Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

JACKSON KENT OR JACE as he liked to be called had barely spoken to a grandmother over the last year, which he was now beginning to regret.

The priest's potentially holy words sounded like pure air, nowhere to be seen or heard but you knew it was there. As Jace stared at the dark brown coffin where his grandmother lay peacefully, her favourite pearls, the pair her mother had gotten from her mother rested against her neck and there was not a hair out of place. When the Kent's had their private time in a small room in the back of Smallville's church to say their goodbyes, they couldn't believe Martha Kent was dead especially when she looked beautifully alive as if she was just napping like she did on her porch with the sun on her worn skin.

While Jace gazed at all the different grains of the polished wood pointless questions began to drown out the priests' words. Like how or why Martha Kent was no more in this world or why his parents had an obsession with boy names starting with J's and he selfishly wondered why Superman had not saved his grandmother.

As everyone held red or white roses in their hands without a care of thorns sinking into their human flesh Jace held a daisy. The bright yellow was a stark contrast amongst the sea of black and white. Despite not knowing his grandmother as much as he liked, he withheld a grimace at the roses because if anyone actually knew Martha they would know daisies were her favourites and roses only reminded her of her late husband, Jonathan Kent.

The skinny stem was fragile and would snap if a gust of wind blew near him, but Jace would protect it from everything. The two feet drop felt longer than it was and Jace stayed still watching the yellow daisy that landed on it's mark and could faintly remember the soft and endearing smile of his grandmothers.

After a moment he stepped away from the dark coffin and slipped away from the large crowd, it seemed as if the whole town had congregated at the cemetery in memory of the great Martha Kent. His movements were quiet and breathy like air simply moved out of his way and he soon found himself in a small area shielded by old trees full of life.

"Jace," the soft-spoken voice of one of his younger brothers, Jordan spoke. His small hand light on his shoulder made him look away from the trees and to him. Jordan was the youngest child and looked like it with his chubby cheeks, dark curly hair, and blue eyes. He looked more like their father, Clark Kent than Jordan's older twin brother, Jonathon looked like since he was blonder and the more athletic of the twins.

Jace might've been the one that looked exactly like their father, but he was different from the rest, similar to Jordan he dealt with overwhelming emotions but as the older brother he had to hold it together. Jace was dependable, loyal and the jokester brother but unlike his sport-inclined brother Jon, he was an artist and found his escape in classic novels and strumming his guitar.

Losing their grandmother was hard on all the Kent family members even if they didn't see Martha Kent that much. It was hard to hate or become annoyed with the old woman who smiled like flowers and was sunshine personified. She listened with a keen eye and a gentle smile and had helped lighten the hole that Lois Lane and Clark Kent had unknowingly left behind in their three children as work and other responsibilities became too much on them.

"I'm coming," Jace reassured his younger brother and they walked off, the crowd of black swallowing the two teens hole. The ceremony had ended and Martha Kent was officially now six feet under, left to decay by the side of her late husband.

Smallville's residents joined the Kent family at the massive corn farm that had belonged to the Kent family for years to socialize and commemorate.

After the first of many, "I'm sorry for your loss," Jace left the strangers behind and isolated herself in the house where not even a soul resided as people were just arriving. The house was smaller and silent than usual, soft jazz didn't play in the background and the old floral wallpaper was peeling, leaving behind a trail of grey. Photos of his father in various stages of his life were hung up by his grandfather, and through the multitude of family photos, you could tell how close and loving the Kent family were.

It was a similar thing in their home in Metropolis where his mother hung up all sorts of photos of them together, Jace hated it since it showed what he would call a false idea of the Kent-Lane family. They were close, as most families could be but it was hard when both his parents were hardly around since they had high demanding jobs and he knew his parents didn't realize how far apart they had let them become.

Jace leaned against the kitchen counter, a heavy sigh slithered out of his plump lips and he ran his hand through his dark curls, his elbows digging into the cold white tiled counter. His hand dragged down his face, he was bored, sad and angry – a common combination of feelings for the oldest son of Clark and Lois.

He wanted nothing more than to be in his room, sitting in his red beanbag, Metallica and the likes blasting with his hands firmly on his guitar and his fingers numb from hours of strumming. But he couldn't, not because it was impolite to leave a funeral or his parents would kill him for ditching, but no his guitar was still in Metropolis. He didn't think he would need it so bad when he'd only be gone for a few days - how wrong he was.

He scanned the counter and a shit-eating grin replaced the frown at the sight of the dark-coloured liquid sitting innocently in an ornate glass bottle on the counter near platters of finger food, cheese and fruits that hadn't yet been brought outside for the guests.

'Oh rum my dear old friend, how I've missed you,' he mentally cheered as he reached for the bottle and unscrewed the top and took a sip. The burn down his throat was familiar and he welcomed the spicy aftertaste that would be stuck in his mouth for hours to come. He was a somewhat popular kid in Metropolis and that meant attending a lot of parties especially since his friends were raging party kids with rich parents who didn't care what they did on the weekends. Jace wasn't a drinker, only at parties...and funerals it seemed.

The intense taste lingered in his mouth even after eating a leafless strawberry that lay on the platter and soon one sip turned into ten and another strawberry or two later Jace was feeling much better. He wasn't a lightweight by any means, he was quite proud of his tolerance, but a few sips made him feel better and whiskey is strong with it's high alcohol content.

Jace held the bottle near his stomach as he gazed outside seeing people talk amongst themselves as his parents were doing the rounds with forced smiles. He brought the top to his mouth, it just touching his bottom lip.

"You shouldn't be drinking that little one. It's not good for you." a voice spoke, preventing him from taking another sip. He froze at the unfamiliar voice but relaxed seeing it wasn't his oblivious father. There was a hint of an accent in the clearly male voice, it was low yet there was a hint of playfulness in it.

The young man departed his lips from the bottom and held the bottle tightly in his grip as he turned around, his tailbone resting against the tiled kitchen counter. He looked at the man, the stranger, a handsome one at that – Jace wasn't sure that Smallville housed anyone younger than 30.

He was tall, god he was tall and the all-black suit he had on fit him like a glove. Black seemed to shroud him in mystery and it made his dark eyes glow. His black dress shirt strained against his chest and his sleeves were folded up, showing off his wide arms as they rested crisscrossed across his strong chest as he leaned against the threshold of the door. Long soft dark brown was brushed behind his ears and it reached his sharp jawline that was dusted with a week-old beard. His face was neutral yet his eyebrow furrowed slightly worrying but there was no recognition in his eyes just a hint of amusement.

He was devilishly handsome and he reminded Jace of a fallen angel with his sharp features and he wanted to yell at God for ever letting such a creature leave his presence to walk amongst mortals.

A self-deprecating smirk graced Jace's face as he shrugged at the man's words, "maybe, maybe not," he replied, he didn't really care if it was good or bad for him, it helped and that's all that mattered.

The man walked forward and stopped right in front of him and took the bottle of expensive rum from his hands and Jace let him take it, curious at his next move. He glanced up at the slightly taller figure under his long black eyelashes. The man in front of him glanced down at him with a similar look as he pulled the bottle to his lips and took a sip and his dark eyes never left his. With his closeness, Jace his eyes weren't a nut brown as he thought, they were completely black and seemed to swallow him whole into an abyss. Jace could already tell he was a goner as soon as their eyes met.  He also wasn't expecting the stranger to take a sip, he thought he would hide the bottle and end up telling his father.

When the man stopped drinking, he placed the bottle on the counter and Jace could feel the slight caress of the man's muscular arm against his chest. Confidence oozing off the younger man, Jace looped his pointer finger in the man's expensive slacks belt loop and pulled the man closer to him. The man was tense against his body, an amused smirk on his lips which told Jace he wasn't uncomfortable with his advance just curious about what he would do.

Jace leaned up, his mouth now inches away from the nameless man's ear and whispered suggestively, "Having bad things once in a while is good for the soul. Like you..."

Jackson Kent was a flirt, through in through, maybe it was the slight self-esteem issues that made him see himself as lesser because of his parents. Or the fact he was open about himself with his sexuality, even if his parents didn't know, he chalked it up to them assuming. So, he hid his feelings behind a mask of indifference, jokes and flirtation.

A deep chuckle resonated from the man's lungs and he pushed Jace flush against the counter and it dug into his back pleasantly, "Maybe, maybe not."

The 'come find out' wasn't uttered but Jace could tell it was something the older man wanted, the want was clear in his dark black eyes. So Jace wrapped his hand around the man's neck, pulling him towards him and met his lips with a similar need. A tingling sensation ran through Jace's entire body, it had been so long since he had felt another's lips against his or another's hands pulling at his curly hair. It felt wrong to touch him and not because of the apparent age gap but it was something else like he would be cursed if he did.

He had almost forgotten what it was like and the stranger had no issue showing him how capable he was, as he deepened the kiss, his lips moving against Jace's with a gentle yet needy urgency. The stranger's lips burned against his, more than the rum he had just had and the spicy taste of alcohol became intense, and it made Jace's head spin. He could also taste the faint smoky sensation of taboo but it was soothed with the sweet taste of strawberries.

In that moment of sweet and bad, nothing else mattered – not the fear of being caught or the overwhelming sense of grief. There was only that moment, the heat and electricity between the two strangers.

Jace's hand ran up the spanse of the man's back feeling the ridges of muscles underneath, hiding from him with the thin black dress shirt. It then crept to his neck and tousled in his black soft hair and his fingertips were gentle against the stranger's scalp, which was a stark contrast to the passionate battle their lips were locked in.

With every move, they swallowed each other's moans and groans, and the stranger was the only thing grounding Jace to the Kent farm and the digging pain of the kitchen counter in his hip.

The kiss lasted for what felt like an hour, their lips parting only for brief moments to catch their breath that the other seemed to be happily stealing. After they finally broke the desire-filled kiss, light blue met dakr brown matching soft grins. They both knew it was the only time they would see each other and had used it to their advantage, pulling hours and soft moments into one kiss and they were satisfied with that.

The stranger's rough tongue ran across his own lower lip and Jace's eye followed the movement, heat rushing to his cheeks and unfortunately his lower groin. "Mmh, strawberries," the tall man smirked at the slightly shorter male, and he reached over and grabbed a strawberry, placing it gently on his lips and bit into it. "I love 'em," he said, a smug smile on his face and Jace could now pinpoint the rough accent, he was British.

If Jace wasn't in love already, he sure was now. Long hair was his first weakness but to add British into the mix, he was a goner. Jace didn't know why he was into Brits, maybe it was the elegance or the accent – okay it was definitely the accent. He was sensitive to sound despite his love for loud music.

"Me too," Jace smirked and went to grab a strawberry but the man just placed the rest of his half-eaten strawberry in his mouth. The gesture took Jace by surprise but the smug smirk on the man's face annoyed him so he took the whole stemless strawberry into his mouth, his tongue gently touching the pad of his finger.

Jace would've smirked at the darkening of the man's already black eyes if it wasn't for the fact he was now sucking on his finger. Before the man could get too wrapped up in his desires and take the next step, the daze lifted and he stepped back, his hand falling to his side.

"Uh- sorry, it's been a long day," the man said as he rested his back against the kitchen island, mirroring Jace's posture. It was if he realized what was going to happen which would leave to both suits on the floor right in front of the window for everyone to see and Jace felt a possieve feeling come over him. He nodded in understanding but he was still slightly disappointed but he reminded himself he was at a funeral and he also had no idea who the man was in front of him but he was only going to be here for a few days, so it didn't matter who he hooked up with, right?

The man seemed to catch onto Jace's thoughts without him voicing them or perhaps he wanted to know more about the young man that seemed to have him wrapped around his finger with one simple 'innocent' look.

"I'm Alex," the man introduced himself softly and Jace thought it fit him and wondered if it was a shortened version of Alexander or something similar like his own name.

"Jace," he introduced, not even bothering with a handshake, they had just made out, it would be weird if they did. "Jace..." Alex softly tested the name on his lips, and Jace now officially loved hearing his name from Alex's mouth and he would've preened if not for hearing his father calling his name outside.

"I gotta go but I'll see you around...Alex," Jace said with a smirk, wiping his thumb over his lips and leaving out the backdoor leaving behind a slightly dazed and confused man. As Jace rounded the large house and saw his parents accompanying Kyle and Lana Cushing into the house and was thankful he went the backway. Lana and Clark used to be best friends but the Kents and Cushings hadn't seen each other for years.

As Jace walked around the busy crowd he was beginning to miss the rum bottle and his mysterious stranger especially once he saw his brothers walk off with a girl into the barn and found himself alone. Jace smiled seeing his brothers finally getting into some mischief, the barn was always off-limits when they visited and Jace always found it weird but he didn't care too much about the old farming business.

"Holy shit, as I live and breathe, is that Jackson bloody Kent or am I just tripping balls?" a familiar voice made Jace pause and a large grin overcame his face as he turned around with his arms out and he snarked, "You're always tripping balls, Si...from what I remember anyways."

