TITLE: Don't Hold Your Breath
AUTHOR: Seersha
RATING: K
PAIRING: Lois/Clark
SPOILERS: None
DISTRIBUTION: Please do not archive anywhere. It will be up at FF if you would like to link to it.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters (obviously) and no copyright infringement is intended. No profit is made from this fanfiction.
TIMELINE: AU futurefic.
SUMMARY: Another version of the first time Clark meets Lois.
NOTE: Originally published July 2004.
.-.-.
Clark Kent discovered early on in his life that he could hold his breath for a very, very long time. It had been one of the first things that he discovered made him different from everyone else, but at the time he didn't know it.
He remembered his father taking him for one of his very first swimming lessons, and asking him to hold his breath underwater for as long as he could. Clark had done so, opening his eyes under the water. He began to wonder after a few minutes how long his dad expected him to stay like that.
What he didn't know, was that above the water Jonathan Kent was beginning to worry. He finally scooped Clark up above the surface, and in a panic, asked his son if he was okay. Bewildered, Clark looked into his father's worried eyes and assured him he was fine. What all the fuss was about he didn't know, but Clark was sure he hadn't done anything wrong. All he'd been doing was what his dad had asked him to. Still, he sensed in that moment, at only five years of age, that his dad would never quite look at him the same again.
He was right in a way. After that incident, Jonathan instructed Clark to never stay under the water's surface for longer than a couple of minutes at a time, because it might be dangerous otherwise. Although Clark never quite understood what was so bad about it, he did as he was told. In public at least.
Sometimes though, late at night, when he was alone and sure nobody else was around, Clark still liked to dive under water and swim for as long as he could below the surface before he eventually felt the need for air. He knew his father wouldn't like it if he ever found out, and he did feel moments of guilt on occasion for disobeying Jonathan's clear instructions. But as long as Clark enjoyed his little adventures and felt no side effects, he decided he could handle keeping one little secret.
He quickly made it a personal challenge, trying to last longer and longer under the water each time. As he got older he found he could. One day when he was eighteen, he arrived at the surface and checked his watch to discover he'd gone thirty minutes without air.
Clark had believed in that triumphant moment that there couldn't possibly be anything that could take his breath away in just one instant.
But that had been before he'd met Lois Lane.
Just as clear in his mind, was the memory of seeing Lois for the first time.
He'd been walking towards the Daily Planet building for his interview with Perry White. Clark wasn't sure why he should have felt nervous. He'd met Perry before. Even with a history between them, Clark sensed that he'd still have to prove himself as a good writer if he wanted a chance to work for such a well-known newspaper. Rustling some papers in the folder he clutched, he checked for the millionth time that he'd remembered all his article samples. The last thing he wanted was to realise he'd forgotten something.
Distracted with other thoughts, Clark adjusted his glasses as he quickly glanced up towards the Daily Planet building. Something in his line of sight, however, caused him to stop cold. He stood frozen, looking ahead.
A young woman was also walking towards the Daily Planet, but from the opposite direction. She herself was preoccupied, dialling a number on her cell phone as she disappeared into the building. Why this particular woman caught his attention, Clark couldn't really say. Just that she did.
Blinking, Clark shook his head and took a shaky breath. Then he paused again, as realisation hit. He had travelled the world and seen many beautiful women before. Lana Lang had even had the ability to make his knees weak and his head spin. But something about the woman before him had caused Clark to forget to breathe.
For the first time in his life, Clark Kent knew what it was like to have his breath taken away. Since that moment, he'd come to the conclusion that Lois Lane had her own amazing powers, because she'd done it to him over and over again.
Ironically though, she'd dismissed him upon their first meeting, instead too busy chasing after her Superman exclusive. Clark had still made his very best effort.
"I am confident that in time, you'll actually learn to like me," he said, trying to lighten her mood.
For a moment, she paused in careful study of his face, and he began to think that maybe he'd gotten through to her.
"Don't hold your breath, Kent," Lois replied, turning away.
Although she might kill him if he tried to make her admit it, it hadn't taken too long before she'd warmed to him. Their friendship developed naturally, and he was confident enough in that friendship now to think that she might actually miss him if he wasn't around.
Clark fell in love hard and fast with Lois Lane. He was sure it hadn't happened that first moment. It happened later. He'd taken her flying for the first time, dressed in his new Superman outfit. Landing her at her apartment window, he'd let his hands slip from her waist, as she'd reluctantly let hers fall from his shoulders. They'd locked eyes, and he'd been blown away by the look she was giving him.
Him. Superman. Clark. Superman.
As silly as it was, Clark let himself grow addicted to that look in her eyes. It was never there when she looked at Clark. It was always there when she looked at Superman. It was those times that he could let his own feelings show in his eyes without being afraid of scaring her.
He found himself frustrated, confused, angry, happy and excited all at once. His heart learned to ache for Lois Lane.
Clark had stopped swimming when he moved to Metropolis. He hadn't really missed it until recently. So he began to return Smallville sometimes just to swim.
It was a good way to relax. He could fly of course. He liked that too, but flying was also a constant reminder of how different he was. Nobody else could fly except him. Swimming was something everybody could do.
He still challenged himself. He still pushed himself to do better. Diving under the water and making himself hold his breath for as long as he could. It felt good to know he could still do it. Lois Lane almost had him believing he'd forgotten how to hold his breath.
Then one day, the most extraordinary thing happened. Clark felt his friendship with Lois deepening as time went on. She'd become his best friend, and he hoped that his friendship had come to mean as much to her as her friendship meant to him. But he had never asked or pushed. He'd just been there. And so when Lois Lane openly told him that she considered Clark to be her best friend - the best friend she'd ever had - his heart leaped.
Flying in absolute happiness, Clark found himself later that day landing at his usual swimming spot without even remembering having decided to go there.
Looking towards the sky, Clark smiled. It was a smile filled with hope. Hope that maybe someday he and Lois might be more than just friends. Closing his eyes, he dove into the water.
"Don't hold your breath, Kent."
Clark Kent learned a long time ago that he could hold his breath for a very, very long time. This time, he didn't hold his breath.
.-.-.
END