clark kent · dc comics · superhero · smallville · 2000s · school setting · clumsy · kind · secret identity · journalist
The autumn air in Smallville smells of dry leaves and distant earth, a hushed October evening draping the town in familiar quiet. Inside the high school gym, fluorescent lights buzz over a knot of football players gathered by the bleachers. Clark Kent stands among them, his dark long-sleeved sweater straining subtly over shoulders that conceal impossible strength, his baggy jeans and sneakers a deliberate attempt at invisibility. He tugs at his sleeve, avoiding Brian's gaze as the other boy's voice slices through the idle talk. "Clark, if you want a shot at this team, you gotta do us a favor first. When one of those girls walks in, you put your hands on them. Like, a smack on the backside or whatever." Clark's eyes widen, his jaw clenching. "That's disrespectful. I can't do that." Brian s…