Silas Reed stood in front of the Kent boy, his golden curls wild, happy dark brown eyes and his typical lazy grin on his tanned face. Jace had to admit he looked better in a suit than the baggy hoodies and ripped jeans he always saw the Reed boy in when he came to Smallville for the usual holidays. Silas Reed had been Jace's first and only friend in the small town of Smallville, they had met one day when Jace went out to the lake and Silas had found him in his spot. They kept in contact over the few years, texting each other every few days when either popped up in the other's heads and a mandatory Facetime call every first Monday of the month that Silas enforced.

Jace brought the slightly smaller boy into his large arms with a chuckle and was half tempted to spin him around, it had been a while since they had seen each other in person. "It's good to see you old friend," Jace muttered in Silas's ear and Silas tightened his hold on him.

When they finally had enough they pulled apart and Silas searched Jace's face and despite the charming white-toothed smile he had on, Silas could see the sadness in the boy's bright blue eyes.

"I wish this was under better circumstances, I'm really sorry about Martha, she was amazing," Silas softly said, his voice was rough and deep despite his young age, he had gone into puberty a lot younger than most and sprouted like a beanstalk but he was still an inch shorter than Jace - most were. Jace would've cringed at the words if they came from someone else but Jace knew he meant them.

"Thanks man, really. How-" Jace's words died in his throat when a loud crash echoed out through the farm and he saw a dirty blonde-haired girl running out of the barn, yelling "Help! Somebody help! The boys, their hurt"

Jace's protective instincts jumped out full force as fear clouded his mind and his heart pounded in his chest as he ran to the barn, not even glancing at the girl as he ran into the barn. His brothers were in danger and that meant nothing could stand in his way, he was deeply loyal and even though he didn't show or say it enough, his brothers and family meant the world to him.

The barn was empty besides a few old machines, and hay barrels but in the centre was a pile of large metal poles and Jace instantly knew his brothers were under there. His father and mother were right behind him and the three were at the poles instantly trying to see if they were hurt or not.

"Jon! Jordan!" Jace yelled and breathed out a sigh of relief when he heard the muffled voice of Jon, shouting out a "Yeah!"

With one glance at each other, Clark and Jace pulled a pole up together, grunting at the weight they pushed it to the side and peered down at the opening where a relatively unharmed Jon and Jordan lay and Jon the ever non-serious one pointed fingers at Jordan, "It was his idea."

Chapter Text

𝐉𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐉𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐀𝐍 𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐄 dumb that was sure, but to try and fix the internet router all to impress some girl? That was idiotic, even Jace hadn't been that whipped before but it just came with the territory of being Clark Kent's son who was head over heels for his wife Lois Lane.

But whatever the cause of the incident was, Jace was happy they were both okay but it seemed they weren't. And they were right in a sense, the drop and the weight of the poles should've seriously hurt them but they were completely fine, without a scratch - it was suspicious.

"You're saying all we have are mild concussions?" Jordan asked sceptically, a look of suspicion on his face. The paramedic nodded as he packed his belongings up and stated, "You two were lucky."

A moment of silence came over the family of five as the paramedics said their goodbyes and condolences to Clark. Jace looked over his younger brothers with a suspicious raised eyebrow.

"Come on, boys. Let's get upstairs, you've all had a long day," Lois stated softly, a hint of worry in her voice. Jordan and Jon shared a glance and without saying anything they left the living room and headed upstairs to their bedrooms leaving their parents to talk.

Jace stopped at the top of the stairs when his phone buzzed and he reached for it and pulled it out to see a message from Silas.

'Yo man there's a bonfire tmr night and you have to come I wanna introduce you to some people. It's at the old schuster mine. Also how are your brothers?'

Jace mulled the idea in his head and smiled, it would be good to go to a party before he went back to Metropolis and started school. So he responded, 'They're fine, just a little concussion. I'll be there at 7 :)'

Jace put his phone back in his jacket pocket and walked into Jordan's room where Jon was also in teasing Jordan about his new crush, Sarah.

"Okay, no, that is a Vulcan salute," Jordan defended himself, snatching his phone back from Jon and Jace smiled at his words. Jordan was a nerd and loved playing games and watching fantasy series while his brother didn't believe in any of it.

Similar to Jordan, Jace believed in everything, he had seen a man flying in a red and blue outfit saving people so it was hard not to believe any of it. Especially when he himself had done something impossible before.

"I gotta say, that's even worse. You're kind of a freak," Jon snided, shaking his head at his socially inept twin brother.

"If she doesn't understand the salute than I gotta say, no deal," Jace said making them look at him and Jordan smiled at his brother for his support. They used to watch reruns of Star Trek when it came up on TV.

Jon visibly rolled his eyes and Jordan said and snapped, "You know what? Something a lot freakier than me happened to us in that barn. Something we're not being told about. And it's up to us to find out what that is."

Jace watched Jon open and close his mouth, unsure of what to say but he just shook his head, patted Jordan on the shoulder and said, "Okay. Whatever, weirdo." He then walked out of the room and into his own and Jordan shucked his hands up exasperatingly.

"What do you think happened?" Jace asked as he sat on his bed, indulging his brother, the whole incident didn't sit right with him but he was also too happy they were okay to question it.

Jordan sighed and sat next to him and shrugged, "I don't know but something happened and it starts with the barn. Those poles should've killed us, but we just walked out fine? Yeah right and plus dad and mom are acting suspicious about it."

Jace couldn't help but agree, he had seen the looks they passed each other when they thought one of them wasn't looking. But when he lifted the pole off them alongside Clark, it felt like it was as light as paper so he wasn't sure how heavy they really were.

"Well I can come if Jon doens't want to figure it out but it'll have to be in the morning because I'm going to this bonfire at the mine tommorw night." Jace told his brother as he ruffled his dark head of curls and Jordan laughed lightly but pushed him away and swatted his hands.

"Yeah Sarah invited us and thanks for you know beliving me," Jordan replied softly, his parents treated him like glass when they found out he had social anxiety but Jon and Jace were the only ones that treated him the same. Jon's teasing did go a little far sometimes but they were twins so Jordan knew whatever Jon said it was just the heat of the moment or a joke but Jace had always been soft, just there leading an eye to the both of them. He had been the one to get them ready for school, helped them with bullies and homework and played football with them on the weekends when his parents were at work or too tired to function.

"Of course," Jace said pulling his brother into a hug as he looked outside with a frown on his face. Jace wasn't sure what happened but something was up and if it was what he thought it was then maybe he wouldn't be so alone anymore.

𝐉𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐀𝐍 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐃 𝐉𝐎𝐍 to come along with them to search the barn for an explanation but that didn't mean Jon was convinced something actually happened. "You really think Dad's hiding something from us?" Jon asked dubiously with a raised eyebrow at Jordan.

"We had all those poles land on us. Besides, how did he get them up off of us so fast, anyway?" Jordan replied and Jace waved at himself and flexed his muscles and Jon sent him a deadpan look and said, "Adrenalie, maybe? Like a soccer mom lifting a car king of thing becuase no where else Jace could or would lift something heavy, he's too lazy."

Jace clutched his heart in offence, "Rude. Last time I'm saving you a pair of knuckle heads and he pulled Jon into him and ruffled his hair, ignoring his squak of annoyance.

Jordan sent the pair a look that said he was done with them and said, "Dad can't put up a Christmas tree without falling off the ladder. And what's the thing he says every single time we come here?"

"Don't put your finger in that"? I don't know," Jon replied after a deep breath when he finally pulled himself away from his older brother. "Don't blow the speakers or make grandma deaf?" Jace replied, remembering the times his father always told him to tread lightly on the cords. Martha loved to hear the boy play but he had a habit of playing music too loudly.

Jordan rolled his eyes and said, ""Stay out of the barn," dumbasses."

"Jordan, what are we looking for, anyways?," Jon asked, still unsure of what they were even doing in the barn again.

"Just something unusual. Something out of place," Jordan replied, shrugging clearly unsure himself as he walked around the barn trying to find something. Jace twirled the heavy crowbar around in his hands and looked around obliviously but stopped when Jordan paused and kept putting his pressure on a floorboard that was making a noise.

"You hear that?" Jordan softly asked looking up at Jordan and Jace who nodded at the sound of the wood thumping, meaning there was something under them,

"The poles, they must have shifted the floor," Jon - the ever-skeptic, said but Jace stepped forward and suggested, "A trapdoor for a basement?"

They all kneeled and brushed away the old hey and dust and revealing a wooden door with an old lock shutting it so Jace put the crowbar under the latch and pulled up making the lock break. He pulled it open easily and the others stepped back and they all slowly walked down the crickety staircase with flashlights in hand.

"Is this how Nancy Drew feels?" Jace asked with a smirk looking at Jordan who smiled back, seeing how the plot was thickening and Jon rolled his eyes. "This is literally just an old cellar. It's probably Grandpa's old tool storage or something."

"You have no imagintaiton," Jace muttered as he looked at all the jars of random things on the shelf next to him while the others investigated more.

"Jace, Jon?" Jordan muttered and Jace looked through the empty space of the shelf to see a large covered object and if they weren't in a basement Jace would've thought it was a car hiding under there. Jordan and Jon pulled the sheet off it, revealing a sleek grey metal ship that hummed as Jon and Jordan took a step back. Jace came under and stood next to them protectively seeing as the metal seemed to shift like a wave.

"What is that thing? What are you doing? Do not touch that!" Jon rambled seeing his twin walk forward with his hand out and touch the ship while Jace pulled him back seeing the spot Jordan touch shift and shiver.

Jace started at in curious awe, similar to Jordan but Jon was freaking out - loudly. "Be careful," Jace muttered to Jon who stepped forward again and raised his hand and as the metal shifted like particles an orange stone revealed itself.

"What the fuck," Jace whispered as Jordan pulled his hand back staring at the yellow glowing rock in his hand.

"What the hell is that thing?" Jon asked, stepping forward and shining his flashlight on it, making the orange stone glow like amber.

"Whatever it is...It's not from Kansas," Jon uttered looking up at him and Jace scoffed looking back at the ship with a keener look, he had some practice working on cars and this was nothing he had ever seen before, in person or theory.

"Try this world," Jace said as he ran his hand over the ship and it shivered, the layer of metal contracting like a wave of particles.

They quickly made it out of the basement of the barn and with anger and confusion clutching at their hearts as they made their way to the parents who were talking in the family red truck unaware of the problem now falling in their laps.

Jordan led the charge as he stomped his way across the farm with Jace and Jon following behind him, looking for answers.

"So that's why? Why you never wanted us in the barn? 'Cause you keep a freakin' alien ship in there?" Jordan started yelling after their parents came jumping out of the truck.

"Look, I can explain," Clark rushes out but Jordan doesn't listen and says, "Yeah, can you? Can you explain how I fell 30 feet and nothing happened?"

Jon tried calming his brother down, trying to give their father some time to talk but Jordan wasn't having it and Jace was looking at his father, waiting for the answers his been silently looking for over the past year but was too afraid to ask.

"All you said is that we got lucky," Jordan said, pointing his finger at Clakre while Jon said, "Just give him a chance." Jon's pleas went through one ear and out the other while Jordan accused, "But that was a lie, wasn't it?"

Clark took a deep breath, nodded and answered, "Yes. Yes, okay? It was a lie....Look, that ship... brought me to Earth.Landed here in Smallville, right in those cornfields over there. I was sent here when my planet...Krypton, was destroyed."

"Krypton?" Jon repeated and Jace knew it wasn't a part of their galaxy, there weren't any planets named Krypton.

"Yes. Because I wasn't from here, I had certain powers. Your grandparents, they took me in. They raised me. They taught me how to control my abilities, and how to blend in until the day I was ready to leave and become who I was sent here to be." Clark explained truthfully and Jace looked away from the genuinity in his blue eyes and looked down at his hands, clutching and unclutching them in thought

"You're saying you're Superman?" Jon asked with a scoff and Clark nodded but Jordan didn't believe him and took a step forward and replied angrily, "No, I've seen Superman before. We've seen him."

As crazy as it sounded Jace knew Clark Kent, the obvious reporter who always seemed so weak was Superman. It made sense, the times he would leave and reappear dishevelled and the tiny smile that came on his face anytime Superman was shown on the TV or when his kids would say how cool he was. It would also explain the things that were happening to Jace, it all made sense.

Their father didn't say anything just took a deep breath like he was overcoming a personal enemy and took his glasses off and handed them to their mother. With one last look at his three children, he walked to the back of the truck, standing behind it for a moment as the other Kents watched in confusion.

Then he did the unbelievable, he lifted the truck up with one hand and then he was flying as he carried it over his head. Jace could see he was at least a few feet off the ground and he was carrying the tonnes over his head without a flinch, a sweat or a tremble.

Jace looked at his father with an open mouth in amazement but besides the amazement was anger and sadness. To keep such a massive secret for seventeen years was crazy as if their father didn't trust them enough. Jace found himself closing his mouth and his blue eyes turning white with coldness, he thought he didn't know his father that well before but now he knew he never knew him at all. Jace could understand the weight of the secret and what it really meant if it got out to the general public but they were his kids, they had a right to know their father was a godlike powered alien.

