Dear Lois (Lois)

Participants: Lois Lane  & Clark Kent
Open/Closed: Closed
Location(s): Fancy shmancy restaurant in Metropolis.
Time of Day: Evening
Weather: Clear
Summary: Lois & Clark partake on a working date.

Clark didn't really know how to explain it and wasn't even sure why, but he was nervous. He was a man out on a date with his wife and he was nervous. Or he had been. The night had been on their calendar for weeks now and yet the morning of the date Clark could do nothing to combat the butterflies dancing about in his stomach. He and Lois had been together for a long time now, they'd been to countless dinners and dates, and yet Clark still felt familiar pangs of anxiousness wrapped around his jittering nerves. He had even flown a few laps around the Earth to try to burn off the energy that fed those nerves, but to no avail. Seeing Lois in her new dress made Clark melt, he had kissed her softly on the cheek when she showed off the new clothing to him to say she was ready to go. He was still very much in love with his wife and every day he had to pinch himself to ensure he wasn't just dreaming of their life together.

The bespectacled reporter tried to temper his anxiousness but he knew himself well enough by now to know he was doing a horrible job. Still, Clark wasn't going to apologize for still having such strong feelings for the woman he loved after countless years together. The time they were able to spend together were small windows, in fact Clark could barely remember the last time they actually had gone out to have a meal together. Both of their schedules were hectic, Lois as the Planet's top reporter and Clark as Superman, so the only date nights they'd had as of late were quick bites of stale delivery in the wee hours of the night/morning. It was regrettable but also it was their lives, and things only grew more hectic with the reappearance of Chris, not to say that their adopted son's reappearance was anything less than an occasion for rejoice. Seated at the round table in the dining area of LeMarvin Bistro Clark found himself a lot calmer, though still a bit intimidated by Lois. He mentally scolded himself once he realized he was fidgeting around with his tie, and quickly he placed his hands back upon the white cloth topped table. The place was brightly lit, keeping the fine art lined walls in good lighting as well as the numerous sculptures that populated the expensive restaurant.

Ordinarily this was not a place that either of them could afford, and boy was Clark well aware of that. He quietly pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose as his blue eyes read over the menus that'd been laid out before them. Normally Clark would call in a favor from Bruce to get reservations at a place as nice as where they now dined, but even being good friends with a billionaire did not make Clark feel as if he really fit in a place like LeMarvin. His wife calling in a favor to make this reservation happen made it feel a little shadier than normal too. Lois's angelic voice yanked him out of his own thoughts and Clark breathed a short laugh.

"That's probably the only thing on this menu I can afford." He looked her over for a moment before returning his eyes to the menu. "I suppose if I beg Perry for a raise I could afford a glass of wine to go with that cheese," he joked.

“Did I mention you clean up nice, Smallville? Because you do. Very much so.” Lois cooed with her eyes locked on him.

"Hmm, I don't recall. How about you tell me one more time, just to be sure."

Clark knew their true reasoning for choosing such an expensive place, that they could only secure because of Lois's connections, was to keep an eye on one of his wife's leads but he couldn't help himself having fun. "You, on the other hand, are devastatingly breathtaking." Clark spoke from his heart and even that didn't sound like enough. Lois honestly meant more to him than anything ever had or ever would. He reached across the table and took her hand into his own, the butterflies started up their madness again.

There was only one man in the world who could ever make Lois Lane blush and it was Clark Kent. True, Lois was used to the compliments of men, but it was always different coming from Clark. Maybe because he meant it, with no ulterior motives. Maybe it was because he didn’t turn tail and run as soon as she opened her mouth like a lot of the others did. Maybe just because it was him. You’d think it would’ve faded over the years: the warmth that pooled in her belly at the sound of his voice or the skip in her pulse when she looked into his eyes. But nope, it was just as constant as it ever had been. Sometimes it surprised her. She wouldn’t say she’d grown up with a cynical view on marriage, but she’d always assumed the butterflies would fade and give way to simple fondness at best and cold neutrality at worst. Her parents, she assumed, had loved each other, but they’d never been very outwardly affectionate. Lois had always assumed that’d be her future—when she’d actually considered herself being married—but as the years went by and she continued to be as dumbly in love with Clark Kent as ever, she found that possibility less and less likely.

