Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic Once Bitten (39/40)

Lois dragged her attention from the magnetism of his smile and forced herself to entertain a few sensible thoughts. "You have time now, Clark," she said. "Everything has happened so quickly. You have time to think about what you really want. Time to settle into the Bangala way of life. You don't have to feel rushed into anything."

His smile didn't dim. "As eager as I was to get back to you, I knew it was night here, so I flew home rather sedately. I've had time to think. For the first time ever, I know exactly how I want to spend my life. I know the people I want to spend it with. I know there is one lady I will always love more than life … and I want to be married to her for as long as possible."

His confidence razed her caution. "Then maybe you should find this lady and do some proposing," she suggested.

He took a breath. "Do you think she'd want an impromptu proposal or a planned date with all the …" He glanced towards the village. "… as many of the trappings as are available?"

"I can't really speak for her," Lois said. "But if she were anything like me, I think she might like the impromptu proposal best."

Kent dropped to his knees in the dirt, took both her hands in his, and said, "Lois Lane, I love you. Will you marry me?"


Part 39

Clark gazed up at Lois, his breath clogged in his lungs, his heart racing, and every atom in his body strung like a tightrope between his past and his future.

She fell to her knees, aligned her body with his, and curled her arms around his neck. Her smile was soft and warm, soothing his nerves. "Yes, Clark Kent," she said. "I will marry you. And I will love you - only you - for the rest of my life."

Clark didn't respond for a moment, overwhelmed by the future opening up and placing him at Lois's side … day after day after day. Together. Married. In love.

"Aw, Lois," he breathed. "You're … I never dared believe I would meet someone like you. You're perfect … better than perfect."

"You are, too," she said, brushing a lock of hair from his forehead. "I didn't think men like you survived the wilds of Metropolis."

"I'm not sure I did," Clark said. "I usually felt as if I were pretending to be someone I wasn't."

"Don't pretend anymore," Lois said. "Just be Clark. That's what I want."

"Clark?" he said, relishing her use of the name his earthly parents had chosen for him. "You called me that before. Do you like it better than 'Kent'?"

"Yes," she said with surprising conviction. "I would like to call you 'Clark'.

His mom had said 'Clark' with an undercurrent of affection. His dad with pride. Lana had barked his name, usually managing to make it sound as if she were scolding him for failing to meet her expectations. But Lois … Clark cleared his throat as new comprehension skidded across his thoughts. Lois said his name like a lover. "A…any reason?"

"'Kent' was married. 'Kent' was bound up with worries and responsibilities from another world. 'Kent' wasn't sure where he belonged, or if he belonged anywhere at all. 'Kent' didn't recognise that he is worthy of love and respect."

Worthy of love. And not just as a friend loves. Her eyes, her face, her hands on his neck … they conveyed with electrifying surety that Lois's love went deep into the secret realms kept only for a man and his woman.

"How will Clark be different from Kent?" he asked, eager to see more of the picture she was painting.

"Clark will know that his wife adores him and his tribe values him." Her smile became … he wasn't exactly sure what it became, but it swept a torrent of heat through his body. "And if Clark ever has any doubts, his wife will bring him to the quarantine hut and unequivocally demonstrate the truth."

The torrent exploded into a thousand sparks, blistering his patience. Clark paused, wanting to kiss her. Wanting to connect. Wanting to succumb to the powerful instincts driving him forward.

But Lois had moved on. "The Bangala people will probably continue to call you 'Kent'," she said.

"Is that OK with you?"

"It's what I want," she said. "It means that my married name will be Lois Bomoi-Kent. Almost the same as it would have been if we had met in Metropolis."

"Bomoi?" Clark probed, recognising this as another leap forward.

"Is that what you want?" Lois said. "Or would you prefer a laka marriage?"

"No," Clark said decisively. "No laka marriage. I don't need more time to think about what I want, and I am never going to give you away to anyone."

She leaned into him, dropping a chaste kiss to his cheek. "So this is forever?" she said. "No going back?"

"No," he vowed. "No going back."

Lois glanced towards the gate. "We should go and find Matymbou."

"Is there a waiting period? A few days? Longer?"

