Chapter Text
“Come with me. There’s something I want to show you.”
A sly grin creeps onto Lois’ face as she lets Clark guide her out the door. She has a pretty good idea where this is going – ever since Clark suggested paying a visit to Smallville, he’s been noticeably fidgety. He’s always been a bit of dork, something she loves about him, but the number of shy smiles and fumbled pens has seen a sharp increase. That’s Clark – everything right there on his sleeve, no secrets or ulterior motives. He’s definitely planning something, and doing an adorably terrible job of hiding it.
And now, he’s gently steering Lois down the porch steps, towards the gracefully rippling wheat fields backlit by a breathtaking amber Kansan sunset. It’s incredibly romantic. There must be a ring box tucked into his pocket.
The answer is yes, of course. Lois has never met anyone as sweet, thoughtful, or genuine as Clark. She’ll gladly spend the rest of her life with him.
“So what’s out here in Smallville, Smallville?” Lois bumps playfully against Clark’s side, getting a small smile out of him.
“I just wanted somewhere quiet for us to talk.” He stops at the edge of the field, gently taking both of her hands in his own, his eyes not quite meeting hers.
Oh, he looks so nervous. Sweet man. Lois tries to gently prompt him – though gentle is not always her strong suit. “It’s very quiet out here. So if there’s anything you wanted to tell me…”
Clark nods a little before turning his head to look out over the fields. Gathering his thoughts, maybe? Does he have a whole speech prepared? That does feel like something he would do. Lois waits as patiently as she can, lightly squeezing his hand to offer some silent encouragement. It’s just me. You can tell me anything.
“Lois…” he finally begins, his attention focusing back to her. “I love you. You are the best part of my life. I can’t imagine going through my days without you.” A tiny smile breaks out onto Lois’ face… though it fades as he continues. “There is… a part of me that I’ve never shared with you. Or with anyone else. But I know that you’re the person I want to share everything with.”
Now she’s lost. “What is it? Are you in trouble? Is someone–?”
He’s shaking his head before she can finish her list of questions. “No, no. It’s nothing like that.”
That solemn expression of his practically cuts through her. She’s so rarely seen him look like that. “You know you can tell me anything.”
“I know. And I want you to know the truth.”
“Then what is it?”
Clark draws in a slow, deep breath, apparently steeling himself. What on earth could be so bad? Whatever it was, they can face it together, just like they always do. They can handle anything.
Except the next words out of his mouth make no sense.
“I’m Superman.”
Lois blinks. She definitely misheard that. He hadn’t just said he was Superman. Superman is the alien with incredible powers. The man who flies around the world, lifts semi-trucks like they’re footballs, shoots blasts of fire directly from his eyes. Hell, she’s met Superman, many times, had multiple face-to-face conversations with him. And he can’t possibly be Clark Kent.
Although… there’s certainly a strong physical resemblance. People have commented on it before, and the two of them have always laughed it off. Not to mention their similar moral codes – it’s something she admires greatly about them both, how selfless and dedicated and kind they are.
But it still seems impossible. Surely she would have known. Her eyes search Clark’s face, looking for any sign of deception. She can’t find any.
After a long, long consideration, in a bit of croak, she simply says, “Prove it.”
For a moment, Clark seems surprised – like that wasn’t the reaction he expected. But Lois functions with facts, with hard evidence, and a claim like the one he’s just made absolutely has to be verified. Clark lets go of her hands and reaches to carefully pull his glasses from his face. In all the time they’ve known each other, Lois hasn’t really seen him without his glasses, but now that he’s directly in front of her without them, the resemblance to Superman really is uncanny. Too uncanny.
He steps away from her. And he goes up. It looks entirely effortless – he’s on the ground one moment, and in the sky the next. Lifting higher and higher, until he floats well above her head, above the height of the wheat beside them, staring down at her.
