For Clark: SuperAnna!

[downsidedarling]

Anna leads Clark through a handy-dandy Nexus portal into her living room.

The front door to her apartment is looking distinctly unwell.

In the way where the doorknob is lying crumpled on the floor, dented with what appear to be finger-marks.

Comments

[hero_farmboy]

Yeah. Clark's seen it before.

"Do you have a screwdriver?" He picks up the offending knob, melts it enough so as to be pliable and then starts remolding with his hands.

[downsidedarling]

"Gimme a sec," she says absently.

One very literal second later, Anna's standing behind him looking mildly surprised and holding the requested item, somewhat gingerly.

"I have got to learn how not to do that," she says, shaking her head.

[hero_farmboy]

"You should feel a sort of pull in your chest right before you start. When you feel that, stop," he advises, and then blows on the knob to cool it down and set the proper shape.

"Thanks." Screwdriver now in hand, he crouches down by the door and starts putting the handle back in place.

[downsidedarling]

"Huh," she says, frowning.

And of course to test this theory she's going to be walking in interrupted circles for a bit.

"...Well, that's simple enough," she says after about a minute of alternating speeds.

[downsidedarling]

Anna has found herself a nice wide open space - the same place she took Lex, a few months ago - and is nerving herself up to try out that whole 'flying' thing.

It's harder than she thought.

"Stop thinking like a fucking liveling," she growls to herself, pacing back and forth. "Are you Eight-Hour Chainsaw or aren't you? You are not afraid of this shit. That's ridiculous."

She kicks at a rock angrily. It explodes in a shower of fragments and reddish dust. She scowls.

[hero_farmboy]

Meanwhile, Clark is moping. It's not that he doesn't understand the need for Anna to have some time to herself and sure, she's assured him she won't try anything where other people might get hurt, but he really doesn't think she should be alone right now.

But it's not like he can go after her. So, he heads out to do what he always does in these situations: bother Chloe. For some reason, though, the trip to the Daily Planet seems to take forever.

[downsidedarling]

There is pacing.

Also muttering. There is muttering, too.

Eventually, she shrugs, casts an exasperated glance at the sky, folds her arms...

...and sighs. "How am I going to do this, anyways?"

Pause.

"Oh, what the fuck. It's not like a couple of half-dead lizards will care if I stand around making funny faces while I figure it out."

[hero_farmboy]

"One day, you're going to walk in here with a smile on your face. The only problem is I fear that day is going to mark the end of the world," Chloe remarks, with a half smile on her face as Clark approaches her desk.

He shrugs, shoving his hands in his pockets. "You busy? I thought we could go for lunch."

"Clark, I'm always busy. But when have you known me to not have time to valiantly attempt to cheer you up when you really need it?"

That gets a small smile out of him. "Never."

"Exactly." Chloe saves her work on her laptop, slams it shut and grabs her coat. "But you're totally buying."

[downsidedarling]

Anna Reeve is in a temper.

She has been in a temper since yesterday evening. No amount of flying, nor any amount of burning herself on stove elements "accidentally" while holding a lump of kryptonite in her pocket surreptitiously, has helped this.

When she gets home she is careful to unlock her apartment door gently. Wouldn't do to break it again. She's not so sure it would get fixed this time.

"You," she tells herself, flopping down on the couch and rubbing her eyes in frustration, "are a bitch and an idiot."

[hero_farmboy]

It's after dinner - or at least what is always dinner time in the Kent household - and definitely after the evening's chores have been done, when there is a knock at Anna's door. She may know who it is, she may not be paying that much attention. Clark isn't attempting to be sneaky, however.

[downsidedarling]

Who else could it be?

"Come in, cheri," she says.

The door is, of course, unlocked.

[hero_farmboy]

Clark enters the aparmtent and stands just inside the door, closing it softly behind him.

"How are you holding up?"

[hero_farmboy]

Clark gave Anna some impromptu space for a day. And also himself. Besides, he figures, it's not like they need to see each other every day and he doesn't want her to think that he doesn't trust her and is checking up on her for his own purposes.

Of course, it's entirely possible she'll think he's avoiding her, which may not necessarily be untrue, but that's just the way it'll have to go. So, almost 48 hours after their last conversation, Clark knocks on Anna's door again. And again, waits to be let, or told to come in.

[downsidedarling]

"Come in," she calls softly.

She's been spending a lot of time on her couch reading. It's a worthier form of escapism than harming herself, at least. Today's no different: she's sitting there with a book in one hand, drumming the fingers of the other on the armrest. Lightly enough that it suffers no damage, even.

[hero_farmboy]

"Hey," he says quietly, entering and setting some bags on her kitchen counter. "I brought dinner."

[downsidedarling]

"Good to see you, cheri."

And it is.

Really.

Which is why she's putting her book down and walking over to give him a hug.