jamjar: (cha)
[personal profile] jamjar
Title: Laugh and Lie Down
Fandom: DCU, containing Clark Kent, Lois Lane and Connor Hawke (Green Arrow)
Notes: DCU, mild sexual references. Title comes from the card game, Laugh and Lie Down As found by the terribly clever [livejournal.com profile] petronelle. Based on a chat with [livejournal.com profile] brown_betty, who therefore holds much of the responsibility for this.
Any feedback, including mistakes, always appreciated.


When Connor goes to Metropolis, the Lane-Kents put him up. Sleeping on someone else's couch is a time-honoured super-hero tradition, if not one they actually mention when you get the cape. It's something to do with cementing bonds and probably more to do with the territoriality Connor has
seen in most heroes.

Ollie had actually called for him. Connor's happy to be amused by the tendency to over-protectiveness Ollie demonstrates at random, not least when it leads to Ollie name-dropping in front of Mia, and then explaining who most of those names are.

He gets picked up at the station by Clark Kent, who is both like and unlike Superman. Connor would say he's easier to read, except saying that means it's not true. He's surprisingly easy to talk to. Connor finds himself telling Clark about Ollie, Mia, Star City, the commune he lived in when he was six and Clark seems to be genuinely interested in all of it. He's dangerously easy to talk to, really, and it's easy to see why he's such a good reporter.

Connor is not naturally talkative, but he realises when they arrive at Clark's apartment that Clark's barely said anything about himself, barely had the chance to. He's been drawing Connor out.

They barely get into the apartment when Clark's wife comes in. His wife is beautiful. Smokin', Connor thinks, with a mental voice that sounds like Roy smiling in approval. Scary, too, holding her mind out like a sharp knife when Clark at least keeps it covered with a smile and genuine warmth. Listening to them talk is a little like watching two fencers in training, that sense that it's part practise and part for the simple pleasure of facing off against someone with matching skill.

Lois is more than a little intimidating, but she has a nice smile, warm but a little tired. "So you're the new Green Arrow?" She shakes her head. "Hard to believe."

"Why?"

"We've been talking for almost thirty seconds and you haven't made a pass at me."

Connor smiles. "It's the distribution of assets. I inherited the costume and name, Arsenal has the persona and banter-rights."

"You're vegetarian, right?" Clark says.

"Yes. If it's a problem, I can--"

"It's not a problem, Connor."

"You're already putting me up," Connor says. "You don't need to feed me as well."

"Relax, Hawke. Let the man feed us," Lois says. "Makes him feel reassured of his place in the tribe." She smiles at Clark. "Go, man. Hunt, gather."

Clark kisses her, quickly and with his hand just on the side of her face and disappears. Lois shakes her head and smiles before turning to Connor. "Bathroom's on the left, tea's in that cupboard there, and I'm just going to collapse on the couch. Wake me up when food gets here, okay?"


The food, when it arrives, is spectacular and definitely not local. Clark talks about Andhra and coriander in different countries and the book he's writing. Connor is reminded, once again, just how good Clark and Lois must be at their job. He's not a talkative person, but he finds himself telling them everything, his favourite meals, his childhood, his taste in music, Ollie and Mia's battles for control of the remote.

In return, he hears about Clark's favourite valley in Tibet, the first time Lois visited his parents, the political machinations of the city council. He listens in when Clark phones Smallville ("Ma, I'm-- of course we're eating right. No, I don't know if it was organic, but-- Lois is eating right, too!") and is called upon to testify on their behalf ("No, it was very healthy. Yes, there were lots of vegetables and--")


He begins to think Lois isn't as scary as his first impression. And Clark... well, he's more than just Superman. It's all very comfortable, sitting on the sofa. Lois has her feet in Clark's lap and he's rubbing them and her legs are--

Well, she's not showing them, exactly, but they are kind of there. Her skirt is caught on the couch, and she and Clark and kind of flirting with each other, just lightly. He hadn't entirely realised married couples did that, though he freely admits that he hasn't known many. It's oddly pleasing, warming.

