True Confessions from a Porch Swing
by Bren Ren
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Summary: A series of conversations between Clark and Lois, in everyone's favorite setting (post-Ambush): The Porch Swing!
Rating: All Audiences Approved, at least to start. May change in later installments…
Disclaimer: You know, I know, we all know… I own nothing, I'm just playing, no harm, no foul!
A/N: Yes, the title does have something inherently *naughty* going, but this piece will be remaining as true to canon as this little author can manage. Which is to say, nothing terribly naughty will be happening on said Porch Swing until much, much further down the road than where this story begins: following the opening episode of Season 8, Odyssey. Enjoy!
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True Confessions from a Porch Swing:
Just Another New Beginning
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Clark was surprised to find that Lois had beaten him to the farm, despite her lingering in the Planet basement after Clark dropped his new-job bomb and left with a triumphant grin as she sat shell-shocked in his wake. The setting sun had just begun the twilight color-shift, painting blue skies in vibrant orange, red, and purple tints of light that danced amidst a spattering of puffy clouds floating high above when Clark finally reached the last leg of his journey home. He'd been delayed several times along the way as he'd run across numerous acts of petty crime so typical of the big city, and felt, as always, duty-bound to help wherever he could, as only he could, as was so often the case.
He found Lois lounging on the front porch swing, sipping a bottle of beer, apparently enjoying the peace and quiet of the country air. A light breeze was playing with wayward tresses of her hair and a soft smile of simple contentment filled her features; with her eyes closed, she completed the picture-perfect image of serenity.
And since her eyes were shut, she hadn't seen the long tail of dust-clouds stirred up by Clark's super-speed approach, much to his relief. Only after he'd turned onto the long dirt and gravel driveway for his final approach did he realize Lois was out there on the porch, forcing him to drop out of super-speed when he was directly within her line of sight.
Or would have been, but her eyes were closed.
While Clark had obviously been relieved to have gotten away with yet another close call, he was a bit surprised to find he felt scarcely a trace of any worry or fear at the thought of actually being caught in the act by Lois. He wondered on that thought as he made his way down the last yards of the driveway toward the farmhouse.
She must have heard the crunch of gravel beneath his footsteps the last few feet of his approach, as her eyes shot open. For a moment, she almost seemed to be blushing with embarrassment at being caught unawares.
"It's about time, Smallville," she called out as he came near. "What did you do, walk home from the Planet?"
Clark fought back a nearly irrepressible urge to goad her with an affirmative answer. It was one thing to not worry about accidentally revealing more than he should, but it was a whole other matter to practically spell it out for her. He was a far cry from being ready for that step, and wasn't at all sure when, or even if he ever might be.
"No, I got back a while ago. Just felt like taking a walk out through the country. Seemed a good evening for it. I mean, you know, nice weather." He felt like he was tripping over his own tongue as she cast a curious, critical stare his way. He was pretty sure that Lois Lane was just about the only person he'd ever known that could make him feel so confident and awkward at the same time.
Lois murmured something that sounded like a vague agreement as Clark finally ambled up the steps to join her on the porch. She uncurled her legs from beneath her and swung them down to make room beside her on the swing in silent invitation. As he accepted with a somewhat curious smile of his own, she reached down the other side of the swing and pulled out a bottle from the six-pack she'd brought over with the apparent intent of sharing with him.
At the quizzical glance he shot her when he took the proffered bottle, she flashed a bright grin. "Thought we should celebrate your new job. You're moving up in the world, Smallville, so make the most of it!" She clinked her own bottle to his in salute, then enjoyed a hearty swig as he followed suit.
"I have to admit, Lois, I'm a little surprised," he said after a thoughtful pause.
"Why? 'Cause I thought you should celebrate?"
"Because you thought *we* should celebrate—enough to wait here for me with a six-pack, even." He knew his eyes betrayed a teasing glint, but he couldn't help himself. He'd always enjoyed baiting this oft-prickly woman.
"Oh. Well... That's what friends are for, right?"
Clark blinked. "Right." He paused for another sip to mask his surprise at the fact that she had not, for an unusual change, risen to his bait there. He didn't want to find himself putting his foot in his mouth again—something he found himself doing far too often around Lois. He was always amazed when he considered how long he'd known this beguiling woman and yet felt he still barely understood her more often than not. "Who'd have though that you and I would become such good friends, huh?"
Lois laughed, and it was practically effervescent and bubbly as it rippled softly through the air. For a split-second, though, it made Clark wonder if perhaps she'd brought more beer that she'd already finished off while she'd waited for him. But even without his enhanced senses, he could tell she wasn't really intoxicated, and he dismissed the notion almost as soon as it came to mind. The bottle in her hand, only half-empty thus far, was in all probability her first of the evening, much to his relief.
"Well, I wouldn't exactly call us best-buds, but... yeah. You're a good friend, Clark. Even I can admit that—and this isn't exactly the first time, either, you know."
He held her gaze for a beat before nodding in amiable agreement. "You're a good friend, too."
"Really?"
He could hardly believe she was genuinely surprised; in fact, he was quite certain at first that she was just fishing for compliments. But then he looked, really looked into her eyes, and only then did he glimpse that hint of insecurity he'd caught from time to time over the years; that which she always worked so hard to hide from the world. Too hard, he thought.
So Clark did the only thing that he could, what he always did: everything in his power to help her feel better. To bring back that brilliant beam, to make her happy. Because the world always seemed a little brighter in the light of her most genuine smiles.
"Sure. Who else can I rely on to make sure I keep my feet on the ground and my ego in check? Without you, who knows how big my head might be swollen by now!"
"This might shock you, Smallville, but most people wouldn't exactly consider that the greatest quality of a 'good friend'."
"Well, it's a good thing I'm not most people."
Lois laughed again, and he was well pleased to see all traces of insecurity were vanishing away like the sun that was sinking low beneath the horizon. "No, you most certainly aren't."
Clark raised his bottle in her direction. "To good, if unique, friends."
She tapped the lip of her bottle to his once more. "I'll drink to that!"
Lois finished the last bit of her beer in their toast as they shared what was, without a doubt, their most genuinely friendly smiles in this hard-to-define relationship, ever so slowly evolving with every passing day.