Awwgust Drabbles

First Kiss

"S.T.A.R Labs used to be a place for ideas and hope," I say, the memory of its former glory crushing. Now it's the rats' playground. How could I have let this happen? Lois would be furious with me. But when she meets my eyes I see malice, only hope for a future that isn't mine.

"It can be again," Lois squeezes my hand, her touch reassuring and maddening. I look at her and my failures are painted in jarring red. The red of her blood on my hands. The color of the convertible I tore apart to get to her. The color I wear so I never forget the cost of being too slow. I will never let another person I care about die.

Yet here she is as if she never died in my arms.

"The people will never trust me again."

"I've got the time, for them– and you," I cup her face.

She leans into my palm and I forget she's not mine. She feels just like my Lois, warm and vibrant with life. Stars explode in her blue-violet eyes, a thirst for justice and truth leaking out. The same eyes that haunted me in the bullpen.

Now that she's here I never want to let her go. "Stay."

I'm not her Superman but I can be. She'll never replace the Lois I lost but I'm lighter with her around and for the first time in a long time I feel like Clark Kent again. Lois chews her bottom lip the same way she used to in the bullpen when something bothered her. Dare I hope.

"LOIS!"

The dimension projector bursts to life, light flooding the dark room. A man steps through the lightning. My throat tightens when I see the El crest and the primary colors I once wore with pride. Now another reminder of my failure.

"Hamilton sent me through, there's not much time. HURRY!"

I can't meet her eyes. "I never thought I'd lose you twice."

"Will it change anything?" she asks, clutching my hand.

"For me, but not for Metropolis."

"LOIS!"

She turns to go and at the last second lunges toward me. Her arms loop around my neck, drawing me down. Our lips collide and my knees go weak. She tastes of hope and forgotten dreams. I allow myself to pretend for a second she's my Lois. The last ten years never happened. I am home at last.

The kiss is achingly short. When she pulls away I am out of breath and wish I were dead. She caresses my face, smiling sadly, and slides into Superman's waiting arms.

—-------------------------------------------------------------

"So that was me?" Superman tried to hide the jealousy, but Lois heard the subtle shift in his voice. If his counterpart were any indication the sexual tension between them was not just in her imagination.

Lois leaned her head against Superman's shoulder. "Yes and no, it's complicated," she said. "I can explain it over dinner."

"Dinner?" Superman's voice wobbled. "Aren't we getting a little personal?"

"Better now than never," Lois said. She waited for him to change the subject, but he surprised her.

"Your place or mine?" he asked.

Lois was stunned silent for a moment. She hadn't expected him to agree to go out with her. Wait till she told her bestie! Oh right. She and Clark were not on speaking terms. He lied to her. Stole the globe from Superman and hid it without telling her. At the end of the day, she was just happy to be back and couldn't wait to tell Clark everything.

"Are you going to finally reveal where you hang your cape?" Lois teased.

"It's up North," Superman said. "Bit icy."

What she had in mind called for something more intimate. "My place then," she decided. "What do you want for dinner?"

"You're cooking?"

"Don't sound so shocked," Lois scowled. "I do know how to cook!" And by that, she meant she knew how to boss Clark around in the kitchen. Superman did not need to know that.

"I'd like anything you make Ms. Lane," Superman said.

"Perfect," Lois smirked. "It's a date."