“I know” she said casually, but her smile was soft and her cheeks warm. His hand reached out to hers and as their fingers entwined, she felt the tension she’d been carrying in her shoulders ease.

The waiter arrived, clearing his throat, and she tore her gaze away from her husband. “Um.” She hadn’t actually gotten a good look at the menu yet. Another thing only Clark Kent was good at: distracting her. “We’ll start with the cheese platter.” And probably end with that, because she actually was doubtful her favor was willing to extend to full meal coverage. Still, she glanced at Clark to make sure he didn’t have anything else to add before the waiter left.

It sounded cheesy and cliche, but Clark could really spend an entire day lost in Lois' eyes. They were soft and fierce at the same time, possessing a vulnerability that did not often get expressed but it was there, and yet the steel of her will and determination was just as prominent. Her eyes disarmed him in the best of ways and was just one of the billions of things he loved about her. His fingers laced with hers for a moment longer after the waiter had returned to the table but soon they receded as Clark lifted his menu to examine it once more.

One hand held up the menu while his other fidgeted with his glasses. Of course he didn't want to seem cheap but it just couldn't be helped with the modest salary he had writing at the Daily Planet. If only awards were proportionate to pay then they could live off of Lois's accomplishments for several lifetimes. Instead, Clark simply nodded and agreed with Lois on the cheese platter. His eyes darted over to the list of wines, he then closed the menu and turned it over to the waiter.

"And water."

With a smile on his face Clark thanked the man tending to their table and once he was gone attention returned to Lois. He resettled his position in his seat, lowering his head just a small degree as he leaned the upper half of his body closer to the table between them. His voice was low, "What's he doing now?" Stakeouts were not Clark's strong suit, he had long found Lois was much better suited at the long waits and constant surveilling than he would probably ever be. That was why he deferred to her, not only was this an investigation that she had sparked she was also much better at it than he. Not that Clark didn't have a sharp, investigative mind; he was suited for gathering clues and putting puzzles together, not tailing people or surveying their actions.

Lois Lane

Lois smiled, as if Clark had said something rather saucy and leaned forward as well, her gaze briefly flicking to the man in question. “He’s on his third glass of wine.” He appeared nervous, she thought, watching as his fingers tapped the table. Clark, of course, would probably be the better judge of that, able to hear the man’s heart rate. Her gaze locked back onto Clark, then, and she didn’t need to fake the attraction she felt. When was the last time they’d actually had some legitimate alone time? Since before Chris returned, she thought. Sure, they had separate rooms and Clark still slept by her side every night when he wasn’t off saving the world. Lois was not particularly keen on doing anything with their super-hearing son right next door, however. How publicly indecent would it be for her to grab her husband’s tie right now and tug him toward her?

She assigned herself the task of looking up how much a decent hotel room would cost for a night as she eventually leaned back just as the waiter arrived to give him room to set down the waters. She gave a thanks and took a sip before speaking.

“So, we should probably discuss the elephant in our apartment” she said, because another thing she’s been hesitant to do with Chris around is, well, talk about Chris. “I love the elephant, very much, and I am always more than happy to have him around. That being said, I’m worried it’s not all that… healthy for the elephant to spend the bulk of his time at home and not out in the world.” Sure, her apartment had never been cleaner and their Netflix account was receiving enough attention for Lois to finally justify having it, but she didn’t think that was worth the cost of their son’s social life. Sure, he was apart of that offshoot Justice League space team, but she hadn’t heard anything about that in a while. “There’s an intern spot opening up at the Planet. I was thinking of asking him if he wants to apply. What do you think?” She bit her lip, admittedly hesitant. This parenting thing was still so new to her and she was still playing catch up with the wild age jump their son had undergone. She wondered if it would always be like this: her constantly making it up as she goes along and hoping she didn’t screw it up somehow.

