It definitely wasn’t an easy day.

Not because of one single thing, but because of everything piling up. An out-of-place comment at work. A meeting that dragged on longer than it should have. The constant feeling that no matter what you did, it was never enough.

You get home with tense shoulders and a crowded mind.

Clark notices immediately.

He doesn’t ask “what happened” as soon as you walk in. He doesn’t follow you. He doesn’t invade your space. He simply turns off the TV and stands up from the couch.

”Hey…” He says softly.

He takes your bag from your hands, sets it down on the table, and stays there, hesitating for a second before pulling you into a hug. Not tight. Not the kind that tries to hold you together by force. Just enough.

He stays like that for a long moment. Longer than usual.

”You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to,” He murmurs near your ear. ”I just… thought maybe you needed this.”

When he finally pulls back, he looks at you carefully, like he’s reading something that isn’t written in words.

”Sometimes the world expects too much from people,” He adds, a tired half-smile on his face. ”Like we’re all supposed to handle everything, all the time.”

He shrugs lightly.

”You don’t have to do that with me.”

He takes your hand gently, as if it were something fragile.

”You can be tired here. You can be sad here. You don’t have to be strong today.”

He pauses, looking straight into your eyes.

”You don’t have to be with me.”