Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The Daily Planet staff was glued to the TV screens mounted on the walls. The news was broadcasting how two giant hands of raw energy were fighting Superman. The brawl was being recorded by dozens of phones as the Man of Steel struggled opposite the fists.

Lois, Jimmy, Cat, Steve, and Ron were watching on the same TV.

“Oww!” Everyone exclaimed as the footage captured how the left fist had uppercut Superman and had sent him flying back.

Jimmy rubbed on the back of his head. “Those things got to be alien tech, right?” He had turned to his left where Lois had been standing just a second ago. “—Where are you going?” His eyes followed her as she grabbed her backpack purse and rushed out.

“I need to find out exactly what that is.” She called out from the elevator. Once inside, she tapped fast for the elevator door to close. “…Alien or not, those things look like they were made to harm him.” She mumbled to herself.

If the Hammer of Boravia had made something clear; it was that weapons made to stop Superman were terrible news. There wasn’t much information about the Armature yet, but Lois had this uneasy hunch that, just like Ultraman, this weapon was somehow being endorsed by the government.

And Lois Lane’s intuition was rarely wrong…

…Even if this time, she hoped that she would have been wrong.

With her lanyard dangling around her neck, Lois kept her badge in her hand as she showed it to whoever required a form of ID.

She pushed herself into the crowd, through the journalists who had made it to the scene before her; Superman had been defending himself from the Armature above the tunnel that connected Metropolis with Queensland Park. The metahuman had stopped a school bus from crashing right before he had gotten attacked.

No casualties had been recorded but the entrance to Queensland Park had still been roadblocked and military personnel were offering back-up. Tanks had been strategically set to seal off the area and soldiers were redirecting traffic.

Lois made it to the front of the crowd, where a barrier of men in army uniforms were keeping the press from going further. Her first instinct was to look up and try to figure out if Superman was okay.

The reactions in the crowd confirmed that the Armature was skilled in martial arts; throwing punches and hooks like a professional boxer. The high tech weapon was proving to be a challenge for Superman.

Scanning the surroundings, her eyes grew concerned once they fell on the military General a few steps away. He was talking with some of his men. The General was a middle-aged man with gray hair and a mustache. The man had thick dark eyebrows and piercing blue eyes. The wrinkles in his face were due to the decades of restless service. Even at his age, there were still traces in his features that he had once been a handsome man.

“—Ah fuck.” Lois muttered upon realizing that her dad was there. Her eyes grew big once General Sam Lane, who was neatly uniformed, started walking along the barrier.

His attention was to the front as he kept his posture straight and marched along. He was still talking to one of his men, his voice too low to be heard over the muttering surrounding the press.

Taking a deep breath, Lois brought her recorder out. She pressed for it to start recording and called out for his attention; “General Lane! General Lane, if I may; I would like to try to understand why the government has seen fit to spend tax dollars on this…barricade; was it just for the military to have front row seats? …Or am I missing some context?”

It was one of the soldiers who reminded the sea of journalists behind the barrier that the military had no comments. “General Lane has already made it clear that he won’t be addressing the press.”

“Oh, the hell he is.” Lois smiled the moment she saw in General Lane’s face that he had recognized her. She brought her recorder to the front and fixed her eyes on his: “Lois Lane, Daily Planet. Do you have a minute for a question or two?”

With a grunt, General Lane brushed his hand and dismissed the men that were escorting him. He stood straight, his arms behind his back as he fixed his eyes on her.

“New toy?” Lois motioned toward the glowing flying fists. “I’m curious, General Lane, is the government now attacking civilians? I mean we all know that twenty percent of the population is not safe around the police, but sending tanks and even spending what I can assume is a great amount of tax dollars in high tech weapons to restrain a white man? I didn’t have that one on my bingo card. Care to elaborate?”

A brief moment of silence was exchanged between father and daughter where neither of them broke their stoic gestures.

“The military is dealing with a national threat.” General Sam fixed his jacket, “I don’t know anything about all the other nonsense that you were babbling about, Miss Lane.”

Lois titled her head to the side, “A threat?” She paused before she asked for clarification, “What exactly is the threat here? Aside from the two big fists floating over the city, clearly alarming the people of Metropolis.” She looked down to her recorder and added, “Speaking of which, I’m still waiting on a comment about the budget on those and a clarification.”

“Last time I checked, the military did not report to you, Miss Lane,” General Sam dismissed that last part of her questioning. “The Military has always had the people’s best interest and will do everything in its power to protect them.”

“Mm. Famous for shady limited transparency.” Lois followed up, “You did not answer my question about the supposed threat that called for a military back-up.”

Giving her a look, Sam took the bait, “An individual who fails to adhere to laws and social structures is very much a threat to civilization, wouldn’t you agree, Miss Lane?”

“Superman?” Lois looked up to where the hero was defending himself from an aggressive attack. “You are seeing what dozens of cameras are recording right now and are objectively calling Superman the threat?” The Man of Steel had just barely managed to stop a car that the purple energy hands had tossed his way. He had stayed busy trying to make sure no casualties happened while the reckless high tech weapon tried to defeat him.

“It’s been a few months since an order for his arrest was signed and we are following up on that.”

“Didn’t you get the memo, General? Superman was being framed under false accusations and his name was cleared once the justification for his arrest fell apart.”

“He keeps interfering in geo-politics affairs that do not concern—”

“Saving children from a tragic disaster is not a geo-politic concern. But when you have the power to stop it? Then it becomes the right thing to do.”

General Lane chuckled. “You know very well I’m not talking about the misfortune of a scholar bus losing its brakes.”

“I would expect for you to know better than that, Sir.” Lois narrowed her eyes at him; “...And figure out that I was not talking about that, either.” She looked away and then added; “Unless to you, and hence the US Government, the death of children in the Middle East at the hands of missiles is just collateral damage that can be swept under the rug.”

“Superman does not represent the United States and therefore has no business interfering and unilaterally take decisions on how to—”

“The thing is, General Lane, Superman has never done anything under the name of the United States or has ever said to be representing our nation.” Clearing her throat, Lois added; “However, Superman has done a better job at keeping peace and fellow humans safer than the US Government ever had and ever will.”

General Lane snorted. “Maybe today he is saving children from dying and he’s doing good.” His voice was mocking her on that last part.

Talking straight on her recorder, Lois smiled; “I’m glad we agree that he is all about doing good.”

“—But what is stopping him from turning his back on the people and using his powers to harm them; harm us?” General Lane continued, “If not by free will, then by being manipulated.”

“There’s no precedent,” Lois countered. “Is the government now arresting people under the possibility that they may commit a crime at some point?”

Adjusting his stance, General Sam looked her in the eye. “Miss Lane, there’s a very public video…footage of the alien’s progenitors where they are clearly colonizers, to put it bluntly.”

“It’s also public knowledge that Superman was not raised by them and does not share their ideologies.” She highlighted, “You, yourself, didn’t call them his parents. Human behavior is influenced by culture, that’s a scientific fact.”

“We aren’t talking about a human here, are we?”

Lois kept her lips parted for a brief moment, but managed to find her feet in the argument before a significant amount of silence interrupted it, “Biology has very little to do with learned cultural patterns.”

“The apple does not fall far from the tree, Miss Lane.”

“Crucial context on that aside,” Lois tilted her head up and challenged him; “Shouldn’t you know better than to assume that kids would turn up to be the way their parents expect them to,” after a pause she added a dry, “General Lane?”

He grunted.

“Can I get a comment on the government using military forces on someone because they might be guilty until proven innocent?” Lois smiled as she brought her recorder closer to him.

General Sam didn’t say anything to that but did stop a passing soldier and gave him some orders.

Lois hadn’t been able to hear what it was that her dad was telling his subordinate, but she took this moment to look up and try to find Superman.

A sigh of relief escaped her as she watched how the glowing fists had been turned off. The crowd around her broke into cheers as they all watched how Superman flew away.

Once the Man of Steel was out of sight, Lois started to push through the group of journalists surrounding her and started to head to the back. She had her phone in her hands, her fingers were quick when typing as she sent Clark a text message.

****

Away from the crowd, Lois scanned around trying to spot Clark. She smiled once she saw him waving at her and met him half way.

“Hey…” Lois caressed his cheeks with her knuckles and cupped his face upon kissing him. She fixed his tie around his neck, “Are you okay?” Her voice was low.

“Mm.” Offering another kiss, Clark wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her onto him. He grinned against her lips upon hearing her giggle.

“You left before I could give you a comment.” It was General Lane’s voice who had interrupted the moment. The impish smile that he was displaying was completely erased from his face upon realizing that his daughter was not alone: “—Who the hell are you?” His eyes coldly scanned the man from head to toes.

Looking over her shoulder, Lois found her dad standing behind her. She let go of Clark’s neck and adjusted. “Ugh,” She rolled her eyes, her voice low for only her boyfriend to hear; “That’s General Sam Lane.”

Fixing his glasses and composure, Clark tried to introduce himself and offered a smile and a handshake. “I’m—”

Lois shook her head and moved Clark’s hand away, not letting them interact. “Come on, let’s go.” She moved her fingers from pulling the cuff of his jacket to finding his hand and holding it.

Sam gave his daughter a look, but observant eyes still caught the other man’s name on the Daily Planet badge he had been wearing around his neck. “...Clark Kent.” General Lane called out, letting Lois know that he had still gotten a name, “Is he a friend from work?”

