Owner	Pose
Clark Kent	Social media has been exploding. A 'Superman' sighting, not far from the Avenue of Tomorrow, has been traveling around. Pictures of a red-caped something or other floating above the area of the city. Zooms on the figure suggest it COULD be a good likeness. But Superman is dead, still. That this is some sort of copycat is a very strong likelihood. But people love to hope. And what if... what IF?....
Lois Lane	Is that the Man of Steel himself? It was not part of the plan. He would have /told/ her if he was out and about. He should have. Then again, there's that fear that Lois doesn't like lurking beneath her thoughts. Was he angry? Upset at what she had said? Did he not want her help with this story? It would be crushing if it were true. There's no way of knowing unless she confronts him herself. She had to talk to him. She had to know what was going on for certain. Did she run with the story? Was this his way of appearing? Just flying around? Huffing out a held breath of air, Lois makes her way along the street, phone in one hand to keep an eye on social media for anyone talking about the sightings, her other hand shielding her eyes a bit as she looks upward for a familiar face and that red and blue costume. Come on, he had to be here somewhere.
Clark Kent	Lois is in luck, she comes across a group of five people all gesturing upwards and pointing, and talking to each other. And there it is, that dot up in the air! "Just another copycat, some hero showboating off the fame," observes an elderly gentleman nearby. "He was just down here a minute ago." The girl next to him laments, "I missed it?! I don't care if it's a knockoff. COME DOWN," she yells upwards. And then suddenly that dot moves off, towards the north. That way lies both Lois, and also towards the Daily Planet. Where is it headed?...
Lois Lane	Was he looking for her? Lois had been at Clark's, perhaps he had gone to her place and not known where to find her, so he went to the Planet? It made sense. But he was Superman, if he couldn't find her she'd honestly be surprised. He always had a knack for finding her. So, she retreats a bit back towards the planet, remaining in the small plaza outside the doors. An easy to spot figure. "Are you looking for me?" She calls in his direction. If it's him, he'll know her voice right away. She's yelled for help enough times, after all.
Clark Kent	The dot pauses. Orienting down. Perhaps looking around. And then suddenly, down it comes. It isn't elegant, it's more like a rush of force, as the figure plummets, and lands, HARD, onto a parked car, entirely crushing the vehicle. People nearby scream and react as shrapnel from the car goes everywhere. The figure is not, in fact, Superman, and it won't take much for Lois to sort that out. The costume is close, maybe, the size is, but he has a metallic, silvery sheen to his face. It's a good copy: but it is some sort of copy. "Lois Lane, Daily Planet reporter," states the robotic voice of the false Superman, and he kicks the car out of the way, coming for her, now. Not with any super-speed, but clearly with a LOT of strength, and the aspect of surprise on his side.
Lois Lane	The impact is enough of a surprise to send staggering a few steps back, and the shrapnel dangerous enough for Lois' arms to come up to block her face from any stray pieces. But the shrapnel isn't the only thing dangerous in front of her. She doesn't have much room to maneuver either. Behind her is the Planet--she can't go that direction, that'll put this thing in the path of more people and he's certainly not caring much about collateral damage, if the car is any indicator. "Yeah, and you're definitely not Superman. Nice to meet you. So, uh, what exactly are you doing in Metropolis?" She takes the tiniest half-step backwards. She doesn't want to move towards the Planet, but it /is/ pretty intimidating to have him coming in her direction. Oh, this had to have definitely been some kind of dumb trap. She's not entirely sure this is something she can reason with, either. Robot logic doesn't always parse well.
Clark Kent	The false Superman shakes his head slowly, just once. "I am the only Superman now," he declares to her, and closes on her quickly, walking right over, with the very apparent directive to simply just do the action he intends with no preamble: he's coming right for her, just walking over, as if they were going to have a chat. "No spreading lies, reporter." He raises the stakes, though, when he gets closer, moving to try to latch onto her arm, to grab onto her physically, and yank her skywards with a lunge of motion.
Lois Lane	Lois figured her best bet was to wait until he got close and then bolting past him before he had the chance to figure out what she was doing. What she hadn't anticipated was that he was /going/ for her. There was no face off or dialogue written by some madman wanting to play hero. This was pure chaos. Before she can rush past, the arm goes right for her, grabbing for hers before she can even really think about moving it. And there's that surge of force upward. "Oh, this is not good..." And certainly not a good way of holding someone if you plan on holding onto them for any length of time. She's trying to think quick. /Are/ there any other options? She's rapidly being pulled out of her element entirely. There were, after all, limitations to being her. This was one of them.
Clark Kent	He plunges skyward, and the ground falls away in spiraling insanity as the flight is hardly even: spinning, wrenching, cold air buffeting by: the robotic Superman makes zero attempt to protect her from any of it, or to particularly support her: he's just dragging her skyward by the arm. The height is dizzying, and there's no suggestion of reprieve. "I am now Superman," determines the robot to her. "No one says otherwise." And then his clawlike hand opens.
Lois Lane	It's not a comfortable thing to be jerked around by the arm, much less dragged into the sky by it. It's painful, and Lois exhales a hiss of pain as they rapidly rocket skyward. There's certainly no option now, and the fake Superman makes certain of that. As he releases her arm, she shrieks. It's a cry of pain, fear, and it accompanies words. "You're... not... /SUPERMAN/." It's an arrogant retort as much as it is a familiar cry for help. The last word isn't said in a way that really indicates the end of a sentence, it's said as a summons. He'll come. She's never lost faith in that.
Clark Kent	Superman doesn't let her down. He comes for her. Lois's faith in Superman is proven to be accurate. There's a few terrifying seconds of falling. But it's always like that before the rescue. But then he's there, falling with her as he intercepts and slows her drop, to slow her in his arms and then entirely catch her, without harming her at all. It's a confusing tangle of wind as always, but it's entirely familiar: his arms coming up under her back and legs safely, and then drawing her towards him to let her take hold. He isn't dressed in his suit, he's in dark clothes. "You're safe," Superman tells her. "I've got you." He's looking upwards towards the villain that dropped her, which mostly gives her a view of the underside of his jawline, before he looks down to her, checking on her. Bright blue eyes are full of... anger. Protectiveness. A fierceness there, and strong worry.
