14296/Smallville Surprise

Smallville Surprise
Date of Scene:	09 April 2022
Location:	Smallville, Kansas
Synopsis:	Clark brings Lois to the Kent Farm to meet the parents (again) and announce their relationship.
Cast of Characters:	Superman, Lois Lane

---

Superman has posed:
"There's no place like home."

Clark and Lois descend from the sky with the leisurely pace of a fallen feather; around them, acres upon acres of farmland as far as the eye can see, great fields of amber grain, herds of cattle and horses, oceans of corn and other vegetables; further still, down the old dirt roads, she can see a bird's-eye view of Smallville itself, the distant forests surrounding it, the streams and rivers that dot the area. This is a land time forget, smalltown midwest, and it is here that unbeknownst to the world the greatest superhero of all time was nurtured and loved.

As the pair descend, Lois' wide view of the thousands of acres and many miles of land making up Smallville and the surrounding farms and ranches shrinks, narrowing into a single farm -- follow a small back road and turn into an old driveway, amidst golden fields and near grazing cattle, toward a big red barn and an accompanying silo, and a short ways away an old-fashioned two-story home with an attic, a large covered porch, and a red brick chimney belching smoke into the air. There's a tractor parked by the barn and a pick-up by the house.

Martha Kent is in the kitchen. She's wearing a purple sweater and gray undershirt and jeans. Jonathan Kent is in the fields wrangling some horses, clad in a tan bomber jacket and, similarly, faded, patched blue jeans.

"Ma! Pa!" Clark's voice rings across the farm. "I'm home!"

The two touch down on a bit of gravel.

Lois Lane has posed:
Meeting Martha and Jonathan Kent was a lovely little treat a while back for an awards ceremony at the Daily Planet. They had been charming, down home folk, just as she expected. But meeting them now? It's a little more terrifying. She's the girlfriend, now. She has a certain picture to present, and the 'good dating material' or 'girl you want your little boy to bring home' has NEVER been Lois Lane in her entire life. She's the wild card who will show you a good night and you hope doesn't get knocked up drunk off her head, one night. Now, she's trying to be a bit better.

She went through half a dozen outfits of her most conservative dresses when he'd come to pick her up. She finally settled on a gray sweater dress that clings to her form rather suggestively, but at least has a high neck line and she can wear proper leggings beneath, so it doesn't look quite as short as it is. She's tried to tame her hair, but it'll always be a little while after a flight, and she's put on just enough make up to be tasteful. She's still terrified.

As they come to land, Jonathan recognizes the sound of his son coming out of the atmosphere near anywhere. A wide smile spreads on his ruddy features as he double time starts to finish up getting the horses inside, "Be right there, Clark, just need to finish up out here!" The horses waited for no one. Not even Superman.

Superman has posed:
In the lead-up to the introduction, Clark seemed significantly more mellow about the whole thing than Lois did; as she fussed and fretted over what to wear, Clark merely kissed the crown of her head affectionately. "You don't need to put on an act for them," he mentioned. "They'll love you just like I do."

Of course, it's easy for him to say: these are his parents, he's not trying to impress them. And now that they're actually here..

"Lois, you mind running inside, say hi to ma? I'm gonna go help with the horses."

With a smile and a kiss and a furtive little butt pinch, Clark sends Lois on, turning and wandering toward his ever-busy father. Jonathan Kent is pushing his late fifties, gray-haired and dignified, and though the Kent farm's slowed down in his aging years, its operations shrunk, he's still working every day of his life. He'd feel out of sorts if he didn't.

Clark's fast, but horses spook easy, and yanking them around at super-speed's not the best of ideas. And so while he reaches his father quickly, jogging on over, he still mounts one of the critters and makes a call to the others, collecting all the nearby reins lickety-split and moving them toward the open fence gate.

"I got it, Pa," Clark calls, and the last thing Lois will see before heading indoors is Clark behaving like an honest-to-God cowboy. He can absolutely ride a horse like a pro.

