Title: Numb

Author: Dodden

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Clois

I know I've said I wasn't going to post anything, but that never meant I wasn't going to stop writing. This is an idea I came up with about a week ago. There are eight chapters to it. Six of them are completed. I will post the remaining chapters depending on the feedback. This is very much a test fic, and I really haven't read it over for mistakes.

This wasn't supposed to be posted anywhere, just a piece for me to work on my skills, but I might as well let you fine people take a gander at it.

Chapter 1

Clark lifted a forkful of manure out of the horse stall and dropped in into the wheelbarrow. This was the job he hated the most. Instead of being able to use the loader to remove waste, he was resigned to physical labor. He could have super sped to finish it more quickly, but the manure wasn't solid enough, it would have flung all over the place. He used an eight pronged fork just to make sure he got everything. He had Sheriff, the large riding horse, stashed in the stall beside him as he cleaned out the current one.

Catching a sudden whiff of the air, he stopped forking and leaned his head up. Staring at the horse, he leaned his hands on the top of the fork. "I move you for five minutes and you have to desecrate that new stall already?" Clark glared at the horse, and continued his farm work. Grunting in displeasure, he began to whistle while he continued his forking.

The days were longer now that summer had come, but along with the longer days came the heat and the humidity. It wasn't near mid May yet, and the air was stickier than molasses. He shook his head and laughed a little as he felt Sheriff put his head over into the stall and push him a little. Clark laughed a little louder as he felt the beast nudge his shoulder, clearly looking for attention. "What?" Clark asked, setting the fork aside to rest on one of the pen walls. The horse grunted its own answer as he removed his soaked shirt. It was hotter than usual, and the white t-shirt was completely drenched. Slinging the shirt across the pen door, he turned back and grabbed the fork again. "Give me a minute Sheriff. I'll have you back in your own stall before you know it."

-

Lois parked her car in the driveway, her exit bringing about a wave of heat and moisture. Her body became instantly sticky as she wiped at her arms hastily. It was nice and cool in the car, thanks to air conditioning, but she almost felt as if the sun was personally torturing her this day. Closing the door to her car, she put the folder in her hand under her arm as she went to the house. Up the stairs she went, her sandals plopping down loudly. She knocked on the door a few times, getting no answer in return. Not today she thought to herself. She had just finished the report Martha had asked her to finish for some senate work, but she wasn't thinking of having to go root around for someone.

Martha didn't appear to be home, but she was more than sure Clark was around. He always was, and that was more than reassuring. Sighing a little, she grabbed the folder and bounced down the steps, her ponytail mimicking her motion. Her green tank top clung to her like saran wrap as she wiped a sweaty palm on her usual tight blue jeans. She grunted in displeasure as she walked towards the barn. She had her sandals on, certainly not the type of footwear to be going into a barn with.

More than a little frustrated that she had to go rooting for Smallville, she fanned herself with the folder as she stepped through the barn door. It was the one with the milking parlor and holding area, but she couldn't find him anywhere. She didn't exactly go around searching for him since the place really wasn't to be entered without rubber boots. Closing the door, she made her way to the stable shed where the horses were. Either he was there, or up in the loft.

It may have been a while since she had lived at the Kent farm, but she knew full well chores were being partook, and that was around mid afternoon. It was such a time now, and Smallville was more than likely shoveling manure. It always surprised her at how peaceful and quiet it was around the farm. When there was no else around to talk to, it was in fact deathly quiet, except for an occasional cow balling.

The closer she got to he shed, the more she could here a soft whistle getting louder and louder. It fascinated her that he could get such pleasure from doing such dirty and strenuous labor, but then again, she was a city girl at heart. In the year of living with him, she had tried to help with the farm chores, but Mr. Kent wouldn't allow her to. Her initial try pretty had much put an abrupt end to her farming life. She had tried to shovel some manure, and she had fell face first into a patty. From that day on, she was never asked to step foot inside the barn again, even though she insisted on it. Clark would always come to her defense when Martha told her to go help him outside in the barn. His excuses for her were always lame, but they worked. It was sort of weird; he would always say that he could get them done quicker when he was alone.

