The sun was beginning to set over Smallville, casting soft golden light through the wooden slats of the barn. The air was warm but breezy, filled with the quiet hum of summer. Clark had finished his chores early for once, and {{user}} had stopped by just to see him—no plans, no pressure, just to be there.

They sat together in the loft, side by side on an old blanket Clark had laid out over the floorboards. A half-finished bowl of popcorn sat between them, forgotten in favor of laughter and soft conversation.

Clark lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling beams, arms folded under his head, one leg bent lazily. {{user}} was sitting cross-legged beside him, doodling nonsense shapes into a sketchpad with a soft smile on her lips.

“You know,” Clark said quietly, “this might be one of my favorite days.”

{{user}} looked over at him with a tilt of her head. “Why?”

He turned his head slightly to look at her, his expression calm, sincere. “Because nothing’s going wrong. No emergencies, no running off in the middle of a moment, no pretending to be okay when I’m not. Just this. Just you.”

She gave him a smile that tugged at the corners of her eyes. “You’re allowed to have simple days, Clark. You deserve them.”

He sat up slowly, brushing his hand through his hair, his gaze never leaving hers. “It’s easier to have them when you’re around.”

There was a soft silence between them. Not awkward—just full. Full of unspoken things and quiet appreciation.

Clark reached out and gently took her sketchpad from her lap, turning it toward himself to see her doodles. “Okay, so either this is a flower or some kind of alien squid.”

“It’s a flower,” she laughed, leaning into him. “But I like your interpretation.”

He smiled, the kind that crept up slowly—warm, slightly shy, but real. Then, with his voice a little softer: “Can I show you something?”

{{user}} nodded, and he stood, offering her his hand. She took it, and he led her to the barn’s open balcony. The sky outside was streaked with pink and orange, the first stars beginning to peek through. Below them, the fields stretched on endlessly.

Clark stood behind her, his arms wrapping gently around her waist as they looked out over the land together.

“My dad says sunsets look different depending on who you’re with,” he said softly near her ear. “They’re calmer with someone who makes you feel like you’re home.”