The Space Between
Clark Kent x GN!reader
summary: Clark comes home late to find you stressed over your research project
a/n: I won't lie I've been stressed with college apps and stuff so this post was a little self indulgent. Just needed something to get my mind off of things but I'm so glad I'm finally posting something again! And I see that I've gotten a few more requests that I'll be sure to answer. Hope Y'all enjoy!
Warnings: no use of Y/N, not really proofread, had Corenswet!Superman in mind but could be read as any one of them, absolute tooth rotting fluff, established relationship with provided backstory
That damn line.
That horrible goddamn line that stood on the far left side of your document, mocking you, teasing you to write more, only for you to get three sentences in before deeming it all as bullshit, spamming the backspace until the page is empty once more. Your eyes dart up to the page count listed above. Page eighty-fucking-nine. You lowered your head to your keyboard, allowing the mess of mismatched letters and punctuation marks to clog up the screen. If you were to count how many times your mind has shut down this past week, you’d be out of fingers and toes. The decision to continue on with a Master’s wasn’t one made lightly. You’d fully considered the complications, the costs, the challenges, everything. And ultimately, it was a decision made in good taste.
Through your studies, you managed to land an internship at the Daily Planet, taking on assignments as an entry-level reporter, with the pay reflecting that of a rookie journalist. The responsibility was a heavy load to bear on your own, sure. But you wouldn’t be completely without help. On the rare occasions when he wasn’t catastrophically late to work, Clark would help you out, aiding you with specific tips on writing and researching. There were even times when he would assist you on one of your own missions at the behest of Perry. Not that you ever complained. You found Clark quite attractive, with an endearing and genuine personality you couldn’t see in other people you’ve been with. While assisting Clark at a local conference downtown, a threat arose. It was all a blur, but before you knew it, Clark was gone, his parting words being “Bathroom” as he sped toward the danger instead of away from it. About twenty-five seconds later, you heard a wooshing sound above you, accompanied by a great wind that knocked you right onto your ass. Sitting on the pavement, stunned, watching Superman ward off the danger from the sidelines, you were able to deduce the obvious. When you later confronted him, he denied the allegations about ten times, and caved and admitted it once you swore not to tell a soul, but not without you commenting on how glasses and a buttoned-up blouse don't make much of a difference in terms of disguises. After the events, the two of you grew quite close, meeting for lunch, staying out late after work while talking about everything and nothing at the same time, going on road trips to Smallville and visiting his adoptive parents, even crashing on his couch from time to time. But time to time became something more frequent and expected. You’d arrive at the apartment tired and buzzed from whatever fun you and Clark had gotten up to beforehand, only to be greeted with your favorite snacks laid on the coffee table and blankets folded neatly on the couch (which you would wake up to being completely draped in) Eventually, you and Clark decided to give things a go between the two of you, and you couldn’t have been happier.
But the happy moments seem to wash away every time you sit down to start writing your dissertation. You worked hard, you always have. And you’ve always managed to reach the light that is inevitably at the end of the tunnel, no matter how far. But why, when it seemingly comes down to your future, do you always psych yourself out?
You didn't realize you had dozed off until you felt the chill coming from the open face wash over you. You fully raised your head at the sight of Clark’s large hand being placed lovingly on your shoulder. You groggily stared at your reflection in the black screen of your now dead laptop. You were a mess, with your hair disheveled and eyes lidded. Clark stood by you, still in his Superman costume and smelling of ozone as he rubbed soft circles into your shoulder.
He glances down at the stack of papers and binders next to your laptop. “Stressful night?” he says sympathetically.
“Mhm… you?” You looked up at him, taking in his flushed skin, his windswept hair, and his overall dishevelled appearance. He was still no less beautiful to you.
He chuckles and takes a glance outside the open window. “You could say that.”
You swivel your chair around, and he takes a small step back before warmly offering his hand as support. You place your palm into his and attempt to stifle the grunt that leaves your mouth as you stand, earning a chuckle from Clark in return. Once you're fully standing, he pulls you closer until your lips are locked with his in a tender kiss. His free hand found its way to your back, encapsulating you. You were the first to break the kiss, putting your forehead against his as he continues to rub circles into your back. The silence was comfortable, lulling your mind in a way that felt foreign to you after not experiencing it all day.
After letting the moment linger for a while, he takes a glance in the kitchen at the digital clock atop the stove. 2:15. You would have to be up at around 5:00 if you wanted to make it to the office on time. Clark never needed to worry about being late. Apparently, before you joined as an intern, he’d repay Perry in a headline so well written and thoroughly researched that even he stopped batting an eye at Clark's morning absences. But you weren’t afforded such luxuries. It was to be expected, though. You were new–you were aware of that and were aware that you needed to prove that this is what you loved to do. Clark was also aware of it, however, and saw how hard you worked, not only at the Daily Planet, but in life in general, and he always admired you for it.
“Hey,” he whispers
“Hey,” you repeat, voice thick with exhaustion, though it still makes him smile.
“Maybe it’s time you head to bed, hm? I’ll get this suit off and then I’ll-”
“No,” You mutter, albeit sounding more stubborn than what you meant for it to sound. You knew yourself well enough to know that as soon as your head hit your pillow, you’d be welcomed with the dreadful thoughts of your dissertation before the idea of sleep could even have the chance of crossing your mind. Clark understood this, so he nodded and continued to hold you close. You swear, all you needed was some type of reset. Something that would allow your mind to be completely cleared so that you could rest and march on in the morning.
And suddenly, as though Clark’s mind had linked with yours, a thought embedded itself into his head. Clarks releases you from his embrace, looking at you with that goofy grin he got every time he got–what he considered to be–a pretty good idea. Your brow raises at him before he takes your hand and guides you through the open doors and onto the balcony.
“Clark, what are yo-”
He turns around and steps aside, revealing the view of Metropolis in the wee hours of the morning. The beauty of seeing the city on a clear night like tonight always seemed to snatch your breath away from you, as to why, you didn’t quite know. You had access to this view every day and especially every night, when the city was quieter than usual, save for the almost melodic sounds of the distant traffic, and the lights from the surrounding skyscrapers seemed to exist in perfect harmony with the stars. Perhaps it was just the beauty of noticing something that had always been there, even beneath the grime and the chaos.
You hadn’t noticed Clark, who silently shifted behind you. He touched his hand to your shoulder, causing a small jump within you before you turned around. A quiet apology left his lips, but you didn’t mind. All you could do was smile as your hands found the soft curls of his hair, pulling him into another kiss, shorter but filled with even more tenderness than the one moments before.
When you had let go, He glanced up at the starry sky for a moment, taking it in just as you did with the city. The truth was, Clark, didn’t want you to just settle for what was at your feet: assignments that exhausted you, and a job where you felt undervalued. His escape was in the sunbathed sky, and the openness of space, and he wanted to share that with you.
“I… didn't just bring you out here to stargaze.” He brings his gaze back down to you. You cock your head to the side, your smile shifting to a questioning one. “Trust me?”
You didn't let the question linger for even a second before you started nodding your head, which was all the confirmation he needed as his arms tightened securely around you.
Before you could even register anything else, everything around the two of you slowly began to sink. And as you looked down, you saw that the ground had gone down below with everything else.
“Clark…?”
“It’s okay, I’ve got you, no need to panic.”
It seemed futile to think about how impossible this all was. But in a moment like this, where the world was at your feet, and you and Clark were at the top of it all, you felt as though you weren't required to overthink. Right now, work, school, and the pesters of everyday life were meaningless. You touched your forehead to Clark’s once again as the two of you floated above it all, in between the solid ground and the vastness of space.