--

Within, the Kent home is what one might imagine. It has the cozy, lived-in feel of decades of family life. Photographs line the walls, the fireplace in the living room is lit and has a cross mounted above it, and there are even hung canvases with amateur landscape paintings on them -- a hobby Martha's developed. Everywhere Lois might look, there's a sign of life, of joy, of history; she could spend days searching this place, and still find new things -- like the little cuts in one of the porch's poles showing child Clark's growing height, still nicked into the wood even now.

In the kitchen, Martha busies herself with supper, stirring a pot of beef and vegetable stew. When she hears Clark's voice, though, she sets down the wooden spoon and turns the heat down, walking to the kitchen's entryway...

... and near bumping into Lois!

"Lois!", she greets warmly, remembering the bright and beautiful girl her son stole glances at. She reaches in for a hug without any hesitation. "Gosh, you look wonderful. A little thin, though -- you're staying for dinner, I hope? There's more than plenty to go around, you know. Oh, I always knew my boy liked you."

Martha Kent is no fool. If Lois is here unannounced, with no car in the driveway -- which she can see through a kitchen window -- it means Clark flew them here.

Which means she knows.

Lois Lane has posed:
Jonathan Kent is also no fool. He saw his son flying in with someone else in his arms, no panic or screaming from the other individual. This is clearly planned. While he can't recognize exactly who the other person is, the older man can make some easy conclusions. He flashes a smile in his son's direction, not quite dashing over for a hug yet because the horses need to be finished, but he's clearly happy to see the man.

"I see we have someone else for dinner, Clark? Did your mother know you were bringing someone home? And someone who... well, knew just how quickly you could *get* home?" He curiously looks over his son, trotting one of the lead horses in Clark's direction so they can take them in to the stables together and share a bit of time talking.

Lois gives a little yelp of surprise as Clark takes off to go help his father. She sputters, trying to protest, but then it's too late and she's stuck going inside to find his mother. Or, at least, his home. She's not got super senses, she doesn't know where people are on the large, beautifully midwestern property.

Her pale eyes get lost in the house for a few moments, taking in ever last little picture, knickknack, homey goods, everything that tells her tiny little details about Clark and just how loving this family was. That's why she barely sees Martha Kent until it's too late, nearly running face first into her. "Oh! Ah! Mrs. Kent! Hello... hello. Uh... Yes, Clark didn't...warn you I was coming? FOr dinner, well...he... He said it'd be okay. He's here. Helping with the horses. Here... I didn't mean to intrude... But yes. I'm staying. If you'll have me."

Superman has posed:
Clark really should have called, but in all honesty, he forgot; he was rehearsing his lines to introduce Lois, then getting excited over the thought of it, and then discussing her clothing choices, and then..

Well, and he forgot. Lois trying on outfits is distracting for myriad reasons.

"I meant to, sir, sorry," Clark apologizes, guiding his horse with his knees and scratching the back of his head with a hand. "But, gosh, I forgot. I was just so excited to introduce you all -- it's Lois, my friend from work. She knows now, and she -- she's okay with it. I think."

Idly, Clark looks his father over. It's a ritual by now whenever he sees them, to peel away their flesh and tissue, to analyze them with all his senses to check for health irregularities. It's how his father knew to get tested for prostate cancer early enough that the surgery to treat it was minor and safe.

The sun slowly sinks in the distance. Unlike Smallville, there's a horizon here, uninterrupted by skyscrapers and billboards: rolling hills, far-off mountains, and a brilliant sky painted in all the warm hues of spring. It's picturesque and idyllic.

--

Back indoors, the kitchen's filled with the mouthwatering aroma of the stew. There's a bit more pepper and spice in it than is typical, a result of adolescent Clark's sense of taste becoming more experimental as his powers developed.

"Please, dear, call me Martha," she insists, releasing the hug but keeping her hands on Lois' arms and looking her over. "Oh, my boy's always welcome to come home. Especially if he's bringing such a beautiful girl back. Sit, sit, are you thirsty?" She ushers Lois toward a table in the adjoining dining room with clear view of the kitchen only feet away. "I made plenty, anyway. It's always good to keep leftovers. Just let me stir this and I'll be right in with you, dear."

