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Lois and Clark left their fifth “work dinner” of the month. Over those five dinners, they went from strictly talking work to developing something deeper than friendship that scared Lois a little. As Clark walked her home, like he did most nights they worked late, she heard a beautiful saxophone playing “Killing Me Softly With His Song”. Impulsively, she grabbed Clark’s wrist to stop him on the street. He paused and she took him closer to the saxophonist. As they weaved through the crowd, they spotted an older man sitting on a box against a building, and playing his tune. Lois quietly said to Clark, “I’ve always liked this song.” Clark grinned nice and big, his dimples popping out. She couldn’t help but smile back. She felt his pulse speed up on his wrist and she released him as nonchalantly as possible. She forced herself to watch the saxophonist's fingers move over the keys and lost herself in the melody.
As the song finished and “You Are So Beautiful” began, the audience consisted of the working commuters passing by, and Lois and Clark. They swayed side by side, allowing their hands to brush occasionally. Lois felt her heart pounding and she started to wonder about that second glass of wine, because surely that was why she wanted to hold Clark Kent’s hand.
The moment their music man stopped to take a sip of water, Clark drench the flames in her gut by talking to the man. Harley, kindly, refused to be interviewed but told Clark his name and how long he’d been playing the saxophone. Lois felt sobriety coming back the longer Clark delved into Harley’s past. She usually liked this side of him. This was his way of going after a story, much more politely than her, but the same. Tonight, however, she’d spent half of dinner playing footsie with the person she beginning to consider her best friend, and the longer Clark talked to this man, the more doubt trickled in and hope trickled out.
Luckily, Harley noticed her fidgeting beside Clark and said, “That’s nice of you, son, but your lady might want to get home.”
Clark shot up to his full height at the same time Lois sucked in a breath. Harley chuckled at them when they both stumbled over versions of, “We’re not together.”
“Well it’s kind of you to talk, Mr. Kent. Miss,” Harley nodded his head toward Lois, “Imma play some more. Any requests?” He fiddled with his saxophone as Clark looked over at Lois.
A beat of tension fell over them before Clark cleared his throat and said, “Do you know ‘Just the Way You Are’?” He didn’t take his eyes off Lois. She felt her heart pound in her chest. Harley’s answer was the first note.
Clark gave Lois a little smile then reached out a hand palm up. “May I have this dance?” Lois wanted to scoff and say no. But instead she blinked at him. He patiently watched her. “Lois?” His voice was low and she found her hand in his palm before she could over think more.
He cradled her hand in his much larger one, and rested his other on her waist. Lois crinkled into a smile when he didn’t pull her close. “Leaving room for Jesus, Smallville?” She teased. Even in the mellow yellow haze of street lights, Lois could see his face go red.
”I. I’m being respectful,” he said.
Lois nodded firmly, narrowed her eyes at him as she bit her lip in thought, and then moved closer until their bodies brushed as they danced. Her free hand rested on his shoulder and he beamed down at her. She felt her breath stutter at how big he was compared to her and how she still felt completely safe in his arms. He swayed with her, their feet shuffling back and forth, side to side. She smiled into his chest and laughed quietly at the sound of him humming along as his hand moved to rest on her lower back.
“What?” He asked. She tilted her head back to meet his eyes.
“Was this a strategic choice?”
He blushed. Blushed!
He paused their swaying and softly said, ”No.” She narrowed her eyes at him. He fought off a smile. “What’s wrong with dancing, Lois?” She felt chills go down her back at the sound of her name coming across in his soft, deep voice.
”Nothing,” she said after a beat. He looked down at her, waiting and she added in a quiet voice, “It’s… this is nice, Clark.” His frown turned into a grin of delight. She felt herself relax against him as he began to hum and sway with her again. After a while, Lois realized it was a different song. She looked over at Harley. He was completely entranced with his playing. She couldn’t decipher the song by the melody alone and wondered.
“It’s ‘Moon River’.” Clark leaned down to whisper in her ear.
