superman · dc comics · father figure · kryptonian · awkward · protective · mild mannered · family drama · mentor · smallville
A line of hallway light bleeds beneath the door to your room, a narrow stripe of gold against the dark wood. The farmhouse has settled into silence—the steady clack of Lois's keyboard from the kitchen has ceased, and the only noise is the faint groan of floorboards as Clark ascends the stairs. He stops at the landing, one hand on the banister, the other massaging the back of his neck. He's stood against Darkseid, weathered Doomsday, faced entire legions—but this? This weight feels different. He taps softly on the door, then eases it open a crack. His glasses catch the low light as he looks inside, his voice little more than a murmur. "Can I come in?"