Kapitel 97: By Your Side
It's the heartache of watching others laugh and chat as they pass by, while you can only retract your hand and applaud their happiness from the sidelines.
He had already tasted the pain of being an outcast among people; he didn't want Clark to experience that feeling too.
Soren hurriedly threw off the covers, slid his pale, delicate feet into his slippers, and, despite Renee and Charlie's attempts to stop him, rushed outside.
He paid no attention to anything else, clattering along in his slippers, desperately running toward the fields.
His heart pounded violently, thumping in his ears as he sprinted through the cornfields of Kansas, just as he once ran recklessly toward that cross in the dark cornfield years ago.
"Clark!"
Gasping for breath, he braced his hands on his knees and called out Clark's name loudly in the center of the cornfield.
Soren's baby-blue eyes stared unblinkingly at the sky, waiting for that streak of red to appear in the blue expanse.
He knew Clark would come; he knew Clark could hear him.
He was certain of it.
As his voice faded into the fields.
A sonic boom echoed from behind the clouds, reverberating through Smallville.
The god of man descended from the heavens, landing before him.
The red cape draped slowly behind Clark, both heavy and gentle.
Soren stepped forward worriedly and finally gave Clark a long-overdue embrace.
He threw himself into Clark's arms, wrapping his arms around Clark's waist, and pressing his face close to Clark's chest.
Clark looked down and caught him, as if he was catching Soren who was rushing toward him.
In his arms, at that moment, Soren was like an innocent, affectionate child.
He pitifully rested his head against Clark's chest, telling him, "Clark, don't be afraid."
Clark lowered his head and gently ran his fingers through Soren's hair, he then made a low, vibrating sound deep in his throat, "I'm not afraid."
Soren lifted his head, his baby-blue eyes tracing the contours of Clark's face as he looked down at him.
At that moment, Clark looked like a saint, a handsome sun god, a savior in the face of the apocalypse.
Just standing there, he made people want to rush into hell for him, to become a devout follower who can endure hardships for his sake.
But this wasn't the Clark Soren was used to knowing, the living, breathing Clark.
It had been so long since they'd been this close.
Ever since Clark's birthday, Soren had deliberately avoided him, meeting him only once a week.
He hadn't even noticed when Clark had started keeping that lock of hair off his forehead, revealing his smooth brow.
Now, Clark looked both like the Superman Soren remembered and yet completely different.
He broke through his own self-restraint, unable to stop himself from wanting to peel away the divine, otherworldly aura that Clark wore.
Soren placed his hand on Clark's face, "None of this is your fault, Clark. Zod's death isn't on you. He had already set his heart on dying."
"Is that what you think?"
Clark smiled slightly, taking Soren's hand in his, patiently asking, "What else did they say on TV, Soren?"
Soren stared at him, suddenly realizing that he didn't understand Clark as well as he thought.
"On TV... they said you've been saving people around the world for several days and nights without rest. Clark, you'll get exhausted. You need to take a break."
Clark gently stroked his hair, "It's okay. I won't get tired. You don't need to worry about me."
Soren still looked concerned.
He said, "Clark, you need to know, that no matter what, I'll always be by your side. You don't have to feel like you're all alone in the world… I'm here, Martha, Jonathan, Pete, Chloe… look, there are so many people who care about you… you're not alone."
Clark smiled and ruffled the back of his head, "Of course I know. You all are the best. What's on your mind? Don't overthink it, I'm really fine—come on, hold on tight. I'll take you somewhere."
He lifted Soren from the cornfield, flying up into the sky, soaring across the endless plains until they reached the vast white beaches of Florida.
The purple sunset reflected off the sea, and the sky looked as if it had been sprinkled with rose petals, glowing in soft pinks and deep reds.
They sat on the fine white sand, as gentle, pink-purple waves lapped at the shore, wetting Soren's toes.
His bare feet sank into the sand, his toes curling back as fine, damp grains of sand filled the gaps between them.
"Today, I helped straighten a fallen coconut tree here," Clark said, gazing at the purple-red sun with a smile, "Then I found this beach, and I thought the sunset here would be beautiful, so I wanted to bring you to see it."
Soren replied, "You did more than just straighten a coconut tree. I just saw on TV that you helped repair Tokyo Tower."
Clark turned to look at him, "That's because I originally wanted to take you there."
Soren's mouth opened slightly in surprise, "…You wanted to take me to Tokyo Tower? The one from X-Men movies? Ah, I—I've wanted to see that place for a long time…"
Clark nodded, "That was the plan, but now Tokyo Tower's collapsed because of the World Engine. The repairs could take years."
"That's okay," Soren said, though a hint of barely noticeable disappointment flickered across his face, "…We can go see it another time."
Clark looked at him, trying to read Soren's feelings.
Was he pretending not to care just to comfort him?
Was he disappointed but thought it wasn't worth dwelling on?
After a moment of silence, as the sun neared the horizon, Clark reached out and tucked a stray curl of hair behind Soren's ear. "…As long as you're by my side, I'll take you to every place in the world you want to go."
Soren instinctively covered his ear where Clark's fingers had brushed against it, as if he'd been shocked.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein