-We love that for you, Clark-
Superboy was pretty sure he put the couch back correctly. He had a weird curved bar left over, but he didn't think it was very important. Superman had been at work about two hours, and the clone was starting to consider deconstructing his bed and find out if it could turn into a couch too.
One thing about Metropolis was the noise. He could barely focus on his own thoughts with the honking and yelling and breathing from the street below. At the mountain he usually only had to listen to M'gann's breathing. In fact, the most people he saw/heard regularly was Black Canary and the team, and now he could hear hundreds, thousands, all at once.
Deciding he needed some water, Superboy headed to the sink and waved his hand under it. No water came out. Curiously, he waved his hand infront of it. Where was the water? At the mountain they usually just waved under it and the water came out.
He bent over to inspect the faucet. It didn't seem broken...
He jumped at the sound of a deafening ringing. He eyed the sink suspiciously. He bent close to it and leapt back as the bell rang again. There was a pounding at the door and whipped around. Someone was trying to get to him. Was it Cadmus? He staggered backwards and slipped behind the sofa. Crouching, he peaked over the cushion. If Cadmus came in, they wouldn't see him and he could attack and escape.
Five minutes passed.
Ten minutes passed.
Superboy crept out from behind the sofa, crawling towards the door. He pressed against it. The doors at the mountain opened when you stepped near them. He took the big knob and twisted it, peaking into the crack. It didn't seem to work, so he also tried the switch above the knob, unlocked it successfully. Carefully, he pushed it to the side. and then up. out. Finally, he pulled the door and it opened.
Cadmus wasn't there. He didn't see Docto-- Blockbuster, or Guardian, not even his brethren.
It was just a box.
Glancing around, he grabbed the box, shutting the strange door again. The box was covered in secret codes. Was it from the justice league? What if it was from the bad guys and it was a trap?
Either way, he ripped through the top of the box with his hands. He found four white pens with words emblazoned on the side: Daily Planet classic and digital news. Next, he found a stack of papers, memo pads and envelopes with the same emblem.
Otherwise, it was just a pack of little white cards: Clark Kent, Investigative Reporter, Daily Planet; and then an address underneath.
It didn't look like a trap, and it didn't seem to be from the league, so Superboy was confused. Leaving the box on the floor, he returned to trying to figure out the faucet.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"You alright, CK?"
Clark started upright. "Fine, thanks Jimmy." He turned back to the laptop, watching the blurry screen of his half-finished reference page.
"You sure? Cause I did the coffee run, and, like, you were looking at that same page when I left." The ginger kid set a paper cup next to a picture of Kent farm.
"I'm ok. Just distracted." He sighed, switching to one of his other 15 tabs. All he had to do was finish the references, abbreviate the citations, write the mock up, and then write the real article and submit it; then he was free to start on writing two scripts for video listicles. It was only Wednesday, so he had plenty of time.
Or, he would, if he could get it together and focus. He didn't usually struggle with his focus like this, but just knowing that the clone-kid was unsupervised in his apartment made him uneasy. He expected any moment to see the wall cave and the genomorph to begin ravaging the office.
Clark swallowed and adjusted his glasses. It was fine. He could take him down easily, and it would prove him right to Bruce. But that wasn't worth risking anyone's safety.
"Hey, what's taking so long." Lois teased, pulling up next to them and helping herself to one of the Paper cups labeled: '+Espresso -no sugar -no milk'. She slurped the drink and bapped Jimmy's head appreciatively. "What's up with Smallville? You look like a sick bulldog."
"No, no. I'm fine. Perfectly alright!" She stared at him suspiciously and sipped the coffee again. "I'm perfectly fine. I was just up late."
"Why? Clearly weren't working."
He blushed a little, fumbling his words. "Just. Family things. I'm fine."
He felt bad for lying, it wasn't family things, and he didn't want them to think negatively of his family in any way, but we couldn't just say it was work things for his other job.
"Oh, sorry. " Jimmy said awkwardly. "I should probably..." He picked up the cardboard trays and hurried on around the office.
Lois, however, didn't seem to have the same respect. "Talk to me, what's up?"
"Oh, I don't know..." He bluffed.
"Seriously, my family was, well, a mess when I was growing up. whatever you're going through, I've gone through it. I can help you."
"No really, I don't want to pull you into all this."
"Seriously, nothing your little hick town family could do could compete to the chaos caused by my little sister." She laughed.
Clark chuckled, light heartedly, sweat drizzling down the back of his collar.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Superboy stared at the digital clock on the box on the kitchen counter. It had been five hours, and Superman was still gone. How long was the work? When would Superman be coming back? Maybe Superman wasn't coming back.
He surely had other houses: other places he lived, that he could go to incase he was attacked. Maybe he considered this an attack. Maybe Superman left him.
He tried to shake the doubt from his head: Superman was at work. Maybe work was long. Maybe Superman was fighting someone right now. Maybe... If Superboy could help fight crime with him, Superman would see how strong and driven he is, he wouldn't be so mad at him!
