Chapter 1: It Started With a Bad Grade
Chapter Text
Jonathan Kent had a headache. Again.
Not a bad one or anything, but just enough to be annoying. And his American history teacher, Mr. Franklin, droning on and on about the Civil War didn’t help. It seemed like if Jon got a headache at school, it was during that class.
Mr. Franklin was like 60 years old, and always wrote his notes on the chalkboard in his tiny, cursive handwriting. Luckily, the rest of Jon’s teacher’s were aware that it was in fact the 21st century and either printed out the notes or used a projector to make it easy for the students to see.
But not stubborn Mr. Franklin, who insisted on teaching the exact same way he had since the 80’s. And since he taught history, there were about a thousand names and dates to keep track of, meaning his class could be a nightmare.
Not that Jon was opposed to working hard, it was just tough when Mr. Franklin wrote so small because the notes were almost impossible to see. If he squinted really hard Jon could make out most of the names, but it was a flawed system. So over time, Jon found that he could get more accurate notes if he listened to the names and dates and wrote them down, instead of trying to read the fuzzy scribbles on the board. That way, at least he was getting the information.
It wasn’t a perfect game plan. Usually, Jon had to spend time in the evenings fact checking information on the internet since it was hard to get everything exactly right. Actually, if he was being honest, he hadn’t been quite as diligent with double checking his notes lately. That’s what happened when you were the son of Superman. Sometimes other things just got in the way and Jon barely had enough time to get his actual homework done.
But he was doing his best.
Part of being in a ‘super family’ as his mom had once called it, was fighting through the pain and through challenging situations. So Jon endured his headache and took notes as best as he could, despite not really being able to see the board.
When the bell finally rang, Jon quickly put his things in his bag, anxious to get to lunch.
“Jonathan, could I see you for a moment,” Mr. Franklin asked, stepping behind his desk. A few kids snickered on the way out.
“Sure, Mr. Franklin,” Jon answered, trying not to let the teacher’s stern look intimidate him. He approached the teacher’s desk. Mr. Franklin respected Jon’s privacy enough to wait until the other students left before he began the conversation.
“You got a D on the last quiz,” Mr. Franklin said, getting right to the point. He placed the paper on the desk so the offending red marks were obvious. “Any idea how that happened?”
“I don’t know,” Jon said quietly, immediately embarrassed and ashamed by his performance in the class.
“You don’t know,” Mr. Franklin echoed, not quite believing his student. His glasses were perched low on his nose and he managed to look down at Jon with disappointment.
“No sir, I guess I just got a few of the dates confused.”
Mr. Franklin scoffed. “You got more than a few dates wrong.” He picked up the paper and handed it to Jon. “Your parents need to sign the quiz and I want you to bring it back tomorrow.”
Jon’s heart dropped. His parents were going to be so pissed. He nodded and started toward the door.
“Oh and Mr. Kent,” the teacher said, drawing Jon’s attention one more time. He turned back to face the disappointed educator again. “Maybe next time, try studying.”
“Yes, sir.” Jon said, exiting the room. He wished he had a better explanation for the poor quiz grade. Normally he was a great student and had no problem getting his homework done on time. But with his history class, looking at all those names and dates tended to make his head hurt. Also, when he looked at the paper too long, the tiny words just got blurry, which was another challenge. Jon was sure his parents wouldn’t understand. When things started to get busy they made it clear that family and school came first, which meant there would be hell to pay after he told his parents later that night.
Jon had just arrived at his locker, still bummed about the quiz, when Jordan walked up. “Hey bro, you ready for lunch?”
“Yeah sure.” Jon put the books from his earlier classes in his locker and shut it. He had already grabbed the materials he needed for his afternoon classes. Jordan of course, had a smile on his face, as he always did these days.
“What’s the matter with you,” Jordan asked, immediately picking up on Jon’s foul mood.
“Nothing,” Jon answered, rolling his eyes. Most of the time, having a twin was great, but when he was trying to keep something to himself, it sucked. Jordan could always see through his best defenses and noticed right away when Jon was having a problem. Being the good brother he was, Jordan liked to address the issues immediately, even if Jon wasn’t quite ready.
“Come on, man, it’s me. What’s up?” Jordan persisted.
“I told you, nothing!” Why couldn’t Jordan just leave it alone? “Look, why don’t you just go to lunch without me. I’ll get something from the vending machine. I should go to the library and catch up on some homework. I’ll see you later.”
Watching Jonathan storm off, his brother could tell immediately that his initial hunch was right; something was definitely wrong. Jordan’s theory was only further confirmed when he stopped by the library after lunch to check on Jon. His twin was hunched over, with his face too close to the computer. He was squinting at the screen diligently copying notes. Every thirty seconds or so he would wince and rub his temple, like he was fighting a headache.
A big part of Jordan wanted to go to his brother, but he knew that based on the way Jon was acting, he needed some alone time right now. With a sigh, Jordan left the library, hoping he would get a chance to talk to his brother soon.
But Jon was really good at keeping things to himself. Due to his work schedule, different classes, and just other things that came up and Jordan didn’t really see his brother the rest of the day.
Despite their crazy lives, Lois and Clark tried to make it a priority to have family dinner together as often as they could. At first when they got together that night, things seemed normal. Everybody gave an update on their day, Clark made a few lame jokes and Jordan once again pestered his dad to go out on more missions, and was promptly denied. It became clear that something was a bit off with their normal family dynamic. Clark picked up on it first.
“Jonathan, are you alright,” he asked, noticing how quiet his normally chatty son was.
“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. I just have to tell you guys something.”
“What happened,” Lois asked, immediately on guard, turning towards her pensive son.
Jon always hated when his mom got like this, because she could be downright scary when she got mad. “It’s really not that big of a deal or anything,” Jonathan said, nervously running his fingers through his hair. “I just got a bad grade on a quiz and I need you guys to sign it.”
Lois and Clark exchanged a look. “A bad grade on a quiz,” Lois asked, making sure she heard him right. Jon nodded, looking down at his plate.
“Can we see it?”
“Sure, Dad.” Jonathan went over to his book bag, which was still downstairs. Sometimes he preferred to do his homework at the table where he could spread all his books around. He unzipped the front pouch, and pulled out the quiz.
Feeling like he was on trial, Jon walked back over to his parents holding the paper. He placed it in his mom’s outstretched hand. She glanced at the grade, disapproval evident on her face.
“A D, Jonathan? That’s not like you. What happened?” Lois was trying her best to remain patient and hear the whole story before she got mad.
“I don’t know,” Jon replied, not meeting his parents’ eyes.
“That’s not an answer,” retorted Lois.
“Did you just not study enough, not understand the material maybe,” Clark asked gently, sensing Jon was upset about the grade. He preferred a softer touch when it came to parenting.
“I don’t know,” Jon repeated softly. “Can you just sign it and punish me so I can go upstairs, please?”
“Jonathan, we’re not gonna punish you,” Clark said, surprised that his son had immediately jumped to that conclusion.
“Wait, you aren’t? But I got a really bad grade.”
“Yeah, one bad grade. That sounds more like a fluke than a problem, to me,” said Clark. “I think we should focus more on keeping it from happening again than punishment.”
“That seems fair,” Lois agreed, appreciating her husband’s voice of reason and level head. “So, Jonathan, what do you think happened with this quiz?”
“I told you, I don’t know,” Jonathan exploded, jumping out of his chair. “I’m going upstairs to work on homework, since apparently I’m too dumb to get good grades.”
“Jonathan!”
“Just leave me alone,” he yelled back, stomping up the stairs.
The rest of the Kent family sat there in shock as they processed what happened. The display was so far from Jonathan’s normal behavior that it was downright shocking. He was normally so collected and rational that this change in behavior just didn’t make sense. “What was that all about,” Clark finally asked, expressing the question that the rest of them wanted the answer to.
“I don’t know, but I’m going to get to the bottom of this,” Lois said. She stood up and looked toward the stairs, making her intentions clear.
“Wait Mom, before you go after him, I think there’s something deeper going on,” Jordan said, stopping his mom simply with the blatant concern in his voice.
“What do you mean Jordan?”
Jordan quickly explained what had happened between two boys at school earlier that day and Jon’s strange attitude. “And then,” Jordan continued, “I checked on him in the library and he was leaning really close to the screen and squinting a lot, like it was really tough for him. But guys, he was just taking notes, like it shouldn’t have been challenging at all. And he was acting like his head hurt too. I’m telling you, the whole thing was weird, and not like him at all.”
Lois began pacing, considering everything Jordan had just said and the way she had seen Jon act, trying to put the pieces together.
“Babe?” Clark stood up too. “What are you thinking?”
Being one of the best investigative reporters of her generation, it did not take Lois long to come up with a plausible theory. She stopped and looked over at her family members. “I think Jonathan might be having vision problems.
Chapter 2: The Discussion
Summary:
Lois goes to talk to Jon who finally admits what has been going on at school.