Lois Lane	There's always that moment of fear, even in the faith, that anxiousness of waiting. It hits her for that brief second, then eases as she feels those familiar arms stop her decent. Lois exhales the breath she'd been holding, her eyes taking in the familiar visage of the hero. The familiar visage. /Familiar/. It's hard to fully sort, but the way he looks at her, those blue eyes it's... it's a worry she sees all the time. Superman cared, there was no question of that. He could be concerned, too. But this was /worry/ and a very particular flavor of it. She'd looked into those worried blues more times than she could count, but now it seemed hard to determine whose eyes they were. Clark's or Superman's? She doesn't have much time for thought, though, as he's taking her somewhere. She knows how this goes, she's tucked into safety while he rushes back to take care of the problem. She's prepared for it. She needs a moment to think anyway. Still, part of her feels the need to speak. "Be careful, okay?" She knows he doesn't need the warning, it's just an expression of her concern. /Her/ worry. One she'd given out to someone else today.
Clark Kent	Superman selects a parking garage rooftop with a good area that clearly leads to stairs, and a protected zone, and sets her down on her feet next to the stairway. He looks over her quickly as if doing an injury check, one hand lifting to her cheek automatically. He did it without thinking, out of a relief and fear. She's precious to him. "I'll be fine," Superman assures her, with his clear, comforting confidence. But the lines are blurring. Over the last decade, Superman has always been gentle with her, warm, willing to hold her, or share a close moment. So this isn't odd, or out of the ordinary. The blurred line comes from that Clark is doing it too. And it's very similar. The love is coming from the same source. "I'll be right back." Anger, now, again, directed upwards. Superman drops his hand and heads upwards in a blur of black shirt and dark blue jeans, going to deal with the monster that harmed Lois.
Lois Lane	Lois is somewhere safe, somewhere he can find her again. As he flies off in a blur of motion, it gives her a chance to catch her breath... literally and metaphorically. She knows what this is. She /knows/, but it's hard to wrap her head around it. Little things she'd picked up, tiny things that seemed off but couldn't be explained. It wasn't the feelings of secret or coincidences, it was the way he looked at her. The way he felt seeping into everything. The look of worry, the anger at her being hurt, the need to protect her even when he wasn't dressed in a cape. It was /there/. Clark didn't just hide his feelings for her away, he hid a whole giant part of himself. But how to process that? How to take all the gears in this intricate clockwork and make them tell time perfectly, to the second? It was a secret so big it was hard to unravel it. She /couldn't/ unravel it, really, it was a secret she was now privy to. It did mean he wasn't keeping things from her, though, even if the nature of the secret was big. There was relief, somewhere, that this was the secret, rather than something else. It wasn't terrible, as secrets go. But still a secret he kept from her. She lets out another deep breath, her eyes raised skywards to look for him.
Clark Kent	There's a fight up there now. There wasn't at first, there was a bit of circling, but now it's a fight. There's a flash of red, some rapid motion. A flare of something exploding, briefly blinding. A few long moments of nothing pass, some blurred motion of the blue and black victor of the short altercation making sure the danger was over. And then he's headed back to Lois to check on her. His clothes are singed from the explosion; he isn't in his suit, so his clothes took some impact from it. There's some burns along left sleeve from the shoulder going down, making some ragged long holes there, but there's no signs of injury. Superman lands neatly on the roof in front of her, with clear intent to hold up his promise to return, to check on her. "It chose to self destruct; I took care of it. Are you all right, Lois?" His voice is clear and low, coming from deep in his chest; he speaks with a full, assured tone as Superman. He stands tall and powerfully, shoulders up and back, the aura of his leadership always worn like a mantle, even if he lacks a cape.
Lois Lane	Lois is fine that she didn't see the fight. While it might have been interesting to watch, even if it were in full view it might have been a blur. There are a million things going through her head like a checklist of things to consider. It was complicated. She would simply have to take some time to sort it through. And then he's back again. "I'm alright," she relays to him. She is, even if things are dizzying. The robot isn't commented on, nor paid attention to, not when... there was a lot. She moves forward, bridging the gap between them. She moves to hug him. Perhaps needing the comfort in the midst of a terrifying experience, perhaps needing comfort because of the bevy of thoughts rushing through her head about everything of significance going on. But she's not doing it for her--she's doing it for him. She slides her arms around him so he can feel how she clings to him. Her head rests against him where she can listen to his heartbeat. And though her face is half-buried against his chest, she knows he can hear her. "I still promise you always."
Clark Kent	Superman did not anticipate hugging. He's surprised by it at first, though it's not at all unusual in general for people to approach and want to hug him during or after a rescue. And Superman's history with Lois does have aspects of closeness. There's been thank-yous before. But after the note Superman had left, this approach isn't what he expected. And he expected even /less/ the words that she gives him as she buries her face into his chest. WHAT?! Superman reacts, tensing automatically, brows moving, as he looks down at the top of her head. He doesn't have a good response ready. Not at /all/. If he's understanding her---- well, his world just turned inside out and a magic dove flew out. He doesn't know what to do. This isn't a sort of monster that Superman expected to encounter. And maybe it's not a monster. He doesn't yet know what it is. He's drenched in anxious fear.
Lois Lane	Maybe not the reaction Lois had hoped for. That was what she had time to prepare in the precious few moments she had while he was taking care of the thing that attacked her. She squeezes him tight for a moment before Lois releases him to step back, just a tiny half-step so she can better look at him. Was he just confused? Was he happy but overwhelmed? Now she's afraid. So she repeats it, slowly and clearly, looking directly at him. "I promise you always." If he doesn't understand from that, maybe she had somehow gotten it wrong. Maybe /nothing/ made sense. She's fighting the urge to try and explain herself in some way, but she leaves it at those words.
Clark Kent	Superman could deny it. Act confused. He's already automatically on that route. The route of dodging it and continuing to keep the two pieces of his life as separate as possible. That's the way it's always been. Over a decade of painstakingly forced to lie and pretend to be injured or rush off to random 'appointments' to cloak his superhero identity. What would follow all of that would be to not know what she means, to fly off, to try to pull things back into what is safest. What's 'best'. But allowing Lois in.... If he believes her words, if he truly does, and she /knows/? If she's figured it out, if the paper-thin veil has fallen away... then her words say that she doesn't hate him. That she might forgive him. That maybe she can accept him. Clark shudders a little, and despite all of the fear, he picks the brave choice. He draws his arms around her, bringing his head down, cheek to hers, and holds her close, keeps her, accepts her promise. "I love you," Clark says softly, barely audible.