//details of Chris's many hours at home provided by his player lol

"Ooh, that scoundrel." Clark joked. The man Lois was pursuing for her story was a bad guy, if he wasn't Lois wouldn't have gone this far for her dirt needed to fully incriminate him, but so far the man was keeping up appearances as an ordinary businessman exceptionally well. Though businessman and villain aren't mutually exclusive. Whether his joke was a homerun or a swing-and-a-miss didn't really matter, Lois never really though Clark was as funny as he did anyway, because Clark was immediately back to being stuck on Lois. To him it was an odd feeling to have emotions of missing her when they still managed to see one another every day. The time spent was just different and not necessarily what either of them wanted. They would have to put in the effort to bring about any changes they desired.

Clark quirked a brow at Lois's next topic, though he ultimately nodded in acceptance of the shift. To be honest, he too was having trouble speaking on the situation they were dealing with at hand. Who could blame them? Their roles as parentals weren't exactly relatable to anyone else so there was no shining example for them to look to for assistance.

A sigh escaped the bespectacled man's mouth, things being new and difficult for him always made him feel overwhelmed. It was a constant wrestle because whether he liked it or not people expected him to have answers. Lois was different, he knew that of course, but he still felt the same.

"It's so different for him, Lo'. His childhood was a mess thanks largely to who his birth parents were but that wasn't where his problems began and ended. And now his body's aged 15 years in less than a fraction of that time. There's got to be so much going through that mind of his. I want him to go out into the world and become a part of it too," Clark reached across the table for Lois's hand. "I just worry he might take on too much too fast. I think we should ask Chris what he wants to do."

Chris was thriving as a hero and he had even joined an off shoot of the League, but burying oneself in heroics was easy for them - a lot of heroes did it - it was crucial though to have a normal life free of constant dread and pressures that came with their jobs. 

"He's a smart kid, brave too. He just needs time." Clark offered a warm smile and hoped that he was right. He didn't want Chris to neglect any part of himself, he deserved to be a person just as much as he was a hero.

Lois Lane

Clark was right, of course. It was one of the many ways they balanced each other out. When she was impatient and impulsive, Clark was there to urge caution. When he was hesitant and unsure, she was there to support him and urge him forward. It seemed the situation with Chris required a more patient approach than Lois was naturally inclined toward. She was going to try, though, because of course she would. There wasn’t really anything she wouldn’t do for the kid.

“You’re right” she admitted and were she saying that to anyone else, it would’ve come out a lot more grudgingly. She squeezed Clark’s hand and gave a shrug. “I just worry…” But enough of that, she decided, squaring her shoulders. She could let that go for a night and focus on Clark. And, y’know, her story.

“Either way, you and I”- she gestured between the two of them with her finger –“need to arrange some more one on one time. I’m thinking lunch on the Planet roof. At least once a week.” She smiled playfully, because it wasn’t a question, but she knew he wouldn’t have any real objections anyway. Sure, they still saw each other everyday and Lois was more than accepting of their individual responsibilities to the world, but still she missed just spending time with him and she was sure he felt the same.

A moment later a figure walked past their table—a pale, lean man in a suit—who Lois glanced at only briefly before doing a double-take. There was her John Doe and, as predicted he took a seat across from the Councilman. The unknown guy did a sweep of the room as he sat down and Lois had to quickly avert her gaze from them before asking lowly: “What are they saying?”

There was no question that Clark and Lois both cared about Chris, it was just that as often as their views aligned there was also the times those views differed. The way either of them approached handling a problem differed largely because of their upbringing. Lois was far more direct and straightforward than Clark was, his preferred method of handling a problem was for a person to go at their own pace and give it their all. Still, though their approaches may have been slightly different it was clear that the couple both were worried for Chris and both wanted the best for him, and that was of most importance. Clark gave Lois a knowing look, words weren't needed to show he understood completely that she was just worried about their son.

Once his hand was returned to him Clark was able to scoop up the drink delivered to him and took a sip from the glass of water, his eyes still very much trained on his wife. "That sounds very doable." Clark nodded with a smile. It was no secret that a lot of his time was spent in the red and blue but carving out time for a lunch date with his wife was certainly something that Clark could manage. He often felt like so much fell on his own shoulders, but Clark was well aware that any slack on his end would instantly be picked up by anyone else with an S on their chest. Lunch dates would be a good start but deep down Clark knew it was the very least he could do, and he felt a pang of shame shoot across his chest that his wife had to suggest something like that. He was letting her down and putting everyone else before her. It was a hard thing to admit to himself and Clark was sure it was something Lois would never vocalize, but how could she not feel like an after thought if all of his time was spent devoted to other things that were not her. He needed to do better, and mentally Clark was making note to do just that.