Notes:
Finally updating! I feel like I always write Lois really mean, so this chapter is a reminder that she is actually a good mom. And of course, I have to throw in plenty of Jon angst because it's me. AND I have a nice fluffy ending for you as well :)
Enjoy! Thanks for reading. Leave a comment and tell me what you think.
-Rose
Chapter Text
Jordan furrowed his brows. “Vision problems? What do you mean, Mom?”
Lois absently ran a hand through her long brown hair then began clearing the table. “Well, if he can’t see the writing on the board and keeps his face close to the computer screen, he could be having trouble with his eyesight.”
“You mean he might need glasses?”
“It’s possible,” Lois agreed. She grabbed a dish rag and started wiping down the stove. “Of course, we would need to take him to an eye doctor first and get a professional opinion. But what you told us are some of the basic indicators of vision problems.”
“This is great,” Jordan said with a smile as he took his plate to the sink.
“Excuse me?” Clark looked over at his son in surprise.
“Well, Jon’s always giving me crap for being a geek and a weirdo. So, if he gets glasses, he actually will be one.”
“Jordan, you could be a little more sensitive,” Clark reminded his son. He took his dinner plate to the sink as well. In the Kent family, they all worked together on the chores, which included cleaning up after a meal.
“Oh, come on, I’m not insensitive , I just think that it’s ironic.” Jordan was not trying to be a jerk, but it was clear he was amused about the whole situation. Lois could feel her temper rising.
“Jordan–”
“How about,” Clark said, smoothly and effectively cutting his wife off, “Jordan joins me outside to help with some chores while you go talk to Jonathan.”
Lois let out a deep breath. Clark was always good at calming her down before things got too heated. “Yeah, that sounds like a good plan,” she agreed.
“Awwww, come on guys. I didn’t mean it!”
“Yeah, yeah,” Clark said. He casually put a hand around Jordan’s shoulders. “I think I can find some scrap metal that needs to be loaded into the truck.”
“Aw, Dad.”
Lois allowed herself a small chuckle as Clark guided Jordan outside. Her son would probably complain about the work, because he was a teenager and it was expected, but in the end, he would enjoy the time he spent with his dad and getting to use his powers. Lois finished cleaning up the last remnants of their dinner and pondered the situation. Jordan and Clark had gotten so much closer lately, thanks to the powers, mostly. While Lois wasn’t crazy about her son chopping firewood with his bare hands or speeding around the country, she was happy to see the relationship grow between father and son.
In this situation, Clark was the right one to keep Jordan busy, and Lois was the right one to talk to Jonathan. After she finished in the kitchen, she made her way upstairs. Considering that she had worn reading glasses since high school, Lois knew she would be able to relate to him and his feelings.
Jon uttered a quiet, “Come in,” when Lois knocked on his door a few minutes later. She pushed it open to find Jon lying face first on his bed.
“Mind if I talk to you for a minute,” Lois asked softly.
“It’s fine.”
“Do you think maybe you could sit up and actually look at me?”
Jon sighed and did as his mom asked, realizing he didn’t have much choice. Now that there was room on the bed, Lois joined Jon and sat next to him.
“You wanna tell me what’s going on?”
Jon shrugged. “I’m not sure what you want me to say.”
“Okay. Can I ask you a couple of questions, then?” When Jon nodded, she continued. “Have you had trouble reading the board in class?” Jon’s eyes widened. He figured that she had come up to talk to him about the importance of getting good grades and was surprised that his mom had picked up on the root of the real problem so quickly.
“What makes you say that,” he asked, voicing his own question.
“Call it mother’s intuition,” Lois answered. There was no way that she was going to rat out Jordan, so she stuck with that. “Well, Jon? Have you had trouble reading the board at school?” She continued staring at him, waiting for an answer. He hadn’t admitted his problems in class to anyone, but it was pretty hard to fool Lois Lane. So, he nodded again.
“Are the words blurry sometimes, or do you find yourself squinting?”
Damn, she was so smart. “A decent amount yeah,”
“Do you ever get headaches trying to read the board or a computer screen?”
Jon shrugged. “Sometimes.”
Lois gently placed a hand on Jon’s arm. “Sweetie, I think we need to make a trip to the eye doctor.” Jon felt his heart drop.
“Aw, come on Mom, it’s really only bad in my history class and that’s cause' Mr. Franklin writes really tiny and it’s like, impossible to see,” he said in protest.
“That may be, but we should still get you checked out, sweetie, especially if you’ve been having headaches.” Lois ran a hand through Jon’s honey-colored curls, understanding that he was sensitive about the problem.
“But what if…what if I need glasses.”
“Well then we will find some frames that suit your handsome face,” Lois answered, trying to cheer Jon up. He didn’t fall for it.
“Come on, Mom, it doesn’t matter what they look like. You don’t get it.”
“Then explain it to me,” Lois said, patiently, having a pretty good idea where Jon was going with this.
He took a breath and admitted one of his biggest fears. “I’m going to get made fun of, by the kids at school and even by Jordan, especially by Jordan.” Lois decided not to mention that Jordan had already mocked his brother only a few minutes earlier. She made a mental note to talk to Jordan about being sensitive about this issue with his twin.
“Actually, I do get it. I remember feeling the exact same way when I got reading glasses in high school.”
“Really?” A mix of hope and surprise crossed Jon’s face.
“Sure. I fought my dad tooth and nail when he suggested we go to the eye doctor because I was afraid of looking dumb or getting made fun of. But after he finally convinced me to go, I was really glad that I did.”
“Why?” Surprisingly Jon was enjoying this time with his mom and hearing details about her life she had never shared.
Lois smiled. “Well, I could see, which made doing my schoolwork a lot easier. Plus, I realized it was just a part of me and who I am. Wearing glasses didn’t change me or make me any less than the person I already was.”
Jon realized the ‘mom advice’ was just going to be part of the discussion. But he wanted honesty too. “Did you ever get picked on?”
“A couple of times. But I didn’t let it get to me. Usually, the people commenting were just trying to be jerks, so I just showed off my A+ papers and they shut up pretty quick.” Jon laughed at the image of his mom telling off some jock and she was happy to see him in a little better mood.
“We can talk about that more later, sweetie. The important thing is that we get this figured out and make sure you are okay.”
Jon rolled his eyes. “I’m fine, Mom, you don’t need to make that big of a deal about this.”
“I know, it just worries me when you talk about having headaches and not being able to see the board. I’m your mom, it’s my job.” She leaned over and kissed his head.
Jon gave her a tiny smile and laughed softly. For being the world’s best investigative reporter, Lois Lane sure could be a big softy sometimes.
“I’ll make a call to my optometrist in Metropolis and make an appointment. That way we can get all this figured out and see exactly what’s going on.” Jon nodded but turned away. His silence concerned Lois. “Sweetie, is there anything else bothering you?”
“I guess I was wondering…what do they…what exactly happens at an appointment like that? Sorry, that’s probably a lame question.”
Lois put her arm around her nervous son. Since he had never had any problems with his eyesight before, there had never been any reason to see an eye doctor, beyond those simple health checks at school. “It’s not a lame question. There’s a lot of equipment, which can be intimidating at first, but none of it hurts. Each piece just checks a different part of your eye and where the damage is.”
“Do they…I mean does any of the equipment touch your eyes?”
“Nope. As long as you keep your eyes open the doctor should be able to get everything necessary without touching them. You will have to rest your chin and forehead on the equipment a couple of times, but that’s about it.”
Lois’ straightforward explanations definitely helped, though he was still a little nervous, which Lois picked up on. “Sweetie, you know, if you want, I can go in with you this first time.”
Jon looked up at her in surprise. He had been trying to figure out how to get her to say exactly that. “Are…are you sure,” he asked, a bit hesitant. “Isn’t it weird if you come in with me?”
“I don’t think so. Considering that this is basically your first real eye exam and it's all new to you, it might be nice to have me there to handle questions and be a familiar face. Would you like that?”
Jon visibly relaxed his shoulders. “If you don’t mind.”
“Of course, I don’t mind.” Lois put her hand on Jon’s shoulder once again. “Sweetie, I promise, you have nothing to be scared of. Going to the eye doctor is no big deal. But either way I’m going to be right there next to you the whole time.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Jon whispered. Then he pulled her in for a big hug and held on tight.
Lois returned the hug, always pleased to be close to her sons. For some reason Jon seemed really nervous about going to the optometrist and getting glasses, but it was unclear if he was worried about being made fun of or something else. At the moment, Lois wasn’t going to push Jon, knowing he probably wasn’t ready to talk about it. But she would be there when he was ready. And she would help him through whatever the problem was.
She would always be there.
Chapter 3: Moving Forward
Summary:
As Jon travels with Jon to his eye appointment, some new truths come to light.
Notes:
Finally posted a new chapter! Hope you all enjoy!
Chapter Text
A couple weeks later, Jonathan and Lois were finally on their way to the optometrist she knew in Metropolis. The doctor was apparently really high profile, making it hard to get an appointment on short notice. But when your mom is Lois Lane, things often have a way of working out.
