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Clark Kent is a very conscientious man when it comes to keeping his superhero identity a secret.
- He hunches down and wears hypno-glasses as Clark Kent so that he bears no physical resemblance to Superman.
- He acts clumsy and unsure of himself as Clark Kent so that he bears no personality resemblance to Superman.
- He speaks in a lower pitch and mumbles as Superman so that he bears no vocal resemblance to Clark Kent.
Well…on the third one…it does start to sound unnatural when talking in a lower pitch for an extended period of time, so he does become a bit lenient with that when it comes to the Justice League. But it doesn’t matter. He’s sure everybody else in the Justice League are normal people like Clark Kent.
So when Clark attends one of the many Wayne Foundation charity events for his job and begins to go around to get soundbites from everyone with his close colleague and good friend, Lois, he’s sure there’s nobody from the Justice League there that will recognise his voice. This assurance is reaffirmed as he goes around the room to get quotes from as many socialites as he can on the event.
Standing in the corner of the large ballroom in his suit he’s had since he started his job at the Daily Planet two hours after he’d entered the event, Clark pinpointedly writes in his notepad so no more people start small talk with a reporter in hopes to get a piece written about themselves. Really, he’s gotten enough quotes from today about the event, and the problem is, if someone did try to start talking to Clark, it’s not like he could turn them down or be rude. As his ma said, “Mind your p’s and q’s, Clark.”
Clearly Clark had been daydreaming, because he didn’t hear Lois walk up to him before she tapped his shoulder to pull him out of it before he jumped in surprise. Clark fixes his glasses sheepishly with a small smile. “Sorry, Lois, didn’t see you there.”
Lois is standing there with her arms crossed and an unimpressed look on her face. She’d figured out Clark is Superman gosh knows how, but he didn’t mind too much. Lois is a good friend of Clark’s, and her finding out had finally given him the opportunity to talk about both sides of him to someone.
“I’m sure you didn’t. Anyways, how much longer do you think we should stay here before we go back to Metropolis? I have a feeling we’ve already covered our full shift and got enough soundbites for at least three stories.”
Clark looks at his watch. The event is due to finish at 11pm, but it’s only 9pm. Clark sighs. He’ll be back at home in Metropolis way past when the cows do. “I reckon we exit in an hour. Don’t want to be the first to leave at an event, right? At least, that's what my pa says…”
Lois sighs but doesn’t object. She knows reporters certainly shouldn’t leave early, especially two hours early, at a Wayne Foundation event. “God this is boring,” she grumbles before looking past Clark’s shoulder and realising the great Bruce Wayne wasn’t involved in small talk with any of the other socialites at the moment. Grabbing Clark’s suit sleeve, she began heading in Bruce’s direction, no doubt for a soundbite. Clark stumbles as he gains his balance from the tug and catches up with Lois as she starts to call out. “Bruce Wayne! Have a minute?”
Bruce Wayne turns towards the pair and puts on his tabloid smile. “Of course,” he replies, placing his suspiciously untouched glass of champagne on a passing waiter’s tray.
Clark takes it upon himself to use his manners and shake the man’s hand with a smile. “Mr. Wayne. It’s great to meet you.” Bruce returns it with a gaze straight into Clark’s eyes that leaves him feeling uncomfortable, like Bruce had seen straight past his guise with peering eyes that seem all too familiar. Lois, fast as a whip, has already pulled out a recorder and began to ask Mr. Wayne questions. As she starts her first question, asking about the official statement of what this event is for, it feels like time has slowed, and the two regard each other as if the other has figured out their other identity. Clark brushes the idea off after Bruce responds to Lois’s first question with a voice that he’s only heard in videos online and never in person. Nevermind, then. He must’ve been making things up in his head.
As Clark leaves the event at around 10pm, he can feel the same pair of suspiciously curious eyes burning a hole through the back of head. Maybe Clark needs to be more conscientious about his identity.