“Are you happy?” Lois couldn’t help but ask. Maybe having his life disrupted would actually be doing him a favor. Robinson seemed like a controlling ass.
“Here? Now?” Clark asked. He smiled suddenly. “I can’t remember being this happy in a long time.”
It took Lois a moment to realize that her cheeks felt warm. That wasn’t what she’d meant at all, but she was suddenly aware that there was something in the way he was looking at her. It wasn’t the look of a man who was being interviewed.
It's fun to think about how something so little makes things so profound when you consider the dating/courting scene of the 1910s.
Clark leaned forward to lift the oars out of the water before pulling back. He’d done this before, apparently. His movements were efficient. He’d taken his jacket off and rolled up his sleeves and she was suddenly very aware of his arms.
It was ridiculous, being attracted by a man’s forearms. Was this what it was like for men of this era, everything so covered up that even the sight of an ankle was scandalous?
The "Conceal to reveal" effect.
Before today, she’d have thought the idea of rowing silently across a lake to be boring. She’d have been checking her telephone repeatedly for updates, looking for the latest news, or worrying about her next story.
It's interesting to see how taking an option away changes your perspective intensely. When I worked at a Girl Scout camp, the girls weren't allowed to have electronic devices (i.e. music or cellphones) and that was to help them re-focus. I'm not sure I would have handled going without my music because of how much I love to dance (luckily, as a staffer I was allowed to have it, but was asked just to limit it's use in front of the campers).
Running with a sort of reckless abandon, Lois felt a strange sort of joy. Clark was holding her hand and her feet splashed through the water as they ran.
When I got to this part I was smiling in a close-lipped way and my 1912, self came out just a little bit.
1912 me: So very improper, Lois! He's handsome, isn't he?
This felt even more like flying.
He carried her effortlessly, as though she didn’t weigh anything.
Some signs of his superpowers. I'm sure that if we didn't know Clark was Superman in most versions, we wouldn't be wondering if these weren't metaphorical.
For a moment longer than she would have expected, he held her. He looked down at her for a moment, the smile gone from his face.
Feeling something a little inappropriate, Clark?
His clothes were plastered against him, but they couldn’t have been as revealing as Lois’s dress. She didn’t dare look down at herself.
That's one thing I noticed about clothing until synthetics came around. It was very easy for something to become see-through if it was a nice fabric.
I love the mood that you've captured throughout this story. It's mysterious with an undercurrent of sensuality. And, having been to Mackinac Island, I can totally picture in my mind every location your characters visit. I'm very much looking forward to the next part.
The movie this was based on my mom had in her personal collection. I suspect that was why mom always had a dream to visit Mackinac Island (sadly she never had the chance to). I know I've been fascinated by it as well (Lighthouses of any sort are one of my dream/fantasy home/vacation.)