"When your father first told me, I didn't understand either," Lois told her sons as they looked at their father coming down, lowering the truck gently back on the earth floor.

Jace ignored the argument happening before his very eyes, Jordan yelling and his mother trying to calm him down. He was looking at his hands once again in a new light, he had powers and it all made sense. He wasn't a freak or a lab experiment gone wrong, he was just the son of Superman.

"All the things I've been feeling. You made me think I was crazy. They put me on pills!" Jordan cried out in pain which grabed Jace's attention.

"Your mental health has nothing to do with who your–" Jordan quickly cut off his mother as he yelled in response, "And how do you know that? I'm half human, half whatever the hell he is!"

Jace sighed softly seeing his brother cry, he was afraid and confused but like usual their dad made it worse by cutting in, "Do not yell at your mother, okay? This is not her fault. I'm the one that didn't want you to know."

"Why?" Jace asked confused, looking away from Jordan to their father.

"Because I knew what kind of burden it would be if you all had powers. Or worse, if one of you had them, and the other one didn't." Clark explained softly, his eyes lingering on Jonathan at the end.

Jordan and Jace caught onto the look and Jordan voiced up hurt, "You think he's the reason we survived yesterday."

"What are you talking about?" Jon asked cluelessly, he was always the last one to catch up on things.

Jordan took a step forward, his voice surprisingly soft but Jace could hear the pain in it, "Go on, Dad. Go tell Superboy here why he's really so perfect." Jordan stated, pointing at his brother, the golden boy of the Kent family and backed away.

Lois sighed and replied, "We thought your athletic talents could be latent abilities starting to emerge, and then yesterday..."

As Lois trailed off Clark finished it, "The only way that both of you survived that accident is for at least one of you to be like me."

"You wouldn't have it any other way, would you, Dad?" Jordan said, shaking his head and he started to head back to the house but Clark stopped him, calling out his name.

Jordan stopped then turned back around and yelled, "Don't try to talk to me, all right? You may have been sent here to be some hero, but you sure as hell weren't sent here to be a father."

With his peace said, he walked off and their father went to chase after them but Jon stopped him with a shake of his head and said, "Just leave us alone."

Clark's clear eyes trialled to his oldest son, they were pleading and hopeful he didn't feel the same way the twins did.

"I understand but I feel as if I don't know either of you. And can you honestly blame us?" Jace asked softly, shaking his head in disappointment at his parents, he knew why but that didn't make it easier. He didn't wait for an answer as he walked away, following his brothers up to the house.

Chapter Text

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐃𝐈𝐃𝐍'𝐓 talk to each other the entire day, still in their own heads trying to make sense of everything once the truth came out. Finding out your day is an alien superhero isn't an easy thing to get over so Jace was happy when he got a message from Silas about the party and how he was heading over. A party sounded like exactly what Jace needed at that moment, he could hold off the conversation he'd been dreading having with his father for months especially considering like usual he wasn't home.

So Jace took a quick shower, changed into a dark grey hoodless Nike sweater and black ripped jeans and threw on some white sneakers. He was fixing his curls when he heard the car horn from outside but Jordan stopped him before he could head down the stairs.

"Yo can you give me a ride?" He asked softly and Jace nodded and he heard a loud noise coming from Jon who stumbled outside his door trying to put his last shoe on. "Wait up!" he yelled and Jace rolled his eyes.

"Hurry up or I'm leaving you," Jace told them and walked downstairs, sighing in relief not seeing either of his parents and jogged outside to see Silas's rusted dark green Jeep he had gotten as a goodbye present from his dad when he left his wife for somebody younger. It was a terrible thing to do but Silas wouldn't say no to a car when he needed it so much since he played football and needed to go to and from training and the games.

"Yo man! Look what I got~" Silas sings after seeing his best friend jump in the front seat and he waved a small baggie in front of him.

Jace's eyes bulged as he snatched it out of his hand and hid it in his pocket when he heard Jon and Jordan come up to the car. Jace sent Silas a look not to say anything and explained, "They needed a ride,"

Silas rolled his eyes seeing as they got in the back and huffed and put the car into gear and drove away from the Kent farm with Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles playing softly. "We're so doing it right?" Silas asked discreetly as they stopped at a stop sign, the streets of Smallville were practically carless like most nights and even days.

Jace sent a smirk to Silas, "Just what I needed," he said as he leaned his head against the seat. What else do you do when you find out you are not crazy and everything that nearly ruined your life was because your dad is Superman if not smoke a cone?

With no traffic and Silas speeding, they made it to the mine quickly and Silas parked next to a small red car just outside of the mine.

"Be safe, text me if you need," Jace told his younger brothers who nodded and split off from the older boys and started talking to a brunette girl that Jace remembered was Sarah Cushing, Lana Lang's daughter, he hadn't seen her for a while.

Jace looked away from his brothers to Silas who was giving him an amused look so Jace nudged him and asked, "What?"

Silas just laughed as they walked away from the car and he said, "You're just such a cute brother."

Jace rolled his eyes and muttered, "Don't start."

Silas was an only child if you didn't count the two-year-old daughter his father had with his new wife- which he didn't - so he didn't know what it meant but it always amused him seeing the tough boy who was the biggest softie he knew, be protective over his brothers.

"Silas!" a feminine voice called out and Silas and Jace paused, looking around them to see where the voice came from but Silas saw them first and started walking and Jace followed along looking around the bonfire party, not giving the strangers a second look.

Jace nearly crashed into Silas back when he abruptly stopped and he didn't even need to tilt his head around Silas's golden curls. Two people stood in front of them, a girl and a boy that seemed close to each other as they shoved each other and glared at the other and Jace would've guessed they were siblings, twins even.

They had the same black hair, the boy having thick curls while the girl had long waves over her slender shoulders. They had similar skin tones that the raging fire lit up beautifully, it was a nice tan colour that made him wish he wasn't so pale. The fire also made the shorter girl glow etherally with the body glitter coating her body and enhancing her dark eyes.

But they were so very different, the boy wore all black, ripped skinny jeans with a red shirt and a black hoodie and faint scars littered his face and muscular hands while the girl had unblemished skin with a sparkle of freckles adorning her high cheekbones. The girl wore a silver chemise crop top with long flowy sleeves showing off her flat stomach and tight a white pleated skirt.

They were cute and looked like an interesting duo, Jace had to admit.

"Cami! Axel!" Silas greeted them with a friendly smile letting Jace know they were his friends, he had mentioned them briefly during their chats and Jace was eager to meet them. "This is Jace, my old and greatest friend~" Silas teased and pulled Jace closer so he wasn't dwarfing the blonde anymore.

"Damn Sai, you never said how hot he was," Axel smirked as he shamelessly looked the blue-eyed boy up slowly. Jace wouldn't admit he was slightly disappointed that the hot boy who was currently checking him out didn't have a British accent but his Spanish accent was better than his annoying American one.

"Right you are dear brother. Sai can't be gatekeeping like that!" Camilla said, her accent was similar to the boy's but just more feminine but the flirty undertone was the same.

So they were siblings, Jace thought, he was pretty proud of his intuition.

Silas rolled his eyes and deadpanned at the girl, Camilla. and placed his hand on his heart dramatically, "Come on Cami, don't be like that. I just wanted it to be a surprise when you guys met." He then smirked at her and pointed at her, moving his pointer finger up and down as he said mockingly, "Also sorry to say but my man Jace ain't into all that."

The boy's grin revealed Cheshire Cat's grin with how wide it was and the girl rolled her eyes. She cocked her hip and said, "Please we all know I'm all that."

Jace found himself nodding at her words, he might be exclusively into men he could appreciate the female body and Camilla was drop-dead gorgeous. He could already tell she was the unofficial leader of the trio with how headstrong she seemed to be and she was a spitfire, confident in herself which probably meant she was academically or sport-inclined and was on top of the hierarchy at school. He could see how popular she was with how many people's eyes lingered on her and the amount of them had smiled and waved at her and she waved back.

The boy, Axel pushed his sister out of the way while he muttered, "Smallviles gay population is now two, fucking finally!" They could all hear him 'whisper' it under his breath, Jace wasn't sure if the boy knew how to be quiet and he had just met him. He extended his hand out and Jace's eyes lingered on the scars marring his hands, he had to admit Axel looked like a delinquent especially with the smoke hanging out of his mouth. "I'm Axel, it's good to finally meet the famous 'Jace bloody Kent'," he said with a smirk and Jace took his hand and shook it with a smile.

𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐒' 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 quickly coming to an end and it didn't even take five minutes when it came crashing down in the form of his younger brother that somehow always found himself getting into trouble despite his almost crippling social anxiety. A trio of boys were pushing and yelling at Jordan while Sarah Cushing stood to the side and Jace could tell it had something to do with her because it usually is about a girl. Jace wanted to sigh, he hadn't even had a single sip of alcohol or a wift of the bud before one of his brothers was causing trouble.

The fight brought forth a crowd and people pulled out their phones to film instead of trying to stop it which was expected by a bunch of intoxicated teenagers.

Jace could feel his anger spike seeing a tall, dark-skinned boy that was probably a jock from the macho front he was putting on take a swing at Jon. He strode over seeing Jon tackle the boy and pulled the boy off Jon who was trying to punch him from behind. He threw the boy down onto the ground and shot him a glare and pulled Jon up, stopping him from punching the boy.

"Enough is enough Jon," Jace told his heavy-breathing brother who was glaring at the boy on the floor groaning. The oldest Kent son was looking around at the phones pointing at them, he didn't need this blowing up, even if Jon didn't think about the consequences of his actions he did. Jon could get suspended from Football and he was so close to getting his name out to scouters.

His blue eyes darted around for his other brother, Jordan and his jaw clenched roughly seeing another boy kicking and punching Jordan into the ground. He let go of Jon and rushed over and tackled the boy off his brother and started punching him, blood flying off the boy's face onto his own. Every cheer and yell of protest became background sound and the only important sound to him in that moment was hearing the boy cry and his bones crack.

Jace never thought of himself as a violent person, he preferred to be the silent protector of his family and try to stop fights before they broke out. But that conflicted with his love for his family and the loyalty he had for them and the fact nothing seemed impossible or too immoral if it would help his family.

He knew he needed to stop if he didn't want to cave the boy's head in and seriously damage him but he wanted to keep going. Looking back Jace probably wouldn't have stopped if not for a large bang echoing through the area and the bonfire seemingly exploding.

His hearing went haywire, as everything turned to static, a long prolonged shriek and his eyesight going blurry from being blinded. The blast caused a few people close to it to fly a metre away. The blast even knocked him off the near unconscious boy beneath him.

The rest of the night went like a blur, the fire department came down and the Kent brothers were fine, nothing too serious. Their father had raced over and took them home and thus the explanation of what happened went down and Jordan's powers came to light.

It shocked Jace to know his youngest brother now had powers, if he was honest he thought Jon would've had them instead but he hoped this would boost Jordan's esteem issues. But he could also smell the potential disaster it would cause in the family of five.

𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐎𝐑 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍 as the Kent brothers now found out had gone to do a quick look at the mine to see if the fire had quelled. When he came back he was tired and confused, someone was after him and they knew about his Krypton past and his real name. He wanted to go to sleep for a week, even if he didn't need sleep so he didn't expect to see his oldest son sitting on the bannister of the porch, seemingly waiting for him. Clark was reminded of the time he sneaked out for the night to hang out with Lana and his father waited for him on the porch with the day's paper in his hands - he felt like a little kid in trouble.

"Hey, why are you up so late?" Clark asked as he walked up the small stairs to the wrap-around porch. He was sure he heard his son in his room reading when he left.

Jace shrugged and just looked back up to the starry sky, it was different from the one in Metropolis where he hardly saw any stars due to the light population in the city. "Just thinking about everything," he answered after an awkward silence (in Clark's opinion).

Clark leaned against the bannister and he spoke, "Hey I know i haven't been the best person or father for you or your brothers but know i'm trying and i'm going to keep trying. I understand your mad at me for not telling you the truth about who I am but I'm still your father and I did it because I thought i was protecting you. But after this incidnet I know I was wrong."

"It's okay, I understand and I can see you trying," Jace said, not entirely in the mood to have this conversation as he kept going back to the bonfire. He glanced at his hands which were now clean and free of the previous bruising.

"Soo I was thinking about how we work on your car, like old times. We could a new music system in or some new tires-" Clark started to ramble and it brought a smile to Jace's face and he said, "Sure, I'd like that."

Clark smiled at his oldest son, he wasn't blind to see their relationship had gotten a little estranged with his work, both cape and glasses work so he was excited to try and fix it. Maybe his mom was right all along, maybe Smallville would really be the place where they could become a family again.

But Jace stopped smiling as he looked back at his hands, he was thankful that his brothers didn't mention his slight breakdown but he knew it would come out and wanted to leave it for another day.

