Ficlet: A Friend | DCU/SR | Clark Kent, Martha Kent/Perry White (sort of) | PG | 1/1
Title: With Fortune's Hand V: Four Relationships that Nobody Expected (Though They Probably Should Have): A Friend
Fandom: DCU/Superman Returns fusion
Characters/Pairing: Clark Kent, Martha Kent/Perry White (sort of)
Rating: PG
Word Count: 685
Prompt: For the Superman Movieverse Pairings Challenge: Computer, Friendship, Comfort
Summary: While talking to his Ma over the phone, Clark learns a lot about her and a certain editor.
Disclaimer: DC and WB own everything, the schmucks.
Author's Notes: First fic in this part of the With Fortune's Hand series. This one takes place some time in the future, after Ben Hubbard and Alice White have both passed, though this is not downer!fic.
A Friend
“Ma? You sound distracted. Is everything okay?”
Clark couldn’t help but worry about his mother; since Ben had passed away, she’d been alone in the farmhouse once again, and at her age, tending to the farm wasn’t really something she was able to handle.
But his Ma chuckled warmly over the phone. “Oh, I’m fine, Clark. Just reading an email from a friend.”
That got Clark’s attention fast. Since when did his Ma use email? And who did she know that was equally technologically proficient? “A friend?” he asked.
“Yes, dear. A friend. Just because I’m old, doesn’t mean I’m sitting around crocheting afghans and baking cookies all alone, you know. I still have a little life left in me, yet.”
A small laugh escaped Clark. “Sorry, Ma. I just didn’t know you used email.”
His mother laughed in return. “Really, Clark, I don’t live in the dark ages. For your information, I started using email just a bit after Ben passed. Thank goodness for that editor of yours; if he hadn’t set me up with a computer and a Gmail account, I might have sat here and withered until I went stir-crazy.”
Clark’s mind turned some sort of complicated gymnastics. “Wait. My editor? You mean, Perry?”
“Yes, sweetheart. Perry. He’s a lovely man. Been a perfect gentleman, and has been an absolute godsend.”
For a long moment, Clark sat dumbstruck. All he’d done was call to check on Ma and the farm, maybe catch up on some of the town gossip; he certainly hadn’t expected to learn that his Ma … and Perry … were….
Of course, Perry had gone with them to Ben’s funeral to lend his support. And Alice had passed away several years ago, leaving him a widower. So-
Logic failing him, Clark shook his head. “Okay, hold on,” he said at last. “So, Perry is your ‘friend’, and you’ve been emailing back and forth?”
“Yes, dear. That’s right. He’s been keeping me updated on the goings-on in Metropolis, and we’ve been playing ‘Words With Friends’. He’s remarkably good at it.”
Finally, Clark laid his head down on his desk for a moment, utterly done in. It was no secret that his Ma was a masterful Scrabble player, but ‘Words With Friends’!? The world seemed suddenly upside down. And Perry … was probably having a great laugh at his expense.
A glance over at the Chief’s office confirmed it; Perry was snickering to himself as he typed away; obviously getting all of this from Clark’s Ma’s perspective.
“Clark? Are you still there, sweetheart?”
Suppressing a startle, Clark took a deep breath. “Yeah. I’m still here, Ma. Just … really confused. Sorry.”
His Ma sighed. “Oh, dear, it’s me who should apologize. I didn’t think this would spin you around so hard. Honestly, we’re just really good friends. Now you take it easy on that poor old man; he’s not a spring chicken, either, you know, and you and Lois and those kids have him near to a coronary on a daily basis.”
Clark actually sputtered at that. “Wh-what … hey. That’s not fair. Ma!”
A gleeful chuckle came from the other end of the phone, and Clark’s Ma said, “Don’t blow a gasket, dear. I’m only teasing you. Now, you give Lois and the kids my love, and I’ll see you in a few days. Perry just offered to fly me out to Metropolis for a week, so I can see the sights and spend some quality time with my grandchildren, and I fully intend to take him up on the invitation.”
“Um,” was all Clark could get out at that point, his brain broken in ways he wasn’t sure were possible.
“Love you, sweetheart. Goodbye for now.”
“Um. Love you, too, Ma. Bye.”
And with that, his mother hung up, leaving Clark with the sense that he’d somehow shifted into a parallel universe. His Ma and Perry? Really? How in the world had he not known?