Lois reached for Clark’s badge and played it in her hands. She snorted upon letting go of it and started to walk away.

“Hey…” Clark kept his voice low. He found her eyes as Lois looked up. “That’s your dad…” He murmured almost like announcing something she might have not been aware of. “I-I feel like the polite thing to do is to introduce myself.”

“...To General Lane?”

“Yeah, your dad.”

“Hmm.” Lois narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips, “Define ‘dad’.”

Clark frowned at how dried her voice had sounded. He knew there was history there and chose to respect her decision to walk away from Sam. He brought her hand to his lips and upon pressing a kiss on it, he followed her.

“—Does your sister know you have a boyfriend?” Sam questioned his daughter as he followed her. “She’s never mentioned it.”

Throwing her head back, Lois grunted. “We don’t really talk, General.” She waved her free hand, her back still on him. “Thank you for the interview. Our readers at the Daily Planet are going to LOVE it.”

At her words, Clark looked over and tilted his head.

“I know your mom is always saying how much she wished you’d call.” Still a couple of steps behind, Sam kept insisting for her attention.

“Well, I guess she didn’t get the memo that the phone line works both ways.” Lois found her car and used the key fob to unlock it. Letting go of Clark’s hand, she got on the driver’s seat while he walked around the car and got in the passenger side.

Upon starting the engine, Lois felt Clark’s hand caressing her lap. She faintly smiled at him and leaned in. She wrapped her hand around his head and pressed a kiss on his cheek.

A tap to her car glass interrupted the moment. She sighed and looked over, finding her dad there.

Sam motioned for her to roll the window down. Once the request was granted, he rested his hands over the door and leaned over. “We would like it if you came for dinner on Friday.”

Lois chuckled.

“You can bring your—” With a sigh and a long stare, Sam added, “Your boyfriend. Your mom and I would like to formally and properly meet him.”

Lois snorted.

“It would be a pleasure, Sir.” Clark nodded with a smile just to find his girlfriend giving him a death glare.

Moving his eyes away from Clark, Sam shifted his attention to Lois. “We are staying at the old house in Bakerline, do you remember the address?

She refused to make eye contact with her dad and so kept her eyes to the front, “No, not really.” She looked down to the shifter and moved it from parking to reverse so she could start backing out the car.

At the notion that the vehicle was moving, Sam stepped away. “I’ll have your sister text you the location.” He called out before watching Lois drive away.

Later that evening, Lois and Clark had settled to spend the night at her apartment. He was making dinner while she sat on the counter top. The encounter with her father had left Lois in a quiet state of mind that Clark had never seen her in before. She looked preoccupied, lost in her own thoughts, but still faintly smiled back at him and reacted to his caresses and attention.

They were sharing a beer, taking turns to drink from the bottle. Lois brought it to her lips for a small sip before she handed it back to him. A faint smile was exchanged before she found him adjusting between her legs, she was wearing a skirt that day. Tilting her head to the side, Lois watched him set the beer down on the counter and then felt him caressing her lap under her skirt.

Clark found her sad eyes and kept his loving ones on them for a brief moment. “Did I thank you today…?”

She was pouting with a frown wrinkled between her brows. Lois shook her head, “...thank me?” Her voice was barely audible.

His hands were warm as they caressed her arms and then hugged her waist, pulling her into him. “Yeah.” Clark pressed a kiss on her nose and then on her lips, “...Didn’t you have something to do with them turning those fist things off?”

“The Armature?” Lois nibbled on her lower lip as she looked down. “...Maybe.” She flirted, her fingers finding the back of his head where she played with his curls.

With his finger gently tilting her chin up, Clark kissed her again. His lips brushed over to her cheek and then he nosed into her neck, taking the sweet scent of her shampoo as he hid his face against her long hair. His grip tightened around her waist as he held her as close to him as he could.

“You didn’t have to do that, though.” He peppered the side of her neck and her collarbone, appreciating the gentle inhales and exhales of her chest. Clark found her eyes, “Do you want to talk about it?”

Lois parted her lips but at the threat of her voice cracking and tearing up, she closed her eyes. She pouted once she felt his lips on her hands. “My da-my fa-He ha-General Sam Lane isn’t a fan of Superman.”

Clark caressed her cheeks with his knuckles. “Oh, babe.” With a soft voice he reassured her, “Whatever he thinks about Superman has nothing to do with us.”

“You know that I will forever be by your side, yes?” Her eyes were steadily on his and her voice was firm, “On your side of history.”

“In the words of the wisest person I’ve ever met,” A playful smile curved in his lips; “I never thought you were-n’t, even for a moment.”

His attempt to make her smile succeeded. “Is that how that went?” She let out a sigh and cupping his cheeks, Lois rested her forehead against his, “—It’s just that you were raised on family values…I-I wouldn’t blame you if you ever…”

“I don’t…and I would never, either.” Clark pressed a kiss on her forehead and guided her face to look up, “Yes, I was raised on family values, but also to always stand for truth and justice and that’s the core of your beliefs, isn’t it?”

She nodded. “But also,” she flirted with him a little; “You are my family.”

Clark grinned at that. He took her hand and played with her fingers. “—Speaking of family values…about that dinner.”

“Ugh. No. Nope.” Lois hopped off the counter and walked across the kitchen.

His arms reached to turn her around from her waist and press her against the counter. “Why…? Why not?” Clark pushed her hair back, tucking a strand of it behind her ear.

Looking away, Lois let out a sigh.

“Please?” Clark folded his knees down a little, to be at her height, and found her eyes. “I’ve taken you to meet my parents, it’s only fair.”

With a look, Lois reminded him; “Yeah, but your parents are nice people who genuinely seemed to like me.”

“How are we gonna know if your parents won’t like me if they don’t get to meet me?”

Lois gave him a look. “In other circumstances, I would have let you have it your way so you could leave dinner crying and having an existential crisis;” That had been a threat. “But, unfortunately, you can’t afford that.”

“I can’t afford that?” He chuckled at that. “What does that even mean?”

“I know you are mocking me, Clark, but I won’t bite…that’s how you know how serious I am about this.” Lois shrugged him off and stepped to the side.

Scratching his head, Clark followed her to the living room where she brought her laptop out and settled on her couch. He kept the playful tone when reminding her; “Na-ah. You know the rules: no work during dinner.”

“A few years ago, someone from his team granted me access to their background check software; it’s a tool that has saved my butt a few times.” Lois shared with Clark as she shifted on the couch, making room for him to sit next to her: "Whatever I can find on here about you, …I can guarantee you that General Lane has already gone through.”

“What…?” Clark was a little incredulous. He snorted as he watched his girlfriend type his full name into the database. “Why would he do that?” Looking up, his eyes met Lois; “—Did you run my name on that when we first met?”

“Don’t be silly!” She went back to typing as she added; “I still didn’t have access to the data back then.”

“What!?”

“I’m joking!” Lois giggled. Hugging his neck, she pressed a loud kiss on his cheek.

Clark side eyed her.

“Here’s the thing. He’s probably going to be asking lots of questions and do NOT underestimate him, Clark — he has most likely already memorized your entire file so your story has to match what the computer says because that file over here? …That’s the only thing he trusts.”

“I don’t see what’s the problem with that?” He figured; “I’m not planning on telling him that I landed here illegally.”

Faking a deep voice, Lois pretended to be her father as she asked; “So, Clark, tell me, have you ever felt the need to go looking for your biological parents?” She kept her roleplay going; “Lois tells me that you were adopted when you were 18 months old. There’s more than enough information out there to locate them, surely.”

“You told him that? Why would you tell him that?”

Lois rested her hand over his lap and shook her head. “Oh, I haven’t talked to him in years. He didn’t know you existed until today; remember?”

“Why would he say that you told him, then?”

“What do you expect? For him to admit he ran a background check on you and the computer told him that your birth parents are listed as unknown? That the custody process determined you were around 18 months old when the Kents were granted parental rights?”

“You got all that from there?” Clark pointed at the computer before he rested his chin over her shoulder.

“Mmm.” She shifted her laptop so he could read down the screen. They shared a smile once he pressed a light kiss on her shoulder and then their attention shifted to the laptop. “There’s a citation that says Ma testified under oath that she had found you by the road leading to their farm.” Lois had been able to get access to the court transcripts.

“Heh. Ma did not lie.” That was what his parents had told him, “I mean, technically, my spaceship crashed into their crops at the farm, but still.”

A loving smile curved on her lips as she heard him say that. Lois closed her eyes as she felt Clark brushing his lips against hers and kissed him back.

Lois let out a soft moan as she kissed him fully and nosed into him.

“I know what you’re thinking…” He grinned against her lips.

Her cheeks turned pink. “Oh?” She nibbled on her lip as her fingers played with his. “You are a mind reader now? Is that a thing you can do, hmm?”

They giggled, their foreheads pressed against each other. “You are thinking that the love of your life was sent by the stars, across the cosmos, to land here and be with you.”

“Oh, honey, …I would never think of something so corny.” She tapped on his cheek as she looked away and back to the computer. After a long pause, she turned back toward him and added, “But… you are the love of my life, I’ll give you that.”

“Heh.” Clark kissed her slowly. The light moan that escaped her encouraged him to deepen it.

Lois nibbled on his lower lip and upon breaking the kiss, she pecked his lips a couple of times. “Babe?” She brought her eyes to make contact with his.