"Hey dad?" Jace asked softly and Clark looked at him and nodded to let him know he was listening so he continued, "Have you ever been able to move things with your mind? I know Superman can fly, shoot lasers and all that stuff but have you ever done something like that?"

Clark looked closer at his son, hearing his heartbeat jump rapidly and his clenched hands and the way he had shifted away from him. "Uh no, I haven't. I don't think any Kryptioan has used it before. Why do you ask?" He answered gently yet confused but he had an inkling of where the conservation was going and he wished it wouldn't go there.

"I uh used it once," Jace admitted quickly and he shut his eyes, thinking back to what happened.

Jace had been texting a college student for the past few weeks and he knew he shouldn't have since he was still 16 and was a few years younger than him but it was the first time he had met someone that was interested in guys that didn't go to his school in Metropolis. They had bumped into each other at a cafe and quickly exchanged numbers and Jace knew it was overly cliche but it wasn't like he was looking for a relationship because he knew it would never work in the first place.

Jason was kind despite being rough around the edges, and funny and loved reading old English literature books and liked caramel lattes and he was the reason why dark curls were Jace's kryptonite. After weeks of texting and letting out everything to the other, they found it so easy to talk to the other about everything and anything that bothered them. They had complained about school, teachers, their families and about the way he hated the rain. He invited Jace to a party, a college party to be exact and Jace didn't think anything bad would happen, he trusted Nate and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to finally hook up.

So that's what they did, they had a few drinks in their system and went up to one of the empty rooms and explored each other's bodies to their heart's content. That was also the beginning of Jace's infatuation with older guys, Jason was so much more knowledgeable about being with a guy compared to the kids at his school and the few guys who thought they might be bi and fumbled with blushed cheeks.

Jace felt like he was on cloud nine on top of Jason as he rid him and as his body tingled, his mind blanking and his stomach tightening with every dirty word leaving Nate's plump lips and the way his hands trailed against his tanned scarred skin, feeling all sorts of ridges and curves on his toned body. So he wasn't sure if what he was seeing and doing was real or just some sort of sex-hazed dream. He felt like he was floating and he could see the books lying on the table and their crumpled clothes on the floor were hovering off the floor.

But then Jason leaned up and nibbled on his nipple making his mind go back to the earth-shattering pleasure the man was giving to him and like that, he came - hard. With a strangled moan, everything seemed to fall back into place with a thud and Jason looked up at him with hooded emerald green eyes and a smirk, he pushed him back down and kissed him, pushing the floating accident to the back of his mind.

"I don't know what happened but everything just started to float and when I blinked it went back to normal. I thought I was going crazy for a little bit till I experimented and it's a little hard to do but it works," Jace explained, the lies falling out of his mouth quickly, he didn't want to tell the real story.

He looked over to his father who had a raised eyebrow and his thinking face on for everyone to see. Thinking his father didn't believe him, he lifted his hand and furrowed his eyebrows, pushing his contraction to the pebbles and dirt below them and slowly raised his hand. The pebbles shook for a second and they began to rise with a swirl of dirt accompanying them. Clark looked on in amazement, he had never heard of a Kyprtoian doing something like that, he would need to talk to his father about it.

"Amazing," Clark muttered, watching his son swish his hand around, controlling the rocks with seeming ease.

Chapter Text

𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐃 for the past week (his parents found out he had punched a boy's face in) and his whole world seemed to flip upside down. It didn't really matter since they had been spending the last couple of days packing up their things in Metropolis to move to Smallville.

Clark had made the executive decision to move back to his former family home but not everyone was happy. Jon was angry, rightfully so, he had worked years to build his sports career only for it to come crumbling down all because of Jordan - in his opinion. Jordan didn't really care, he didn't have much of a life in Metropolis.

Jace on the other hand didn't know how to feel, he understood the reasons for moving to Smallvile, how much better it would be for them to learn control over their powers without the noise and non-privacy the city granted them. But he would be giving up his old life in exchange; his friends, his school where he was high on the food chain, good hookups and due to his grounding he couldn't even say goodbye properly. There was no doubt he would've set up a goodbye party but his parents shut the idea down before he could even ask.

The only good thing about Smallville was Silas. Then maybe Cami and Axel who he had been getting to know better through text in the group chat Silas had made with all four of them. Silas had said the school wasn't that bad, the football team was okay and they had a good English and music class. So, there was a silver lining in it Jace had to admit.

There was also a slight problem, the guy he hooked up with at the funeral, he had no idea who it was and he would throw a pity party for himself if the hot guy was somehow friends with his dad, he was much too old to be a student which he was thankful for. He didn't like hooking up with people from his school because it caused too much drama but it rarely happened since he liked older guys. Despite his wishes, he knew it was going to bite him in the ass sooner rather than later, everything seemed to go wrong for the oldest Kent son.

Jace's room was filled with half-empty boxes, random pieces of clothes strewn about and his two guitars standing on their stands in the corner of his room after he cleaned them. He glanced around the room and sighed, the worst thing about moving was packing and unpacking, to think seventeen years could be packed up in a few boxes and two suitcases.

He shook his head, grabbed the coke his mum had gotten from the diner for their makeshift dinner and put his phone in his back pocket before walking down the stairs to finish his dinner. He had gone up to take his shoes off.

"You want me to call Coach Gines?" he heard his father ask Jon as he sat down next to him, grabbing a few fries and shoving them in his mouth.

"No, no, it's fine," Jon answered with a tired look.

"I only got two of the AP classes I wanted, and they put me in Spanish instead of French," Jordan complained and Jon shrugged, "I haven't even looked at my schedule yet."

"Mine's okay, got AP english, AP history and music thankfully," Jace replied before taking a bite of his chicken burger. He wouldn't call himself a vegan but he didn't eat any other meat besides chicken, don't ask him why - he just hated the taste of beef.

"Yeah, I'm sure it's just as crappy as mine," Jordan told Jon and lamented, "I wanted AP english too."

Jace could feel his dad's eyes on him and looked up from his burger and watched his parents share a look. Clark cleared his throat, "We actually wanted to talk to you about school, anyway."

"We have some concerns with you going right now," his mum said, patting Clark on his arm and offering support.

"Isn't that why we moved here?" Jordan asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"No, we came here so that your father and I would be around more and we'd have more time to spend together as a family," Lois said, shutting him down and Jace withheld rolling his eyes. He loved his parents but he also thought there was no point in having kids if you knew you wouldn't be able to fully be there for them. They both had important jobs and it would've been clear to see they wouldn't be able to have three kids and do their job, regardless of Superman activities.

"And to live in a safer place for me to teach you about your powers and the reason you have them," Clark said, looking at Jordan and Jace nodded along hoping it wouldn't be pointed at him. He had some ability to move things but he didn't show any other signs of the other known Superman abilities.

"Well, what do I need to learn? I'm a little stronger. So what?" Jordan shrugged defensively.

"You're a lot stronger, and you've had an ocular release of energy," Clark bluntly told him and Jordan scrunched his eyebrows up and asked, "A what?"

"Is that seriously what it's called?" Jon asked and Jace let out a laugh at the ability name.

Lois sighed and said, "It doesn't matter what it's called. He almost hurt a bunch of kids."

"It was an accident. I don't even know how it happened." Jordan told them and Jace kept quiet at that.

"That's exactly our point," She said.

"So I'm just not gonna go to school?" Jordan asked annoyed, his voice going up a level at their words. Jace winced at that, he hated school like most kids but it would be hard to be settle if he didn't show up with them, he would be an outcast again.

"Until we know how to keep it from happening again, yes. You won't be going either Jace, not until we figure out your ability." Clark said and Jace choked on the burger and looked up with a glare. He swallowed and let out an angry, "What? I've got control, I've only had one outburst."

"No, we need to run tests. We don't know if you'll have similar abilities to Jordan or me and until you tell me the truth of the outburst then I can't trust it was only one," Clark said and Jace shook his head and threw the half-eaten burger on the table and stood up, his chair scrapping against the table.

"That is the truth. It was one time, no one got hurt or knew it happened," Jace defended himself, he didn't appreciate being treated like a guinea pig or something dangerous. If he wanted to hurt people it would be with his fists, not some power.

Clark let out a deep sigh, clearly not believing him but Jace wasn't going to tell him. Sure, he was free with his sexuality but his family didn't know, he knew Jon was suspecting but he just wasn't ready to tell them or rather he didn't care enough to tell him. He wasn't different just because he liked guys and he really didn't want to have that conversation but he wasn't going to tell his stuck-up dad he found out he had powers after having sex with a college student.

Jace shook his head, grabbed the half-drunk coke and walked back upstairs, leaving them to watch after him. Jace was usually the most level-headed except when one of his brothers was in trouble so it was uncommon sight to see him get mad.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐄, was a lot calmer about the new situation after a good sleep. He understood his father's reasonings but that didn't mean he had to be happy about it, he wanted to go to school with his friends and go back to normal. His father had woken him up and told him to wear something warm and then left, Jace was surprised he didn't bring up his outburst. Since he couldn't go to school and ultimately smoke weed with Silas he decided to listen.

His movements were sluggish as he put on black skinny jeans (his only pair without rips in them), a plain white shirt and a grey sweater vest and brought a woolly jacket along if it was going to be that cold. He had no idea where he was going or why they needed to dress warmly when Smallville had hotter weather than Metropolis did. He assumed they were going somewhere and he hoped it involved flying since he didn't want to be in a car for so long. He might've liked fixing cars but he hated long rides.

He slipped on black boots, grabbed his phone and walked down the stairs to see his younger brother off to school, he withheld the tinge of envy that his brother was going. Jace didn't know why he was so upset about not going to school, maybe it was because he didn't want to be the black sheep anymore.

He wasn't as much a black sheep as Jordan felt but he was the oldest, he didn't have a twin and he was the artist of the family whereas Jon was the athletic one and Jordan just wanted to play games and be a journalist like mum. Jace didn't want to be either of his parents or follow in their footsteps, he hated journalism and the news and despite learning his father was a superhero, he didn't want to do that either. He just wanted a normal life where he made music and art.

Jace leaned against the foundation of the wrap-around porch as he stood on the lower stairs, watching his younger brothers interact and say their goodbyes. He knew it would be strange for them to part on the first day, they were really close despite their differences and twins just had a different bond - one he would never understand. They were each other's protectors and physical formations of support for the other even if Jon played it off.

"You know what? I just realized something...I think this is gonna be the first time I've ever gone to school without you." Jon told Jordan with an awkward smile, trying to not show how their separation was affecting him but Jordan just scrolled through his phone.

"Yeah, it is. It's kind of weird," Jordan shrugged with an equally awkward smile and Jace pushed off the bannister and wrapped his arm around Jordan's shoulders sent Jon a smile and said, "Have fun and stay out of trouble, Jonny-boy."

Jon rolled his eyes with a smile and patted Jace on the shoulder with a nod, "Of course big brother."

Jace heard both his parents walk out of the house towards them and Clark pointed at Jordan's phone which was in his hand and said, "No phones today." He looked at Jace who rolled his eyes but nodded after seeing his father's raised eyebrow.

Jace, Jon and Clark watched Jordan get babied by Lois as she put a green beanie on top of his dark curls and said, "Hey, try to keep an open mind, all right?"

Clark, Jace and Jordan said their goodbyes to Jon and Lois as they separated ways for the day and then there they were flying. Flying was a strange but freeing thing, similar to being on a rollercoaster, your stomach lurches down and then upwards and goes all over the place. It was also a weird thing to cling to your father and brother flying across the country towards the Arctic.

The Artic was utterly beautiful, the first thing Jace noticed was the utter silence, broken only by the occasional shifting of ice. There's also a sense of isolation that slithers through the cold landscape with crisp and cleaner air than Jace has ever breathed before. The chill in the air seeps into your bones disregarding any layers you have on. Snow-capped mountains loom in the distance, their peaks obscured by wisps of clouds.

Clark finally let go of his son's and without a word started walking towards a large cave opening a couple of metres in front of the trio. The ground beneath their feet was a mosaic of frozen textures, hard and rocky, with patches of ice glinting in the sunlight. Intricate patterns etched into the ice, formed by wind and weather over countless years and each step taken echoes softly accompanied by a quiet creak in the ice.

"Why'd you take us here? I definitely should have worn better shoes," Jordan yelled over the swirls of icy air but Clark just smirked and didn't offer a response and Jace just pulled his jacket tighter around himself as they trekked through the snow towards a large cave opening.

Entering the cave alongside Jordan they looked around in awe at the different shades of blue ice around them, the sunlight shining through the ice making it easier to see ahead of them.

"What is this place?" Jace asked as he touched the ice walls in amazement.

"After my father died, I felt pretty lost. I had a lot of questions about who I was, and why I could do the things I could do. So I came here and found my answers. Maybe this place can help you two the same way it helped me," their father told them as he walked closer to a large ice-like altar in the middle of the cave Jace and Jordan followed behind quickly listening to him talk.

They watched him pull out a pretty red long stone and Jordan recognised it quicker than Jace did and pointed out, "That's the thing from the ship."

Clark nodded and explained, "It's a sunstone crystal. Think of it as a computer drive that contains the entire history of Krypton."

