Chapter Eight: Is This What You Were Looking For?

[taro_twist]

Title: L'esprit de l'escalier
Note: The rest of the series can be found here.
Author: taro_twist (aka Tairona)
Timeline/Fandom: post-Superman Returns
Pairing: Lois/Clark
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: DC and the WB own everything! I'm just temporarily messing with their creations ...
Spoilers: Superman Returns, Superman II, and I guess Superman: The Movie, to

Comments

[jij]

Oh, squee! A new chapter! This brightens the holiday doldrums considerably. Especially a chapter so chock-full of Clarky goodness.

His back was to her, shoulders hunched in a way that made her think of those little pill bugs that curl up into balls when you poke them.

Oh...*sniffles* Oh, I love this world's Clark so much. I want to cuddle him and tell him everything's going to be okay, I won't let the evil Christine hurt you any more....

why the Lois in this world was apparently having an affair with him when she was really married to … Clark?

Argh! I snorted cola through my nose here, give me a moment.

I was wondering why she hadn't made that connection yet! And yet this is a perfectly reasonable assumption if you just can't make the mental connection. OTOH, I'm glad her not knowing didn't out-last the chpater because she's generally a smart woman (I'll grant her being totally confused and disoriented and worried here though).

“How dare you suggest that I treat her with anything less than the utmost respect, when she

[taro_twist]

OTOH, I'm glad her not knowing didn't out-last the chpater because she's generally a smart woman (I'll grant her being totally confused and disoriented and worried here though).

Yeah, I was beginning to feel like Lois was being pretty dense in this situation, too, lol. I did want to leave the reveal off for a bit longer, but as you said, if it had out-lasted this chapter it just would've gotten ridiculous. The disorientation of universe swapping can only go so far. :)

LOL, this seems an entirely reasonable reaction in some ways. It's just too huge to process.

That's exactly what I was thinking when I wrote that. She'll definitely have a stronger reaction once it sinks in, but I figured that it's the kind of thing that's so big that it takes a while to understand the full impact that it's going to have on your life.

“There aren’t many things in my life that make sense anymore. Clark made sense, though. He was my friend, and that was enough. I was never looking for him to be anything different.”

*wibbles* Oh, yay for Lois.Yes!

[jij]

When I wrote that, I just kept thinking of Margot Kidder's Lois, especially in Superman II where, even though she's not in love with Clark, she tells him a couple of times that he's great the way he is and that he doesn't need to be Superman to still be a good guy.

We've ordered the Donner cut of Superman II, which a lot of people say has a much more sympathetic, smart version of Lois in it (Kidder has officially said she wishes Donner's version had been the one made). I'll review it once I see it! Yes, your Lois switches back and forth between the best parts of the Superman II Lois (smart and self-mocking) and the Returns Lois (more vulnerable and romantic).

And I'm glad that I could brighten your holiday doldrums a bit, even if it wasn't with slash. ^_^

Good fic is good fic! I'm not one for clear boundaries between the types when I read. :) And the chat this weekend was a very cheer-evoking event as well!

[taro_twist]

We've ordered the Donner cut of Superman II

Eeee! The Donner cut! *drools* I just saw that at my local video store the other day, but have somehow managed to not buy it yet in the name of saving money. I don't know if I can hold out though. I mean, it's pretty much a 6th Superman movie! Sigh. (Hmm ... I wonder if it doesn't have the mind-erasing kiss in it. Is that too much to hope for? Probably, lol ...)

[beatrice_otter]

This is a wonderful story! When will you write the next chapter?

[taro_twist]

Thanks so much for reading and commenting--I really appreciate it! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far, and I'm actually really really close to having the next chapter finished. I have about 2,000 words of it written, but I haven't found time to wrap it up yet. Soon, though, soon!

Oh, and thanks for the scoop on the Donner cut, too! I'll come back in a bit and reply to that, but school is eating me alive right now ... ahhhhh ...