“Mm?” Clark leaned back in and kissed her again before peppering her jawline on his way to nibbling on her ear.

Slightly shifting, Lois gently but firmly held his chin with her thumb and index finger. She moaned upon pressing a kiss on his lips and then requested his attention. “…Not to be that person, but I need you to tell me what it is that you’d answer to the question? Because, I promise you, he is going to ask you that.”

Every time they started kissing, Clark entered a trance where all he could think about was her lips and how soft and warm it felt to be with her. Lois was intoxicating and his brain involuntarily shut off when they started making out. Clark didn’t acknowledge her just yet, instead his hands worked on taking the laptop away and leading her onto his lap. His lips adored her neck as she followed his lead and sat across his legs.

Slightly carried away, Clark ran his fingers along her warm thigh. He grunted into the kiss as he slid his hand between her legs and his touch grew more intimate and hid under her skirt.

A mischievous smirk grew in his lips once her hand stopped him from going higher up her inner thigh. “Ngh…” Clark groaned against her ear as the tip of his tongue brushed against her earlobe. With a husky voice he teased, “What’s the matter, beautiful? We both know you like it when I touch you like that.”

Lois giggled as his hand slipped from under hers and brushed further up, against the fabric of her underwear. “God, I do…” She slightly begged as her body shifted. “—But, this is important.” She gulped at the sensation of his knuckles rubbing between her legs. “I-I promise that-that…um…wha-what were we talking about?”

She was having a hard time focusing now that his fingers were sneaking under her panties and her body was reacting to his touch. Clark grinned against her lips and kissed her again.

Closing her eyes, Lois tilted her head to the side, feeling him nibbling on her neck while he kept teasing her. “If-if…one-once we have this conversation.” She gasped for air upon feeling his index finger feeling her from under her underwear. “—I-I promise we can touch each other all you want, please?” Once his eyes found her, Lois knew she had his attention; “I’ll even do more than touching if you want me to.” She offered with a moan, her hand around his neck as she nibbled on his chin. “I’ll get on my knees and…” with a giggle she murmured the rest of that thought into his ear.

His eyes grew big in anticipation, “I would like that very much, yes."

Letting out a shaky breath and a grunt, Lois tried not to get too disappointed once he moved his hand away from between her legs and brought it out from under her skirt. She needed a moment before she could gather her thoughts together.

“So,” She cleared her throat. “General Lane asks about your biological parents, specifically about your lack of interest in finding them.” Lois retook the subject; “What are you answering?”

Clark tried to focus on what his girlfriend needed. “Is this a trick question?” He might have never met Sam, but he knew his girlfriend very well. “How does he know I didn’t? I know more than enough, I…I guess I could—”

“No, babe.” Lois had to interrupt him. “Sure, you’ve seen them…but so has the rest of the world.” The message that his Kryptonian parents had sent with him had leaked a few months ago and had been used to get a warrant for his arrest; “The footage of your parents is in his radar, you can’t use any of that.”

Clark blew his cheeks, feeling slightly at a loss. “Wha-what do you want me to tell him?” He looked down, “I don’t think I would be the type of person who wouldn’t want to know who they were-are. I would like to get to meet them.”

With a light pout, Lois caressed his cheeks and guided his face to look up. “Trying to figure out who they are, means you would have needed to take a DNA test.”

“Well—”

“Nothing in here mentions a DNA test. As a matter of fact it doesn’t have any medical records after your routine vaccination when you were an infant.” Lois started scrolling down, “Babe, not even a blood type is brought up.”

“Kids, eat your spinach.” He cheekily smiled as he pointed with his finger.

“This is serious, Clark.”

“I doubt that thing says anything about YOUR medical record, so what does it matter?”

Giving him a look, Lois opened a new search and typed her full name on it. “What do you want to know?” She adjusted so he could be the one taking control of the mouse pad and keyboard.

Clark turned to look at her and once she nodded, he adjusted so he could type and still keep her across his lap. “—Let’s see here…” With his tongue poked out, he typed something.

“—Oh, no. That’s not gonna be there.” She took the laptop away. Lois could feel her cheeks burning, which only meant she was flushing bright red. “Can you please take this seriously?”

“I thought that silly computer knew everything.” He cheekily smiled.

“Yes, everything except THAT.” She rubbed on her neck, “Thank god. …Or General Lane would have killed me.”

“Oh…You were that young, huh?”

Clearing her throat, Lois tried to control the flush in her cheeks, which she still felt were hot. “Mmm?” She kept clearing her throat, failing to get rid of the knot she felt stuck there. “Wha-what were we talking about again?”

He laughed. “I don’t understand why I can’t just charm them in an old-fashioned mid-west way.”

“...Because they are Lanes.”

“It worked on you!” Clark grinned once she gave him a look.

Lois adjusted on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. They shared a light smile and a peck. “This is not about them not liking you, though. I don’t care if they do. …I like you very much and that’s all that matters.” Her thumb brushed the big smile he had just offered as she continued, “This is about Big Blue.”

“Ah, THAT guy…”

“Mmm,” Lois narrowed her eyes. “It took me a few weeks to figure it out,” she recalled. “But one evening would be enough for General Lane to crack the mystery.” With her eyes fixed on Clark, Lois released a shaky breath, “He and I? We are not the same. He is not going to care that you are the man that I love. He is not going to care about anything. He is going to use it to bring you down; Ma, Pa, the guys at the Daily Planet…even his own daughter.” The dread in her eyes was too heavy to keep contact so she looked down to her hands; “And I will never forgive myself because in a way…I was the one who brought you to him and served you on a silver platter for him to feast.”

Clark hugged her, tightly wrapping his arms around her and keeping her close. His lips pressed a light reassuring kiss over the top of her head before he cupped her face and gently tilted it up. “I promise I will be cautious.”

Slightly nodding, Lois leaned into his arms and curled against his chest. She nosed his neck and pressed light kisses on it. “—And that’s just the General.” Lois grunted against his skin and tightened her grip around his chest, “...Don’t even get me started on Elinore...”

It was a busy Friday in the bullpen at the Daily Planet. The noise was the combination of people talking over the phone, bickering with neighbors at their work stations, and the news on TV.

With a pen in her mouth, Lois stood up from her desk and headed to the coffee station just a few steps away. She grabbed a clean mug and poured some of the freshly made coffee in it. Keeping her eyes on the machine, Lois felt for the sugar dispenser but found a firm yet warm hand on its usual spot instead. She giggled recognizing the texture of the soft skin and playfully slid her fingers between the ones resting on the table.

“Sugar for your coffee, beautiful…?” Clark was smiling dimple to dimple as he held the sugar dispenser with his other hand. Once Lois turned over, he brought her hand to his lips.

Being official was great. It meant that she could get away with standing on her toes and press a chaste kiss on his lips. After exchanging a giggle, Clark let sugar pour down her coffee, his powers made it so he could put the exact sugar, to the grain, in it. He stirred it for her also.

Lois brought the mug to her lips and with a light smile took a sip. “Mm, perfect. Thank you, handsome.” She flirted, setting the mug down. Looking around, she held his hand and led him to follow her to the stairway.

Every time they needed a minute alone, that’s where they snuck to. Once the heavy door closed behind them, Lois hung herself from his neck and he pulled her up. They giggled and shared a loving kiss.

“Hey.” He bit on his lip, his dimples perfectly formed in his cheeks as he brightly smiled at her. Clark had his arms tightly wrapped around her waist, steadily holding her against him, mid air.

With a giggle, Lois greeted him back. “Hi,” she grinned before pressing a loud peck on his lips.

“So…tonight?”

Flirting, she wondered, “What about it?” Lois moaned lightly against his lips, her fingers brushed the curls behind his neck as she leaned in to kiss him.

Clark pulled away and with a wrinkled between his brows he had to ask; “What do you mean ‘what about it’?”

“What…?” She was playful, “I thought you felt cute and wanted to ask me on a date night or something.” Lois giggled as she hid her face in his neck. She pressed a few kisses on it, and as she made sure she hadn't left lipstick on his skin she wondered; “Unless—“ Her eyes met his and she leaned close, “Unless I forgot and we already made plans?”

“We sure have!” Clark was a little dubious; “What about dinner with your folks?”

“Oh.” Wiggling in his arms, Lois was brought back down. “Yeah, that’s not happening.” She shrugged as she pushed the stairway door open and walked back into the bullpen.

Clark walked with her to her desk, ignoring the smiles and nods that their coworkers were giving them as they had come back inside together and his hand was holding onto the tip of her fingers as he followed her.

“But—” He sighed and leaned against her desk. He watched her sit on her chair and unlock her computer. “I thought we had agreed to go. I was gonna ask if we could stop by the flower market to get your mom something. I have a bottle of wine your dad might enjoy.”

Lois looked up from her screen and smiled at him. “You don’t have to do any of that.” She found her mouse and brought her attention back to the computer, “I mean, I remember I agreed to go IF they moved and sent me the house address or location…and, oh, look!” Lois grabbed her phone and showed him the homescreen, “Not a single notification from them all week.” She said that with an amused little smirk.

With his arms folded against his chest, Clark shook his head at her. “Do they even have your phone number?” He frowned upon seeing her distracted with something on her computer.

“Ah Fuck.” Lois grunted, “Never mind.” She had Teams opened on her screen. The receptionist at the Planet had messaged her about five minutes ago and just now had followed up on the unanswered message. “Jennifer messaged me saying that she has a ‘Lucy Lane’ on line three, she’s been on hold for a while.” Her fingers were quick to type and she was about to click on send when she felt Clark stopping her.

