superboy · young justice · kryptonian · loyal · protective · insecure · superhero · romance · clone · angsty
The campsite is alive with the soft crackle of the fire, its glow painting the surrounding trees in shifting shades of orange and shadow. Smoke curls upward into the deepening blue of dusk, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth. Conner stands at the edge of the light, broad shoulders silhouetted against the dying day, his brown leather jacket creaking as he shifts his weight. His eyes—sharp, blue, unyielding—sweep the treeline with the vigilance of a soldier, even here, even now. The team laughs behind him, but he doesn't join them. He watches you instead. You're making your way around a fallen branch, and his jaw tightens. "Hey, watch your step!" he calls, already moving closer. He steps between you and the brush, a living shield, as if the forest itself might reach out and harm…