Work Text:
Clark had become Lois’ working partner over the summer. Which meant they’d been partners for maybe seven or eight months when February rolled around. Over the course of those seven or eight months, Lois had gotten quite used to Clark bringing her coffee and the occasional snack.
On February fourteenth, Lois came into the office after meeting with a source and was greeted by a steaming cup of coffee and a little box of chocolates. It was a discreet box of chocolates, that was certain, but it was still a considerably romantic gesture.
“Clark,” Lois called, holding up the chocolates for him to see.
“I didn’t mean anything by it!” he quickly assured when he received her message. “You like chocolate and they were being sold at the coffee house.”
“It’s Valentine’s Day.”
Clark shrugged with a shy smile. “And? My Ma mailed me a big heart-shaped box of chocolates. Doesn’t mean anything. It’s just an excuse to buy some chocolates.”
Lois stared at him for a while. That was the story he was sticking with, it seemed. “Fine. Thanks for the coffee,” she offered, since it was Valentine’s Day.
Clark had been Lois’ working partner for two years now. This was their third Valentine’s Day. She was anticipating him giving her some chocolates and a coffee, like he’d done the past two years.
And low and behold, on her return from the bathroom, there it was: Clark’s Valentine’s Day gesture. She came prepared this time.
She left him a box of chocolates on his desk in return.
She liked Clark, she really did. But she wasn’t sure if she wanted them to try anything out. She liked him where he was: as her best friend. She was scared of losing that.
Which also meant she was scared of what he might think about the chocolates. He could claim all he wanted that his gesture to her was just something sweet and that it didn’t mean anything. He could hide behind the ‘my Ma does it, too!’ excuse all he wanted; Lois knew the truth. He couldn’t hide his crush on her if he tried, and honestly, he wasn’t trying.
For her to return the gesture, well, it might tell him she was interested. Which wouldn’t be wrong… but well, she was confused. And she didn’t want to confuse him. So maybe she should just take the box back…
“Did you get me chocolates?” Clark asked.
Dammit. Too late. He saw them.
“Yeah, you know, since you always get me some, I figured it’d be… I don’t know, polite or whatever, to get you some, too.” She forced herself to look him in the eyes as she talked.
He seemed to know something she didn’t. She refused to be scared by that.
“Thanks, Lois,” he said simply.
Lois shrugged, trying to seem indifferent. “Sure, of course, buddy. No biggie.”
She tried to ignore the knowing, warm smile Clark was giving her.
Lois was curious. She didn’t know what Clark was going to do today. He usually did something for Valentine’s Day, but this was their first Valentine’s Day where they were an actual couple.
She wanted to buy him a coffee, but ultimately decided not to because per his routine, he’d already have one for both himself and her.
So she continued on to the Planet instead. And she was glad she did because Clark had beaten her to work, for once—probably having deliberately planned that—and had left his Valentine’s usual: chocolates and coffee. So she dug the box of chocolates out of her purse and set them on his desk. Then, since he had clearly left for some reason or another, she wrote him a note. She forced herself to leave something sappy and overly romantic. He’d probably think it was funny. That, or he’d ask her if she’d been mind-controlled or something.
Clark didn’t come in for another hour. He probably had been meeting a source, or something, then. But when he read the note, he looked briefly confused and sent her a quizzical look. She nearly spit out her coffee laughing, nearly. Which made him start guffawing.
Rude. It was Valentine’s Day, he shouldn’t laugh at her! He was supposed to shower her with affection.
She pretended to be mad at him to see what he would do. But of course, Clark Kent, the Lois Lane whisperer, saw right through her. He rolled his chair across the way and kissed her cheek. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Lo,” he said softly. It was oddly romantic. “Hope you aren’t busy after work. I was thinking I might cook.”
“You’re going to cook?” She was a little surprised. She assumed Clark might take her out to dinner, but to be perfectly honest, she liked this idea better. Clark was an excellent cook, and this way, they could cuddle on the couch. A good ending to the day.
Not to mention they’d avoid all the crowds at all the nice restaurants.
“Figured we could keep it relaxed. Nice dinner but on the couch, where we won’t be judged for making a mess with chocolate strawberries.”
She grabbed his tie and pulled him to her and kissed him on the mouth. “I like the way you think, Kent.”
“Good. I had a plan B just in case, though.”
Lois laughed as he rolled away. She was looking forward to tonight.
It was their second Valetine’s together. And this time, she knew he was Superman.
He told her the night before to be ready for work an hour early, and to wear a coat. She wondered what he had planned.
She wasn’t surprised when Superman knocked on her balcony doors.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Miss Lane,” he greeted, voice low and soft.
“Ditto,” she offered, too curious to properly return the sentiment. Not that he cared. “Where are you taking me?”
He hummed. “Paris.”
“You are not,” she laughed in disbelief.
He shrugged. “I can. So why not? You’re gonna say no to legitimate Parisian croissants and crepes? Who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend?”
Lois laughed. “And it’ll only take an hour?”
“Well,” he shrugged, a little sheepishly this time, “It might take a little longer than that, but you’re always ridiculously early to the office, especially for someone who loves to sleep in.”
She shook her head at him, fondly. “Fine. Take me to Pairs, flyboy.”