“—You can’t ask her to hang up on her!” He cleared his throat, trying not to laugh.

“Why not…!?” Lois rolled her eyes. “Fine.” She quickly tapped on the backspace key and then changed her reply.

“You can’t tell her that either!” This time, Clark gave her a look; “Leave her on the line until she hangs up? Babe, c’mon.”

Lois shrugged. She offered him a mischievous smirk, her eyes were on him but her index finger was on the enter key. As a reaction to him shaking his head, Lois tilted hers. After a moment of a playful stare down, she groaned and slid her finger up to the backspace key.

“You, mister, are just lucky that I’m a woman of my word.” Lois was slightly annoyed. She typed something on the chat and finally clicked to send it. “Elinore hates roses, so I would advise against getting her that.” Lois gave him a look, catching him smiling big at her.

“Noted!” Clark thanked her for the suggestion, “I would kiss you right now, but—”

Their banter was interrupted when the desk phone rang.

Lois picked the handset but before she acknowledged the call, she poked her lips requesting the kiss that had been offered. Once granted, she brought the phone to her ear. “Lois Lane speaking.”

The call didn’t need to be on speaker for Clark to listen to what the person on the other end was saying. He smiled at the consent his girlfriend gave him once she pointed at the handset.

“—When dad said you didn’t remember the address, I just couldn’t take him seriously.” Lucy was Lois’s younger sister. She was exactly three years and 2 months younger. The age difference was close enough for them to be rather close and get along when they were kids, but it was also too notorious of a difference once Lois became a teenager.

As they grew into adulthood, their opposite personalities became more apparent. Lois had revoked everything her father had wanted her to become. The resentment against her parents had driven Lois away, and she hadn’t really looked back after graduating from college. Her political views always clashed with them too; especially with her father and his line of work.

Even if Lucy had had an equally neglected childhood with absent yet strict parents, she accepted their doctrination. She had also followed her father’s steps and enlisted in the military — she was now a major in the United States Army. Unlike her older sister, Lucy stayed close to their parents and welcomed them into her life.

Their differences had also impacted their relationship as siblings and as they grew older, they became distant and almost strangers to each other.

“—I’m sorry, who’s this?” Lois asked with confusion in her voice but a little smirk in her lips. She looked up to find Clark shaking his head at her.

“Lucy, your little sister?”

“How did you get this number?”

“I got it off Google.”

To that, Lois let out a disappointed “Oh.”

“Anyways, dad said you have a boyfriend. That he’s from work? Clark Kent? I googled him too, he’s cute.”

To the flirtatious compliment, Clark grinned from dimple to dimple.

“Mm.” Lois smiled at how proud he looked and quietly blew him a kiss.

“…Those glasses though, they are too thick. You should have him look for a more chic style, ones that would compliment those gorgeous blue eyes.”

That part didn’t amuse Clark as much. He pursed his lips and frowned. An apologetic smile curved in Lois’s lips. She wrote something on a Post It for him to read: That’s nothing. Wait until you meet Elinore. To that, he shook his head.

“Nice chat, Lucy. But I’m afraid I have a deadline and need to get back to work.” Lois dryly commented as she got ready to hang up.

“—Wait, the address?” Lucy had called for that, “Don’t you need the location or something?” After a second of silence, she continued; “I-I can't even believe no one at home has your number. I had to Google your work place to find a way to contact you.”

Lois rolled her eyes as the performative offense in her sister’s voice. “Hey, at least you remember where I work! That’s something.”

“Is this a diss for missing that silly award ceremony? That was like a year ago, you should work on your grudges, Lois. They make your face wrinkle faster.”

“I’m hanging up now.”

“Lois, what about dinner? Mom is expecting you and your boyfriend tonight.”

“Huh, that’s a little last minute. What was it that Emily Post had to say about this type of poor etiquette?” Lois dryly recalled; “Isn’t there something about last minute invitations? One that Elinore sure as hell likes to yap about?” After a brief pause, she continued, “I’m trying to recall what it was that she said when my college changed my graduation day at the last minute so neither of you could make it…do you remember what it was?” With an audible smile, Lois offered in a mocking voice; “‘We’re so sorry but we have other plans. We wish we’d known sooner!’”

“Dad literally asked you on Monday to join us for dinner. That’s plenty of time for a family gathering.”

“He also offered to send me the address, so.”

“You lived in that house for the better part of eight years, Lois. You are just being dense.”

“Mm, I don’t know… seems very in line with the family’s style. I’m just playing catch up.”

“Where can I send you the location?”

“There should be an email address where you found this number.” Lois suggested as she typed a quick message for the receptionist; “Just make sure to say on the subject that it is for me and they will forward it.” Lois was typing just that for Jennifer, let her know about the email that her sister would send.

“You are not serious.” After a snort, Lucy added; “You won’t even give your own sister your phone number.”

“See you tonight at dinner, Lucy.” Upon hanging up, Lois rolled her chair closer to Clark and hugged him from his waist, resting her head over his chest.

“She sounds lovely.” Clark dryly commented as his fingers brushed his girlfriend’s hair.

With sad eyes, Lois looked up to make contact with him and wiggled her nose. “You like salmon don’t you?”

“Mm.”

“Elinore always cooks citrus salmon en papillote for first-time guests.”

“Sounds good.”

Scratching her head, Lois looked toward her computer screen and locked it. “Do you want to get out of here? I feel like getting out of here.” She stood up and took his hand, leading him out of the bullpen.

“Where are we going…?” Clark followed her into the elevator and watched her press the button for the rooftop.

As the elevator door closed, Lois hugged his waist and nuzzled into him. “Up and Away.”

Chapter Text

Lois had been born in a US Military hospital and for the most part of her childhood, she moved around the world with her family. It wasn’t until she was about ten-years-old that her father had been relocated to the United States that she had first come to the country. Once back in the US, the Lanes settled in Bakerline, one of the boroughs in Metropolis.

With Elinore refusing to keep moving, she and her two daughters permanently stayed in the city with Sam traveling alone when work required.

General Sam had gotten his wife and their two daughters an opulent estate that Ella kept meticulously maintained. A two-story Tudor-style house in the elite side of the city. The grand, somewhat intimidating, stone exterior was a mirror of the social standing of the Lane family.

“—So this is where your parents live, huh?” Clark had never seen a house that big. His eyes were still slightly stunned as he took in its impotent facade.

Lois let out a shaky breath. “Yep.” The grip she had around him subconsciously tightened as they held hands.

They had yet to ring the doorbell and were still standing at the front door, her car was parked behind them in the driveway right past the entrance gate.

To dinner, Clark had worn a pair of gray dress pants, a light blue shirt, gray tie, and a navy wool jacket. Lois was in a black strapless wide-leg wool jumpsuit and white mango bow pattern blaze. She wore her hair over her shoulders.

Clark had brought some elegant white orchids for his mother-in-law and a bottle of Caymus wine for his father-in-law.

His eyes were soft on his girlfriend as he watched her keep her own closed and take slow deep breaths. Clark brought her cold hand up and pressed a soft kiss on it.

At the feeling of his loving lips, Lois opened her eyes and turned to face him. Her shaky fingers started fixing his tie and jacket. “God, this suit’s way too big for you…” Her voice was low as she slowly ran her hands around his waist and hugged him. She closed her eyes upon feeling him press a kiss over her head.

“I’m sorry,” He frowned. “Maybe I can lose the jacket?” His shirts usually fit well.

Earlier, while getting ready, they had argued about this. Lois had been insisting it was two sizes too big while he reminded her that all his jackets were that big since they intended to hide his bulk body.

“—No, no.” She looked up and faintly smiled at him. “I’m sorry I argued about it.” She pecked his lips and then gently cleaned them with her thumb. “You’re right…You’re right.” She shook her head and looked down.

The fast drumming of her heartbeats made him tilt his head to the side. He cupped her face and guided it to make contact with him. “…I love you.”

“I love you too…” She whimpered and looked away to the front door. “Whatever they say? However they feel about you? That-that does not represent me.”

“I know.” His thumb brought her chin to look back his way.

A smile was shared. “And please,” her tone shifted, she was firm as she insisted; “Do not, by any means, Clark, and I mean it…do not defend him at all.”

He frowned, fully aware he couldn’t help himself when people criticized Superman in a way he didn’t feel fair. “It's not like he’ll be a topic of conversation, is he?”

A snort escaped Lois’s nose as she gave him a look. “Oh, babe.” She fixed her blazer and then her hair before she shifted to face the door, “General Lane has never left work outside and always brings it home with him.”

“Oh.”

With a kiss on his cheek, Lois wondered. “Are you ready to rumble?” At his nod, she rang the doorbell and tightly held his bicep.

The door was answered by a young woman, wearing a dress and apron uniform. Upon welcoming the couple, she smiled.

“Hi. I’m Lois. This is Clark.” She introduced herself.

“Evening, ma’am.”

With a polite nod, the maid introduced herself; “I’m Gwendolyn. Please come in. Mr Lane is in the lounge.”

“Are you comfortable with being called Gwen for short?”

“Yes, that’s how my friends call me, actually.” Gwen nodded with a smile, “May I take your jackets?”

“I’m good, thanks.”

“It gets really cold in there, doesn't it?” Lois chuckled, “I’m good, too.”

