Title: Tough Audience
Author:  me_ya_ri
Email:  me_ya_ri@yahoo.com
Rating:  PG-17
Challenge:  CLFF Wave 36 – Triple Header: "From the Moment they met it was Murder!" (Double Indemnity [1994])
Notes: Clark's a crime writer rather than a reporter in this one.  Many thanks to danceswithgary for her beta work!
Summary: Clark's a writer with one of the toughest editors around. Fortunately for him, he has some tricks that help him deal with his editor's tough stance on some of his favorite lines.

+++++

"Hmmm…."

"Eep! Lex, what are you doing?"

"Reading.  Really, Clark, are you sure about this?  It's a bit melodramatic."

"Lex…"

"Whining from a man your size and age is highly unattractive, Clark. Justified in this case, but still quite unattractive."

"Lex…"

"Mmm, that's much more attractive but it still won't distract me.  "From the moment they met it was murder!" Are you sure about that as your first line?  It sets a rather… unfortunate tone for the story."

"It's just the first draft, Lex."

"Are you pouting?  You are!  There's no reason for you to pout.  If you didn't want me to read and review this, you wouldn't have left the printout lying around.  We have a system, and you know it works."

"Yeah, I know but this one is different.  Are you sure I can't distract you somehow?"

"Oh… don't stop doing that.  Won't distract me but… Okay, so maybe that will distract me.  Just don't stop."

"I thought you said you couldn't be distracted from your editorial duties."

"If you're not careful, I'll kiss that smirk right off of your lips.  After you're done with what you're doing."

"…"

"Fuck!  Get up here!"

"Heh, guess I can still distract you from editing my stories, huh, Lex?"

"You distract me from everything, Clark.  I'm still marking out that first line.  Possibly the first paragraph, though it could be salvageable with some serious rewriting."

"I did say it was the first draft, didn't I?"

"Mmm-hmm, more sex, less talk.  Isn't that what I always say?"

"Heh, not when I'm doing this."

"Nnngh! Clark…!"

"…"

"Ahhh… well that was moderately distracting.  Now where's that story?"

"Ack! Lex!"

"You're whining again.  Seriously, I understand that it’s a first draft, Clark.  I'm hardly going to destroy the story just by reading it."

"It's not done yet."

"I don't know.  I rather liked the ending."

"…"

"…I don't think I've seen you go that pale without kryptonite being involved."

"You read the whole story?"

"I think you just cracked the windows with that shriek, Clark.  And my ears. Indoor voice, please.  Ow."

"You read, you read, read, the whole? All of it? Already?"

"…"

"But…"

"…"

"You can't kiss me into calming down…"

"…"

"I'm not…"

"…"

"Okay so I'm calming down."

"…"

"Mmm, I don't think I'm calm anymore, Lex."

"Good."

"…"

"Now about that first paragraph…"

"You want to edit my story while we're lying naked on the study floor?"

"Sure, why not?  At least we're in the study, Clark."

"You are the craziest editor I've ever had, Lex."

"Mmm, I think I'm the best editor you've ever had.  At least I make sure you don't get away with overly melodramatic lines, especially in blatantly autobiographical crime dramas.  Really, we do need to talk about your tendency towards melodrama."

"I thought you liked my style."

"I wasn't talking about your style in clothes or opening lines, Clark."

"Oh you mean this style."

"Ahh! Yes, definitely this style.  Don't stop!"

"I'll never stop, Lex.  Never stop loving you, no matter who tries to come between us."

"Heh, this is the only time you get to be that dramatic, Clark.  Love you too."

"…"

"…But that first line has got to go."

"Lex!"

The End