Chapter Text
Most women wouldn’t be able to handle dating a superhero.
Sure, the fantasy of a superpowered man in tights sweeping you off your feet had it’s appeal, but the reality was a lot of lonely nights.
Lois Lane, however, had come to enjoy having the time to herself.
Of course, she worried. At the beginning of their relationship, every time Clark donned his red and blue and rocketed into the sky, a deep pit would settle in her stomach and would stay there until he was back in her arms. Especially after pulling him from the pocket dimension, weakened by Kryptonite. The fear of loving and losing him had almost been enough to send her running for the hills.
Three years later though, she had settled into the routine.
Most of the time, they were a normal couple. They went to work together, had date nights, and came home to their shared apartment. When duty called, he would kiss her goodbye before flying off to save the world. If he didn’t need her help, she would spend the night working, or take a warm bath. Then he would return to her arms with a kiss, and always with a story to tell. He always came back, and if he had to make a detour, he always found a way to call.
If Lois was honest, she liked the time alone. She and Clark had moved into a shared apartment a year ago, and while the commitment had scared her at the time, it had been one of the best decisions of her life. That being said, up to that point she’d lived alone since she was eighteen, it had been a big transition. Especially with her partner’s super senses. She knew that Clark would never use his abilities to breach her privacy, he always kept them so controlled around her for her safety and comfort; but there were some things a girl just couldn’t do with her boyfriend in the apartment.
Like taking a pregnancy test.
Clark had kissed her goodbye earlier that evening before leaving to help the Justice League with something ‘top secret’; which meant he would just tell her later. He’d also mentioned needing to stop by the Fortress on his way home to check on Kara and Krypto. The latter would definitely take as much time as saving the world, so she knew she had most of the night to herself.
Lois chewed on her thumbnail as the timer ticked on her phone, wishing she still smoked. While her habit had been short-lived, she often indulged in the occasional cigarette. That is, until Clark had found out. If this moment had been any different, she would have just had one and risked the inevitable blowout fight later, but the circumstances weren’t right.
Her periods were extremely regular. She actually was kind of proud of the fact that they showed up at the exact same time every month when they were supposed to. However, she was a week late, which had never happened before.
She had realized the other night, when the pressure of Clark’s grip over her breast had been tender, almost painful. In the moment she’d simply redirected his hand and lost track of the thought as his strong body had moved over hers. Dating someone with super strength meant that sometimes she was a little bruised after they spent the night in bed together, it was something she even enjoyed a little. The next day she’d still felt sensitive, but her fair skin had been unmarked. Then this morning, Clark had placed their usual eggs and toast in front of her, her stomach had turned in a way that had forced her to put the pieces together.
A month ago, they had spent a weekend away for their third anniversary at a little cabin upstate. In Lois’ opinion, their anniversary was in two months, around the time she had first told him she loved him. According to Clark, however, their real anniversary was their first official date, and he planned his surprises accordingly. In the rush of meeting her deadline, leaving work early, and making a detour for Superman to rescue a cat from a tree, she had completely forgotten her birth control. It was so unlike her to forget, it was something that was important to them as a couple for both normal and superhuman reasons, that she hadn’t even realized until they had returned home. In her defence, Clark’s romantic plans had left her incredibly distracted and exhausted.
Stupid, she thought. If she’d at least thought about it for two seconds she could’ve sent the flying man with super speed out for condoms, or even back to Metropolis for her pills. It was her own fault thinking she could leave packing to the last minute.
The beeping timer pulled her away from berating her past self.
“Get it together, Lane,” she told her reflection in the mirror as she stood. She forced herself to take a deep breath, then picked up the test and looked at it.
A pretty pink plus sign stared right back at her.
“Fuck.”
She dropped the test back onto the counter like it had burned her and grabbed the bag from the pharmacy. The lady at the counter had looked at her like she was crazy when she’d purchased a handful of different tests, but Lois had been too panicked to care.
One positive test meant nothing, even with the other symptoms.
So she took the rest.
Seven tests later, and seven pink plus signs later, Lois leaned against the wall with a deep sigh. On their bathroom counter the neat line of tests were all telling her the same thing: she was pregnant.
This was the last thing she had expected to be blindsided with. Over the years, she’d come to terms with metahumans, aliens, mad scientists, evil billionaires, and the worst of humanity fearlessly and without batting an eye. At work, she chased down leads with almost reckless abandon and grit; Clark had once called her a pitbull with a pant leg. She was a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and had helped Superman save the world multiple times, but the thought of a baby, Clark’s baby, growing inside of her scared the shit out of her.