Upon stepping inside, Lois and Clark were welcomed into an elegant indoor: the ground floor included a lounge and dining room. At the back of the former was a staircase that led to the second floor. A large window on the side of the sitting room gave view and access to a colorful garden.

As they walked into the lounge, Lois held Clark’s hand and stayed by his side. There, they found her father working on making sure his drinks trolley offered a nice variety.

Sam’s attention shifted from his trolley to the maid walking by and waved for her to come over. “Bring me fresh ice.” He handed the bucket once she nodded.

“General Lane,” Lois greeted him from a few steps back; “Didn’t your mother teach you to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’?”

A grunt was offered before Sam walked over. His eyes were intensely fixed on Clark, studying him from head to toes.

The ferocious stare prompted Clark to fix his stance and offer a firm handshake. “Clark Kent. Pleasures to finally meet you, Sir.” He slowly retrieved his hand and brushed it against his lap upon observing how his father-in-law only curved an eyebrow at his greeting, never taking the handshake.

“—Wh-what is Elinore doing?” Lois was looking out the glass wall that separated the lounge with the garden. “Is-is she—” She snorted at the realization that her mom was working on her astilbe bushes; "...Unbelievable."

Clark shifted his eyes from his girlfriend to the woman outside. Lois’s mom was kneeled over a garden kneeler. Ella was wearing a pair of gardening gloves as she worked with a trowel.

With her fingers still intertwined with her boyfriend’s, Lois pulled him along as she walked to the glass wall and opened the door. “Evening, Elinore.” She then turned to her dad, “I thought we were being expected for dinner?” She raised her voice just slightly so the next part could be heard outside, “I know you raised us to be mindful of people’s time? Lucy’s email said dinner was at 6:30…” Lois pointed at the antique clock on the wall, “And unless that clock is broken, we made it in time.”

“What are you japping about, now?” Ella joined them inside, “Whatever it was, there’s no need to scream, Lois.” She set her hand over her ear as she walked past the group, on her way upstairs.

It was now that the woman had walked right beside him, when Clark could appreciate how petite Elinore was. It was easy to deduct that Lois had her mom’s body shape. Elinore was only about three inches taller than her daughter but they both had a slender build and a slim physique. Ella wore her hair long and dyed in a delicate light auburn brown. With a pair of startling hazel eyes, it was evident that Lois had gotten her blue eyes from her dad.

At the neglect of being acknowledged, Clark gently cleared his throat. He successfully stole Ella’s attention who, with one hand on the newel post, gracefully turned over. “I’m sorry, who are you?” She offered a contrived, almost condescending smile.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Lois’s annoyance caused both her parents to offer a glare, never appreciating her foul language.

“What’s wrong with asking?” Ella’s eyes moved back to the young man, “After all, I’ve never seen this…ma-man in my life.”

“It’s the HOW—” Lois groaned. Knowing she was about to talk in vain, she decided to leave it there and threw her hands to the front.

“Clark Kent, ma’am. My name is Clark Kent.” He offered his hand, “Pleasure to meet you.”

Like her husband, Ella curved an eyebrow as her eyes fell on his hand. She offered a light chuckle.

With a frown, Clark brought his hand down. He looked over to his girlfriend and shifted, slowly smiling back at his mother-in-law. “I-I brought gifts. Lois told me how much you like orchids.” He presented her with the flower arrangement.

Taking advantage that the maid was back with the ice, Ella handed her the flowers for her to take back to the kitchen with her.

Clark observed through thick glasses how careless Ella had been with them as she almost tossed them over to the young maid. He then addressed his father-in-law; “And for you, Sir.” Clark was polite when offering the golden box he had with him, “Caymus wine.”

Similarly to his wife’s reaction to the flowers, Sam gave the maid the box to take with her.

“For being a pair of snobs you sure have some charming manners.” Lois shook her head as her eyes shifted between her mother and father. “Gwen, could you please set the wine on ice, maybe serve it for dinner?”

“Cabernet Sauvignon for a cider salmon dinner?” Ella offered a chuckle. Her attention then shifted to the maid, “Take that bottle to the storage. Serve Alsace Riesling as agreed.”

“Yes, Mrs Lane.” The maid followed orders. With an apologetic frown, she walked past Lois and her boyfriend.

Lois let out a breath and caressed Clark’s arm with her free hand. “What are you wearing, anyways?” She motioned toward her mom’s attire; “I didn’t get the memo that we are now allowed to wear jeans to dinner.”

“I’m not.” Ella excused herself as she headed upstairs, “I’m going to go shower and change, of course.”

Out of words, Lois mumbled. “I-I don’t understand.” She pointed at her dad, “Didn’t you ask us to dinner? Wha-what are we even doing here if Elinore isn’t even ready?” She then moved her hand to point at the trolley; “On that note, we would like a dirty martini, please.”

Lois and Clark had been standing in the middle of the lounge for roughly five minutes now.

“Your dad might have asked you for dinner, but you never confirmed.” Ella had a hand on her chest as she added, “Forgive me for carrying on with my evening without proper corroboration that you were going to show up.”

“I talked to Lucy today.” Lois gasped not believing this, “I told her that we will see her tonight. Isn’t-isn’t that enough confirmation? What were you expecting? A homing pigeon?”

With a dismissive shrug, Ella walked past her husband and headed up a few steps.

Tightening the grip around her boyfriend’s hand, Lois held it against her chest. “C’mon, let’s get out of here.” She turned around and started walking back out, “There’s a place nearby with really good burritos.”

Clark’s eyebrows twitched, gentle eyes found Mr and Mrs Lane as he felt Lois pulling from his hand. “It-it was a pleasure meeting you.”

“—Wait! Where are you going…?” It was a different voice coming from upstairs that asked her to stop. “What are you wearing…?” Not even her youngest daughter could have seen it coming that Ella wouldn’t be ready for dinner.

“I was working on my gardening when Lois showed up.” Ella explained, “But Miss Sensitive here won’t let me go up and change.”

Stopping by the dining room, Lois waved at the maid. “I’m afraid we have to get going, Gwen. I appreciate you putting dinner together but we won’t be staying.”

The maid returned a shy smile as she played a cloth napkin through her fingers.

“Regarless, I still have to go shower.” Ella kept heading upstairs, she only offered her younger daughter a look as she walked past her in the staircase.

“Mom!” Lucy insisted, “You don’t have to change and you can shower after dinner.” She then rushed down the stairs to try stop her sister from leaving, “And what’s gotten into you, anyways? Since when can’t you hold your own through dinner?”

“Have you lost your mind?” Ella gasped petrified, looking down to her hands and attire.

Lois stopped walking at her sister’s words. She knew Lucy was baiting her, but it was working: If she left, that meant that her parents won. With a light sigh, she turned up to Clark who met her eyes. He nodded and so they agreed to stay. Still holding hands, Lois and Clark turned back around.

This was the first time that Clark was seeing Lucy. Lois didn’t keep a picture of either member of her family and the only one he had seen media footage of was General Lane. “I would have never guessed your sister was a blonde.” He commented in a low murmur.

Lucy was a blue-eyed blonde. She was taller than her sister and had a toned fit. She was wearing a white cross over shirt with cigarette pants, which allowed for her firm biceps to be appreciated. She wore her long hair in a braid.

“You must be Clark Kent.” She was the first in the family to attempt to introduce herself, “I’m Lucy, the little sister.”

With a soft smile, he offered a polite handshake, “Pleasure to meet you, Lucy.”

Addressing her sister, Lucy commented; “He has such a handsome baby face.” She eyed how Clark grinned at the compliment. Lucy then leaned closer to her sister and added, “You seriously should do something about those ugly-looking glasses, though.”

Clark fixed his glasses as his smile faded away.

“He’s rural. They probably don’t have many options.” Ella dismissed the suggestion. “The guy probably got them at Walmart.” She looked up from the drink she now had in her hand as she wondered, “Have you ever been to Walmart, Clark?”

“Um.” Clark had no idea how to answer that.

“His family grows their produce at their farm, isn’t that right Clark?” Sam waited for the couple and his youngest to meet them back at the lounge for a drink.

Making eye contact with Lois, Clark figured that was something Sam had learned on his profile; the one Lois had showed him a few days ago. “Yeah. That-that’s-they-we have always consumed our own produce.” He fixed his tie as he offered, “I’ll have them send you some. They make the best goat cheese; perfect for a nice salad.”

After a dense silence, Ella dryly remarked: “So you’ve never been to a Walmart, then.”

“We do our shopping at The Food District, Elinore,” Lois answered for Clark. “And since when are you so fixated about Walmart? Pretty sure you haven’t set foot in one, either.”

“The Food District…?” There was a hint of disgust in Ella’s voice as she corroborated that; “as in on the street market? You buy your groceries off the street?”

Something else had caught Sam’s attention: “‘We’? Are you living together?”

With open eyes, Ella gasped slightly stunned. “Please tell me you are not living together with this…man.”

Lois tensed up at the dismissive tone. Having yet to let go of his hand, she hugged Clark’s arm. “That’s none of your business.”

“It very much is my business.” Ella insisted, “It’s of my concern that my daughter is living among hens and roosters. Do you have any idea the kind of disease those things carry around?”

“Oh MY god!”

“Rest assured, ma’ma, our poultry is up to date on their vaccination and their coop gets cleaned every day.”