There was a problem though: he didn't know where Superman was. How could he step in to help and impress Superman if he couldn't find him? An image of Superman, disapointed at him for not helping, filled his head.
There was an address on those papers... and they had Clark Kent written on them too... maybe that's where Superman was? At the very least, it was a starting point.
He glanced over the business card on the floor, memorizing the location. now he just had to figure out where those streets were.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was the last two hours of his shift, Clark had just sent off a script draft and was ready to take his lunch break. He hadn't had breakfast and Jimmy's coffee run was wearing off, so it was perfect timing.
Perfect timing, he saw Kat and Lois in the elevator. They all submitted assignments during their usual lunch time, and the company required they take lunch breaks at least once a day so they didn't have to pay them for working through it.
"Feeling any better?" She prodded, watching him suspiciously.
"I'm doing fine."
"Hmm." She watched him closely, following him out into the entry, and out the rotating door. Clark walked uncomfortably down the block towards the café. She followed on his tail, intimidating him with every step.
"I thought you brought food from home?"
"I didn't have time to prepare it." He said quickly, ducking into the Café. He hastened to grab a sandwich wrap from the freezer and got in line. Lois got in line behind him. He fidgeted a little.
"Your parents okay?"
"Yeah, they're doing well." He said. "What about you?"
"Everything fine in Kansas? to tornadoes or anything?"
He forced a chuckle. "No, we're fine."
She hummed, eyes boring into his back. Clark got to the front of the queue and put his wrap on the counter. Through the hissing of milk blitzars, and shouting customer numbers, a new sound was introduced. It was unsettling to hear a non-human heartbeat; never a good sign. He whipped his head around to face the sound.
Xray vision cutting through the walls, he sought out the sound. He froze at the sight of his own face, crossing the road. Seeing yourself in the mirror is so different than seeing it in the third person, half a block away. If the face wasn't enough, the scowl and the t-shirt were more than enough.
He was headed for the planet. He was headed for Clark's work. His life.
"Seven ninty-five."
Clark, eyes locked on the clone, he thrust his debit card at Lois. "I need to-- pay for me. please. thank you--"
He shot outside into the street, zeroing in on the kid. His discomfort being near the kid, touching him, was overcome. He grabbed its arm, dragging the clone into the ally between buildings. Clutching the clones shoulder, he held him against the wall of the apartment complex.
"What are you doing out?!" Clark hissed, gripping him still. "You were supposed to stay put in the apartment until a place freed up that could take you."
The clone stared up at him, blankly, squinting to ensure it was him under the glasses. "I was looking for you."
"Well you found me-- why did you leave?"
"I wanted to... I thought you needed me."
"Well don't worry. I don't need you." He groaned. "Okay, stay put here and in 20 minutes I'll take you back to the apartment..."
"I--"
"It doesn't matter, look. You're going back there-- even if I have to take you, and I'll see if anyone can take you elsewhere. It'll be better."
The kid didn't say anything, trying to yank his arm out of Clark's grip. He yanked again. Clark loosened up, but didn't let go. He didn't want to risk letting his guard down with the kid so close to his work, his friends, Lois.
"I was going to help..."
"I told you to stay put. If anything, that would help."
The kid paused. "Why are you wearing the glasses? Are you undercover?"
"I-- Sure. But not with you here! Turn your shirt inside out. It'll ruin everything it you're seen with that logo." The kid's face dropped further. He hurried out of his shirt, turning it inside out.
"Like that?" He asked, squirming back through the neck hole.
Clark didn't reply, hearing Lois call his name from nearby. "Clark? You left your... Kat, have you--"
"You told me not to meddle between you two."
Clark took several steps down the ally, pulling the clone with him. He kicked off the ground, the kid dangling under him; he was being insufferably stubborn. Flying with the glasses wasn't ideal, but desperate times...
He landed on the fire escape, tossing the kid in through the sliding door. He hurried in, praying he wasn't seen. It was clear that leaving the kid under no supervision wasn't the best idea: His new stationary set was strewn (partially trampled) on the floor, the cardboard delivery box ripped to shreds. the Kitchen faucet was twisted, a big dent marked around the stainless steel. He could see that the mirror over the Bathroom Sink looked cracked as well. So much for getting his lease back... Well, he wouldn't anyways, but it wasn't so obvious.
The kid, now released, rubbed his shoulder, scowling up at him. As if he was in the wrong for enforcing the one rule he'd set. That was the thing he always pitied Bruce and Oliver for; Their teenagers seemed to be incapable of understanding basic consequences, even if they caused them.
"Stay..." He thought it over. If he went back to work, he'd have to explain himself, and what would stop the kid from following him again? Groaning, he stooped, gathering up his stationary set. He tossed the box, or what was left of it, in the recycling, heading to his bedroom for a brief moment of privacy, in his one haven away from the kid.
