Title: The Sweetest Thing
Author: jj the elusive
Category: Comics/ AU
Word Count: 2,824, Rated T to be safe (may contain slight curse words and mentions slight adult themes)
Summary: Clark remembers all the Valentine's Days of the past, and of a certain fiery female reporter..
Author's Notes: A big thank you to Htbthomas for being my beta and for all the encouragement. This was the first official fic I wrote (my other fic, Pedestal was the second) and I'm warning you- it's oozing with cheesiness. But everyone likes cheese. I know I do. The song is U2's The Sweetest Thing.
Clark would always remember the day he first landed his job at the Daily Planet. Valentine's Day, an extraordinary day. Sure, it was the usual, what with being visually bombarded with red hearts, seeing cupids hanging from almost every ceiling, and seeing signs in storefronts for lingerie sales, which always made Clark blush.
He remembered it all perfectly (eidetic memory is always a good thing)…
Valentine's Day, Year one
Back home, he thought he knew what true love was. Ever since he was little he thought Lana would be the one they'd date, get married, have children and live happily ever after. Obviously, he thought as he sat staring at the Daily Planetsign behind Mr. White's head, that didn't happen. No, he was pretty sure he'd just experienced true love, and her name was Lois. It would be etched in his mind forever: Mr. White was interviewing him and suddenly there she was, dark hair flying, exotic eyes flashing…but not at him. Did it matter?
My love, she throws me like a rubber ball, oh oh oh the sweetest thing
She won't catch me or break my fall, oh oh oh the sweetest thing
Valentine's Day, Year Two
If he could have things stay like this forever, he would gladly accept. Sure she was a spitfire, verbally cutting him down to size and rolling her eyes at him constantly. But it was her smile when he'd bring her coffee (French, from a small joint in Paris) that would brighten his day. He would love doing nothing more than to watch her sit at her desk, adorably biting on her thumbnail as she read over her articles. He would listen to her soothing heartbeat, seeking it out and would never grow tired of hearing it. And she wouldn't know. He would just continue to be by her side, admire her from afar…and send her a bouquet of white roses every Valentine's Day, anonymously of course.
Baby's got blue skies up ahead, but in this I'm a rain cloud
You know she likes a dry kind of love, oh oh oh the sweetest thing
Valentine's Day, Year Three
It was supposed to be simple. He would be unnoticeable, blending in with the masses: it was a perfect plan…until he met her. He would be a news journalist, because that way he could stay in the loop regarding happenings in the world. He would keep the two identities separate easily: Clark would be himself in the bullpen, mild-mannered and awkward, and Superman would be… well, the complete opposite. Or as Lois charmingly explained as she blushed faintly, "perfect in every way shape and form!" This was after she'd told Clark about her suspicions that her annual white roses were sent to her by the one and only Superman. Why couldn't Lois love the man who spoke to the world through his writing instead ? He hated Superman. He hated Superman when he flew through the blue sky with a breathless Lois in his arms. He hated Superman whenever Clark would ask Lois out on a date and she'd look at him with a expression as though he'd just told her about an embarrassing thing he did during his childhood. She'd shake her head and softly mutter something as she turned back to her computer screen. And that was that.
Ain't love the sweetest thing?
Fast forward a few Valentine's Days and here he was, his official fourth year at the Planet. He and Lois had gotten closer, as partners and now as friends. And by close, he meant not only had they been both held at gunpoint, shared a few near death experiences together which always ended with Lois admitting, that yes, maybe she felt something for him, but if they lived through this and he uttered a single word to Jimmy or Gil she'd rip his throat out as he slept. He also meant close by how they'd make sure the other was okay during their long nights in the bullpen, where it was just them, their computer screens and sleep deprivation while a deadline waited for them in the morning. She'd softly ask if he needed to take a nap, she'd be fine without him for a couple of hours. He'd get her anything she needed, even if she didn't ask for it, and then afterwards they'd smile at each other in an unspoken thanks and something else. They were close because of all the almost-kisses they'd share on Lois' couch when he'd be over for dinner (takeout, naturally) and editing (how'd Lois get so far in journalism when her spelling was so atrocious?). Could all his years of letting her know how he felt about her have an effect on her? Had Mad Dog Lane warmed up to the Kansas farm boy? Or was he putting too much hope into it? He'd even tried being a bit more…professional with Lois when he was Superman. It was always Miss Lane, never Lois.
"How are you today, Miss Lane?"
"I'm glad you didn't get hurt while jumping out of that burning building, Miss Lane."
