Title: Fireflies
Author: Silence
Fandom: Superman Returns
Rating: Oh this is way safe.
Pairing: Clark Kent/Original Female Character. In other words... a Mary-Sue! Oh no! RUN!
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except Lacey, and believe me, she wishes I didn't. Everyone else belongs to Warner Brothers, DC Comics and all sorts of people that are not little old me.
Summary: Lacey and Clark have a quiet moment.
Notes: This is a Lacey the Bitter Mary-Sue fic. It takes place somewhere during her time in Metropolis/Superman Returns-Verse after "Ten More Things..".
It's a simple little fluff piece. Sadly, yes, it does require you to read the "Ten Things..." fic series first to understand anything.
Notes Jr: This was done with a bunch of other prompts for a variety of things and I simply never posted it. I almost didn't bother now, but I figured, "Eh, why not?" I was uploading other stuff anyway.
Previous Mary-Sue Fics:
Confessions of a Mary-Sue: Lord of the Rings Movie-verse (Finished)
The Goddess Must Be Crazy: Buffy/Potter Mesh-verse (Unfinished… Oops.)
The State of Denial and Delusions: Supernatural (WIP.. as soon as the muse is inspired.)
Ten Things That Haven't Happened: Superman Returns (Finished)
Ten More Things That Haven't Happened: Superman Returns (Finished)
Playground Twist: Superman Returns (WIP and not located here.)
It was summer in Smallville, Kansas and Lacey was sitting on top of the wooden fence on the Kent farm watching the sun finally vanish in the distance. It was a little too muggy for her tastes as of late, but Clark had wanted her to come with him to spend some time away from the bustle of Metropolis. For what, she had no idea. But she could handle whatever it was he threw at her.
"Hey." She turned to the sound of that familiar voice and found Clark joining her at the fence. He smiled warmly at her and rested his arms on the rail she was sitting on. "What are you up to?"
She pointed to the small glowing lights that would blink on and off as they hovered around the area. "Fireflies." Lacey tilted her head to the side as she watched them in the growing darkness. "I just realized I never actually see them that often in Metropolis."
Clark leaned forward and slid closer to her. "They do exist there."
"Says you." Lacey snorted in disbelief. "Metropolis is in its own bubble and the fireflies are smart enough to stay away."
Clark shook his head in silent amusement as he nudged her with his arm. She gave him a playful glare and he decided not to respond to her comment knowing it would lead to a tangent of unknown proportions. "I remember trying to catch fireflies when I was growing up. Dad and I would come out here with our jars, and no matter how many we caught, he would still insist we let them go before the night was over."
She turned her gaze back onto him, "Really? Why?" Lacey found herself with a theory and couldn't stop the words from spilling out. "Because it wasn't right to keep them trapped in a jar, right? I mean, how would you feel if you were taken against your will and put in a glass world you couldn't escape from?" Knowing how that sounded, she stopped talking instantly and focused her gaze back on the lights.
Watching Lacey's reaction to her own words, Clark could see she had suddenly gone still and taut like a bowstring ready to snap. Whatever course of action he took now could do anything between her bolting and shutting him out completely, or anything else. But he was Superman for a reason; he knew some risks had to be taken. "Is that the way you feel here?"
She didn't reply for a long time, but when she did, her voice was so quiet that only someone with Clark's hearing could hear her. "Sometimes." She was barely aware of him moving and she was actually surprised when she felt him at her back and his arms wrapping themselves around her. There was that strong desire to run for the hills and it took all she had not to do so. Instead, she managed to relax in his arms and leaned back against his chest, reminding herself that he had her. "There are times I wake up and wonder who put me here. Who put me anywhere, really. Sometimes I think I'm a rat in a cage."
"Or a firefly in a jar." Clark said, understanding where she was going with it. He tightened his grip on her when she placed her own arms on top of his. "You know if there's anything I could do to help you, I would."
"I know." She did know, but there wasn't anything he could do. Clark was capable of many things, but changing her situation wasn't one of them. "But you also know I try not to dwell on it all for too long." Lacey paused and exhaled slowly. "If I did, I think I'd finally fall apart completely and I'm pretty sure we can all agree on how that's not a good thing."
"Maybe, but it is okay if you take the time to let it out. I'll be there for you if you do."
She knew that too. It might even have been one of the reasons she didn't do it. They had just started whatever it was they were doing. The last thing Lacey wanted was to ruin what seemed to be the only reprieve from her glass jar. "I know." That was so weak sounding. Hollow? But it was true. So was the following. "Thank you. You know I'd probably go mad if you hadn't shown back up in Metropolis."
"Probably." Clark smiled lightly, even though she couldn't see it. "But more than likely, you just would have driven the entire bullpen into early retirement." He chuckled and wasn't at all surprised when he felt her elbow jab at him.