"When would you like to marry me, Clark Kent?"

"Now."

She laughed at the swiftness of his reply. "There are a few customs that usually happen on a wedding day. We aren't compelled to observe them, but they might be fun."

"So it can happen today?"

She nodded. "This morning."

And then … then he and Lois would be husband and wife. "Will Matymbou be up yet?" Clark asked.

"Yes. We can go and talk to him before breakfast."

"So we tell him we want to be married, and then …"

"Then he organises the ceremony and we get prepared."

It sounded so beautifully simple. Clark rose from his knees and offered his hand to his soon-to-be-bride. "Let's go and find Matymbou."

She stood up. "There's someone else I want to tell first."

"Diddi?" Clark guessed. "How do you think he'll react?"

Lois shrugged slightly. "I'm not sure. His reaction when Matty married Gislane surprised me. I didn't know he'd given one thought to my marital status." She smiled. "I don't think there will be any problems once he gets used to the idea. He likes you. A lot. He's going to be so excited that you're back."

"Being back is one thing," Clark said. "Marrying his mother may be another."

"Don't worry," Lois said with a smile and a touch to his hand. "I'm sure that, together, we can deal with a five year old."

Together. The ramifications of marriage were many. And all good. The privilege of referring to Lois as 'my wife'. The freedom to share her bed. The joy in being her confidante. The honour of sharing responsibilities and decisions.

And never feeling alone again.

Lois was looking at him. More than looking; she was boring into his eyes as if she could read his soul. "I love you, Clark Kent," she said. "Don't ever doubt that."

"I won't," he promised.

She kissed him again - on the mouth this time - but still brief. She was gone before he had opportunity to deepen their kiss. But the look she gave him as she backed away sparkled with promise.

"I want to see Romaric, too," she said. "I don't want him to hear from anyone else. I want to be the one to tell him."

"He's a good man," Clark said, standing beside her.

"The best," Lois said. She grinned suddenly. "Except for Mr Clark Kent, soon to be Kent Bomoi-Lois, man of the Bangala, husband of Lois, and bestest buddy of Diddi."

~|^|~

It was going to be a good day; Matymbou could feel gladness in his bones as he poked the main village fire back to life.

Sylva had come early to check on Lioli, and her assurances that his daughter was showing no ill-effects from the incident yesterday had dispelled his lingering concerns and caused his spirits to soar.

But, as he squatted next to the fire and stared into the flames, Matymbou realised his feelings of optimism went beyond Lioli's escape and his new marriage to Gislane.

His head jolted up, towards Lois's hut.

What if Kent had returned?

That would make everything just right in his tribe.

The chief stood and moved silently to the hut Lois shared with Diddi. "Lois?" he hissed from a few feet away. "Are you awake?"

There was no sound. Matymbou backed away, smiling as he imagined Lois's response if she knew of the impatience coursing through him right now.

He wanted Lois to be happy. And he knew that could only happen if Kent returned to, and remained with, the Bangala. Matymbou looked over to the east, from where the sun would come. "Bring him home," he muttered. "Please bring him home."

~|^|~

"Kent!" Diddi's cry rang out as Lois and Clark entered the village. He tore across the dirt and flung himself at Clark.

Clark lifted the boy into his arms, swinging him around.

"You comed back!" Diddi shouted. "I knew you would. I told Maman that you were the strongest man in the world and you'd come back if you wanted to."

Clark stopped rotating and hugged Diddi against his chest. "I really wanted to come back," he said. "I want to be with you and your maman."

"Are you going to marry Maman now you've comed back?"

"Ah …" After taking a moment to recover from his surprise, Clark said, "How would you feel about that?"

"Are you going to leave again?"

"No. I'm staying."

"Forever?"

"Yes."

"Zephyrin says his maman smiles a lot more since she married Matymbou," Diddi said.

"What if I promise to do everything I can to make your maman smile a lot?" Clark asked, glancing away from Diddi for a moment to share silent amusement with Lois. "Would it be all right if I married her?"

Diddi nodded vigorously. "Yes," he declared. "You can marry her. Even though she still won't get a baby."