Clark's soft blue eyes lit up when he saw their waiter moving through the crowd of tables. In hand was the cheese platter they had ordered, it wasn't much but boy was he ready to eat something. All this staking out and trying to watch for criminal activity had really worked up an appetite. Clark wondered if the same was true for Lois, but when his eyes settled on her she was watching someone else moving through the restaurant.

A thin man, dressed in a suit just slightly oversized, made his way past the couple's table and was making a clear path for the table where Councilman Marley Thorne was having dinner. As Lois and Clark's waiter was coming from the opposition direction he walked across the thin man and narrowly avoided swinging the cheese platter into him. In a bid to steady and recover himself the waiter stumbled and tripped. However, Clark was out of his seat and there in an instant to save their food as well as the waiter from any embarrassment. Clark steadied the other man and relieved him of the platter, settling it gently on his and Lois's table.

"Thanks. It's been a long night," the waiter commented with red cheeks.

As their pale, thin John Doe glanced around the restaurant quickly, Clark had already positioned the waiter between their own table and Thorne's. Thus blocking anyone at that table's view of his wife.

"Don't mention it." Clark smiled and waved the man off as he moved to sink back into his seat across from Lois.

At the other table a hushed conversation was taking place.

Clark pretended to take a drink. "Thorne is telling his friend he's late. Sounds like his name is Lansky." His words were a whisper to ensure that only Lois could make out that he was speaking. Though his back was to the Councilman, Clark didn't want to chance tipping him off that they were paying attention to him. "Also sounds like Lansky is trying to squeeze more money out of Thorne, he doesn't want to give in but his voice makes it sound like he's got no choice." That was often the way it went with politicians who got in bed with criminals, eventually the criminals wanted more and more money. "Apparently Councilman Thorne has been setting more frequent meetings between them and Lansky doesn't like being brought in the open so often." It didn't sound like the two had the best work relationship. Clark finally placed his glass of water back on the table, he then coughed into his closed fist. "He says the stuff is in the back lot, in their usual spot."

Lois Lane

Lois’s stomach growled with hunger and she succinctly shoved three squares of cheese into her mouth as Clark gave her the play by play of the illicit meeting. It was, she admitted begrudgingly to herself, pretty good cheese. She wasn’t even sure what kind she had grabbed. Something super Italian, probably.

She was still working on chewing that mouthful when they got to the good bit. “Stuff” in the back lot, huh? That was definitely shady and exactly what they were looking for. She swallowed the food—grimacing slightly as her throat protested the large amount—and then began to dig through her purse. She pulled out her phone and feigned adjusting her hair and checking her makeup as she snapped a few pictures of the two men.

“We should get a good lookout spot before they finish their wine, then” she said quietly, before shoving her phone back in her purse and switching it out for her wallet. She grabbed a handful of bills, tried to do the math for what the bill would be, but gave up and decided anything extra would just be added to the tip. “You got any ones, Smallville?”

She then scooped up the rest of the cheese, placed it in the middle of the cloth napkin she had and wrapped it up tightly before shoving that into her purse as well. She stood, straightened her dress, and they made their way through the various tables. It was just a quick, discreet turn that took them from heading toward the front exit to heading toward the back one. Lois caught the eye of her favor on the way, a cook standing over a steaming pan of vegetables. He raised his eyebrows at her, she just gave a wink in return and kept walking.

They exited through the door and Lois eyed the lot. There were several bikes lined up against the building, probably belonging to employees, but only three cars and honestly? Any of them could belong to Shady Lansky in there.

It seemed the best spot to spy on them would be from the top of the restaurant. Lois eyed the overly rusted ladder next to her with obvious mistrust before turning to Clark with a flirtatious grin. “Give a girl a lift?”