It had nothing to do with Clark. He was steady, family oriented, and would probably be over the moon with the news.
Lois was the one who would need time and convincing to to come to terms with it, as usual. She didn’t consider herself as bad at relationships as she did three years ago, but she gave credit for most of that progress to Clark. He had been patient, gentle, and loving as she navigated commitment issues, abandonment issues, and her desire to run the second things got in.
Lois Lane had always been a bolter, and tonight’s news had her ready to pack a bag and catch the next bus out of town. However, the line of tests reminded her that there was no running from this. This specific secret would quite literally follow her wherever she ran, as would her super boyfriend.
She grabbed the tests, jamming into the box of tampons she kept in the bathroom cabinet. She threw the empty boxes in there too. It may not be lead lined, but Clark Kent was still a man and would avoid period products unless she asked him to.
Her stress eased a little once the tests were out of sight, but her mind kept racing.
She had never wanted kids, didn’t think much about it.
Clark had talked about having a family, adopting at some point down the road; giving a child a loving home the way his parents had for him. While his own family tree was complicated, he’d been given a safe, happy childhood full of unconditional love and support.
Lois’ experience, unfortunately, had been different. After her mother had died, she’d moved from base to base with the General, been in and out of boarding schools, and cared for her little sister. She’d never really had an actual place or person to call home, or return to. It was hard to picture starting a family when when your own had left you with trust issues and the inability to keep a goldfish or even plants alive.
Then there was her job. She was addicted to work, often going days without sleep, skipping meals, and putting herself in the middle of risky situation for a story. All the things that made her good at her job were things she probably shouldn’t be doing pregnant, or couldn’t do with a baby at home. Clark was the same issue. He wasn’t as overzealous as she was at the Planet, but they’d become a dynamic reporting team who did their best work together. He also had another job.
The whole Superman thing wasn’t an issue with their current lifestyle, they had a system and it worked. Lois was independent, maybe to a fault, but she had a feeling when it came to this, she’d need Clark around more. He was definitely going to be better at it than she was.
Lois shut off the lights and went to their bedroom, curling up on her side. It was chilly without Clark, who served as her own personal space heater, so she pulled the wool blanket from the bottom of their bed up around her.
God, she realized. Would her superhuman boyfriend be able to tell she was pregnant? Would he hear the heartbeat, or smell anything different? If she didn’t know he was an alien, she would be positive he was part bloodhound.
Lois grabbed her phone, quickly opening a browser and searching; when does a baby’s heartbeat begin? The list of results varied along the different stages of development, from the start of cardiac activity to when it actually picked up on an ultrasound. As far as she knew, Clark was definitely more sensitive than an ultrasound, especially when it came to her. That meant she was going to have to tell him before he figured it out on his own.
That’s what you get for sleeping with an alien, she thought to herself, amused. Then her eyes flew open and she looked at the ceiling. She had been so caught up in her own existential crisis, that she hadn’t connected the dots to the most important thing.
Clark was Superman, a literal alien from another planet. As far as Lois could tell, he was as human as she was, other than all his special abilities. However, there was even stuff Clark didn’t know about his home planet and others like him. So who knew what their baby would be capable of? Would it be a mini-Superman? Would her pregnancy be normal? What if it was like that horrific human-vampire baby from the movies her sister had made her watch growing up? Lois shuddered at the thought. Not only did she not have the answers, she doubted her boyfriend did, or that he knew anyone who would.
Lois tossed and turned in their bed which felt far too big without her massive boyfriend in it, willing herself to sleep.
***
She didn’t remember falling asleep, but she must have because she suddenly felt the blankets rustle behind her. Then encompassing warmth as a heavy arm and large hand wrapped around her middle and pressed her back against a large chest.
“Shh,” Clark pressed a soft kiss to her cheek before she could say anything or open her eyes. “Go back to sleep.”
Lois wiggled in his grip so she could turn to face him, opening her eyes and smiling sleepily. His hair was still dripping slightly from the shower and she could feel the flannel of his favourite pair of pyjama pants against her bare legs.
“You’re home early,” she stroked his cheek, feeling the slight stubble along his jawline.
“Kara and Krypto were out, and I didn’t want to wait around,” his arms curled around her, pulling her closer against him. “And I’d rather be here with you.”