Lois Lane	It's like that split second when she falls where she trusts Superman will catch her, that anxiety that builds even with the trust there. Lois /waits/. She waits for what seems like so much longer than it really was. But there was something, a reaction. Slowly, it was those arms around her slowing her fall. It was safe. She was safe. Her arms tighten about him. She knows that there's now a wide open space for them to be vulnerable in, but she's doing her best to let him know she wasn't going to give up. She's sure as hell going to be mad, but he's not losing her. She loves him too much for that. Really mad though. "I love you too," she replies, though her voice comes out much stronger than his, even though she knows he'd hear it even if she was barely breathing it out.
Clark Kent	Clark just stands and holds her for a while, trying to cope with all of it. "I'll take you home," Clark offers, softly, adjusting his hold, to his more usual Superman-travel movement. It's one designed to literally sweep her off her feet. But there's no showmanship to it now: it's utility. He doesn't want to do ...whatever this will be .... on this parking structure rooftop. The trip to Lois's is a short one; he's swift; it'll feel like seconds to her balcony. Maybe it was seconds. It's there that he lowers her back to her feet. Clark feels cut open, his secret laid bare for her judgement, her anger, her righteous frustration. And he'll deserve it. But he's prepared to be sent away, if she needs time, or to take the brunt of it. It might help his guilt, to take the punishment. Heaven knows he's been punishing himself for all of it for years.
Lois Lane	It's a lot to take in. When they arrive back at her place, Lois opens the doors to head in, leaving them open for him to follow. She sinks down onto the couch, letting out a small breath of air. It's clear that there's an urge she's fighting. The urge to just explode the emotions welling up. But she doesn't. She scratches her feelings off a neat checklist to deal with them one by one. "Did you really not trust me enough to tell me?" Her gaze moves to the spot next to her, beckoning with her head that he's supposed to sit. He doesn't get to just be yelled at or posed questions to, he's going to sit and have a conversation with her.
Clark Kent	There's a lot of guilt there; he's wearing it thickly like a shroud. He watches her leave the balcony, and takes a moment to breathe, before he follows inside, quietly closing the balcony door. This is what he's been afraid of for years. The anticipation of anxiety and fear of his world falling apart is very, very real. But it's coming with a sense of resignation. The cape is off, what happens now? He does't know. Not at all. Clark approaches the couch, with something that's not exactly shyness. It's that very low place. And her first question confirms it. This will be hard. "It isn't about trust. At first it was -- but--" Clark sinks into the spot she indicated for him. His brows are together, expression worried. It's very much Clark here: he didn't transform into someone else. "It was about protecting you. And then I just..." Then he just couldn't say he'd lied.
Lois Lane	Lois is keenly aware that, in all of those boiling emotions, he's still her Clark. She made him promises and she plans on keeping them. Her hand moves to take his. Even if she might be upset or asking some hard questions... there's the desire to make sure he knows she isn't going to walk. She remembers far too keenly when she thought he was going to walk out that door and she'd rather not repeat the incident with the roles reversed. Especially not with this next one. "You made me /pick/ between... well, you and you. You saw how much I hurt and you still didn't think that kind of pain was enough to warrant telling me?" This... this is the one she's the most upset about.
Clark Kent	That wasn't necessarily the thing he expected to be hit with first. But it is the most recent of the wounds, really. Clark deflates a little bit. He isn't fully /slouching/ really, but the weight on his spirit has reduce his stature. "You chose between ... between /me/ and ..." He trails off. It's hard to say it, even now. "And Superman. But then you chose me. Without all of that. I didn't..." he didn't expect it. "I didn't think you'd choose me." Clark, he means. "I was trying to decide how to tell you."
Lois Lane	He's being Clark right now, which makes getting her frustrations out that much harder. Lois makes a face. "Maybe you should have done a better job figuring that out, Smallville. While I am immensely glad that I am somehow not letting either of you down and I'm grateful for that, you let /me/ down. I was agonizing over it. You're Superman, you swoop in the second someone's in danger from something and you watched me hurt for days when you could have swooped in and saved me from that." One hand stays with his, finding it more grounding than anything, but the other rubs her face a bit. "Aside from the whole... identity thing... did you lie about anything else?"
Clark Kent	Clark releases a deep, slow breath, lifting a hand to rub up from his cheek into his hair. "I know, Lois. I hurt you," Clark agrees, closing his eyes, brows down and together. He knows he did that. "It doesn't matter what I intended. That's what happened," Clark says, opening his eyes and looking at her. He'll face this, and be responsible for the things he's done. "You're right. I'm sorry." "I'm also not .... actually afraid of bees," Clark admits softly. "Or heights."
Lois Lane	"I figure some things are exaggerated to make you look less super, sure," Lois gets it. She's seen with her brief period of time dating Superman how hard it gets /without/ having some sort of secret identity to fall back on. Hiding that... logistically Lois had been thinking about that for a long time. Superman had made some good points about her being a secret. He's a public figure. Celebrities had she same problem, with people bothering them and who they cared about because they were interested. "I forgive you for it, but it doesn't mean I'm not going to be upset over it for a while." That's certainly an understatement. "And every time you ran off from danger? Just you doing Superman stuff?" The hard part is... now she has to determine who Clark /is/. Running from danger? Not actually this fusion of Clark and Superman's MO.
Clark Kent	"Anyone that's close to me is a target. I'm not... invulnerable. My vulnerability is the people I care about. The people I love," Clark sighs. "I know it's better to keep everyone in the dark, everyone at a distance." He sucks his lower lip in between his teeth, looking down. "But after I died, I..." Clark swallows. "I couldn't keep how I felt from you anymore." And Superman leaked it out. "Running off? Yes. I switched to Superman. To help somewhere."
Lois Lane	Lois frowns. She does understand the desire to keep people safe. Her own worry over Clark seems silly now in retrospect, but she knows the feeling. "You know, every time say it's 'better' to keep people at a distance, they're still going to be hurt, just in a different way. They lose your love. They lose you in their lives. Just because you're alive doesn't mean that you're /living/." She gives him a glare. "If you are doing something to protect me from immediate danger, sure, I'll accept not getting my head smashed in by a car. But I swear if you ever isolate yourself from me to 'protect' me, I will hunt you down wherever you are and drag you back by the cape if I have to."