Jace and Jordan shared a look of confusion and rising boredom and Jordan couldn't help but snark at his father, "So you brought us to an igloo in the North Pole to read about Krypton?"

"Not "read" exactly. It's more like "experience."," Clark told him pointedly and pressed the red stone into the hole in the ice and a hologram like a thing appeared above it showing the trio a white city. Jace nearly jumped out of his skin when a deep voice echoed through the ice cave.

"Your family history begins in Krypton's second-largest city, Kryptonopolis. Over time, Krypton's natural resources began to dwindle, and environmental degradation threatened the planet's very existence. The ruling council of Krypton failed to take decisive action to address these issues. And hope was starting to wane. The planet's natural resources were reaching exhaustion," The voice spoke out, the hologram showing a failing planet core and then it reverted to the city, gunfire echoed out and bombs were dropped," As the people discovered Krypton's fate, peace devolved into war, accelerating the planet's ruin. Our home was lost...forever." With that last word, the hologram Kyptron exploded in tiny fragments and there was a heavy silence in the cave that was quickly broken by Clark, "It's a lot to absorb, I know." He placated, looking away from the hologram.

"How'd you know to do this when you came here?" Jordan asked softly and Clark smiled and answered, "My father showed me. Well, the AI of my Kryptonian father." He then turned around as he spoke, introducing a grey-haired man dressed in black with an 'S' crest on his chest, "Jace and Jordan, this is your grandfather. Jordan, the man you're named after, Jor-El."

"You brought your son's to me. Why?" The man, Jor-El asked out and Jace noticed it was the same voice as the hologram.

"Because unlike we thought, Father, they're manifesting abilities," Clark answered and the three of them watched Jor-El walk closer to them, with a watchful gaze. "Well, then... it is possible for us to further our Kryptonian heritage after all. And you two, Jordan and Jackson, you two will be the ones to do it."

There's another bout of heavy silence in the cave while Jace and Jordan had large smiles on their faces until a face pops up in Jace's mind, his younger brother, Jon. So he takes a step forward drawing everyone's attention to him as he asks the hologram of his grandfather, "That's great and all but what about Jon? Is there any way he could have powers like us?"

He looks at Clark for a moment and looks back at Jace before answering, "If they do not manifest then I'm afraid not."

Jace mulls his answer over and speaks up hesitantly, "But surely his Kryptonian DNA is laying dormant, could we use our DNA to kick start it or override it if it doesn't manifest? Maybe he just needs a stressful experience like Jordan." He liked science a lot better than maths but he wasn't a biologist especially not with Kryptonian DNA.

Jor-El taps his chin in thought and says, "Perhaps, I will look into it."

"Thanks pops," Jace says with a smirk.

𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 of the day at the 'Fortress of Solitude' and learning everything about Krypton their father was willing to share, the possibilities and dangers of their powers they flew back home. They were gone most of the day and arrived a little while after Jon finished school who clearly did not have a good day like Jordan and Jace did. It was solemn in the Fortress and talking about a dead planet and near dead race but Jace bet it was more interesting than school.

Jon didn't tell Jace and Jordan about his day, just tried to move the subject onto what they did at the Fortress and rambling on about how cool it was to have powers. They didn't get to talk for long before their mother, rushed them into the car to go to some council meeting in town. Jace had no idea why they were going since they had just moved into Smallville, let alone him and Jordan since they were supposed to be sick.

When they arrived at the Town Hall, Jace was staring down at his phone, thumbs moving as he texted Silas who was already inside with Axel and Camilla. Lois was near running with her heels on as she rushed inside, giving her sons a non-heated glare as she sternly said, "We won't be here long, so don't make a scene. No fighting."

Jace looked up with a roll of his eyes, putting his phone away, he didn't understand why they had to put up all these personas to befriend the townspeople who were somewhat wary of them. He nodded when her eyes passed over him and she walked off to grab a seat, he kept behind his brothers while they walked over to Sarah and her younger sister.

It was awkward watching Jordan try and somewhat flirt and see Jon try and be a matchmaker, he didn't understand what was happening because he thought Sarah had a boyfriend but all to their own. He patted them on their backs when he saw Silas wave at him from the back of the room sent a smile to Sarah and walked off towards his friends.

"Hey not cool. Ditching us on your first day," Silas started when he reached them and he scoffed, pushing a pouting Silas away from him and replied, "I didn't mean too, got a cold man."

"Then why are you here?" Camilla asked from the sidelines, her eyes stayed on Morgan Edge, the man who was driving his mom up the conspiracy wall.

"I don't know, does your mum do anything understandable?" Jace joked nudging her shoulder.

Cami's mouth quirked up with a smirk and she shook her head with a laugh and said, "Guess so."

"Oh look, he's so hot," Axel said, pointing at the back of someone who looked a little familiar. Silas looked over and grinned, grabbed Jace's arm and started dragging him towards the man. "Woah man," Jace started but Silas ignored him and said, "I know you're super worried about the English course so come meet the new teacher. He's pretty good!"

Jace let out a sigh but there was still a smile on his face, he really wasn't in the mood to socialise, especially with teachers right now. Spending the day in the Arctic took a lot out of him but luckily he hadn't had any signs of losing control.

"Yo, sir!" Silas called out and the man turned around and looked down at the pair with a smile and it somewhat faltered when he met Jace's similar expression. It was Alex, the man from his grandmother's funeral, the man he had made out like a teenager in heat... which he was. Of course, he made out with his new teacher, Jace wanted to bury himself into a six-foot hole and never come out and eventually die.

"Nice to see you again Jace," the man said after a beat of silence, gulping thickly making his adam's apple prominent. Jace would've swooned at his thick accent if it wasn't for the fact Silas was right next to him and he loved his best friend but he didn't want to explain how well he knew the teacher.

"You've met before?" Silas asks with a raised eyebrow, glancing between the two. Jace noticed the scared look in Alex's eyes and the strained smile and he felt bad.

"Yeah at the funeral." Jace answers Silas and turns back to Alex shakes his hand and says, "Jace Kent, sir. Silas told me you're the new English teacher?"

Alex's eyes widen as he looks Jace up and down pulls his hand away and gulps. "Oh um yeah, I'm Mr. Tough Grip there."

Jace shrugged, pushing an air of confidence out trying to fake an easy going smile, "...Thanks."

"It's really Smallville for a reason," Silas jokes, patting Jace on the shoulder and mock salutes Alex with two fingers and starts walking off, once again dragging Jace behind him.

Jace sat next to Silas while Axel slid into the empty seat next to him leaving the blue-eyed Kent in the middle. Jace leaned into the chair, his long legs stretched out in front of him, tiredness ebbing at his body and crossed his arms over his chest. Jace closed his eyes and laid his head on Axel's shoulder, not caring about whatever the town council or Morgan Edge had to say.

He knew his mother would be complaining about whatever happened all through the car ride back and continue talking about it when they got home. He was unaware of the eyes watching him cuddle into his new friend's shoulder, wondering if it was as romantic as it looked, even though he shouldn't he hoped it was platonic.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 news was given to both Jordan and Jace Kent - they would never be like their father, they would never be proper Kryptonian, Because as stated by their Grandfather, "Jace and Jordan will never have enough power to produce these abilities on command. Their human DNA is just too limiting." It didn't matter that Jace had used a new ability unheard by Kryptonian, he had never shown any of the other 'normal' Kryptonian powers and his telekinetic abilities were sparse and weak and he had to really push to use them.

The news affected Jordan who for once had power just in his reach, something to show he was capable just like his brothers more than it did Jace. Jace didn't particularly want to be the next "Superman" or "Superboy" as Jon snarkily nicknamed them. Sure having abilities would make his life easy and more fun but he didn't want to become a hero, the cons outweighed the minimal amount of pros - if there were any. Despite not caring as much as his brother, it still affected him and put him in a mood, especially with how crass and blunt their grandfather had stated they would never be like their father in any way.

It seemed that rooting their entire lives to live in Smallville was now a waste and the gloomy mood emitting from his father and brother was putting him more on edge. The whole Kent household was having a bad day, the tension was palpable in the air when Clark, Jordan and Jace reached the Kent Farm where Lois and Jon were getting ready for the Cushing BBQ.

Jordan stormed into the house with Clark and Jace on his heels and Jordan yelled over his shoulder as he moved to the stairs, "I'm not going to the Cushings'."

"What happened at the Fortress?" Lois asked in confusion, looking between Jace and Clark for an answer but Jordan stopped on the stairs and answered her, "I guess we found out what I always knew. I'm not special."

Jace moved to comfort his brother, knowing how much he wanted to have powers. "Jordan, it is a process. We will go back, we will test you again, and we'll see how you progress over time," Their father told him placating but Jordan scoffed. Clark looked at Lois and said, "Maybe they should just stay home."

Before Lois could answer Jon came down the stairs and said, "What? Why? Baby have another bad day?"

Jordan turned to his twin with a scowl and yelled, "Screw you!" Jon's face scrunched up in anger and argued back, "No! I am sick of your crap, okay, Jordan? This is not just about you! I got the shaft."

When the words settled in Clark's mind he immediately moved away from comforting Jordan to ask, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, what does that mean?"

Jon rolled his eyes and answered, pointing at Jordan, "It means that Don Draper over here kissed Sarah at the bonfire party, so now her dick boyfriend and the entire team are out to get me!"

This is why you don't get involved with taken people, Jace couldn't help but think. Not that Jace had anything to say since he made out with his new English teacher and would a hundred percent do it again.

"That's why you didn't get the playbook?" Jordan asked, the anger dropped from his voice and guilt had slipped into it.

Jon nodded, "Yeah, genius. I guess super perception isn't one of your powers."

Sensing another fight, Clark took a step forward and said, "Okay, okay, you know what, Jonathan? You and I, we can go out front. We can run plays."

"No, babe, not right now," Lois said and turned to her sons on the staircase counting, "Listen, sweetie, I am sorry about the playbook. That really sucks. And I'm sorry going to the Fortress didn't meet your expectations. You're probably so disappointed, but now's not the time to wallow in everything that's gone wrong since we came here. We moved here to be closer as a family, and we got invited to this dinner as a family, and we are going as a family, so get dressed."

Lois turned around and went to storm off but Jace's voice stopped her, stopped everyone in the house. "You know what? No. This is what's wrong with this family, no one is allowed to feel anything! No one can have a bad day without having to talk about it and then get immediately shut down. We've had to sort our own shit out for years while you guys go off and play big-shot hero journalists. You won't even let either one of us process what happened today all because you want to make a good appearance with the Cushings when you and Dad are the only ones who care." Lois and Jace took a step back in shock at their son's words.

The usual peaceful and quiet Kent son was ripping into them and he wasn't finished, "We aren't allowed to have different opinions to you or dad and I'm sick of it. You call it disrespectful to disagree or talk back but I call it communication. Just because we're young, doesn't mean our thoughts and feelings are suddenly invalid all because of a fucking BBQ."

Jace took a deep breath in after he finished, unaware his eyes had tinged red for a brief moment but Clark had noticed and taken a step in front of his wife to shield her. Jace's eyes caught the movement and frowned at the movement, his shoulders deflating at the meaning and stormed up the stairs, slamming his door shut.

The other Kent sons looked at each other shocked, ignoring their grudge with the other seeing their normally calm brother yell, he had never talked on the topic of their parents choosing work over them which they felt they did sometimes. It had lessened when they found out their father was an alien superhero but they still didn't like being the last opportunity to go tell a good story or some stranger that needed help - they didn't like talking about it because it made them feel selfish and ashamed but they just wanted their parents in their lives.

But they were trying and that's what mattered but clearly, it wasn't good enough in the oldest Kent's eyes. He had a temper but it was always under wraps just simmering under his skin out of sight, Jace went to the gym, went on runs, had a messy hookup or played basketball when he was angry and it was gone when he returned but he didn't have an outlet in Smallvile. Neither Kent had ever seen him so emotional, angry and vulnerable and it had never once been directed at his mother.

To say the Kents were shocked was an understatement. It seemed being in Smallvile was making Jace more angrier. It was having the opposite affect Lois and Clark wanted.

The house was silent after the loud door slamming, no one said anything and Jon and Jordan quietly got ready just sending each other looks of concern for their protective older brother. The four of them left the house soon after the argument, everyone decided it was best to leave him alone to calm down. If they tried and talked to him this raw then there was nothing stopping the angry Kent boy from doing or saying something he would regret.

The Cushing BBQ was a solemn and boring affair with the Kents trying to fit in and make friends with Jace's words rolling over in their heads. It wasn't twenty minutes in that Clark had to leave for his other job - Superman. Jordan and Jon sorted their own problems out with each other and apologised and their grudges against each other ended with a hug. The boys were your normal brothers, they fought, they said unkind things they shouldn't but they always made up.

When the Kents arrived home to their eerily silent house they quickly went to bed all ignoring the metaphorical elephant in the house - that was tomorrow's problem.

