Part 1
Mike had been a junior reporter at the Daily Planet for just over a year, still finding his footing among the seasoned pros who churned out front-page stories like clockwork. He was ambitious but quiet, often lingering late to polish his drafts under the glow of the newsroom’s fluorescent lights. The big globe atop the building was his north star, a symbol of the truth he chased—and a quiet nod to the hero he secretly admired. Superman. Mike had clipped every article about the Man of Steel, stashing them in a drawer at home, his crush a private ember he’d never dare voice.
It was a late Tuesday, the newsroom nearly deserted save for the clack of a few typewriters. Mike was heading to the supply room for more paper, his latest story—a piece on city budget cuts—still nagging at him. As he approached, he heard a muffled thud. Frowning, he nudged the door open a crack. There stood Clark Kent, the awkward, bespectacled reporter Mike had always found endearing. Clark was tugging at his tie, his movements hurried. Then, in a heartbeat, he ripped open his shirt, revealing the iconic red “S” on blue. Superman.
Mike’s breath hitched, his notepad slipping in his grip. He’d dreamed of those colors, that symbol, but seeing Clark transform—Clark, who stammered through staff meetings—sent his pulse racing. A secret crush on Superman was one thing; discovering he worked beside him was another. Clark didn’t notice him, too focused on some unseen call. The window creaked open, and with a gust that scattered loose sheets, Superman leapt into the sky, a streak of red and blue vanishing into the Metropolis night.
Mike stood frozen, heart pounding with awe and something sharper. Then, moving on impulse, he grabbed a spare bag from the shelf and gathered Clark’s discarded clothes—shirt, slacks, tie, glasses—each piece a relic of the man he’d mooned over in headlines. He couldn’t let this go unacknowledged. He scribbled a note on a scrap of paper: “I know your secret. Come to 1427 Oak Street, Apt 3B, at 8 PM tonight. —Mike.” His hand trembled as he tucked it under a stack of printer paper where the clothes had lain.
Bag in hand, Mike left the Planet, the city’s buzz a distant hum against his racing thoughts. At his small apartment, he dropped the bag by the door, too jittery to unpack it. He tidied up—stacking clippings, wiping the table—his mind replaying that glimpse of Superman’s cape. He brewed coffee, setting out two mugs, a nervous gesture to the hero he’d adored from afar. By 7:55, he perched on his couch, eyes darting between the clock and the window. At 8:00, a shadow darkened the glass, and a soft knock echoed. Mike rose, his chest tight with anticipation, ready to face the man behind the myth.
Mike’s hand hovered over the doorknob, his breath shallow as the shadow beyond the window sharpened into a familiar silhouette. He opened the door, and there stood Superman—Clark—his cape catching the faint light from the streetlamp outside. Up close, without the glasses, his eyes were piercing yet uncertain, scanning Mike’s face. The note had worked; he’d come.
“Mike,” Superman said, his voice low, steady, but edged with caution. “You left this?” He held up the crumpled paper, the words I know your secret stark against the white.
Mike nodded, stepping back to let him in. “Yeah. I… I saw you. In the supply room.” His throat tightened, the weight of his crush colliding with the reality of Superman standing in his living room. He gestured to the couch, awkward. “Coffee?”
Superman hesitated, then stepped inside, the door clicking shut behind him. “No, thanks.” He didn’t sit, just stood there, towering yet somehow human. “What do you want, Mike? Money? A story?”
“No!” Mike blurted, cheeks flushing. “Nothing like that. I just—” He faltered, glancing at the bag by the door, Clark’s clothes still inside. “I’ve followed you—Superman—for a while. Every rescue, every headline. I didn’t know it was you, Clark, but when I saw… I couldn’t pretend I didn’t.”
Superman’s jaw tightened, his gaze dropping to the bag, then back to Mike. “You kept them.”
“Proof,” Mike said softly, then winced. “Not to use. Just… I don’t know, to hold onto something real.” He rubbed the back of his neck, the confession spilling out. “I’ve admired you forever. Not just the cape, but the way you save people. Seeing you change—it’s like I finally saw you.”
The room went quiet, the clock ticking past 8:03. Superman’s expression softened, a flicker of surprise replacing the wariness. “You’re not the first to figure it out,” he admitted, “but you’re the first to leave a note like that.” He stepped closer, his voice dropping. “What now, Mike? You’ve got my secret. What do you do with it?”
