Fic: It Happened One Night (2/5)

[bradygirl_12]

Title: It Happened One Night (2/5)
 Author: BradyGirl_12 
Pairings/Characters: (this chapter): Clark/Bruce 
Category: Drama 
Rating (this chapter): PG-13 
Warnings: None 
Spoilers: None 
General Summary: Fresh-off-the-farm Clark discovers new experiences in the Big City. 
Summary: Tinseltown glamour is just too glittery to resist! :) 
Date Of Completion: August 17, 2007 
Date Of Posting: August 21, 2007 
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, DC does, more’s the pity. 
Word Count: 828 
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
Author’s Note: greeneyelove  requested “Clark and Bruce meet and have a one-night stand (or so they think) and then they discover who the other really is” from my DCU GSB Fic Request Meme. All chapters can be found here.

II

 

COMING ATTRACTIONS

 

Clark and Jim walked in the fresh night air, Clark impressed by its clear quality.  Usually city air was a poor comparison to the country air he was accustomed to breathing.

 

Clark had to concentrate on blocking out the sounds of the city.  So many sounds, so many people!  He hoped his lack of conversation didn’t put off Jim.

 

As they continued to Jim’s hotel, Clark felt himself getting more and more nervous.  He wanted this, but what if he messed it up?  He wasn’t experienced, after all.

 

His stomach began to jump.  He just hoped this guy wouldn’t end up laughing in his face.

 

“Hmm, looks like it’s still a hot movie.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

Jim pointed to the marquee of The Bijou across the street: It Happened One Night, Starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert.  A long line stretched down the block.

 

“Oh, yeah.” Clark brightened. “I’ve heard it’s real good.”

 

“Want to go see it?  My treat.”

 

Clark looked at Jim.  Was he trying to back out?

 

Jim’s smile seemed genuine, and Clark liked the idea.  It felt like a date.  For his first time, it felt right.

 

“Yeah.” Clark’s smile was dazzling. “I’d like that.”

 

So they got in line, Jim flirting with the girls in front of them, Clark smiling shyly.

 

Just two buddies out for a good time.

 

Of course, the girls thought they were out for a heterosexual good time.  Fine, as it was a good cover.  Where better to pick up girls than at this movie?

 

Jim was a generous date.  He bought Clark and himself popcorn, Coke, Good ‘N’ Plentys, and Jujube Fruits.  Jim led them to seats in the back, but not the balcony, and Clark was glad.  He would have felt uncomfortable with all the heterosexual couples necking around him up there.

 

The first feature was a Max Fleischer Popeye cartoon, Clark amused by the feisty seaman gaining super-strength via a can of Spinach.

 

The next cartoon was Disney’s Mickey Mouse, and Jim whispered, “Amazing that a man can build an empire based on a rodent.”

 

Clark grinned and whispered back, “I think it’s the ears.  Very cute.”

 

Jim chuckled and ate his popcorn.

 

Next was a Three Stooges short, Men In Black, spoofing the Clark Gable movie, Men In White, a serious hospital film.  Naturally, Moe, Larry, and Curly set their hospital on its head.  Both Clark and Jim chuckled at its Chief of Staff asking, “What did you do for the patient in Room 347?” and Curly’s snappy answer, “Nothin’!  What did he ever do for us?” The theme of the short, “For Duty and Humanity!” was spoofing the Gable flick, but Clark liked it.  It was a motto worth having, in his opinion.

 

Movietone News flickered on next, the announcer’s stentorian voice saying, “The First Lady made a visit to the coal miners of West Virginia, putting on a hard hat and taking the elevator down to talk to the men.”

 

“Amazing woman,” Jim murmured.

 

More New Deal projects were touted, an artist painting a mural for the WPA; boys and young men planting trees for the CCC; and work on the power projects of the TVA in Tennessee.

 

The international news featured a rally at Nuremberg, the still-new Chancellor, Adolph Hitler, ranting as the pageantry caught the eye, hundreds of people working in perfect unison as they cheered and saluted, “Heil Hitler!”

 

Clark frowned.  He didn’t like the pronouncements coming out of Germany.  Anti-Semitism existed in America, but the Nazis were hammering against Jews with extremely vile statements and laws.

 

The Coming Attractions started, Clark relaxing.  He didn’t want to think about Europe tonight.  He wanted to enjoy the movie and the company of the man next to him.

 

As the films The Black Cat, Cleopatra, The Gay Divorcee, and The Thin Man were touted, he wondered if Jim had sensed his nervousness and suggested this movie to calm him down.  If Jim was that attuned and considerate, Clark felt that he could trust him with what was to come later.  He hoped that he was reading his companion correctly.

 

The attractions finished with trailers for The Lost Patrol, Manhattan Melodrama, Of Human Bondage, One Night Of Love, The Scarlet Pimpernel, and Tarzan And His Mate, then the main feature, It Happened One Night, began. 