"We have you," Clark said quickly.

"But I won't be your son," Diddi said. "I'll be your bestest buddy."

The Bangala might not recognise their bond, but in Clark's mind, marrying Lois meant being a father-figure to Diddi. "Sounds good to me."

"Are we going to have the ceremony today?" Diddi asked, his eyes darting from Clark to his mother. "Can we? Please?"

"Sure," Lois said nonchalantly. "If that's what you want."

"Great." Diddi wriggled, and Clark placed him on the ground. "I have to tell Zephyrin that my maman's getting married, too."

Lois lunged to catch Diddi's arm before he could run away. "You can't tell anyone but Zephyrin," she said. "Not yet. We have to tell Matymbou first."

"OK," Diddi agreed. "I'll tell Zephyrin it's a 'Spaceman's Secret' and he can't tell anyone but other spacemen."

"Diddi," Lois said. "You can't tell all the kids who were flying around with you."

"I won't," Diddi said. "They're not real spaceman. Only Zephyrin and me are." He looked up at Clark. "But we were going to ask Kent to be a spaceman, too. Then he can share secrets with us. Other secrets. 'Cause he already knows about this one."

Clark crouched low so he could look straight at Diddi and said, "I would love to be a spaceman, Diddi."

Diddi jumped excitedly. "We could have a ceremony!" he said. He leaned closer to Clark and whispered, "But it would have to be a secret ceremony."

Clark nodded solemnly and stood as Diddi ran away. Lois stepped closer to him and hooked her arm through his. "Come on, spaceman," she said. "This Earth woman wants to marry you."

~|^|~

The sound of Diddi's delighted shriek had caused Matymbou's joy to bubble with excitement. He'd moved to the front of his hut and watched, from a distance, as the young boy had greeted his returning friend.

"Thank you," he muttered.

When Diddi left Lois and Kent, tearing towards the hut Matymbou shared with Gislane and Zephyrin, the chief strolled over to them. "I knew this was going to be a good day," he said, taking Lois into an enthusiastic hug. "I see your man has returned safely."

"He's not my man," Lois said, with a smile to Kent. "But I want him to be."

Matymbou had surmised that much already. "Excellent," he said. "Today?" He looked past the trees to the lightening eastern sky. "There will be time for the wedding bath if you hurry. We will make the preparations while you are gone."

Lois giggled. Kent looked unsure. Matymbou burst out laughing. "It's an old tradition," he explained. "The man and woman to be married sneak off to the river together. Alone. It's supposed to be the final test of their patience, but I've heard some say that many a woman has snuck a look at what's on offer to decide if she really wants to pledge -"

"Matty!"

Lois's cry had been sharp, but her eyes were glimmering with fun. "We would like to be married today," she stated firmly. "Even if we're too late for the wedding bath."

"You should get down to the river quickly," Matymbou advised. "Wouldn't want to be sharing the water with the hippos." He slapped Kent's shoulder. "Although you're the first Bangala man I've known who's able to deal with hippos, so perhaps it won't matter if you're a bit late."

"I …" Kent stared at the ground, shuffling his feet.

Matymbou reached up to place his hand on Kent's upper arm. "Kent?"

The mondele faced him squarely. "Yes?"

"Do you love Lois?"

"Yes. Absolutely."

"Nothing else matters," Matymbou said. "Only that your heart is big enough to love this wonderful crazy stubborn woman."

"I love her," Kent declared. "I will always love her."

"Then go and bathe with her," the chief said. "And we will prepare for a bomoi ceremony."

"How do you know we don't want a laka marriage?" Lois asked with a smile.

"Because you don't see laka as a real marriage," Matymbou replied. "And the way you look at Kent …" He grinned.

Diddi ran up to them. "Did you tell him?" he demanded of his mother. "Did you tell him you want to marry Clarkent?"

"Yes, we told him," Lois said.

Matymbou put his hand on Diddi's shoulder. "Kent and your maman need to go down to the river to bathe," he said.

"I'll go, too," Diddi said eagerly.

Matymbou tightened his grip on the boy. "No, Diddi," he said. "I need you to stay with me. We have to wake up the village and announce that today is a day of great celebration."