Mike swallowed, meeting those eyes he’d dreamed about. “I keep it. That’s it. I don’t write it, I don’t tell. I just… wanted you to know I know. And that I’m not your enemy.” His lips quirked, shy. “Maybe even a friend, if you’d let me.”
Superman studied him, long enough that Mike’s stomach twisted. Then, faintly, he smiled. “You’re a good reporter, Mike. Too good, maybe.” He glanced at the window. “I’ve got a city to check on, but… thanks. For the coffee offer. And the trust.”
Before Mike could respond, Superman crossed to the window, pausing to look back. “Keep those clothes safe. I’ll need them tomorrow.” With a nod, he stepped out, the cape flaring as he launched skyward, a blur of red and blue against the night.
Mike sank onto the couch, the empty mug still warm in his hands, staring at the open window where his hero—his Clark—had vanished once more.
Mike sat there for a long while, the quiet of his apartment settling around him like a blanket. The mug cooled in his grip, but his mind buzzed, replaying every word, every glance from Superman—Clark. He’d stood face-to-face with the Man of Steel, spilled his admiration, and hadn’t been brushed off or threatened. That smile, faint but real, lingered in his memory. And the clothes. Keep them safe. A promise tied to a secret.
He stood, crossing to the bag by the door. Carefully, he pulled out Clark’s shirt, smoothing the wrinkles with unsteady hands. It was ordinary—white cotton, a little worn at the cuffs—but it felt monumental. He hung it in his closet, tucked the slacks and tie beside it, and set the glasses on his dresser, their lenses catching the dim light. A piece of Superman, hidden in plain sight.
The next morning, Mike arrived at the Daily Planet early, the bag slung over his shoulder. The newsroom was already alive—phones ringing, reporters shouting over each other—but his eyes darted to Clark’s desk. Empty. He slipped into the supply room, heart thudding, and placed the clothes back where he’d found them, neatly folded. No note this time; the message had been delivered.
Back at his desk, he buried himself in his budget cuts story, but his focus kept drifting. Around ten, Clark shuffled in, glasses perched on his nose, hair slightly mussed. He nodded at Mike as he passed, casual as ever, but there was a glint in his eye—acknowledgment, maybe gratitude. Mike’s stomach flipped, and he ducked his head, pretending to type.
Mike had been a junior reporter at the Daily Planet for just over a year, still finding his footing among the seasoned pros who churned out front-page stories like clockwork. He was ambitious but quiet, often lingering late to polish his drafts under the glow of the newsroom’s fluorescent lights. The big globe atop the building was his north star, a symbol of the truth he chased—and a quiet nod to the hero he secretly admired. Superman. Mike had clipped every article about the Man of Steel, stashing them in a drawer at home, his crush a private ember he’d never dare voice.
It was a late Tuesday, the newsroom nearly deserted save for the clack of a few typewriters. Mike was heading to the supply room for more paper, his latest story—a piece on city budget cuts—still nagging at him. As he approached, he heard a muffled thud. Frowning, he nudged the door open a crack. There stood Clark Kent, the awkward, bespectacled reporter Mike had always found endearing. Clark was tugging at his tie, his movements hurried. Then, in a heartbeat, he ripped open his shirt, revealing the iconic red “S” on blue. Superman.
Mike’s breath hitched, his notepad slipping in his grip. He’d dreamed of those colors, that symbol, but seeing Clark transform—Clark, who stammered through staff meetings—sent his pulse racing. A secret crush on Superman was one thing; discovering he worked beside him was another. Clark didn’t notice him, too focused on some unseen call. The window creaked open, and with a gust that scattered loose sheets, Superman leapt into the sky, a streak of red and blue vanishing into the Metropolis night.
Mike stood frozen, heart pounding with awe and something sharper. Then, moving on impulse, he grabbed a spare bag from the shelf and gathered Clark’s discarded clothes—shirt, slacks, tie, glasses—each piece a relic of the man he’d mooned over in headlines. He couldn’t let this go unacknowledged. He scribbled a note on a scrap of paper: “I know your secret. Come to 1427 Oak Street, Apt 3B, at 8 PM tonight. —Mike.” His hand trembled as he tucked it under a stack of printer paper where the clothes had lain.