He decided to make up for lost time. Taking his laptop off the desk and starting on a script. It was easy enough work, but since 10+ minute videos did the best (and made the most money) he had to find ways to pad out the script. It wasn't his passion, but it checked off his quota and freed him up to do more real reporting. It was pretty mindless work, which was helpful when he stopped to watch the clone every fifteen seconds, perking up his super hearing to track him in circles around the apartment.
thud, thud, thud, thud, he walked in spirals around the living room. thud, thud, thud, this was driving him crazy. He had never had to share his apartment with anyone-- partially due to his well founded fear of women, or, as he preferred to see it, his respect for them. It was the evergreen answer to the not-so-subtle 'so what are you up to now that you're thirty' questions he got on trips home.
Honestly, this was the best evidence for not having an official girlfriend or wife or something. Those footsteps were driving him crazy. Sure, he probably wouldn't have to listen to his girlfriend out of fear she'd assassinate him... that was more Bruce's speed.
The doorbell rang and Clark leapt to his feet. He glanced his vision through the walls, only to see Lois on his welcome mat, an impatient and almost worried look on her face. Clark didn't want to answer, he could just disappear for the rest of the day until he had an excuse ready. He needed to wait until he could explain why he disappeared without telling her about the clone.
SHIT
He tore out of his bedroom. Only to see the Superboy crouching infront of the door.
"NO!" He pushed the kid back. The door knob turned and the door started opening. "Hello!" He jammed himself into the space between the door and the frame. why was the door unlocked?
Lois stepped back, surprised. "Uh, what happened to you?" She stepped over her shock neatly. "You disappeared!"
"Sorry, Lo. uh, something came up."
"What?"
"Just... things." He shrugged. Forcing an awkward smile. "Sorry about earlier."
"We're past that. Tell me what's going on." She ordered. "What did you yell?"
"I don't--"
"Let me in Clark." She demanded. "You're not getting your Debit card back until I know what's wrong with you."
He sighed, glancing back to see The clone crouching halfway behind the sofa. "Okay. uh, Okay. Give me a second." He snapped the door shut over her protests and locked it. what could he do? Clark hurried across the room, forcing himself to touch the kid for the second time this evening; grabbing his wrist.
"Hey!" Superboy winced, pulling against him. "...Is it Cadmus?" he asked, trying and failing to dig his heels in as Clark dragged him across the apartment. Lois was leaning on the doorbell, making both the kryptonian and his shadow cringe in pain.
"You're going in here." Clark fumbled open his closet door. It would be a slightly tight fit, but the kid was smaller than him. "Don't come out until I tell you." He slid the door shut, hurrying to let his impatient friend.
Superboy's heart was racing in his throat. Superman sounded uncomfortable, even concerned. If it scared Superman it must be bad. He stretched his arms out, only to meet the sides of the pod. It wasn't like his room at the mountain. At the mountain, his room was only a little bigger than this, but it was different. It was comforting going into his room and turning his brain off, it was not the same being shoved into a room-pod.
He could hear Superman opening the door.
"Took you long enough." The unfamiliar voice at the door exclaimed, getting closer.
"So, what do you want to know?"
"Everything. What's wrong? Why were you up late, why did you disappear, and why aren't you telling me the truth?" Superboy's hearing was slightly distorted by the sound of his own breathing. He held his breath so as not to let the stranger (Maybe bad guy) find him. "I thought we'd always been completely honest, in both our work and personal relationships."
"But-- It's... It's uh, family stuff, Lois. I told you." Superman fumbled on his words.
"What is so horrible about your family that came on overnight?" Superboy's lungs quivered, but he pushed the feeling away. "Clark, talk to me? God knows I'm your closest friend. You're the only person I'd follow to a second location. If this family thing is so hard for you, I can help. At least I'd like to try."
"It's... complicated. I didn't mean to leave you today..." Superboy reached his arms out. the Pod felt smaller than when Superman put him in it. Why was Superman putting back in a pod? He was supposed to help him get out of them? He felt dizzy, gravity seeming to tilt on it's axis. His heart was deafening. "You see, I've just been given a new responsibility, impromptu. I just need to start balancing everything and then I'll be right as..."
Lois and he jumped at the crack from the bedroom, turning to face it as a faint groan sounded.
"...rain."
"What the hell?" Lois crept towards the bedroom door.
He stepped in her way, mind racing. Couldn't the clone do anything but ruin his life!? "It's nothing. Don't worry."
"Bullshit, Clark." She laughed. "Learn when to drop the bit!" She ducked under his arm, slipping past to the closet door, as it stood ajar. "Seriously, just tell me what's--"
"Lo--"
She froze, mouth open, dropping the door handle. Clark was just as mortified as she was. He knew what she was seeing; a demented copy of her coworker stowed in the closet, artificially bulked body laced with veins, sunken blue eyes, hollow scowl on his face. There was no coming back from this.
"Oh...." Lois pushed her hair back over her ear, glancing between Him and the clone. "Oh, Clark."