Chapter Text
Lois had no idea how exhausting it could be to live a double life until she met Clark. Watching him navigate his life as the kind-hearted reporter Clark Kent, giving his all or even more to deliver good stories, was endearing to others. However, Lois knew the boy who stayed up late, who lost track of time and sometimes forgot to eat while buried in piles of paper and old newspapers, investigating; she knew the guy who would wake up sleeping in an obviously uncomfortable position on the sofa, with sticky notes stuck to his body and an empty coffee cup in his hand. The same one who would get up before the sun rose to visit his parents and help them with anything.
No one else saw that side of the kind reporter Clark Kent.
On the other hand, there was Superman.
The alien who descended from the skies and, of his own volition, had sworn to be the protector of Metropolis and the entire world. The Man of Steel who risked his life daily to thwart the plans of wealthy individuals with villainous complexes who didn’t care about harming others to gain a type of power superior to the "threat" that the city mistakenly proclaimed as Superman. Lois knew the alien who hid the worries and depressive effects caused by the ungrateful words of many; she knew the man who endured even radioactive materials that collapsed his own body: imagining him trapped in pain and agony from the lack of air or the oppressive sensation in his chest closing while his other senses turned against him was a nightmare for Lois.
Everyone cheered for the hero of Metropolis, but no one noticed the exhausted look in his eyes or the weak smiles he wore before disappearing.
It truly seemed as if two different people were being discussed, but no; both names represented the same person.
Lane could no longer bear it; she had to do something. She loved Clark too much, and seeing him this way, overexerting himself, tormented her. She had lost count of how many times she had asked him to take a break, but he stubbornly ignored her pleas. She knew that he wouldn’t yield willingly, so she had to do it her way.
Lane thought of an idea; to execute it, she needed some help, help she secured from a certain wealthy figure. They both organized a simple plan, one that could bring back relaxation and tranquility to Clark’s body and mind.
One afternoon, Lois took Clark all to herself. No writing stories as a reporter, no wandering the city as Superman. The Daily Planet had more employees who could cover for him, and the city wasn’t going to collapse because the Man of Steel was absent for just one afternoon and night.
"Where are we?" Clark asked, somewhat lost but curious, standing in front of Lois. He had a blindfold over his eyes, and although he could only see through the fabric, he knew that would ruin whatever Lois was planning; besides, she would be mad at him, a lot.
"Where do you think we are?" Lois returned the question with a giggle, a playful hint in her tone.
She lovingly took Clark’s hands and began to guide him along a path she alone knew at that moment.
There was no rush between them; there were no loud noises to disturb them. The soft silence made the boy understand they were far away, or at least a considerable distance from the city center. Clark, moving blindly and allowing himself to be led, synchronized his senses: his ears picked up distant, constant murmurs that somehow brought serenity to the environment. Beneath his bare feet, a sandy carpet welcomed each of his steps, making walking feel so good and pleasant. Then the gentle wind that fluttered through his hair and light clothing provided a refreshing sensation. Not to mention there was a certain sea scent in the air that completed the scene in Clark’s mind.
He already had an idea of where they were.
"Wherever we are, it still surprises me how you were able to guide me through the air with my eyes covered to bring me here. I thought it was impossible," he recalled, reminiscing about the fun and highly dangerous journey from Lois's apartment to the place they were now.
"Doing the impossible is my specialty, remember?" she boasted, stopping at a specific point and releasing Clark's hands.
The murmurs that had been distant were now close, as if they were in front of whatever was causing such serene sounds. And indeed, a sudden rush of water over Clark’s bare feet confirmed his suspicions.
Lois stood on her tiptoes behind Clark to undo the blindfold from his eyes. "I thought... it would be a good idea to stop for a while and see something together. Something as simple as this view."
A sunset painting the sky and reflecting its natural beauty over the sea captured Clark’s uncovered eyes. Lois took hold of one of Kent's arms, admiring the profile of the man beside her with notable affection, hoping that such a gesture would begin to clear the stress that had accumulated in the reporter over the past few days.
Above them, the warm strokes of the sun in its setting cycle made the waves break over their feet, giving that pleasant sensation that would disconnect anyone from any worry.
"It’s beautiful..." Clark could barely say, gazing ahead with a sly smile. Despite spending more than fifty percent of his time soaring through the skies, in recent days he hadn’t even stopped to appreciate a sunset like the one he was witnessing at that moment. Perhaps it was Lois’s presence there with him that began to make the moment something special.