Giving him a look, Lois added; “But also, you don’t really keep them here in the city, do you?” She hinted at what he should have emphasis on, instead.

“No, no I don’t.” He smiled at his in-laws, “They stay at Ma and Pa’s at all times.”

With his guests' drinks ready, Sam handed each a cocktail glass. “Two martinis.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

“—The-these have an onion in them.” Lois pointed at her glass; “We-we asked for a dirty martini.”

“I’m positive you always have a gibson.” Sam dismissed her. He finally motioned for them to sit as he took his seat next to his wife.

Lois snorted. “Can we get a dirty martini, please?” She set her glass down and then reached for the one her boyfriend was holding.

“It’s okay, though.” Clark’s voice was low. “I don’t mind.”

Her eyes found Clark for a brief moment. Lois then looked at her family who were all seated: Ella and Sam had taken the loveseat and Lucy was sitting on one side of the tufted sofa. Leaving the only alternative for the couple to split; with one sharing the sofa with her sister and the other one sitting on its own on the chair couch.

At the lack of response from her father, Lois let go of Clark’s hand. Taking both cocktail glasses, she set them on the trolley. It took her a minute to fix a couple of dirty martinis and then offered Clark one of them.

Her attention then shifted to her sister. “Would you switch with me?” She called them out for their seating of choice; “I would like to sit with my boyfriend, if you don’t mind.”

“I-I can have the chair, it’s fine.” Clark insisted.

Lois gave him a look before her attention shifted back to her sister. She offered Lucy a condescending smile as she waited for her to move. “Thank you…” She sang once the request was granted.

Once Clark got comfortable on one side of the tufted sofa, Lois sat tightly close to him and rested her hand on his lap.

Sam shifted and fixed his jacket upon watching the other man bringing his arm behind his daughter’s shoulders. He loudly cleared his throat to which Clark quickly reacted and retrieved his arm. He sat straight with both hands on his lap.

Finding his hand, Lois intertwined her fingers with his and brought his arm closer for her to hug it. They shared a light smile as she rubbed his arm with her other hand.

“Clark.”

He jumped lightly at the sharp and authoritative deep voice calling his name. “Sir.”

“I’ve read some of your articles.” Sam shared, “Not bad for a novice journalist.”

“Thank you, Sir.” Clark grinned.

With her eyes narrowed, Lois tilted her head and gave her dad a warning look. “He’s been working at the Planet for three years.”

“And you’ve been writing since you were six.” Sam compared, “I would assume the two of you are of a similar age? You are a Pulitzer Winning Journalist at only thirty-two.” His eyes found Clark again. Sam shifted his sight down from Clark’s eyes to his feet; “He…he writes about Superman…like he’s a fourth grader.”

“Oh, you’ve been paying attention to my accomplishments? I’m moved,” Lois dryly commented on that. “Also, there’s nothing wrong with writing about Superman.”

“Clearly.” Sam took a sip of his drink as he muttered, “I know you can’t stop fanning about him; completely obsessed about the alien.”

“Like father, like daughter.”

“I recently turned thirty-three, Sir.” Clark sheepishly addressed his father-in-law, attempting to distract the conversation away from his alter-ego.

Lucy smiled over, her drink in hand. “When’s your birthday?

Clark gulped once he felt Sam’s intense glare on him. His eyes found his girlfriend who faintly nodded at him. “It-it’s June 18th.”

“That’s such a specific date. Anything special happened that day?”

“Do you hear yourself, General?” Lois gave him a look. “My birthday is August 17th, did you have any ulterior motive to push me out of your vagina on that day, Elinore?”

“Lois! Watch that language.”

“What did I say?” Lois tilted her hands up, mocking her mother; “What? ‘Vagina’? That’s what gets you uncomfortable? There’s three of those in this room alone, jeez.”

“We have guests. It’s improper to talk like that in front of them, especially coming from a lady.”

“Oh, so you are aware of your guests? You were just pretending earlier then?” Her attention then shifted to her father.

“Is that when you were…’pushed out of a vagina’, Clark? On June 18th?” Sam questioned.

“God, can we please stop saying ‘vagina’?” Lucy begged, “I seriously didn’t need to hear you saying it, dad. Thanks a lot.”

“I’m just asking a simple question.” Sam had his leg crossed as he shrugged; “And using your sister’s colorful vocabulary.”

Clark frowned, his eyes fell on his hand as Lois tightened her grip; both her hands were copping his. “That-that’s the day my adoptive parents found me, Sir.” His eyes lightly shifted toward Lois before he continued, “The judge allowed them to pick a date and they found it fit to use that-that one.”

“So that’s not your date of birth, it’s just a date.”

“—If you keep it up, I might believe that you actually care about birthdays this much, General.”

At his daughter’s affront, Sam grunted.

****

A formal, opulent space filled with antiques, ornate details and a timeless, traditional aesthetic hugged a 6-seat dining table. Above the oak table hung a chandelier.

Elinore had prepared a three-course meal for dinner: a simple yet rich green salad, cider salmon en papillote served with almonds, green beans, grape tomatoes, and chives. And for dessert, Ella liked to show off her perfect key lime pie.

Mr and Mrs Lane were sitting at both ends of the table with Lois and Clark sitting at one side while Lucy sat on her own across from her older sister.

Like clockwork, Lois and her mother had gotten into the same old argument; one rooted in wounds and grudges.

“—You are being a little hypocritical, don’t you think?” Ella’s voice was heavy with remorse. “Every time you come to this house, you whine about how we neglected you and caused you abandonment issues.”

“I don’t whine.” Lois was looking straight, with an unamused look on her face.

“Your father and I always made sure that you and your sister went to the best schools. That you wore the finest of clothes. That you had good quality and healthy food on the table for every meal.” Ella started listing all the things that the Lanes had done for their daughters; “...And how do you repay us? By running away the day after your high school graduation! You didn’t say where you were going, or even said goodbye. You just packed your stuff and left.” She looked towards her daughter and added, “Do you know how much that hurt us?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t leave a note.”

“We raised you for eighteen years and that’s the best you can say? That you’re sorry that you didn’t leave a note?”

“If you paid attention to the dozens of times we have had this argument…maybe just maybe…” Lois sighed, “—Argh.” She threw her head back. Shortly after, she felt Clark’s hand under the table, caressing her lap. “I’ve tried explaining myself and you don’t want to hear it. As a matter of fact, I remember sitting on this exact same spot, a couple of weeks before my graduation telling you all about the summer internship that—”

“We were not about to let our teenage daughter move across the river to be roommates with drug dealers and thugs.”

“I was going to do that for college anyways!” Lois’s voice was slightly higher; “Not like you gave a rat’s ass about either my High School graduation; or college one for that matter…”

“Do not raise your voice to your mother, Lois.” Sam scolded her.

With a mutter, Lois side eyed her mother, “—Drug dealers and thugs…do you guys ever hear yourselves?” She tapped her chin, “Maybe I should have done just THAT. Anything to see you tossing and turning at what your friends would’ve said about the daughter of General Lane and Elite Socialite Elinore Lane sharing an apartment with twelve other roomates in Suicide Slums.”

Ella snorted. “You have been finding the most despicable of ways to make it very clear that you hate us. That’s nothing new.”

“Not a single decision in my life has been linked to either of you.” Lois was very firm as she hissed that, “All I’ve done in my life it’s been for ME.”

“You hate us so much that you went and got involved with the likes of…this man.” Ella dismissed Clark as she brushed her hand toward him. “A farmer, Lois, seriously!? Do you know how degrading that is? What am I going to tell my friends? That my eldest is to be wed by a cattleman? CATTLE, Lois.” In disgust, she added, “I’ll be damned if you have my grandchildren milking cows and bathing pigs, god.”

“You won’t have to tell them a thing.” This was the first time since moving to the dining room that Lois made contact with her mother; “You will not be invited to the wedding or ever be presented to our children,” trying to control her shaky voice she briefly paused. She then firmly added between her teeth, angry and determined eyes on her mom, “I’ll see to it.”

It was until she brought her hand down and rested it on his lap, when Clark noticed Lois was shaking. Under the table, he used both his hands to cup her hand and caress it. He didn’t have much time to digest the altercation that he had just witnessed, but it explained a lot about Lois’s personality and the way it affected her when they fought.

Upon leaving her parents and sister stunned, the table went quiet for a moment. Taking advantage, the maid politely served the first-course starting with Clark and then Lois.

As a plate was set in front of her, Lucy released a sigh. “I’ve never been more glad to see a salad in my entire life.”

****

Now that they were finishing the main course, the disagreements between Lois and her parents had resumed. This time, she was having a heated discussion with her father. It had all started half way through the cider salmon dish. Sam felt that their social status was important, but didn’t prioritize it like his wife did. To him, their daughter’s betrayal weighed the most in her articles and how she opposed the views and beliefs she had been raised on — especially how her pieces went against the military and his line of work.

“— What offends me is that my own daughter, as smart as she is, will go to great lengths to defend an alien.” Sam had the tendency to say that last word like it was an insult and below him. Superman was not and would never be treated as a human in his eyes; he was an outsider and an entity that did not belong on Earth, let alone his country and his city.

Rolling her eyes, Lois reminded him; “That article was printed a few days ago, General. The world has moved on, you should too.”

With a grunt, Sam insisted, “You explicitly wrote that I personally had no issue with bringing into custody an individual who has yet to break the law. Are you out of your mind?”

