Close Quarters (A Young Justice/Superboy fanfiction)

A Night In

-FINALLY put this out! I'm actually editing CSFC right now, so I've been busy, but I PROMISE it's gonna be SO much better than it was before-

-PS: the bit of chapter art I included :)-

"How..."  A frightening image of Wayne manor in tatters rushed through Clark's head. "How did you...?"

 "I didn't mean to lose control." The boy murmured. "was anyone hurt? Did I..."

"Hold on, what? How did you get back here?"

"At the Daily Planet. Was anyone hurt?" He asked desperately.

"N-- no." Clark replied, shocked. Frankly, it was a miracle that the kid's rampage had only resulted in a few splintered desks and a dislocated shoulder. 

"I didn't want to hurt anyone. I'm..." The apology got stuck in his throat, he couldn't turn his back on a predator.

He smacked his head, trying to knock out the thoughts, or at least numb them from the pain. What was wrong with you? Coming back after superman made it clear I needed to stay away. The skull beating didn't have any reason, he just couldn't stop it, like when he exploded earlier.

He beat harder, involuntarily, he knew he could crack his own skull. The more upset he was with his fist's actions, the more it hit.

Two iron hands locked around his wrists, restraining them. Superboy thrashed, heart in triple time. He couldn't move! Panic filled his stomach.

"Stop it!" Superman ordered, but in one horrifying moment, Superboy realized he couldn't.

"Kid? Kid! Stop thrashing, damn it!" The more he focussed on her words, he felt his heart slowing slightly. "Can you breath? Slower? Clark, let go."

"What?!"

"Haven't you ever heard of what physical restraint can do to kids having meltdowns? Let go!"

Superboy was suddenly able to move again. He wrapped his arms around himself tightly, knees feeling weak. After a few minutes his breathing had evened out enough he could hear them.

"It worked." Superman muttered.

"Oh, kid! Thank God!" The second voice-- Ms. Lois, encased him, arms wrapping mostly around his body and trapping him. She then hastily let go. "Where'd you come from?" Superboy could see that she was speckled with rain, the door swinging shut behind her. "You okay kid? Where did Superman take you?"

Superboy's face burnt with shame. Ms. Lois was there, she saw him rage. She knew superman needed to drag him off like a monster, or some rampaging villain of the week.
He didn't want to get Mr. Alfred and the others in trouble...

"Somewhere." He said, desperately trying to lie.

"Somewhere like what?"

"A place."

Lois let out an exhausted chuckle, barely stopping herself from reaching out and cupping his reddened face. she was just glad she hadn't gotten Clark's brother-- son-- killed (she still needed to process the implications of their relationship). "I'll be here to ask again when you can answer properly. But be sure I'm the first one you tell."

"You're not..." The kid huffed and puffed to finish his sentence. "Yelling at me?"

"No? Why would I yell at you?"

"I did something bad." he muttered, shifting on his feet and offering a bashful kubrick stare..

"You mean what happened at the office? Kid, we're just glad you aren't dead!" She laughed, exasperated.

His eyes drifted up in Clark's direction. "Really?"

Lois didn't respond, she didn't want to make Clark uncomfortable, but she couldn't just say 'no kid, just I was worried, your brother-dad is not ready to love you yet'. She had flown too close to the sun and been cast down for her hubris into an ocean of her friend's family drama.

"Clark, how about you take a break. if you need, of course." 

"Right. Thanks." Clark took a step or two back, but didn't leave the room.

"How'd you get so wet, kiddo?" Lois remarked and pinched the sleave of his sopping wet shirt.

"Rain." 

"Well, are you gonna stay in those rags, or are you gonna get changed?"

"No." 

"Why not? You an amphibian?"

"I'm closer to a mammal." The boy said earnestly. "But technically--"

"No, you're right. humans are mammals" Clark interrupted.

"Look at the biologist." Lois teased. "Go get changed into something dry, Mr. NoName." 

"Into what?" 

"Don't you have other clothes?" He shook his head. Lois looked up at her friend, letting her concern slip for a second; was the kid dropped off on such short notice he didn't have a chance to pack? ...Or did he really own only one outfit? He'd been so filthy and ungroomed that morning she wouldn't be shocked. "Well, you'll have to find something to wear,  huh? Clark?"

"Hmm?" He was pulled from his thoughts, brows knitted together. 

"Would you be okay lending some clothes?" She asked. "I'd offer my own, I don't think my tailoring would fit him." 

"Oh. Right." Clark shuffled off to his room, glancing back at them as long as he could.

"How about you find yourself a towel, kiddo, and then you can give me a rundown on what happened."

The boy, though he was in no way tiny, was several sizes below Clark; The T-shirt went down past his elbows and the sweatpants had to be cuffed several times to minimize tripping. He did not seem happy that the clothes were too big for him, constantly adjusting them for comfort. 

He really did look like his brother-- father, especially with how his damp hair curled slightly, and how shy and quite he'd become: refusing to look up at her, and hunching as if to look smaller.  

"But how did you know your way back here?" Lois prompted. 

"I looked for the city an' walked towards it." He answered quietly.

"and that got you all the way back here?" She said in disbelief. "Just by walking?" He nodded. "No wonder you're tired." The boy shied away, still not looking at her. "Come on, eat some takeout, Clark put some aside for you."
He looked up inquisitively at Clark, then at the plate in front of him: dressed modestly with garlic chicken and a few ounces of stir fry noodles. They'd figured they should give the boy the most 'beginner-friendly' food in the box. "Go on, it's okay to eat. right Clark?"

Clark looked up at her from the table, he hadn't wanted to leave them alone together, but not wanting to directly involve, he'd decided to at least try getting some work done. "It's okay to eat." He parroted. "It's  for you."

Extending a shaky hand, the kid gathered up some of the stir fry and began to eat. Lois decided it was too late to offer him a fork.
He looked up for Clark's approval, desperate for any hint that whatever he was doing was correct.

Lois reached out and turned his face back towards the food. "Eat up, buddy, it's late."