clark kent and monica rambeau (superspectrum) headcanons
inspired by this post by astrxlstar on twitter
a/n: i have been itching to write this forever ever since i saw this post about them. i finally watched the marvels for the first time and got re-familiar with wandavision and went to work from there. hope you enjoy.
i think...they first met via an interview. clark had to interview monica for a daily planet exclusive about her experience (as well as everyone else's) being in the hex. he totally expected her response about wanda to be foul-mouthed and full of pain, like everyone else's were already, but was shocked to hear her sympathetic words towards her and how she understood that she was a grieving woman searching for some sort of meaning after losing a loved one, despite going about it the wrong way. her words, albeit brief in comparison to others, struck a chord deep in him. this was a woman who could see through the cracks of a flawed person and still see her humanity.
clark, secretly being non-human, never heard such understanding from someone before. as superman, people viewed him on opposite ends of the extreme. either they saw him as god-like figure or as a complete and utter threat. always black or white, never a shade of gray. and sure, monica wasn't talking about him per se (how could she? as far as she knew, he was just this famed reporter that's way to awkward for his own good), but he felt like she was. like she could understand and see right through him the way she does wanda. and it doesn't hurt that she's a superpowered being like she is. makes him feel more connected to her.
when clark wrote about the hex tragedy, he made sure that monica's perception of wanda was clear as day in his article, making people see all sides of the spectrum when it came to the situation. and while many didn't really enjoy the humanization of one wanda maximoff, who is now more than ever considered a horrible person, monica appreciated that someone for once saw things the way she did and respected her words enough to take them seriously. after reading his words, she gained a lot more respect for him.
from then on out, somehow...someway, if monica rambeau was featured in an article, you wil always see "written by clark kent" in small little text under the headline
i think...in terms of getting to know each other i definitely think clark made the first move and attempted (and failed) multiple times to try and get monica to at least go out on a date with him. monica is a messy, closed-off woman. who could blame her? her mother died, her aunt left her and never came back when she needed her the most, and her mind and body went through some pretty fucked up stuff due to the hex. she's probably not the most trusting person. and despite the glowing comments clark writes about her (and the sweet off the record compliments he gives her during interviews), she isn't ready to dive into the idea of a relationship. and this is with anyone, not just clark. she may know him, but she doesn't know him. definitely not enough to go out with him.
besides, she's a busy, busy woman. her job is all the time she has nowadays to dedicate herself towards. that, clark definitely admires and can completely relate to, as (both of) his job(s) keep him from completely being able to do anything. but that doesn't stop him from still attempting to ask her out from time to time and from monica giving him she same spiel she always does.
eventually after the fifty-leven times he asked her out, she finally gave him a chance. after all, it'll be a harmless date with a harmless guy. and it doesn't have to go anywhere serious anyways. and she reminds him that, because she saw that look in his eyes after she said yes—blue eyes dazzling, heartwarming smile wide and toothy, nose scrunched—and didn't want him to get his hopes up.
he went all out of course. took her to a nice spot (it took about most of his lunch break and even some of his work time as well as help from jimmy, lois, and even cat to figure out the best place to take her), got dressed up for her, opened the door everywhere she went. clark was taught well by his ma, and monica made a mental note at that
the date went well and the whole time while they talked the night away, monica noticed how kind he is. how he carries himself. he always has been the fumbly, mild-mannered reporter that would blush at the simplest of praise. and let's be honest, he was still like this tonight.
but here, there's also a layer of boyish charm about him. a blanket of comfort that he carries on his back like a cape. she hasn't felt this much joy since her mom. god, her mom. there's a similar feeling of brightness she had that she also sees in clark. pure goodness. and that damn near scares her. because if the universe can deprive her from the happiness her mother and aunt brought her, what makes her think it won't do the same with clark?
i think... that fear goes away once clark and monica date and he reveals that he's superman. it was his idea to tell her. he didn't want to start the relationship out with secrets. it didn't shock her. she's seen a lot in her time, not even including being a side character of a fake television show. plus, it does explain why superman every once in a while would fly up to space to visit the S.A.B.E.R team and ask if everything was okay. superman always looked vaguely familiar to her. and once clark demonstrated the hypo-glasses tech on her, it all made sense. honestly, she probably would've pieced it eventually.
clark would definitely be the one to fly out to visit carol and ask her any and all questions about monica without her knowing. all of her likes and dislikes. and since she's the the last piece of her family left, he definitely asked for her blessing to date her before going through with it (ma raised him right). carol, who barely can conceptualize the idea that she is an aunt to a thirty-something year old woman, laughs every time clark does something so old-fashioned in the romance space. he doesn't care. it's not wrong to want to properly tend to the girl he's with.
there are times, when things get rough, and clark gets beaten down bad as superman, where he just wants monica. he should get his ass to the fortress but he needs to see his girl. and it's moments like this where having a girlfriend who can bend all types of light comes in handy.
monica probably still gets nightmares from time to time. about her mom, the hex, her powers, all of it. when she wakes up from them, either clark is already there, cuddling her and reminding her that she's safe, or he is on the phone talking to her to keep herself calm. either way she's safe knowing that he's there for her.
clark definitely makes monica's love for science fun again. it's not just a job to her. that wonder she had for it as a child, partially ruined by her aunt not coming back, returns tenfold, especially when she gets to talk extensively about it to clark, who understands like 75% of it. she doesn't actually have to put it in laments terms for him like that either. anything he doesn't know, he looks up.
