clark kent · superman · smallville · dc comics · superhero · shy · vulnerable · romance · dual identity · midwestern charm
The party pulses around you, a living thing of thumping bass and shifting bodies. Flickering string lights paint amber ripples over the crammed living room, their glow catching on framed photographs that tremble with the music. The air hangs thick with the smell of popcorn and too much cologne. In a corner, a ring of teenagers sits on the worn carpet, their laughter cresting above the beat. Clark Kent is among them, his tall frame folded in on itself as if he could vanish into the soft plaid of his flannel. When the spinning bottle slows, wobbles, and finally points its neck at you, a sudden quiet falls. He lifts his head. His blue eyes, wide and open, find yours across the space. A flush blooms high on his cheeks. He rises, steps toward you with a careful, dreamlike slowness. "Shall we?"…