I know I'm late on this one! So glad that I tracked back a couple of pages to read it!
Stepping out of the ship, into the Kansas sun, felt like breathing fresh air for the first time in ten years.
Yikes! This amount of time passing is already heartbreaking!
His satisfied smile dimmed somewhat as he felt the uncertainty of the ship’s other passenger tugging at this mind through their telepathic link.
This is such a great hook and introductory sentence!
With everything that had happened in their last few days on the planet, Clark wasn’t sure what to expect.
That sounds intriguingly like we have some emotional baggage to unpack!
Or so he should have been.
Oh, no, that's hard on a kid - not just the world swap, but the whole identity/purpose swap. Really interesting mix you've already got in this set-up!
the invariable menu of New Krypton
This is such great phrasing.
He had never established a strong relationship with the boy, but what little they had once had was destroyed in the weeks before they left New Krypton.
Oh, yeah - very exciting to have so much drama to unpack on the horizon.
He turned away and looked out over the fields of corn.
For some reason, this reminds me of the way Lois framed Smallville when she first saw it.
After ten years, would she still be waiting for him?
This is sort of the nail-biting question we're all waiting on. It's sort of nice to have it there in the story, in Clark's mind!
Clark froze as two things registered at once.
I love how this pops the tension!
"Cosplayers in Smallville?”
Oh, that's a fun moment!
Recognition seemed to come slowly. Her smile was replaced by a look of confusion as her gaze skimmed over Jor before settling on Clark. Their eyes met and, for a moment, time seemed to stand still.
This is really just lovely prose, and absolutely captures how emotions work.
Lois took a shuddering breath as her tears spilled over and she buried her face in his chest with a sob. “Oh, Clark. I thought I’d never see you again.”
Her legs seemed to give out underneath her, so he gathered her close and lowered them both to the ground, stroking her hair and rocking her back and forth. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I never meant to be gone so long. Everything… nothing went how I expected. I am so sorry.”
Oh, it's just heartbreaking for the both of them!
Clark had to force himself to breathe and fight back the wave of emotion that threatened to overcome him at hearing his son’s name.
Awwww
For all the guilt Clark was feeling, it was clear that the boy felt no resentment towards him. “It’s nice to meet you, Dad.”
That's so like Clark! Love the choice to make the child that Lois raised like Clark - it makes me interested to see more of what Jor is like!
Clark blink in surprise and turned his gaze back to Lois. “He knows?”
I love this choice, too! Of course Lois wouldn't subject her kid to hiding Clark's identity - it really makes me think of what she went through.
Looking forward to reading more!