She smiled to herself as entered the barn, Clark's prefect whistling ringing full in her ears as she stepped through the door and onto the hay littered floor. The stable barn always had a clean floor, the same couldn't be said for the pens, but Clark did a pretty good job at cleaning them. She could see his legs from underneath the large horse, aptly named Sheriff, as he washed it down. He was concealed by the large body of the beast, the water from the brush rubbing on the horse falling to the ground at his feet.

She noticed that the horse wasn't even tied up, but then again, Clark seemed to usually forgo any type of restraints when it came to animals. He treated them like humans sometimes, even to her chagrin. Usually he would have picked up on her presence by now, but he seemed to be too caught up in his merry little tune. As she neared the beast, she crinkled her nose at its smell. She had never enjoyed the smell of horses, no matter how beautiful they may have looked. She stood there for a second, wondering if he would see her, but all he did was continue to wash the beast. His hand would come up to the top of the horse's back, but his eyes would never come over. His hair did a couple of times, but of course, never his eyes. She cleared her throat loudly as she made her presence know.

Clark heard something and stopped his whistling. He lifted his head and peeked over the horse, his eyes resting on Lois who stood on the other side. "Lois." He exclaimed in surprise. A bead of sweat fell down his forehead and dropped off his nose. It fell into the puddle on the floor as he watched it. He realized he didn't have shirt on, and fidgeted a little.

"Hey Smallville." She said with a chipper tone, looking right at him and realizing that he was sweatier than she was. She could only see him from the neck up, but she could only imagine how wet his shirt was.

"What brings you by?" Clark asked, as he tore his attention from her and resumed washing down Sheriff.

"I have a report for your mom, and I was told to bring it by as soon as I finished."

Clark nodded to himself and continued his scrubbing. "You can leave it here with me, or just drop it off in the house if you want." He stopped and looked over the horse to notice her looking at him. "Lois?" He asked as she fanned herself with the folder. She didn't seem to be listening. He couldn't blame her, it was unbearably hot. Dropping the brush into the pail, he picked up the bucket of water in one hand and walked around to the other side of the horse, making sure he got both sides clean.

Lois fanned herself and got lost in the heat. Her breathing was already in a panted state as she snapped back to reality as he moved from around the other side of the horse. Her eyes fell from his face as she noticed he wasn't wearing a shirt. His sweaty muscles glistened in the light of the barn, his right arm tensing slightly as he carried the bucket. She couldn't help but stare as he turned his back to her and began washing the horse once again. Her eyes lingered on his strong back as she saw his tight muscles ripple and bounce.

Clark turned around as he felt her eyes still on him. She was staring at him, still fanning herself with the folder. It was a weird look, as she leaned back on one leg, her eyes staring lustfully. Her gaze made him incredibly uncomfortable. He would have blushed, but he was already too damn hot to get any redder. In one smooth motion, he ripped the folder from her and put it on a bench by a support post.

She snapped out of her little daydream as she felt the wind from her folder disappear. Her body jerked back a little in surprise. She instantly realized what she had been doing as he stood in front of her with his arms crossed. Redding to an enormous level; she tried to shake away the images of her first encounter with the bumbling idiot. The last time she had ever thought sexually about any man close to her was Oliver, and he had broken up with her almost three months ago. Still trying to rip away her mental images, she was given a display of his body as he bounced his pectorals up and down. Her knees went weak as her mouth opened slightly. It may have been Smallville, but she couldn't ignore such a fine display of perfection.

"Lois, are you all right?" He asked, reaching out and grabbing her shoulder.

As his hand touched her, a sudden spark jolted her back to reality. "Y-y-yes. I'm fine Smallville." She tired desperately to look anywhere but at his face.

Seeing that she was incredibly uncomfortable, he turned back around and continued washing. "It's okay Lois, it's a hot day, and I would be lying if I didn't notice that tight shirt you have on." He didn't notice actually, but he knew it would give her a chance to feel a little better.

Lois smirked to herself. "So you really noticed my tight shirt huh?" She asked, getting her bearings back on track.

"Well, not really." He responded, still washing.

