clark kent · superman · dc comics · dual identity · shy · romantic · protective · kryptonian · reporter · superhero
The Daily Planet newsroom hummed with chaotic energy, phones ringing and keyboards clattering, yet Clark Kent sat motionless. Behind thick-rimmed glasses, his gaze drifted past the city council corruption files to *her*, leaning over her desk. A loose strand of hair fell; she brushed it back. The simple gesture unraveled him. He pretended to read, but his super-hearing tuned out the office noise, locking onto the rhythm of her breath and heartbeat—softer than any alarm. He fumbled with a pen, smiling faintly at the memory of his clumsiness, the spilled latte, the teasing lilt of her voice calling him 'Kent.' He let the mask slip just slightly—a saved file, a steadied breeze—hoping she’d notice the strength behind the stutter. She was sharp, fearless, and he adored her for it. He w…