“You want to what?” Jonathon Kent stared at his son as if he had grown a second head.
“I think I want to tell Lois about me.”
Martha, Jonathon and Clark were sitting at the kitchen table late at night. Lois had gone to bed twenty minutes earlier, but Clark had snagged his parents in order to ask their opinion about his situation.
“But son, are you sure? You know it’s your decision… but what if… you’ve only known her a week.” Jonathon gave Clark a reproachful look.
“Well Jonathon, it’s obvious that Lois won’t do anything with the information if Clark asks her not to,” Martha pointed out gently.
Clark nodded at this. “I just feel… like our…” he blushed at the word, “…relationship… is worthless if I can’t be honest with her. It’s a big deal… what if she decides she doesn’t want to be with… well, whatever I am?”
“Clark you’re not feeling out of place again are you? You know that you’re our son and that’s all that matters,” Martha said. “You were raised as a human boy and you certainly have turned out to be a wonderful young man. Lois sure thinks so.”
“Thanks mom…” Clark broke off awkwardly. “I know you guys are right, but that still doesn’t help me. I can’t stand the fact that she’ll be leaving soon… That I have to send her back to him.” Clark nearly spat out the word referring to Lois’ father and his parents exchanged a glance. Neither one could get Clark to repeat what he’d heard, but it obviously still enraged him. “I just need her to know. To see the real Clark Kent.”
Martha nodded and grasped her son’s hand. “I think you know what the right decision is, sweetheart. I think you knew before you even sat down to talk to us.”
Clark blinked and nodded slowly. “I…I think I’m going to take a walk. You guys go on to bed, I won’t be gone long.” He kissed his mom on the cheek and gave his dad a one armed hug before absently grabbing an unneeded jacket and exiting the house.
Clark blew out a breath, idly watching the condensation before it was swept away. He couldn’t resist a glance toward the house. He reached for his glasses before forcibly stopping himself. He had seen Lois a mere half hour ago. He had no right to invade her privacy by checking on her again. He instead tuned in his special hearing and immediately disregarded the familiar beatings of his mother and father. With a minimal exertion of effort, he had attuned himself to Lois’ steady, rhythmic heartbeat.
He sighed and relaxed slightly as he let the biting cold soothe him. He wasn’t sure where this sudden urge to reveal his true self had come from, but once the idea had struck him, he couldn’t shake it.
Lois had been with them nearly a week and in those days she had yelled at him, insulted him, kissed him, cuddled with him and generally taken him on an emotional roller coaster. But God, he had loved it. He felt… freer than he had in years. He felt like for the first time he had someone under the age of thirty that understood him. That maybe… loved him.
Neither one of them had said those scary words and Clark understood why. Six days… that’s it. It was ludicrous that he could consider saying those words to Lois. How could he even be sure love was what he was feeling?
But what else could it be? He thought of her constantly, but he didn’t believe it was just an infatuation. He loved to listen her go off on weird tangents and call him Farmboy. He cared about her in a way that he hadn’t encountered with another soul besides his parents. They could and did talk for hours about nothing and everything. They just… fit. His world seemed, for lack of a better word, brighter when she was around.
When had he become such a sentimental sap?
“Clark.” His musings were interrupted by a soft murmur and he started slightly.
Lois’ voice was faint, almost dreamlike and he glanced around to see her.
“Lois?”
“Clark.”
Clark blinked and realized that Lois’ distinctive heartbeat was thumping loudly in his ears. His hearing was still attuned to her, and after a quick glance through the house, he saw that she was fast asleep, whispering his name. His heart clenched slightly and for a moment he stood there, watching her sleep through the walls of his house.
The bear he had won for her was happily tucked in her arms and she was wearing his sweatshirt. After a few minutes of simply watching her, he reluctantly shook himself and shut off his x-ray vision. Images of the days immediately following Jeff’s hospitalization infiltrated his thoughts then, of the days when his secret was nearly exposed. Jeff’s face, full of anger and fear loomed before him, but Clark didn’t feel the same sense of all consuming panic he usually felt when he summoned up the memory. Instead he saw Lois, her anger at him when she thought he had eavesdropped, that first, mind blowing kiss… the way she had looked on top of the Ferris wheel, the wind whipping her hair into her face.
And he had his answer.
She needed to know the truth, the full truth. If he could summon up the nerve.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Oh honey, you look fantastic!” Lois twirled slightly, twisting to glance at her back in the mirror. She and Martha were in Wichita, at one of the local department stores. They had just been passing through, not looking for anything in particular, when both she and Martha had stopped cold in front of one, single dress.