Lois of course mentioned this strange, sudden distance between her and Superman, to which Clark lightly shrugged his shoulders in the most nonchalant way he could muster. Then something amazing happened. He watched as she turned back to her computer screen, rolled her shoulders animatedly and sighed, "Oh, well."
He was still staring at her, mouth agape when she looked over to him. Their eyes locked and he could feel something tug between them. He could get lost in those beautiful hazel eyes and he wouldn't mind. Lois then smiled slightly and quickly looked back to her screen. Was she blushing?
I know I got black eyes, But they burn so brightly for her, I guess it's a blind kind of love
Later
"So Smallville, what are you doing for Valentine's Day this year?"
His startled reaction wasn't an act this time, as he truly hadn't heard her come up to his desk. He was too busy listening to Jimmy excitedly explaining to the chief about his evening plans to go to a nightclub, to which Perry grunted softly and told him to go tell Kent because "that man needs to find himself a girlfriend and has to stop mooning over Lois."
"Um, Valentine's…Day?" Smooth, Clark.
With a tilt of her head and a sly smile she hopped up on the edge of his desk, crossing her legs oh so provocatively.
"Yes, Clark. You know that one day in February where people pretend to love each other and stuff and I don't know, take their partners out to dinner at a nice restaurant on 5th street, and…"
"W-what?"
Lois sighed and rolled her hazel eyes, God he loved it when she did that.
"Look, I'm sacrificing the last shred of dignity that I have today, so bear with me."
At his quizzical look she kept going, and held up a large white envelope.
"Lucy and Ron were supposed to go to Marino's tonight but couldn't because little Mackenzie got sick. And I mean, they're usually sold out in advance and it's a really big deal because it's a fancy dress rest"
"Yes."
She stopped in mid-sentence, mouth wide, and then grinned, "really?"
Clark tried his best not to jump up out of his chair in glee, screaming "YES!" and then doing a loop-de-loop in the air. Instead, he smiled calmly, took the envelope from her hands and nodded.
I wanted to run, but she made me crawl
Eternal fire, she turned me to straw
Valentine's Day, Year Five
He toyed around with the ring in his palm, remembering how his mother had given it to him. It was the ring that Jonathan Kent had given Martha Clark many years ago when he'd asked her for her hand in marriage. Not long after last Valentine's Day, Lois and Clark had started dating. Clark would always consider last year one of the best years of his life. He wanted to make the next one just as special, but he wasn't so sure she'd accept his proposal. Why not? Well, she hadn't spoken to him since last week, after having thrown a vase, two books and a shoe at him. How could he be with Lois if she didn't know the truth? He loved her, after all…so didn't she deserve to know who he was?
I'm losing you, I'm losing you, ain't love the sweetest thing?
"You're an idiot."
"Thanks."
"You really think she'll forgive you for lying to her for five years and then decide to marry you?"
"I have some hope, yet."
"You're deranged."
"Says a man who dresses like a giant bat."
Clark knew that Batman wouldn't be caught dead doing anything special on this particular day. No, not even Bruce Wayne would be seen with some pretty girl in the most expensive restaurant in Gotham. Clark had found him stalking around the roof of an old warehouse, spying on The Joker and his gang below. There wasn't much going on, Joker was talking animatedly about some master plan he had involving a bomb that would explode over Gotham, releasing a neurological toxin in the air that would make everyone love-struck over the first person they saw, which would incapacitate them and allow Joker and his gang to rob all the banks. The usual.
"So, uh, you going to do something about that love bomb he's talking about there, Batman?"
Clark could never tell if Bruce knew when he was pulling his leg or not.
"What do you want, Clark?" Yeah, he didn't know this time...or did he?
"Advice."
Bruce let out a noise that sounded like a cross between a grunt and a cough, "about what you should do with Lois? I'm no help there."
Blue eyed boy meets a brown-eyed girl
You can sew it up, but you still see the tear oh, oh, oh the sweetest thing
Baby's got blue skies up ahead
But in this I'm a rain cloud
Ours is a stormy kind of love
INTERLUDE, Lois Lane's viewon her dilemma and a certain mild-mannered reporter
Lois hated Valentine's Day. From as early as she could remember, she didn't like how people pretended to love each other for a day and then went back to being miserable and distant. Okay, maybe she gained that view of the holiday by watching her parents throughout her childhood, but still. And if that wasn't enough, it was an extremely hyped holiday. Red hearts everywhere, Cupids hanging from ceilings, ads for lingerie sales that Lois always avoided 'til last year. Today, however, was different. She didn't know how to feel…angry? Sad? Disappointed? Or maybe just loved? He said he told her who he was because of his love for her. But how could someone who supposedly loves you lie to you beforehand and expect you to be okay with it? How could Clark do this to her? She trusted him…and he lied to her. Superman never lies, or so he says.
