4815/Private Moment

Private Moment
Date of Scene:	21 January 2021
Location:	Lois Lane's Apartment
Synopsis:	No description
Cast of Characters:	Clark Kent, Lois Lane

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Clark Kent has posed:
So it's been a little crazy.

Time management is a big part of Clark Kent's life; juggling a demanding job with the many Adventures of Superman was enough, but being chairman of the Justice League, dealing with not being the last Kryptonian anymore and the responsibilities that has and...

...being a boyfriend, that's a new one. Clark hasn't really been in a relationship since Lana, not a serious one. Not wanting to screw this up as badly as he messed that one up, Clark has sworn to himself to make sure there was plenty of time to just be the Clark in 'Lois and Clark' in addition to everything else. And then T.O. Morrow resurfaces.

But it's fine, Super Speed is a thing. Clark's plan was to cook, but a robbery, a fire, and a quick meeting with Dubblex means that he has to fly to Italy for takeaway instead. Is it showing off a little? Sure. Shut up, though.

One of the beenfits of being 'out' is that Clark can wear something a bit more comfortable around people; a Metropolis Meteors jersey instead of his usual shirt and tie. It's like he's casually visiting a friend. Wild. Clark knocks on Lois's apartment, carrying the bag full of fresh bred, squid ink pasta and bottle of wine he picked up.

Lois Lane has posed:
Of course she saw the news. A part of her was very angry she wasn't *covering* the news, partially because she saw just how much punishment Superman took, and partially because she's still making up from lost time when her replacement did her best to lay Lois low. So, she's been glued to her desk a lot lately, cleaning up from that situation. She knew he was supposed to come over. She left him a text saying it's okay if he didn't, she just hopes he's okay.

She still put on a fresh pair of jeans and an actually nice shirt that tucks into them, showing off her frame rather nicely. She even washed her hair. So, when the doorbell to her apartment rings, she practically leaps off the window sill where she's been smoking out the cracked window. She tosses the end down into the alleyway and straightens out her hair again before scampering over to open the door and then abruptly standing in a too-casual position, like she doesn't care and wasn't waiting.

"Clark. I...wasn't really expecting you after...everything." She lies. she's not a good liar to him. Still, she smiles and reaches over, tugging him in and into an immediate, warm kiss. "But I'm not complaining."

Clark Kent has posed:
"Hey!" Clark says, a little too cheerful, eyes a little too wide. God he should've dressed up more, huh. Still, it's hard not to see Clark's figure under the jersey, especially now that he's using normal person posture around Lois. Clark can, of course, smell the cigarette smoke, and the shampoo, and a dozen other little tells with his super-senses, but...

Why dwell on that? "You look great." Clark says, sincerely, stepping in. "I had to pick up something. The Wild Zone...well it's a long story. Is there a good place to set this down? I don't think the place I went to really does takeaway but Batman really recommended it." Another new fact: Clark takes Batman's opinion on fine dining really seriously for some reason.

It is entirely possible Clark has forgotten WHICH injury Lois is so worried about.

Lois Lane has posed:
"You...do too. But you always do..." Lois pulls back just enough she can look him up and down, no judgment of his casual jersey there at all. If anything, her eyes look as in love today as they did the first day she looked at Superman. Clark is one of the few things in the world that can make her go soft, and that's not changed in the least.

Her skin-tight sweater is a deep crimson red with a plunging neckline which is meant to show off certain assets and her collarbones. She puffs up a bit happily as he compliments her on it, smile genuine in response. She's pleased he noticed. "Oh. I can take it. Just in the kitchen, that's fine...I've...sort of cleaned." That means all the dishes are piled in the sink, at least, and there's only half a dozen empty booze glasses around. It's a start. She carries the things inside, setting them down on counter top as she does a double take in his direction.

"I don't now if I want to ask you about the long story on how Batman recommended you dinner, or how you're feeling? That news footage looked...Awful." She pauses on food to genuinely study him a few moments, trying to be certain he doesn't look like he's babying any injuries.

Clark Kent has posed:
Cat Grant has called Clark Kent 'a space alien' before, for his ability to totally ignore a perfectly deadly set of cleavage before. He's having a bit of trouble now; maybe because it's 'alright' considering their situation, or just because Lois has always been his most lethal weakness. He's getting used to being able to share his entire life with someone, it's...

"Huh?" Clark says, as he sets up dinner, laying out the pasta, bread, cheese and wine with quiet efficiency. The room is, Clark notices, very nearly clean. There's no obvious injuries, but Clark did point out the last time she saw him bruised that this sort of thing usually clears up with some sunlight.

"Oh wow the Latverian fight? Yeah, that was wild." Clark chuckles a little, as if this somehow made it less awful. "I think Doom's building some anti-Kryptonian technology, there were these little plasma balls that burned and electrocuted me at the same time. Morrow just used some weird future cell phone to hijack Doom's troops which, I dunno, doesn't seem like long term planning to me. Guy holds a grudge. Do you want your bread toasted? It's a little provincial but..."

Lois Lane has posed:
While he's setting out the food, Lois is managing the wine. And a bottle of vodka. And some seltzer in case they want to cut the booze or hydrate a little. Needless to say, she has the drinks covered. But his commentar about anti-Kryptonian technology slows her motions for a minute or two and her frown deepens. "What do you mean anti-Kryptonian technology?? Are you... alright? It *hurt*? They can actually *hurt* you?"

Lois' tone is trying not to be panicked, but there is an edge of it there. She thought he'd always be untouchable, was ready for him to tell her everything is fine and she's being overworried. But now she's realizing he might actually be hurt and she's there at his side, fingertips hovering over his shoulders, genuine concern on her face. "The bread can wait. Are YOU okay?"