The dining room is carpeted in dark greens, with old, black-and-white family photos of Martha and Jonathan's own grandparents and extended family propped up on a stand by the landline telephone. It's hardly used anymore, but this is an old house.

Lois Lane has posed:
A hard working life has done well for Jonathan Kent. He's aging, no doubt. There's the signs of wear and tear on the body, but nothing immediately concerning. He's as healthy as he was the last time Clark came home. The only 'worry' is that look on his face, as he levels a gaze in Clark's direction thoughtfully, now that the horses are brought inside the stables.

He evaluates the look on his son's face, not looking disappointed himself, but a little worried. He's reserving judgment. "Lois Lane. The reporter. Yes, I remember her. She... She's a *friend*, and she knows? It's worth risking everything on a friend? Especially one who is known for exposing people's truth on a regular basis?" He swings down off the horse, stepping in Clark's direction now so he can be a bit closer to his son.

Inside the house, Lois' stomach is audibly growling now as she gets a deep breath of that soup's scent. She rarely cooks herself and probably has forgotten to eat most of the day, but now her body is reminding her of how good food is. Especially good, home cooked food. It wasn't really something she grew up with. "M-Martha, then..." She almost calls her Mrs. Kent again, "That smells... phenomonal. I certainly won't complain about joining you all, though Clark might get a bit of a talking to about not warning you. But... I'm here now. Happy to be here." Lois gives her a nervous smile as she settles down into that chair at the table.

The offer of a drink gets Lois' mouth open, about to just ask for whiskey or wine, but she catches herself before it comes out of her mouth. SHe doesn't need them knowing she's quite that wild, or thinking she's a drunk, "Uh... Water. Water would be... lovely. Thank you. And you're too kinda, Martha."

Superman has posed:
"She *was* a friend," Clark clarifies, dismounting and brushing the horse's mane with a hand, scratching under its neck, too. "Good to see you, too, buddy," he declares with a wide, lopsided smile, patting it a few times and turning away. The horse snorts and bumps Clark with its big ol' head. He was there when this one was a foal. He turns back to look at his dad and smiles, reaching out to give him a warm and open hug, wrapping the smaller man up in his arms.

"I love her, Pa," he says, giving the man who raised him a firm and open look. There's naught but conviction and sincerity in Clark's eyes. "And I trust her. She's suspected for a long time, though she couldn't prove it... can you believe it? She saw dorky little me and thought I could be Superman."

That's always meant a lot to Clark, even if he's never said it to Lois like that. She saw the best in him, even if she wasn't always fully convinced. She alone thought Clark Kent, the clumsy dweeb from Smallville, could be the Man of Steel himself.

"I love you, too, Pa. You look healthy. Guess Ma's feeding you right. Speaking of.."

He inhales through his nose deeply.

"Oh, my favorite. She's making -- "

"-- beef and vegetable stew, dear. I swear, any day I make it he shows up. Sometimes I think he can smell it from Metropolis." Martha's since made her way back to the dining room, taking a seat near Lois and bringing her a tall glass of water. "I'm sure Clark and Jonathan will be catching up outside. So before they get here, spill it -- you two are together now, aren't you?" Martha's eyes sparkle. She has a mischievous side.

Lois Lane has posed:
It's hard to lie to a mom. Lois never got teenage experience doing it either, just lying to and being yelled at by her father, and that is nothing like this situation. So, the moment Martha asks if they are together, Lois' eyes go wide and guilty, like she'd stuck her hand in a cookie jar. SHe looks down to the glass of water that has been put in front of her, fingertips nervously running across the divets in the glass as she considers how to answer that.

Eventually, all she can do is settle on the truth. She gives a nervous nod, "Y-yes. Yes. And I... know. I mean, I suspected... A really long time I suspected, but I couldn't ever prove it. He's still the best person I know... the best person in the world. Clark or Superman. Both of them. And... I love him." Lois gives her a fluttering, slightly faint but earnest smile, "I think I have for a long time now. Even if he's out of this world way, way too good for me. Literally, and metaphorically... I still love him."