Clark Kent	"Are you sure that.... you can handle this? Who I am?" Clark asks, quietly. He lifts his free hand towards her, near her cheek, just attempting to brush the side of her hair back with a few fingertips. He's giving her a steady look, and the slouch has eased way. It's a version of Clark that is still shy, but not shying /away/. "I don't want to isolate from you," Clark says, with the warmth and honesty that he's capable of, when he's not hiding. "I want an us. I just can't forgive myself if you're hurt because of me."
Lois Lane	Lois' gaze is on him for a long moment, not in decision, but because she's trying to study the strange mix of Superman and Clark being the same person. It's easier for her to picture him as Clark and then slowly blend in habits and behaviors from there. It's something she hopes will just get easier over time. For now... it's just a strange thing to see. "I've never been one to shy away from a challenge, Clark. I had an idea of what I was up against when I agreed to be with Superman. I thought a lot about logistics and what it would mean both for myself and the world... I put thought into it, trust me on that. But even if it's difficult, I think it's worth it." His hand is squeezed, and she leans in slightly at the touch of his fingertips near her hair. "If you can't forgive yourself if I'm hurt, then I can tell you two things. First... don't be the one to hurt me. Simple one. Second... we just work together so that if something big comes up, I'll be safe. Look, I know I find trouble... but if there's something big, I'll listen to you on the part about hiding. That help?"
Clark Kent	"It.... wasn't going to be easy, being with Superman," Clark agrees, heavily. A deeper weight on that. It still isn't going to be easy. "I knew that it was something unfair to ask of you." It still is, to some extent. But it probably does help explain his viewpoint: concealing Superman was necessary. And while the secret persisted... "I loved you completely," Clark tells her, softened. "Regardless of costumes. And I won't ask you to hide, I just..." He sighs. He drops his hands to hers, attempting to hold both of her hands with his. To cup them, warm. "No more secrets. You have all the keys," he promises her.
Lois Lane	"I chose it, Clark. You forget that I'm the other half of this. I don't have a cape, but I'm a hell of a fighter." Lois looks at him. "You let me figure out the emotional complications of you saving the day and coming back to me at the end of it. I can handle it." She leans in to kiss his cheek, the hands squeezed gently. "I'm okay not being Superman's girlfriend if I can be Clark Kent's. So long as you clue me in. Just don't leave me in the dark." She lets out a heavy breath. "I'm... not done being angry, but I'm okay. There's a lot to this. That's just the stuff I needed to get out there before potentially exploding."
Clark Kent	Clark doesn't invite her to be angry, or not angry, or tell her it's okay to be angry. She knows, and he won't pander to her at all. He just stays with her there in the moment, holding her hands, keeping the connection. "I wish I'd let you see me earlier, without disguise. I thought the wall would keep you safe, but walls don't work that way. It just... kept us apart. It put you in the dark, for so long. And I...." Clark looks at their hands. "I can only work to make it up to you, every day, if you give me the chance."
Lois Lane	"I'd... really like that, yeah," Lois murmurs, letting her own gaze wander down to their hands. "There's nothing more I'd like. I know there's a lot to figure out but... if you're just honest with me, if you don't shut me out, I think I can figure out the complications. Just be patient with me. It's not like you find out this sort of thing all the time." She pauses for a moment. "Who else knows?"
Clark Kent	"I can be patient," Clark answers. Boy, can Clark be patient. And he will do whatever it takes, even if it tortures him. He's extremely stressed, his fears have made him uneven, shakey. He moves cautiously now, to put an arm around her, if she allows him that. He scoots closer, trying to draw her in. He was so nervous, so afraid. And her touching him will reveal that, the tension, the shakiness. "My parents. And a short list of heroes, mostly Justice League," Clark answers her. "Only two people have figured it out without me telling them. Batman -- and you."
Lois Lane	"Guess I'm up there on that rare list," Lois says, her tone amused. When he moves an arm around her, she doesn't move away, instead leaning in against him. There's still some tension in there, but it's nothing insurmountable. It's only a lingering feeling from a surprising circumstance. That and Clark is her sorce of safety... even if he's the root of the situation. She's not willing to give that up even in the middle of things. "You know, I really did like the flowers," she points out. "I wouldn't mind if you did that again." There's almost a /shy/ smile there.
Clark Kent	"Batman isn't bad company, no," Clark answers. Though that may just remind of how much access Clark actually has to superheroes: and all of those interviews. Where she got the Superman scoop instead of Clark getting it, teased him. He'd given her those, of course. Clark laughs, still nervous, as she remarks about the flowers, but it drops into a lower place in his chest. His natural laugh. He has a deeper inflection when he relaxes his voice. "All right, good to know."
Lois Lane	Lois' arms move around him after a moment and she squeezes him a hug. There was plenty she had to be mad about, but... having that tension broken? Those questions about little things that Clark was hiding? It was worth it to have no secrets. Amidst the anger and frustration, there was still something that made her feel like they were closer. Her arms squeeze again. "Not going to bite your head off and I don't hate you," she assures him, still well-aware of his tension.
Clark Kent	It's her turn to be angry, upset, hurt, and for him to take it. At least, that's what he'd intended, in the confusion of all of it. Of her discovery. She hugs him, squeezes him, though, and some of his own denial starts to dip. She says she doesn't hate him. He swallows hard and hugs her securely, with a catch in his throat. "Thank you," he says, muffled. The wall had some cracks in it, and the relief is starting to arrive. She's still with him. He releases a soft sniffle, but otherwise seems to be keeping things under control.
Lois Lane	Beyond all the anger and frustrating and pain that's there, Lois loves Clark. She'll figure the rest out as she goes. In an emergency situation, she goes for what's important and lets the other things sort themselves out until she can deal with them. It's a laundry list of frustrations and things she needs to accept and move on from, but the biggest piece of the puzzle is that, beyond everything, she treasures his heart, his feelings. So the second she hears the tiniest noise that /he's/ the one not okay in the moment, the dynamic changes. She lifts her head a bit to get a good look at him. "Hey." She doesn't offer him any soft words of encouragement, she's just giving him a little check in. He'll speak if he needs to.
Clark Kent	Lois gets a good look at Clark when she draws her head back to see him more properly; he does start to shy his head down, but then catches himself, and stops doing it. He looks her in the eyes, a variety of worried, expressive pain in his eyes. But hope. The movement of worry into hope. Fears are there, but Superman has a layer of strength that can rally. "I feared losing you," Clark says, tentative. He feared her reaction, that everything would crumble down. He feared losing everything he worked to build, true, but Lois, too. "Losing my heart."
