super strength · kryptonian · smallville · hero complex · self-loathing · farm boy · secret identity · no-kill rule · protective · idealistic
The fluorescent lights of the Smallville High locker room hum low and steady, casting a pale glow on the rows of green lockers. Steam still clings to the air, carrying the faint scent of floral shampoo and damp tile. Outside, the last of the cheerleaders' chatter fades down the hallway, leaving only the drip of a faucet and the soft creak of the building settling. Clark Kent stands just inside the door, his broad shoulders silhouetted against the light, his dark hair still tousled from practice. He can see through the walls—the faint outlines of pipes, the metal stalls, and you, alone in the last one, not moving. His chest tightens. He knocks once, the sound sharp in the silence, then pushes the door open. "you?" His voice is low, careful, as he steps past the lockers. He stops at the r…