"Another celebration day!" Diddi said, hopping gleefully.

"And after the wedding, you and Zephyrin can stay with Romaric for a few nights."

As Diddi nodded his agreement, Lois looked around the slowly stirring village. "I need to find Romaric," she said.

"I can talk to him," Matymbou offered. "You must get to the river."

"No," Lois said. "I want to talk to him."

Matymbou knew from experience that arguing with Lois was a waste of words. "Diddi," he said. "Go and find Romaric and -" He stopped as the hunter appeared from behind a row of huts. His eyes took in Lois and Kent, and his smile formed as he came to greet them.

"Welcome home," he said to Kent. "Another celebration today?"

"Romaric," Lois said, stepping forward. "I -"

Romaric hugged her, his smile never wavering. "I want much happiness for you, Lois," he said. "I've always wanted that."

She clung to him for a long moment. When she released him, she said, "I have never had a better friend than you, Romaric."

"I will hunt to get food for your wedding celebration."

"Thank you, Romaric," Lois said, her eyes moist.

Before moving away, Romaric pointed his finger at Kent. "You hurt her, Kent, and I will feed your long pale carcass to the hungry lions," he said. Then his grin broke out widely and he walked briskly away.

As Lois and Kent moved towards her hut to collect towels and clean clothes, Matymbou took Diddi's hand, ensuring he didn't follow them. "Why did you call him Clarkent?" he asked the small boy.

"Because that's his secret name," Diddi replied. "Only his bestest buddies know it."

"Do you think I could be one of his bestest buddies?" Matymbou asked.

Diddi thought for a long moment. "You don't go on missions to space with us," he said doubtfully.

"Oh," Matymbou said gravely. "Perhaps I could be just Kent's buddy."

Diddi grinned up at the chief. "That's a great idea," he said. "We can all be buddies. But you can't be a spacemen. Only Kent and Zephyrin and me can be spacemen."

"Why's that?" Matymbou asked casually.

"'Cause to be a spaceman, you have to be able to fly," Diddi said. "And you can't."

Matymbou nodded as Diddi's answer provided illumination to some of the things he'd puzzled over. "Sounds fair to me," he said.

"You don't mind not being a spaceman?"

"No. I don't think a Bangala chief is meant to fly." He chuckled. "Romaric might think I'm a duck and throw his spear at me."

Diddi giggled, but only for a moment. "Matymbou?"

"Yes, Diddi?"

"Would you pray that Maman has a baby?"

"All right. I'll do that. You can pray, too, you know."

"I have been praying for a long time. But Maman says she can't have a baby."

"Maybe she can have a baby when she is married."

"No. She said she couldn't have a baby even if she got married."

"Oh," Matymbou said, wondering if Diddi had misunderstood. Or if Lois had been deliberately vague about how a woman gets a child inside of her. "We will both pray."

Diddi smiled up at him. "That's good," he said. "'Cause I really want a brother."

~|^|~

Lois and Clark walked to the river in silence.

Nervousness had taken a firm grip on Clark's joy. There had been no clear explanation about what was expected of him at this bathing session.

And beyond that was the marriage. He felt nothing but excitement at the thought of standing with Lois and promising to be her loving and faithful husband for the rest of his life.

But after that, they would slip away.

Alone. Husband and wife.

And as much as Clark wanted to be alone with Lois, the memories of Lana's dissatisfaction had wriggled loose and were nibbling away at his contentment.

Lois stopped at the river's edge - the place where they had bathed on Clark's first morning with the Bangala. She turned to him with a smile, but sobered when she saw his face. "Everything OK?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said, sounding horribly unsure. "I'm just not sure what this custom involves."

"It can involve anything we want it to involve," she said. "The couple is always left alone to bathe, so there is only speculation as to what is 'normal'."

"Did you and Matymbou come here on the morning you were married?"

"Yes, we did," Lois replied. "He stayed on the male side of the wall, and I stayed on the female side. We didn't speak one word until we were both fully clothed again, and we went to great lengths to ensure that neither of us caught a peek at the other."

"Is that how you want this to be?"

