There are people actually living in conditions like Clark. Some were living that way even in his day, but it's been more common since the real estate collapse.

http://www.marieclaire.com/world-reports/inspirational-women/raised-in-storage-unit-2

“Whoever said I was human?”


Wow. Goosebumps. Perfectly written.

mic drop!!!!!

Lois learned a lot about Clark in this part and she's about to learn a whole lot more. I can't wait for the next part.

I have to second Tailee: Wow! Perfect ending. Canon Clark wouldn't have come clean this easily, but this Clark is a lot more street-smart.

This is an amazing fic in so many ways. I'm really enjoying it.

Oh, My! Let's hope that Lois can handle the truth once he tells her. At this moment, she needs to trust him as much as she needs him to survive.

I'm wondering if Lois was right about the street lights. Was it the bad guys or was it Clark? I first thought it was Clark, but then when Lois said that and the car moved down the alley, I wondered if they had done it so Lois and Clark wouldn't see them.

Poor Clark. Still homeless. Yet, this isn't much of a surprise. I'm glad he has someplace and has been able to acquire some personal possessions, even if they are tools to help him earn money for college.

The cat's out of the bag now, Clark. I guess Lois isn't one to just watch and learn; once she knows something isn't right, she needs the answer right then and there. No putting off what she might not learn, if she doesn't have the guts to ask then.

I doubt Clark was purposely showing Lois his abilities, but he certainly needed to use a bunch of them to help them get to the bus undetected. Although, I did wonder about the bike being warm to the touch. I'd expect it to be cool from the rush of cool air as Clark retrieved it, but warm. Friction?

There may have been a little bit of him wanting to help her the little bit that he can. He's such a sweetie. Awww. I hope that both they and their friendship can survive the next part, let alone, the night and the next few days. I do hope that Lois gives him the benefit of the doubt.

That's quite the ending. I'm eager to see Lois's reaction.

I guess Clark here doesn't have any more information about himself, and probably less, than cannon Clark did when he got to Metropolis. I don't remember if there was a mention of it in Vagrant, but did Clark's parents tell him about how they found him before they died? Did he have any of his powers back then to induce them to talk about where he came from?

I figure that, since he's decided to tell Lois, he'll show her what he can do and say that he doesn't know why or where he's actually from. Hmm... is this going to lead to a conversation about what actually happened in Kansas? We've gotten some vague information that Clark hurt someone, but I'd like to know how that played out.

His skills sure come in handy on the street and on the run, don't they? I like his subtle (and sometimes not-as-subtle) use of powers and how it's implied in the narration but clear enough for us to know what he's doing.

Hmmm... convenient. He sure doesn't have a lot of qualms about property damage if he thinks it's for the greater good, does he? Which I guess is pretty par for Superman. In the 90's cartoon, for example, he's constantly tearing apart the city fighting the bad guys. It's a wonder anyone can get property insurance in Metropolis.

I like seeing where Clark's been living. It's the bare minimum of what he needs: a place to keep his stuff and an out-of-the-way place to sleep.

His comment about keeping an extra coat to give to someone who needs it makes me wonder how much he spends in extra coats. I was always impressed that Clark on the show gave Jack his jacket after having been robbed. This is the kind of do-gooder I like to see in Clark.

I guess Clark's given up on subtle?

Really interesting, with a lot of movement and development in a short span of time. Lois is getting a really good look at the world Clark lives in now, isn't she? Though I think they're both in for some lessons with the Churches after them.

Only a middle-class kid would put the television before the toilet in that sentence!

I nearly rolled my eyes at Lois's thoughts that Clark is living in squalor - for a lot of people in the world, Clark's little storage space is a really nice home! (Not rolling my eyes at your writing, but Lois's naïveté, which is sadly shared by too many people here in the US) Heck, even here, it wasn't uncommon at the beginning of the 20th century for a family to live in a one-room house, and obviously running water wasn't widely available. Clark's "lucky" to have the electricity and a little fridge.

Too bad it's technically illegal for him to be living in the unit. (Ugh, don't get me started on the problems with city regulations making it impossible for impoverished families to find affordable housing because of all the "required" luxuries...)

Looking forward to the discussion following Clark's bomb he dropped in Lois's lap.

Tan-tan-taaaaaaan.....! Excelent part!

Your description, and their conversation and reactions in this chapter, were excellent. I've also been wondering where Clark keeps the money he earns. Does he have a bank account, or has he stored all his cash in his home? (Or at the north pole?)

Speaking of which, it looks like Clark's guilty conscience nudged him to reveal his (second) secret so that he could be properly condemned for not saving Joe. I'm expecting that Lois will not oblige.

Wow. Each part is more powerful than the one before. So Clark has put total trust in Lois; he shared with her two of his three big secrets, and has at least alluded to the third one on more than one occasion. I can't wait to see how Lois reacts in the next part.

The two of them may be reasonably safe as long as they stay at Clark's place, but what happens to them once they have to leave it? I will definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for the next part.

Joy,
Lynn

Great ending line to this chapter!

Well, we learn how Clark is staying out of trouble and making his way in the world. It's a good thing he has superpowers because otherwise he'd certainly have a hard time doing all those jobs. Also a good thing to have superpowers when you're on the run - they'll come in handy.

I look forward to the big revelation for Lois. I bet it won't take long for her to accept what Clark can do, and to work it into a plan. (I'm sure she'll have a plan once she gets over the shock of everything that has happened.)

OTOH, there is still a large reward out for their deaths, so L&C have to stay hidden. I like how just putting on some different clothing made them effectively invisible.

As ever, Shayne, you're writing some thought-provoking stuff in the guise of a fanfic.

The closing line in this chapter is one of the best ever! Can hardly wait to see how they get out of this situation. Bill and Tom Church are quite deadly. Bill is right, his son is as dumb as a box of rocks!