That hurt her just a little, but she would never admit such a thing. "Then why would you say something like that?" She asked, her tone of voice more than a little angry.

"Because." He stated hastily, bending down and grabbing the sponge, leaving the brush inside the bucket. "I gave you the gun powder you needed to shoot me down, but instead you take the opportunity to be serious. Come on Lois, I know you better than that." He chuckled softly as he felt her punch him in the back. "There you are. I was wondering when the real Lois would show up." He cackled loudly as he finished washing and dropped the sponge in the water.

Lois rolled her eyes as she stood there waiting for him to turn back around. Things had gotten back to their usual bickering after almost a month of not talking. The whole situation with the Valentines Day kiss, and what had happened after she planted him a big one, had kept them from talking. He of course was the first to break the silent rift between them, coming to her at her apartment and making sure that they hashed things out. In truth, that month had been almost as bad, or possibly even worse than the few days following the break up with Ollie. It was strange, she and Clark hadn't been angry at each other. In truth, it was the awkward conversation in the loft that had made things unbearable. That whole month she grappled with the notion of coming to the farm and talking to him, but of course she had been her usual stubborn self.

Her emotions were at a weird place when they had spoken in the barn. It freaked her out to learn that she had actually made him a Whitesnake CD full of power ballads. Deep down her conscious knew something that she didn't, and it scared her to death. It signified feelings that she thought she would never have for the farm boy. To her they meant love, not just normal love, like that of friends or family, but love of hunger, need, and want. Chloe had even tried to get things back to where they were before it happened, and she even insisted that she come forth with those locked feelings to Clark, but she ignored her cousin, letting the pain gnaw at her gut.

That day that he had shown up on her doorstep was frightening, but once he had told her how he felt about everything that had happened, and reassured her there was nothing wrong, she had gotten completely over it. He always had a way of getting her to look past things. She couldn't remember if it was because of his charming smile, or just because he was the only person that really seemed to understand her. That latter part still troubled her to this very day. It was something she had hard time accepting. She liked to remain a mystery; it gave her the upper hand. She knew she could have her way with Clark verbally, but when things suddenly became serious, she tightened up like a scared cat.

Clark grabbed the pail and made his way to the hose. He washed the pail out and cleaned the brushes. He stood back up and turned to Lois, who was letting Sheriff lick her hand. She was giggling softly as his tongue traced her open palm. "See, they're not all mean." He laughed, setting the pail next to the faucet where the hose was attached.

Lois smiled as she looked from her hand to Clark, who was holding the hose in his hand. "His tongue is surprisingly cool for such heat." She said with a small giggle, feeling the beast tickling her.

Clark smiled back and nodded. "Don't ask me how they do it." He was about to turn the water off, but he bent over and placed the water hose over his head. The refreshing feeling couldn't come soon enough as he let the water cascade down the back of his head and flow off his chin and nose. He let out a moan of pleasure as he felt his back shiver slightly. He suddenly wished he had a pool. Bringing his head, up, he noticed that Lois was watching him. "Care for a cool off?" He asked softly.

Lois shook her head and politely declined. "No, but thanks for asking." She paused for a second as she grabbed the folder and went to go back to the house.

"Lois?"

"Yes Smallville?"

Clark turned the tap off and found his shirt. It was still soaked as he held it in one hand. "You don't need to feel uncomfortable, it's okay if you just want to come here and hang out with me. We discussed this about two months ago, remember?"

She stopped dead in her tracks, her back going completely rigid. "I know Clark, it's just that." She stopped, trying to find the exact words. "It's still weird." She finished it with a soft voice.

He smiled weakly at her as he walked up and draped a friendly arm around her shoulder. "I know Lois, but after an evening of fried chicken and a few sappy movies, the ones you like, you'll feel better." He squeezed her to him as he guided her towards the door.

Lois got caught up in his manly aroma, her eyes closing just a little in delight. If he wasn't helping her walk, she would have stumbled forward. "Fried chicken eh?" She asked, steeling herself instantly. "I thought your mother wasn't home."

Clark shrugged and took his arm off her. "No, she's in Metropolis overnight, but that doesn't mean I can't cook Lois."