They walked a bit more along the edge of the conveniently empty beach, Lois commenting on random things, nothing related to work or any mention of Superman. Her plan was to block those aspects for that afternoon, yet even though Clark listened attentively, he couldn’t help but soften his gaze at the appearance of his girl: suddenly, she looked more beautiful than usual.
When was the last time Clark had detailed Lois’s figure? Even that... He recognized that his stress and focus on other matters took away the time to look at her with loving eyes, sparkling at everything Lane did or said.
"What’s wrong?" Lois halted her talking and turned around upon noticing how Clark had silently stopped behind her.
"Nothing... I’m just debating who looks more beautiful: the sunset or you," he answered sincerely, giving a couple of quick glances between Lois and the main backdrop of the sky that the capricious sun presented.
Lois forgot for a few days the butterflies Clark could unleash in her flushed cheeks every time he spoke to her with such affection. So much time together, and she still didn’t know how to react to his loving words—more than a smile, she felt nervousness and her eyes darting away.
"Well... um, I..." she tucked a short strand of hair behind her ear, lowering her gaze. "Come on, there’s something else!"
She composed herself, shaking her head; with small hops, she led Clark by the hand in a direction only she knew, leaving her footprints in the wet sand. Clark wondered what it could be; he could expect anything from Lois, so he was somewhat interested to find out.
Finally, they reached the point they had come for in the first place. Lois was excited to see that everything was just as she had left it a few hours earlier: on that very beach, a tent structure adorned with fine white fabrics awaited them, falling lightly around to create an intimate space. Small yellow lights were arranged all around the frame, decorating and providing a soft light in addition to the one the sun offered in the distance at sunset.
Inside the tent, there was a table elegantly covered with a white tablecloth. The table was set for a dinner, with two chairs placed opposite each other. On the table, wine glasses and carefully arranged plates were evident, along with some lit candles and scattered rose petals adding a cozy and romantic touch—all in front of the seascape stretching out on the horizon.
Clark stood still, quiet and amazed. Thousands of thoughts began to flood his mind as he looked at the space Lois had prepared for both of them with a certain astonishment shining in his eyes. The effort and every detail had been thought out for him, for his comfort—he should lift Lois into his arms and shower her with kisses; however...
"I forgot, didn’t I?" Clark murmured, calling Lois’s attention. "Is today... our anniversary? I forgot that important date, didn’t I? How stupid!!" He rubbed his face with his hands, embarrassed, even tousling his hair at the thought in his head. "I’m the worst! I’ll make it up to you, Lois, I promise!" he hurried to say, almost as an embarrassed apology.
"What are you talking about?" Lois’s eyebrows knitted together in a puzzled gesture, even tilting her head slightly. That wasn’t the reaction she expected from her boyfriend.
"Isn’t this for our anniversary?" he asked back, still in his crisis as a super careless man who forgot one of the most important dates of his life.
Lois couldn’t help but let out a relieved sigh; she was starting to worry about it too. She laughed at Clark’s concern.
"No, silly! That’s in three months," she wiped away a small tear, her laughter diminishing as the moment lightened. "I... wanted to do this because I want to remind you how much I care about you. To remind you that it’s okay to ask for help or just take a break every once in a while." With a moderate voice and an open heart, she confessed the true intentions of their date.
Now Clark understood; now everything was more meaningful. Lois took a couple of steps until she was in front of the man who accompanied her, placing her hands on his shoulders and, with a compassionate gaze toward him, said:
"Your shoulders shouldn’t always carry everything, Clark; they get tired too, and there are weights that sometimes simply can’t be borne..." she said softly, raising her gaze to Kent’s face, her hands sliding simultaneously from both shoulders to the boy’s arms. "You have to stop pushing yourself so hard, Smallville."
Each word was pronounced with a tender feeling, even with a maternal hint.
Clark listened to her and, in a new way, realized how much he meant to the woman in front of him. To her, he wasn’t just a superman; she considered him a person, recognizing that fatigue was also part of him and that despite being stubborn in the past, she wouldn’t give up wanting to give him the rest he deserved. Once again, Lois showed him how much she loved him.
"Did you really prepare all this for me?" He rubbed his neck, a shy smile on his face still unable to believe it as he detailed the tent that awaited them inside.
"Yes... with some help," she admitted, taking a couple of steps back and turning around, hugging herself now that she had intrusive thoughts as she focused on the tent.
