Spoilers: Mostly just for Pariah Author's Notes: This is my first Clois ffic; I'm a Clanaer and always will be, but the Clois need more fics. And yeah, they rule. Anyway, This is short and unbeta'd and has the potential to be out of character, because writing wit is hard.
Dedication: To Cait, because she rules. And she awwwed while reading this. Twice.
Disclaimer: SV? Mine? Don't I wish
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Lois has always been a light sleeper, but as she is suddenly pulled into consciousness she struggles to determine what woke her.
Sitting up, she piers around her dorm room. Nothing is out of place – what was that? Someone's opening her door. It's notorious for creaking; that must have been what woke her.
Leaping out of bed, she goes to her door. Yanking it open she squints in the sudden light from the hallway. She looks around for something to throw at her assailant when she realizes she hasn't been attacked.
Confused, she looks at them for the first time.
"Clark?" She stares, wide eyed.
"Hi. I was just um…" He breaks off and she waits expectantly, but he says nothing.
"Yes…?"
"I'm sorry I woke you," he says instead. I was trying to be quiet and…"
She shrugs. "Do you want to come in?" She's not really sure why she asked it but Clark doesn't seem himself.
He hesitates, and then, "yeah, okay."
She closes the door behind him and switches on the lights. Lois goes to sit on the bed but Clark remains in the doorway, looking lost. Their age difference seems apparent to her for the first time, because standing in her doorway, with messy hair and eyes that won't meet hers, Clark looks much younger than 17.
Messy hair? She looks closer at him. He's in sweats and a slightly too small t-shirt. Something really must be wrong; it looks like he jumped out of bed and came here.
"Clark," her voice is tight with fear; "nothing's wrong with Chloe – ?"
"No, no. Chloe's fine, Lois."
There's silence again. She wants to say more but doesn't.
"Nice place," he finally says.
"Something tells me you didn't come here to admire my decorative tastes."
He shakes his head. She's not used to Clark being so quiet; but then again, she's not sure she's ever gone this long without tossing out a witty retort either.
"Why did you come here?" The concern in her voice surprises them both. Clark's annoying and a boy scout and hurting. Clark's hurting and she's been there. She knows how that feels.
His eyes are on the floor and he doesn't speak for a minute. Then, almost seeming to force himself to look at her, he responds.
"I wanted to see you," he mutters.
"At 2:00 in the morning?"
"I wanted… I needed… to see you. To make sure you were okay."
"Okay? Of course I'm okay – " and then she realizes.
Alicia. Alicia was okay too. Maybe not mentally but when Clark had last seen her, she was safe physically.
"I'm okay," she repeats in a softer voice. "I'm okay, Clark. It's all right."
He doesn't say anything and she doesn't press him. Slowly, tentatively, he inches closer until he's standing near the bed. Her hand reaches out before she realizes it and before she can pull it away rough, desperate fingers are grabbing hers. He clings to her, not speaking.
And she's silent, too, just holding on tight. Because there are times when words can't help.
She's not sure how long they stay like that. Her hand's sweaty though – whether it's Clark or her own she can't be sure – when his fingers finally loosen.
"It's late," she says softly. "You wanna stay here for the rest of the night?"
"What, no boyfriend?" It's a weak joke, accompanied by an even fainter smile, but it's something.
She just smiles in reply.
"Here." She gently pulls her hand from his and tosses him her extra pillow. "There's a blanket in the closet, top shelf."
She slides back under the covers as he goes to get it. He flips off the lights on the way back, and then she hears him settling down on the floor.
"Night, Smallville."
"Night." There's silence for a time, and Lois thinks he's fallen asleep. Then, very quietly, "Lois?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks… for understanding."
"Don't mention it, Farmboy."
"I'm glad you're okay," he says in a sleepy voice.
She waits until his breathings deep and even to reply. "Me too. I'm glad you're going to be okay, Clark."