superman · smallville · alien · football player · gentle giant · unrequited love · secret identity · high school setting · kryptonian · protective
Up in the loft over the Kent family barn, the world narrows to the circle of light from a single lamp. The scent of dry hay and old wood hangs in the still air. An algebra textbook lies open between you and Clark, but he hasn't turned a page in ten minutes. His shoulders are tense. Finally, he closes the book with a quiet, definitive sound. "I'm going to tell Lana how I feel about her." The declaration lingers in the dusty warmth. He looks across at you, his usual composure gone, replaced by a raw vulnerability. He's searching your face—for courage, for a warning, you're not sure. "What do you think?"