Fic: Chuck vs. The LifeTime Original Movie 1/5 Chuck/Superman Returns
Title: Chuck vs. The LifeTime Original Movie. Author: Lopaka Tanu Disclaimer: I do not own Chuck or Superman Returns. Characters: Chuck, Shaw/Superman, Lois, Ellie Words: 10,110 Prompt: Destitute after Stanford, Chuck is on the streets of Metropolis. Fandom: Chuck/Superman Returns Pairing: Chuck/Shaw (Clark-Superman) Rating: Teen Warnings: Language, Mentions of Sex, Violence, Bitchy Lois, Gay!Chuck. Summary: Three days in Metropolis is a lifetime for Chuck. Especially when he finds himself caught up in a real life Damsel-in-Distress situation. Author's Note: Pre-Chuck/Pre-Superman Returns. Surprise twist epilogue! ______________________________________ Part 1.
"Ever had to wash your clothes in a bus station men's room sink?" Awkward grin plastered on, Chuck felt the skin above his collar start to heat up. It soon grew unpleasant and turned in to a grimace. "Yeah, it's not something I recommend."
The clerk stared at him over the top of her glasses. Her bored expression bordered on irritated. Safely ensconced behind her desk, she seemed to loom over the entire cubicle. "Would you like me to include that in your file?"
"What?" Chuck leaned forward a little. Then he frowned and shook his head. "Oh, no. No. That's just a little humor."
"I see." She began to type without looking at the screen. "Any other eccentricities you possess we should be informed about?"
This prick to his ego made Chuck deflate a little. Slumping down in his chair, he looked to his feet. "No. I..." he trailed off with a shake of his head. Admitting to being nervous would probably get him another black mark. One was more than he could afford.
He shook his head again just in case she missed it the first time. Not that she probably did. The harpy with the acrylic nails probably had eyes in the back of her head too. It was no wonder she was isolated behind wooden walls.
The Minotaur had needed a maze too.
As if she sensed his thoughts, the clerk cocked an eyebrow. She finished typing with a punctuated thump. "Where is your current residence?"
"Uh, the Tenth Street Shelter?" Chuck wasn't really sure because it wasn't a sure thing at the moment. He had tickets for two weeks, but that might change in a second. "That's kinda why I am here. I really, really need this job. You have no idea how much."
She cut him off with a flash of her eyes. "Very well." Her demeanor became even more bland. "You will report here every morning at six. All assignments go out by seven. If you are late, you go to the bottom of my list." Her tone implied only death awaited those at the bottom.
And Chuck believed her. She seemed the spiteful type to him. So, he nodded and accepted the papers she handed to him.
Grabbing a pamphlet off her desk, she held it out to him. On the cover was a smiling man with the backdrop of the city behind him.
Reaching for it, he swallowed. The world suddenly grew dark, or may be it was just Chuck's imagination playing with him.
Even as he grabbed it, she held on. Her eyes narrowed as her lips thinned in to a line. "This is a listing of groups and organizations that help youths in your situation."
Chuck shivered.
She released the pamphlet with a smile. "Welcome to Metropolis."
~~~~~~~~~~~
Tugging his sleeves down, Chuck shifted the bag higher up his shoulder. Even with the sun out overhead, the streets were quite cold. Metropolis was the furthest north he had ever been. Heck, it was the furthest he had ever been any where.
A few feet to his right, the street teamed with afternoon traffic. It was dangerous to cross, yet, people seemed oblivious to this. He watched in amazement as a woman with a stroller just strolled out in the middle of traffic and didn't even check for oncoming cars.
Shaking his heads, he turned up the volume on his mp3 player. The earbuds drowned out the noise of the world around him. With his hoodie and baggy jeans, he blended in seamlessly. Well, there was one difference between him and the denizens.
No one else was looking around like a tourist.
Ducking his head a little, he started down towards the corner. He timed his footsteps perfectly to match the shifting of the light. Unlike his fellow pedestrians, he didn't have a death wish.
A strong breeze tugged at the top of his hood, but otherwise left him untouched. Still, he shivered deep in his clothes. He had never in his life been this cold. How people could live in this type of weather year round was beyond him. Hell, why he was even here was starting to come in to question.
Oh, yeah. Because at the time this seemed like the perfect place to get away from it all. Metropolis was supposed to be the city of tomorrow, a place of wonder. It was a city so special the world's only alien called it home.
Looking up, he scanned the skies. The only thing he wondered about was if he had finally lost his mind. A wave of homesickness hit him so hard that he nearly moaned.
Tears stung his eyes as he focused on the sidewalk ahead of him again. May be he should call his sister. He knew she would have heard by now. If there as one thing he could depend upon, it was Morgan's lack of a spine when it came to Ellie.
