Smallville Fic: The Story of Us #2 - Gravity
It seems almost fitting that it finally happened when I least expected it. On some random day when I hadn’t even thought about it in a while.
I’d watched others do it, I’d questioned Jor-El about it, I’d endured mental trials to try and finally succeed at it.
But maybe that was the problem. I was trying too hard. A fact that Lois was only too eager to point out to me one night about a month ago.
“Look Smallville,” she said, “you need to relax about the flying thing. It’ll happen when it happens.”
“It should have happened already,” I mumbled in response, to which Lois rolled her eyes.
“Well then obviously, keep stressing out and dwelling on it. Because clearly that’s getting you airborne faster.”
Delivered with her characteristic smirk, of course. But that’s what she does. Cuts to the chase of things and puts them in her Lois perspective and then, somehow, they make perfect sense.
So I took her advice. I stopped thinking about it. I stopped obsessing over it. Which, I can’t lie, wasn’t easy. I’m not all that great at letting things go. Of course, the absence of flying Kandorian clones helped, since it wasn’t an ever present reminder of what I wasn’t able to do.
I let gravity win, only defying it occasionally and momentarily for superjumps when needed. Relying on my speed for ground travel to get where I was needed.
And then, a few days ago, I was meeting with a source for a story I was working on just outside of Metropolis. Earlier that morning over the bearclaw I’d brought her for breakfast, Lois had casually mentioned she too had a meeting with a source for a new story. When I’d pressed for some details - Lois being nothing if not a magnet for danger so I’ve learned it never hurts to try and get some information on her solo ventures - she’d quickly choked down the rest of her coffee and tossed an ‘It’s my byline, Smallville’ my way before rushing out of the Planet.
That should have been my first clue. As it was, I had my own work to do so I went off to do just that.
I’d just wrapped up and was heading back to the truck when I heard it. Heard her. She was trying to act tough, but I could hear it in her voice.
She was scared.
It’s a long way down, Miss Lane. But don’t worry, you’ll make the front page. Reporters jumping off buildings tend to get press.
I could hear her struggle, her heels scraping against cement as she fought for her life.
To be honest, I don’t even remember what happened, how it happened. All I know is that I heard her terrified scream and seconds later, I had her safely in my arms.
“Clark?” she’d whispered.
“Don’t worry, Lois. I’ve got you,” I responded quietly, pulling her closer against me. She looked up at me, the fear slowly ebbing out of her hazel eyes, and then glanced over my shoulder. Her eyes widened, and then she smiled at me in a way that made my heart skip about twenty beats.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Smallville, you’re flying,” she gasped, her arms circling my neck, holding onto me tightly.
I stared at her for a moment before directing my gaze forward, fully processing what I must have known for the last few moments, even if I didn’t consciously realize it.
I stared at the clouds, seemingly rushing to meet us. I looked below, seeing the patchwork squares of land zooming by. And then I looked back at her, seeing her bite the side of her lip, her eyes filled with pride and love, a look I’ve been lucky enough to see daily but still can’t quite believe she’s directing at me.
“I’m so saying I told you so, you know that right?”
I slowed us to a stop, hovering miles above the ground, before leaning down and kissing away the slight teeth marks she’d left on her lower lip.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Lane.”
And that’s when I stopped believing in gravity.
I’d watched others do it, I’d questioned Jor-El about it, I’d endured mental trials to try and finally succeed at it.
But maybe that was the problem. I was trying too hard. A fact that Lois was only too eager to point out to me one night about a month ago.
“Look Smallville,” she said, “you need to relax about the flying thing. It’ll happen when it happens.”
“It should have happened already,” I mumbled in response, to which Lois rolled her eyes.
“Well then obviously, keep stressing out and dwelling on it. Because clearly that’s getting you airborne faster.”
Delivered with her characteristic smirk, of course. But that’s what she does. Cuts to the chase of things and puts them in her Lois perspective and then, somehow, they make perfect sense.
So I took her advice. I stopped thinking about it. I stopped obsessing over it. Which, I can’t lie, wasn’t easy. I’m not all that great at letting things go. Of course, the absence of flying Kandorian clones helped, since it wasn’t an ever present reminder of what I wasn’t able to do.
I let gravity win, only defying it occasionally and momentarily for superjumps when needed. Relying on my speed for ground travel to get where I was needed.
And then, a few days ago, I was meeting with a source for a story I was working on just outside of Metropolis. Earlier that morning over the bearclaw I’d brought her for breakfast, Lois had casually mentioned she too had a meeting with a source for a new story. When I’d pressed for some details - Lois being nothing if not a magnet for danger so I’ve learned it never hurts to try and get some information on her solo ventures - she’d quickly choked down the rest of her coffee and tossed an ‘It’s my byline, Smallville’ my way before rushing out of the Planet.
That should have been my first clue. As it was, I had my own work to do so I went off to do just that.
I’d just wrapped up and was heading back to the truck when I heard it. Heard her. She was trying to act tough, but I could hear it in her voice.
She was scared.
It’s a long way down, Miss Lane. But don’t worry, you’ll make the front page. Reporters jumping off buildings tend to get press.
I could hear her struggle, her heels scraping against cement as she fought for her life.
To be honest, I don’t even remember what happened, how it happened. All I know is that I heard her terrified scream and seconds later, I had her safely in my arms.
“Clark?” she’d whispered.
“Don’t worry, Lois. I’ve got you,” I responded quietly, pulling her closer against me. She looked up at me, the fear slowly ebbing out of her hazel eyes, and then glanced over my shoulder. Her eyes widened, and then she smiled at me in a way that made my heart skip about twenty beats.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Smallville, you’re flying,” she gasped, her arms circling my neck, holding onto me tightly.
I stared at her for a moment before directing my gaze forward, fully processing what I must have known for the last few moments, even if I didn’t consciously realize it.
I stared at the clouds, seemingly rushing to meet us. I looked below, seeing the patchwork squares of land zooming by. And then I looked back at her, seeing her bite the side of her lip, her eyes filled with pride and love, a look I’ve been lucky enough to see daily but still can’t quite believe she’s directing at me.
“I’m so saying I told you so, you know that right?”
I slowed us to a stop, hovering miles above the ground, before leaning down and kissing away the slight teeth marks she’d left on her lower lip.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Lane.”
And that’s when I stopped believing in gravity.