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Don't Tug On Superman's Cape: Lois Lane
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He’s disconsolate and concerned, and seeing him all huddled up with his cape spread out around him and that tender look in his eyes makes her ache in a way that’s new and alarming. He’s afraid and trying to be strong, and she knows he’d do anything for her. The proof is in their current situation--locked up like zoo animals, helpless and caged, and he’s only here because of her, but of course all he’s worried about is not being able to comfort her.

Lois smiles at him. Because she can’t not smile knowing how much he loves her, and because he needs her to smile. Needs her to be strong, to be okay, to not fall apart.

“You can touch me,” she confides, “with your words.”

It’s what he’s been doing for years, after all. From his very first day at the Planet, when Perry pulled her into his office to read aloud that piece on the razing of an old theater--a story he stole from her, she might and frequently does add. He’d done it by not backing down when she tried to put him in his place, teasing her instead, pushing her, making her actually ask him to be her escort to the White Orchid Ball.

He's done it ever since.

Lois doesn’t know how he does it, how he always knows the right things to say to reach deep inside her, to her true self, but she’s so very, very glad of it. Because if he hadn’t told her she was the first person who ever interviewed him or asked how close they were, hadn’t told her he loved her and that he trusted her to pull a Kryptonite bullet out of his shoulder, hadn’t thanked her for being such a great friend and asked her out on a date-date…well, who knows where they’d be now. Definitely somewhere worse than a pair of cages where she can at least still see him. Can hear him.

Forcefields or not, that’s what matters most--that they’re together. She thinks they can handle anything so long as they’re together.

Silly fears, old insecurities, future arguments, what does any of that matter next to him sitting in that cage and being ready to risk his unfortunately-not-quite-invulnerable life just for the chance to be near her.

The world needs Superman. It does, and she’s made a very solemn vow to herself not to be selfish with him. But Clark…Clark needs her. For once in her life, someone needs her.

And she needs him. That look in his eyes. The love in his voice. The truth in his words.

She does want to touch him. Of course she does. But this is enough.

This is everything.

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