**Chapter 9: The Morning After**

The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a gentle glow over Clark's bedroom. Lois stirred, feeling the warmth of the bed and the comforting weight of Clark's arm wrapped around her. She blinked awake, and the events of the previous night came flooding back. A small, contented smile tugged at her lips.

As she shifted slightly, Clark stirred behind her, pulling her closer before his eyes fluttered open. When their gazes met, they exchanged easy smiles.

"Good morning," Clark murmured, his voice low and thick with sleep. He leaned in, brushing his lips against hers in a soft, slow kiss.

"Morning," Lois replied, her smile widening as she kissed him back. The air between them was warm, the kind of quiet comfort that followed the night they'd shared.

Clark leaned back slightly, looking at her with a playful expression. "Did you sleep well?" he asked, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Although I'm not sure we gave ourselves much time for that," he added, placing light kisses along the side of her neck.

Lois laughed softly, closing her eyes for a moment to savor the feeling. "Yeah, we might've cut into our sleep hours a bit," she replied, her voice softening as his lips grazed her skin.

For a moment, they lingered in the soft intimacy of the morning, the closeness between them as natural as it had been the night before. But as reality began to creep back in, Lois sighed softly, rubbing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose. Her mind was already jumping ahead to the day.

"Up until yesterday, no big deal," Lois began, her words spilling out quickly. "I was going to my cousin's engagement party. To which I'm the maid of honor, by the way."

Clark nodded, quietly adding, "Oliver told me."

Lois glanced at him briefly before moving to get out of bed, yanking the covers with her. In a swift motion, Clark instinctively grabbed the pillow beside him to cover his crotch. Lois raised a quizzical eyebrow at him, the look on her face saying *really?*—she'd seen it all by now. Clark blushed, shrugged, and slowly got up, moving at a much more casual pace to get dressed.

"But now—" Lois continued, waving a hand between the two of them, her voice picking up speed, "—now it's different. She may be marrying Ollie, but you will always be her first love, and—"

Clark looked like a deer caught in the headlights at her last comment. Lois caught the look and rolled her eyes. "Oh please, Smallville. Hardly a newsflash." She was now fully dressed while Clark fumbled with his shirt, clearly thrown off balance by the conversation.

"Do you even know how many times Chloe called me just to talk about you?" Lois went on, pulling her hair into a ponytail with quick, agitated movements. "It was like I had front-row seats to the *Chloe and Clark Show*... and by my theory, you had absolutely no clue how much she loved you." Lois felt a like she was betraying Chloe by getting involved with Clar, even if she knew there was nothing going on between them anymore.

Clark paused, glancing at her carefully as he finished pulling his shirt on. Lois was pacing now, her energy still anxious. "First loves are really special, Clark," she continued, her voice softening slightly. "I don't think they ever really go away." She sat down heavily, the weight of everything catching up to her.

Clark, who had been silent, took a deep breath, but when Lois mentioned first loves, he swallowed hard. His mind briefly flashed to Lana. He wasn't sure if tonight was the best time to add more pressure with those old wounds—*was Lana even coming tonight?*

Seeing Lois sitting in defeat, Clark sat down next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He pulled her closer, pressing a soft kiss to the side of her head. "Lois, tonight might not be the best time to talk to Chloe, but you and I both know she'll be happy for you. For us," he reassured her, his voice warm. A light chuckle escaped his lips. "So much for trying to take this slow."

Lois let out a small laugh in response, leaning into him for comfort. "I agree. Tonight we're just guests at a party, and we're not... *together* together. It's not like there aren't already plenty of reasons for awkward." Lois pats him leg and gets up muttering under her breath "Too many exes"

Clark hesitated for a moment, then spoke quietly,"Technically Chloe and I never went out. What are you talking about"

Lois looks at him and answers. "Did Chloe ever tell you how she and Oliver met?"

Lois proceeded to tell Clark how she and Oliver dated when they were both living in London a few years back. They stayed together for a while but Oliver needed to get more attention to his "growing business" in the US and Lois was still on assignment and broke things off amicabibly. Chloe met Oliver when she stayed with Lois in London and even tho there were clear sparks, both knew they couldn't do started dating almost immediately after Oliver moved back to Metropolis.

When Lois looked at Clark is mouth had dropped. "Wow, I had no idea". "Ages ago, Clark."

Lois walks up to Clark and wraps her arms around his shoulders."It's going to be really, really hard to not kiss you today" she says as she lightly gives him a peck on the lips. Clark holds both sides of her hips to pull her closer to him "I might drag you in that corner of Oliver's balcony" and kisses her back. "I don't mind playing secret relationship as long as no one sees. This is Chloe's day."

"I'm heading home. I have a ton to get done before tonight specially since I did not get my full beaty sleep" she says with a sly smile on her face and the tip of her tongue caught between her teeth.

Clark and Lois say goodbye at the door with another heated kiss. Clark closes the door and sighs in expectation of the day ahead. "I really hope Lana doesn't make it. I don't want to have that conversation tonight" he mutters under his breath as he makes his way back to his room and gets started for the day.