Also, she had been really determined to make the weeks before his appointment as easy as possible. Almost every evening, Lois asked Jon if his head or eyes hurt, if he needed any pain medication, or if he wanted to take a homework break to rest his eyes. The answer to any of her questions was usually no and the incessant badgering had gotten annoying by the second day. Even though he had a great family, Jon was used to taking care of himself, so the constant hovering from his mom made the inevitable appointment feel worse.
Clark was no help. He kept saying that things would be fine, and that Jon would get used to the glasses if he needed them. Every time his dad made one of those comments Jon had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. Clark Kent may have worn glasses, but they were just for show. He knew nothing about what it was really like to have vision problems.
Jordan was the worst. Every time something about his brother’s upcoming appointment was brought up, Jordan could be seen smirking, or trying to cover up a laugh. Jon knew his twin was amused by the irony of the whole thing, but he wasn’t.
They had just pulled into the city limits of Metropolis when Lois broke the silence. “I think you will like Dr. Tyce.”
“Oh yeah, for sure.”
“There’s no need to be sarcastic, Jonathan,” Lois scolded.
“Sorry,” he said, still not meeting his mom’s eyes. When they were stopped at a red light, Lois took a moment to look at her son. He was very tense and kept biting his lips the way he often did when he was nervous.
“Honey, are you alright?”
“Yep. Fine.”
Yeah, right, Lois thought to herself. So when the light turned green, instead of continuing straight down the main road like she was supposed to, Lois swerved into the turning lane, then took a side street until she found a random parking spot. She stopped the car and turned to her son. “How about you tell me what’s really going on.”
“Mom what the hell? Aren’t we going to be late?”
“We have a few minutes. Sweetie, I know you. You’re not fine. So what’s going on?”
“Nothing. It’s stupid,” he mumbled.
“How about you tell me anyway.”
Jon took a deep breath. She was relentless. “Did you know when I was little, I actually wanted glasses?”
Lois raised her eyebrows in surprise, that was certainly not what she had been expecting. But she had a feeling Jon was leading somewhere. “No, I didn’t.”
“Yeah, it was a phase I went through because I thought…it would make me like dad,” Jon admitted quietly. “When I was five I wanted to be just like him. He was my hero.”
Lois had forgotten about that, but when Jon mentioned it, those memories came flooding back. It was true, Jordan may have looked more like Clark, but for a couple of years, Jon had absolutely idolized his dad. He dressed like him, talked like him, and always wanted to spend as much time with him as possible. It only made sense that he would have thought wearing glasses made him more like his dad.
“Oh yeah, I do remember that,” Lois said, remaining patient.
“Well back then I thought just wearing a pair of glasses would make me be like dad. And now…I know that it actually makes me even less like him.”
“What do you mean?”
“Dad’s glasses aren’t real, because he’s Superman and he doesn’t need them. But I probably will need them because I’m…I’m not like Dad. And this just proves it,” he whispered. When he looked up, Lois could see the pain in Jon’s eyes. Sure, he was probably nervous about getting glasses, but there were some much deeper issues going on here.
“Oh Jonathan, come here,” Lois said, pulling him in for a hug, despite the small space of the vehicle.
“I told you it’s stupid. I’m not five anymore. I shouldn’t be so upset.”
“Sweetie, it’s not stupid,” Lois said, rubbing gentle circles on Jon’s back. “Believe me, I remember how much you looked up to your dad as a kid and that you still do.”
“I guess a part of me still feels five years old, especially now that I know he is a superhero.” Jonathan pulled back, trying to get a handle on his emotions. Lois reached over and wiped away his tears.
“I can understand that. And I know it may not seem like it right now, but Jonathan, you are just like your dad.”
Jon scrunched his face in confusion. “What? No way, Jordan is literally a mini- Dad.”
“They might share the same Kryptonian powers, but personality wise you have so much in common with him.”
“Sure, Mom, whatever you say.”
“I’m serious!”
“Okay, name one thing,” Jon said, still not quite believing his mom.
“I can name five,” she answered, with a glint of determination in her eyes. “The easiest one is that both of you have a huge love of sweets, because I promise, that didn’t come from me. There’s also the way you both have trouble relaxing. You always have to be doing something, or looking forward to the next thing. Let’s see what number am I on?”
“Three,” Jon said sheepishly, realizing that he had made a mistake by challenging his mom.
“Right, okay number three.” Lois flipped her hair back, totally on a roll. “You keep everything, trophies, pictures, whatever, you want to save every little thing. The attic is full of evidence that your dad is the same way. Also, when you smile, your eyes crinkle at the corners, just like his do. And lastly–”
She took a moment to pause, knowing he needed to really hear this one and softened her voice a bit. “Lastly, you are selfless, just like him. Powers or not, your dad is always putting other people first and you do the same thing.”
Lois reached over and took his hand. “When you agreed to move to Smallville because it would be best for Jordan, even though it wasn’t so great for you, that is exactly something your dad would have done. Putting other people’s needs before your own, that’s one of your dad’s best qualities. So as far as I’m concerned, you’re the one who’s Clark’s mini-me.”
“I never thought about it that way.” Jon squeezed his mom’s hand. “Thanks.”
“Of course sweetie, I’m always there for you. Are you ready to head to the appointment?”
Jon let go on his mom’s hand and nodded. As she pulled out of the spot and weaved back into traffic, Jon let his mind wander. Lately, he had been so focused on the ways that he wasn’t like his dad–the lack of powers made it pretty obvious– that he didn’t even stop to consider how many things they really had in common.
About ten minutes later when they were pulling into the parking lot, Jon was feeling a bit better. Lois was lucky enough to snag a spot close to the entrance. She put the car in park and grabbed her purse from the back seat. “Alright Jon, are you ready?”
“Yeah. But first, Mom, can I say something?”
“Sure, sweetie.”
“I know I said I was bummed about not being as much like Dad, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t…that I wish... If I have to get glasses I’m not sorry that it makes me more like you,” he said in a rush, anxious to get his thoughts out.
Lois looked at him in confusion, so Jon clarified. “I was saying having bad eyesight makes me less like Dad because you know, he’s practically perfect. But it’s probably something I got from you and I don’t want you to think…I mean I’m not sorry, you know, that I’m like you.”
Lois softened. What a sweet, precious boy she had raised. He was facing the prospect of getting glasses, which had to make him nervous, but he was also worried and wanted to make sure she didn’t feel bad about his unintentional thoughts.
“Oh, honey, I never thought that. I know how much you idolized your dad growing up. Of course you wanted to be like him. Besides, you inherited a lot more from me than poor vision.”
“Like what?”
“Well, your stubbornness for one thing,” Lois said, as she pushed open her door. Jon did the same. “Apparently I also passed along my tendency to get into trouble,” she said with a smirk, which elicited a chuckle and a sheepish smile from Jon. “But I also like to think that your bravery, determination, and work ethic are things you got from me as well. And the snarky attitude,” she added, making the conversation light again before things got too serious. “That’s definitely something you got from me, not Clark.”
“Alright, you made your point,” Jon said with a smile. He was relieved his mom didn’t feel slighted because he had wanted to be like his dad.
Lois walked around the front of the vehicle and gently grabbed her son’s shoulders. “Jonathan Kent, you may have inherited things from both me and your father, but I promise, you are exactly who you are supposed to be and perfect the way you are.”
Jon smiled again. “Thanks Mom.” He let her pull him in for one more hug, knowing they didn’t have a time for comforting moments very often, since they were all so busy. Lois was actually thinking the same thing, so she gave her son a quick kiss on the cheek.
“You could have combed your hair a little, though,” Lois said, pulling away from him.
“Aww Mom–”
“I mean it.” She took her hand and combed it through Jon’s honey curls so they laid nicely. “Did you even look in the mirror this morning?”
“Geez, Mom, it’s fine,” Jon protested, pushing her hand away.
Lois smirked. Jon had been so sweet and sensitive that she just wanted to run her hands through his hair the way she used to when he was little and had said something sweet. But being a teenager now, he didn’t always take too kindly to random displays of affection, so she had to be clever about it.
“Oh Jonathan, what am I going to do with you,” she said jokingly, looking at him fondly.
“Well, I hope you keep me around. I am a lot like you after all,” he joked with a smirk that was similar to her own.
Lois laughed again and put an arm around Jon. “How long are you going to be throwing that back at me to get your way?”
“Probably as long as I can, to be honest.”
As they made their way toward the front entrance Lois and Jon continued laughing and joking with each other. It didn’t have to be said that Jon was still a bit nervous, they both knew. But Lois would be there for him, the way she always had been. Instead, they both kept the situation light, knowing it would be easier all around.
After all, they were very much alike.
Chapter 4: The Appointment
Summary:
Jon is with Lois in Metropolis, ready to face his optometrist appointment.
Notes:
Hey all! This has not been abandoned. I fully intend to finish this and am happy to present the next chapter :)
Chapter Text
Jon found the waiting room at the optometrist’s office to be rather stereotypical. It was clean, organized and the walls were painted a predictable pale blue color. Getting the patient paperwork filled out didn’t take long at all and soon there was nothing left to do but wait.
