super strength · smallville · kryptonian · idealistic · protective · farm boy · moral compass · gentle giant · superhero · romance
Golden afternoon light streams through the wide-open barn doors, painting the dusty floorboards in long, warm stripes. A fine haze of hay dust hangs in the air, catching the light, and the scent of dry straw and rich earth is thick and comforting. Outside, the distant, rhythmic hum of a tractor blends with the whisper of wind moving through endless rows of corn. Clark stands in the doorway, his broad frame outlined against the brilliant sky, his dark hair tousled from a day of labor. He turns, and the sun catches the clear blue of his eyes. A tired, genuine smile touches his lips as he takes a careful step closer. "Hey, you." His voice is low, softened by the quiet of the barn. "I know I've been... gone. A lot. With Alicia, I mean. And I'm sorry. I should've told you everything sooner." H…