A hero's most epic battle...
More often than not, a hero’s most epic battle is the one you never see; it’s the battle that goes on within him or herself. -- Kevin Smith (My Boring Ass Life, 04-18-06)
He should have known something was different.
He should have known something was different.
Because when he looked into Lois's eyes, he saw her. He saw Chloe.
That's why that look appeared on his face, the one Chloe has apparently mistaken for something else.
He might have been looking into a pair of brown eyes, but it felt like he was looking into the blue eyes of his best friend, and that's what had mattered in the moment. That's why he should have known.
It'd taken a lot for him to realize the truth, and then he'd promptly forgotten it, thanks to Zatanna's latest curse.
And then he'd been amazed when it was Chloe that had brought him out of it. It was Chloe's belief in him that had woken him up and brought him back to himself.
She'd nearly gotten hurt moments before. She probably could have died, if Zatanna had pushed further. The look of desperation in his eyes as he'd kneeled in front of her, softly touching her face, was real. He could have lost her. And what more, she was back to herself. She was his Chloe again. He'd looked upon that beautiful face, and had felt so thankful. Lois may be a beautiful woman, but in his heart and his mind, she can't hold a candle to Chloe. She never will.
And it was in that moment that he realized he probably does love her. He loves her a lot more than he's willing to admit. A lot more than he can admit. After all, she's still a married woman.
So even after it's all over, he stays silent.
He stays silent, even when she pushes him, telling him she saw the way he looked at her when he thought she was Lois. He lets her believe that he is attracted to her cousin, all in an attempt to let the truth remain hidden. Inwardly, he fights. Fights to stay in control. His mind and his heart are at battle, and just like always, he lets his mind win.
She won't know.
Maybe she'll never know.
[ooc: Consider this Instinct!Clark's coda for Hex. Poor baby. *pets*]
He should have known something was different.
He should have known something was different.
Because when he looked into Lois's eyes, he saw her. He saw Chloe.
That's why that look appeared on his face, the one Chloe has apparently mistaken for something else.
He might have been looking into a pair of brown eyes, but it felt like he was looking into the blue eyes of his best friend, and that's what had mattered in the moment. That's why he should have known.
It'd taken a lot for him to realize the truth, and then he'd promptly forgotten it, thanks to Zatanna's latest curse.
And then he'd been amazed when it was Chloe that had brought him out of it. It was Chloe's belief in him that had woken him up and brought him back to himself.
She'd nearly gotten hurt moments before. She probably could have died, if Zatanna had pushed further. The look of desperation in his eyes as he'd kneeled in front of her, softly touching her face, was real. He could have lost her. And what more, she was back to herself. She was his Chloe again. He'd looked upon that beautiful face, and had felt so thankful. Lois may be a beautiful woman, but in his heart and his mind, she can't hold a candle to Chloe. She never will.
And it was in that moment that he realized he probably does love her. He loves her a lot more than he's willing to admit. A lot more than he can admit. After all, she's still a married woman.
So even after it's all over, he stays silent.
He stays silent, even when she pushes him, telling him she saw the way he looked at her when he thought she was Lois. He lets her believe that he is attracted to her cousin, all in an attempt to let the truth remain hidden. Inwardly, he fights. Fights to stay in control. His mind and his heart are at battle, and just like always, he lets his mind win.
She won't know.
Maybe she'll never know.
[ooc: Consider this Instinct!Clark's coda for Hex. Poor baby. *pets*]