Chapter Text
It was rare that there was a day when Clark Kent could just be Clark Kent.
Unfortunately, he learned early in his hero career that even if he wanted days off, the bad guys always had other plans.
It was difficult at first, fighting evil and defending the Earth alone.
But since the Justice League formed, Clark has had what he calls ‘half days’. He can spend half of his time in his civilian identity, and the other half as Superman. While Bruce lived in his suit, Diana was still new to the work, and the others, Clark didn’t know; he wasn’t even sure if he could call their team a team.
At the moment, they were all just people, co-workers, all working toward a singular goal: protecting Earth.
RIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG
Clark groaned at the scream of his alarm.
It would take nothing for him to smash the stupid thing and then roll back over to sleep some more. But then again, if he were late for work again, that’d be the fifth time this week, and he was already on thin ice with Perry.
With a groan, Clark forced himself up, poking his head from under his mountain of pillows and blankets. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he stood up with a yawn and stretched his arms and legs, popping muscles and joints.
He grabbed his phone, looking through emails as he floated over to the kitchen to figure out what he wanted to eat.
If there was one thing that Clark was grateful for having a billionaire for a friend, it was that he no longer had to deal with problems in stocking his fridge.
As Superman, Clark, of course, has a superpowered appetite. He had to eat almost five times more food than a normal human at each meal, so he constantly needed to have plenty of food. Luckily, he owned his condo, which he had bought and paid for with his own hard-earned money. In the past, however, Clark had to face the confused faces of delivery drivers whenever he ordered 12 pizzas at a time.
With the help of Bruce, Clark had a private line that he could call to help deliver his food if he didn’t want to grocery shop. In truth, Clark preferred to do the shopping himself, although he still sometimes got strange looks at the grocery store.
After a bit of thought, Clark made himself a traditional Southern breakfast. Before long, the air in his building was thick with the smell of buttery biscuits and sausage gravy, creamy grits, fried eggs, bacon, and potatoes. He balanced four large plates—two on each arm—and took the whole jug of orange juice to the living room to eat.
‘Ma would have my hide if she knew I continued to eat on the couch,’ he chuckled to himself as he ate, flipping through the TV channels. ‘Good thing she ain’t here; old habits are hard to break.’
It was during these rare times that Clark felt human.
There weren’t any monsters tearing apart downtown, or a super villain trying to capture the Mayor.
It was a nice day.
If he were back in Smallville, Clark might have gone on a quick morning flight to start his day. But he was in Metropolis, and unfortunately, it was challenging to find time to do things like that alone.
When his phone’s alarm rang again, giving Clark the fifteen-minute warning before he had to get to work, he scarfed down the rest of his food. A quick shower, a brush of his teeth, putting on his clothes, and then he was off to work.
Having caught the bus, Clark had a quick ride to the Daily Planet, and he was surprised to see Lois, Jimmy, and Perry all standing outside talking.
All three faced the other side of the street, looking at another building, as Perry seemed to be venting.
“Did I miss the daily memo about us having a team-building exercise?” Clark asked as he reached the quad.
“I can not believe they took over that building,” Perry growled. “Right across from us, how dare they!”
Clark looked to Lois and Jimmy for an explanation. “What’s going on…?”
“A new news organization opened up across the street,” Lois said.
“THE CLICK, as they call themselves,” Jimmy replied. “I read about them alone; they’re big in the online space. Guess they chose to get a physical office finally.”
“It’s disrespectful!” Perry continued to rage. “THE DAILY PLANET has been in this spot for almost 100 years! How dare they step into our territory!”
Clark tried not to smile at his boss’s exaggerated anger. “Well, you said that they’re online, right? Well, we’re physical media and online, so we technically have that advantage over them, right?”
“I should go over there and give the owner a piece of my mind,” Perry grumbled. “That would teach him!”
“Or, we go inside, and continue to be the best we can be when it comes to serving Metropolis,” Clark suggested. “Besides, I know he’s most likely eating it up that we’re all standing out here, watching him.”
Perry huffed under his nose and stormed into the building, leaving Lois, Clark, and Jimmy outside.
“Nice job in handling that storm, Smallville,” Lois chuckled.
Clark grinned, his cheeks tinting pink. “Let’s just say I know how to put out a fire or two.”