That was all he needed to swoop her up in his strong arms and lift her away. Flying with him was always amazing, she never could quite get used to how it felt to feel weightless with nothing holding her suspended except for him.
But now she’d have a lifetime to get used to it. Or have fun trying, at least.
Paris was wonderful. Of course it was, it was Paris. She enjoyed her croissant and the four bites of Clark’s crepes. The coffee was great, too.
But what touched her the most was that, despite the grand gesture, the wonderful breakfast in Paris, and the amazing round-trip flight, he still kept to his usual Valentine’s gesture of coffee and chocolates.
Lois Lane knew several things in life, and most things about Clark, but if there were three things she had to state that she knew about him with absolute certainty, she could say:
- He loved her with his entire being and all his might (and boy was he mighty!)
- He is Superman
- He is a man of routine
She was pleased that he hadn’t yet broken his Valentine’s routine. She certainly enjoyed the raspberry filled chocolate bite. She’d save the rest for later.
Their third Valentine’s Day as a couple was their only Valentine’s Day as fiancées. This time, he asked her if she wanted to go to Paris. Knowing him, if she said yes, he would make it a part of his routine. She briefly debated asking him to take her somewhere else and have him start taking her new places every year, but after careful consideration she decided that Paris was nice, and it would be a neat little thing they did together.
So Clark took her to Paris again. And just like they had the year before, Lois got a croissant and Clark got crepes, and Clark pretended not to notice Lois eating some of his.
And they had coffee.
Couldn’t forget the coffee.
And at lunchtime, exactly as he had the year before, he gave her the coffee and chocolates.
She handed him his box of chocolates in return, just like what was a part of her routine, too.
Since they became a couple, Clark would treat Lois to some kind of nice dinner.
The first year he’d cooked a fancy dinner, and they’d relaxed on the couch after with chopped strawberries and a bowlful of melted chocolate. And they’d smeared the chocolate over each other’s faces more than they’d actually eaten any.
The second year, they went out at a nicer joint that didn’t require a reservation.
The third year, Clark took her to a place that required a reservation, which he’d made only a week beforehand.
Their first Valentine’s Day as a married couple, Clark pulled some strings. And by that Lois meant that Clark had been brainstorming about Valentine’s Day aloud while at monitor duty with Batman, and Bruce had graciously provided them with a booth at an extremely fancy restaurant, complete with a dancefloor. It certainly paid being friends with Bruce Wayne. Especially when the man had left explicit instructions for the waiter to put their food on his tab.
Clark hadn’t been so pleased when he learned that. Lois cooled him off by telling him to bring Bruce one or two of Ma’s pies.
Other than Clark being mildly irritated that he couldn’t pay for his wife’s dinner, they had a truly wonderful night. Metropolis was nice and quiet—Clark had pulled strings there, in any case, and Kara was patrolling the city for the night—and Lois had Clark all to herself. And she greatly enjoyed slow dancing with her husband on one of Metropolis’ highest high rises.
After dinner, she convinced Clark to take her dancing in the stars. Which was a lot colder, but much more romantic, in her opinion.
Lois and Clark had been married for three years before they got pregnant. Each year, Clark always brought Lois to Paris for breakfast, brought her their traditional chocolates and coffee at lunchtime, and then took her to some fancy restaurant for dinner. They always ended their nights dancing in the stars.
This year was going to be different.
Lois was eight months pregnant. She did not want to fly to Paris. She wasn’t allowed to have coffee (screw decaf, who the fuck drinks that, Smallville?!). And she did not want to get dolled up to go eat somewhere. And as much as she wanted to dance in the stars with Clark, she shouldn’t get too cold with how pregnant she was.
Franky, this day was going to suck because she wasn’t going to do the things she loved doing with Clark. He’d gotten her quite used to his routine.
But she married a golden retriever of a man. He had a way of brightening the darkest of circumstances.
She did not like big and flashy. Clark knew that. It’s why he always kept their Valentine’s Day things at small, intimate levels. And she loved them.
But today, when she needed something bigger since she couldn’t have their usual, he delivered. And since she had a private office now—which she shared with him—it still was able to feel more intimate despite the grander scheme.
Clark had ordered dozens of her favorite flowers, littered the office with rose petals, and had placed a large Valentine’s basket center-stage.
It had a variety of things. Stationary (not the Valentine’s Day branded type, regular stationary, which she tore through as a journalist), various Valentine’s Day themed electrolyte drinks and sodas, a singular teddy bear, and a whole bunch of assorted chocolates.
He was so sweet. This was perfect.
But when she turned around to tell him as such, her heart melted even more. He was holding an open take-out container that held their Paris breakfast usuals.
“I love you so much,” Lois cried. Actually cried, stupid pregnancy hormones.
Clark set the container down and swiftly moved close, cupping her face in his hands and brushing away her tears with his thumbs. “I love you, too. Happy Valentine’s Day, Lois.”
“Yeah, you, too.”
He kissed her then, slow and sweet, still holding her face in his hands.
Unfortunately, they did have to get to work.
But Clark made that up to her by taking her dancing that night. Sure, they weren’t in the stars, but Clark was flying, even if it was only six inches off their apartment floor.
They were a lot closer to the chocolates that way. (She couldn’t wait for him to finally bring her a coffee again next year, though).