It was a deep burgundy, falling lightly just above the knee. The material, a soft silk, was cool to the touch. The dress was held up loosely by spaghetti straps and the material crisscrossed neatly in the back. Simple. Elegant. Beautiful.
Lois checked the price tag and grimaced. It definitely wasn’t cheap. Affordable for the high quality of the design and material, yes, but not cheap. It flattered her figured though, and fit perfectly.
“I think if my boy saw you in that, he’d go into epileptic shock,” Martha said, grinning in delight. Lois smiled at the compliment, but sighed in resignation.
“I could afford this, but barely. My father would probably tan my hide as well if I spent his money on something so frivolous.”
Martha put her hand firmly on Lois’ shoulder.
“Lois Lane, the moment when you find the person you’re supposed to spend the rest of your life with is a rare and beautiful thing. The moment you find a dress this perfectly suited for you is even more infrequent. If you don’t buy this dress, I’ll buy it for you.”
Martha spoke the words completely deadpan, and Lois had to stifle a laugh.
“How can I refuse?” She murmured happily, pleased at this positive reaction. “I have enough, I’ll buy it! It might be fun to send that boy of yours into the shock you promised.”
Lois retreated back into the dressing room to take off the dress and Martha spoke from around the curtain.
“If I know Clark he’s probably obsessing right this very moment about you. Doubting himself.” Martha’s voice fell slightly and Lois sighed as she slipped one arm out of the silky dress.
“He has nothing to doubt. I don’t know how he did it, but Clark has infiltrated just about every defense I’ve ever put up,” Lois mused aloud. “I don’t even understand how I could be feeling like this... this… weird feeling.” She stepped out of the dressing room, the dress on one arm and her purse slung on the other. “Like… like things are spiraling out of my control. Like I’m on a roller coaster and can’t get off.” She and Martha made their way to the cash register and Lois handed over the dress to purchase. “But I don’t really want to get off… does that make any sense? I must sound crazy! But I miss him already.” Lois trailed off her babbling, aware that Martha was giving her a curious smile. Sure that she was missing something, Lois hesitated. “…What?”
“Nothing my dear,” It was a struggle to hide her gleeful smile, but she masterfully controlled it. “But I think you’re in love.”
Lois nearly dropped her shopping bag.
“W-what?!”
With a pacifying gesture, Martha held up her hands. “Just my opinion, but you sound exactly like I did when I met Jonathon. That man had me tongue-tied and fluttery in places I didn’t even know existed in my body!”
Lois was still reeling, the simple statement as powerful as a blow to the stomach. It was foreign yes, but… it didn’t seem uncomfortable. It sent up red flags, but she knew with a certainty she didn’t want to act on them. My god!
“Oh my God, Martha, you might be right! But I’ve only known him a few days! This can’t be love, it’s just… a fleeting attraction?”
Martha Kent had a hide another smile. “Perhaps you’re right; I’m just telling you from my experience. But would you like to know something Lois?”
Lois nodded, her mind whirling faster than her conscious thought could even keep up with.
“I think my boy had fallen for you from the moment he saw you. I’ve never seen him like this. He’s so eager to please you, to have you notice him. He cares about you. Even if you don’t return the sentiment quite so ardently,” Martha gave Lois a quick smile. “It’s scary, I know. And you might not be completely sure of your feelings, it was wrong of me to speak as I did. But as I was saying, even if you don’t return the sentiment completely, you’ve made a powerful ally. Clark doesn’t give his trust or his heart easily. In fact, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen it happen. But he cares about you… more than anyone in this world, I believe. And even if your feelings are just friendship, Clark will continue to care and always will. For the rest of his life. It’s just how he is.”
Lois swallowed hard as they walked to the car.
“He’s a special man,” she said softly, unable to completely mask her emotion clouded eyes.
“Yes, he is,” Martha agreed idly, starting the car. “He is.”
The rest of the car ride was spent in a comfortable, retrospective quiet, both inhabitants of the car having much to dwell on.
+++++++++++
Sorry this section's kind of short. I debated with myself long and hard over whether Clark would tell Lois and if it was in character for him to do so. I've read stories before where Clark has told Lana or someone else during high school and was scarred because of it. I'm leaning toward the fact that Clark hasn't encountered Kryptonite, or become a national hero and isn't quite so terrified for his family's safety. He doesn't have people standing in line to kill him and to top it all off he's a naive bundle of hormones. So in effect, the only one who stands to be harmed by the news is himself, which is why he's allowing that risk to be taken. That's just my take. Anyway, thanks to those who left comments and those who didn't and have just stuck with me this long.
