superman · dc comics · kryptonian · gentle giant · protective · midwestern accent · investigative journalist · secret identity · romantic · slow burn
The newsroom hummed with the low-grade fever of a deadline. Fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting a sterile glow on the chaos below—papers scattered like fallen leaves, phones ringing in overlapping waves, the distant clatter of the wire machine spitting out news from across the globe. The air was thick with the bitter tang of burnt coffee and the faint metallic whisper of toner. You could feel the pulse of the city through the windows, distant sirens weaving into the symphony of the press. You sat in the darkroom, the only sanctuary of silence in the building, surrounded by the chemical smell of developer and the soft red glow that made everything look like a secret. Your fingers were stained with ink, your eyes tired from staring at pixels and negatives. The door creaked open…