#yes Derick returns as a villain / love interest

[questioningespecialy]

hold up... smooshed? boobs? Clark's boobs? boobas?

Hear me out... Superman, right? But what if... trans.

cw: trans problems, misgendering

The day Clair discovered her abilities was the same day she realized more about herself than her parents were even ready for.

You see, Clair's parents gave her a different name. Something similar, but wholly different. Why? Because they thought they had a boy. How? Because Kryptonians have sexes and genders for days. Humans have no idea how varied it can get. And if the comparatively bizarreness of white-throated sparrows, ruffs, clownfish, spotted hyenas, snails, and seahorses are any indicator, it's probably hot interesting af.

But we won't get into that. Since Clair still knows nothing of her birthplace. Instead, we're gonna focus on Clair.

Clair was raised by two married farmers in rural America. Not too far from the major city Metropolis. But far enough to be... less diverse. Clair grew up in Conservative America, y'all, and it shows. When she was a wee lad, she was taught to be and behave like a boy. Problem was, she wasn't. She was very much a girl for all intents and purposes. Not a girly girl, but noticeably girl if you catch my drift. And that wasn't without consequence. People believe in men being men afterall, right? So the teachers were awful, which made it easier for her peers to be awful, and even the rest of the town was awful. But surely her parents weren't awful, right? They must've tried their best to give their child a happy childhood. Well, you're right. About the first part I mean.

Jonathan and Martha Kent both loved their son child. Like any parent would. And they wanted what was best for him her. Like any parent would. But what does that look like in practice? What does love look like... with different intentions?

Well,

dad was a disciplinarian (but less so than his dad) and mom was a gentle enabler (same as her mom). As most of us can imagine, life at home was its own hell and gendered expectations were rampant in Clair's life. So much so that she kept her body's changes from her parents. And yes, that includes her powers.

See,

with puberty came the changes. And with the changes came the powers. But just like everything else different about herself, Clair already knew well enough to hide it. From everyone.

That means no sleep overs, no skinny dipping, no public showers, no truth or dare, not even any sexual intimacy. ...Well, mostly.

So,

there was this guy, right? Derick. A lil cutie is what he was and he knew it. Liked to dress up in secret and dance in front of his mom's mirror when nobody was watchin'. Even wore feminine clothes under his masculine clothes most days. And Clair was infatuated with him. She knew all about his hidden clothes. His cross dressing. His secret makeup stash. Even how long he'd stare at himself in the mirror when his parents weren't home. "But, how does-" She was a hormonal teenager, okay? Give her a break.

Anyway,

Derick eventually noticed Clair lookin'. And immediately knew... that this handsome beefcake was in his league. 👍🏿 So after some time gettin' to know her (as buds of course), Derick decided to start sendin' hints. Anytime they were alone, actually. A smile. A graze. A helpful hand. Since Clair was either too nervous to make a move or two clueless to notice, Derick tried a different method: just bein' close friends. And that went wonderfully. Clair's first friend--the closet femboy.

They'd do so much together. Laughing and playing each way. Watchin' movies and savin' the fake day. Eventually, long after Clair relaxed enough around Derick, he tried again. But more direct this time. This time he... maintained touch. One night while they laid out somewhere on the Kent's farm, he slowly reached his hand over to Clair's.

Did she even know how to feel? Not at all. Did she know how to react? Hardly. But what did she say? Nothing. But what did she do? relax

It was so nice to be touched. To be held the way he held her hand. To be loved the way he loved her. To be... cared for. By someone... she loved.

For the first time in her life, she truly loved someone. For the first time in her life, she felt loved by someone who fully accepted her... and protected her.

...heaven is all this could be nothing less could be more free if her Tanakh actually referred to this in its listings of sin then a sinner she would be as their hold held on and the stars sparkled on she decided "I will never be less free"

And so their routines grew longer in duration. And time together became nearly a constant. All the while, their intimacy became infinite. And secrets became scarce.

It wasn't long before Derick opened up about his private habits. To which Clair told him just how cute he'd look in feminine clothes. And it was shortly after that Clair opened up about the crush she had before they first made eye contact. To which Derick chuckled how he noticed her lookin' at school for weeks prior.

These two romantic lovers shared so much of themselves. Held so much of eachother. That it was only natural for things to progress. Long after their first kiss. Long after their nights sleeping ontop of eachother. Eventually, they decided to share a bath.

And that was Clair's first mistake.

It's not that he wasn't ready. It's not that he was disgusted. It's just that... well... Derick just didn't understand. How could he? They were never taught that some people could have unusual body parts. They were never taught that they could be attracted to things beyond men and women.

Derick just... didn't know what to do. He just... didn't know how to feel. He was confused. And lost. Then... he was gone.

Days had gone by now. Clair still hadn't seen him. She ain't even gone to see him.

And how could she? After that... How could she face him? After that... She was lost. Not even her mom could cheer her up. All she could do was cry. And cry she did. As much as mom would let her.

If dad were still around, this would all be in another bottle. If dad were still around, Derick would've never hurt her in the first place. If dad were still around, Clair would've never experienced free.

Eventually...

she manages. Gets enough of it out to be functional again. Help her mom. Watch a show. Try not to think about him. Eventually, graduation comes. And the first thing she's asked is "So what're ya gonna do now?" "...I'm gonna become a journalist."

And so she does. Still managing to visit her mom on the weekends (through inconvenience of the city bus of course). She's grown far enough past her heartbreak and traumas to return to the town that raised her. Or so she thinks.

One day,

in Metropolis, she spots a cute coworker at the Daily Planet. Some lesbian-ass looking shortstack with a tight-ass waist. Clair thought she knew her type... until now. Now she doesn't know anything. Can't even get this lady outta her head. And can't even figure out why.

"She's lesbian, right? Wouldn't even be interested in..." she thinks to herself neglecting her job. Fully knowing how well she presents masculine now. How used to a short bush she is. How comfortable she's become with a binder. How little she thinks of being called "he".

Truth is,

Clair comfortably goes by Clark now. The name his parents gave him. And he really doesn't think about how strange that is. That someone so uncomfortable presenting masculine as a child... would be so comfortable with it as an adult. If he knew some Kryptonians they could tell him. But alas he knows none. So on he continues. Pretending to just be another one of the many.

That is,

when he's not moonlighting of course. Clark may be a masculine, yet gentle, man in a tie. But Clair's a feminine goddess ready to take on the Amazons.

Superman she calls herself. And the people get it. Not a woman nor a man. Only super, with semblance of woman.

No one knows where she came from. With her long kinky fro. Only the sky, some say. A government project, others theorize. Truth be told, she did fall from the sky. And she was created by the government. Well, not exactly in the latter case. But for the most part.

Regardless of origin,

she's become a beacon of hope. Hope that the (wo)man can be better. That Metropolis can be better. That Earth can be better. Better at caring. Better at nurturing. Better at helping. Better people.

She is the Superman. And she is American.

Well...

right now she's just Clark. Some journalist who's too nervous to talk to that Lois lady he's interested in. The one who's got the stuff to run this place like nobody's business on the drop of a dime. Definitely a top.

---

inb4 "this ain't trans actually"

Even without this whole-ass write-up, I find the below video interesting to watch with the altered context of Superman presenting as a woman while Clark presents as a man, especially the first scene.

everything about these two scenes is perfect