 

The movie captivated Clark.  A screwball comedy, it was fast-paced and irreverent, and Clark wanted to be like Clark Gable’s character, reporter Peter Warne.  Chasing after a rich heir instead of heiress, falling in love while making snappy patter, and the promise of sex…

 

Clark watched as Claudette Colbert’s character, Ellie Andrews, insisted on putting a blanket between their twin beds in their cabin, and Gable’s sardonic crack about “The Walls of Jericho” as he walked around bare-chested instead of wearing an undershirt like most men wore.

 

By the end of the movie, the Walls of Jericho tumbled down.

 

Clark hoped the same would happen for him.

 

   

 

 

 

 

free invisible web counter (this counter installed 6/19/09)

Comments

[greeneyelove.livejournal.com]

Chasing after a rich heir instead of heiress, falling in love while making snappy patter, and the promise of sex…

LOL. I love that line. Priceless. I adore this story. I love the build up and poor Clark...nervous and sweet Clark is always the best.

[cavaleira.livejournal.com]

Aww, Clark is so adorable. *hugs him*

And this part made me chuckle:

The next cartoon was Disney’s Mickey Mouse, and Jim whispered, “Amazing that a man can build an empire based on a rodent.”

Clark grinned and whispered back, “I think it’s the ears. Very cute.”

Building an empire based on a rodent. Yeah because you wouldn't know *anything* about that, would you Bruce? *wink* And it made me wonder if modern day Clark thinks the ears on the Batsuit are cute, lol.

[jij.livejournal.com]

Mmm...seeing a movie with another handsome Clark seems appropriate! :) And such a sexy movie for the time, too... *grin*

I'll have to keep an eye out for more of this while I'm traveling!

[carolandtom.livejournal.com]

This was lovely!
I enjoyed that you detailed the features they saw and their reaction to them. Nervous Clark was adorable and, for some reason, I love picturing them seeing a movie together and sharing the emotions the story made them feel.

I look forward to the hotel room experience. :)

[loopylouise123.livejournal.com]

I loved how you used the cinema to build up what is coming later that night and Clark being all nervous is brill, though it's always fun to read him like that, you sometimes forget that he could punch through a wall.

I'm looking forward to more.

[saavikam77.livejournal.com]

Lovely! ^_^ I thought Clark's reactions to all the cartoons, news reel, and the movie were perfect.

And I couldn't believe the movie you chose was one that I've actually seen! :p

Love the slight tension and apprehension you're building up here.

[(Anonymous)]

Does this mean you're a film lover from the Golden Age or whatever it's called? Or is wikipedia a friend? I'm also wondering will it only be five stories or will there be more arcs? I like it so far but you sure do tease. Naughty naughty. ;-)

Angeloz

[starsandsea.livejournal.com]

Jim’s smile seemed genuine, and Clark liked the idea. It felt like a date. For his first time, it felt right.

Bruce and Clark are both so sweet in this! :D

The first feature was a Max Fleischer Popeye cartoon, Clark amused by the feisty seaman gaining super-strength via a can of Spinach.

Popeye! :)

“Amazing that a man can build an empire based on a rodent.”

Isn't it? LOL

He hoped that he was reading his companion correctly.

Bruce can be very sweet when he wants to be, Clark! Which I'm sure you'll learn soon. ;)

Clark hoped the same would happen for him.

They will, Clark! :)

Lovely chapter! I hope there's more soon!

[jeannev.livejournal.com]

How adorable. What started out as an anonymous one night stand is turning into a cute first date. I love that "Jim" made sure to buy lots of goodies at the movie.

[ladybugkay.livejournal.com]

Iiiiiit's Date Night!!! Hee hee. This was so much fun, especially Clark's little unintentional irony: "Clark grinned and whispered back, “I think it’s the ears. Very cute.”"

These two are so adorable.

[sasha-anu.livejournal.com]

I'm loving this series. It's been such a long time that I've been able to read anything of yours and this was a great way to cut through the swath of fic I haven't gotten to yet.

I love the idea of Bruce and Clark getting together before they know who each other are, and it's nice to see the theme tackled from a different angle.

I'm not sure about depth with which the movie trailers break into the scene but I know that I am an impatient bastard so it's probably just me. So ignore me and get the next chapter out.

*cracks whip*

[lunacie3.livejournal.com]

This is great! Sorry, that's not very articulate of me but I'm loving how you've captured a different age. The guys really were different back then, along with everything else.

Shy Clark is always a favorite of mine but I hadn't even realized how much I wanted to see Bruce use all of his Bat-trained focus to be kind rather than applying it harshly as a weapon against evil.

The line about "Jim" being a generous date, and the litany of snacks was perfect. It's easy for Bruce to be that type of generous, and natural for Clark to appreciate it, but neither fact detracts from the virtues employed.

In this sentence--"The First Lady made a visit to the cool miner of West Virginia, putting on a hard hat and taking the elevator down to talk to the men.” is it possible you meant 'coal mines' or is there really a news clip about a specific cool miner? Sorry if I'm nitpicking.

Anyway, thanks for this story. I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment. Any chance it will feature the sort of innocent and covert necking that happens at the backs of theatres, as well as in the balconies?