When she pushes up on her elbows to make a point, her sweater is tight, which Clark doesn't seem to be embarrassed by, so he tries not to be. They have some music playing and Connor tries to figure out if that's Lois' taste in music or Clark's or something they've put one because they think he'll like it


Which he does.

Connor is too used to patrolling to be tired at this time of night, but Clark is so relaxed that it's clear he doesn't need to.

"Do you want to play something?" Lois says. "Like cards or a board game or something." She kicks Clark a little and smiles at him. "Clark and I are so used to deadlines and interrupted sleep, if we get more than five ours straight we go a little nuts."

"Too many late nights," Clark says. "You know how that goes." He says it with that note of mutual recognition, that little note of *us*, and Connor's pretty used to Mia demanding that he go along with some mad scheme at one am, not to mention the things his father pulls him into, so he can hardly refuse this reasonable request.

They're both very-- very beautiful, which he can acknowledge without thinking about it. In themselves, in that surety, and the way the know each other. This pattern of behaviour, of sharing each other's body-space and filling in where the other isn't, and they open that up to him without thinking, physically and in their speech. Keeping up a steady stream of talk like another kind of background music as they get the cards out.

"It's like that time we were stuck in-- where was it, with the yellow--"

"Thailand, you remember, with the--"

"Oh, god, yes, and you couldn't get away, there were too many witnesses, so--"

"So Lois decides to distract them, except--"

"He said I looked familiar! And I was worried about getting shot if they found out I was a journalist, so I said I was--"

"A singer, like, in musicals, and she starts doing, I'm not joking--"

Connor's never had anyone finish his sentences like that, never been able to finish anyone's sentences like that. He's good at listening and waiting, and he can feel edges of that knowing, but he's never had that overlap. He knows they don't have to let him into that, but they do. He's used to-- to making space for the other to speak, and then speaking when he knows he has the right words, when he will be heard without weight or burden.

Just this assumption of affection, and this shared warmth and--

Connor's really not spent enough time around people like that. He's scared of lulls in the conversation, which will mean they're winding down, that this night will be over. And they'll go back to having each other and he'll... Well.

But they move over, a little, shift and make space for him. Clark goes to sit on the floor on the other side of the coffee table, cross-legged and Lois deals out the cards.

"Just so you know," she says. picking up her cards, "we both cheat."

She's got one ankle on her knee, and she leans forward over the coffee table. Connor can't stop looking at her calf. He picks up his own cards and they feel heavy. She reads his expression and grins. "Yeah, Batman gave us some that were lead-lined."

Connor absorbs that, and resigns himself to losing quickly.

Lois wriggles her toes as she arranges her cards in her hand.

"Lois," Clark says. "Sleeves."

"Don't you trust-- yeah, okay," she says, pushing her sleeves up her arms.

"You too," she insists, and Clark rolls his shirt sleeves up, and... Connor bets he could pull a 150 lb bow, even if he was human.

"It's not like you wouldn't have seen them anyway," she adds. They both look at Connor and Clark has the smallest frown, while Lois has one eyebrow raised and is looking at him, weighing him.

"Um," Clark starts to say. "It's not that we don't trust you, but..."

Connor blinks. This is the first time anyone has thought he was *capable* of cheating. He kind of likes it.

"Just think of it as house rules," Lois says. "We make Batman do it too. The mask can stay on, but the rest of it... Who knows what he's hiding in that cloak and utility belt? Plus, he tries to hide cards in the cape, otherwise."


Clark fidgets with his glasses. Lois occasionally bites a nail, in a way that has nothing to do with harassing cuticles. Connor isn't sure if these are tells or attempts at distractions. He's not entirely sure of the rules- they start out playing draw poker, shift to some variant of whist and then on to something Lois calls "Bastard" and Clark calls "non-casino blackjack." It seems to involve losing all your cards, and forcing others to pick up more, in as painful a way as possible Connor has only ever played poker with Kyle, and they mostly gave up on rules when it turned out that Ollie had shot the pips out of the aces in the deck.