“How’s your new column about the Justice League coming?” Jimmy asked as the trio finally entered the building.
“Honestly, I doubt it’ll become anything,” Lois sighed. “I’m leaning toward scrapping it.”
Clark held open the elevator door for them all. “Why do you say that?”
“Because I realized it will be impossible to get an interview with anyone other than Superman,” she replied. “The others I don’t know a lick about, and I don’t even know how to get digging.”
“Well, John Stewart’s identity is known as the Green Lantern,” Jimmy pointed out. “Perhaps you could start there?”
“Brilliant idea, Genius. Any idea on how to get in touch with him?” Lois asked, arching an eyebrow.
Jimmy flushed red with embarrassment. “Okay, your point is proven.”
“What sucks is that I’d kill for an interview with Wonder Woman,” Lois continued. “Like, a six-foot warrior woman from an island of other warrior women? Like, think of how motivating that would be for women to read! Ugh! I’m so pissed it’s impossible even to reach her!”
“You never know, Lois,” Clark said as they reached their floor. “Maybe you’ll get the scoop. Just gotta catch them when they’re not fighting to protect us.”
“Easy for you to joke about, Smallville,” Lois huffed. “You’re not ambitious like I am. There’s always something bigger out there.”
Clark sat down at his desk with a chuckle. “Right you are, Lois, right you are.”
With a sigh, he turned on his computer, time to get to work.
Growing up, Sybil’s mom used always to joke that a rooster would be jealous of her.
The meaning?
All one had to do was look up the definition of ‘early bird’ and they’d find Sybil’s face right there.
Before the sun could even peek over the distant hills, she was awake and ready for her day. Sleeping in was out of the question for her. But then again, she would go to bed right as the sunset, so there was no staying up late for Sybil either.
Her apartment was a mess; millions of boxes all around, and nothing was even close to being unpacked.
‘I’ll finish it bit by bit,’ Sybil decided as she tied her running shoes. ‘Makes sense rather than rushing it.’
Three times a week, she would go for an early morning run, and just because she was in a new city didn’t mean Sybil would stop. Besides, it would be a way for her to see the city. Tucking a can of pepper spray in her pocket, Sybil left her apartment with a skip in her step.
The sun was just barely peaking out over the distant hills, the fresh air filling her lungs as Sybil went to the park, which wasn’t that far. Finding a good starting point, she began the timer on her watch and started her jog.
Metropolis Central Park reminded her honestly of Central Park up in Manhattan, although not that big.
Sybil could see ducks stirring from their nests, passed a couple of jogging couples, and saw even vendors setting up for the upcoming day.
She came to a stop at the top of a hill, reaching it just as the sun rose from the horizon line. The sensation of the warm rays was invigorating, golden lights washing over her body in a slow pander. Sybil inhaled deeply, then exhaled, the bubbling head building within her, filling her with energy for the upcoming day.
‘If I were Superman, this would be the perfect morning for a flight,’ Sybil thought as she held out her palm to the sun. ‘I almost feel as if it is filling me with energy.’
BEEP-BEEP!
Sybil looked down at the sound, taking out her phone to see she had a text from her parents.
MOM : Have a good day, Sybbie!
DAD : That city better not have flattened you!
Sybil could not stop herself from grinning. Metropolis was three hours ahead of Oakland. It was 6 AM right now, so it had to be 3 AM back home.
SYB : You two better not have stayed up this late to text me.
MOM : Don’t tell us what to do.
DAD : Yeah! We just wanted to give you our best wishes!
SYB : Okay, okay! Lol, thanks, guys. It means a lot.
Tucking her phone back into her pocket with a chuckle, Sybil jogged back to her apartment to get ready for her first day at THE CLICK.
A quick shower, a breakfast of leftover pizza—because she didn’t think to buy groceries—and then she went to dress. Sybil had already chosen her outfit the night before—a long-sleeve dark indigo shirt, black jean skirt, tights, and a pair of platform ankle boots—and quickly put it on. Business casual was new to her, but Sybil was satisfied with her reflection in the mirror. She fluffed up her hair, grabbed her purse, and hurried out to catch the bus.
It took her right to THE CLICK’s building, a massive structure down in the Business District of the city. Stepping off the bus, Sybil had to tilt her head back to get a better look at it.