Jon smiles a bit wider as she sees his son so tender with that horse. "She's missed you. Going to have to show off her foal next spring, you know. Means you need to come home. And... well, bring the little lady with you. If you love her, and you really think she's worth it... " He nods in slow approval, "I trust you, son. Even if she's a wild one."

Superman has posed:
"She's worth it," Clark declares without a moment's hesitation. "She's the smartest, hardest-working, most beautiful woman in the world, Pa." He turns and makes to exit the stable, walking with his arm around his father's shoulders as they talk and catch up. Invariably, the two of them will intend to enter the house, but get distracted by one chore or another, looking for excuses to work and talk.

Inside, Martha is delighted by the prospect of meeting the first woman her son has brought home. She positively smothers Lois, in that folksy motherly way.

"It means so much to me that he trusted you with this, and that you could see it in him," she remarks, resting her hand overtop Lois' own. "Clark, you know, he's always been alone. There weren't any children around like him growing up... and even today, I don't think there's many like him in the world. But I saw how he looked at you that night at the ceremony. I didn't need to know anything else but the way he looked at you to know. He doesn't feel alone when you're there, Lois."

Martha's eyes are watering. She smiles and laughs, and the laughter brings out a few tears.

"Oh, gosh, I'm sorry," she says, removing her glasses and wiping off her eyes. "This is the first time I've ever -- ever! -- been able to talk to someone like this. He's never brought a girl home before, and... and now he has, and you know who he is, and I'm just really happy."

Old mystery solved, by the way -- it's definitely his mother that colored Clark's own speech patterns. She, too, sprinkles in the goshes and gollies.

Lois Lane has posed:
Listening to Martha is enough to send Lois' head spinning quietly. She knew Clark was capital G Good through and through, but now it's achingly clear where he gets his goodness. If Lois messes this up, she's not only going to break the heart of the man she loves, but she's going to break this woman. She keeps that odd, fluttering smile on her lips, trying not to look as nervous as she feels, but it's hard to lie to Martha Kent.

"NO! No, don't be sorry. Please... no reason to be sorry. I... I didn't realize I was the first. I... god, Martha, I'm so... so damn lucky. Honored. I keep waiting to wake up -- to... I don't know, realize this has been some dream. I don't deserve him, but I'm going to work every day be worthy of him. You raised a good one..."

And as she says that, she looks up to Jonathan and Clark coming into the room. Lois' expression softens a bit more to see the man of her dreams, especially next to his shorter dad, "You both raised an excellent man. The best in the world. Thank you for having me, Mr. Kent. I... I've just been keeping your wife company." Lois' voice is as formal as it gets, trying to be the prim and proper lady she is not.

Jon, meanwhile, looks her up and down just a moment before going over to his wife and pressing a kiss against her forehead. "Horses are all in the stables. I hear our son has finally spilled the truth to a certain reporter. And they might even be in love?" He asks with a teasing lift of both his brows. Now he's studying Clark AND Lois, watching how they act in the same room.

Superman has posed:
Clark has technically heard the whole of the conversation between Lois and his mother, and deliberately distracted his father with small-talk outside until they'd had a moment to share and vent their emotions. He's tried to be polite and focus his attention elsewhere, to give them privacy, but his control of his super senses is not unlimited. "Hey, Pa, looks like that belt there on the tractor's about to go... I'm gonna grab a spare from the barn, mind helping me fix it?"

That'll buy the ladies some time to bond.

"Lois Lane, don't you badmouth yourself in my home," Martha insists, puffing herself up like a mother hen. "You love my boy, you said? Then trust that he sees you for who you are. If he loves you, then you must be worth him. He wouldn't be wrong -- after all, I raised a good one." She winks and then scoots over to give Lois another hug.

Fundamentally, the Kents are just *good people*. It's easy to get along with them.

When the men return, Clark gives Lois a smile, walking by her en route to his mother and giving her hand a squeeze. Once his father's kissed her, Clark moves in and sweeps her up off her feet in a big bear hug. Martha laughs and smacks his shoulder.

