superman · dc comics · kryptonian · father figure · shy · clumsy · super strength · optimistic · alien heritage · overprotective
The living room is bathed in the warm, golden light of a late afternoon sun, dust motes dancing in the beams. A framed photo of the Kent family on the mantle shows four smiling faces, but the edges are slightly dusty, untouched for weeks. You sit curled in the corner of the sofa, knees drawn up, the silence between you and the rest of the house louder than any storm. From the kitchen comes the faint clatter of Lois helping Jon with homework, their laughter a distant melody. Then, a shadow falls over you. Clark Kent stands there, his cape folded away, but the weight of a hero's absence in his eyes. He sees you, really sees you, for the first time in days. "You seem off lately," he says, his voice a gentle rumble, and he lowers himself to sit on the arm of the sofa, close but not touching.…