"No, see, because I carried put the black two on top of the jack, then the red on top of that and the--" Lois cracks her neck and takes off her shirt and necklace. She's wearing a stretchy sleeveless top underneath, something that Mia would wear to school, maybe. He can see Clark's eyes flicker, just a little, as she leans forwards.

"That means she's getting serious," Clark warns with a sideways smile. "Before, it was just a game. Now it's out and out war."

"Shh, you'll give away my secrets," she says.

Clark rolls his eyes and pushes his glasses up a little. Connor has never had so much fun losing so badly. In the distance, Connor can hear a siren, blending oddly with the music. Clark isn't moving, so it can't be serious.

"I'm getting some water," Lois says. "Anyone want some?"

Connor nods and Clark shakes his head, pulling his cards against his chest when Lois walks past and leaning in to Connor. "She'll try to walk behind you when she brings it," he warns.

Connor nods and realises that Clark is next to him and he's warmer than most people -humans- are.

And also, that he's looking at Connor's hand.

Clark ducks his head and manages to look both embarrassed and unrepentant and goes back to his seat. Connor's still staring at him in some disbelief when Lois comes back with two glasses of water.

"Clark, what are you doing cuddling up to Connor?" asks Lois, coming back into the living room. "Connor, you didn't let him see your-- you did, didn't you?" She shakes her head and puts the glasses down with a sigh. "The moment my back's turned, Clark's besmirching the innocence of our guests. Does he have anything good?"

"No comment," Clark says

"And you won't even share your ill-gotten gains with your wife. This is why we always fight when we work together, Clark."

"I'll make it up to you," he says.

"You'd better." She picks up her own cards, looks at them for a second, and then at Connor.

"Did he look at mine?"

Connor opens his mouth, but isn't sure what his line is. He's not sure if he's supposed to take sides, and if so, whose.

"You don't trust me, Lois," Clark says, giving her a look of such hurt innocence that Connor blinks, twice.

"Not with this. Come on, Clark, share Connor with me."

"You only love me for my sources," Clark says. "Information is my dowry." Connor had thought , for a second... which shows he's not really used to these kind of nights. This kind of... social scene. He's been spending too much time with-- well, he knows that his family, his friends, are perhaps not the best sources of information on how relationships work.

"Did you want ice?" says Lois. "I forgot to ask."

Connor realizes he's been holding his glass without drinking for a while. Lois is sitting back down on the sofa, legs angled to avoid the table.

"No, thank you. I'm-- this is good," Connor says, taking a sip.

And Clark gives Lois a glance, which... Well, Clark can look at his wife like that, he has every right.

Clark smiles at him, and they resume play. The game is more complicated, and he suspects the rules change.

"Black jack, cover with a two to pass on, red two on that and hah! red king to reverse direction, Lois, pick up nine."

The coffee table gets pushed out of the way and they start playing directly on the carpet. Lois comes off the sofa, and kneels cross-legged, her knee touching Connor's. She seems to... wiggle a lot, in game play. Clark shifts, uncrossing his legs and stretching them out. The music's stopped and when Clark gets up to put another CD in, he leans over Connor.

Connor has learnt from experience and hides his cards quickly. Lois gives him an approving grin and reaches over quietly to pick up Clark's cards while his back is turned.

"Lois," Clark says. "I can hear you do that. You know the punishment if you cheat that badly."

"Honey, that hurts you as much as it does me," she says, but she puts the cards down without looking. Connor blinks and looks down at his cards. He's not-- this is a little--

The game play gets more tense. Well, for Lois and Clark. Connor just tries not to break too many rules, bemused. Clark tries to influence Connor's game play by lifting an eyebrow every time he reaches for a card. Lois, pretending to straighten out her skirt, manages to almost get behind Connor.

"Lois!" he says, pulling his cards to his chest.

"Aww... C'mon. I thought you were the help a girl in distress kind," she says, and sort of... leans against his shoulder. She smells of perfume, something heavy and unfamiliar.