"Clark Kent, you put me down this instant," she says through her chuckles, red-faced and embarrassed. She's about to have her sixtieth birthday, she is not picked up like some schoolgirl! Once Clark obeys with a 'yes, ma'am', she cups his face and examines him.

"You've lost weight," she says.

He has. Not even three pounds, but he has.

"Have you been skipping meals again for work? You know that's no good -- sit down, now, the stew's almost done, I'm going to take the biscuits out first.. and then you're going to tell me all about how you two met."

She turns, but pauses to smile at her husband. "Mm, isn't she beautiful, Pa?" Martha remarks, as Lois introduces herself all stiff and formal. "Look at our boy. He got himself a model."

Lois' attempts at being so proper may have inspired a bit of teasing.

Lois Lane has posed:
As Clark picks up his mother, Jonathan Kent cannot help but smile a little wider. Watching the two always warms his heart, even if he tries to be the more tough patriarch sometimes, it's clear that he madly loves his wife and son. "Clark, if you keep skipping meals, your mother is going to insist you come home a two or three times a week, you know that. She'll be on that phone every day. And demanding that you bring this one with you." He nods towards Lois.

The comment about being a model gets a little laugh from him, sizing her up and down, but then he gives a slow nod in affirmation, "I'd say so, Ma. Quite the model. And an award winning reporter. Two Pulizters now, is it, my girl? I'd say that's pretty impressive. Clark's got a lot to live up to." He's teasing as he says that, giving his son a little wink as he goes for some tea.

Lois is truly overwhelmed by all of this. She's never been with so many genuinely good people, and as she's called a model and her work is praised, her cheeks pinken even more from their usual pallor. Though, she's not as washed out as she often is, two days in the Maldives having left their mark on her slightly more glowing skin.

"Oh gosh, I am... definitely not a model, but... alright. I'll try to be a bit more... kind to myself in this house. My father..." Her smile falters just a moment, thinking of the General, "Nothing was ever good enough for him. Always work harder, strive more, do better... Which I will always try to do for Clark." She reaches for his hand, giving it a tight squeeze. "But... he's not here. And you've all welcomed me in and... I couldn't be more honored."

Superman has posed:
"Ma, I'm perfectly healthy," Clark gripes with a smile, kissing his mother's forehead before she scoots out to check on the biscuits. "I don't even *need* food, not really, I'm perfectly capable of sustaining myself with -- "

"Then why did you lose weight, hmm?"

"Well, you know, it fluctuates. There's water weight, and I *can* eat, and I do, but that doesn't mean I always need to -- "

"You're getting so skinny. How will you save people if you're skinny?"

"Ma, I'm -- "

"I'll bring you the first biscuit."

Clark has never once won an argument with his mother. Even when she's wrong, Martha Kent is right. He sighs but there's no real exasperation in the gesture, moving to take out a seat near Lois and plop down on it. His hand seeks hers out and his thumb brushes across her knuckles as she speaks.

"Lois could have been a model, but she decided to bless us with her writing talents, instead," Clark mentions. When she speaks of her father, Clark offers a sympathetic smile, his hold on her hand tightening affectionately.

"Everyone has their own struggles, and has to do right in their own way," Martha calls from the kitchen. "I don't know what kind of man your father is, dear, but I'm sure in his heart he tried to raise you well."

Lois Lane has posed:
Watching Clark and his mother argue makes Lois' smile stretch even wider across her features. She really does look lovely when she's smiling, when she sets aside the rush and fight of the daily grind. Clark really does make her a better person, and being with him helps her become that person all the easier. As he sinks down into the chair next to her, she wraps her thin hand through his and sinks to the side, resting against his solid frame. "I promise to make certain he eats, Mrs. ... ah, Martha. Hell, the night this all happened, I was bringing him a pizza!" And whiskey. And pining for Superman. But it's not a lie!

Jonathan comes over to settle at the table himself, now that he has his iced tea. He's still watching them curiously, but the subtle, distant smile on his face is an approving one. He looks over to Martha with a slight tilt of his head, "Who do they remind you of, hmm?"