Shaking his head, Clark sat back from his desk. A good dose of fresh air and sunlight would make everything clearer.
He hoped.
~*~*~*~
Fandom: DCU/Superman Returns fusion
Characters/Pairing: Clark Kent, Martha Kent/Perry White (sort of)
Rating: PG
Word Count: 685
Prompt: For the Superman Movieverse Pairings Challenge: Computer, Friendship, Comfort
Summary: While talking to his Ma over the phone, Clark learns a lot about her and a certain editor.
Disclaimer: DC and WB own everything, the schmucks.
Author's Notes: First fic in this part of the With Fortune's Hand series. This one takes place some time in the future, after Ben Hubbard and Alice White have both passed, though this is not downer!fic.
A Friend
“Ma? You sound distracted. Is everything okay?”
Clark couldn’t help but worry about his mother; since Ben had passed away, she’d been alone in the farmhouse once again, and at her age, tending to the farm wasn’t really something she was able to handle.
But his Ma chuckled warmly over the phone. “Oh, I’m fine, Clark. Just reading an email from a friend.”
That got Clark’s attention fast. Since when did his Ma use email? And who did she know that was equally technologically proficient? “A friend?” he asked.
“Yes, dear. A friend. Just because I’m old, doesn’t mean I’m sitting around crocheting afghans and baking cookies all alone, you know. I still have a little life left in me, yet.”
A small laugh escaped Clark. “Sorry, Ma. I just didn’t know you used email.”
His mother laughed in return. “Really, Clark, I don’t live in the dark ages. For your information, I started using email just a bit after Ben passed. Thank goodness for that editor of yours; if he hadn’t set me up with a computer and a Gmail account, I might have sat here and withered until I went stir-crazy.”
Clark’s mind turned some sort of complicated gymnastics. “Wait. My editor? You mean, Perry?”
“Yes, sweetheart. Perry. He’s a lovely man. Been a perfect gentleman, and has been an absolute godsend.”
For a long moment, Clark sat dumbstruck. All he’d done was call to check on Ma and the farm, maybe catch up on some of the town gossip; he certainly hadn’t expected to learn that his Ma … and Perry … were….
Of course, Perry had gone with them to Ben’s funeral to lend his support. And Alice had passed away several years ago, leaving him a widower. So-
Logic failing him, Clark shook his head. “Okay, hold on,” he said at last. “So, Perry is your ‘friend’, and you’ve been emailing back and forth?”
“Yes, dear. That’s right. He’s been keeping me updated on the goings-on in Metropolis, and we’ve been playing ‘Words With Friends’. He’s remarkably good at it.”
Finally, Clark laid his head down on his desk for a moment, utterly done in. It was no secret that his Ma was a masterful Scrabble player, but ‘Words With Friends’!? The world seemed suddenly upside down. And Perry … was probably having a great laugh at his expense.
A glance over at the Chief’s office confirmed it; Perry was snickering to himself as he typed away; obviously getting all of this from Clark’s Ma’s perspective.
“Clark? Are you still there, sweetheart?”
Suppressing a startle, Clark took a deep breath. “Yeah. I’m still here, Ma. Just … really confused. Sorry.”
His Ma sighed. “Oh, dear, it’s me who should apologize. I didn’t think this would spin you around so hard. Honestly, we’re just really good friends. Now you take it easy on that poor old man; he’s not a spring chicken, either, you know, and you and Lois and those kids have him near to a coronary on a daily basis.”
Clark actually sputtered at that. “Wh-what … hey. That’s not fair. Ma!”
A gleeful chuckle came from the other end of the phone, and Clark’s Ma said, “Don’t blow a gasket, dear. I’m only teasing you. Now, you give Lois and the kids my love, and I’ll see you in a few days. Perry just offered to fly me out to Metropolis for a week, so I can see the sights and spend some quality time with my grandchildren, and I fully intend to take him up on the invitation.”
“Um,” was all Clark could get out at that point, his brain broken in ways he wasn’t sure were possible.
“Love you, sweetheart. Goodbye for now.”
“Um. Love you, too, Ma. Bye.”
And with that, his mother hung up, leaving Clark with the sense that he’d somehow shifted into a parallel universe. His Ma and Perry? Really? How in the world had he not known?
Shaking his head, Clark sat back from his desk. A good dose of fresh air and sunlight would make everything clearer.
He hoped.
~*~*~*~