I've seen several AUs where Clark ends up in foster homes and keeps his powers secret from them. How about one where he keeps them secret from his parents so that they don't know who Superman is, at least not at first.
Maybe he learned to sew in a home ec class?
Or he could fashion a suit that looks entirely different to the one we all know and love. He could cobble something together from a costume shop.
Joy,
Lynn
Maybe Martha taught him when he was little so he could help with repairing things around the house?
Maybe an alternate universe Lois Lane sewed it for him.
Joy,
Lynn
So Lois knows before the Kents? That would be interesting!
I had been figuring that it would be a Lois from a different universe than his, but "his" Lois would certainly make for an unusual take on things.
Joy,
Lynn
She might be a lot less angry when she realizes that she is the first person he has ever told.
If he doesn't mention powers would his parents ever mention the spaceship?
Ooh, good point. Perhaps he enlists Lois's help in investigating his origin. Is he a Russian experiment? A total freak of nature? Was he sent to our time from a distant future when humans had acquired abilities far beyond those of present day mortals?
Joy,
Lynn
Maybe Lois' family had to move to Smallville for some reason, right around the time when Clark's powers were first manifesting. Somehow, she winds up witnessing his powers and they decide to keep it between the two of them.
One version used many times is that Clark is the son of an unmarried cousin. Suppose that Martha's unmarried cousin was visiting to tell her "something important", found Clark on her way and died suddenly. Jonathan and Martha raise Clark as the cousin's son, thinking that her pregnancy was the "secret" and have no idea about the spaceship.
If Clark's powers manifested later they would be clueless about who Superman is when he appeared.
Another way to do this is that for some reason the Kents don't see the capsule land, and Clark is found by someone else who (for their own reasons) decides to leave him on the Kent doorstep. Think Hagrid, or H.G. Wells...
This is indeed intriguing. I worry that a Clark who is hiding his powers from his parents would have a different relationship with them. That's a big burden to carry alone. He'd be a different person in ways that might be interesting to explore.
The relationship would be different, but he could still have a good relationship with them and have (to him) positive reasons for hiding his abilities. For example, he might not want to cause them any worry or distress, and he'd be afraid that his being so different would do just that. While it is true that this Clark wouldn't have quite as open a relationship with his parents, he could still have a loving and caring one.
Joy,
Lynn
