Not a reply--just random musings.
In my world what really stops them from casual sex (and dating in general)are that they are both control freaks. Lois is afraid of getting hurt. Clark is afraid of hurting others.
I don't think waiting "cheapens" passion so much as it brings it to the holy and sacred level, which personally is not so fun for me. Your explanation makes more interesting and complex characters I think. Don't get me wrong I see the reasoning in waiting, I just think that it's not the most fascinating insight into them. You just end up with Clark is good and loves Lois, Lois is good and loves Clark. *shrugs*
This is just me, I've mentioned before--real life, in my opinion, makes less than exciting fiction. So does strict adherence to anything (which makes cookie cutter, flat characters). We raise up characterization as an inviolable banner and yet, we all have moments where we looked at the way Lois and Clark were written on the show and scratch our heads. I don't know. This example always gives me pause over any invocation of some sacred characterization that might prevent me from reading something new and interesting.
"Clark wouldn't...
Lois wouldn't..."
--are just not really productive statements to me. It's more about looking at them like real people and seeing that all it takes is one dense situation to push them out of stereotypical molds. Maybe the situation just didn't work, maybe I wasn't led in as detailed a manner into what caused X or Y behaviour--these, I think, are observations that have more meat to them.
But what do I know anyway? I'm just a newbie.
alcyone