Chapter Text

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐃𝐀𝐘 Jace acted like nothing had happened he went through the motions of getting ready for school because he knew he didn't have powers so he didn't care what his parents said he was going to school. He hoped being around his friends in a routine environment would help him calm down and focus on other things. He wasn't going to apologise, everything he said was true and he wasn't going to apologise for stating the truth. But the way he did it was unfair to his parents, he could admit that but it seemed the only thing to get them to listen.

The sun rises over the Kent farm, casting a warm light through the windows. Inside the kitchen, Jace moves through his morning routine mechanically. He isn't his usual self—no enthusiasm, no joy in the process. He moves through the motions like a robot, making a cup of coffee, buttering a piece of toast. He glances at his reflection in the window, noting the unkempt state of his hair. His eyes are tired, not from lack of sleep, but from the emotional toll of the day before.

Jace's thoughts are a jumble, bouncing between frustration and determination. He doesn't care what his parents think anymore—his powers are gone, and with them, the weight of the expectations he'd always felt. He might be younger and he did respect his elders but he didn't need them telling him what was best for him. He was going to school and he was getting back to normal.

As he reaches for a mug, he barely acknowledges Clark, who enters the kitchen. His father's presence is enough to remind him of the previous night—the hurtful words, the disbelief, and the sting of being deemed dangerous. His chest tightens as he pours the coffee. There's no apology in his mind. No way he's going to say sorry for speaking the truth. Still, he can't shake the bitterness.

The kitchen is a whirlwind of activity, with everyone trying to make decisions about the house. Lois and Clark stand at the counter, deliberating over paint swatches while their three children—Jace, Jonathan, and Jordan—hover nearby.

Lois frowns at one of the swatches, holding it up against the wall. "Does this have too much blue in it?" she asks, examining the color with a critical eye.

Clark, sitting at the kitchen table, glances over, still holding a cup of coffee. "I still like the Huntsman's Tribute," he replies, pointing at a deep shade of green.

Lois groans, frustrated with the endless back-and-forth. "I'm just trying to find something that'll feel like home for us," she mutters, but her gaze flicks to Jace, who's sitting at the table, barely paying attention. He's been distant all morning, his mood heavy after yesterday's emotional confrontation with his father.

Jonathan, ever the comic, raises an eyebrow. "Dad, I'm pretty sure that's just slang for 'poop,'" he quips, causing Jace to look up with a small, sarcastic smile.

"Hey," Lois warns, trying not to laugh but maintaining some semblance of order.

"Jonathan, don't be gross," she scolds. "Also, he's not wrong."

Jace doesn't join in on the banter. Instead, he focuses on his phone, trying to tune out the noise. He's still angry—angry at his father for thinking he was capable of hurting his mom, angry at the pressure he feels, and angry at himself for not being able to just be normal. He wants to keep his distance, wants to retreat into the safe bubble of routine that school offers.

"Mom, can we just pick something?" Jonathan pleads, his voice breaking the tension. He glances at Jace, who's been uncharacteristically quiet all morning.

"Sweetie, this is an important decision," Lois insists, looking between Jace and Jonathan. "We're finally putting our own stamp on this house. It's not just about what's easy. It's about making it ours."

Jace remains silent, his gaze flicking to the wall, his frustration simmering. He's never felt more disconnected from this family. They're so caught up in their routine, their small, human struggles, while his world feels like it's been shattered, piece by piece.

"Why does this always take forever?" Jonathan mutters, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"What about this color? You like this one?" Lois asks again, holding up a new swatch.

Jace doesn't even look up. "Yeah, it's fine," he responds in a flat tone.

"Yeah?" Lois repeats, trying to gauge his mood, but Jace's indifference makes it clear he's not engaged. He barely acknowledges her, lost in his own thoughts.

"Yeah," Jace repeats, his voice colder than before.

As Lois and Clark continue to banter, Jace's mind drifts to the night before. His father had spoken to him as if he were a stranger—someone dangerous, someone who couldn't be trusted. The sting of those words still hasn't left him. He doesn't know how to process it, and doesn't know if he ever will. So, instead of engaging, he retreats into himself, pretending that nothing's wrong.

The playful bickering continues around him, with Clark and Jonathan still debating the paint choice.

"Anything but Dad's color!" Lois insists, holding up another swatch with a triumphant smile.

Clark sighs dramatically. "Oh, come on!"

The mood shifts slightly as Jordan, ever the playful one, challenges Clark with a mischievous grin. "No super tricks," he says, wagging a finger at his father. "No flying, no heat vision. Just... paint, okay?"

Clark laughs, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay. No super tricks." But then, with a sly grin, he adds, "You have to do better than that."

Jace doesn't look up from his phone. He knows exactly where this is going, and he's not in the mood for it. He's still processing everything—his anger, his hurt, his confusion. The thought of being part of this lighthearted family moment feels alien to him right now. His father's attempt to lighten the mood only makes the knot in his chest tighten further.

Clark, in a moment of playful defiance, leans in to actually start using his powers—pretending to use heat vision to make a "perfect" decision about the color. But Jace can't bring himself to laugh. Instead, he stands up abruptly, excusing himself from the table. "I'm going to Silas'," he says shortly, before anyone can protest.

Clark's smile fades slightly as he watches Jace walk away, but he doesn't chase after him. He knows Jace needs space—something the family hasn't had a lot of lately.

As Jace heads for the door, Lois turns to Clark. The expression on her face is one of quiet concern. "You should go after him," she says softly, her voice a little more fragile than usual.

Clark hesitates. He wants to, more than anything. But something inside him knows that Jace needs to figure this out on his own.

"He'll be okay," Clark says quietly. "But we're gonna have to figure this out. Both of us. I'm not letting him pull away like this."

After Jace left, the farmhouse settled into an uneasy quiet. The door clicked shut behind him, leaving a hollow echo in its wake. Clark and Lois remained in the living room, the tension from their earlier conversation lingering like an invisible thread stretched taut between them. The soft creak of the old floorboards beneath Clark's shifting weight was the only sound for a long moment.

Clark slumped onto the couch, elbows resting on his knees, his hands loosely clasped as he stared at the floor. The vulnerability etched into his features was rare—this was the face of Superman stripped of his invincibility, revealing just a man, a father grappling with the weight of his own shortcomings. Lois sat beside him, their knees brushing, grounding him in a way only she could.

"He's angry," Clark murmured after a long silence, his voice low and thick with regret. "And I don't blame him. I just... I thought I was doing the right thing. Saving the world, being there for everyone else. But somehow, I missed the fact that I was failing the people who matter most."

Lois reached over, her fingers intertwining with his. Her touch was warm, steady—a lifeline. She squeezed his hand gently, her pragmatic nature shining through even as her heart ached for both her husband and their son.

"Clark," she said softly, her voice carrying a firmness born from years of navigating storms—both literal and emotional. "You haven't failed him. You're trying, and that's more than most kids ever get. He's hurt, yes, but that doesn't mean it's the end of the story." She turned to face him fully, her eyes sharp and clear. "You can't fix this with super strength or by flying faster than light. This? This is the kind of thing that takes time. Space. We have to let him process it in his own way."

Clark nodded, though the tightness in his chest didn't ease. "I just... I feel like I should've seen it sooner. The distance growing. The resentment. I hate that he's carrying all that pain because of me."

Lois leaned in, resting her forehead against his temple. "You can't change the past, Clark. But you're here now. You're listening. You're trying to make it right. That's what matters."

Her words settled over him like a fragile comfort. Not enough to erase the guilt, but enough to remind him that this wasn't a battle lost—just one that required a different kind of strength.

𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 against the worn couch in Silas's living room, his legs stretched out in front of him, shoes kicked off carelessly. The room was dim, lit only by the soft glow of a desk lamp and the flickering television screen. It felt like the kind of space that didn't demand anything from you—just a quiet place to exist, to breathe, and to forget about everything else for a while.

Silas sat across from him on the floor, surrounded by an array of comic books and old video games that had seen better days. His hair, a tangled mess of dark curls, fell into his eyes as he rummaged through the stack. He threw a glance at Jace and cracked a grin.

"You're still pissed, huh?" Silas asked, flipping through the pages of a dog-eared comic. His tone was casual, but there was a quiet understanding in his eyes.

Jace's jaw tightened slightly, but he let out a breath, trying to shake off the heavy thoughts that clung to him. "I don't know," he said, his voice low. "It's just... everything feels like it's falling apart. Dad's trying, but I feel like... like he's not really seeing it. Not seeing me."

Silas paused, his gaze shifting from the comic to Jace, sensing the weight behind his words. Without a second thought, he tossed the comic aside and moved to sit next to Jace on the couch, his usual easy-going nature giving way to something more serious.

"You know you can talk to me, right?" Silas said, his voice steady but quiet, like he was giving Jace the space to decide whether or not to open up.

Jace didn't immediately respond. His eyes were on the TV, but he wasn't really seeing it. His mind was still trapped in the conversations he'd had with his father earlier—those raw moments that had only left him feeling more distant. He clenched his fists, fingers digging into the couch cushion.

"I don't even know what I want from him anymore," Jace finally muttered, the words slipping out before he could stop them. "I'm just... tired. Tired of feeling like I'm not enough. Like no matter what I do, it's never enough."

Silas didn't say anything right away. He just sat beside Jace, giving him space to breathe. After a long moment, Silas nudged him lightly, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Well, I'm pretty sure if anyone gets 'not enough,' it's me," he said with mock self-pity. "I'm just trying to survive the seventh grade, man. You think you have problems? Try dealing with a math teacher who's convinced the whole world is math, and I'm just a casualty."

Jace couldn't help but chuckle, the sound escaping in spite of himself. It was just what he needed—something light to break the tension.

"You're an idiot," Jace muttered, but the tension in his shoulders eased just a bit.

Silas grinned. "Yeah, but I'm your idiot, right?" he said, nudging Jace again.

Jace rolled his eyes but felt a weight lift off his chest, just enough to make it feel like he could take a deep breath. The moment stretched on, the quiet comfortable for once.

"I don't know what's going on with me," Jace admitted, his voice softer this time, a little more vulnerable. "Everything just feels like it's... too much."

Silas leaned back, stretching his legs out in front of him. "Well, it's okay to not have all the answers," he said. "You know, when things suck, they suck. But that doesn't mean it's gonna suck forever. You've got me, you've got your family, even if it doesn't feel like it right now. And if you need to punch something, well..." He glanced around the room and grabbed a plush pillow. "This is your punching bag."

Jace took the pillow, his lips curling up in a small, grateful smile. He gave it a good whack before tossing it back at Silas, who retaliated with another pillow. The two of them started a quick, half-hearted pillow fight, laughing like they hadn't a care in the world.

For the first time all day, Jace felt a little lighter. The world wasn't fixed, and the anger still simmered under his skin, but in that moment, he didn't feel so alone in it.

Eventually, the laughter faded, and they collapsed back onto the couch, both breathing heavily but content. The silence wasn't uncomfortable now; it was simply two friends existing together.

"You're a good friend, Silas," Jace said quietly, his gaze meeting his best friend's. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Silas gave him a sideways grin. "Hey, I'm not going anywhere. Not unless you stop buying me pizza on Fridays. Then, we'll talk."

Jace laughed softly, shaking his head. "Deal."

And for a while, that was enough. They didn't need to talk about everything weighing on them—just being there for each other was enough to keep the world from feeling too heavy.

The evening unfolded slowly, the golden hues of sunset bleeding into the dusky purples and blues of twilight. The Kent farmhouse, usually filled with the comforting noises of a lived-in home—distant laughter, the soft thud of footsteps, the faint clatter of dishes—felt unusually quiet, as if the very walls were holding their breath. The stillness wasn't peaceful; it was the kind that settled in after words had been left unsaid for too long.

When Jace finally returned, the front door creaked softly, its familiar sound mingling with the faint hum of crickets outside. He stepped inside, the weight of the day etched into the slump of his shoulders. His backpack hung loosely from one strap, and his gaze drifted around the space that felt both like home and a battleground of emotions. The air smelled faintly of old wood and coffee—comforting, yet distant.

Clark sat in the living room, papers spread out on the coffee table, though it was clear he hadn't been reading them. His fingers rested idly on the edges, but his focus was elsewhere, distant, like a man lost in thoughts too heavy to carry. The moment the door creaked open, his eyes lifted, a small, tentative smile tugging at the corners of his mouth—a fragile mix of hope and exhaustion.

"Hey," Clark said softly, his voice cautious, as if afraid to shatter the delicate thread of peace hanging in the air. "You okay?"

Jace hesitated in the doorway, his hand tightening around the strap of his backpack. He didn't meet his father's gaze immediately, his jaw clenched as if holding back a flood of words. But something in Clark's tone—a gentleness stripped of expectations—made him pause.

"Yeah," Jace finally muttered, his voice quieter than he intended. He shifted his weight, eyes flickering toward his father. "I mean... I'm still mad. But I guess I understand where you were coming from. I just need time, Dad."

Clark nodded slowly, the words settling over him like both a balm and a burden. "I get it. And I'll give you all the time you need. No more pressure."