Was it excessive? Was it too simple? Was it cheesy? Should she have thought of something better? Was an outdoor dinner okay? Had she forgotten something? And if he didn’t like it, what could she do?
Before she sank deeper into a pit of doubts, Lois felt a slight weight behind her, two strong arms wrapping around her waist, and suddenly a whispering voice in her ear:
"Thank you."
Just hearing him and feeling him so close was enough to make her heart leap in her chest. She laughed joyfully as she received several kisses on her cheeks from Clark.
After that moment, they both sat down at the table to eat together. Just the two of them, as if nothing else mattered at that moment. Lois’s plan worked; she saw a different demeanor in Clark, noticed how comfortable he looked, and having touched his shoulders, they didn’t feel as tense as in previous days, which made her happy. The time at the table was filled with random conversations, a few conspiratorial glances, and a silly game with their bare feet in the sand beneath the table.
The sun began to set further into the distance, taking its orange and yellow hues with it, and instead, leaving the stars that would adorn another night in Metropolis. But the sunset was to witness something more. Clark, seeing the waves crash on the shore, had an idea.
Without saying anything, he got up from his chair, took the edges of his loose shirt, and lifted it to take it off. Lois’s throat suddenly closed; she turned her head to the side, involuntarily spitting out the wine she had been drinking.
"W-What are you doing?" she asked, placing her glass back on the table, doing everything she could to avoid looking at his bare torso.
"The water looks fresh. We need to try it," he shrugged as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, placing his shirt on the back of his chair before stepping away from the table.
"Oh, well, in that case, I’ll pass; I’m fine here," Lois mentioned with a gesture after coughing softly to try to hide her small nerves, avoiding at all costs to look at him.
"I didn’t ask if you wanted to; I said we need to try it."
At that declaration, Lois did turn to look at him: there was a playful and mischievous facet in Clark’s features.
In the blink of an eye, Lois was futilely running away from a super-fast alien who wanted to take her into the water with him.
"What’s the point of being at a beach and not enjoying it properly?" Clark referred excitedly, lifting Lois as if she were a sack of potatoes over one shoulder. Her squeals, protests, and half-hearted punches on his back, her tantrums to be released were simply satisfying for him. Floating, he positioned them over the sea, in a spot neither too deep nor too shallow.
"Kent!! If you put me down right now; I swear I’m going to—!!" no matter how much she clung on, gravity did its job, and once Clark tossed her, she screamed, and her insult turned into bubbles in the water.
The next few minutes, while the sun made its last appearance of the day in the vast sky, were spent with Clark and Lois in the water: two young lovers soaked, appreciating each other’s presence, loving one another amidst the moist and relaxing sound of the water that kept them afloat.
"It’s hard to admit that I needed this. This feels good, more than good; it’s perfect," Clark said with a deep sigh, feeling so light.
They both remained in the sea amidst the calm ebb and flow of the water, their hair sticking to their skin, just like the clothes they wore; the now transparent fabric on Lois clung to the shape of her body. The alien kept the reporter’s body pressed against his, with Lois resting her hands on the boy’s bare shoulders, still united in the sea with the glow of the sunset reflecting on them.
"Are you going to stop overexerting yourself then? You shouldn’t do it again..." she feared that later on, Clark might develop some kind of addiction to his duties. She searched for his eyes, hoping for an affirmation.
"You’re not the one to say that," Kent countered with a sly smile, raising an eyebrow.
Lois was much worse when it came to pushing herself. Lane huffed at Clark’s comment, saying:
"We’re not talking about me right now." She gave him a harmless poke on the forehead. "So you will?"
"Yes. I promise." He yielded, hiding his face in the space of Lois’s neck.
There, as they turned slowly in the water, the sun finished setting in the distance. They had shared a pleasant time, and that was what mattered.
Lois hoped that Clark would truly take better care of himself mentally from now on; if not, she would have to teach him the hard way.
"Clark..."
"Mmh?"
"We need to get out soon," she mentioned, even though having him so close and submissive against her body was comforting for both of them.
"Five more minutes, and we’ll go," he offered, planting affectionate wet kisses on Lois’s neck, wanting her to indulge him just a little longer.
"But we’re going to catch a cold," she excused with giggles, the wind turning cold from being wet, and Clark’s display of affection made her feel ticklish.
"Mmm... It doesn’t matter."
And there they stayed for a while longer, not caring about the hour or the moment; it was just the two of them...