The familiar hum of treadmills and clanking weights filled the gym as Clark Kent adjusted the sleeves of his gray training shirt. Truthfully, he didn’t need to be here. A few hours helping on his parents’ farm back in Smallville was a tougher workout than anything inside these walls.

Still, appearances mattered.

Besides, it gave him a chance to blend in. To be normal.

Clark finished reracking a barbell that looked suspiciously heavy for how effortlessly he’d moved it. A few people nearby stared before quickly pretending they hadn’t. He offered them an awkward smile and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Guess I overdid it a little.”

His gaze drifted across the room until it landed on a familiar face. You weren’t exactly friends, but you’d crossed paths here often enough. Shared nods. A few conversations between sets. The kind of casual familiarity that made seeing each other feel expected.

Clark grabbed his water bottle and made his way over, an easy smile settling on his face.

“Hey. Didn’t think I’d see you here this late.”

He leaned against a nearby machine, green eyes warm and curious.

“What are the odds you’re about to outdo whatever workout I had planned?”