"Do you?"

"I …"

Lois put her hand on his arm. "Let's just bathe," she said. "If either of us happens to glimpse something, it's nothing to worry about."

Now, Clark realised, she probably thought he didn't want to see her. "Lois … you're beautiful. I've always been captivated by your beauty."

Lois smiled, looking pleased with his compliment. "And you, Mr Clark Kent, are utterly gorgeous," she said. "I've known that from the first moment I saw this magnificent chest." She undid a couple of buttons from his shirt. "I hated having to give you the shirt. A chest such as this should be banned from wearing shirts - which is more proof that you were always meant to be a Bangala man."

Clark's breath stalled as she undid a third button. And a fourth. His throat convulsed as she moved to the fifth and final button. When it was freed from its hole, she brushed back the sides of his shirt and gave his chest a long, lingering inspection.

His skin burned under her gaze. His blood heated. His mouth dried.

She released him, breaking her gaze and chuckling lightly as she looked into his face. "I'll turn my back," she promised.

As she began to turn, Clark clasped her arm. She looked into his eyes again, so full of patient understanding that he found the courage to voice another of his fears. "Later … us … it will be all right. Won't it?"

His question sounded pitifully uncertain, and Clark felt his cheeks flush as he stood before his bride, sure that all his shameful secrets were on vivid display.

She rested her hand on his arm, just up from his elbow. "Were you a virgin when you married Lana?"

The heat in his face intensified. He grunted roughly. Then, fearing his reply had been ambiguous, he nodded.

Lois's response to that piece of information was minimal. "Before you were married, did you have hopes … dreams … about how it would be?"

He nodded again, terse and uncomfortable.

"Go back there," Lois said, her thumb sliding over his skin of his arm. "In your thoughts, go back to that time and recapture your hopes and expectations for how it can be."

"But …" His sentence ground to a raspy breath. "But Lana …"

"Lana is not your wife. Whatever she said or thought - it no longer matters."

He had to warn Lois. "Lana said I wasn't … you know, being an alien, I wasn't … And then when she couldn't get pregnant ... it just made everything else worse."

Lois's eyes dropped - back to his chest. She swept over it with leisurely attention. When she had covered every inch, her eyes lifted to his face. "If you're worried that you'll be disappointed, we could skip the bath and get it done now, and -"

"I am not worried that I'll be disappointed," Clark said, aghast that she could even think that. "I'm worried that -"

"You're worried that I'll agree with Lana," Lois finished for him. She lifted her hand from his arm and gently poked the centre of his chest. "One month, Kent," she said.

"One month?" he gulped.

"That's how long I'm giving myself to have convinced you that you're a very sexy man, a talented lover, and the husband of one very satisfied wife."

Clark could only stare. Then, he felt himself smile. Grin broadly. Laugh. "And what will you do if you haven't managed to convince me by then?"

She crinkled her nose, making him long to lean forward and dust it with a kiss. "I'll have to redouble my efforts," she said with a smile that held such promise, Clark's stomach executed a couple of exultant tumbles. "But I'm pretty confident I can make you understand how I feel about you."

"Lois, I'm not -"

"You're not unfaithful. You're not a man who gives his word lightly and then goes back on it. You're not a man who takes people for granted. You're not a man who uses others for your own advantage. You're not -"

"I'm not human."

"Will you take me flying?"

"Lois! Did you hear me? You need to think about this. There are risks."

"Risks?"

"I don't have anything with me. No … protection. I don't think you can get pregnant, but if you did …"

Lois smiled dreamily. "If I did, you would have the child you've always wanted."

"And you would …" He glanced around the trees. "We have nothing here. No medicines. No equipment."

"We have everything here," Lois corrected him. "You, me, our people. No child could have more."

"Lois, this is so quick. You should take some time to think about -"

"I've thought. I want to marry you. I love you. And I'll still love you even if you won't take me flying." She was grinning again. And he still really wanted to kiss her.

"Lois, please," he begged. "Be serious for one moment."

"OK." She pulled her mouth into submission, but the twinkle didn't fade from her eyes.

