“Lois,” he says, and there is a smile on his lips. He hasn’t smiled since before the earth itself rose up against her, since before rocks were riven and roads were demolished and the foundations of her life were toppled. But he smiles now, a soft, slow smile that is, perhaps, less than the smiles he gave once upon a time, but beautiful all the same. “You held me together when I thought that nothing could. That’s not nothing.”
Her own smile is not as sincere. Not as beautiful. Not as easy to find or reclaim. “You would have been all right. You’re the strongest person I know, Clark.”
His shrug is almost embarrassed. He does not quite meet her eyes. “Maybe. But sometimes I don’t want to have to be strong. And I’m glad you were there to be strong for me.”
No one is an emotional island. People can pretend to be strong through times of crisis, keeping up appearances to those around them, assuring everyone that they're "fine", but eventually, the strain becomes too much and they break down. And that's when you need someone to pull you into a protective hug, physically be there for you, help you shore up those emotional walls again.
Some may see this as a sign of weakness. I see this as a sign of Clark's humanity.