Bag in hand, Mike left the Planet, the city’s buzz a distant hum against his racing thoughts. At his small apartment, he dropped the bag by the door, too jittery to unpack it. He tidied up—stacking clippings, wiping the table—his mind replaying that glimpse of Superman’s cape. He brewed coffee, setting out two mugs, a nervous gesture to the hero he’d adored from afar. By 7:55, he perched on his couch, eyes darting between the clock and the window. At 8:00, a shadow darkened the glass, and a soft knock echoed. Mike rose, his chest tight with anticipation, ready to face the man behind the myth.
Mike’s hand hovered over the doorknob, his breath shallow as the shadow beyond the window sharpened into a familiar silhouette. He opened the door, and there stood Superman—Clark—his cape catching the faint light from the streetlamp outside. Up close, without the glasses, his eyes were piercing yet uncertain, scanning Mike’s face. The note had worked; he’d come.
“Mike,” Superman said, his voice low, steady, but edged with caution. “You left this?” He held up the crumpled paper, the words I know your secret stark against the white.
Mike nodded, stepping back to let him in. “Yeah. I… I saw you. In the supply room.” His throat tightened, the weight of his crush colliding with the reality of Superman standing in his living room. He gestured to the couch, awkward. “Coffee?”
Superman hesitated, then stepped inside, the door clicking shut behind him. “No, thanks.” He didn’t sit, just stood there, towering yet somehow human. “What do you want, Mike? Money? A story?”
“No!” Mike blurted, cheeks flushing. “Nothing like that. I just—” He faltered, glancing at the bag by the door, Clark’s clothes still inside. “I’ve followed you—Superman—for a while. Every rescue, every headline. I didn’t know it was you, Clark, but when I saw… I couldn’t pretend I didn’t.”
Superman’s jaw tightened, his gaze dropping to the bag, then back to Mike. “You kept them.”
“Proof,” Mike said softly, then winced. “Not to use. Just… I don’t know, to hold onto something real.” He rubbed the back of his neck, the confession spilling out. “I’ve admired you forever. Not just the cape, but the way you save people. Seeing you change—it’s like I finally saw you.”
The room went quiet, the clock ticking past 8:03. Superman’s expression softened, a flicker of surprise replacing the wariness. “You’re not the first to figure it out,” he admitted, “but you’re the first to leave a note like that.” He stepped closer, his voice dropping. “What now, Mike? You’ve got my secret. What do you do with it?”
Mike swallowed, meeting those eyes he’d dreamed about. “I keep it. That’s it. I don’t write it, I don’t tell. I just… wanted you to know I know. And that I’m not your enemy.” His lips quirked, shy. “Maybe even a friend, if you’d let me.”
Superman studied him, long enough that Mike’s stomach twisted. Then, faintly, he smiled. “You’re a good reporter, Mike. Too good, maybe.” He glanced at the window. “I’ve got a city to check on, but… thanks. For the coffee offer. And the trust.”
Before Mike could respond, Superman crossed to the window, pausing to look back. “Keep those clothes safe. I’ll need them tomorrow.” With a nod, he stepped out, the cape flaring as he launched skyward, a blur of red and blue against the night.
Mike sank onto the couch, the empty mug still warm in his hands, staring at the open window where his hero—his Clark—had vanished once more.
Mike sat there for a long while, the quiet of his apartment settling around him like a blanket. The mug cooled in his grip, but his mind buzzed, replaying every word, every glance from Superman—Clark. He’d stood face-to-face with the Man of Steel, spilled his admiration, and hadn’t been brushed off or threatened. That smile, faint but real, lingered in his memory. And the clothes. Keep them safe. A promise tied to a secret.
He stood, crossing to the bag by the door. Carefully, he pulled out Clark’s shirt, smoothing the wrinkles with unsteady hands. It was ordinary—white cotton, a little worn at the cuffs—but it felt monumental. He hung it in his closet, tucked the slacks and tie beside it, and set the glasses on his dresser, their lenses catching the dim light. A piece of Superman, hidden in plain sight.
The next morning, Mike arrived at the Daily Planet early, the bag slung over his shoulder. The newsroom was already alive—phones ringing, reporters shouting over each other—but his eyes darted to Clark’s desk. Empty. He slipped into the supply room, heart thudding, and placed the clothes back where he’d found them, neatly folded. No note this time; the message had been delivered.
Back at his desk, he buried himself in his budget cuts story, but his focus kept drifting. Around ten, Clark shuffled in, glasses perched on his nose, hair slightly mussed. He nodded at Mike as he passed, casual as ever, but there was a glint in his eye—acknowledgment, maybe gratitude. Mike’s stomach flipped, and he ducked his head, pretending to type.