Chapter Text
It was a Wednesday morning just like many others. Nothing special to it. The alarm rang at six thirty, she stretched her body against Clark's. He nuzzled her neck instinctively.
After Superman and the Justice Gang managed to close the interdimensional rift ten months ago, Clark Kent found himself temporarily homeless. His modern, one-bedroom apartment was one of the ones split in two. The development company estimated up to one hundred and eighty days to get tenants back in.
Lois didn't think twice to offer Clark a place to stay. And just like that he went from being "a guy she was casually seeing" to her live-in boyfriend. Even though no one really knew they were together.
Except for his parents and the Justice Gang.
When the renovation of the Metropolis Tower was finally done, neither of them felt like they wanted to go back to living apart. As Lois pragmatically put it, "It is just too much effort to move all of your stuff back and have you slowly bring it back anyways."
Lois Lane might not be a romantic but she sure was practical. Nothing made more sense than her and Clark living together.
At work, most still thought she had an affair with the Man of Steel himself. She still wanted to find out how the hell The Star had taken that shot of their mid-air lip lock. To think the moment she finally told him she loved him would become a major issue in her and Clark being a public couple. They both knew they needed to ride this "rumor" out.
Around three months ago, she was convinced no one would find it odd if they heard she and Clark were dating. She had it all planned out for Jimmy's promotion party to be their "coming out" moment.
Except two days before the celebration, Lois had to travel two hours north of Metropolis to meet with a source that would give her the papertrail she thought was missing in her Stagg investigation. She met the source, she got documents and on the way back her BZ was run off road into a trench.
Superman was quick to save her. Quick to fly her into the ER. Then very slow to move after the doctors took her from him. The Man of Steel was fixed in place like the statue of a desperate man.
And the rumors started again.
They went back to their friendship-first relationship at work and walked back any initial approximation they attempted.
Jimmy noticed and asked Clark if, "Now that it is clear Lane is not into you, why don't you take Jenny out?" The new copy editor had been at the Planet for two months and was not shy to let everyone know how much she was crushing Clark.
It annoyed the hell out of Lois but there wasn't much she could do.
That had been their reality for the last few weeks. They just needed more time to pass.
***
Lois rolled in Clark's arms, careful not to wake him. The tight grip on her waist proved she failed. Closing the distance between them, she brushed her lips against his and whispered, "I'm taking a shower."
Clark hummed in agreement as she pushed the covers off and sat up on the bed. She could feel his eyes on her as she stood, even though he was probably still half asleep. Seven months of mornings had made them familiar with each other's rhythms. He'd doze another twenty minutes. By the time she was toweling off her hair, he'd be up making coffee.
Lois grabbed her phone from the nightstand, its screen already lit up with notifications. Three emails from Perry, two text threads she'd ignore until lunch, and one missed call from Lucy at eleven forty-three last night.
Her sister knew she went to bed early on work nights. A call that late meant Lucy had something to say and didn't want to wait for Lois to call back on her own schedule.
Lois hesitated, thumb hovering over Lucy's name. Then she set the phone face-down and headed for the shower. Whatever Lucy wanted could wait until after coffee.
***
The Planet's bullpen had a hump-day lull to it. Perry's frustration started to build up and would peak at noon if no clear headliner was in sight.
Clark was three desks over, ostensibly reviewing copy but actually listening to something happening six blocks away. Lois could tell by the way his head tilted slightly, the way his fingers stopped moving on the keyboard.
She'd gotten good at reading him. Too good, probably.
Jenny made her way to Clark's desk and perched herself on the edge. Lois wasn't one to be jealous but the way that girl's skirt was riding up was extremely inappropriate.
She opened her mouth to say something but her phone rang, her sister's name flashing across the screen.
"Sorry I didn't get a chance to call you back." Knowing her sister she should expect a full speech and was hoping that starting with an apology would reduce the length of the scolding session.
Lois glanced at Clark, who was engrossed in whatever Jenny was showing him as she bent over his shoulder, and tried to not roll her eyes as she made her way to a phone pod in the back of the bullpen.
"You want me to cut to the chase right? Honestly, I'll take it because this is time sensitive." Lucy said, annoyed at her sister. "I need you to come to the cabin this weekend."
"Dad's cabin? Why?"
"Well, I want you to know James."
"Your boyfriend James? I know him."
James. Lucy's on-again, off-again boyfriend who'd cheated on her at least twice and was somehow now her fiancé.
"Well, he is technically more than a boyfriend, Lo. And no you don't."
"Why do I need to go to the cabin for that? Can't we do dinner in the city?"
"Because, this is something I have already planned and I'm inviting you. Look, he is bringing his friend Todd and I thought that that you and Todd—"
"Oh, no!"
"Lois! Hear me–"
"Lucy, is this a blind date weekend trip?!"
"Todd is great—"
"No!"
"Why not?! Come on, Lo. When was the last time you did something fun?"
"I'm not spending a weekend being a third wheel with some guy named Todd."
"You wouldn't be a third wheel, that's literally the point of inviting you. Todd's actually really sweet, he works in—"
"Lucy, I have three stories in the pipeline and—"
Lucy's voice softened. "Please? I miss you. And it would be nice to actually see you in person instead of just texting every few weeks."
Lois closed her eyes. Through the window, she could see Jenny from copy editing laughing at something Clark said, leaning in too close.
"I have a boyfriend."
Silence.
"You what?"
"I'm seeing someone. So Todd's going to be disappointed, but I can bring Clark if you want a fourth."
"Clark?" Lucy's voice had gone very flat. "Your boyfriend's name is Clark?"
"Yes."
"How long?"
"Does it matter?"
"Lois. How long have you had a boyfriend I've never heard of?"
Lois pressed her forehead against the cool glass of the door. "About ten months."
The silence stretched even longer this time.
Clark walked past her on his way to get more coffee and gave her a quizzical look. She simply shook her head and returned a sad smile.
"Ten months!" Lucy's voice cracked. "You've been with someone for ten months and I'm just finding out because you don't want to be set up with Todd?"
"Luce—", the guilt in her voice was impossible to mask.
"Ten months is right around the mark when people start talking about living together. Is that were you are kinda at?"
"Luce—", the guilt was overridden by annoyance. Annoyed at how spot on her sister was.
"Do you live together? Please tell me you don't live together and I'm just finding this out over the phone while you're at work."
"His apartment was destroyed in the rift. He moved in temporarily and then... it just made sense."
"Oh my God." Lucy let out a sharp breath. "I don't... I can't actually believe this right now."
"I'm sorry." She said into the phone as Clark walked by again.
"Are you? Because it kind of seems like you would have been perfectly happy never telling me if I hadn't accidentally forced your hand."
"That's not—"
"I have to go. I'll text you the address." A pause. "And Lois? Send me a couple of trivia bits so I can have a conversation starter with your boyfriend. I don't want to know nothing about him."
The line went dead before Lois could respond.
She stood there, phone still in her hand, staring out at the bullpen. At Clark, who was now alone at his desk, typing. Who had no idea that in less than forty-eight hours, he'd be meeting her sister for the first time.