"Lana knew all about my differences before we were married. She thought it would be all right, but it wasn't. I don't think she was ever happy. I think she regretted her decision just a few weeks into our marriage."

"Do you think she was unhappy because you're not human?"

"I think that was part of it," Clark said. "I think it was a huge part of it. I think that's why she found someone else."

"She's a fool," Lois said contemptuously. "She was married to the man with the biggest and kindest heart on the planet and she allowed something as insignificant as his place of birth to corrupt her marriage. I will not be making that mistake."

Clark ran his fingers through her hair. "Lois," he murmured. "I didn't want this. I didn't want to trust again. I didn't believe it was possible that any human woman could love me. I didn't want to risk being left again. I wanted nothing more than to be alone."

"You won't ever be alone again."

That truth felt like gentle massage to his heart, flooding his scars with her capacity to heal. "Because of you," he said. "Thank you for not giving up on me. Thank you for accepting me. Thank you for not running away when you found out the truth. Thank you for so desperately not wanting me to go back to Metropolis, but letting me go anyway. Thank you for being here when I got back and for looking at me as if my being here made you so very happy."

"You make me happy," she said. "Nothing's going to change that."

Clark believed her.

He believed her!

Deep in his heart, he believed with rock-solid certainty that Lois Lane, knowing all his secrets, loved him. This was how marriage was meant to be. Complete openness. Complete acceptance. Complete trust. Two people, joining as one, without any barriers.

Lois slipped the shirt from his shoulders and said, "Turn around."

He obeyed, thinking she was about to undress. Her hands landed on his shoulder, and she began kneading and caressing his neck, travelling a slow and sensual journey down his back.

As she reached the last of his ribs, the question that had been sizzling in his mind stumbled from his lips. "W…what are you doing?"

"Examining your back," she replied as if it were obvious. "You've been to Metropolis. I don't trust that place. Or the people there. They have green rock."

"I didn't even see Tempus," Clark quickly assured her. "And I feel fine."

"Stop trying to spoil my fun," she told him fiercely, her fingers causing streaks of fire as they swept up his spine. "Your back is magnificent, Clark. So beautifully muscular. Or maybe it muscularly beautiful. But I could admire it all day."

"Is a medicine woman supposed to be taking such pleasure in a patient's physique?" Clark asked.

"Oh, it's completely acceptable with special patients," Lois informed him.

"How many special patients do you have?"

"Just one." Her hands brushed across his shoulders. "Always the same one." She reached his neck and continued through his hair. He felt her kiss between his shoulder blades. Then her hands left him.

"I'm going to undress now," she said. "Then I'm going into the water to bathe."

Clark managed a strangled grunt of acknowledgement. He stood, not moving, as the sounds of her clothes slipping from her body invaded his ears and illuminated his imagination. Her footsteps crunched on the sand and then splashed in the water, changing tone as she moved deeper.

"Come on, Clark," she called. "The water is lovely."

He grasped the waistband of his pants and began to slide them down his body.

"I'm turned away," Lois said.

Clark discarded his pants and walked to the water's edge, watching the ends of her dark hair rest on the water.

She turned as he reached the waist-deep water, greeting him with a smile of welcome. "Feeling OK?" she asked.

"Feeling about a hundred different things," Clark replied. "And all of them good."

"Clark …"

"Uhm?"

"I know you have reason for being wary about the future. I know you've been disappointed so many times. But … the past is over. This is where our lives truly begin. And our lives are going to be good, full of the best things. I hope you can believe that."

He wanted to believe. He wanted to do anything Lois asked of him. But he wasn't going to pretend anymore.

"Lois …" He searched his heart and found hope and optimism and steadfast joy. "All I need is right here."

"You have me. Forever."

"Then I know life will be good."

She smiled. "May I kiss you?" she asked.

He spluttered. Just a little. "I'm naked," he said.

"So am I," she returned. She lifted a few inches out of the water and kissed his mouth. Brief. Slightly moist. Soft. "Get clean," she said. "You have a wedding to get to and an impatient bride craving your attention."

Clark sunk lower into the water, his heart overflowing with joy.

He'd found her. He'd truly found her.

And he was never going to let her go.