[for Chloe]

[hero_farmboy]

Clark is not nervous. Not at all. That pacing he's doing outside Chloe's apartment building? Totally not nerves. It's just a second date and the first one was the one he was nervous over. This one should be a breeze.

He just needs a minute.

Finally, after taking a quick look around to make sure no one's watching, he takes a deep breath and speeds up to her apartment, knocking lightly on the door.

It's hard to not just walk in.

Comments

[hero_farmboy]

"Well, it's not like I can just take you to a movie. On account of there not really being any anymore, so I thought we'd take a walk somewhere."

He raises an eyebrow at her. "Ever been to the Grand Canyon?"

[torch-reporter.livejournal.com]

"What?" Chloe shakes her head excitedly. "Kinda never been out of Metropolis, actually. Except once, to visit my cousin at an army base in Alaska. But I've definitely never been to the Grand Canyon."

[hero_farmboy]

"Lois?" Clark asks. Please let it be Lois. Not that Clark really cares if Lois isn't around the immediate vicinity, but it'd be nice to know she at least exists.

[torch-reporter.livejournal.com]

"So I guess family relations aren't so different in alternative universes," she replies. "Yeah, Lois - Lois Lane. Currently backpacking across Europe with her boyfriend. Or at least they were, before..."

She trials off, gesturing to the area around her. "But they're fine. Don't know when they'll be home again, but that's okay in the long run."

[hero_farmboy]

"Not France, I hope. It was in really bad shape when I was there a few weeks ago."

Yes, he was in France.

"Boyfriend? Tell me it's not Oliver."

[torch-reporter.livejournal.com]

"Ollie?" Chloe laughs. "Like that'll ever happen."

[hero_farmboy]

Clark just smiles.

"We should be on our way," he tells her, holding out a hand.

[torch-reporter.livejournal.com]

Chloe smiles at him as she accepts his hand.

[hero_farmboy]

In one swift movement, Clark sweeps her up into his arms, gives her one final smile and then takes off.

We'll give Chloe time to blink maybe twice before he sets her down again just inside Grand Canyon National Park.

[torch-reporter.livejournal.com]

Chloe does blink the moment they come to a stop, shaking her head to snap out of the trance the run seemed to put her in.

She realizes that she's still in his arms and giggles. The giggle continues as she looks around surprised. There's no reason, in her opinion, to let go of him right now. "Oh my god, you did it."

[hero_farmboy]

"You doubted me?" He looks down at her, mostly amused. "I'm hurt."

[torch-reporter.livejournal.com]

Chloe laughs. "Maybe a little. C'mon, seriously, the Grand Canyon? Talk about your impressive second dates, Clark."

[hero_farmboy]

"I"m not trying to impress you."

Beat.

"Okay, maybe a little, but mostly I just wanted to go someplace nice and there aren't a whole lot of regular date type activities left to choose."

[torch-reporter.livejournal.com]

Chloe laughs again.

"Riiiight, Clark. Because given the option between smalltown coffee and a trek in the Grand Canyon, you just had to go with the more ambitious of the two?"

[hero_farmboy]

Chloe laughter gets a Clark grin in return.

"Well, I did consider a picnic down by the lake, but I know how you feel about that. Besides," he shrugs, "I thought a grand gesture might be nice."

[torch-reporter.livejournal.com]

"...and now you're getting corny. Okay, you totally didn't warn me about bad jokes."

[hero_farmboy]

"If I tell you everything at the beginning, what incentive is there for you to stick around and find out what surprises I have up my sleeve?"

[torch-reporter.livejournal.com]

Chloe smirks. "To start? You're kind of a really good kisser."

[hero_farmboy]

Oh, look. Clark's blushing.

"Yeah, well, you're not so bad yourself." Which is something he's known for years.

"But seriously, kissing isn't everything."

[torch-reporter.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, but starting with that on a list gets you to blush." Chloe laughs, beaming at him. "Which is seriously adorable, you know."

[hero_farmboy]

"Is adorable what I'm supposed to be going for?" It may be an honest question. It's good for puppies, but potential boyfriends? He's not so sure.

[torch-reporter.livejournal.com]

She nods.

"It's easy for a guy to be hot. But to be hot and adorable at the same time?" Chloe waggles her eyebrows playfully. "Let me guess: another one of your superpowers?"

[hero_farmboy]

"Well, I do have heat vision," he admits, more to get the topic off of his looks than anything else. Not that it's not nice to hear she thinks he's cute. Hot. Adorable.

Whatever.

[torch-reporter.livejournal.com]

"Seriously? How does that work?"

[hero_farmboy]

"How does it work?" No one ever asks Clark how he can do the things he does. They're usually more interested in the why. Leave it to Chloe to be different.

"Uh, I just think about it? Like, how much heat to give off and whether it's a continuous stream or just a single burst sort of thing."