Yet another one-shot in my little line of one-shots that wasn't intended. This takes place directly after Sleep, so you pretty much need to read that first...and all the others, of course. I would like to sincerely thank all those who reviewed and encouraged me, even when I thought it't wasn't good. Love you all!
Lois sleepily smiles and blinks herself awake. Despite Clark's attempt to be modest by lying on top of the covers, she's still managed to find herself wrapped in his arms, his clothes completely messed up, so much so that she can feel a bit of his hard stomach on her back, his skin touching hers. She shivers, despite the warmth that seems to envelop her, no doubt thanks to Clark. But she is awake, and she wants to pull the blankets over them both and go back to sleep. As she reaches for the covers, however, she realizes that may not be an option. Because apparently, she has kicked the covers down to the very end of her large bed and she knows without thinking that in order to actually reach them she'd have to pull herself out of Clark's embrace. And she doesn't want to do that.
So instead, she very slowly moves and turns herself around. Seeing his face first thing in the morning is definitely something she could get used to. His hair is messy and in his eyes and his lips are almost curved into a smile, but instead it looks more like a smirk and she finds it damn sexy. His breathing is deep and now that she is turned around and finally done with all her shifting, Clark pulls her closer. One of her hands is right up against that beautiful stomach of his and her other is draped softly over his side and she works hard to resist feeling him while he is sleeping. What if he was to wake while she was doing it? He wasn't ready yet, no matter how close he pulled her in sleep. So she doesn't run her hands up and down his chest like she wants to, but she does snuggle deeper into him, because he's still asleep and the covers are all the way down there and he is so warm. She can't help but sigh when she thinks of how well her plan is proceeding – going way better than she could have ever imagined. Soon though, thoughts flee her mind as she settles back into sleep.
When she wakes up again, she is cuddling into her blankets instead of Clark. She can clearly see the sun through her blinds and she wonders what time it was. She thinks it's sweet that he tucked her into her blankets, but at the same time she's disappointed because he didn't stay. Maybe her plan isn't going as good as she thought it was. However, all thoughts of disappointment flee her head as soon as she walks into the general room. Clark's hair is wet again and he's standing over her stove, obviously cooking something. She lets out an inaudible sigh and suddenly wants to cry again. Because Clark did not leave her and is now presumably making breakfast for her. For them. A shiver runs down her spine at the thought. But she is Lois Lane, and she will not allow herself to be weak like this and cry in front of him again, just because he's made her insanely happy. She's always hated people who cry when they are happy. So she's smirking when she walks up to him and makes her presence known.
"You're making breakfast?" His head whips around at her and she is just struck to the floor by the smile he flashes at her. Oh, yes, she could really get used to this. She'd like to get used to this. She's fighting the butterflies in her stomach as he's talking.
"Well, I know how you are, won't eat breakfast unless someone makes it for you – I found some chocolate chips in your cupboard last night while I was looking for the marshmallows, so I hope you like chocolate chip pancakes."
All she can do is manage to raise her eyebrow, fighting for some semblance that she actually has control of all her functions. He mistakes it for doubt though, and he's flashing that smile again, this time with a hint of nervousness and he's speaking again.
"I assure you, my pancake making skills are quiet good – Even my mom doesn't know how I make 'em so good." She can't say anything. And now Clark is starting to ramble. "I just thought, that ya know, after last night, that you should have a proper breakfast… and I…um…"
Right now, in this moment, Lois is completely bowled over by how much she loves him, all over again. She tries to say something, anything! Because she can see that he's now unsure of himself, and he doesn't have any reason to be, and all she can manage to do is smile! He's literally wringing a towel in his hands, trying to think of anything to say, wishing she'd just say something already, really hoping that the small smile playing at the corners of her mouth doesn't mean she's laughing at him.
"I.…wow, Smallville." 'wow Smallville'? she thinks in her head. Could she be any more of a loser? God! "I mean…yeah, that's great. Thank you. Really. I can't wait to try the pancakes…chocolate in the morning is always good!"
She smiles at him and wonders how much longer she can go on like this, wonders how much longer she can manage to be patient. Of course, she sounds like an idiot right now, but Clark doesn't seem to notice because he looks happy again and he's still got that smile on his face and he turns back to the pancakes without preamble. It's the best breakfast she can remember.
It's almost noon by the time Clark returns back to his truck and drives it home. He'd called his mother quietly while Lois slept when he woke that morning. He couldn't believe he'd managed to forget to do it the night before. Surprisingly, she wasn't angry, but she had been worried. It makes him happy to think that she trusts him that much. In fact, he's just plain happy today. He's just gotten the most peaceful night of sleep, more so than he's had in years. He finds he can't stay still and wonders why. He's just so pumped up for the day, and he doesn't even have anything to really do. So he sets about doing chores and stuff that doesn't really need to be done. Later though, after a small dinner with Martha, he still doesn't have anything to do. Eventually his mother gets fed up with him wandering aimlessly around the house and sends him to the loft. He goes without a fight. Once there, he still has nothing to do so he just walks to the window and stares out the telescope. While searching for Mars, he finds his thoughts drifting toward Lois.