Clark Kent has posed:
Oh no.

Clark frowns a little as he picks up on the edge of panic in Lois's voice. Is she okay? Of course she's not, she's starting to realize what a fake you are, a voice that sounds a lot like Lex Luthor says in Clark's head. He cuts the bread with his laser eye vision instead.

No, be HUMAN. Clark reaches out and takes Lois's hand. "Lois, I get hurt all the time. Especially with JLA-level threats like Morrow, or Destiny, or Faust. Usually the sun fixes up whatever's wrong with me so quick it's hard to see, or it doesn't leave an impact unless I'm low on energy...I use up a lot more sunlight than I did as a kid, or even at the beginning of my career these days. The shock didn't really hurt me, not like, say, a fully charged Livewire can, but it hurt, yeah. I just don't let it get to me...it's part of the job, you know? No one wants the invulnerable guy complaining about some aches."

"And Doom's wanted to punch my ticket for years." Clark admits, sitting down, "He's not fixated on it like Luthor, but I've ruined a few of his plans and that gets you on the list. It's pretty long. But a lot of my guys can hurt me if they're having a good day; Metallo, Mongul, Atomic Skull..."

This isn't helping, Clark. "This wasn't that big of a deal, I don't think any of the old crew are used to Black Panther being on the League. Lois, are you alright?

Lois Lane has posed:
The dark haired woman listens quietly for several heartbeats, eyes a bit too wide and clearly concerned, but she doesn't press him about it. For once, Lois listens, not going off on her own slightly intoxicated ramble or even interrupting. She really does care that much, and she is that worried.

When he finally finishes, she steps forward, carefully trying to turn his eyes from the bread so he'll look towards her instead. Her hand rests upon his cheek, completely drowning in the warmth of the side of his face, so much smaller than he is, though she rarely realizes it. "Hey. Look at me. I'm fine. It's YOU I'm worried about. No one even touched me today. I just... Fuck, Clark... Tell me these things. Please? It's no different if someone's partner went off to work and got sore from working a coal mine or construction all day. Just because it doesn't permanently damage your body doesn't mean it doesn't... Hurt. Or that I don't care. Or that I don't want to help at the end of the day. Even Superman deserves a fucking bubble bath sometime so... Let me take care of you, okay? That's... all I'm worried about. Even if the sun can do it better. I...I want to do it sometimes."

Clark Kent has posed:
"I haven't had a bubble bath since I was eight." Clark says, trying not to laugh. The truth is he's a little overwhelmed...he's not used to being this intimate with someone, to just letting himself go with another person. But Lois is right.

"Thank you." Clark says, because there's nothing else to say. Or maybe it's the most important thing to say."I really didn't mean to startle you, I guess I'm just...used to this sort of thing. Batman says I have a complex, but he's one to talk." It is in fact the same complex except Bruce's shops at Hot Topic.

"I'm just...really happy to have someone I can talk to about this. All of this. And I didn't want to seem like I was dominating the conversation with the whole other half of my life in your lap." Clark says, giving Lois's hand a more confidant squeeze, soaking in getting to see the other half of Lois Lane that'd only been hinted at for years.

Lois Lane has posed:
As he squeezes her hand, she returns the squeeze and then pulls him back a bit closer. Food ignored for the moment, she tugs him in near and lets her other hand come up to rest on the side of his neck. While Lois is rarely a 'serious' person, she can get there when it matters. And, right now, it matters.

"Look. Clark. Kal-El. You... didn't tell me so I could just pretend you're Superman and nothing matters. Man of Steel. You're still a MAN. A person. Even if that person is an... Alien. Still a person. *My* person. Whom I love... and the shit you go through, it's... Real. It's hard. I can't speak for Batman, but he sure as shit isn't handling this stuff well either. But I don't know him. Don't... love him. And I love you. So...let me be your person. Even if you bring food from somewhere that I can't read the language and no other guy I ever dated could. You're still...You. Let me take care of you. Occasionally."

Clark Kent has posed:
Superman blinks as Lois gets serious, totally disarmed. She can see all shades of Kal-El; the affable lunkhead, the cunning reporter, the simple farmboy, even the iconic superhero. He wasn't expecting things to get this heavy, but...

...but she's right. And she's wonderful. And Clark's sitting right here watching the woman of his dreams want to take care of him.

"Alright." Clark says, after a minute. "As long as it's alright if I do the same. Neither of us need to be invincible with the other, then."

"And I love you too." Clark says, leaning in to kiss her, lightly, on the lips. It's still a little new, but there's more confidence here; the big hurdles have been passed. Now they just have to get used to the new status quo.

Lois Lane has posed:
As he says alright, the Superman agreeing to let the human woman take care of him, Lois' smile warms a bit more. It might be the best smile he's ever gotten out of her or, at least, the most genuine. No snark behind it. She's simply smiling. She leans up for a heartbeat, pressing a kiss against his forehead, before looking back to his eyes to listen to the rest of what he says.

He gets a bit of a wrinkle to her short nose as he mentions taking care of her as well. "I don't *need* taken care of...all that often. But I suppose, when someone has me tied to the lightning rod of some skyscraper, I'll *let* you sweep in and save the day." Then her smile cracks into a wider grin. That was a joke. Mostly.

"..and... I love you too." Those words come softer. No smiles with them. In fact, if Clark is listening to the little hints of her body, the quickening of her heartbeat, faint rise of her blood pressure and breath... She's terrified. It's utterly horrifying to her to say those words. Lois isn't someone who does commitment. But he's worth saying them to, and now they have voice and she means it, no matter how scary. "...I really do." She echoes, to convince herself as much as him> The kiss helps make it better... affirm what she knows is true.