“I.“ her scoff came out more as a laugh, “I didn’t know you could read minds, Kent.”
Clark gave her a dry look. “You had your investigative face on.”
“I do not have a.”
“You do,” Clark laughed. “Your eyes scrunch up and you look like you’d do anything to get the story.” Lois rolled her eyes at him.
“Yeah, right.”
“Do you need me to take a picture next time?” His hold on her hand loosened like he wanted to reach for his phone. She clasped their hands tightly together. “No,” she said it so fast, Clark chuckled at her. At that sweet sound, Lois began to share in his laughter. “Shut up, Smallville,” she said, full of giggles.
“Whatever you say, Miss Lane.” Lois felt her entire body thrum at that. She looked up at him, just to find him gazing down at her. He looked adoring. Lois told herself to look away. This could only end one way, everything crashing and burning and her workplace turning awkward.
He leaned down toward her. “Clark,” she whispered.
He must have heard the fear in her voice, because he straightened just a little. “What’s wrong?” He asked.
She bit her lip and stared at him. Most likely doing her investigative look because his eyes went from worried to slightly amused. Her grip on his hand tightened once again. Clark continued to sway but Lois barely moved. “This won’t end well,” she said.
Clark tilted his head. “What makes you say that?”
“I’m… horrible at this stuff.”
Clark shrugged. “It’s just dancing.”
Lois looked up at him seriously. “You know what I mean, Clark.”
He stopped swaying and held her gently. ”Lois, I’d never make you do anything you don’t want to do.”
“I know,” she said firmly. She knew that in her bones. He would never hurt her. But she might hurt him.
“Then let's make it simple.” He smiled like he had a bright idea.
“Clark.” He interrupted her with, “Can I kiss you?”
She tensed, but couldn’t find words. She desperately wanted him to kiss her, but all the possibilities raced through her mind. Clark nodded acceptingly. “Then let’s just dance,” he said softly. She realized after a beat there was no disappointment or anger in his voice. He held her close and swayed with her as Harley played. And she began to accept that maybe Clark and her could just possibly work.
Lois dragged her hand down to rest over Clark’s heart and she pressed closer to him, resting her cheek against his chest. He hummed, she swayed, and they danced through another song. When the melody of “When a Man Loves a Woman” began, she tilted her head up and saw Clark’s face there. He smiled at her, and she found herself smiling back. His blue eyes sparkled and she whispered, “Kiss me.” The corner of his mouth lifted into a smirk that she found annoyingly hot.
“Whatever you say, Miss Lane,” he whispered back before brushing his lips against hers. She gasped at the zing that shot through her. He kissed her softly, one hand on her lower back and the cradling their intertwined against his chest. He pulled back with a dimpled smile. Lois bit her bottom lip before she tangled her hand in his curls, lifted onto her toes, and kissed him like her life depended on it. Clark pulled her impossibly closer, gently cupped the back of her neck, and slowed the kiss down. He kissed her like he had all the time in the world. Managing to aggravate and stoke a fire in her all at once.
“This one’s on the house,” Harley said before he began to play “Can’t Help Falling in Love” with a passion reserved for good company and even sweeter nights.
Clark pulled back from Lois when he recognized the song. If it was at all possible, he blushed a brighter shade of pink. Lois snickered at him. Clark pressed a quick kiss to her lips, effectively shutting her up and she followed after him when he pulled away. He hummed into her mouth and Lois found herself grinning like a fool. Their teeth clacked. They both laughed.
“Take me home, Clark,” she whispered as the song began to end.
Clark nodded with determination. He pulled out his wallet and tossed both a twenty and his business card into Harley’s case. “Thank you, Harley,” Clark said as he took Lois’s hand.
“Thanks, Harley,” Lois said a little too cheerfully for her normal self. She held Clark hand tightly as he walked her the rest of the way home, only letting go to run her hands through his hair during their last kiss of the night, thinking, “I could get used to this.”