Sighing, Lois flipped through the channels of the tv, not really paying mind to what was on. Valentine's Day fell on a Saturday this year, and so she had most of the day to herself. Goody. She would rather have been at work so she could have something constructive to do. But then again, if that was the case, most likely he would be there, too. She eventually stopped going through the channels and ended up on VH1, which was showing nothing but music videos of love songs. A beautiful dark-haired woman appeared on the screen momentarily, and then showed a man in ridiculous bubble-shaped glasses and a hat. Ah. It was U2, the song being "The Sweetest Thing". Lois shook her head. Only rock stars could come off as being cool wearing glasses like that, especially if you had a name like Bono. Clark wore somewhat ridiculous glasses as well. The sudden thought put a grin on her face. But there was more to Clark than just the glasses, and through the years she realized this, and had come to love him for who he was. Sure, he was a total nerd and had absolutely no fashion sense whatsoever, but she loved him for his honesty, his kindness, his romantic side. Before he decided to tell her his big secret, she knew Clark Kent as a timid, goofy guy that was clearly infatuated with her, and now that view wasn't true was it? Now she wasn't sure who he was, but she treated him like crap in the beginning, didn't she? Did she even deserve him now?
My love she throws me like a rubber ball, oh oh oh, the sweetest thing
Yet, still he remained at her side, ever faithful should she ever need a hot dog, or a spell-checker, or both.
Baby's got blue skies up ahead
But in this I'm a rain cloud
And she would ignore his love for her while she told him about all the times Superman, he, flew her through the heavens as if he were some angel who only had eyes for her. Why hadn't he told her? She'd asked him the same question when he told her the secret last week, and he said it was to protect her. He said he thought it was better that way, that she didn't know. Of course that had changed when he realized she loved him for who he was, not what he could do. So if she had not fallen in love with Clark Kent, would he have kept his distance? Would he just be an admirer from afar and live alone, live without love?
I'm losing you, I'm losing you, ain't love the sweetest thing?
I know I got black eyes, But they burn so brightly for her, I guess it's a blind kind of love
Clark was the one who sent the roses every year. He was the one who openly gazed at her with affection, the one who would do anything for her. Clark may have been lying to her about being Superman (or was he? He just decided not to tell her, so it wasn't a lie) but he was the one who loved her, and it was the sweetest thing.
Blue eyed boy meets a brown-eyed girl
You can sew it up, but you still see the tear oh, oh, oh the sweetest thing
Baby's got blue skies up ahead
But in this I'm a rain cloud
Ours is a stormy kind of love
Alright still, he lied. But since when had their relationship been anything but complicated?
End interlude
He was dismayed to see that it was pouring when he flew back home to Metropolis. It seemed that the weather matched his mood. Would Lois forgive him? Would she understand that he'd always loved her, wanted only what was best for her, and then realized that he couldn't live without her love? He wasn't exactly lying to her about being Superman, he just hadn't told her until now.
"Oh, oh, oh the sweetest thing.."
His ears perked when he heard a familiar voice, softly singing under their breath. It was coming from somewhere close, towards the direction of the Daily Planet. He flew there to see a small figure on the rooftop, huddled underneath a small red umbrella. Lois. She looked up with a smile on her face as he soundlessly landed in front of her, his breath held in anticipation.
"About time you got here. Usually it takes you about five minutes after I walk out onto the roof."
They stood staring at each other, a blush grew on Lois's cheeks as his eyes got wider and he continued to hold his breath.
"I'm sorry."
"Look, I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" they both said in unison, then laughed and looked down at their shoes. Clark gathered the courage to talk, taking a step forward.
"Lois, I know I should have told you earlier, but"
He was cut off in mid-sentence once again when a series of amazing events happened. He watched as Lois threw the umbrella to the side, lunged up to wrap her arms around his neck and placed her lips on his. The world could have been ending around them, and he wouldn't have noticed. He poured everything he had into this kiss, hoping to show her how much he loved her, how much he wanted to be with her. He opened his eyes to see a soaked but grinning Lois, her dark hair now stringy over her shoulders and exotic eyes watching only him. He had to ask her.
She continued to watch him as he pulled something from the pocket of his cape, and as he took a step back and went down on one knee.
"Lois, I know our relationship has been…complicated…"
Ours is a stormy kind of love