“You woke me up, Smallville,” she pressed her cold toes against his shins, tucking her nose into the crook of his neck. She wasn’t really complaining, she always slept better when he was around anyways. “I guess super stealth isn’t one of your abilities.”
“I’ll make it up to you,” he chuckles and she feels it rumble in his chest against hers.
His soft lips pressed against her hairline and her cheek before finding her lips. Lois sighed happily, wrapping her arms around his neck as she met him in a lazy kiss. she could feel the warmth of his hands through the flannel shirt she wore to bed, and she hitched a leg over his hip as he caressed her chest. Clark rolled them over so she was on her back, staying close above her as he deepened their kiss. Lois ran her hands over his bare back and chest, eagerly pulling him closer. A soft gasp left her lips as his kisses moved to her neck and his hands travelled under her shirt, pushing it up to expose her skin. She could feel Clark smile against her collarbone as she pushed on his shoulders, guiding him lower.
Just when her mind was finally clear of her earlier woes, Clark’s large hand brushed over her stomach on its way lower. His hand was followed by a series of heated kisses along her skin before he nipped her hip. Just as Clark had hooked his fingers in the waistband of her underwear, she sat up, pushing him away.
“Lois?” Her boyfriend stared at her in confusion, letting her push him back away from her. “Are you okay?” His face changed to one of concern, studying her face to figure out what had caused her sudden change.
“Don’t x-ray me,” she pulled her shirt down, sitting back against the headboard.
“… I wasn’t planning to. Lois, what’s wrong? Did I do something?”
“Clark, I’m pregnant,” she blurted out.
“What?” He asked in surprise. Lois watched the shock melt away from his face as he stared at her, a wide grin replacing it as he reached for her. “Lois, I don’t know how it happened, but that’s incredible.”
“You know how it happened, you were there,” she rolled her eyes at him as he pulled her into a hug. “I forgot my birth control on our anniversary trip, and, well…”
“And we were pretty busy that weekend,” he nods, chuckling at the memory. He stayed close, an arm around her. “I didn’t know if I could get anyone pregnant.”
“Yeah, well you did,” she grumbled, not finding it as miraculous as Clark did. “I just put everything together this morning my breakfast made me sick.”
“How are you feeling?” He asked her, the concern creeping back onto his face.
“Tired, moody…”
“So the usual?” He joked, and she pushed his shoulder. “But do you feel sick?”
“Just this morning was the first time.”
“And where’s your head at, Lo?” His hand wrapped around hers, grounding her.
“Everywhere,” she admits. “This wasn’t part of the plan.”
“And that freaks you out,” he knew her a little too well.
“Of course it does, Clark! We’re nowhere near ready for that, you’ve never even met my father, I’ve seen your parents twice. We also have no idea what we’re getting into because we don’t know what your DNA is going to do mixed with mine.”
“Lois, we’ve been together a three years,” his voice is reassuring, a little too calm for her liking. “We live together, love each other, have steady jobs. This isn’t something that needs to be scary. As for the baby, I know we don’t know what any of this is going to be like, we’re the first ones to do it… But I know people. Scientists, my friends at the Justice League, there are ways to find out.”
“So you aren’t freaked out by this at all?” She asks him, crossing her arms over her chest.
“No, but I am worried about you. You know that I’ll support you no matter what you want to do.”
“I know you will,” she sighs. “Look, Clark, I don’t know how to do any of this.”
“I don’t either, Lois. We get to figure it out together, and that’s an adventure I’m looking forward to having with you. Whether it’s now or in five years, I’m all in.”
Lois sighed; Clark always knew the right thing to say.
“I want to be all in too.” The truth left her lips so quickly she barely had a chance to process it. “I just might need more time to get used to it all,” she warns him.
“I know, come here,” Clark laid back down beside her, pulling her against his chest.
Lois sighed, wrapping her arms around him and allowing her racing thoughts to slow. She still had her fears, and the urge to bolt still twitched in the back of her brain, but she let Clark’s words soothe them for now. She was the skeptic, one of them had to be, and Clark was the eternal optimist. The exact reason she used to think they didn’t work was the exact reason why they did work as a couple.
His hand brushed gently over her stomach, the thin strip of skin exposed where his shirt had pulled up. She let him lay his palm flat, wondering if maybe his super senses were picking up something that she couldn’t.
“I love you, Lois,” he tells her, his voice even softer than usual.
“I love you too, Clark,” she slides her hand over his.
Together they could write award-winning articles, take down evil billionaires, and save the world. Having a baby had to be easy by comparison.
Right?