"Stop pressuring Connor," Clark says, leaning against the other.

"I don't--" Connor stutters but swallows and finishes it, "-mind."

The smile Clark gives him is brilliant. "That's good to know. I wouldn't want you to feel uncomfortable or pressured, Connor. Not in anything."

Something is tickling Connor at the waist, and he's afraid to look down because he thinks it may be Lois' *hand*. He clutches his cards tighter. "I don't. I'm not." He takes a breath and looks at the pile of cards in the centre. "I'm very comfortable. Here. I think I--"

"Connor," Lois says. He looks up at her and she smiles, then kisses him and-- yes, that was her hand, but he thinks it might not have been alone.

And Connor wants, more than anything, to put his cards down, and let himself fall back against Clark's chest, and pull Lois into his lap... But he's afraid that if he does, Lois will pick up his hand and then restart the game.

It's awkward, holding the cards there, and he can feel Lois pressed against his arm, and then a tug, as the cards are taken away. He stops kissing, automatically going to follow the movement.

Clark takes the cards from his hand, puts them down and touches his face. It feels like a light touch, but Connor knows what the strength behind it would be, if Clark chose to use it.

And, because it's Clark, he can't say no, or... No, he could, if he wanted to, but he really doesn't want to. Instead, he can just turn into the touch and hope he doesn't have to say anything, because he's not sure he can without stuttering. Connor can see his reflection in Clark's glasses, the slight distortion from a concave lens.

"Come to bed with us," Clark says.

He shifts forwards slightly, hesitates and when Lois sighs, low and soft, he kisses him.


end.

Date: 2006-01-21 05:32 pm (UTC)
brownbetty: (Default)
From: [personal profile] brownbetty
Eeeeeeeeeeeh! You posted it! Yay, I am so incredibly fond of this I can barely express in words. I love Lois who knows Clark so well and has his back and Clark who can tease her, I love Connor's perspective on them! I love that he doesn't have to sleep on the couch!

You need an open quote on "Too many late nights," a period after "she arranges her cards in her hand," an open quote for "Don't you trust-- yeah, okay," and a return after "I forgot to ask;" "resigns himself to losing quickly;" "shared warmth and--" and before "He shifts foward slightly" to indicate that he is Connor.

Date: 2006-01-21 05:42 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] caia-comica.livejournal.com
Oh dear me. Do Lois and Clark do this to *everyone*? Is this, like, an initiation rite? We possibly need a series!

I love the interplay between the three of them. Lois and Clark are so *hot* in their married-ness.

Date: 2006-01-21 05:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] penknife.livejournal.com
Aww! This is hot and sweet and ... just, yeah. I really like this.

Date: 2006-01-21 06:04 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] petronelle.livejournal.com
Lois/Clark/insert name here needs to be a challenge.

The last time I issued a threesome challenge, only one person played. But if you issued one, I'd sign up. :)

Date: 2006-01-21 06:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] solvent90.livejournal.com
Oh, I love this... how very married Clark and Lois are, and the idea of them "making a space" for Connor in their marriage. I'm always a bit wary of threesome fic involving an established-relationship couple, and I really like the way you've handled it here. The sentence-finishing! Interpreting each other! And playing off each other so completely: when Lois sighs, low and soft, he kisses him. I also like the way in which you pinpoint the exact location of everybody in the room, all the time, where they are in relation to each other and how it shifts. It really fits in with the story.

Date: 2006-01-21 06:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rubynye.livejournal.com
If Lois and Clark do this to all the deserving young heroes, it certainly helps explain how deeply they're motivated.

God, that was just gorgeous. *eeeee*. *EEEEEE*.

Date: 2006-01-21 07:09 pm (UTC)
ext_51: Parker from Leverage hanging upside-down, gleeful. (Default)
From: [identity profile] red-eft.livejournal.com
You have *no* idea how difficult it was to muffle my giggles so as not to wake my sleeping roomie. Just- "Go, man. Hunt, gather." and Batman hiding cards in his cape, and just... *Lois* and *Clark* and how they work together. I am full of such love.