Oakland had its tall building; hell, so did San Francisco. But nothing could ever beat a mid-Atlantic skyscraper. Sybil was so enamored and in awe that she lost track of her path and bumped into someone.
“Oof!” she yelped.
It was a woman she had bumped into, dressed in a similar business casual style, who told Sybil she was most likely a worker here as well.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” Sybil gushed.
The woman blinked in surprise but shrugged. “First time in Metropolis?”
“How… how could you tell?” Sybil asked.
The Woman grinned. “You have a deer-in- the -headlights look in your eyes. Crazy place, isn’t it?”
“It’s overwhelming and a bit overstimulating,” Sybil confessed.
“Trust me, you’ll get used to it quickly,” the woman chuckled. She held out her hand. “Tasia.”
Sybil took it. “Sybil.”
The woman’s eyes widened. “Wait, Sybil Howell?”
Sybil took a half-step back. “Ummm… yes…?”
“Oh my God, what a coincidence!” Tasia exclaimed. “I’m Tasia Lloyd! I was just hired as your assistant!”
“Well, this is a coincidence, but it’s very nice to meet you, Tasia.”
Tasia grinned wider now. “Come on, let’s go inside, don’t wanna be late for our first day on the job!”
She held open the door for Sybil, who entered, more excited than ever.
Sybil had never worked for an actual news organization before; she honestly never thought she ever would.
But when she got the email from Weston Schultz, the CEO of THE CLICK, she could not believe her eyes.
Now, here she was, in the middle of Metropolis, in her office. Yes, her office is on the top floor of the building. She was leading their women’s health and lifestyle department, reaching thousands, no, millions, of women all over the country, not the world.
Sybil couldn’t believe it.
Her first day was simple.
Mostly just filling out paperwork, meeting her team, and plotting out her first news articles.
Sybil had never worked a 9-to-5 before, and it felt weird, but surprisingly, time passed by faster than she thought. Then again, Sybil expected this wouldn’t always be the case, but today she was grateful that it was.
“Not bad for your first day, Boss Lady,” Tasia laughed as they walked out of the building later that evening.
“Not bad?” Sybil groaned. “Fuck, I must have been awful!”
“Not at all,” one of her coworkers—Tim—said, grinning. “You impressed Weston, and that’s all that matters.”
“You think so?” Sybil asked.
“Oh, I know so,” Tasia said. “Takes a lot to impress the dude, and you passed with flying colors.” She gave her a playful nudge. “Loosen up a bit, everything is going to be all right.”
Sybil sheepishly smiled. “If you guys say so… Just want to make sure I make a good impression.”
“Well, you did,” Tim assured her. “So, what are you doing tonight?”
Sybil shrugged. “I gotta bunch of unpacking to do…maybe eat more leftover pizza…”
“Nope, you’re going out,” Tasia ruled.
“I am?”
“Yep, you are. There’s an awesome bar downtown that has half-off drinks tonight,” Tasia said. “And you’re going.”
“I… I am?”
Sybil had been to bars before; she had no fear of them.
What she was more nervous about was going to one in Metropolis, of all places. For all Sybil knew, some supervillain was lurking there or something.
“And you guys are sure that it’s safe for me to go?” she asked. “Like… the Joker isn’t gonna jump outta nowhere and gas us?”
“Well, seeing as the Batman is currently beating his ass every other day, I doubt he has time to come here to mess with us,” Tashia said. “Come on, it’s going to be fun!”
“All right, all right, I’ll come,” Sybil sighed. “I gotta dig through all my damn boxes, but I’m sure I gotta cute outfit somewhere.”
“You better,” Tashia huffed. “I’ll text you the address when I get home. Say we all meet up there like…nine?”
Sybil nodded. “Yeah, that works for me. See you there.”
Taking the bus home, Sybil tore through her boxes, trying to find something that Tashia would approve of.
‘Ugh, what even is the fashion scene here?’ Sybil wondered, taking off a dress and throwing it across the room.
If she had to describe her sense of style, Sybil would say that for the most part she preferred the low-rise pants, crop tops, and bold colors of the Y2K style that she grew up with. Yet, she also liked the loose, flowing garments like maxi dresses and wide-leg pants with earthy prints and color schemes of the Boho style as well. After all, she grew up on TV shows with magical girls, preferred Bratz over Barbies, and loved the outdoors.
