Clark, Lois, John, and Lara were all eating around the table, still feeling the absence of Ella since she just moved out. Both Lois and Clark noticed John playing with his food instead of eating it and constantly messing with his glasses.
“Lara, how was school today?” Clark asked his daughter trying to start a conversation.
“It was good.”
“What about you, John?” Lois asked.
“Fine.”
“You know, you have been kind of quiet for the past week, are you alright?” Clark asked.
“I’m fine.”
“Do you miss your sister?” Lois asked.
“No, it’s nothing to do with Ella.” He replied.
“But there is something wrong?”
“Oh, look Superman can be perceptive.”
“Do not talk to your father that way!” Lois said glaring at her son while Clark looked hurt and Lara look confused.
“Whatever, I’m getting some air.”
“You sit your as-.” A hand on Lois’ arm stopped her from finishing the sentence.
“It’s ok, just give him a minute.” Clark said.
They all heard a freak wind outside, an indication that John had left.
“Do you want me to find him?” Lara asked.
“No, that’s ok, sweetheart, I need to talk to him.” Clark said getting up and grabbing his coat and taking into the sky knowing where his son was.
It wasn’t long before he made it from their house in Metropolis to the farm in Smallville.
“Didn’t take you long to find me.” John said as Clark walked up to him sitting in the loft.
“You’ve always loved this place.” Clark said.
“I wish I was around when you guys still lived here, it’s so quiet.” John said.
“It is. Care to explain what that was back at the house?” Clark asked.
“No. Not really.” John said.
“John, I’m your father, you need to tell me or I can’t help you.” Clark said.
“I don’t want your help.”
“I don’t get what the problem is, you’ve got so much stuff going for you.” Clark said.
“Cause of who’s son I am.”
“What?” Clark asked confused.
“Today, in my journalism class, the teacher told me that job offer must have been easy to land because of my star reporter parents.”
“I’ll go down to the school first thing-.”
“Dad! That’s not the point! I always loved to write cause I thought it was something I was good at. Ella can’t write, Lara can’t write. That’s my thing. But what he said is true, I’m only getting these opportunities because of you and mom.”
“You know that’s not true, you know you’re good at what you do.”
“Even still, it’s just another way I’m in your shadow.”
“What?” Clark asked.
“I’ve always been in your shadow, Dad. For as long as I can remember, going to League meetings with you, I’ve always been “Son of Superman.” I’ve had to wear these stupid glasses since I was 15 because I look to much like you to compromise your identity and I am sick and tired of it! I am sick of constantly being told that one day I’ll take over the mantle of being Superman or how I am going to be the next famous ‘Kent’ writer. I want to be my own person and I’ll never have that chance!”
“Yes, you will. You are your own person. You have the best of me and the best of your mother in you. You’re most abrasive than I am and you’re certainly funnier. You always have had a way of making people smile. But, all this crap about being stuck in a shadow is nonsense. Who cares about your professor, If he said that to you, that’s nothing but jealousy. Your mother and I have no pull where you got the job offer, that’s all you. This needs to stop, I use to let doubt from other effect my decisions and I regret it every day, don’t make the same mistakes I did. Live your life, do what you want to do, if you try to do all you can, than you’ll never be in my shadow, because you know you won’t be, and your opinion is the only one that should matter.”
Clark reached into his pocket and pulled out the farmhouse key. “In case, you need time for yourself.” He said and walked out of the barn and flew back home, hoping he got through to his son.
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