There was nothing threatening whatsoever about the peaceful room. The receptionist was nice and the other people in the waiting room were friendly. But if Clark or Jordan were there, they would have heard Jon’s heart beating rapidly. Honestly, Jon was surprised Lois didn’t notice, but she was as calm as could be.
Jon had tried convincing himself that the whole thing was no big deal; people went to the eye doctor all the time. But for some reason, he still felt jittery and unsettled.
Maybe because the whole thing was just a reminder of how different he actually was from Jordan and his dad.
Jordan had been working to master his superpowers while Jon was about to see how crappy his eyes were. Yeah that seemed fair.
“Jonathan Kent?”
At the sound of his name, Jon looked up to see a young, smiling woman with a clipboard.
“Um. Yeah.”
“If you could follow me, please?”
“Wait can…I mean would it be okay…can my mom come too?” Jon asked, nervous to go through this without his mom.
“Of course she can. It’s no trouble.”
Jon breathed a sigh of relief as Lois put a comforting hand on her son’s shoulder. Then they both got up and followed the woman out of the waiting area and into the back where the examination rooms were. The woman opened the door to one of the rooms and gestured for Jon and Lois to go in. Jon was immediately drawn to the variety or equipment in the room, especially because he didn’t know what any of it did. There were two chairs near the wall and one thick, padded chair in the middle of the room.
It was obviously the examining chair and where he was supposed to sit. But Jon wasn’t quite ready for that.
When he sat down in one of the chairs by the wall, Lois opened her mouth as if to protest, but then decided against it. Jon had obviously seen the examination chair and decided to avoid it.
Clearly, Jon was still nervous about the appointment and Lois was determined not to push him. If his eyesight was poor, going to visits like this was probably something that he would have to do for the rest of his life. Realizing this monumental fact, Lois realized she needed to make this visit as easy as possible for him.
She sat down next to him and placed a comforting hand around his shoulder. Sometimes words weren’t needed, and this situation seemed to be one of them. A few minutes later the door opened. Jon took a deep breath as the doctor walked in.
The doctor appeared to be in her mid- forties, trim, with short, dark hair. She also carried a clipboard and sported a warm, welcoming smile on her face. “Jonathan Kent?”
“Um, yes.”
“Nice to meet you, I’m Dr. Tyce.”
“Yeah, nice to meet you too,” Jon answered timidly, still feeling nervous about the whole thing.
“How are you, Lois,” the doctor asked, turning to Jon’s mom.
“I’m doing well. At the moment I’m hoping that we can figure out what’s going on with my son,” Lois answered, gently rubbing Jon’s shoulder.
“I would like that as well,” she turned to Jon. “So Jonathan, could you tell me a little about what’s been going on with you?”
The doctor had a kind smile and Jon could tell she wasn’t going to pressure him or try to make him feel uncomfortable. So he took a deep breath and answered the question.
“Well, I guess it’s been a little hard to see the board sometimes at school, especially when the teacher writes really small.”
The doctor made a few notes on the paper attached to her clipboard. “Okay, anything else?”
“Sometimes with screens it can also be hard to see if the words are small, or I find myself squinting, I guess.”
“Okay.”
“Oh, and don’t forget to mention that you’ve been getting headaches too, especially when he’s been reading or doing homework for a while,” Lois added.
“Yeah, she’s right,” Jon answered, a little embarrassed that his Mom had already stepped in.
Dr. Tyce chuckled softly. “Well that is good information to have, and definitely sounds like something a Mom would say’ I know I would. And I’m pretty sure my son would have reacted just like you did,” she answered with a wink.
Jon smiled. He really appreciated how nice she was and the way she wasn’t pressuring him into anything.
“Well, that’s all the preliminary information I need, how about you hop on into this examining chair, and we can get started.”
Jon looked over at Lois, who smiled and nodded, giving him the reassurance he needed. So Jon got up and moved a few steps over to the padded chair and took a seat.
“Okay, let’s start simple,” Dr. Tyce said. She used a projector to display a series of letters across the blank white wall. They started pretty big, then got progressively smaller. She handed her patient a small plastic object that had a handle on one end, and on the other it had a big flat circle. “Jonathan, go ahead and take that and cover your right eye. Go ahead and read the third line from the top.”
Jon did as he was asked and covered his right eye. “T…V…A…Z…um…O… I think.”
“Okay, good. Now cover your left eye and read the fourth line.”
Jon listened once again. “U…R…um Q, I think…S…and um…L.”
Dr. Tyce made a few more notes on her clipboard, keeping her face neutral. With the first line he read, Jon got three right and with the second line he only got two correct. “I’ll take that from you,” she said, taking the plastic tool from the nervous patient. Then she turned off the projector displaying the letters and took a few steps toward a larger machine that she began moving towards Jonathan.
“What does that do,” Jon asked, leaning away from the strange machine.
“Nothing to worry about,” Dr. Tyce reassured him. “It just takes a picture of your eyes. That’s it.”
Jon was still a little hesitant, but she hadn’t lied to him yet.
She moved the machine until it was about six inches from Jon’s face. “Alright, now I need you to lean in real close for me, and rest your eyes right up against the front of the screen.”
The movement felt a little weird, but like she said, there was nothing painful about it. Once again Jon did as he was asked, which allowed the doctor to take the pictures of his eyes that were necessary to help her figure out the proper diagnosis.
After that, Dr. Tyce moved the machine away and recorded the results. Then she turned the lights off, which would help perform the next round of tests.
Jon had appreciated that the doctor had started simple, because it allowed him to get used to the types of things that would happen at the appointment. So when she started the next round of tests, Jon wasn’t quite as nervous.
He wasn’t sure what exactly he had been expecting, but the actual process was quite a bit different. There were a couple of tests where Dr. Tyce held a light that Jon had to try and ignore. It was pretty bright, but overall not bad. Then there were a few other random tests as well that the doctor explained examined different parts of the eye. Each time Dr. Tyce explained exactly what she was doing and what the purpose of each test was.
The majority of the second half of the appointment consisted of Jon keeping his head resting against a similar machine to the one that had taken the pictures of his eyes. Meanwhile, Dr. Tyce had Jon look through the lenses and focus on different letters. But this time, the goal wasn’t to read them, it was to determine clarity of each letter. Dr. Tyce would put down one lens, then the other, asking Jon to say which one was clearer. She repeated the process with different letters and different lenses.
Sometimes it was really easy to see which lens made the letters clearer, but sometimes it was more difficult. But just like before, she never pushed him, and just encouraged him to do the best that he could. The process was a bit tedious, but it was clear that it was an important part of the exam.
After several minutes, Dr. Tyce moved the machine away from Jon’s face and warned him before turning the light back on. She took a few more notes on the form attached to the clipboard, then turned back to Jonathan. “Well, first of all, I can say that your mom was right to bring you in, today.”
“She was,” Jon asked, feeling his heart begin to sink.
“Definitely. Based on this exam here today I’d say we’re looking at a textbook case of myopia.”
“What’s that,” Jon whispered, trying to keep his cool.
Dr. Tyce turned to him and smiled. “Basically it’s a fancy name for being nearsighted, which means you can see objects up close, but have trouble when things are far away or when the words are really small.”
“So…what happens now,” Jon asked, working to keep his voice even.
“Well, the next step is simple, I get your prescription set up and get you fitted with a pair of glasses.”
“Glasses?”
“What is his prescription, exactly,” Lois asked, stepping in to ask the questions that Jonathan wouldn’t.
“Well, actually his eyes aren’t that bad. His prescription…”
Jon tuned out the rest of the conversation, letting his mom and the doctor handle all the details. Even though he had been nervous about the appointment, there was still a part of Jon that hadn’t thought that he actually needed glasses.
Over the past few weeks he had come up with several different possibilities to explain the troubles with his eyesight. His teacher wrote too small on the board, he was stressed, overthinking things, maybe wasn’t focused. Something, anything! Anything that didn’t involve him getting glasses.
Jon realized now that all of those possibilities had just been his brain denying what he had known deep down for weeks.
Jonathan Kent needed glasses.
Chapter 5: Post- Appointment
Summary:
After Jon's eye appointment, he is still in shock about actually having to get glasses. But Lois knows just what to do.
Notes:
Hey all! So sorry for the long break with this story. I've been working on it, just been trying to figure some things out. Hope you all enjoy the next chapter :)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Lois and Dr. Tyce were talking about Jon’s new prescription; a conversation that he had completely tuned out. He had heard the most important part, that he would need glasses. After that, nothing else seemed to matter. His life had been ruined.
Okay, no. Jon silently lectured himself. His life had not been ruined, that statement was a little dramatic, which was more Jordan’s territory. A more accurate claim was that he was about to experience a major change, one that he wasn’t quite ready for.
“So, I’ll go ahead and take you guys down the hall where you can look at some frames. Then when Jonathan finds a pair he likes, I’ll have one of the reps over there handle the ordering and payment and you guys will be on your way. We’ll send the order in and you can come back in a few weeks and pick them up.”
“Wait, I don’t take them home today? I have to come back?” Jon looked up at the doctor, surprised at her words.