Lois Lane	It does make sense. He should have told her, but why he didn't tell her? It's hard to put him at fault for that. And it's hard not to imagine how terrifying it would be to build a house of cards that big. "Clark," Lois murmurs, releasing one of his hands so she can reach up and place it on his cheek. "I know you were scared. But you don't have to be scared anymore. I'm not saying I'm /okay/, because I'm not. I have questions, things I need to wrap my head around, but all that... that's not important. You're the important thing here. I'm not going anywhere." She grins, suddenly. "You really think you can get rid of me that easily, Smallville? Going to have to work harder than that."
Clark Kent	Clark isn't sure how to not be scared, how to not be vigilent all the time. To take in that she /knows/. He hasn't caught up to what that really means, perhaps no more than she's taken in that Clark is Superman. He was about to offer her time to process, but her words say the opposite. Get rid of her? "I've hoped and looked forward to the day that... I could answer your questions. Thought about what I would say." Clark pauses. "Right now, though, I just... love you more than I ever have."
Lois Lane	"Good, then you'll be prepared to answer them all," Lois smiles at him, but it's less amused and more tender. "I'll be asking them... in due time." Really, right now it felt alright just holding him. His words, though? There's a flush of color as she takes them in. It's not the kind of thing someone just says casually to you everyday. "I hope it's good that I didn't keep that revelation to myself, then." It's almost a joke. It's quickly given a follow up. "I love you. All of you. Even if it takes some getting used to."
Clark Kent	"I'm not... different," Clark says softly, as she mentions there's some getting used to. He knows that there is, of course, but he still needed to say it. He is still Clark. "I didn't ask for the abilities I have," he adds. "I wanted an ordinary life. But I know that isn't what destiny has for me." Clark smiles softly, leaning his cheek into her hand. "I don't know why I've returned from the dead. I wanted to tell you. It haunts me, Lois," he says, quietly. "But this doesn't. You've helped me find grounding." He touches her hand at his cheek. "I wanted you to know that."
Lois Lane	Lois keeps her hand on his cheek, resting it there. "I can't imagine dying was..." Well, it's hard to imagine dying at all. "You have no idea how grateful I am that you're back. I don't care how it happened, even though I'm sure the rest of the world will be dying to know. I'm just so grateful." Something does occur to her. "Did your dad really get sick? You were gone /before/ Superman died..." She doubts that's something he'd have added to the lie, but it certainly did work out in his favor. "You probably still have all those stupid voicemails I sent to your phone, don't you?"
Clark Kent	"I...." Clark swallows hard. "Yes, Pa got very ill. His heart," Clark says, tone closing as his voice gets tight. He draws back just a little, but not out of reach. He's just doing what he always does: pulls inside some, but then he looks up and meets her eyes. "I went to help him. Stay by his side. Leaving him, to fight Doomsday is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. And knowing I left him, then? Left him to deal with my death, as well?" Clark lowers his head. "I do have them. I'm so sorry I wasn't able to reply when you needed me, too."
Lois Lane	Lois shakes her head a little. "I... I almost went to see them. Your parents, I mean. You never picked up your phone and I..." She rubs the back of her neck. "Well, it wasn't my place." She glances back over at him. "I'm glad it turned out okay there, too. I guess I'm just thankful that whatever happened to bring you back brought you back." She leans in so she can rest her forehead against his. "You make it sound like it's your fault that you died. It's /not/. You can be sorry that I hurt, but don't be sorry for something that's not your fault." She laughs, just slightly. "I don't suppose I can convince you to delete those voicemails, huh? I'm pretty sure they're kind of embarrassing if I remember half of them. Just things that made me think of you that I wanted to share." In some ways, an oral history of her grief.
Clark Kent	"I'd still like to take you to meet them. When you'd like to," Clark offers. It has a tone of uncertainty, but his hope. Clark does hope. He still wants to bring her, to his family. "Ma has.... wanted me to tell you since I can't remember." Clark laughs softly. "She thought that would be best." Clark flushes, resting his forehead to hers, finally starting to relax. It's there in his shoulders. "They aren't embarrassing. But I will delete them, if you'll send me new ones," Clark asks, with a brief smile. Bolder than he usually is, Clark doesn't have to play up his shyness to a crippling level. He's able to smile at her, genuine and hopeful.
Lois Lane	"Oh?" There's suddenly a playful tone in her voice. "Has your mother known about your interest in me this entire time?" Lois seems rather amused at this idea. "She's a smart woman. You know that." There's a small nod. "Yeah, I'd like to meet them. It would be nice to be able to share stories about you. Probably really embarassing ones." He wanted normal? He'd get the torture even normal couples give each other. The embarassing parental stories. "You don't have to delete them if you /promise/ you keep those a secret," Lois offers him. "But... if you want more voicemails, I will try and catch you when you don't pick up your phone. A lot easier to do when you were..." It's easier to say he was away then /dead/.
Clark Kent	"Ma knew before I did," Clark answers, with a sentimental smile. "I know she is. I think ... it would thrill her to be able to talk to you - particularly without having to hold anything back. And yes, I'll be embarrassed." Clark chuckles, smile warming up even more. "But it's worth it, for the rest of it." He squeezes her hand. "Let's talk about that later," Clark suggests. The death thing. "I'd like to focus on what we have now. And that... I want to do anything to make this work. To help you forgive me."
Lois Lane	"Mother's intuition," Lois grins. "She knows you well." There's a soft nudge. "I would like to see her, though. It would be nice to be able to talk about it with someone." She does like that thought, but it's not one she dwells on too much. The suggestion that they move around the death topic is also a welcome one. The idea of losing him feels more painful than ever now. "You aren't terrible at the hiding this, you know. You... really did have me fooled for a long time. I don't think you could have kept it up for ten years if 'us' had happened a while ago."
Clark Kent	Clark smiles at the nudge, nudging her back lightly. He moves his arm around her back a little, to run his palm up and down her back. He's taking in that she's still there. She's with him. They're still together. It's going to take a while to realy sink in, though. And she could still sleep on it and change her mind, after all. "I... think that's true. As soon as we started to get closer..." Clark looks at her sideways, leaning the side of his cheek to brush hers. "I had to... pull away, or be all-in." He swallows. "I just... couldn't pull away again. Not knowing you loved me back."
