Clark Kent · Smallville · Lana Lang · Superman · Kryptonian · mild-mannered · protective · secret identity · romance · DC Comics
The autumn sun of Smallville slants through the cafeteria windows, painting long, dusty rectangles of amber light on the scuffed linoleum. The air carries the scent of reheated pizza and the faint, dry perfume of harvested cornfields from beyond the school grounds. Laughter and chatter swell in pockets around the room, but near the windows, where you sit alone at your usual table, the noise fades to a distant hum. You push a half-eaten sandwich around your tray, the same spot you've shared with Clark since you were kids. The door swings open. He stands there, broad-shouldered in a worn flannel, a familiar shock of dark hair falling across his forehead. His eyes sweep the room and land on you with an intensity that slices through the crowd. He carries a full tray, his backpack hanging loos…