She smiled and regarded his question to be just as important as anything else they had discussed that day. “Yes, it takes a little time to create the lenses to fit your prescription and the frames you picked out.”
“About two weeks you said,” Lois asked, pulling out her phone to write down the information.
“That’s right. Someone from the office will give you a call and you will be able to pick them up. Any other questions?”
“I think I’m okay. Jon?”
“No, I don’t have any questions,” he murmured. Of course he didn’t have any questions. There was obviously nothing he could say that would change the fact that he needed glasses.
Dr. Tyce guided them to another room that was filled with frames of all shapes and sizes. The doctor introduced them to another woman, Jenny, who would help them find the right pair for Jon and then help them with the payment as well.
After exchanging some parting words with Lois, Dr. Tyce exited the room to tend to her next patient, leaving them in Jenny’s capable hands.
The new woman had a cheery disposition and seemed able to answer any questions that Lois had. Jon was pretty quiet through the whole process and didn’t think it really mattered what he said because it wouldn’t change the outcome.
Lois seemed to realize that Jon was having trouble focusing and getting into this last stage of the appointment, so she took the lead and did most of the work. Normally, the patient would be the one selecting different frames and asking questions. But in this situation, Jon appeared silent and uninterested, but Lois knew that wasn’t the case. Rather, Jon was just trying to process actually getting glasses.
Based on the conversation they had in the car before the appointment, Lois knew that Jon was struggling with the idea that getting glasses was one more way he wasn’t like his father.
Of course, Jon had also pointed out that he wasn’t sorry the bad eyesight made him more like Lois (since she’s the one Jon inherited it from).
Lois didn’t take it personally and knew that Jon was just going through a stage where he really wanted to be like his dad and every reminder that they were different didn’t help.
After looking at a few different frames, Lois found a pair that really stood out to her. They were simple, black frames that looked functional but dignified at the same time. At that moment, Lois just knew: that was the pair.
“Can I see those,” Lois asked, pointing to the dark frames near the bottom of the rack. With a kind smile, since she could also see the young boy was struggling, the technician handed Lois the simple pair of glasses. “Here, Jon. You want to try these on?”
Jon shrugged, not really caring one way or another. He placed the glasses onto his face. Even though he was wearing a stoic and sullen expression on his face, Lois lost her voice for a moment. Right in front of her was Jonathan, her son, her little boy.
And for the first time in a while he looked so grown up that the image took her completely by surprise.
Wasn’t it just yesterday that he was waving back at her as he walked into the first day of kindergarten or trying on his oversized peewee football jersey for the first time?
Didn’t those moments just happen? How was it that Lois’ little boy looked like he could be a doctor or a professor or an architect, just with a simple pair of glasses?
Lois was very aware how much Jon and Jordan joked about the idea that Clark’s glasses were the main part of his disguise, that it seemed silly and how crazy it was that something so simple and basic had actually worked for all those years.
But at that moment, it was truly remarkable how that same plain, simple object that Clark had been wearing for years completely altered Jonathan's own appearance into someone more sophisticated and grown up.
It wasn’t just that the glasses made Jon look older, they also made him startlingly similar to Clark. Although considering how much Jon had been struggling and striving to have things in common with Clark, Lois didn’t think that particular similarity was what Jon was looking for.
“Well, Jon, what do you think,” Lois asked, forcing herself to step away from her sentimental memories for just a moment.
“They’re fine, I guess,” he answered with no real enthusiasm. “I trust you.”
“But, Jon, they’re your glasses. Your opinion matters too. Don’t you at least want to look in the mirror and see how they look?”
“It doesn’t really matter to me.”
Lois knew that sometimes teenagers just said things like that when they were trying to act defiant, or try to make a point. But the concerned mother could tell that in this situation, neither of those things were true; Jonathan legitimately didn’t care one way or another. That fact alone was rather alarming, but Lois knew enough not to make a scene in public.
“Well, I think they look great,” Lois said, trying her best to be encouraging, even though Jonathan was uninterested. Wordlessly he handed her back the glasses. The sooner they got out of there, the better it would be for him. “It looks like we’ll take these.”
“Excellent,” said the polite technician. “If you’ll just follow me, we’ll get these paid for and finish up the rest of the paperwork.”
Lois and Jon followed the woman over to a simple brown desk where she entered the information for the frames and Jon’s new prescription into their computer system. The whole process was pretty quick and the technician did a great job answering all Lois’ questions.
Before long, Lois and Jon had finished up at the optometrist’s office and were headed back to Smallville. Lois had tried engaging in some small talk, like on the way to the appointment, but this time, Jon made it very clear that he wasn’t interested and stayed busy on his phone.
Lois cut him some slack because she understood that getting glasses would be a big change for Jon and that there was a lot more running through his brain. It was more than just the physical act of wearing glasses. He was now even more biologically different than his dad and brother, something Jon had been struggling with since they moved to Smallville.
But Lois also knew that nothing would get better for Jon if he kept withdrawing into himself. So, based on instincts from almost sixteen years being a mom, Lois stopped at a local convenience store in Smallville. She promised Jon that she would be right back and that he could stay in the car. Lois kept her promise and quickly found the items that she was looking for. When she returned, she threw the items in the back seat and drove to a park on the outside of town.
“Come on, Jon. Let’s go,” Lois said, as she put the car in park.
Jonathan looked up in confusion. “What are we doing here? I thought we were going home.”
“We will, after a little while. Come on.” And with that, Lois got out of the car and her commanding voice let Jon know he had no choice but to follow her. Jon noticed that she grabbed the grocery bag out of the back seat and headed towards the middle of the park. He couldn’t see the contents of that bag, but clearly there was a purpose if Lois had brought it.
“This looks like a good spot,” Lois said, once she had reached a particularly grassy area. “Have a seat,” she said, gesturing to the ground. She sat down as well and after a moment’s hesitation, Jon joined her.
“So, what’s this all about,” Jon asked, eyeing his mom warily. Instead of answering, she just reached into the plastic bag and pulled out… two quarts of mint chocolate chip ice cream, an extra bottle of chocolate syrup and a box of plastic spoons.
“We had some time to kill and I know that we share the same favorite flavor of ice cream, so I figured that could be a good combination.” She handed Jon one of the containers of ice cream and opened the other one for herself. Immediately, Lois grabbed a plastic spoon from the box and began digging into the delectable treat.
He may have been in a bad mood about the whole ‘getting glasses’ thing, but Jon was no idiot. There was no way he was going to turn down free ice cream. So Jon grabbed his quart and a spoon as well.
Jon was still pretty conflicted about getting glasses, but the one thing he knew for sure, there was nothing, nothing, that made his problems go away like the smooth, fresh taste of mint chocolate chip ice cream.
He sat in silence for a few minutes with his mom, just enjoying the delicious ice cream and the fact that she seemed to know him so incredibly well. Lois always claimed that she knew her boys better than most parents knew their kids. Most of the time it was embarrassing. Jordan and Jon always assumed it was just one more thing for her to claim that she was the best at. But this particular moment proved that Lois really did know her son very well.
Another point was earned in her favor when she didn’t seem to feel the need to rush Jon into talking. Lois was perfectly content to let Jon take the lead. And if she knew her son, which she did, he would talk when he was ready.
A few minutes later, Jon asked, “What did you get the extra chocolate syrup for?”
“I thought it would be a nice treat,” she answered with a smile.
“Wait, really? You bought a whole bottle of chocolate syrup just so we could put it on our ice cream?”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“What about Dad’s rule of not eating too much sugar at once,” asked Jon, testing the water’s a bit to see how Lois would answer.
She pretended to consider for a moment before answering. “Jon, I think you’re finally old enough to play a little game called don’t tell Dad,” Lois answered with a smirk. Jon threw his head back and laughed at his mom’s response.
Lois and Clark told each other everything, so even the suggestion that she would keep something so simple and ridiculous from her devoted husband was laughable. But when it came to sweets, Jon wasn’t one to be told twice. So he grabbed the chocolate syrup poured a little in his carton. And when Lois extended her carton, Jon was happy to pour some chocolate syrup for her as well.
Jon took a bite of the newly chocolate drizzled ice cream. He closed his eyes, completely in awe that something so simple could taste so wonderful.
“It’s good, huh,” Lois said with another smile.
“Mom, I know you’re a journalist, but I’m not even sure if you could come up with accurate words to describe how good this tastes right now.”
Lois chuckled. She had sure missed this side of Jon. And if he was in this good of a mood, maybe that meant he was ready to talk about something a little more serious. “I’m glad you are enjoying the ice cream, sweetie. How are you doing otherwise?”
Jon paused for a moment. He had known this would be coming. But somehow, sitting on the soft grass, no pressure or expectation, just Jon and his mom, made the situation feel not quite so scary.
“I mean I knew I couldn’t see very well, but I never thought I’d actually…you know.”
Lois nodded. “I bet. This whole thing kind of came out of nowhere.”
“Yeah, basically,” Jon agreed. “And even though I was a little nervous about the appointment, Dr. Tyce seemed cool.”