Lois Lane	Maybe she could change her mind, a night's rest sometimes did those things. But Lois was dead set on the way things were. "It was... there were little things that felt different. I knew there was /something/. I honestly wasn't sure what you were holding back and I just felt like maybe you'd tell me or if I poked a little maybe whatever was bothering you would come up." She's smiling at him. "I'm glad you went all-in." She glances at him. "Because everything that we have was a big gamble. You could have stopped any of it at any point. I gave things a shot but you were always the one who could shut it down. I'm grateful. Because this... it's nice. Hell of a surprise, but nice."
Clark Kent	Clark draws his head back to look at her searchingly, into her eyes. His brows lower with the intensity of it. He's seeking, really searching for how she feels about it. He didn't know what she'd make of it, even after years of thinking up theories. Hearing that his surprise is /nice/? "'Nice'?" Clark asks, quietly. It isn't with disbelief or dismay, more an echo to see if she'll elaborate at all.
Lois Lane	Lois makes a face. "I am exercising restraint. Because I'm not exactly used to being sappy and romantic or gushing about things that mean the world to me." She looks at him. "You're my weakness just as much as I am yours." Her cheeks are red already, probably what she was trying to avoid. "No one knows me like you do. And you /do/ make me incredibly sappy and romantic and it's not as if I have to impress you but..." She looks back at him. "It doesn't change that I feel a little silly /looking/ silly in front of you."
Clark Kent	"I'm impressed. Extremely impressed. Including right now. You're being beyond incredible to me," Clark says, still aiming his gaze directly into hers. Noticing her blush, his smile grows; it isn't teasing, it's pleasure. "Come on now, you were dropped out of the sky less than an hour ago. You seem to bounce back from anything. You're amazing. I need more of that in my life," Clark says with sincerity.
Lois Lane	Lois can't help but laugh. "I'm not so sure of that. But it's a lot easier to recover from something like this when I've got someone I can count on. You always save me." She looks him over. "But I'm glad you think so. I certainly get enough practice." She spends a moment in silence to just look at him, her gaze soft and warm. "You going to be okay? I know is a lot for me but... you've been thinking on this for /years/. That's got to feel strange."
Clark Kent	"I was afraid of... a lot of things," Clark says, with a heaviness, but no fear of admitting this. Clark (and Superman) have never had difficulty with pride. He can say when he's made a mistake or where he isn't good enough. "Anyone who knows my identity has tremendous power. The lives of those close to me, my parents-- are in trust to those that know." He swallows and holds her hand. "Superman is a danger lightning rod. Or was, while alive. I need to be able to count on you, more than ever," Clark closes his eyes, shoulders descending towards a more Clark posture. "Becoming close to me comes with these big burdens. That I don't feel it's fair to ask of anyone." And his isolation comes out of that. "I'll be okay.. when I'm sure that you're okay, Lois," Clark finishes. "I know this is a lot, and we've barely touched the surface." Understatement: all of those thousands of weird behaviors will start to pop forward with now-obvious explanations: showing up neary instantly to help her move her fridge, when he thought it was more serious. Injured head by car door but not obvious damage. Yet there's also strange holes in such things: he's bled in front of her before, years ago... which shouldn't have been possible. At least, not until Doomsday showed he could get beat bloody.
Lois Lane	There's a lot of feelings mixed in there too, things associated with those activities. Clark had helped with her fridge and that was touching, but the entire activity was actually him pretending not to be strong. He had still wanted to help, which was also touching, but not the same sentiment. There's a difference when it's pushing your own boundaries to help someone else. Lois frowns, just slightly, before just... hugging him again. "I hope you'll be patient with me. There are just things that... things look a little different in some ways. You were..." She hesitates. "I just need to figure out how much of you was you and how much was you pretending not to be Superman." She nudges him gently. "You let me open all the Snapples. You pretended you couldn't. It was kind of nice to have something I could do for you." She can already tell it's going to be hard to feel like she quite measures up, now.
Clark Kent	"Maybe I liked you opening my Snapples," Clark answers in a small voice, as she hugs him. He lets go of her hand to hug her fully with both arms, moving to set his nose against her shoulder, allow a held breath to slowly eke it's way out. "I'd still like you to." Even if it has nothing to do with 'can' or 'can't'. And then there's the big issue of acting and faking in front of her for years. Yes, that big issue. "All of it, just .... it was me acting afraid. It doesn't ... change that you know me. It doesn't change us together, when there was nothing to fear," Clark offers, frowning, brows knitting, but holding her close. Even the past week, he'd been a little careful about how he held her: that physical hiding thing ever since she'd seen some of his physique and he overacted his slouch and timidness to try to combat it. He's eased out of it, and the way he's approaching her is much more Superman: not afraid of his own body, allowing the position of bulky bicep up under her arm to be evident. The mask is off, and he's allowing her to easily see that he's able to, say, rescue a crashing plane.
Lois Lane	There's a small smile that slips at at his suggestion that he /liked/ it. Lois squeezes him gently at that. It's a fair point, she'll give him that one. But there's certainly a difference between Clark hiding and Clark being himself. Even just the way he's holding her. It's a bit strange, really. She thought the jump from Clark as just a best friend to Clark in a relationship was a little odd. She lets out a slow breath. "I just don't know how much I know. I knew before what you were comfortable with, what you liked, just... details now that I don't know if they're the same. It's not like your favorite color changes or food you like makes a different, but..." She tries to approach it differently. "Is there anything I'm doing or not doing that's just because of you protecting your secret?" She's not even sure where to begin.
Clark Kent	"I'm not sure I understand what you're asking me, Lois," Clark answers, puzzled, drawing his head back and releasing the tight hug to be able to see her expression again. "What are you worried about?" he asks, in a more perceptive way, looking between her eyes.
Lois Lane	"I guess I'm just worried I'm... acting on the wrong information," Lois shakes her head a bit before looking back at him. "I don't think it's going to make any sense until it comes up, which I'm sure it will." She's got to remember that, at least in private, Clark's not going to be burned by the oven or hurt by pretty much anything, but she knows she'll worry anyways. Instincts. "I don't want things to change, Clark. I mean, they will obviously, I just don't want... /us/ to change. But I know it's going to feel different for a while. I just... I got used to things." She doesn't mind retreading ground to get her footing in a new situation, she just felt like she had made progress before.
