[ficlet]
Martha feels vaguely the same way she did on Clark’s first day of kindergarten.
Lionel is giving a lecture today at one of the universities in the city; his first public appearance unrelated to her since his alleged death. He has spent the last few weeks rewriting draft upon draft, tossing crumbled up pieces of papers all over the apartment. She loves that he is the type who is perpetually trying to improve upon perfection. It’s one of his most endearing qualities, to her mind.
There is a small room adjacent to the lecture hall that has been commandeered at “the green room.” A few faculty members stop by to express their gratitude, until Martha finally escorts them out, leaving them alone.
“I hope they’re not expecting a performance,” Lionel says once they’ve left, fussing with his tie.
She walks back over to him in a few quick strides. “It’s probably best you don’t think about expectations,” she replies, beginning to fix his tie for him. “You’re going to give the best lecture you know how, and that’s that.”
He glances down at her with a wry smile. “I’m going to look for you out in the audience and get distracted.”
“You’re not going to see me,” she assures him. “I’m going to be very tricky about it. It’ll be like Where’s Waldo, you’ll be forced to focus on the task at hand.”
“Which is?”
“Using lots of very big words I don’t understand.”
He grins. “That’s rather like how I feel whenever I dare watch you on C-SPAN.”
“Before or after you fall asleep on the couch?” She asks, raising both eyebrows.
Lionel’s grin only widens as he slips his arms around her waist. “Before and after.”
“Mm-hmm.” She shakes her head, fighting a smile. “I’ll remember that the next time we’re alone and the mood strikes you.”
“We’re alone now,” he counters.
“Yes, and two minutes from now, you’ll be standing before a crowd of two hundred students and faculty members, all of whom will be hanging on your every word.” She tugs gently on his tie. “I, on the other hand, vow to sleep through the entire thing.”
He breathes out with a smile, cool and collected. “If only everyone had a relationship like ours.”
She smiles, then leans forward to give him a peck on the lips. “Break a leg, baby.”
“Hey.” She shrugs. “You know if it’s a choice between sleeping at the office and sleeping at your lecture, I’ll choose you every time.”
Lionel doesn’t have to think very hard to remember exactly why it is he loves her so much.
Lionel is giving a lecture today at one of the universities in the city; his first public appearance unrelated to her since his alleged death. He has spent the last few weeks rewriting draft upon draft, tossing crumbled up pieces of papers all over the apartment. She loves that he is the type who is perpetually trying to improve upon perfection. It’s one of his most endearing qualities, to her mind.
There is a small room adjacent to the lecture hall that has been commandeered at “the green room.” A few faculty members stop by to express their gratitude, until Martha finally escorts them out, leaving them alone.
“I hope they’re not expecting a performance,” Lionel says once they’ve left, fussing with his tie.
She walks back over to him in a few quick strides. “It’s probably best you don’t think about expectations,” she replies, beginning to fix his tie for him. “You’re going to give the best lecture you know how, and that’s that.”
He glances down at her with a wry smile. “I’m going to look for you out in the audience and get distracted.”
“You’re not going to see me,” she assures him. “I’m going to be very tricky about it. It’ll be like Where’s Waldo, you’ll be forced to focus on the task at hand.”
“Which is?”
“Using lots of very big words I don’t understand.”
He grins. “That’s rather like how I feel whenever I dare watch you on C-SPAN.”
“Before or after you fall asleep on the couch?” She asks, raising both eyebrows.
Lionel’s grin only widens as he slips his arms around her waist. “Before and after.”
“Mm-hmm.” She shakes her head, fighting a smile. “I’ll remember that the next time we’re alone and the mood strikes you.”
“We’re alone now,” he counters.
“Yes, and two minutes from now, you’ll be standing before a crowd of two hundred students and faculty members, all of whom will be hanging on your every word.” She tugs gently on his tie. “I, on the other hand, vow to sleep through the entire thing.”
He breathes out with a smile, cool and collected. “If only everyone had a relationship like ours.”
She smiles, then leans forward to give him a peck on the lips. “Break a leg, baby.”
“Hey.” She shrugs. “You know if it’s a choice between sleeping at the office and sleeping at your lecture, I’ll choose you every time.”
Lionel doesn’t have to think very hard to remember exactly why it is he loves her so much.