, the Daily Planet paper from that day between them. Y/N pulled the cap off of her sharpie with her mouth.
“Alright, a one-of-a-kind Y/N L/N signature for the one and only Clark Kent,” Y/N giggled, pulling the newspaper into her lap.
Dear Clark,
Thank you so much. For everything. I don’t know what I’d do without you. You better show up to the next interview, though! I may get vaporized if you don’t.
Yours always, Y/N.
When Y/N looked up, Clark had a little wrapped present in front of her. Her eyes widened and she handed him back the newspaper.
“Clark, please tell me you didn’t—”
“Like I said, it’s a special occasion! I know how hard you’ve worked to get a front page feature. My heart broke for you when you didn’t get the front page for the LexCorp story we uncovered. I’m just so…happy to see you smile again, Y/N…” Clark knew he was teetering on some dangerous territory but he put it behind him.
This was his chance. He wasn’t going to let it go by.
“But…I didn’t get you any—”
“You and I both know that you will give me a gift when I make the front page myself…” Clark saw right through her as he usually did and she let out a grunt.
“I hate how well you know me, Clark.”
“I know,” He smiled cheekily, licking his lips, “now open it!”
Y/N hid her warm cheeks from Clark with her hair, blowing it out of her eyes as she ripped open the wrapping paper. She felt her stomach drop when she realized it was a picture frame. She continued to unwrap until it was completely unveiled to her. She froze and she swore that her heart ceased beating. Her hands began to shake and she felt tears blur her vision.
On her lap was a framed photo of her kiss with Superman – the photo she desperately wanted scrubbed from the known world. This had to be some kind of sick joke. Her brain didn’t know how to compute this information. The photo she didn’t want Clark to ever see was gifted to her by the man himself. She let out a shudder of a sob, closing her eyes as tears began to run down her cheeks.
“Hey, hey…” Clark whispered gingerly, touching her cheeks with his gentle hands. He used his thumbs to wipe her tears and he shushed her, “look at me, Y/N…”
Y/N shook her head, and another strangled sob made its way out of her mouth. She wanted nothing but to be sucked into the earth and rot there. She deserved it. Clark tilted her head up, his blue eyes shining brilliantly.
“Look at me, Y/N…please?”
“Nmm-mm…” Y/N kept her eyes shut.
“I thought you’d like a photo of our first kiss…” Clark spoke.
Y/N couldn’t help but open her eyes to that comment, bewildered. When her vision focused on Clark’s face, she felt her heart jumpstart. He had taken off his signature glasses and he mussed his hair as to where the signature curl was hanging in front of his forehead. She knew that her brain had officially exploded at that moment. She stared at him, sure that he would burst into flames from the intensity of her stare alone. He stared right back at her, his soft smile not leaving his lips for a second.
He looked identical to Superman. Wait…no, this wasn’t some zany lookalike contest! Clark Kent was…is Superman. She began to cough, retching by the end. Clark jumped up and rubbed her back, biting his bottom lip.
“I had a feeling you may react like this—”
“You’re…you’re…” She stammered, quickly grabbing his hands in hers, “you’re…him?”
“Yes,” Clark confirmed, nodding, “I’m Clark Kent and I’m also Superman. But the most important thing you need to know about me is that I am deeply and madly in love with you, Y/N L/N…whether I’m wearing a suit to the Daily Planet or wearing a cape.”
“Clark,” Y/N croaked, letting out a astonished sigh, “you…Clark…” She shook her head before she beamed. She wasn’t going crazy – she had feelings for Superman because he was Clark! While she knew she should be a little miffed at Clark for hiding this and letting her stew over it, she couldn’t be that upset. She thought he put his neck out for her earlier by suggesting she be the one to take the Superman beat – but he had truly put himself on the guillotine since he was Superman.
And he trusted her enough to tell her his biggest secret. This was a big deal, and she did not take any of this lightly. She launched herself into his open arms and tangled a hand in his curls, letting out a soft sound of pleasure when he wrapped his arms around her.
Finally…he could finally wrap her up in himself without a secret weighing down on them. He kissed her forehead and she nuzzled in tight, leaving a bashful kiss on his jawline.
“I didn’t know how I was going to tell you,” Clark murmured, a soft chuckle passing his lips, “but I overheard your issue with Jimmy while I was talking to Perry. I figured I’d take the SD card and make a print of that photo. Don’t worry, I deleted it from the SD card and my laptop. I printed it out at home. The picture in the frame is the only copy we have. The SD card is back in Jimmy’s camera. Poor kid was drooling on his pillow when I snuck in and put it back in his camera this morning…”
“…So while Jimmy and I were panicking for our lives yesterday, you had that SD card in your back pocket?”
“Heh…it wasn’t in my back pocket…it was in the breast pocket of my suit jacket…”
“Clark Kent!” Y/N scolded, softly smacking him on the shoulder, “I’m surprised Jimmy isn’t in a mental ward right now!”
“I promise I won’t do anything like that again…it was just…too perfect of a situation to pass up. Let me apologize, though, Y/N. I didn’t mean to confuse you or stress you out…I wanted you to make the front page…and I knew I’d be able to help you. I didn’t want to be interviewed by any other reporter in the city.”
“Now I know why you nearly jumped out of your skin when Perry offered to give the beat to Lois…”
“Ugh, don’t remind me. I saw my life flash before my eyes.”
“Hmm…I have one small request, though, Man of Steel,” Y/N whispered, patting down his hair.
“I do owe you. Tell me and its yours.”
“Can we kiss? I know we technically had our first kiss last night, but I’d like to kiss you without any emotional turmoil behind it.”
Clark laughed and pulled her face to his, grazing their noses together before his straight teeth gently nipped at her plump bottom lip.
“I love you, Y/N. I do…” Clark mumbled against her lips before fully pushing them together.
Y/N closed her eyes in bliss, soaking up each bit of the man she loved, firm in her belief he was made of every star in the sky.