"I had no idea you possessed culinary skills Smallville. I hope they're better than mine" She jested.

"Just enough that it's edible, unlike your spaghetti." He mocked, his laughter cutting the hot air.

"Hey." Lois shouted. "You ate it."

"Yes I did." He said triumphantly.

"Why?" She asked, genuinely intrigued why he would eat something that he said was inedible.

"I was hungry." He stated simply, as he reached the door with her.

"You wouldn't turn down a meal even if it could possibly kill you?" she asked seriously. He didn't seem to take it seriously though.

"There was no malicious intent behind your cooking, so if I died, I'd die knowing that it was an accident. I could live the rest of eternity knowing that." He grinned as he was about to close the barn door.

"Wait." Lois said, placing a hand on his arm as he tried to close the door. "What about the horse?" She asked, looking into the barn at the beast.

"Oh." Clark replied, not realizing that he hadn't put him back in the stall. "You just head to the house and I'll put him back in the stall." He quickly darted back in the barn.

She rolled her eyes in a tight smile. "I hardly knew you'd be able to get so distracted," She mocked as she turned and headed back to the house. When she was halfway back the house, she felt his hand rip the folder out of hers. "Hey." She turned to give him a piece of her mind, but instead, she was greeted with a pail of ice cold water in her face. The initial shock lasted only a couple of seconds, and she would have normally yelled at him, but the cool moisture felt so good on her sticky body. She hastily undid her ponytail and shook the water out of her hair. When she looked back up, she smiled at him. "Thanks, I really needed that."

"I know." He said with a returning grin. He walked past her and up the steps to the house. Setting the pail on the porch by the door, he held it open for Lois as she moved by and into the house. He followed after, but not before he kicked his boots off on the porch. "I'm going to have a shower." He proclaimed, dropping the folder on the counter. "You wouldn't mind turning the oven on for me?" He asked as he vaulted his way up the stairs. When he stopped at the top, he looked down at her as she stared at him dubiously. "You can manage to turn it on without burning the house down, can't you?"

"Yes." She said dryly as she made her way over and flipped the dial. She listened to his fleeting laughter as she put the dial to four hundred degrees. The oven would be ready the same time he would be done with his shower. She admired his foresight sometimes. Maybe he wasn't quite as dumb as she thought he was. Laughing to herself, she realized that she never really considered him dumb, just incredibly inept at perceiving human emotion and reacting appropriately. It was like he had been raised on a farm. Wait, she told herself, he had been raised on a farm. Again she laughed, finding her way to the stairs and up into his bedroom.

She couldn't find any remnants of her clothes, but she did find that he hadn't changed the posters or the little things she had placed there almost a year ago. Then it dawned on her, she hadn't been in his room in so long that she had almost completely forgotten that someone other than herself had occupied it. As she sat on the bed, she looked around more closely, feeling somewhat more at home in the room than at her own at the Talon. Maybe it was the bed or maybe it was the sense of belonging, but it felt awfully right. She shrugged it off as she found one of his old flannel shirts tucked neatly inside a drawer. Unfolding it, she admired the red plaid. She had never told him she liked it, but then again, she knew he somehow knew she did. Stripping off her wet shirt, she tossed it, naturally, into the hamper and put on the flannel. She spied herself in he mirror as she did up the buttons, and tussled her damp hair a little.

Clark walked into his room, only a towel wrapped around his waist. "Lois." Clark said loudly. "I didn't think you'd still be up here." He paused and looked at her as she turned from the mirror. "Admiring the plaid?" he asked with a wide grin.

"No." Lois shot back heatedly. "I was just making sure the buttons were done up correctly.

"Right." Clark said sarcastically, drawing out the middle of the word for emphasis. "Now if you wouldn't mind." He said, letting his words trail off, expecting her to catch his hint.

"Oh. Right." She said, embarrassed that she hadn't exited yet. Making her way to the door, she left the room.

