A/N There's a hot new challenge on the Discord, involving a random song from your playlist. Here is my own result for it.

Traffic still hadn’t moved, and his partner's breathing was starting to quicken as she drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. Clark said nothing, having already run out of optimistic platitudes and the energy to believe in them. The radio only half-obscured her mumbled expletives.

His own fingers found the radio tuner, and somewhere between the golden oldies and angry pundits, a lively, upbeat tune came through the static.

Lois's gaze flicked to the radio. “What is that? Japanese?”

“Swedish.” Clark’s hand lingered on the dial, but when Lois’s restless drumming started to match the beat of the song, he let go and leaned back in his seat.

“Wonder what they’re saying,” Lois mumbled before starting to hum along.

Of course, for most people, knowing the answer to that question would require getting a copy of the lyrics and having it translated into English, a feat that might require an army of Jimmys. Clark, however, spoke a fair amount of Swedish, so he turned to her and smiled. “Dance to the beat, wave your hands together; come feel the heat, forever and forever. Listen and learn, it’s time for practicing, now here we are with caramel dancing.”

Lois sighed, leaning back on her headrest and staring at the ceiling of the car. “I should have known.”

He chuckled. The chorus repeated, and Clark’s smile faded as the one line snagged his attention: Come, feel the heat forever and forever. Just last week, Metropolis was in danger of exactly that fate. He had believed it was his own fault—everyone had, except for one person.

“Lois?”

Her response was a half-attentive grunt.

“I never did thank you for clearing Superman’s name.”

She sat up straight and blinked at him. “Uh…you’re welcome?” Her cheeks took on a reddish tinge. “It wasn’t really…I mean, I’m sure he’d do the same for either of us…”

“For you, maybe.” Clark allowed himself a small grin at her. He really shouldn’t be encouraging her infatuation like this, he reminded himself. Still, the way she now squirmed and played with her hair was so utterly adorable. “You’re brilliant, Lois.”

That broke the spell, and she straightened with a sniff. “Well, of course I am. Just…stick close to me, Kent, and soon you’ll be rescuing superheroes all on your own.”

The lively music ended, going straight into a commercial without ceremony. Lois leaned on her horn and shouted at the line of cars in front of them.

“I certainly will,” he promised.


-End-