What did she do today after he left? Did she work, hang out with friends, what? He doesn't know and he can't think of an acceptable explanation as to why he should be so worried about it. After all, they're only friends. I mean, sure, sometimes he gets random flashes of her pressed against the wall in the Daily Planet, but it doesn't mean anything. And sure, maybe he's spent all day today trying not to think about the night before when he woke up to Lois snuggling into him. And sure, maybe he got a little hot at the time, but it's just a normal reaction to a beautiful woman, because this is Lois we're talking about. And Clark knows that Lois is not the slightest bit interested in him, not like it matters though, because they're just friends. Just friends. Which is good, because that woman drives him crazy, he thinks. He can't even contemplate it, being her boyfriend…being with her. It's just too much. He sighs and stares at the stars and pushes all thought from his mind.
Clark isn't really sure what he expected, but this was not it. He doesn't just decide to randomly tell people about himself. Not that part of himself. And yet, he's sitting on her couch with her in the chair across from him and he's come to her place with the sole purpose of telling her. Which is ridiculous, because he doesn't just decide to tell people on whims. He doesn't do anything on whims. Fleetingly he wonders if maybe he's been exposed to some red kryptonite. But he knows this isn't the case and it only confuses him more. But he knows, for some reason, that he has to tell her. That she is a great friend, that she is strong enough to handle it, and she will keep it a secret. That she won't be in any more danger than she already gets herself into.
He expected to be nervous, and instead he's almost eerily calm. Is this normal? What the hell has gotten into him? He doesn't know, but he knows Lois is wondering the same exact thing because he's been sitting on her couch for a few minutes now and she's just been randomly saying a sentence here or there to break up the silence, but for once in her life she is silent, like she knows something is about to happen. That it's one of those times that you just can't rush. He takes a big breath and looks at her smile one last time before standing to release some of the tension.
"Lois, you remember when you told me you thought you were in love with Oliver?"
She hesitates before answering. She doesn't want him thinking about that, because she knows that feeling was nothing to compared to what she feels for him. "Yes."
"You remember how you said you'd find it an 'endearing quirk' if he was from Mars?"
"Yeah, so? What's with all the Oliver questions?"
"Nothing. I was just wondering if maybe you would extended that to other people you cared for…?"
"What is this about Clark?" She's looking so confused and just for once he wishes he could be like her and just blurt it out! And then suddenly he does.
"I'm from another planet." She's silent for a minute, and he can't read anything on her face, though it's not like he was able to before.
"What? You're telling me you're from Mars?"
"No. I'm telling you I'm from Krypton. A planet that was destroyed many, many years ago. I'm telling you that I have…powers that normal people don't have. I'm telling you I'm an intergalactic space traveler."
"Intergalactic space traveler? You mean, you're an alien?"
"Intergalactic space traveler, please. And yes, I am." He's nervous now that it's actually out of his mouth, nervous now that he's got Lois looking at him – just looking at him. Her face is still totally unreadable and God! He just can't sit still now. So he gets up to pace and this is when he catches the smile on her face. And now it's his turn to be shocked. She's smiling?
"Relax Clark, I'm not going to go blabbing it around. Just come sit back down, okay?" Her voice has lost all is astonishment and is now completely calm, which only confuses him further.
"Lois…I…uh." He's at a complete loss of what to say and he can't believe it's this hard! It had been so much easier with Chloe, and he wonders if that is because she'd just seen him using his powers, instead of him actually telling her.
"Smallville, I want you to relax, okay? Just take deep breaths, alright? Just relax." She pauses and he wonders what she's about to say. "I already knew." This just…there's no way…he'd been so careful! He can barely breath. She already knew? How the hell did she find out?
"What?" The strangled word is all he can manage through his raging thoughts.
"I already knew. Though I do appreciate how hard it must have been for you to actually tell me on your own like this. Thanks for sharing your secret, Smallville."
"How?" She almost laughs, he can tell, but he doesn't think it's funny at all that he's still shocked into one-word sentences.
"Well, remember Valentine's Day? I…kinda do remember everything…I just wanted to avoid all the weirdness it'd bring between us. I mean, it was drugs, pure and simple, so I figured, how hard is it to pretend I've got a few blank spots? Not hard at all."
What? She remembered Valentine's Day? But then…What? He couldn't seem to string a sentence together and he's glad of her silence as he tries to absorb all this. It is a bit much, after all. There really are no secrets between them now, he can't help but think.
Well, hope you enjoyed it. Oh, just a little note. There will probably only be one more one-shot, possibly two more, depending on how it goes once I start writing. But I just wanted to warn you - the finale is finally close! Thanks again for those who review - it means the world to me. Comments good or bad are welcomed.
Dizzy