#Clark and Lois are the ultimate couple goals but they like to get freaky with other people sometimes

[khazadspoon]

Superlantern week day 3 - “marriage of convenience”

In which I outline vague ideas of my idea about clois by smushing another person in there it’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to

——

“I don’t get it. You’re married, happily married as far as I know; is it a marriage of convenience or something?”

Hal is confused, he’s fidgeting in his seat and pulling a napkin apart. The little tearing sounds are both fine and not-fine. Clark doesn’t pluck the poor piece of tissue from Hal’s hands but only because he knows what needing an outlet feels like.

“No. Lois and I are very happy. We love each other and we got married because we love each other and want to be married. It’s just an open marriage, is all.” He shrugs, sips his cola, and winces at the taste. The syrup needs changing, maybe he can tell the waitress when she next comes by-

“Then why...?” Hal frowns at his disemboweled napkin. “I don’t get it.”

Clark resists the urge to sigh. He knows Hal has seen more unconventional relationships than his. Hell, the man has been in more unconventional relationships. But Clark also knows Hal has a blind spot when it comes to those relationships and what they mean, or could mean.

“We can’t get everything we need from one another, so we talk about it and we go to people we trust to fill the gaps.”

“So you talk to her about… me?” There’s a strange, uncomfortable look on Hal’s face. His frown deepens when Clark nods. “I don’t-”

This time he does sigh. Lightly though; he isn’t actually irritated, but the number of times he’s had to explain his and Lois’ marriage is getting tiring. Sometimes he wishes the whole world could see things the way Lois did - love wasn’t some pet you could cage and let out for walks every now and then, it was a wild and changing creature that needed to run and fly, then come home somewhere safe at the end of the day to rest. Clark didn’t need it often, but when he did, Lois understood. Just like he understood when Lois needed something he couldn’t provide. Communication was, as always, the key.

“The bottom line is you don’t need to understand completely and maybe you can’t. But Lois knows, she is happy to let me do this, and I’m happy too,” he takes another unsatisfying sip of his cola and plucks a fry from the basket between them. Hal drops the shreds of napkin and piles them up.

“I’m not a home-wrecker?” The question is small but filled to the brim with unspoken context Clark wants to delve into. Another time, though, not when he’s supposed to be on a catch-up-slash-date with one of his oldest friends.

He reaches out and puts a hand on Hal’s, rubs the knuckles with his thumb and watches as Hal watches the movement. “You’re not. In fact, Lois is on a date with one of the girls she met at Yoga right now, but if you want to talk to her first I’ll give you her number.”

“You’d do that?” Hal asks in a shy voice. It strikes at Clark like a cudgel, hits him in his chest and he wants to know why Hal thinks so badly of himself with such fury it almost makes him scream.

“Of course I would. Lois matters to me, but so do you. I want you to be comfortable, Hal. Not stepping on eggshells.”

Hal considers it, taking two fries and chewing them thoughtfully. He takes a long drink from his glass of water, draws mindless patterns in the condensation, and bites at the inside of his lip.

“Okay. I’ll- I’ll take her number and… yeah.”

“And… yeah?” He parrots, just to see Hal roll his eyes.

“And I’ll let you know, that’s what. Now let’s finish these and get some ice cream, I’ve had a craving for weeks and space milk just doesn’t cut it.”

Hal turns his hand palm up and slots their fingers together. Clark smiles, and he knows it looks dopey, but Hal smiles back and he thinks Lois will have fun teasing him about this one.