Who: Clark Kent & Lois Lane-Kent When: Backdated, August 17th, 2012 Where: Metropolis, the Kent-Lane apartment What: Back home Rating: PG
After more gentle coaxing from Lois, Clark had finally conceded that it was time to go home. He did miss Metropolis, missed the shining buildings, the blue sky above, and the bustling noises that came with it. He missed the Daily Planet and even more noise that came with that. And he very much missed the people who lived there. ...Even if perhaps they didn't miss him.
The apartment had remained the same during their departure, and it felt nice to come back to the rooms that he and Lois had decorated together. All of her awards were there, along with the photos of friends and family, along with more reminders of the past and their future. Home.
They'd arrived back in Metropolis after dark and really, all Clark wanted to do was sleep. He'd told Lois, who had insisted on a hot bath first. Then husband and wife had climbed into their own bed for the first time in a very long time, and fallen asleep.
This morning, he'd awoken feeling more rested than he had in a long time. As nice as Wayne Manor was, it was just a little too empty, felt a little too much like a museum. Maybe Bruce liked things that way, but Clark drew energy from the warmth of a space, not the space itself.
Rising early, he'd let Lois keep sleeping, and gone to the kitchen. He'd remembered, despite everything that had happened, that today was in fact, her birthday. Clark had started up a batch of pancakes, zipping off to the store and back with fresh strawberries and whip cream just in time to flip them. Zipping off another time, he picked some wildflowers, and arranged them in vase, setting them on a tray. Next came the finished pancakes, a little bottle of syrup and then the strawberries and whip cream on the side in little bowls.
Clark shuffled off back towards their bedroom, carrying the tray and still dressed in his "SuperCook!" apron ( a gag gift from Lois ). "Lois honey?" He set the tray down on his side of the bed and leaned over to kiss her forehead. "Lois? Wake up, honey. And Happy Birthday."