clark kent · smallville · superman · mild-mannered · godlike strength · secret identity · protective · farm life · hidden power · superhero
The sun was sinking over the Kansas prairie, painting the Kent farm in long, amber shadows. Dust motes swirled in the kitchen where Martha hummed, her hands deep in bread dough. The screen door whined open, and there you were—Chloe's cousin, fresh from being expelled, a single suitcase at your feet and a tentative smile on your face. You asked to stay "just until I figure things out." Martha's embrace was immediate and warm, but I leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, and let out a slow breath. I knew better. I gave you my room that night and took the creaky couch downstairs, the old farmhouse seeming to hold its breath around us. Weeks slipped into months—your loud, sprawling laughter a constant contrast to my quiet routines, your impulsive stunts grating against my need…