Lois’ jaw slowly falls. It’s not a joke. Somehow it’s not a joke. Clark is…
His point made, Clark slowly sinks back down to the earth, glasses still clutched in one hand. “Lois–”
But she holds up a hand, turning away from him a little. She needs to process. From the corner of her eye, she sees him bow his head in acknowledgement – his nerves are clear even from this distance. And he very well should be nervous, after dropping a bombshell like that. What is she meant to think? Is she supposed to just accept that? No further questions?
“How?” That’s the first question that finally makes its way out. “How did I not see this? How do people not see this?” It seems so obvious now…
“People see what they expect to see.” Clark folds his glasses and tucks them carefully into his chest pocket. “And… Superman is a bit of an act. I make sure he carries himself differently, talks differently.”
“You lied.” That’s just rattling around in Lois’ head now, growing louder and louder until it drowns out everything else. “You lied to me. You’ve been lying to me since the day we met.”
To Clark’s credit, he does look guilty. “Lois, I–”
“We’re partners. We’re even more than that. How could you not tell me? Do you not trust me?”
“Lois, I trust you more than anyone I’ve ever known. I’ve never told anyone this before.”
“ No one knows?”
“Just my mother. And now you.”
Lois pictures Clark’s sweet old mother, the most genuinely kind person she’s ever met, sitting on the biggest secret in the world. It doesn’t compute. And now the revelations keep piling in. “I reported on you. I interviewed you. I introduced you to the world as a lie.”
“That’s not–”
She doesn’t let him finish. “Ruining your own journalistic integrity wasn’t enough? You had to take mine down with you?”
“Lois, will you please give me a chance to explain?”
Tears are threatening now, but she refuses to let them fall. Clark looks so earnest – and more than a little scared. Anyone else, she probably would have stormed out on by now. But Clark… he’s wormed his way into her heart like no one ever has before. That’s why this stings so much. After a moment’s consideration, she folds her arms tightly across her chest, glaring at him almost like a challenge. This had better be good, Superman.
“I have kept this part of myself secret for my entire life.” Clark takes half a step closer, then stops himself, evidently not wanting to crowd her. Smart man. “Ever since I was a kid. My parents thought hiding what I could do would give me a chance at a normal life. And growing up, I knew that’s what I wanted. But I also wanted to use what I could do to help people. That’s how Superman started. A way to help people, without giving up everything else.”
“I understand that.” Lois’ voice is very tight. She wants to yell at him, but she doesn’t. “I understand keeping the secret identity, I understand why. I do. But it has been years, Clark. You have actively led me on, and let me think you were two different people, for years. ”
“I know. And I hated every second of it. But it was for your own protection.”
“My protection?” What the hell does that mean?
“If people found out who Superman really is, it would change everything. The people closest to me would immediately become targets. Anyone who wanted to get to me, or learn how to hurt me, could go through you. And I would do anything to protect you, but even I can’t be everywhere at once.”
It makes perfect sense. She even believes him. But something’s not adding up. “No.”
Now he just looks baffled. “No?”
“No. You’re completely right, but that’s not why you didn’t tell me.” She adjusts her arms, crossing them even tighter, and fixes him with her most stubborn Lois Lane gaze. “I think you’re just scared.”
Clark gapes at her, then gives a resigned shake of his head. Got him. “You’re right. I know that letting you in means that I could lose you forever. And that terrifies me. Maybe I did put this off for longer than I should have. But you still deserve to know the truth. And to make that decision for yourself.”
Oh… she hadn’t expected him to just come out and say it. This could be the end of their relationship. This could take everything they’ve built together and bring it crashing down around them. How can she stay with someone who’s so thoroughly lied to her? How can she stay with someone who’s abilities and destiny are so far beyond her own, almost beyond what she can comprehend?
She’d been fully prepared to marry Clark. Would she marry Superman?
“I…” Lois steps back. “I need… to breathe. I need to think.”
“I understand.” Clark clearly wants to come closer to comfort her, but he’s smart enough to know when he’s not entirely welcome, so he keeps his distance.
There’s so much more to say, but none of it wants to come out. Lois opens her mouth to say good night, but even that feels like too much. So without a word, she turns and hurries back towards the house, going straight inside and up the stairs to the guest room Martha’s set up for her.