ashorttriptohell | the luthor mansion } { coming and going, asleep and awake

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the luthor mansion } { coming and going, asleep and awake

Clark had been fading in and out of consciousness for a while now, and all he remembered was Tess. Tess standing over him in what he thought were his last moments—or maybe she was kneeling. Every memory since he killed that thing that was split from Davis Bloome bled into another like watercolors. There was only her face, over and over again, along with an air of safety he'd never associated with her before.

This time when he faded back in, things were clearer. His first instinct was to glance to the side of the bed where she would always sit, but she was nowhere to be found. Sitting up was more difficult than he expected, but he needed a better look around. He was definitely in the mansion...but it seemed a lot brighter than he remembered.

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He looked toward her, his lips turning up a bit with an affection he didn't know he had toward her. "I just wanna stand in the sun, Tess."

"And I'm not saying you can't do that," she said softly as she continued to walk him forward. "But you still need a little help."

He didn't answer her, just made a face that implied he didn't like the idea much. He just kept going until he could feel the healing presence of the sun on his skin. It didn't do much good in his current state, but he felt better than he had just lying in bed.

Tess moved with him, helping him as much as he'd let her, before going to pull over some of the chairs in the room so that they could sit. "Here. The light's better over here anyway."

He got the the chair a little more easily than the window, but still groaned a bit as he sat.

"Thank you." It sounded a little force, and in a way it was--he was used to being the one to do the helping--but he meant it.

"Anytime," she said with a nod, before moving to sit across from him. "You were out for a long time -- it's going to take some time for your body to adjust again."

He nodded, relaxing more into the chair now that he was settled. "To be honest, I didn't expect to wake up."

"Well, we couldn't have that, now could we?" she said with a sigh. "Earth's hero, just disappearing."

He paused, eyes shifting to the floor for a moment. He still wasn't comfortable being referred to in that way, but he didn't address it. With the direction his life was heading, he may as well get used to it.

"Metropolis is safe and Davis Bloome is alive. That's what's important."

Tess hesitated for a moment, before looking over at him. "Clark ... about Davis ... "

There was a sinking feeling in his gut, but he fought against the conclusion it was jumping to.

"...what about him?"

She licked her lips softly, before sighing. "He attacked Jimmy in the Watchtower. Ran him through with a pole. He turned on Chloe next, and Jimmy returned the favor before he collapsed."

He slowly took in a heavy breath before letting it out, though not quite in a sigh. His mind was going over and over the events, each and every choice and how he could have done something different that would've have resulted in this.

She paused before moving forward, reaching to take his hand in hers. "This isn't your fault, Clark. You did everything you could."

He stared at their hands. Just stared. He didn't know if he could believe her, but something about it, something about their hands together like that made him want to.

Clark took his free hand and used it to cover hers.

She gave his hand a soft squeeze. She didn't know what else to tell him. He had done everything he could to save Davis, and Davis fell by virtue of his own choices. He couldn't save everyone, but in this instance, he saved the world. That should count for something.

He wasn't thinking about Davis anymore. That little squeeze was enough to distract him. All he could think about now was he wanted her to be closer, and if he had enough strength to bring her to him. In the meantime, he let a thumb slowly stroke the skin along her wrist.

The upstairs brain has checked out for the moment.

She felt the stroke of his thumb, and she read that as permission, using it to inch a little closer to him. She never minded being close to Clark. There's an irrational part of her mind that thinks that maybe proximity to him, could make her better, even if it's just a little bit.

For right now, though, she's just staying close.

He didn't mind her being close. In fact he made the effort to be closer, even though it caused him a little pain.

What he wanted to do was to thank her--for taking care of him all this time, and for believing in him when he didn't believe in himself--but his pride kept him from it, and now his desire made it even more complicated.

He leaned in closer. His intention was to kiss her on the cheek, but maybe that's just what he told himself. Once he was just within reach, he hesitated. He could go for her lips if he really wanted to.

Did he?

He hadn't been this close to her, ever, and it was an odd kind of feeling coming from Clark. Getting close to other men always had a purpose -- something she needed to get her somewhere. Clark was different. Clark was simply something she wanted, and she got so few of the things she wanted. Taking a breath, she turned to look at him, not pulling away or leaning in, just staying as she was and waiting.

She wasn't going to ruin this whatever this was by moving it too quickly. She was going to wait for him to come to her. It was the right thing to do.

It took him a second, but he let his eyes drift shut and his lips brush against hers.

She was hesitant to respond at first, not entirely sure how to, but eventually she closed her eyes leaning into him and letting a hand come up to brush against his face.

The kiss was slow and light, but definitely not without a little heat. In that moment, he realized that part of him had been wanting to kiss her since they met.

When their lips parted, he leaned his forehead against hers.

She took a breath, keeping her eyes closed and staying in the moment for a little while longer, before looking up at him and giving him a small smile.

Clark's upstairs brain was beginning to catch up now, but her smile put him a little more at ease.

"Is this going to get me into any trouble, Miss Mercer?" he asked with a bit of a smirk.

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