There wasn't much more to say in that moment. No grand speeches, no dramatic reconciliations. Just a simple, honest exchange—a small crack in the wall that had been built between them. Jace gave a slight nod, then turned and disappeared upstairs, his footsteps fading into the creaking floorboards.

Later, the family gathered in the living room, the tension from earlier lingering like a ghost in the corners of the space. The soft glow of a lamp cast long shadows, flickering gently against the faded walls. Lois sat across from Clark and Jace, her posture relaxed but her eyes sharp, reading the room with the precision of someone who'd weathered many emotional storms.

An unusual silence stretched between them, thick with everything left unsaid. Clark shifted uncomfortably, running a hand through his hair, the weight of last night's fallout pressing heavily on his chest. Finally, he exhaled deeply, his voice breaking the quiet like a ripple across still water.

"We need to talk about last night," he began, his words low, tinged with regret. "I... I should've handled that better."

Lois gave him a wry smile, her expression a careful balance of amusement and frustration. "What, saving the world and skipping family dinner again? No need to apologize. You've been doing that your whole life." Her tone was light, but beneath it was an undercurrent of weariness—a quiet acknowledgement of the years spent balancing love and resentment for the man who was both her husband and the world's savior.

Clark met her gaze, his features softening. "This isn't about me, Lois. It's about the kids." His eyes drifted to Jace, who sat on the edge of the couch, arms crossed tightly over his chest, his jaw clenched in that familiar way that mirrored Clark's own stubbornness. "Jace is right. My absence... it affects them. And I didn't realize how much until last night."

Jace's heart twisted at those words. Part of him had been hoping for this moment, for his father to finally acknowledge the damage his absence had caused. But now that it was here, it felt hollow, like it couldn't possibly fill the gap that had formed over years of missed games, broken promises, and the space left by a father who was always somewhere else. His voice came out quiet but sharp, cutting through the fragile peace like a blade.

"Yeah. It affects us. A lot."

Clark turned fully toward his son, the guilt etched into every line of his face. His voice dropped, thick with emotion, raw and unguarded. "I know, son. And I'm sorry. I can't just abandon the world—it needs me—but I also can't keep making you feel like I'm not there when you need me the most." He swallowed hard, the words heavier than any battle he'd ever fought. "I've got to be better at balancing both. It's gonna take some time, but I promise, I'll try."

Jace didn't reply right away. The anger was still there, simmering beneath the surface, but hearing his father's apology chipped away at it, piece by piece. Maybe he hadn't expected Clark to admit it out loud. Maybe, just maybe, it was the first step toward rebuilding the trust that had been quietly crumbling for years.

Eventually, Jace stood, his movements stiff but purposeful. "I'm going to bed," he mumbled, his voice lacking the sharp edge it usually carried. He didn't slam the door behind him or storm off—just quietly disappeared upstairs, leaving his parents alone with the remnants of the conversation.

Clark leaned back, the exhaustion settling deeper into his bones. Lois reached over, her hand finding his, fingers intertwining like they had so many times before.

"He's going to be okay," she whispered, her voice steady despite the ache beneath her words. "We just need to let him come to us in his own time."

Clark nodded, his gaze lingering on the stairs where his son had disappeared. A small, hopeful smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, fragile but genuine. "Yeah. One day at a time."

The morning dragged on, filled with awkward glances and lingering silences. Finally, Jace stood up, grabbing his bag for school. His movements were stiff, as if holding himself together by sheer will.

"I'm going to school. I'll be fine," he muttered gruffly.

Lois's eyes softened with understanding. "Are you sure? You don't have to do this now, Jace."

He didn't hesitate. "Yeah, I do. I don't need any more talking. I just need to focus on something normal, okay?"

Clark exchanged a glance with Lois, his heart heavy with unspoken words. He was proud of Jace for facing the day head-on, but the guilt lingered. His son was still hurting, and Clark knew there was no quick fix. One conversation couldn't erase the years of absence—but maybe, just maybe, it was the beginning of something better.

At school, Jace walks through the halls, trying his best to keep his mind on his classes. The noise of the students, the hustle and bustle of high school life, helps distract him. It's easier to pretend he's just like everyone else here, not a son of Superman, not a kid with powers he's never wanted. But the weight of his family's expectations lingers, following him wherever he goes.

He had only two classes before it happened; his brother got himself in another fight and once again it was about Sarah. Both of his brothers were standing off against Sean and some other football players and had cornered Jordan.

He stepped close to Sean and physically pulled him away from his brother and snapped, "Back the fuck up!"

"Oh you wanna go again Kent?" Sean sneered but his face still held bruising from their first fight.

"Yeah, I'll beat your ass again," Jace told him, prompting his chest out as anger tingled throughout his body.

Before they could fight their father appeared, smiling cheerfully, "Oh hey guys!"

"I didn't need your help," Jordan muttered, brushing off his brother's efforts to intervene.

Jonathan wasn't having it. "Apparently, you needed Dad's," he shot back, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at their father, who had just walked up to them, his presence heavy and unmistakable.

Clark approached, looking between the three of them. "What are you doing here?" Jonathan asked, his tone a little harsh.

Clark shrugged, trying to downplay it. "Oh, just wanted to, you know, see how things were going at your new school."

Jonathan shot him a look, clearly not buying it. "So you decide to randomly drop by during fifth period?"

"This wasn't random," Jace said, with narrowed eyes, "He was spying on us."

Both boys stared at their father in shock. "What?" Jonathan asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

The drive home was tense, the silence inside the red truck thick enough to suffocate. The tires crunched over gravel as Clark pulled into the driveway, and the moment the engine died, the doors flew open. Jonathan and Jordan stormed out, their frustration practically radiating off them in waves. Clark climbed out after them, his hands raised slightly in a defensive gesture, his voice trailing behind them.

"I was just making sure you were okay," Clark called out, his tone laced with a mix of guilt and helplessness.

Jonathan spun around, his face flushed with anger, arms crossed tightly over his chest. "Yeah? You could've said something this morning. But instead, you lied to our faces."

Clark flinched at the word lied, shaking his head as if trying to fend it off. "It wasn't a lie. You just... didn't ask," he replied, his voice softer now, trying to explain, though the words felt weak even to him.

Jonathan's jaw tightened, his disbelief clear. "How long have you been doing this? Since we moved here? Our whole lives?" His voice grew sharper with every question, each one cutting deeper than the last.

Clark hesitated, searching for the right words, but all he could manage was, "It's not like I'm listening all the time." His discomfort was obvious, the truth slipping out in fragments he couldn't control.

Jonathan's expression darkened, his frustration boiling over. "That is... that is the wrong answer," he snapped, his voice low and furious.

Without waiting for more, Jonathan turned on his heel and marched toward the house, Jordan following close behind, both of them needing space, distance, anything to escape the suffocating tension. But Clark wasn't ready to let it go—not yet. In a blur of movement, he sped ahead of them, blocking the path to the porch.

"Wait," Clark said, breathless even though he didn't need to be. "You know, I thought you said it was okay for me to go to school," Jonathan shot back, his words dripping with bitterness, refusing to slow down as he brushed past his father.

Clark reached out, his voice strained but steady. "It is okay. Jonathan, having a new power—it's a lot. I just wanted to—"

But Jordan spun around, cutting him off, his face twisted with anger. "Yeah? So that was a lie too," he snapped, his voice low and full of betrayal. He didn't wait for an answer, storming up the steps and slamming the front door behind him, the sound echoing through the quiet evening.

Clark stood there for a moment, the rejection stinging more than any physical blow could. He sighed, his shoulders sagging as the weight of everything he'd tried—and failed—to hold together pressed down on him.

Just as he was about to retreat, Jace lingered at the bottom of the steps, his expression unreadable. After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice quiet but cutting through the silence like a blade.

"Do you know?" Jace asked, his words hanging in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning.

Clark blinked, confused at first, but then realization dawned, and his eyes softened with guilt. Before he could form a response, Jace's face crumpled with disappointment.

"I can't believe you," Jace muttered, shaking his head, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and heartbreak.

Clark's desperation bubbled to the surface. "I wanted to wait for you to tell me!" he shouted after his son, his words filled with regret. But Jace was already halfway through the door, disappearing inside without a backward glance.

Clark was left standing alone on the porch, the faint echo of the slammed door ringing in his ears. The house, once a sanctuary, now felt like a fortress he couldn't breach.

clark stood in the doorway, his hands raised slightly in a gesture of peace. Jonathan, Jordan, and Jace were across from him, their arms crossed, their expressions a mixture of frustration and hurt. The silence was thick, and Clark felt the weight of their disappointment.

"You both were right," Clark began, his voice steady but laced with regret. "I'm sorry. No more listening in on your conversations. I give you my word."

Jace, standing slightly apart from his brothers, didn't say anything at first. His arms were folded, his jaw tight. He had been quiet through most of this, but his eyes flicked up to meet his father's. There was a hint of understanding in them, but also a lingering frustration. He wasn't ready to fully forgive, but Clark's apology felt like a small step toward something better.

Jonathan's eyes narrowed as he took a deep breath. "Yeah, you should've said something this morning," he muttered, the frustration still evident in his voice. "Instead, you lied to our faces."

Clark met Jonathan's gaze, his face softening with the weight of the truth in those words. "It wasn't a lie. You just didn't ask," he replied quietly.

Jace glanced at Jonathan, his arms still crossed, as if processing what was said. He knew his dad was trying, but the hurt was still there. He turned away, letting the silence hang in the air. He wasn't ready to engage, but he appreciated the sincerity.

The tension didn't completely vanish, but it was easier to breathe now. Jordan, ever the opportunist, broke the quiet with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"So," Jordan said, leaning toward Clark, "Mom mentioned something about flowers. What are the chances of you raising my allowance?"

Clark tried to stifle his smile, shaking his head at Jordan. "Nice try, kid," he said with a chuckle, his tone warm despite the situation. "That's not how this works."

Jace couldn't help the small, amused smile that tugged at his lips. He shot a glance at his brothers, his mood lightening just a little. The tension between them wasn't gone, but at least there was a moment of normalcy in all of it.

Jonathan finally uncrossed his arms, letting out a quiet snort at Jordan's failed attempt. He glanced at Jace, who hadn't said much but seemed to be taking it all in. The two brothers shared a look—a silent understanding that things were complicated but they'd work through it.

Clark looked around, waiting for a response, his gaze moving from Jonathan to Jordan and finally to Jace.

"We good?" Clark asked, his voice softer, as if the weight of the apology was still sinking in. "I want to make things right."

Jace, after a beat of hesitation, met his father's eyes. His voice was quieter, but there was a trace of something in his words that made Clark feel a little better.

"Sure, whatever," Jace muttered, his tone guarded but not entirely dismissive. He looked over at Jonathan and Jordan, who both nodded. It wasn't perfect, but it was a step.

Clark smiled faintly, though the knot in his stomach remained. He knew things weren't fixed yet, but this felt like a beginning.

As the tension began to ease, the family started to move toward the truck. Jace was about to climb into the back seat when Clark placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, Jace, can we talk for a minute?" Clark asked, his voice softer now, a hint of vulnerability in his eyes.

Jace paused, glancing at his dad. He could see the sincerity in Clark's face but didn't know if he was ready for another emotional talk. Still, he nodded and stepped aside, walking a few feet away from the others.

Once they were far enough from the truck, Clark turned to Jace, his expression earnest. "I know things have been... complicated between us lately, but I want you to know something. Whatever happens, I'm always here for you. I don't want you to ever feel like you can't come to me, especially about something important."

Jace, who had been looking away, now shifted his gaze back to his father, his chest tight. "I know, Dad. You say that all the time."

Clark hesitated, the weight of what he was about to say hanging in the air. "Jace, I also know you've been carrying something with you. I've noticed the way you've been acting, the way you've been feeling. And I just want you to know, I see you. And I love you, exactly as you are. No matter what."

Jace's breath hitched, and his heart skipped a beat. He had known his dad wasn't completely blind to what he'd been struggling with, but hearing him say it out loud was another thing entirely. The words felt like a weight lifting off his chest.

"I—I don't know how you knew," Jace muttered, his voice almost a whisper. He felt exposed, unsure how to navigate the conversation, but Clark's calm, loving gaze helped him stay grounded.

Clark gave him a small, reassuring smile. "I've always known, Jace. And it's okay. You don't have to explain anything to me if you're not ready. I just want you to know that nothing changes between us. I support you, always. You're my son, and that's never going to change."

Jace looked down, his hands fidgeting nervously. He had been terrified of how his dad would react—of how his whole family would see him once they knew. But hearing Clark's words made him feel like he could finally exhale. The weight he'd been carrying for so long seemed just a little bit lighter.

"I wasn't sure if you'd... you know, still love me. Or if I'd be different to you," Jace admitted, the vulnerability in his voice surprising him.

Clark stepped closer, placing a hand on his son's shoulder. "Jace, nothing could ever change how much I love you. I'm proud of you. I want you to be who you are, fully. I want you to live your truth."

