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Clark Kent was a manipulative, conniving, backstabber who fooled people into thinking his Kansas dialect equalled naivete. Lois may have underestimated him before, but she knew better now. She stared at the headline Bruce Wayne Back in Gotham and Taking an Active Role in Wayne Enterprises. Then she ripped off the front page, crumpled it up and threw it in the trash.
She was furiously typing up an article on chemical pollution in Metropolis’ rivers when Clark laid his bag on the desk and pulled his chair out to sit down. Lois did not glance in his direction.
“Hey Lois.” She ignored him. Clark turned on his computer and took a notebook and flash drive out of his bag casually, as if he had never spoken. After he worked a few minutes without glancing her direction or any other signs of being annoyed or at least disconcerted, Lois cleared her throat loudly.
“Everything alright Lois?”
“Don’t act innocent with me Clark! You know what you did!” He opened his mouth, probably to deny knowledge of her accusation, but she continued. “You told me you didn’t have any insider knowledge of the Wayne situation and yet.” She stabbed at the paper lying on his desk with her pointer finger.
“I didn’t lie Lois. I didn’t have any information when I was talking to you. It came to me later.”
“And you didn’t think to loop me in, even though it was my story? Who was your source?”
“You were covering a meeting between Lexcorp and Wayne Enterprises. I didn’t know that gave you priority on everything related to Wayne. And you know I don’t give up my sources Lois.” He said everything calmly with no sense of ire, but the glint in his eye gave away his amusement. Before she could continue her interrogation, they were interrupted by a booming voice that sent several heads peaking out from their cubicles.
“Clark!” Lois stared at the tall, broad shouldered, expensively dressed man in his early to mid-twenties.
“Is that Bruce Wayne!” She whipped her head to stare accusingly at Clark. “Do you know Bruce Wayne?” Clark didn’t say anything because his attention was on Bruce Wayne, who was draping his arm around Clark’s shoulders; which Lois supposed was answer enough.
“Bruce. What are you doing here?”
“I was in the area so I decided to come and see where you worked. Clark Kent, reporter. I never would have seen that coming.” He gives Clark a vigorous pat on his shoulder then lets his arm slide back to his side.
“You know you could have called.”
“I could call now if that would make you happy.” Bruce reached for one of the pockets in his designer suit.
Clark adjusted his eyeglasses in the way Lois had learned was his equivalent of an eye roll. “That won’t be necessary.” Bruce only shrugged.
Lois took the brief silence as an opportunity. “Mr. Wayne, I’m Lois Lane. One of Clark’s colleagues.”
“A pleasure Miss Lane.” Bruce took her outstretched hand in his own and brought it to his lips in a brief kiss. Clark adjusted his glasses again. “But please, call me Bruce. Mr. Wayne was my father.”
“Alright Bruce. But then you must call me Lois.”
“Tell me Lois are all of Clark's colleagues as beautiful as you?” He certainly was handsome and she'd be lying if she said she didn't find his smile charming. That doesn't mean she was going to suddenly act like a flattered school girl.
“Good looks don't win Pulitzers, Bruce.” He took a step back, but didn’t look offended at all, instead giving Clark a look she couldn’t quite decipher. Clark for his part was giving her a proud smile that would’ve been patronizing on almost any other person; Clark's smile had a way of making you feel like he thought he was lucky to know you. Her heart skipped a beat and she internally scolded herself. She knew she shouldn’t have had three expressos this morning; that amount of caffeine would give anyone heart palpitations.
“Well I should probably go. I have a meeting I’m told I have to attend. It was good to meet you Lois. I’ll see you later Clark. Dinner tonight?” Clark nodded. “Tell your mother I said hello."
“You tell her yourself. My parent's number hasn’t changed. You know they'd appreciate a call.” There was a moment of silence as they shared a look and then Bruce nodded.
“Bye Clark.”
“I’ll see you tonight Bruce.” As soon as Bruce was out of sight Lois whirled on Clark.
“So much for not giving up your source!”
“He gave himself away.” Clark said. He sounded almost petulant.
“ I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you knew Bruce Wayne!”
“I’m sorry but I didn’t want to betray his confidence. And,” Clark sat back in his chair and started shuffling through papers on his desk. “I didn’t like talking about him when he was away.”
Maybe it was the somewhat reasonable explanation or the shock of meeting Bruce Wayne who was somehow friends (if friendship was the correct label for what she just witnessed) with Clark, but Lois wasn’t even angry with him anymore. Not that she would tell him that.
“How do you even know him? You’re obviously not casual acquaintances if he knows your mother well enough to call her.”
“We’re not acquaintances at all. Bruce is my best friend.” Clark then picks up his coffee mug and walks over to the break room, as if he hadn’t just made a revelation that left Lois gaping in shock. Once she recovered, she went back to her desk to continue her work. She wasn’t giving this up though. There was a story there and Lois Lane was going to get to the bottom of it.