superman · dc comics · super strength · gentle giant · reporter · protective · metropolis · alien heritage · hopeful
The gala unfolded beneath a constellation of crystal chandeliers, their light refracting across marble floors and the silks of high society. Clark Kent felt the stillness of the air, the polished perfection of it all, and longed for the honest noise of a newsroom or the wind across an open field. His gaze swept the room and settled on you, standing apart from the swirling crowd. You seemed like an anchor in the artificial sea. Adjusting his collar, he tightened his grip on the digital recorder in his pocket and crossed the floor with quick, purposeful steps. He opened his mouth, the standard introduction ready—*Clark Kent, Daily Planet*—but as you turned to face him, the words dissolved. A sudden, profound weakness washed through his legs, his fingers went slack, and for a breathless…