Clark sighed as he let the towel drop to the floor as he wandered to the dresser drawer. He found a pair of jeans and an orange t-shirt. It was still hot, and he probably shouldn't have turned the oven on, but he slipped his clothes on, forgoing any socks. His mother always told him his extremities were the gateway to temperature change. Maybe if he went without socks, he would stay just a little cooler. Finishing his dressing, he realized that he had forgotten to put any boxers on. Too late he thought to himself. The jeans were going to be a struggle getting off, as they were already clinging to his still sticky body. He carefully did up the zipper, making sure not to break it if he accidentally hit himself while doing it up.

He finished and went back downstairs, only to find Lois rummaging through the fridge for something. "What are you looking for?" He asked softly.

"Soda." She exclaimed.

Clark could hear her moving around jars and the like, all in pursuit of something sugary. "Try the bottom crisper. Sometimes mom leaves a few down there."

Lois pulled out the crisper and exhaled in delight. "Thanks." She said quickly, her eyes hungrily craving the cola. She snapped it open and took a deep chug. "Ahh." She released a pleased gasp. She put her hand over her mouth as she let out a sudden burp.

Clark laughed loudly at her sudden release of gas. His laughter seemed to annoy her, and he wouldn't risk a remark, it would have only angered her more. He realized she was looking at him weirdly. "What?" he asked.

"Don't you have something flip to say?" She asked, another little burp coming out. She put her hand to her mouth and set the drink down so that she could pound her chest a little with her other.

"Nope." He replied, taking the chicken out of the fridge as he had pushed past her and opened the fridge. "I know I said fried chicken, but is Shake N' Bake alright?" He put the pan of wings on the counter.

"Anything is fine unless I'm not cooking." She said with a smile.

"I'll agree." He said, shooting out a grin from the side of his mouth. He felt her punch his shoulder softly. "I'll take that as your rebuttal?" He laughed.

"You know it is."

He bobbed his head up and down in mirth. "Just let me batter these bad boys up. Why not watch something on TV. I'll join you in the living room as soon as I'm done here. That's unless you want vegetables and potatoes too?" He asked her seriously.

"No, just chicken is fine." She replied. "Just make sure to put enough in there though. I wouldn't want you to starve now would I?" She laughed as she moved from the kitchen and plopped herself on the couch in the living room.

Clark dipped each leg into water, and then into the batter. He carefully did it to about twelve legs as he set them on the tinfoil resting in the frying pan. Finishing his task, he slipped the pan in the now heated oven. He had entertained the idea of cooking the chicken with his heat vision, but he instantly thought against it. Lois would have become more than a little skeptical when her chicken was cooked in nearly three minutes.

Sighing only slightly, he closed the oven door and rested his hands on the top of the oven. It was another Friday night, but at least he had Lois to keep him company. "Some company." He laughed to himself.

"What was that?" Lois asked from her perch on the couch.

"Nothing." He replied, turning on the timer as he realized he had spoken too loud. He made his way over to the living room, still upset about the heat. "It is this hot in your apartment too?" He asked, walking to the closet.

"Hotter." Lois replied with grunt. "The windows of the place are all facing the alley, meaning no breeze for poor old me."

"Old?" Clark gaffed, pulling out a fan from the closet. "I wouldn't say old Lois, just older, than me of course." He smiled as brought the large fan and set it on the coffee able. He found the cord and plugged it into the power bar that housed all the other connections for the TV and DVD player.

"You're a godsend." Lois exclaimed, as she felt the air hit her face full on. She closed her eyes in delight.

He pushed in the tab to make sure that the fan would rotate back and forth. "I'll put it on rotate right now, but I'll keep it quick so that neither of us goes without some air for too long."

She nodded, still smiling as she continued to enjoy the pleasant air.

With her eyes still closed, he breathed softly down into the path of the fan. He could see little ice crystals move towards Lois as the air from the fan hardened the moisture.

Lois shivered unexpectedly, her eyes snapping open. "What was that?" She asked, watching Clark sit down beside her.

"What was what?"

"That sudden chill, was that you?" When he gave her one of the weirdest looks she had ever seen, she dropped her inquisition. He was still giving her a weird look though, so she just said something random. "It was nice." She went back to flipping through the channels.

Clark couldn't hide the sly grin that was creeping quickly onto his face.