Work Text:
EMMETT:
What is this place?
ELLE:
It’s called a Department Store.
EMMETT:
It’s…It’s beautiful.
ELLE:
Shhh…
(singing)
ELLE:
First a deep breath
Take it all in
Feel all those halogens warming your skin
Smell how they pump in pure oxygen.
See they care.
Bruce led Clark through beautiful glass doors into a room filled with bright lights, shining decorations, and so many pieces of clothing Clark couldn’t dream of sorting through it all on sight.
“What is this place?” He asked in awe.
“It’s called a department store.”
“It’s… It’s beautiful!”
“Shhh. First a deep breath, take it all in.” Clark found himself mirroring Bruce’s deep breath in, glancing around him, “Feel all those halogens warming your skin. Smell how they pump in pure oxygen. See, they care.”
(talking)
LADY:
Love?
EMMETT:
Excuse me?
Lady:
Love, the new fragrance from Chanel.
EMMETT:
Oh. No thank you.
Clark nervously glanced around, trying to figure out where to start, and what to do, when a salesperson approached.
“Love?”
“Excuse me?” Clark mentally panicked. What did she mean by love? Did she love him? Or– his frantic thoughts were interrupted by her reply.
“Love, the new fragrance from Chanel.” She said, holding up a delicate crystalline bottle.
“Oh, no thank you.” Clark said, a little relieved.
(singing)
ELLE:
I know you're scared
Nevertheless
Think of the people you want to impress
Swallow your pride for me
Just nod yes
And prepare
Cause something's in the air
(talking)
EMMETT:
I think its love
ELLE:
Exactly!
Bruce put a gentle hand on Clark’s shoulder, guiding him through the store to an area with salespeople who were carrying all sorts of shirts and trousers and other garments.
“I know you’re scared, nevertheless, think of the people you want to impress!”
Clark could think of exactly one person he wanted to impress, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on the reason. He really could not care less what others thought of him, but something inside bristled at the thought of Bruce thinking less of him in any way.
“Swallow your pride for me, just nod yes, and prepare because something’s in the air.”
“I think it’s love.” Clark joked, gesturing towards the perfume section not too far away.
“Exactly!” Bruce agreed, but Clark wasn’t sure he was paying attention to Clark, as he focused on directing the sales people to stand in a certain place and way and show off their options for Clark.
(singing)
ELLE:
Here you'll become what you're supposed to be
You think you can’t but you can.
Think of the guy you want most to be.
Here’s your chance to make it
So take it like a man.
Bruce turned back to face Clark, smiling in that way that made Clark just melt.
“Here you’ll become all you’re supposed to be. Sure, you think you can’t, but you can. Think of the guy you want most to be.” Bruce turned Clark to the mirror, gesturing towards him. “Here’s your chance to make it, so take it like a man.”
And there was that smile again. Clark didn’t know if he was going to survive this trip.
EMMETT:
What does she want?
Not really sure
Why can't we leave things the way that they were?
Why can I never say no to her?
What’s that smell?
(talking)
GUY:
Subtext, by Calvin Klein.
(singing)
EMMETT:
That I don’t like,
That’s kind of neat.
Guys who wear that get beat up on my street.
Still I’ve come this far, I can’t retreat.
In my shell
I'm in the hands of Elle!
What the hell?
‘What does he want? I’m not really sure… Why can’t we leave things the way that they were?’ Clark thought to himself. He would have been quite content just to be near Bruce and admire him from a distance. But this close? He wasn’t sure what would come of this. ‘Why can I never say no to him?’
Clark sniffed the air as a new scent filled the room.
“What’s that smell?”
“Subtext, by Calvin Klein.” A new salesperson, carrying a square-shaped, clear crystal bottle, gestured towards him with the perfume, but Clark waved him off.
Clark looked over the different shirts, trousers, coats, and accessories before him and thought.
“That I don’t like.” He said, gesturing towards a stiff, deep red coloured shirt.
“That’s kind of neat!” He rubbed his fingers against some super soft, navy blue trousers with a slight black pinstripe print.
“Guys who wear that get beat up on my street.” He said with a laugh as he turned away a scarlet, silky printed scarf. He caught Bruce’s eye, saw the mischievous grin, and averted his eyes. “I know, I’ve already come this far, I can’t go back. What the heck, I’m in your hands Bruce.”
BOTH:
Here you’ll become what your suppose to be
You think you can’t but you can.
Think of the guy you want most to be.
Here’s your chance to make it
So take it like a man.
ELLE:
God, I love shopping for guys!
EMMETT:
Okay this is strange.