Clark Kent	Clark sighs, "I know. I really ... wanted what we found together," Clark answers. He pulls from the hug entirely, seeking out her hand to draw it to his chest. His intent was over his heart, but there's a lot of tense muscle there too, from his slight agitation level. This is important. He sits up and back a little, straightening his spine, chest open and forward, not concave and hiding. Clark takes up a lot of space, presence-wise, when he does this. It's a piece of the man that led the Justice League. "You saw through, to me, though, Lois. I know I'm ...complicated. More than you signed on for with Clark the mild-mannered reporter. Yes, I had to pretend I couldn't do superhuman feats, but I haven't pretended with how I feel. I can't do that. Clark loves you, Superman loves you: I love you; I hope you can see it. And now it can... combine for you, like it's always been for me."
Lois Lane	Her hand rests over his heart, looking back at him. Lois smiles, this one kind of soft. "I've always seen it. I was willing to date Superman, so I kind of expected some amount of complexity to this. I... didn't think I'd get both, though. That's not a part of the picture I even remotely had." Her eyes scan him carefully. "I was serious when I told Superman... /you/... that I wanted to be able to know the person you were behind the symbol and the hero and I still want that. I promised you always earlier... and now I'm promising /all/ of you always." She grins. "I'll figure the rest of it out. /Us/... that's the important part. I've got some of that figured out."
Clark Kent	Clark leans forward to set his forehead briefly to hers. Just a contact, a closeness, an affectionate movement. "I remember when you said that," he agrees, gently. "The thing was, you already knew the person behind the symbol. That's Clark. Or Kal-El, I guess. I have collected a few names, but..." a breath is released. "I was raised as Clark. Before I had any clue what or who I would become. Or the legacy I carry. Before powers. I was Clark Kent first." He holds her hand more securely over his heart before he lets his hand go, leaving her to do what she will with her palm. "And as Clark I've found the career I wanted, and the woman I love."
Lois Lane	Her palm stays planted over his heart, resting there while her eyes scan his. "Well, I guess I'm just going to learn the bits of Clark I hadn't learned prior to now," Lois' voice remains soft for the moment. "I think it's always easier to think of you as Clark. I know you the best as Clark... even if I've always been making eyes at Superman." There /is/ some humor in that. "I admit it must have been pretty frustrating to be your own competition." She even laughs a tiny bit now. "I... must say, now that I look at it from the other angle, it must have been very confusing to have me suddenly change my mind about Clark."
Clark Kent	"I always wanted you to follow your heart," Clark says, easily able to quote the note that Superman had left her with the flowers. "Even if it wasn't me at all. I want your happiness," Clark says, heavily, but with deep honesty. Even if it hurts. "To accept that I bring a layer of chaos to your life that isn't fair to you." He draws his hand to her cheek, gently brushing her skin there, curving thumb in to tenderly draw it over her lower lip. "I was frustrated in that I caused that strife in you. I never expected you to like me as Clark." He really didn't. "And when you asked me about if there was more to it, I -- I thought you had figured out my secret. And I... that's where the kiss came from." That for Clark, that was a kiss from the combination. Clark pauses, eyes searching, to offer to brush lips again. He isn't sure where her mood will be, if she'll not welcome it yet.
Lois Lane	He was being honest about wanting her to be happy. Everything he did reflected that desire. Out of everything, that was something Lois could /absolutely/ be sure of. It was a solid pillar for her to hold onto. Her eyes do widen a bit as he mentions the motivation behind that kiss. There's a tiny smile. "You know, I'd have to say that was one of the best kisses I've ever had. I may not have known then, but I certainly felt what you wanted behind that kiss. You were very happy. And very much in love." She leans in closer, to rest her forehead against his. "But now I know your secret, Clark Kent. And I'm still here." She meets his eyes, then leans in to kiss him.
Clark Kent	Clark may have had a reply, words of some sort in response to the quality of his kiss, or maybe her knowing his secret. But maybe much can just be unsaid: the house of cards of /reasons/ falling into place. Why his suits don't fit. Why he doesn't aggressively look for promotions. Why he sells himself short all the time. And then why Superman doesn't ever appear weak, doesn't eat, stays distant. So many things kept at arms' length. But now, in the aftermath of the death, that intricate balance got upset. He needed her. And she was there for him. He could have said things. He's certainly swift enough to have said something even before she kissed him. He doesn't. He doesn't apply power to that, no more than he does when he holds her or softly cups her face in his hands, fingertips breezing against her neck. And he kisses her wrecklessly, with hope and relief, seeking that she still be there for him. Trust finally fits the last pieces into place, and he doesn't hold back the emotional wave. A kiss that has a lot to prove, a lot to show. To make sure she doesn't regret staying by his side, and in his arms.
Lois Lane	Part of Lois was hoping to see if he'd wow her with a kiss like the one he gave her when he thought she found out. She knew, however, that that was born out of a particular emotion, and this kiss was born out of a very different one. It doesn't mean it lacks any of the passion that the first one did, merely a different form. Lois wasn't entirely sure how /he'd/ respond to the kiss given that it was the first they'd shared since every barrier between them was broken. Given the response, however, she didn't really have to worry about it. The strength of the emotion startles her at first, but the momentary surprise is quickly responded with and returned with sudden relief that he wasn't hiding anything from her. Any emotional distance that was there before... just wasn't, now. It was almost freeing. Her arms tighten around him, grateful that they still had this, complicated as it was and certainly would be in the future.
Clark Kent	The kiss is hard to truly describe. It lasts for what feels like a blissful forever. Wrapped up in her, and she in him, leaving the confusing pieces outside of their love for a little while. Just that blissful little forever. As the kiss parts, he kisses her soft and quick, and stays close, looking at her, blue eyes gentle. "I'd like to show you something," Clark offers, carefully. He pauses, and then starts to move, towards his feet, intending to gently lead her to stand as well.
Lois Lane	Lois is left in a pretty happy, blissful place at the end of the kiss, and when she opens her eyes to look back into his, she's smiling. Her expression flashes with a bit of curiosity at his suggestion. She releases him, letting him get to her feet before she lets him assist her to her own. This is something she's entirely unsure of what it could be. Clark might have something small and romantic, Superman could have something dramatic (and also romantic), but now? Now all bets were off. These were untread waters. Waters she's now excited to swim. "Alright, show me then," she says.
Clark Kent	Clark blushes a little, but nods. His head is still held high, he's in ownership of his space. He's really tall when he does this, when he stops cowering or shrinking away. Body language is a huge factor of how someone 'feels'. It's Clark, but it's a Clark free of shackles. He takes her hand to draw her to the balcony, opening the door to let them out onto it. He doesn't indicate what she should do: he does move towards her, intending to pick her up as Superman always does, but he's got a layer of carefulness here. He doesn't want this to be too weird for her. His gaze is lightly concerned. "It's not far."
