Happy Ficlet Friday!
Here is the second installment in my “Try Not to Change Anything” series and my contribution for Kerth Challenge #2. This one jumps a few years ahead (I did mention that they would not be in chronological order) and, obviously, Wells never got back to them. So here they are trying not to change anything… or at least not too much… but, well, changing things all over the place because it’s sort of hard not to… or just because they can.
Kerth Challenge #2 (Dialogue prompt): Use this dialogue in your fic and build your story around it.
"How long have you been standing there?"
"Longer than you'd like"
First Kiss
By AmandaK
“I am so glad your parents agreed to let me stay for the summer.” Lois said, leaning against Clark’s side as the movie ended. She grinned when his arm automatically dropped from the back of the couch onto her shoulder and tucked her in closer.
“Are you kidding? They love having you here. Of course they agreed. I’m just surprised your parents let you come.” Clark shifted slightly so he could smile down at her – that same wonderful smile that would take her breath away as an adult was setting butterflies fluttering in her stomach now.
Lois giggled. “I just convinced Daddy that it would cost him a lot less money and time to simply send me here rather than try to force me to stay at ten different summer camps. Mom is off to Europe for some nursing seminar, meaning Daddy is the only one available if I cause enough trouble at camp to make them call him to pick me up.”
Clark chuckled and bumped her with his shoulder. “You wouldn’t really cause trouble.”
“Hah! I’m Lois Lane. Trouble is my middle name.”
“Don’t I know it.”
Lois blushed, thinking about the implications behind that statement. He’d certainly gotten her out of enough scrapes in the past… future… whatever. Speaking of the future…
“So, I’ve been thinking…” Lois trailed off and absently drew circles on Clark’s thigh with her index finger.
“Uh-oh.”
“Hey!”
Clark laughed and grasped her hand in his own, stilling her motion. “Sorry, I’ll be nice. What were you thinking?”
Lois blushed again and looked at their joined hands. How was it that he could still have this effect on her? They were married for goodness’ sake – well… sort of. She took a moment to clear her throat and gather her thoughts. “There’s this school dance coming up next fall and well…”
She trailed off again. Why was this so difficult?
“Are you asking me to take you to the dance? You know I’d love to, but I don’t have any way to get to Metropolis. I still can’t… you know.” Clark moved his hand in a vague flying motion.
“No! No – I know. That’s not it. It’s – well, the last time around, I went to the dance with this kid named Billy Blythe from my English class. He’s nice and all and we were just going as friends. But then, half-way through the dance, and not even during a slow dance or anything, he just leaned over and kissed me. Just like that! And that was my first kiss! And I guess… I just don’t want that to be my first kiss this time around.”
Clark blinked as his mind caught up to her babble. “So… you want to change something. You could avoid dancing to that song or maybe go with someone else?”
“But see, that’s not good enough.” Lois jumped back in like she had never stopped. “Because even if I manage to avoid kissing Billy Blythe, some other boy will eventually come along and steal my first kiss and I realized that I don’t want to leave something like that up to chance when I have the opportunity to decide who I want to share my first kiss with. And so, I guess what I’m trying to say is – Clark, will you kiss me?”
Clark gasped and Lois was pleasantly surprised to realize that he was blushing now. “Lois! W-we’re kids!”
Lois rolled her eyes at him. “I’m thirteen, Clark. And you’re fourteen.”
“We’re still kids. We’re too young to be doing things like that.”
Lois crossed her arms and pouted. “Oh, come on. I just told you that I was thirteen when I had my first kiss. How old were you?”
Clark looked away and, if possible, his blushed deepened. “Sixteen,” he finally muttered.
“Seriously?” Lois scoffed. “I guess I shouldn’t be that surprised coming from the guy who’s still a v… very patient man.”
Clark frowned at her even as his face turned the color of a tomato. “Not my fault.”
“Right. Blame H.G. Wells. So, who was it?”
“Who was what?”
“Who was your first kiss?”
“Oh, um…” Clark lowered his voice so much that she had to strain to hear him. “Lana.”
“Lana Lang?! Eww. Why would you kiss her?” Lois thought about the prissy blonde she had met a few times and wrinkled her nose.
Clark held up a placating hand. “She isn’t that bad. Lana and I were pretty good friends the last time around.”
“Oh, really? Why aren’t you now?”
“Well, I guess because now I’ve got you.”
Lois grinned and placed her hand on Clark’s chest, leaning towards him. “That’s right. You’ve got me. And you’re stuck with me. So, what do you say, Farm-boy? You want to get your first kiss in a few years early with the girl you know you’re going to marry instead of some stuck-up cheerleader?”
Clark leaned back into the couch. “L-Lois…”
She leaned in closer. “Kiss me, Clark.”
He hesitated just a moment longer and then reached up to cup her cheek and draw her in the last few inches. Their lips pressed together for a few short moments. It wasn’t anything like the kisses they had shared before – when they were adults. It was short and simple and… sweet. And, as far as first kisses go, it was absolutely perfect. Because it was Clark.
As he pulled away, Lois smiled and bit her lip, feeling her cheeks warm. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Clark whispered, his hand still lingering on her face and his thumb gently stroking her cheek.
Suddenly, the sound of someone clearing their throat came from behind and the two teenagers sprung apart, Clark’s hand dropping abruptly to his own lap. They both spun to see Martha Kent standing in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen.
“Mom!” Clark exclaimed, his eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights. "How long have you been standing there?"
Martha set her hands on her hips and eyed the teens disapprovingly. "Longer than you'd like"