ELLE:
Watching them change right before my eyes.
EMMETT:
Don’t watch me change.
ELLE:
Look at him striking a pose.
His confidence grows.
He'll bloom like a rose.
EMMETT:
It's just clothes
“God, I love shopping for guys!” Bruce said, crossing one leg over the other as he sat on a curved couch outside the small changing room.
“Okay, this is strange…” Clark muttered, trying to get used to the feeling of the fabric against his skin.
“Watching them change right before my eyes~”
“Don’t watch me change.” Clark pouted, staring down Bruce as he peaked out of the curtain, before ducking back inside as Bruce laughed.
“Look at him striking a pose, his confidence grows, he’ll bloom like a rose!”
“It’s just clothes!” Clark called out, as he continued to change.
ELLE:
God I love shopping for men.
EMMETT:
Okay, this is nice.
ELLE:
They walk in a two
They walk out a ten
EMMETT:
Is this the price?
ELLE:
Don’t worry this is my treat,
There’s someone I’d like you to meet.
(talking)
BOTH:
Whoa.
EMMETT:
I look like Warner.
ELLE:
Yeah.
EMMETT:
But it’s just me.
“God I love shopping for men!” Bruce said as Clark finally came out of the changing room.
“Okay, this is nice!” Clark felt the soft cotton of his new shirt and the silk inner lining of the suit jacket with an open admiration.
“They walk in a two, they walk out a ten.” Bruce muttered, helping straighten out the jacket for Clark.
Clark pulled up the price tag on the jacket and reeled in shock. “Is this the price?!”
“Don’t worry, this is my treat!” Bruce said. “Come on, there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
When he pulled Clark in front of the mirror, they both paused, taking in a deep breath, then said in unison “Woah.”
“I look like Oliver.” Clark said, looking over his new navy blue suit, the soft green of the shirt popping all the more thanks to the darker colour of the coat.
“Yeah…” Bruce breathed, seemingly at a loss for words.
“But… It’s just me.” Clark sighed. That’s right, it’s just him, and what hope did he have of getting to stay with Bruce when this was over? He wasn’t Oliver, not by a long shot, he was just a friend trying to help Bruce make it through the school year and prove there was more to him than he let on.
(singing)
ELLE:
That’s the best part
The outside is new.
But now it reflects what's already in you.
Couldn’t change that if I wanted to
And I…do not.
(talking)
EMMETT:
Thank You
ELLE:
No, Thank You.
(singing)
ELLE:
This is no gift,
It’s payment in kind,
Cause you saw beyond all the blonde to my mind
Oh, we’ve got to buy this,
What are you blind?
You look hot….
Is he not hot??…?
BACKGROUND:
He's hot, hot, hot, hot,/i.
“That’s the best part.” Bruce said, pulling Clark out of his thoughts. “The outside is new, but now it reflects what’s already in you! I couldn’t change that if I wanted to, and I do not.”
“Thank you.” Clark blushed, hunching in on himself a bit.
“No, thank you.” Bruce cupped Clarks cheek with his hand and drew his attention. “This is no gift, it’s payment in kind.” At Clark’s confused look, Bruce laughed and continued. “Because you saw beyond all of this–” he gestured towards himself, striking a Brucie-style pose, “-to my mind.” As Clark moved to change back and put the clothes away, Bruce took his hand and stopped him. “Oh, we’ve got to buy this!” As Clark sputtered through syllables trying to find words, Bruce just smiled and said “You look hot!” Then turned to face the sales staff. “Is he not hot?”
“He’s hot, hot, hot!” The staff called out, causing Clark to shyly duck his head, face heating up so much he wouldn’t be surprised if he looked like a projection of Mars!
Here you’ll become what your suppose to be
You think you can’t but you can.
Think of the guy you want most to be.
EMMETT:
Not quite the guy I'd’ve chose to be
But when she's standing so close to me
I think I like her plan
ELLE:
Here’s your chance to make it(Your chance to make it)
So take it like…(So take it like)
EVERYONE:
A man!!! (A man!!!)
A man!!! (A man!!!)
A man!!! (A man!!!)
A MAN!!!!
‘It’s not quite the guy I’d have chosen to be.’ Clark thought, eyeing himself in the window’s reflection as Bruce purchased the new clothes for him. ‘But when he’s standing so close to me… I think I like his plan!’ Clark couldn’t help the bubble of warmth rising through his chest. As Bruce picked up the bags, Clark offered his elbow to him. Bruce blinked, then laughed and hooked his arm into Clark’s. Clark found himself wishing this day would never end.