“I was hoping that you would like her,” Lois said, pleased that she had fought so hard to get Jon an appointment with that particular doctor. “And the frames we got are nice. They might take a little while to get used to, but I made sure they suited you.”
“I appreciate that too,” Jon said with a nod. “I was kind of out of it for that last part of the appointment. Sorry about that.”
“It’s no problem, sweetie,” Lois said, taking another giant scoop of ice cream. “I understood that it was difficult for you. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Yeah, but…there’s so many bigger problems going on in the world. People get glasses all the time. I just feel bad for being selfish.” Jon looked down, ashamed to admit how he had been feeling, worried that his mom would agree.
But as usual, she completely surprised him. Lois set down her ice cream and scooted across the grass until she was right next to her son. “Jonathan, it doesn’t matter what else is going on in the world. Nothing diminishes your emotions or what you are going through. You should never apologize for that.” Lois placed a hand on Jon’s shoulders, making sure he understood just how serious she was. “It doesn’t matter what the issue is, you can always come to me or your dad with any concerns you have and we will be there for you.”
“Thanks, Mom,” Jon said, really touched by her sentiment. He was clearly trying to hold back emotions, but Lois knew her son pretty damn well.
“C’mere, kid,” she whispered, pulling him in for a hug. Jon easily collapsed in his mother’s arms, thankful that she was always there for him. Was getting glasses the biggest deal in the world? No. Sooner than later, he would probably get used to the idea. But at that moment, it was a big scary change and he was happy that he didn’t have to go through it alone.
After a moment he pulled back and let his mom take the lead once again. “Going forward, I want you to tell me any time you have any worries or concerns about the glasses. I don’t care how insignificant you think it is, we’ll still talk about it, okay?”
Jon nodded, once again appreciating the gesture. “One question I do have…will I get ice cream every time, because this stuff is amazing.”
Lois nudged her son playfully. Of course Jonathan would make jokes before things got too serious. That’s just the way he was and Lois admired his positive outlook.
But the truth, if Jon wanted ice cream every time they had to talk about something serious, Lois was in agreement one one hundred percent. Because she would do anything for her son. Anything.
Notes:
Yes...this story grew...no surprises there. I really wanted to explore a few more things in depth. Hope you guys don't mind :)
Chapter 6: Being There
Summary:
Clark is determined to find out why Jon is being so distant when he come's home from his optometrist appointment.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
By the time they arrived back at the farmhouse, Jon was in a pretty good mood. He still wasn’t thrilled about getting glasses, but his mom had shown him that things would be okay. Plus, Jon knew she would be there for him through the whole process, which was a big relief.
Jon and Lois walked into the kitchen to find Jordan and Clark waiting for them. Clark was chopping vegetables for an upcoming meal. Jordan, who was working on his homework, turned to his brother, “So, are you gonna be a four-eyes like Dad or what?”
Lois gasped.
Of all the things that Jordan could have said in that moment, the comment he made was probably the worst possible choice.
It checked all the boxes for sending Jon into a downward spiral: mentioning the glasses, being mean about it, comparing Jon to Clark, and at the same bringing up the fact that the glasses didn’t make them similar at all, since Clark’s were just for show.
Jon’s response was just as Lois would have predicted. He shook his head a few times, seemed lost for words, then rushed upstairs. Immediately, Clark reprimanded his son. “Jordan, that wasn’t nice. You’ll need to apologize.”
“Oh, you’ll be doing more than apologizing,” Lois said, with fury in her eyes. “You’ll be doing Jon’s chores for the next two weeks.”
“What? That’s so unfair,” Jordan protested. “After only one comment?”
“It’s not just this one comment, Jordan. You’ve been making jabs like that since we first found out Jon needed to get his eyes checked.”
“Yeah, so,” Jordan said, not quite understanding the significance of his comments. “Jon and I joke around with each other all the time. What’s the big deal?”
“The big deal is sometimes a joke isn’t actually funny, but instead, really hurtful.”
“But it’s Jon, he has tough skin. There’s no way he’s actually bothered by anything I said.”
Lois shook her head in annoyance. Clearly, Jordan was not grasping her subtle hints that there was more going on with Jon than just getting glasses. “Why don’t you head to the barn and start working on some chores. I’ll go talk to Jon.”
Realizing his mom was not kidding, Jordan did as she asked, though he did grumble a little on the way out. Jordan may have been oblivious, but Clark wasn’t. He noticed the change in his wife’s demeanor and knew that something else was going on. “I can come with you to talk with Jon.”
“No, he probably doesn’t want to talk with you. Why don’t you make sure Jordan is staying out of trouble.” And leaving no room for debate, Lois turned and walked upstairs.
Clark knew that Lois thought she was doing what was best for Jon. But truthfully, it hurt that she assumed Jon wouldn’t want Clark to help deal with this problem. He was Jon’s father, and if his son was upset, Clark wanted to be there for him and help in any way that he could. He hated being shut out and vowed right then to find some way to still be there for his son.
~~~~~
Lois knocked on the door to Jonathan’s bedroom. “Go away,” came the muffled reply.
“But Jon, it’s Mom and I have something really, really important to tell you.”
Lois heard a sigh then a dejected, “Come in.” Jonathan was laying face down on his bed. When he glanced over and saw that Lois had entered, he sat up and looked at her. “What’s going on?”
“You won’t believe this, but the Gazette is completely out of paper clips,” Lois said with mock seriousness. “I don’t know how I’m accurately supposed to do my job without a decent supply of paper clips. I think the world might end.” It quickly became very clear that Lois was joking, so Jon allowed himself a small smile.
“Wow. I’ll…be thinking of you during this challenging time,” Jon said with a smirk, totally playing along with his mom’s bogus story.
“I appreciate that sweetie,” Lois said, taking a seat on the bed next to Jonathan. She had known that Jon needed to relax a little before they talked about anything serious. Her plan worked. Jon didn’t appear nearly as tense as when she had first walked in.
“So what’s going on,” Lois asked, being kind and not too pushy.
“Jordan, I guess,” Jon answered with a shrug. “I thought he would wait longer than two seconds before making fun of me.”
“Oh, don’t worry, he’s already been punished.”
Jon looked over at his mom in surprise. “Wait, really?”
“Yep. He’s doing all your chores for the next two weeks.”
“That seems like a lot for only making one rude comment.”
“But it’s not just that,” Lois insisted. “He’s been razzing you ever since we made the appointment. He needs to know that’s not okay.”
“Well, I don’t want him to hate me,” Jon said, coming to the defense of his brother. “Besides, I used to make fun of him all the time.”
“Yes, and you were punished. And now he’s the one saying mean things, so he’s being punished.” Lois reached over and laid a hand on Jon’s shoulder. “Besides, you’re trying to play it cool, but I know how much his comments affected you.”
“Yeah, but it shouldn’t because there’s–”
“Jonathan.” Lois placed a hand on her son’s shoulder. “We talked about this. It doesn’t matter what else is going on. The things that are going on with you are always going to be important.”
“Wow, you’re really serious about keeping me from feeling too bad about this whole thing, aren’t you,” Jon said, giving his mom one of his famous thousand watt smiles.
“Yep.” Lois grinned and pulled Jon in for a side hug. She meant what she said before, there was no way she was leaving him alone in this.
~~~~~
Through the next few weeks, things were a little bit tense at the Kent house. Jordan had apologized as soon as he was granted a break from his chores. Naturally, Jon had accepted the apology and claimed that everything was okay between them. But the entire family could tell that the comment was just for show.
Jon was a little more distant with his dad and brother. He wasn’t rude by any means, but things weren’t as relaxed and natural as usual. Clark had tried talking to Jon about what was bothering him several times, but Jon just brushed off the conversation. He would claim that everything was fine and not to worry.
But Clark worried.
It was obvious that Jon was pulling away, but Clark didn’t know why. So one day, Clark decided he wasn’t going to take the ‘I’m fine’ answer any more. Jordan was with Sarah and Natalie. Jon had chosen to stay home and catch up on some homework.
But he could do homework later.
Clark knocked on his son’s door. “Hey, Jonathan, can I come in?”
“Yeah, sure,” came the muffled reply.
When Clark pushed open the door, he found that Jon was in fact sitting at his desk, working on some homework. “How’s it going, son?”
“Good,” Jon answered, setting his pencil aside. “I’m almost done with this stupid math assignment.”
Clark furrowed his brows and Jon clarified. “The teacher assigned fifty review problems. I got a 100 when we did the homework assignments and on both quizzes based on this lesson. So doing fifty more problems when I have this stuff down…it’s pretty annoying.”
Clark’s parental instinct was to say that Jon needed to be respectful to the teacher and complete the assignment anyway, but he had to admit, that did sound like a lot of extra work.
“Okay, yeah, that stinks,” Clark agreed.
Jon chuckled. “Right?”
“Well, I can’t take away the assignment, but I could offer you a break. What do you think, you wanna come outside and do some chores with me?”
Jon considered for a moment, then nodded.