Sighing, he checked his watch, then picked up speed. The soup kitchen on Meridian was about to close. If he hurried, he could get a cup of dregs and a slice of bread with butter. That would hold him over until dinner.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Watching a flock of pigeons fly over the Metropolis Expressway made Chuck smile. Their flight was usually something to envy on speed and distance in a large city. To get where you are going so fast was just a fantasy to most people.
Well, all except one. Chuck grinned to himself.
If he was going to be in Metropolis with a little free time on his hand, he might as well take in the sights. He had already seen the Mayor's office, Metropolis Park, the Century City Opera House, and the Morgan Towers - formerly the Luthor Building. There was only one place left on his brochure.
Eyes to the skyline, he headed towards the great globe. He watched the bronze icon slowly spin with a smile of wonder. Everyone in the world knew that building. Ever since he was a teen, he had wanted to see it, and now he was here.
Chuck Bartowski had finally made it to Metropolis to see the Daily Planet.
Strong arms suddenly slipped around Chuck from behind as if to hug. "Give me your fuckin bag, or I'll rip from stem to stern." A sharp blade accompanied the command, freezing the young man in place. It pressed in to his stomach enough to get the point across. The man pressed his lips against Chuck's ear in a false appearance of intimacy.
Eyes wide, Chuck felt his arms go limp. He whimpered as the smell of rotten tomatoes ghosted across his cheek.
"Just keep calm and quiet, precious, and you'll get out of this one intact." Snorting, the guy dragged his hands up Chuck's chest. The blade was hidden up his sleeve, but clearly visible to it's intended target.
Closing his eyes, Chuck stood stock still. As the hands gripped the straps of his bag, he leaned forward to make it easier to slide off.
Taking the bag, the man pulled it free and then backed away. "Thanks, sweet heart." Then he was gone.
Chuck stood there trembling. He was physically unable to turn around at that moment to even catch a glimpse of who it was. Sniffling, he began to whimper.
~~~~~~~~~~
Swallowing around the mass in his throat, Chuck gripped the phone cord in one hand. He kept the receiver pressed to his ear in a vain attempt to hear better. The crackling over the line made it near impossible, though.
The line rang for the third time. Yet, there was still no response.
Biting his lip, Chuck lowered his chin to his chest. He took a shuddering breath and closed his eyes. "Please, please pick up."
There was a fourth ring. This was followed by a click.
"You have reached the residence of Devon and Ellie, leave an awesome message and we'll get back to you!"
The machine beeped.
Sobbing, Chuck clenched his hand around the receiver. "Ellie, it's me." Sucking in a quick breath, he tried to get his thoughts in order. "I, um, I've been robbed. How's that for proving everybody right? Not even a full day in the city and already lost everything. Well, not everything, he got my bag with most of stuff, though."
He tried to laugh it off, but it ended with another sob. Whimpering, he shook his head. Chuck realized he had to get a hold of himself. This wasn't going to get him any where.
"I got a job. I start tomorrow with a temp agency. May be that will..." He trailed off with a sigh as the machine beeped. "I'll call you later." Feeling weak, he dropped the phone in the cradle.
Chuck nearly jumped out of his skin when a solid hand landed on his back. Blinking wide eyes, he looked back to the man and gave him a half smile. "You scared me."
The old officer shook his head. "You've nothing to fear here, son. We keep the bad guys under control here."
Looking out over the near empty station house, Chuck shivered. "Yeah, but what about out there?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The priest came walking through the rows of bunks, ringing his bell as he went. It's dull metal reflected the light while it rocked back and forth.
Chuck watched the gentle motions from the safety of his cot. Bundled in a scratchy blanket, he shivered from more than just the cold. It was to be his first night in the shelter and he was alone.
He hadn't realized how true those words were until the police station. For the first hour after it had happened, he had sat there near catatonic. There were just no words for how horrifying it had been.
The attack had come and gone in under a minute. Granted, he was still intact, but physical didn't count. Psychologically, he was all over the map. He was a loud noise away from curling up in a corner and weeping.
Men in mismatched clothes came staggering in. Most looked too drunk to walk. The smell confirmed this and so much more.
Burying his nose in the blanket, Chuck fought off a chill. His eyes remained above the hem to watch them. He didn't trust them as far as Morgan could throw them. That was why he had chosen a cot against the wall. It was safer, at least on one side.
Then again, if he wanted true safety, he wouldn't have even come to Metropolis.
"Lights out!" The old priest's voice carried throughout the converted warehouse.
A second later, the hum of the florescent lights cut out as they were turned off. Small lights in the eves gave just enough light to make out shadows. Then, there was only silence.
Blinking, Chuck strained his hearing to the very edges. He could hear heavy breathing all around him. It was punctuated by the occasional cough. A minute later, snores began. First, in one place, then in several. The old hands, he realized, those who felt comfortable enough in a shelter to ignore the potential risks and sleep.