Smallville Fic: The Story of Us #5 - Acid Tears
And you thought Kryptonite was the only thing that could hurt you.
Little did you know, the tears of a smart-mouthed, loud, bossy reporter would burn you like acid burned through the strongest of metals.
She’s in your arms, her heart broken after saying goodbye to a man who, quite frankly, never deserved her in your opinion. Not that you’d ever admit that to her, or anyone else for that matter.
You hear her sniffles against your jacket, her attempt at breaking the somber mood by joking that she doesn't need hot, rich, and famous when she has you, and you smile, because that’s who she is. No doubt she's annoyed at herself for the tears falling, for allowing herself to be vulnerable to anyone, let alone you, and so out comes the snark in an attempt to pull herself together.
But, you notice, her hands curl tighter into your jacket, her head still resting comfortably against your chest. And so you rub her back gently, an attempt to soothe her broken heart.
You try not to think too deeply on it, on the fact that her tears affect you so much. But it occurs to you that maybe it’s because she’s never one to allow those tears to fall if she can help it. Ever the General’s daughter, she buries her emotions with the best of them.
You hear another sniffle, a slight hiccup as she burrows her head further into your jacket, and you think back to the first time you met her. Well, the first time you met her in your right mind. She’d been crying then, too, only then she’d jumped up defensively, wiping at her eyes and refusing to let you see her perceived weakness, moving instantly to the teasing banter they’d since perfected over the years.
It’s at that moment you truly understand. She’s let you in. She’s let you see her at her most vulnerable, let you comfort her.
Your arms instinctively pull her a bit closer, the knowledge that she’s entrusting you to care for her not something you take lightly.
As you feel a fresh stream of tears seep through your jacket and your hand moves up to stroke her hair, you realize that for all your superpowers, the one you wish for more than anything in this moment is the power to stop her tears from falling.
Little did you know, the tears of a smart-mouthed, loud, bossy reporter would burn you like acid burned through the strongest of metals.
She’s in your arms, her heart broken after saying goodbye to a man who, quite frankly, never deserved her in your opinion. Not that you’d ever admit that to her, or anyone else for that matter.
You hear her sniffles against your jacket, her attempt at breaking the somber mood by joking that she doesn't need hot, rich, and famous when she has you, and you smile, because that’s who she is. No doubt she's annoyed at herself for the tears falling, for allowing herself to be vulnerable to anyone, let alone you, and so out comes the snark in an attempt to pull herself together.
But, you notice, her hands curl tighter into your jacket, her head still resting comfortably against your chest. And so you rub her back gently, an attempt to soothe her broken heart.
You try not to think too deeply on it, on the fact that her tears affect you so much. But it occurs to you that maybe it’s because she’s never one to allow those tears to fall if she can help it. Ever the General’s daughter, she buries her emotions with the best of them.
You hear another sniffle, a slight hiccup as she burrows her head further into your jacket, and you think back to the first time you met her. Well, the first time you met her in your right mind. She’d been crying then, too, only then she’d jumped up defensively, wiping at her eyes and refusing to let you see her perceived weakness, moving instantly to the teasing banter they’d since perfected over the years.
It’s at that moment you truly understand. She’s let you in. She’s let you see her at her most vulnerable, let you comfort her.
Your arms instinctively pull her a bit closer, the knowledge that she’s entrusting you to care for her not something you take lightly.
As you feel a fresh stream of tears seep through your jacket and your hand moves up to stroke her hair, you realize that for all your superpowers, the one you wish for more than anything in this moment is the power to stop her tears from falling.