She looked at herself in a maxi skirt, only to shake her head in frustration, taking it off unsatisfied.
‘Think, Sybbi, think!’ she told herself. ‘What’s cute but also… practical? You have pieces in these boxes, keep looking.’
Going to another box, Sybil opened it to find one of her favorite halter camisole tops. Mainly dark-purple in color, the light blue lace at the bottom was a pretty contrast, as well as the embroidered moon at the bottom of the bust.
‘Now we’re cooking with grease,’ she thought, looking now for pants.
She found a pair of baggy low-rise jeans, which went perfectly with the top. To complete the look, Sybil got her wedge sandals and took her hair out of its braided bun, fluffing it up to give it full volume. She made sure her waist beads faced the correct way and got her sheer lip gloss, putting on a nice coat before checking her phone.
Tashia had texted her the address of the bar, and Sybil thought it was funny that it was named ‘The Ozone’. She made sure to text Tashia that she was on her way. Instead of taking a bus, she decided to take an Uber and was surprised that the bar wasn’t that far.
Tashia, Tim, and a couple other of their coworkers were already there, waiting for her.
The second she got out of the car, Tashia rushed over, hugging her tightly and then stepping back to look her over.
“Got damn it, girl!” she whistled. “Talk about a Megan Thee Stallion body!”
If Sybil could blush, she’d be bright red, she knew it. Sheepishly, she lowered her eyes and then spun around when Tashia gestured to do so.
“Oh yeah, we’re gonna have to beat the men off you with a stick,” she giggled. “Come on, let’s go!”
Tucked in the heart of downtown Metropolis, The Ozone was a modern, stylish bar. With its sleek concrete walls, matte black accents, and warm touches of velvet and brass, the space struck a perfect balance between industrial edge and cozy sophistication. Soft, minimalist lighting cast a golden glow across the room, while curated indie and electronic playlists filled the air with an effortlessly cool energy.
“Well?” Tashia asked Sybil as the latter looked around. “What do you think?”
“It’s… kind of disappointing,” Sybil admitted.
“How so?” Tim asked.
Sybil shrugged. “I dunno, I was expecting maybe Wonder Woman lounging in the corner or something?”
“You think the Justice League just hangs out here with us mortals?” Tashia chuckled. “Girl, ain’t no fuckin’ way they’d be here when they gotta stop supervillains and shit. Come on, let’s get a booth.”
Their small group went to an open booth, and when they all got comfortable, a Waitress appeared, tablet in hand.
“Welcome to the Ozone,” she said, smiling at five of them. “What can I get you all tonight?”
“I’ll take a Manhattan!” Tashia replied.
“Make that two,” Tim added.
“Three!” A woman—Sybil believed her name was Holly—added.
“I’ll take a Cosmopolitan,” Sybil said. “Better yet, make it two.”
The Waitress nodded, typing on her tablet. “Anything to eat? Our kitchen special is our lemon pepper wings or spicy honey chicken sliders.”
“Oh, we’ll take two orders of both,” Tashia said. “Do you have fries?”
The Waitress nodded. “Sure do, the sliders actually come with ranch fries that are a dry rub. It’s honestly my favorite.”
“Three orders of that!” Tim chuckled. “I think we’ll be good with that.”
“Oh, and water,” Sybil added. “A lot of ice water.”
“Just put your order in, and it should be out in less than twenty minutes,” the Waitress confirmed. “Press that button on the table if you need me for anything.”
They nodded, and Sybil got herself comfortable in her chair, putting her purse to the side, and Tashia nudged her.
“What?” Sybil asked.
“Who are you trying to get under with that sexy fit on?” she teased.
If Sybil could blush, he knew her cheeks would be blooming red, and by instinct, she put a hand over her chest.
But Tashia merely burst out laughing. “Girl,” she laughed. “I promise, I’m only joking, please don’t fire me.”
‘Oh right, technically, I am her boss,’ Sybil remembered.
“Look, if anything, I just want to have a good night out,” Sybil confirmed. “Like, just lose just a little bit.”
“To be honest, we were worried you’d be a stick in the mud,” Holly confessed.
