This is full of beautiful characterisation, and the rose-tinted glasses are firmly off. Lois's thoughts are telling. Her brief acknowledgement that she owes Clark an apology is more than balanced by acusations of betrayal and comments that he is useful -all summed up by her shock that HE is stranger-zoning HER. His thoughts, needs and troubles don't come into it. Despite his expectations, she doesn't even ask him where he was. Maybe now he's cutting her out she will realise how little she is contributing to their friendship.
Clark's reaction is far more believable, too. The crux is not that she turned him down; to assume that those we love will always love us is a fantasy. If every person rejected went into meltdown, we'd have problems. However, the complexity of his reaction emphasises that this is about more than spurned affection, wilful blindness and lack of trust; it's about her dismissal of him as an individual, and her complicity in the events that led to his torture. Not to mention the deaths of those he might otherwise have helped.
Anyway, I'm loving it, and can't wait to see where you go from here!