Jace met his dad's eyes, a small, uncertain smile tugging at his lips. "I don't know what's going to happen, but... thank you. For not making it weird."

Clark smiled warmly, his heart swelling with pride. "You don't have to thank me. You're my son. I'll always be here."

The moment hung between them for a beat before Clark gave Jace's shoulder one last squeeze. "We should probably catch up with your brothers before they start wondering what's taking us so long."

Jace nodded, a faint smile on his face. As they walked back to the truck, the air felt a little lighter, the tension between them easing just a bit more. Jace still wasn't sure what the future would hold, but for the first time in a long time, he felt like he didn't have to hide a part of himself anymore.

As they piled into the truck, the weight of the moment hung between them, but it was different now. There was less anger in the air, even if the road to healing was still long.

𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐑𝐔𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 late. The first day of his final year, and he was already sprinting through the halls like some clueless freshman. Perfect.

He turned a sharp corner, skidding to a stop right before Room 203. English. He took a second to catch his breath, smoothing down his hoodie, and pushing his messy hair back. His best friend had laughed in his face that morning, calling him a disaster. Jace hadn't disagreed but It's not his fault it was a new school.

With a sigh, he pushed open the classroom door—only to freeze.

The man at the front of the room looked up from his desk, the same piercing brown eyes widening slightly before a mask of calm settled over his face.

Jace's stomach dropped.

No. No, no, no, no.

Mr. Gray. His English teacher. The same man he'd kissed days ago at his grandmother's wake and wasn't that a wake-up call. He had completely forgotten that small fact with the chaos of his first day at Smallvill High School.

Jace felt his soul actively try to leave his body. His brain short-circuited. Alex standing there, in crisp slacks and a button-down and a leather jacket—so different from the suit and tie he'd been wearing that day.

Jace's pulse roared in his ears.

Mr. Gray's lips parted slightly, like he was about to say something, but then his expression smoothed into something unreadable.

"Take a seat, Mr. Kent," he said, his voice perfectly steady. Professional. As if nothing had happened.

Jace, on the other hand, was internally combusting.

His legs moved on autopilot, carrying him to the nearest empty desk. He sank into his chair, eyes fixed forward, hands gripping his notebook so tightly his knuckles turned white.

Mr. Gray—God, he needed to stop thinking of him as Alexios—picked up a syllabus and continued speaking as if the room wasn't spinning. "Welcome to Senior English. I'm Mr. Gray, and we'll be covering—"

Jace stopped listening. Because all he could think about was the way those lips had felt against his all those days ago. The way his fingers had curled in Jace's hair when he pulled him closer.

And now, that same man was standing at the front of the room. His teacher.

Jace swallowed hard. This year was going to kill him.

Jace barely survived the fifty-minute class. Every second felt like an eternity, each stolen glance toward the front of the room making his skin burn. Mr. Gray—Alex—never wavered, his voice smooth, professional, like he hadn't kissed him.

But Jace could feel it. The flicker of tension beneath every syllable. The way those sharp brown eyes would linger on him for a fraction too long before looking away. The way his fingers tightened slightly around his pen whenever Jace shifted in his seat.

By the time the bell rang, Jace practically launched himself toward the door, desperate for fresh air. He made it three steps before—

"Mr. Kent."

Jace froze.

He turned, heart pounding, as Mr. Gray leaned against his desk, arms crossed. He was the picture of calm, but there was something in his gaze—something restrained, something dangerous.

"Stay after for a moment."

It wasn't a request.

Jace's stomach flipped. He glanced at the door, at the students filtering out. Some of them shot him looks. Probably thought he was already in trouble.

If only they knew.

Once the last student left and the door swung shut, the silence became unbearable.

Mr. Gray exhaled, rolling his shoulders like he was working out tension. His tongue flicked over his bottom lip—a quick, barely-there movement, but Jace caught it anyway.

Damn it.

"Jace."

Hearing his name in that voice sent something sharp and electric through him.

Jace folded his arms, leaning back against a desk like he wasn't losing his mind. "So, this is the part where you tell me to pretend it didn't happen, right?"

Mr. Gray's jaw tightened. "That would be the responsible thing."

Jace huffed a laugh, tilting his head. "But you don't want to, do you?"

That did something.

Alex—no, Mr. Gray—straightened. His fingers twitched at his sides, like he wanted to reach for something. Or someone.

"This isn't a game, Jace," he said, but his voice wasn't as steady as before.

Jace licked his lips. "It wasn't a game that day, either."

A beat of silence.

Then, Alex sighed, dragging a hand through his hair, messing up the neat curls. It was unfair how good he looked like that—frustrated, torn, conflicted.

"This can't happen again," he said finally, voice low.

Jace felt his pulse spike. "So you did like it."

Alex jaw clenched. "That's not the point."

It was an answer, though.

Jace smirked, but it wasn't cocky. It was full of something else—something reckless and hungry. "Yeah. Sure. Whatever you say, sir."

The flicker in Alex's eyes was unmistakable.

And damn, this year was going to be so much harder than either of them thought.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐍 𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐆 𝐋𝐎𝐖 in the sky, casting a warm glow over the high school football field as players gathered for tryouts. Jordan stood nervously at the sidelines, fidgeting with his jersey, feeling both the pressure and excitement of the moment. His heart beat a little faster than usual, a mix of adrenaline and uncertainty. After everything that had happened with his powers, this felt like a fresh start, but also a huge risk.

Jace stood nearby, arms crossed, watching his brother intently. He could sense Jordan's anxiety, but he also knew how much Jordan wanted this. Football had been something Jordan had latched onto since they moved to Smallville, trying to find a place where he didn't have to hide, a place where he could fit in. Jace understood that, even if he didn't always fully get the appeal of sports. He also didn't mind the revenge that would come with it.

Jace watched as Jordan played roughly, shoving people dangerously and was worried he might actually hurt someone. When the whistle blew, signalling the end of the tryouts, Jace rushed over to his brothers. He saw Coach talking to both of them and winced when he could see Coach was angry at Jonathan, and making him run laps for not telling him about Jordan's abilities.

Jonathan frowned at Jordan and ran off to do laps and Jordan watched him go with a small smile.

"You know you could actually hurt someone, right?" Jace's voice was calm but carried a weight that stopped Jordan's smile in it's tracks.

Jordan turned to face him, brows furrowing in confusion. "What do you mean? I wasn't trying to hurt anyone."

Jace sighed, clearly choosing his words carefully. "I'm not trying to be like Dad, but you should see how this could affect Jon. This is his sport, his time to shine, and he doesn't have powers. You do."

Jordan's chest tightened slightly at the mention of Jonathan. "I'm not trying to overshadow him. I just... I did what I had to do to prove myself."

Jace's eyes softened, but his voice was firm. "I know, and I'm not saying you don't deserve it. But you have to realize—when you're out there, you're playing with more than just your skills. You've got powers that can change everything. One wrong move, and you could hurt someone, even if it's not on purpose."

Jordan looked down, the reality of Jace's words hitting him. "I get it. But it's not like I can just turn them off, Jace."

"I know you can't," Jace replied, his voice gentle now. "But you need to be careful. Jon already feels like he has to compete with us—he doesn't need to feel like he's always second place because he doesn't have powers."

Jordan's face softened as he thought about it. Jonathan had always been the one trying to keep up, trying to prove himself in a world that felt out of his control. Maybe Jace was right. Maybe he hadn't fully thought through how his powers might affect his brother.

"Yeah, you're right," Jordan muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn't really think about it like that."

Jace nodded, relieved that Jordan was listening. "Just be careful, okay? You don't have to prove everything all at once. Let Jon have his time to shine too. You don't need to carry everything on your shoulders."

Jordan exhaled, his mind clearer now. "I will. I'll be careful."

They stood there for a moment, the tension easing between them as they both looked out toward the field. Finally, Jordan cracked a small grin. "Guess I'll have to let Jon win a few for once."

Jace smiled back, his concern giving way to a sense of relief. "Yeah, but maybe not too many."

Jordan laughed, feeling the weight of his brother's words settle into him. It wasn't just about the game—it was about balance, about making sure they were all looking out for each other.

Clouds blocked the light off making the field look darker and gloomier. The scent of fresh-cut grass and warm asphalt filled the air, mixing with the distant sound of whistles and the dull thud of footballs hitting the turf.

"Didn't think practice would be this serious," Axel muttered, shoving his hands in his hoodie pockets as they settled onto the metal benches. "Feels like a damn game."

"It's the first full-contact practice," Jace said, scanning the field until his eyes locked onto his younger brother, Jordan. He was suited up, helmet under one arm, talking to a coach. "Coach probably wants to see who can actually take a hit."

Cam smirked, adjusting her ponytail. "So, basically, we might watch your brother get flattened?"

Jace shot her a look. "Not happening. Jordan's got this."

Silas stretched out on the bleacher, lazily tossing a football between his hands. "Guess we'll see."

Down on the field, the team broke into drills. Jordan took his place among the quarterbacks, tossing tight spirals to receivers running their routes. His movements were sharp, confident. Jace felt a twinge of pride—his little brother wasn't so little anymore.

As practice progressed, the intensity ramped up. The linemen slammed into each other, the sound echoing through the stadium. The defensive backs shouted as they swarmed receivers. Finally, the coach blew his whistle and called for a scrimmage.

"Here we go," Jace muttered, leaning forward.

Jordan lined up behind center, scanning the defense. The ball was thrown into one of Jordan's teammates arms and Sean, the Quarterback rushed after him only for Jordan to slam into him form the side, dropping him on grass.

The three of Jace's friends cheered but Jace watched Jordan look down at Sean with anger and hoped he had everything under control like he said he did.

"Not bad," Silas admitted. "Kid's got a defense."

Cam nodded. "Maybe he'll survive the season after all."

As practice wound down, the coach pulled Jordan aside, talking with his hands, nodding approvingly. Jace could tell from Jordan's posture—shoulders straight, head high—that it had been a good day.

A few minutes later, Jordan spotted Jace in the stands and jogged over, helmet swinging at his side. Jace met him down there and before he could speak, Jordan teased, "Didn't know I had a fan club"

Jace rolled his eyes. "Not even, it seemed intense. You okay?"

"Yeah it was okay," Jordan told him with a smile, Silas, Cam and Alex met up with them below the stands.

Jordan grinned at them, then jerked his head toward the parking lot. "You guys coming to get food, or are you just here to admire me?"

Jace groaned, but Silas clapped Jordan on the back. "Burgers are on Jace."

"Wait, what?"

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒 reached their home, the fun atmosphere was shattered by their father's disapproving stare. Clark stood there, his voice trembled with disbelief. "How could you think it was okay to join the football team?"

Jordan's face was flushed in frustration, he shrugged, deflecting. "You never said I couldn't."

A sharp exhale escaped Clark's lips, the tension rising. "Don't pull that on me," he snapped. "I can see exactly what you're doing."

Jordan hesitated but pressed on, their words a quiet challenge. "As long as you don't say it outright, it's not a lie, right?"

Their father had apologized for this—hadn't he? But it felt like an echo now, hollow and distant. "Your powers aren't something to take lightly, Jordan," he warned.

Jordan's voice was strained, almost dismissive. "Yeah, well, I barely even have any, remember?"

The reminder of the past hung between them, a ghost of that moment in his father's fortress of Solitude. "That's what Grand Pabbie told us when we were at Elsa's Ice Castle," he muttered. Jace could see the small smile on Jonathan's face at Jordan's dig from his spot at the dinning table.

Lois's eyes narrowed, irritation flashing and said from her spot against the wall, "That isn't funny."

It was as if the walls around them were closing in. "He was just comparing your powers to mine," they offered, though the words didn't sound convincing, even to them.

Jordan's anger flickered, the wound fresh. "No, He said my powers suck," he spat. The silence that followed was heavy. "Don't pretend he didn't," came the quiet response, thick with resentment. Jordan looked at Jace, "He said that to you too."

"Fine. Taking you to see him this early was a mistake," Clark admitted reluctantly, though it tasted like regret.

Jordan shook their head in disbelief. "A mistake?" It was a breath of bitterness. "You know what? Everything you do feels like one," he sapt. "You get fired, you drag us all here..." He could barely hold the frustration in. "Honestly, I wish you'd just go back to not being around anymore."

The words hung in the air, sharp and cold, the weight of them sinking in.

A soft, almost resigned voice broke through the tension. "Go upstairs."

Jordan didn't argue. "Yeah..."

"Right now."

"Yeah," Jordan softly muttered and stormed out, The door slammed behind gim, the sound final and deafening.

In the quiet that followed, Jordan spoke up barely above a whisper, "I... I'm with you guys. I don't get what he was thinking."

Jace shook his head and finally spoke up, "You can't take this away from him, it'll only drive the wedge deeper. He's good, a little too strong but he'll learn."

With Jace speaking his space, he followed after his brother and Clark sighed and looked at Jonathan and said, "You too."

The silence that followed, leaving Lois and Clark alone, was a quiet, aching acknowledgment of everything left unsaid.