(no subject)

[dovelike]

Six months ago, Eirene became engaged to an alien.

Fix months ago, she returned to her own world for almost two months, to make arrangements with Time himself so that she could pass through the Bar into Clark's world without things falling apart in her homeland without her presence.

Three months ago, the goddess returned to Clark's world with an agreement to go home twice a month to keep abreast of things and never leave her realm without a symbol of peace, barring any childbearing in which it would not be safe to travel.

Two month ago, she met with Senator Kent (and her future mother in law) and agreed to take cooking lessons when Martha had time.

An hour ago, Eirene completed her first solo dinner preparations, an early Halloween meal for herself and Clark. Except he's not returned from the office yet. Being late is generally an assumed thing with her fiance, and she's used to it. Really, it would just be nice if he called.

So she doesn't start panicking.

Comments

[eirenikos]

"Take me home." Her voice is somewhat strained, but she offers a shaking hand without hesitation. In this, at least, she does trust him, and is willing to show that.

[hero_farmboy]

Slowly, he reaches out to take her hand-- and then they're in the apartment. Clark lets go of her immediately, and starts pacing in front of the couch.

"I don't know how to fix this."

[eirenikos]

It takes under three minutes of watching him pace for Eirene to reach out and tug him down onto the couch with her.

"There are issues that need to be talked about. So we talk, or yell. Whatever works."

[hero_farmboy]

He allows himself to be tugged and sits down, rather pathetically.

"I'm so sorry. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you, especially like this. Just-- please don't leave me. I need you. I wasn't lying when I said that."

[eirenikos]

Damnit.

She's still really angry at him, but Eirene finds herself crawling into his lap anyway, and hugging him as tightly as she dares.

"You deserve to sleep on the couch for the next eight years, but I'm not going to leave you. Not, like, leave leave, although I was serious about crashing with Dinah for a few days if you ... if my whammy hadn't worked. I love you. Don't you get that? Good or bad, poor or rich, and everything in between. I'm yours and you're mine."

[hero_farmboy]

He clings back just as tightly. "I'll do whatever you want. Just-- love me and don't leave me. Please."

[eirenikos]

"Don't you dare cry on me, Clark Kent. Don't you dare." Because she's crying too now, stroking a hand down his hair and wincing against the onslaught of emotions that he's letting loose.

And that's how she figures out exactly how sorry he is in a way that words can't express.

"Oh, my heart. I'm not going to leave you. You're stuck me with me."

She might brush her lips across his forehead, then his nose, and eventually his mouth.

[hero_farmboy]

"Promise?" Suddenly he fees like he's five years old again, making sure his parents aren't going to get tired of him and take him back to the orphanage.

[eirenikos]

"Yes." Her response is instantaneous. "With one exception, and this is non negotiable. If you ever beat me or abuse me in the bedroom, I will, no matter how much I love you. Aside from that, I promise I won't ever leave you. You're mine for the rest of eternity, and I'm going to marry you, and have your children, and we're going to protect the Earth. You and me and our friends."

Beat.

"But we still have to sort out some of what happened tonight."

[hero_farmboy]

"I won't. I won't, I promise." Which isn't really something he can make, because things like today just keep happening, but for the moment, he truly means it.

"Yeah, I guess we do. Although I think it's pretty well covered by 'Clark was a jackass.'"

[eirenikos]

There's a difference now. Eirene knows she can affect him while he's under the influence of one form of meteor rock, and there's a chance that could include the others. It's a slim hope, but at least it is something.

She reaches back and removes one of his hands from her waist, lacing her fingers with his. "It does. So talk to me. Somewhere, deep down, you meant some of that stuff. Tell me what I'm doing wrong."

[hero_farmboy]

There's a pained expression on his face at that. "You're not doing anything wrong, Eirene. I love you - all of you - just the way you are and the way we have things going right now."

Beat.

"Tonight aside."

[eirenikos]

She sighs, leaning forward to rest her head against his. "So all that was just to hurt me? Okay."

There's a few minutes of silence while she rubs her thumb across his palm.

"I made you dinner tonight, and then I burned it."

[hero_farmboy]

"Most of it, yeah. I... do that when I'm infected. Exaggerate the truth just to hurt people."

He hugs her close again. "That's okay. One burnt meatloaf in the grand scheme of things is pretty negligible."

[eirenikos]

It takes a minute, but she comes close to relaxing against his shoulder, legs draped across his lap, and her hands lying uselessly in hers. "At least we know how to fix it --- if it happens again."

There's a small pause.

"I think I'm gonna go take a bath."

So he doesn't have to watch her cry.

[hero_farmboy]

"That's why my parents used to keep green k around. Maybe we should get you some, too."

Then he presses a light kiss against her temple. "Okay. I am sorry, Eirene."

[eirenikos]

"No!" Beat. "I won't allow anything into our home that can hurt you." Her tone warns against trying to argue the point. The tears start almost a minute later, rendering the bath a moot point, and Eirene just curls against his shoulder with an attempt to be quiet about it.

[hero_farmboy]

"But I can hurt you, under certain circumstances. You need to be able to protect yourself." Which practically kills him to say, but it's the truth. He's not safe to be around all the time.

Then he just holds her close and lets her cry.

[eirenikos]

It takes a long while before the flood slows, during which his shirt will probably get dressed, allowing Eirene to just tuck her head under his chin and hiccup for a few minutes. After another span of silence, when the residual effects of the crying fit have passed completely, she shifts just enough to see his face.

"I love you, Clark. I really, really, really love you. Just ... you need to hear that."

[hero_farmboy]

Finally, he allows a tiny smile. "I'm glad. I love you, too, and I don't ever want to do anything to ruin that. Not ever."

[eirenikos]

Her fingers lift to brush across his face, tracing down from forehead to chin. That she's still upset about what happened is a given, which wont change until there is a chance for her to work through it internally, but she shifts again and presses a light, hesitant kiss against his lips.

"I know."

[hero_farmboy]

And that's more than Clark could ask for right now, so he's not going to push it.

"Think we should order a pizza or something, and you can have your bath while we wait?"

[eirenikos]

"Alright. You order the pizza, and I'll ... go hide. If I'm not out in an hour, you have my permission to make sure I haven't drowned." That she can't isn't the point. She's giving herself an hour to calm down.

Eirene uncoils off his lap and heads into the bathroom.

[hero_farmboy]

"You got it." Actually, Eirene'e going to have her way for a long time now, automatically. When she's ensconced herself in the bathroom, Clark orders dinner, half what he likes, half what she likes, and then sets the kettle on the stove. Chances are, Eirene will like a cup of tea when she's ready to come back.

And then Clark is going to change - back into regular old Clark clothes - and flop back on the sofa and... try not to let the guilt eat at him too much.

[eirenikos]

She emerges from the bathroom about thirty-five minutes later, wearing the pale blue robe he got her as a 'just because' surprise several months back, and settles down at one end of the couch.

The bath appears to have worked some magic; the stress lines around her mouth are gone, and her eyes have lightened to their normal, boring blue.

"Hey."