Chapter 7 - Hunger
They were sitting across from each other. Lois was frantically typing up her story on the maniac while Clark was trying to follow up on what had happened to him. She'd just asked him how to spell something when he stood quickly and said "I'll be right back." She looked up to see him waiting for her to acknowledge. When she nodded, he walked slowly out of the bullpen doors and then was gone.
The remainder of the day she was busy trying to get the story checked and double-checked, following up on police reports and chasing down a few other non-related leads. And she hadn't seen Clark since he left the bullpen earlier. Despite being busy, she missed him. And was worried.
So when he knocked on her apartment door that evening, and she'd checked through the peephole to see him standing there, she flung the door open and herself at him. She'd thrown her arms around his neck and hugged him so tightly that it he was taken aback for a moment.
Finally clasping his arms around her waist, he said into her ear softly, "Hey."
She pulled back from him a little, though he wouldn't let her go completely. Feeling a little embarrassed for attacking him, she said, "hey" back.
They just stood for a moment like that, looking at each other, when he finally said with a little smile, "So, um, can I come in?"
"Oh, yeah, of course," she said, untangling herself from him and grabbing his hand to lead him inside.
He shut the door behind him with his free hand and couldn't wipe the grin off of his face, until she turned abruptly, dropping his hand and said, "I've been worried, Clark. I don't DO worried."
Well, there went the grin. "I'm sorry, Lois." He said, not knowing what else to say.
"That's just it, Clark. You shouldn't have to apologize. I know you're out doing what you need to …" she trailed off, folded her arms across her chest and looked down at the floor. "I just worry about you," she whispered.
He moved toward her now and began running his hands up and down her arms. She closed her eyes and leaned toward him until he had wrapped his arms completely around her. "I don't want you to worry," he whispered into her hair. "Well, I mean, I'm kind of glad you do," he said and she could hear the smile in his voice.
She unfolded her arms and slid them around him at his waist. He sighed at her touch. "Let me make it up to you," he started, his eyes closed and his chin resting on her head, "how about dinner?"
"Dinner?" she asked, a little incredulously, pushing back from him.
He wasn't sure why she didn't like the idea. He thought this is what they were doing now. Moving forward, right? "Have you already eaten?" he asked, furrowing his brow.
She let out an exasperated laugh and through her arms up walking into the kitchen. "No, I haven't eaten yet. Sure let's get dinner."
He was completely confused by her and completely enthralled by her at the same time. "Well, you don't seem too thrilled about it," he said boldly.
"What? No, of course, I am. What's not to be thrilled about? I mean, it's dinner." She was flopping the phonebook on the counter a little violently.
Oh, she thought he meant dinner like they always do – take-out – oh, that must be why she's upset, he thought. "Well, I didn't just mean dinner." He said gesturing to the phonebook.
"You didn't?" She said, eyeing him now.
"Well, no. I mean, I meant dinner as in …" he stumbled a bit ... "dinner date." He adjusted his tie. Why was this so difficult? Why did she make him so nervous?
She chuckled. She actually chuckled at him. "Yeah, I got that," she said, and went back to flipping through the phone book.
He shifted his stance and waited a beat. When she said nothing else, he said, "Well?"
"No."
"No?" Wait, she didn't want to go out with him?
"No," she repeated.
He felt deflated. Literally. Like someone had just poked a hole in his chest and let all his breath out. "Oh," he said, looking down at the floor and subconsciously backing away. "Oh, well, I'll just go then."
She looked up at him and saw him backing toward the door. She huffed and rolled her eyes. Gosh, was he really that oblivious? "Smallville, stop." She said and he did. "I just thought we'd stay in, instead." She emphasized the "stay in" part. Surely he'll get what she means.
He just looked at her, unsure. So she just wanted take-out again? Nothing different? Not moving forward? He wasn't sure he could do it anymore. "Um, actually, I should probably get going," he said still moving and turning toward the door.
"Wait!" She practically screamed. He turned sheepishly back to her, one hand on the doorknob, and could barely look at her. What the heck happened? Why did he want to leave now? Did the idea of staying in with her seem so bad? Did he not want to be with her? That must be it. Things got too heavy yesterday and now he's trying to get out of it. Well, she didn't know if she could just go back to the way things were. This was ridiculous. Did he think he could just play with her like this? Suddenly, she was beyond pissed.
She stormed around the counter over to him at the door and was in front of him before he really knew she was moving. Whoa, has she developed superspeed? And she was poking a finger at him, practically jamming it in his chest. "Fine! Just go! I don't why you came by anyway!"
Why was she so angry all of the sudden? One minute, he's holding her and the next, she's yelling at him. All he wanted – well, not all he wanted – but what he thought he might have a chance at, was getting out of there without completely killing their relationship – whatever it was. Then, once away from her, he could get control of his feelings and try to go back to the way things were. If that's what she wanted, then that's what they'd do. But standing here before her, seeing the wetness betraying her eyes, he couldn't leave.
"Lois," he began, dropping his hand from the doorknob and reaching toward her instinctively, "What's wrong?"
She pushed his hands away. Refusing to let tears flow, she bit out, "You can't not know what's wrong!"
"Lois –"
But she cut him off. "No. How can you not know, Clark? One minute you know everything I need and the next … the next your clueless farmer boy again?"
"Lois, what-"
But she cut him off again. "Why, Clark? Why?" He was searching her face for something and she seemed to be pleading with him. "Why come here and … that (she gestured to the middle of the room where he'd held her shortly before) … and … and say all those things to me before …. What are you trying to do to me, Clark?"
"I'm not trying to do anything to you, Lois," he said, his voice cracking. She really thought he was trying to hurt her in some way?
She huffed and shook her head as if telling herself to shut up. Then, a moment later, she just said again, "Why did you come here tonight Clark?"
He looked at her as if trying to figure out what she was really asking. "To ask you to dinner," he said quietly, looking away.
She just watched him. "Really? That's it?"
"No!" he hadn't meant to yell but she could be so infuriating. "That's not 'it.' I sort of thought it was a big deal, asking you to dinner! A real dinner! A date! Not just you and me eating, but you AND me," he emphasized those last words and the way his arms were moving she thought he was restraining himself from touching her. "I thought you wanted it too. I guess I don't know what you want." He finished quietly, dropping his arms in defeat.
"Ah, hell." She said before throwing her arms around him and planting her lips firmly on his. His reaction was immediate. Pulling her to him, he parted his lips, his tongue requesting entrance into her mouth. She obliged and the two fought for dominance until neither could breathe anymore. Pulling away, breathlessly, she said, "That. That's what I've wanted. Now we can eat if the offer still stands."
"Not yet," was his own breathless reply before swiftly pushing her against the door, lifting her slightly off the floor in the process, and devouring her mouth again. He pressed his body against hers and she could feel his want for her loud and clear. Hands roving everywhere he could reach without moving his body from hers, there was no fight this time; he dominated her mouth and she reveled in it. When his lips finally released hers, both were panting uncontrollably.
He breathed her in and said "Sorry" as he trailed light, gentle kisses along her jaw to her ear. She chuckled and said, "You never have to apologize for that." He raised his head from her ear and they gazed at each other. Smiling at each other, he shifted so that she could touch the floor though still pressed between him and the door.
"We should really go out to eat," he said, looking at her with a different kind of hunger. Just the look made her tingle everywhere and she couldn't find her voice to respond. "Otherwise," he continued, "I can't be held responsible for my actions."
She blushed at that and pushed him lightly away, "Nor I, mine." She said with a wink. He backed away more and smoothed his tie while she straightened her clothing as well.