~~~~~
When Clark had said the word ‘chores’ Jon assumed that his dad was intending for them to do real work around the farm, like they had every other time Clark had mentioned it. But Jon didn’t care, it was nice to spend time with his dad. Plus, any break from math was worth it.
But on that day, Clark’s definition of chores…simply going through an old box of tools.
They sat on hay bales with the box between them. Technically, the objective was to separate the broken tools from the good ones; which wasn’t a hard job, obviously.
But Clark made the whole experience more fun for Jon, telling him about some of the more obscure tools and what they were used for.
It was so nice to be able to have that relaxed, stress free time with his dad. Jon enjoyed listening to him talk and hearing all the stories he had from when his own father was using the very same tools decade’s before.
Again, they weren’t really doing chores in the traditional sense. It was more of an excuse for Clark to spend some time with his son.
After they were halfway through the box Clark realized that Jon was relaxed enough and that the opportunity had risen to really talk to his son. “So, your mom says you get to pick up your glasses in a couple days. Are you ready for that?”
“Yeah I guess.” Jon had stiffened and turned away slightly.
Clark took a deep breath and pressed on. “I talked to Lois, she said you were feeling a little bit better about the whole thing.”
“Kind of. I mean I don’t really have any choice. I need them to see.” Jon said the last part with a bit of spite, which meant they were getting somewhere.
“You know there’s nothing wrong with wearing glasses though,” Clark said, trying to be sensitive to his son’s apparent feelings in this situation.
“Not for most people,” scoffed Jon.
“Not for you either,” contradicted Clark. “Jon, it feels like there’s something deeper going on here. Let me in, son.” Clark said, placing a hand on Jon’s shoulder. “Your mom’s been right there for you through this whole thing but you’ve shut me out. Let me be there for you too.” Clark was getting a little emotional. It was difficult to know that his son was going through something so difficult and that there was nothing he could do.
“It’s just easier with her, Dad.” Jon was getting emotional too. “I’m not trying to shut you out, but she gets it, she understands. You…couldn’t possibly understand.”
“I couldn’t understand, what?”
“What it’s like to be weak, Dad,” Jon said, his voice breaking. “You have no idea what it’s like for some doctor to tell you that your eyes are bad, that you can’t see very well.” Jon shook his head, trying to chase away the memory of the appointment a few weeks ago. “You have no idea how that made me feel…especially when…when it was one more way that I was different from you.”
Jon had tried holding the tears in, he really did, but it had become too difficult. Being weak was one thing, but Jon had never wanted to seem weak in front of his dad, and as usual…had failed.
“Different from me? Jon, what do you mean?”
“Oh, come on Dad, you’re Superman,” Jon explained through his tears. “And I’m your screw-up son with bad eyesight.”
Finally it clicked.
Clark realized why Jon had shut him out for so long, why he was trying to keep his distance even now.
“Jonathan. I see where you’re coming from. I do. But I need to explain something to you. There’s a lot of great things about being a dad, but for me, selfishly, one of the best things was knowing that I got to share a real relationship with people I was biologically related to. See, when I was growing up, I didn’t know if that would ever be possible. I spent so many days wondering if I would ever find someone willing to have a family with me, if my parents loved me as much as other parents did. And I spent a lot of time wondering what feelings my biological parents had for me, why they gave me up.”
The good news: Jon was interested. It was clear that Clark hadn’t said anything that Jon expected and that he was curious where the conversation would go. Clark continued.
“As I got older, I got answers. I learned where I was from, what happened to my planet, but because everyone was gone, I never knew what it was like to have real blood relatives.”
Clark offered Jon a small smile as he got to the next part of his story. “The day you and Jordan were born, you both changed all of that. For weeks after we brought you guys home, every time I would hold either one of you, I would look at your tiny faces and think what a miracle it was for someone like me to actually have biological sons.”
Clark was getting emotional now too as he recalled the joy of becoming a father. He was doing his best to describe the feeling, but his words wouldn’t be able to do his emotions justice. Clark moved both of his hands so he was framing Jon’s face.
“Jonathan, I don’t care if you have bad eyesight, or powers. I don’t care if you never go to college and work at the grocery store for the rest of your life. I am proud of you for the person you are and love you because you are my son, Jonathan. And I love you.”
“I love you too, Dad.”
At that moment, there was no force in the world that was strong enough to keep Clark from hugging his son. As Jonathan was held by his father in the tightest of embraces, he was forced to realize he had been wrong.
Maybe his father didn’t understand exactly what Jon was going through, but he still understood a hell of a lot, more than Jon expected actually. Grateful for his dad’s presence, strength and love, Jonathan was more than happy to let the hug continue.
Notes:
Okay...yes. This grew again. But the next chapter should be mostly an epilogue. Thanks for reading!
Chapter 7: Epilogue
Summary:
Jon finally gets his glasses :)
Notes:
To anyone who is still reading this, we have finally reached the end! I've had so much fun with this epilogue and this fun story.
Thanks so much for reading everyone!
Chapter Text
Epilogue:
“You know Dad, if you don’t drive faster than two miles an hour then we’re never going to get there,” Jon good-naturedly reminded his dad.
“Yes, I know that, but this Metropolis traffic is a real pain,” Clark said, visibly annoyed as well at the slow pace.
“If only you had some faster way to get us there…” Jon gave his dad a sideways glance to let him know that he was joking.
“What, you mean fly?”
“Sure, why not?”
“Just leave the car in the middle of the road…or what are you thinking?”
“Sounds cool. Let’s go.”
“Nice try,” Clark said, shaking his head a little at his son’s impulsiveness. “But I think we’ll wait in traffic the old fashioned way.” Jon was just being his normal, goofy self, so Clark gave him a knowing smile. “Even Superman has to deal with traffic sometimes.
“Sure Dad, whatever you say.”
The two Kents settled into an peaceful conversation as they eased along the busy roads of Metropolis; the relationship between father and son was better than it had been in weeks. A few days before the appointment, Clark pulled Lois and Jon aside and asked if he could be the one to drive his son to get his new glasses.
Both Lois and Jon had been a little surprised at the request, but it was a nice gesture. Lois left it up to Jon and he happily agreed. After the talk they had in the barn, Jon realized that as much as they might have had their differences, he also had a lot in common with his father. And even though he didn’t really want to get his glasses, this was a big day in his life and he was happy his dad wanted to be there.
It meant more than he could say.
Jon definitely made a few more jokes about the slow pace of traffic, but eventually, they pulled into the parking lot of the optometrist’s office where Lois had taken him a few weeks ago. Both Kent men stepped out of the truck and began their walk into the building.
Before they reached the door, Clark spared a glance for his son. He seemed okay for the most part, but there was a slight apprehensive look on his face. Without saying a word, Clark placed his arm around Jon’s shoulder.
More than anything Clark wanted to give Jon some words of encouragement and tell him that everything would be okay. But this was Jonathan. He didn’t always appreciate sappy words and emotional sentiments.
Jon looked up at Clark, a bit apprehensive at whatever his dad was planning to say. But then Clark proved that he knew just what Jon needed in that moment.
“It’s probably a good thing I drove you today,” Clark said seriously. “Can you imagine if Lois was here, she’d probably still be honking the horn and cursing.”
Jon started laughing. “You’re totally right. Then we’d be even later because she would want to yell at the department of roads or something.”
“She totally would,” Clark agreed with a smile, shaking his head slightly. “Well, I think we should get inside before just talking about Lois makes us late.”
Jon laughed again. “Okay. Let’s go.”
When Clark first said that he wanted to go with Jon to the appointment in Metropolis, the teen wasn’t sure what to think. But now, based on the way Clark was handling the situation…maybe things would actually be okay.
~~~~~
This time around, since Jonathan didn’t need to see the doctor, they were immediately escorted to the back room to pick up his frames.
The same technician from the previous visit was there to greet them. “Jonathan, welcome back,” she said with a big smile on her face. “This must be your dad.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Clark Kent,” he said, returning the smile and extending his hand.
“Jenny Larson.” She accepted Clark’s handshake and smiled at him as well. “Good to see you again, Jonathan.”
“Yeah, you too.”
“I’m guessing you’re here to pick up your glasses.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Okay, great. I’ll grab them.”
~~~~~
The next several minutes were a blur as Jenny retrieved the glasses and made a couple of adjustments so that they fit Jon’s face. First it was too tight around his ears, then on his nose, then it was too loose…finally they fit perfectly.
“How does that feel,” Jenny asked. She had been very patient through the whole process and was obviously good at her job.
“Good. Not too tight or anything, I barely notice that they are there.”
Jenny smiled. “Great! That’s the goal. You wanna take a look in the mirror?”
Jon but his lip. Not really, he wanted to say. But the smarter, more logical part of Jon’s brain knew that he would have to see himself in glasses eventually, so it would probably be better to get it over with.
He nodded, and Jenny turned a small mirror so it was facing towards him. And when he finally saw his reflection, Jon’s jaw dropped.
It was a big change, obviously, considering he had never worn glasses before, but at the same time, he still kind of looked like…himself, which was a welcome surprise. In fact, he kind of looked like…
“Oh no,” Jon moaned, dropping his head back a little.
