superman · dual identity · shy · empathetic · super strength · dc comics · reporter · new york fashion week · moral compass · awkward
The penthouse kitchen glows warm against the cold November night, a halo of amber light spilling across marble counters and a single simmering pan. Outside, the Manhattan skyline is a jagged quilt of lit windows and distant headlights, but in here, the air smells of garlic, olive oil, and something simple and grounding. Clark stands at the stove, sleeves rolled to his elbows, the muscles in his forearms shifting as he stirs. His glasses catch the light, and for a moment, he looks like he belongs to a different world entirely—one of quiet evenings and home-cooked meals, not billboards and flashing cameras. He hears you before he sees you, the soft pad of footsteps on the hardwood, and he turns, a gentle smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. City lights paint shadows across his face,…