Lois Lane	Lois follows him out to the balcony, shutting the door behind her. Not far? That was easy for him to say, now. They could be anywhere with rapid speed. She nods, however, both in agreement to his words as well as a silent confirmation that he's free to move about in her space as needed. He'd always been very careful about her comfort, even long before this.
Clark Kent	Clark steps to her and picks her up. She does, of course, really weigh nothing, but he doesn't make some effort to really show that. His posture has always been to help her feel secure and safe in flight. He guides her arm to his neck as usual. Well, as usual for Superman. And then they're off, a little burst of extreme speed and motion that will rip her breath away, but it's only that. And he's bringing her off of his own balcony, into his own apartment, before he leans her back to her feet. "Really not far," Clark says, a bit bashfully. He pauses, as if uncertain, but then leads the way towards his hallway.
Lois Lane	Flying is never something she thinks she'll ever fully get used to... but she doesn't mind. The exhilaration of that sudden movement is wonderful and Lois reflexively holds a little tighter. Reflexes, though. She trusts she'll be fine with him. She's always had the utmost faith in that he'll keep her safe. He's never let her down. He never will. She does smile more broadly when she recognizes where they are. "Not far at all," she agrees. When she's on her feet again and he begins to lead her, she moves to slide her hand into his.
Clark Kent	"I haven't been storing it here, but I brought it back just a few days ago," Clark says, enigmatically. He glances down at her hand as she seeks that contact, slowing to look at that, then up to her. The reaching out is well noticed. He squeezes her hand, but lets go of it once they get to his bedroom. He crosses to the big air conditioner, the squat metal ugly thing by the window, and carefully moves it out of the way. It's glaringly bizarre, probably, to just see Clark do that; the thing is unweildy and heavy. But nope, just boom, moved, no problem, no fanfare. There's a compartment, a low wooden box under it, and that's what Clark was after. He removes it, and brings it towards her, to put it on the end of the bed. He flips open the latches, but then just looks at her. He knows Lois always gets the scoop. This particular scoop, this box, contains something that hasn't seen the light of day for over two years. The large, broad 'S' in red upon gold is folded in the bin. It looks undamaged, as if no Doomsday had ever befell it. "I've finished fixing it," Clark notes, softly.
Lois Lane	It is going to take some getting used to, seeing Clark moving things as if they weighed nothing. Lois watches, a little surprised, but more curious than anything else when he removes the box. Then, with the box open, Lois takes it all in. Superman's iconic symbol, sitting there on Clark Kent's bed. She reaches out a hand to trace it, then places her palm on it over where his heart would be were he wearing it. "Does that mean you're ready?"
Clark Kent	Clark watches her interact with it, a slightly bleeding look to his gaze. He's showing her for multiple reasons. Can she accept the weight of it? Having these realities crash together? And then he reflects, more wisely: can /HE/ accept these realities crashing together? Is this more about him, somehow? Clark watches her with the emblem perched in the neatly folded suit under it: the red and blue. He comes to her side, curving an arm around her waist. It's not a best friend move, it's a boyfriend move, and settle of hand just above her hip. "It means... it's ready when I am. I used to wear it under my suits all the time. I know you wondered why nothing fits me well... that's a big part of why. I think I will start doing that again. If the time comes that he's needed... he can appear."
Lois Lane	Lois leans her weight against him, not thinking for a second about it--she's certainly not going to knock him over. And it's nice feeling that pillar of strength at her side with his arm around her. "That would explain the clothing, yes." She chuckles lightly. "It's a shame, though. You do look really good in clothes that fit you." Now, there's a grin. "I guess I'll have to get my eye candy in Superman, like millions of others do." It's a playful laugh, her fingers still tracing the S. "It's good that Superman's there if he's needed. The people will certainly be excited for that. I'll have your story ready once you decide how you want to frame it."
Clark Kent	Clark laughs, mildly embarrassed, but his smile is warm and accepting. He hasn't turtle away from it. It's fully Clark there, just with an infusion of confidence. "I do own things that fit me," he teases her. "You're now in an elite group that gets to see them, I guess. I hadn't really thought about it." Entirely true: he had not been very conscious of that it would change his wardrobe, this secret coming out. He had other priorities! "'Have my story'? What, I'm cut out of the writing now?" Clark asks, in mock-insult. "We agreed on Lois and Clark, as I remember."
Lois Lane	"Excuse me, but I've got to interview you. That means a lot of me writing what you're saying down. That is still /technically/ you being part of the writing process, is it not?" Lois bumps him with her hip. "The point being, we need to have it ready for when you do. We're gonna have to run that immediately after if we want to have things first." There's a sudden smile. This felt more like /them/ for a moment. "You and I have always been a good team, Clark. Partners. Don't worry, I won't kick you /entirely/ out of your own story. Maybe I'll let you write a footnote."
Clark Kent	"What makes you so sure you'll get the first interview," Clark fires back, but his grin is quick, just like hers. This felt much more like /them/. And he can sense it also. That they can resume that beat that they had, with only some stumbling. Considering what Lois has been hit with lately....? Superman's Alive. Superman wants to be with her. Clark loves her, and has for years. Clark's dating her. Clark is /Superman/. -- It's a wonder she's not entirely dizzy by now. And Clark recognizes it. He smiles down at her, a flutter of love behind his teasing look. "/Our/ story."
Lois Lane	"It certainly is /our/ story." Lois looks back up at him, squeezing him with one arm. It's a sweet, lovely moment and she does let it linger for a moment... "But... you /did/ promise me, thank you very much. Maybe you don't remember because you were too busy gazing into my eyes with love an affection," she says, looking at him with a grin. "Besides. I could be convincing. You /know/ I'm good at that." But she doesn't stray into the playful teasing territory too long. It's simply a matter of grounding her, regaining enough confidence for her to stand on her own again. "I love you," she says, simply, letting the words stand on their own.
Clark Kent	"I love you," Clark answers Lois simply, turning to face her, engulf her in an embrace. Under whatever teasing or play, the fun and little jabs, it's there, strong and comfortable. He feared losing her, her anger, but he's seeing trust instead. What real trust, and love, can make. "As Clark, as Superman, as Kal-El. Doesn't matter. And I'll love you always."