To that Lois shrugged and looked down to her plate, pinching a few pieces of her salmon with her fork before bringing it to her mouth. “I have you on the record, General.” She smiled at Gwen who was clearing the table and setting her plate over Clark’s, she handed them over. “Thank you.”

Sam kept his fist closed as it rested over the table. “You constantly praise yourself as a journalist with integrity and an objective point of view — I didn’t know infatuation had a place in there.”

Looking up, Lois offered a glare toward her father. “You had a toy made that’s worth thousands — if not hundreds of thousands of dollars — to detain an individual who has NO PRECEDENT on any sort of criminal behavior.” After a pause she added, “What you, General, were doing was violating his rights. I—”

“That thing is an alien, Lois.” Slightly losing his temper, General Sam hit the table with his first. “It doesn’t have any rights.”

It was hard to contain herself as she felt her heart dropping into her stomach. Lois took a moment to control her breathing and with a broken glance, she faintly turned to check on Clark who was looking rather pale and stunned.

The hand that she had over the table was slowly moved down to hide under it, where she found his hands. They intertwined their fingers.

“…Tell me I’m wrong.” A smug smile curved up in his lips.

Lois was quiet, big eyes on her father. She parted her lips trying to object to him but nothing came out. The grip around Clark’s hand tightened as she finally talked, barely letting out a mutter, “You’re wrong.” She caught the fire behind his eyes and with more conviction said again; “You’re wrong.”

General Lane snorted.

“You were violating his FUNDAMENTAL rights, specifically stated in the Fourth Amendment which I’m pretty sure you are familiar with, …or would you like me to refresh your memory, General?” The constitution protected immigrants in the United States against unreasonable searches and seizures.

“…Diffent kind of alien.”

“I mean, he’s still human.”

“Is he though?”

With a shrug, Lois corroborated, “Isn’t that how your people categorized him? As a Metahuman?” Observing how her father adjusted his instance and fixed his jacket allowed her to let out a low sigh; by experience she knew that the first round had concluded. Her eyes grew big once she noticed her dad’s attention had shifted to Clark; this was far from over.

“…Are you always this reserved, Clark?” Sam engaged him in the discussion. “Your arguments as a couple are probably very boring.” He teased them.

Clark cleared his throat and made contact with his father-in-law. “I’m not really an argumentative kind of man.” He shyly smirked.

“How’s your relationship with your parents?

“Um…” He briefly turned to Lois before he looked back to Sam, “We-we are close, Sir. They-they would like to meet you, actually. They offered to have you over at their farm for—” Clark’s eyes shifted to Ella once she started laughing.

Lois stared at her mother as she shook her head. “If I were you, I would knock it off, Elinore,” she demanded. “It’s embarrassing.”

Ella narrowed her eyes on her daughter and adjusted on her chair. “Are they in conditions to travel? If we have to meet them, I think we could take them to the country club for lunch.” With a face, her eyes scanned Clark from across the table; “The dress code is cocktail.”

Lois snorted at that.

“Thank you,” Clark offered, “I’m sure they will be happy to share the afternoon with you there.”

“—Do you have constant communication with them, Clark?” Sam retook on the conversation. With his eyes fixed on Clark; he noticed that for each question asked, Clark would bring his eyes to meet Lois; “What is it, Clark? Does my daughter have a muzzle on you or something?”

Gasping, Lois glared at her dad and shook her head.

“I-I try to call them at least once a week.” Clark shared as he rubbed on his neck. “But-but sometimes life gets in the way.”

“Offsprings should always be attentive to their parents.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

“That was not a compliment, Clark.” Sam clarified as he took the last sip of his drink. He side eyed how Clark had turned toward Lois, so added; “You weren’t expecting for me to congratulate you for doing the bare minimum, were you?”

“No, Sir.”

“It’s okay, babe.” Lois kept her eyes on her father as she addressed Clark; “You could literally win the most prestigious award in your field, and he STILL wouldn’t be impressed.”

“Is this what it all boils down to?” Sam figured; “I miss a silly ceremony so now you take it out on me by writing all that denigrating garbage?”

“No, not really.” Lois narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips, shaking her head at that. “I won the Pulitzer last year. I’ve been exposing you for ages.”

“I’ve told her about grudges and how they wrinkle her face.” Lucy brushed her off. “You need to let it go, Lois.”

“Good thing I have a sister like you, pulling gray hair out of my head; match the aesthetic.”

“What did I ever do to you?” Sam wondered; “We barely get to see you, Lois. It’s when, by a miracle, I end up running into you when I ask you to join us for a meal.”

Lois snorted. “You’re not serious, are you?” At his stoic face, she adjusted on her chair and chuckled, “Wow…you really are being dead serious."

It was Ella who interrupted the brief silence among them, “You have pushed us out of your life. We don’t even have your phone number, we don’t know where you live. We don’t know anything about you.”

“Unbelivable.” She shifted her eyes between her parents, who were still sitting at each end of the table. “Where was this energy for my High School graduation, huh?” Lois let out a sigh, “My college graduation? Every single award ceremony I’ve invited you to? To this day you keep calling the PULITZER PRIZE a ‘silly award’.” Nibbling on her lower lip, Lois paused in an attempt to have her parents say something. At their silence she blinked; “I spent my entire childhood —and adolescence for that matter— trying to prove myself to you! All I ever wanted was to make you proud; hear you talk about me to your friends and my accomplishments.” She felt her heart racing and her voice raising, “You made it very clear that work and attending whatever socialite events you had for the evening were more important. …Well, message received.”

Once Lois got that off her chest, she took in a deep breath and found comfort in the arm that had just run around her shoulder. She closed her eyes and leaned into Clark, nosing into his neck for a moment, hiding her eyes from her parents who had stayed quiet.

After a few seconds of heavy silence, Ella finally said something; “You have always been so dramatic.”

****

General Sam Lane was an intelligent, stern, and old-fashioned patriarch. In Elinore he had found a sophisticated matriarchal socialite with strict values, a cutting wit, and a penchant for control. The combination of their personalities was a dagger dipped in venom that had poisoned their eldest daughter enough times for her to lose count.

Lois had dealt with unresolved abandonment issues from a very young age. She resented her parents and genuinely didn’t like them. But she would be lying to herself if the little girl in her didn’t yearn for moments like the one they were sharing right now.

Something had shifted between the main-course and dessert. Once the maid had come out with the key lime pie, a peaceful atmosphere settled in as they enjoyed the first bite.

“Dinner has been exquisite, Mrs Lane.” Clark cleared his lips with a cloth napkin. “And this is simply the best key lime pie I have ever had. Lois has talked wonders about it, it’s simply delicious.”

Nibbling on a bite, Lois smiled at her boyfriend as she frowned at his lie.

Proud with the compliment, Ella shifted her shoulders and grinned. “Thank you, Clark.”

“Where is it that you were raised again?” Surprisingly, Sam’s tone was casual as he asked, “You said your parents own a farm.”

The rub on his lap was a gentle reminder to carefully choose his answers. Clark set his fork down as he acknowledged the question. “Smallville, in Kansas.”

“Isn’t it peak tornado season right now?” Elinore sounded genuinely concerned, “Have you made sure your parents have a well-equipped shelter? God knows, folks our age have specific needs.”

“I did, ma’am. Every year, for Spring before tornado season hits," Clark reassured them, “I go over to check on the shelter and make sure they have everything they need ready.” He smiled upon realizing how Mrs Lane approved of that.

With an equally proud smile, Lois hugged him and murmured something just for him to hear before she pressed a kiss on his cheek. She giggled at how his cheek had turned pink and cleaned it with her thumb. “Didn’t you fly them over to stay with you a couple of years ago?”

“Mmm.” He corroborated. “I’m glad I did, too.” He added, “That year the farm got hit pretty tough. I had never seen so much loss in my thirty years.”

Not really interested in the topic of tornados, Sam took the mention of his age to circle back to a different subject: “Are your birth parents also from Smallville, Clark?”

It was a challenge to restrain herself and confront her father when it came to these questions. Dessert was going well, and she didn’t want to ruin that. Finding herself with her lips parted, she gently closed them and turned to Clark with a smile.

“Um. No…” Clark cleared his throat, “I-I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” Sam brought his eyes to meet Clarks, “They could be from anywhere; America, Africa, the moon—”

“They are clearly caucasian, General.” Lois’s tone was a warning.

Leaning onto the table, with her elbows over it as she tried to get as close to Clark from across it, Lucy wondered; “Are you one of those…what do they call them? …Dumpster babies?”

Lois gasped and gave her younger sister a death glare. Her eyes then shifted to her mother who was resting her hand over her chest, her face mortified at the possibility.

Clark had rehearsed this with Lois a dozen times, to help him come up with the version he would tell her parents on how the Kents had found him. “Ma found me on the road that led to their farm.” He shared with the table, “She’s always said that my biological parents put me on her and Pa’s path; they like to believe it was more than fate and that they were chosen by them.”

With a chortle, Lois pressed her lips against Clark’s shoulder: that was not what they had rehearsed, she would have never gone for something so corny.

“True story.” Clark vouched as he looked down to her with a light smile.

“So you’ve never met your biological parents?” Sam questioned; “You have never tried looking for them? Fallen down a rabbit hole after curiously searching Ancestry, 23andMe, MyHeritage?”

Ella agreed to an extent, “Even if only to get a medical background? Especially if you are planning on having children of your own.”