“What? Why?”
“Let’s just say that Weston only wants the best of the best when it comes to the CLICK,” Tashia explained. “You see, he has this weird rivalry with the owner of the DAILY PLANET across the street. Something about the Chief Editor stealing his high school sweetheart or whatever.”
Sybil’s jaw dropped. “High school? It’s been what, almost 20 years?”
“More like 25,” Tim chuckled. “But yeah, they got this weird rivalry. The guy over there doesn’t believe we’re ‘real news’ apparently, cuz we’re completely online. Meanwhile, they’re physical news and just now getting into the digital space, but they’re really behind.”
“I mean, both sound good though,” Sybil said. “I mean, sometimes there’s nothing better than a fresh newspaper in your hands. My dad used to give me the comics when I was growing up.”
“Oh yeah, physical media is good and all that, but you can’t deny the future is digital,” a Man—his name was Tyler—pointed out. “Who doesn’t have a phone, an iPad, or a smartwatch? Not our fault, they’re behind.”
“Well, maybe they’ll eventually see eye to eye,” Sybil said. “Like, it can’t be that hard, ya know?”
Their drinks and food came around the same time, and Sybil gulped down her Cosmopolitan before ordering another one.
“Fuck, I needed that,” she sighed, reaching for a wing.
She wasn’t a lightweight by any means, but appreciated how the alcohol removed a bit of the tension she felt. She and her coworkers chatted and laughed, getting to know each other, and Sybil found herself appreciating that they invited her out.
‘Perhaps this place won’t be so scary after all,’ she thought.
The song over the speakers changed into 7 IN THE CLUB by LAVINIA & Ely Oaks, and Tashia’s face lit up. “Oh my god, I love this song! Come on!”
Without even waiting to ask permission, Tashia grabbed Holly and Sybil and pulled them onto the small dance floor. Other people were already there, as the song was pulsing and hypnotic. With the alcohol in her system, Sybil danced freely, not at all caring what people thought. She was here to enjoy herself, and she was thoroughly enjoying herself.
Yet, as she danced, Sybil felt as if she was being watched.
“Hey,” Tashia whispered to her, startling Sybil. “You got an admirer.”
Sybil opened her eyes and followed Tashia’s gaze to where she was looking.
Sitting at the bar was a Man with fair skin, tousled black hair, large blue eyes, and glasses. He was dressed in slacks and a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. The suit jacket thrown over the nearby chair told Sybil he most likely had come here after work to relax just like they were.
The second he saw Sybil turn to face him, he whipped around, giving her his back.
“Go talk to him,” Tashia whispered.
“W-What?” Sybil gasped. “No!”
“Well, if you don’t, I will and invite him over to dance with us,” Tashia said. “And I’m drunk as fuck. So, I might throw up all over him.”
“Go on, Sybil,” Holly encouraged. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
Sybil almost answered ‘I get kidnapped’ but then again, this was Metropolis. That’s the least likely thing to happen here.
“Fine, fine, I’m going,” Sybil grumbled. “Just… give me a second.”
Returning to their table, Sybil gulped down some water to clear her head, slapped herself on the cheeks, and walked to where the Man sat.
His back was still to her, and Sybil cleared her throat to get his attention.
She was worried that she hadn’t done it loud enough due to the pounding music, but he jumped almost six feet in the air when she did so. Sybil heard him gulp, and then he slowly turned to face her.
“Hi,” she said, smiling shyly.
“H-Hi,” he sputtered. “Damn, you’re pretty.”
Sybil blinked in surprise, and his cheeks turned bright red.
“F-F-Fuck,” he stammered. “I didn’t mean to say that. I-I mean, you’re so pretty and, damn it!”
He covered his face with his hands—massive hands that Sybil noted—as if to hide himself from her. “Damn it, I’ve messed up,” he muttered behind them.
“No, no, it’s okay,” Sybil assured him. “I… I’m not offended. Truly. I find the shy blubbering cute.”
He parted his fingers, a sapphire eye locking onto her. “You… you do?”
Sybil smiled wider and held out her hand. “Let’s try a new one, shall we? Hi, I’m Sybil.”
He slowly reached down and took her hand in his, completely engulfing it. “I’m Clark,” he said. “Clark Kent.”