Date: 2006-01-21 07:42 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] moontyger.livejournal.com
This is totally awesome. It makes me happy. :)

Date: 2006-01-21 07:42 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] huzzlewhat.livejournal.com
This is... adorable. I really like the presence of the other heroes, the sense of the reality of the DC universe as a community of people who know each other and talk to each other. Ollie mutilating the cards by using them for target practice, Bruce sending the Lane-Kents lead-lined cards... such knowledge and affectionate teasing in that.

And of course, I'm a sucker for good Lois/Clark. Such a great set of marrieds...

Date: 2006-01-21 09:02 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jamjar.livejournal.com
Yes, at long last, I finally got around to cleaning it up and finishing it off. I do love Lois and Clark and Connor, and it's so pleasing, writing them.

Thanks for letting me know about my mistakes - I just can't see them when I've been writing.

Date: 2006-01-21 09:02 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] odditycollector.livejournal.com
Hee! Awesome. The banter is great, and the small, familiar-sounding details (lead lined cards. Of *course*) - made them feel *real* - and I'm still giggling over Batman hiding cards in his cape. And, yes, you made me *believe* the Clark/Lois/Connor.

I wonder if Ollie knew what he was getting Connor into, when he phoned...

Date: 2006-01-21 09:04 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jamjar.livejournal.com
The logic behind this was very simple. Imagine you are Lois and/or Clark. Wouldn't you want to sleep with Connor together? Now, imagine you're Connor. Wouldn't you want to sleep with Lois and Clark?

See, it's actually a very sensible fic, based on reasonable extrapolation of the characters.

Date: 2006-01-21 09:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jamjar.livejournal.com
Thanks! Hot and sweet is a pretty good descritption of most of the characters involved.

Date: 2006-01-21 09:09 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jamjar.livejournal.com
Thank you! I have to say, Clark and Lois is one of my all time favourite canon pairings, and they're so fun to play with. Just the way they play off each other-- like in the recent JL Classified-- and the way they work together, it's just such a joy.

Date: 2006-01-21 09:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jamjar.livejournal.com
Well, not all the deserving young heroes. Just the ones that take their fancy.

Date: 2006-01-21 09:12 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jamjar.livejournal.com
I love Clark and Lois together. They're just - you know, they both wordsmiths by trade, and they have such love and respect and affection for each other and it shows. They snark and they play off each other and they're just... they just work, you know?

Date: 2006-01-21 09:14 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jamjar.livejournal.com
Thank you! I'm glad it makes you happy.

Date: 2006-01-21 09:15 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jamjar.livejournal.com

And of course, I'm a sucker for good Lois/Clark. Such a great set of marrieds...


No argument from me. One of my favourite canon pairings of all time, I think. They're just so good together, and so much fun to watch.

Date: 2006-01-21 09:16 pm (UTC)
brownbetty: (Default)
From: [personal profile] brownbetty
Heh. I know how that is.

Date: 2006-01-21 09:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jamjar.livejournal.com
Thank you!
I wonder if Ollie knew what he was getting Connor into, when he phoned...


I'm just picturing his reaction if he ever found out. Mostly, I think he'd be stuck on the fact that Connor had sex with a woman, before he could go on to deal with the fact that the woman was Superman's wife, and that Superman was there as well.

Date: 2006-01-21 10:32 pm (UTC)
gingicat: deep purple lilacs, some buds, some open (Default)
From: [personal profile] gingicat
Hee! Of course, I'm picturing the actors from "Lois & Clark" here, because Dean Cain is so lovely.

Mmmmmm, seduction of the not-so-innocent, and written well. :)

I'd have liked it a teeny bit better if Connor weren't so shy about it, but I suppose that would have been out of character.

Date: 2006-01-22 12:56 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] devilc.livejournal.com
Okay, I got linked overhere via [livejournal.com profile] caia_comica because how the hell did somebody make a Clark/Lois 3some work?