“Is something wrong,” Jenny asked immediately. Clark had also shifted towards Jon as well.
“Mom was right…I totally look like you, Dad,” Jon explained, turning to his father. Earlier, Clark might have worried that the comment was an insult, but after seeing the twinkle in Jon’s eyes and the smirk on his face, he realized the comment was in jest.
Clark moved until he was right next to Jon so both of their faces could be seen in the small mirror. After pretending to deliberate for a moment, Clark patted Jon’s shoulders. “Yep. We sure do look alike. My condolences.”
Jon scoffed (because the moment seemed to call for it), but then took another look.
The crazy thing was that the glasses brought out other physical features Clark and Jon shared that he had never noticed before. They had the same jawline, nose, and eyes.
Clark must have been thinking along similar lines as Jon because they smirked at the same time. Then Jon was forced to admit that not only were their features similar, but their expressions were practically identical.
Considering he had spent a majority of his life thinking he didn’t have much in common with his dad, realizing that they looked alike was…actually a nice surprise.
~~~~~
As they walked out of the doctor’s office and toward the truck, Jon left his glasses on, simply because he was too awestruck to remove them. Had the world always been so clear, so detailed?
We’re there really so many different shades of blue? And had there always been so many cracks in the sidewalk?
By the time they had reached Clark’s truck, Jon had really felt like he was seeing the world for the first time, which his dad picked up on.
“The glasses work pretty well, huh,” Clark observed, giving his son a fond smile.
“Yeah,” Jon admitted sheepishly. “It’s kind of a whole new world.”
“That’s great,” Clark said with a smile, tossing his arm casually around Jon’s shoulders. “Hey I have an idea, what do you say we go to that ice cream place you like so much?”
“Ricky’s,” Jon asked, his face lighting up.
“Yep. If you’re going to rediscover the world, why not start at the best ice cream shop in the city?”
Jon’s smile widened even further. “Let’s do it.”
~~~~~
After leaving Metropolis, there were a lot of things that Jon missed that he just couldn’t get in Smallville. One of those things…Ricky’s Ice Cream. Both Clark and Jonathan got one of the specialty desserts: cones with three scoops, three different flavors and three different toppings.
It wasn’t cheap, but it was worth it.
They decided to sit outside, where it was nice…which was great until their ice cream started melting and they had to eat it really fast so they didn't get the melted ice cream all over their hands.
And as usual, they failed and made a huge mess, which thanks to Jon’s new glasses he could see the full extent of.
Once they got their hands all cleaned up, Jon suggested walking downtown some more, which they did.
On and on their afternoon went as Clark and Jonathan kept noticing different things they could do. Normally they didn’t the time to just relax and do the things that seemed interesting, but it was a special day and Clark wanted to do whatever he could to make the day memorable for Jon.
~~~~~
Jordan had been pacing back and forth for about five minutes when Lois finally made a comment. “Sweetie, would you relax, they’ll be back soon enough,” she said, glancing up from the story she was typing on her laptop.
“Yeah, but they were supposed to be back twenty minutes ago,” Jordan said, looking out the window again. He and Jon hadn’t had a good conversation about Jon getting glasses yet, which was making Jordan antsy; simple because he knew things would be weird between them until they did.
Jordan knew it was partly because of the way he had reacted when they first found out Jon needed glasses. After all, he couldn’t blame his brother for keeping some distance when Jordan had spent a lot of time making fun of him about the glasses.
But at the same time there was also distance because Jon was very self conscious about getting glasses, probably because he felt it made him less Kryptonian and further separated him from his brother. But Jordan didn’t care about that, they were still twins, still the Fraternals. That’s what mattered.
As Jordan had gotten more used to the idea that Jon would be getting glasses, he realized just how much of a jerk he had been. Jon was obviously sensitive about the whole thing and instead of tearing him down, Jordan should have been there, supporting his brother, which is what he was going to do…if Jon and Clark ever got home!
A few minutes later, the truck pulled up the long driveway. As much as Jordan would have liked to rush outside and see how his brother was doing, he knew that wouldn’t actually end well, and forced himself to wait patiently for them to come inside.
“We’re home,” called Clark.
“How did everything go,” asked Lois, walking toward the kitchen.
“It was awesome,” exclaimed Jon.
Jordan furrowed his brows. It was awesome?
“That’s great, sweetie,” Lois said, not at all surprised by Jon’s remark. “I’m glad you had a good day.” She pulled out a pan to make spaghetti. Clark would probably do the cooking, but when she got some of the pans out, it made her feel like she was helping.
“Oh yeah, it was a great day. Dad and I got ice cream at Ricky’s and made a huge mess. He took me to some of our favorite shops downtown and we even caught a baseball game. It was so cool,” he explained, taking a seat at the table.
Both Lois and Jordan were immediately aware that Jon was in fact wearing his glasses. Lois’ initial prediction was correct, the glasses suited him very well and looked nice on his face. Jordan however, was a little more surprised by the image of Jon in glasses. They fit decently and everything, but the look was just so different than anything he had ever seen Jon wear that Jordan still needed a minute to process.
Jon launched into a long description of some of the amazing plays they had seen in the baseball game, with a few comments from Clark, as he began preparing the spaghetti.
Meanwhile, Jordan stayed silent.
He had been so incredibly worried that Jon was struggling with his new glasses, when in reality he enjoyed a great day with Clark and didn’t seem at all bothered by the big change in his life.
It was the same way through dinner. Jonathan kept up a steady stream of chatter all through the meal with Lois and Clark nodding along and making comments at the appropriate times. As soon as the meal was over, Jordan asked to be excused claiming that he needed to do homework.
Even though he did actually have some assignments to work on, the moment Jordan was on his own his mind began racing.
The whole day he had been convinced that he needed to apologize to Jonathan, and had been stressing, trying to figure out what he would say. And then, Jonathan comes home, acting like everything’s totally fine.
More than that, he didn’t even seem to mind the glasses anymore. During dinner he had even made a few good natured jokes about how he looked like Clark now, but he seemed happy about it.
What the hell was going on?
Knock-Knock. “Hey, Jordan. Can I come in?” It was Jon.
“Um, yeah, sure, I guess.”
Much like at dinner, Jon strolled in all confident and relaxed. “Dude, you didn’t comment on my glasses. Are you jealous because you want to look more like Dad,” Jon asked, still joking.
“How are you…why…I mean…why are you being so chill right now? Aren’t you still pissed at me for all the mean things I said about you getting glasses?”
Jon shrugged. “Naw, I forgave you.”
“You forgave me? When were you going to tell me that?”
“Umm, now, I guess.”
Jordan stomped over to his brother. “What the hell, dude. I’ve been stressing out all day, trying to come up with some way to get you to forgive me and you just…decide to?”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“Well, I think that’s a load of–”
“Jordan!” Jon put his hands up to stop Jordan from doing or saying anything he would regret. “Let me explain.” The brothers sat on the bed, and Jon began his story. “One of the big reasons I didn’t want to get glasses was because I felt like it would make me less Kryptonian and more different from you and Dad. I’m already so different because I don't have powers and didn't want one more thing to separate us.”
He took a deep breath and continued. “But after having some good talks with Mom and Dad, I realized that there are always things that are going to make us different, but there are plenty that make us similar too.”
"So what, you’re just okay with everything now?”
Jon shrugged again. “I mean, the glasses have been a little interesting to get used to. But they definitely aren't as bad as I was assuming.”
Jordan stood up and began pacing, though not as aggressive as before. “I guess I just can't believe you’re being so cool about this.”
“I need them to see,” Jon said simply. “School’s been really difficult lately so if the glasses can make it better, than I’m going to wear them. It's not worth failing all my classes because I can’t see the board and dealing with headaches all the time. They’re just glasses.”
Jordan shook his head. “Wow, now I feel really bad for making fun of you?” At Jon's confused look he continued. “I’ve spent like the whole day trying to figure out how to apologize to you for being a jerk to you, but you're totally fine with everything.”
“You don’t need to apologize, we’re brothers, we razz each other about all kinds of stuff.”
“I know, but this was a really big deal for you, and I could have been more understanding.” Jordan walked back over the bed and sat down. “So I apologize.”
Jon could tell that the moment was really important for Jordan. “Apology accepted,” Jon said, patting his brother’s shoulder and subtly telling him that things were okay between them.
They would probably talk about it more in the coming weeks, because that’s what they did, and Jordan would be interested to learn how his brother felt about the glasses as time moved on.
But for now Jon was okay, and they were okay.
“Hey, do you want to try my glasses on, see how you look in them?”
“Why?”
“Well, I figure you’re going to be donning the family disguise soon enough, so you should see what you look like, right Superboy?
Jordan jumped in surprise, then groaned when he realized Jon was messing with him. When Jon started howling with laughter, Jordan grabbed him in a headlock and the two wrestled around for a couple of minutes.
Jon may be a bit nearsighted these days, but he did have a point, it probably wouldn’t be long before he was wearing glasses just like the other members of his family.
It had been a bit of a trying week for the Kent family, but Jon was right, they were all going to be okay.