“I-I was a very healthy kid.” After clearing his throat, Clark added; “But no. I have never found the need to Google them.”

“If they wanted for you to find them, I guess they would have left a few clues or something behind, right?” Lucy could understand him in a way; “I know that if I was to give a child away — regardless of the circumstances, I would make sure they had something to trace me back with. Not leaving something, means they didn’t want you to look for them.”

“Lucy…!” Lois gave her a look.

Tilting her hands up, Lucy added, “What…?”

General Lane hummed at his youngest daughter’s presumption. “We are talking about the woman who birthed you, here…”

Lois cleared her throat, “General.” She demanded for him to back off.

“Ma is the only mother I’ve known and the only mother I’ve ever needed.” Clark warmly insisted.

“Sure. But this is the woman who chose to give you life.”

Blinking and with an amused smile, Lois commented; “General Lane agreeing that it’s a woman’s choice to carry a pregnancy full term was not on my bingo card.”

“—So, where did you go to college?” Lucy was quick to change the subject

“Metropolis University. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Arts.”

With a smile, Lois pointed at herself and flirted with him. “Hey, me too!”

“Is that where you two meet?”

“No, we met at work.” Lois grinned, her eyes still on her boyfriend, She brought her hand up to rest over the table, her fingers intertwined with Clark’s.

Mr and Mrs Lane shared a quiet look before one of them asked, “...For how long have you been working together?”

With a happy grin that curved from dimple to dimple, Clark shared; “A little over three years.”

The look that his in-laws were sharing shifted; their eyes stayed on each other at the realization that they had fully lost track of their daughter’s life.

****

After dessert, coffee was offered. The two ends of the dining room table were empty, with only Lois, Clark, and Lucy at the table as they sat in silence, overhearing how their parents fought in the studio that was directly behind the sitting room.

“—Is it so hard for you to be nice for one evening?”

“What about you? Ready to interrogate the man like he is under custody.”

“I was not!”

“Ha. Everyone at the table, with the exception of him, knew you were asking about his biological parents for more than just morbid curiosity.”

“What is wrong with wanting to know what kind of genes my grandchildren will carry? We already know they will probably be blind, surely.”

“Oh, Sam, you are a snob and a half.”

“The pot calling the kettle back.”

“Are you going to tell me that you are in agreement with this relationship? For your eldest daughter to marry a farmboy?”

“I’m certainly not. But if we want to be part of their kids’ lives then we have to be smart about this and make her believe that this man is welcome in our home.”

“We most definitely can’t take him anywhere. He looks like he was dressed by an epileptic gnome.”

“...Not everything is a complete loss, though.”

“Mm. At least there’s a handsome man somewhere underneath those rags, Coke bottle glasses, and the mop he is wearing over his head.”

“All these things have a solution: I can schedule him for an appointment with my barber. Isn’t your personal stylist married to someone who specializes in male fashion?”

“I’ll give her a call Monday morning.”

Back at the table, Lois was slightly pouting as she pushed Clark’s curls back. She leaned to press a few kisses on his cheek, reassuring him as they heard how her parents insulted him.

Lucy was observing them from across the table. She took a sip of her coffee, “So, are you pregnant?”

“No.”

“Engaged?”

“Na-ah.”

“...Living together?”

Lois shook her head. “No, not really.”

“Huh.”

“Yup.”

****

Laughter had embraced the atmosphere as the party had moved back to the lounge for after dinner drinks. The conversation had them bonding over childhood anecdotes. Clark had learned a few things about Lois and Lucy and the trouble they got into as they were raised in military bases around the world. He had also shared some of the fun things of growing up on a farm in the midwest.

It had been a pleasant surprise to learn that the Lanes took great amusement out of the story behind the first time that Lois had been taken into custody: during her senior year in High School, Lois had made friends with other army brat kids from her school. Back then, one of them lived with his recently divorced father and his mistress. Her friend’s father was on Temporary Duty and so he had been left behind under his soon-to-be step-mother’s care.

At his house, the group of friends had found an unsupervised place to do things like hooking up, smoking, underage drinking, and anything their bored minds would come up with. One day, they had decided to break into the father’s safe. That had triggered an alarm which had immediately brought his security team to the property. Her friend’s father had been called — interrupting an important meeting. Mad at the unnecessary disturbance, the man pressed charges and the entire group of friends had been escorted out of the property and brought into custody.

Covering her flushed face with her hands, Lois laughed into them, “—I wish you guys had found it funny back then, too.”

“It was a stupid thing to do.” Lucy agreed, “What were you thinking?”

Lois shrugged. “That’s the thing, I wasn’t.” She recalled as her eyes met Clark’s, “We were high and it was either that or skinny dive in the neighbors pool.”

“My parents left her to spend the night locked up and didn’t pick her up until the following day.”

“We wanted her to learn a lesson.”

“How long did it take you to be back behind bars?” Clark knew getting arrested was almost a second nature to Lois.

“About a year? I went to a nonviolent protest in my freshman year of college. The police inevitably showed up and did their thing.”

“Even if dad was mad with Lois, that didn’t stop him from giving that man a piece of his mind.” Lucy chuckled as she recalled the events of that first time her sister had ended up in jail.

“I was acquaintances with Lieutenant General Carrington so upon hearing he had pressed charges against my daughter, I immediately called him.” General Sam recalled, “I remember calling him by a few names. Told him it was his responsibility to make sure my underage daughter was oversaught by an adult.”

With a cackle, Elle added; “That’s the clean version.”

The rest of the group laughed along.

“Didn’t you call his mistress a gold digger?” Lucy covered her mouth as she tried not to chuckle too loud.

Gasping, Lois shook her head, “Elinore!” This was the first time she was hearing this part. “Oh, you guys took off the gloves.”

“What did you expect?” Ella doubled down on what her husband had just said; “If she hadn’t been busy with the pool boy…then maybe things would have gone differently.” She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

“I remember that a few days later Trevor said his dad had kicked the woman out of the house.” Lois ran her fingers through her hair, “That someone had told him about her affair.” With a gasp, she pointed at her mom, “Did you…?”

A devious smirk curved in Ella’s lips, “Of course not!” She rested her index finger over her lips as everyone burst into laughter.

****

The bonding didn’t last long. After drinks, Clark and Lucy found themselves sitting alone in the lounge while Lois and her parents were heard fighting in the garden. The screaming and back and forth suggested their argument was related to how they felt Lois was insensitive and had no respect towards them. She had basically abandoned the family upon turning eighteen and barely ever looked back.

Clark was sitting across from his sister-in-law, a drink still in hand. He was facing the wall window that divided the lounge and the garden but Lois and the Lanes were out of sight. His eyes fell on Lucy whom he found was intensely looking at him. Clark politely smiled, “Do you live here in Metropolis, too?”

“Are you made of steel or something?” She was playing her finger over her lower lip, completely fascinated.

“Hmm?” He blinked.

Lucy adjusted on the loveseat and rested her arm across the headrest, her leg bent over her knee. “Mom and dad? They provoked Lois so effortlessly. They can’t practically say anything without her getting defensive.”

His eyes studied his sister-in-law. “They have a complicated relationship, don’t they?”

After taking a sip of her drink, Lucy commented, “They were a little opinionated about you and you didn’t react to any of it.” She smirked, “I think I saw you pouting once but that’s it.” She laughed, “It’s intense to deal with my sister, isn’t it?”

Clark looked down to his oversized jacket and then fixed his tie. Tilting his eyes back up, and through thick glasses, he smiled at Lucy.

“...It’s okay, you can tell me.” She teased, “I grew up with her. That’s actually my secret,” Lucy winked. “That’s why they don’t get under my skin so easily.”

“Lois is great.”

Laughing, Lucy took another sip of her drink. “Do you have a brother you can introduce me to? Maybe a cousin?”

“I'm an only child, I’m sorry.” Clark fixed his jacket and cleared his throat, “No cousins either.”

****

The antique clock over the chimney read it was nine o’clock.

A dreadful silence had fallen over them. Lois was sitting next to Clark, her body bent over her legs as she hugged her knees. He was sharing the tufted sofa with her now that she and her parents had come back inside from the garden.

He had one hand under her sea of hair as she kept it cupped with hers hidden between her lap and her chest. His other hand gently reached out for her hair, which was slightly messy over her shoulders, and brushed it with his fingers.

It was until she felt his caress that she slowly sat straight. She found her parents sitting on the loveseat across the center table, they looked as exhausted as she was. Her eyes shifted to make contact with her boyfriend and gently smiled at him.

“We should get going, it’s getting late.”

Clark nodded and stood up after her. He fixed his jacket and once his in-laws were standing, he addressed them. “Thank you for having me, dinner was delicious. It was a pleasure to meet you.”

Neither of them acknowledge him. The only one to accept his handshake was his sister-in-law.

Lois stayed quiet by his side. A numb yet lost gaze in her eyes as she started walking toward the main door a few steps away. Clark followed, his hand on the small over her back.

Her hand found his and intertwined their fingers as they walked through the foyer. Lois dragged her steps, almost as if her feet felt heavy as she once again walked away from her family and left the house, no plans to come back in the foreseeable future.

Once outside, her blank stare found her car. She blinked at the sound of the front door closing behind her. Lois shifted and upon letting go of Clark’s hand, she hugged his waist and nosed into his chest.

“Want me to drive?”

A broken face looked up to make contact as she nodded.