And you so totally did.

It's sweet without being cloyingly so.

Date: 2006-01-22 01:56 am (UTC)
ext_11844: (Default)
From: [identity profile] amarin-rose.livejournal.com
There are so many great points to this fic I can't even think of them all. Just know that you have me squeeing and smiling like a loon. :) You really are the go-to for making seemingly imporbable threesomes work. I think the only way this could have been better is if there had been sex.

Date: 2006-01-22 03:06 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/__marcelo/
You know, if somebody had told me that one of the *best* Clark/Lois fics in the history of ever would have been a Clark/Lois/*Connor* fic... This is as fun, warm, smart and powerful as it should be, given who it is about.

In other words: WHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Date: 2006-01-22 05:26 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ever-faithful.livejournal.com
That was sweet and adorable and really should be canon as far as I am concerned. I was so into the plot and the lovely description of the game , that I never even saw the sexy part coming ! Silly me ! This is awesome and needs many , many sequels. So , so , many possible pairings that it just blows my mind.

Date: 2006-01-22 07:23 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jamjar.livejournal.com
Thank you! Connor is naturally reserved, which does need to come through even in totally gratuitous threesome fic.

Date: 2006-01-22 08:22 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jamjar.livejournal.com
Thank you! I'm not entirely sure where this came from *cough[livejournal.com profile] brown_bettycough*, but I'm glad you think it worked.

Date: 2006-01-22 08:24 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jamjar.livejournal.com
Thanks! It's nice to know that my hard-earned reputation for writing cracked threesomes is in good stead.

Date: 2006-01-22 08:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jamjar.livejournal.com
Thank you! There just isn't enough Clark/Lois fic out there, and it's a shame when they're such a great pairing, evem when they're a threesome.

Date: 2006-01-22 08:32 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jamjar.livejournal.com
Thanks! It was fun to write. I have such love for everyone in this fic, and I really don't write them often enough.

Date: 2006-01-27 05:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] violet-doll.livejournal.com
This is so cool! I love it that they cheat! And I love that Bat's tries to cheat by hiding cards in his cloak! Brilliant as usual!

Date: 2006-01-28 11:07 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jamjar.livejournal.com
Thank you! And I like that icon -where's it from?

Date: 2006-01-28 11:23 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] violet-doll.livejournal.com
The image is from a Hellblazer cover, issue 202 I think. Just don't hold me to it!

Date: 2006-02-04 12:03 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fiercynn.livejournal.com
Hello! I got here through [livejournal.com profile] brown_betty, and all I can say is, lead-lined cards.

Lead-lined cards.

That is brilliant. I love it!

Date: 2006-07-01 11:57 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] psychme.livejournal.com
I don't know much of the DCU, but I truly enjoyed this. It's the first comicverse Clark/Lois-related fic I've read, and it was so well-written that it inspired me to look for more (unfortunately, the hunt was rather unsuccessful. The pairing doesn't seem to be written much, with what I take to be the comprehensive fic index LJ community listing a paltry 5 or so fics). I adore the marriedness of these two, the abiding understanding and synchronocity as seen through the eyes of a guest in their home. Beautifully and sensously written. Thanks!

Date: 2006-07-01 01:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jamjar.livejournal.com
Thanks! I do love Lois and Clark together, like a lot of people, but when it comes to writing fic about them... well, it's just more difficult because they're so good in canon, you know? It's hard to come up with more to add to it, even though it's generally accepted they they're so very cool, separately and together.

Date: 2006-07-01 01:52 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] psychme.livejournal.com
Oh. I suppose that's a good reason to explain the dearth of fics about them. I was saddened by it because I was thinking that it meant that no one was interested enough in the couple/characters to write about them. They're very cool indeed.

Date: 2007-01-29 08:07 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tavella.livejournal.com
Clark/Lois is always so delightful -- I think that the fact that they seem to be about the only canon couple that DC is prepared to let stay married, so there's less doom hanging over -- and mixing in Connor only makes it better.

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