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Clark snuck into his house that afternoon cuddling something small under his shirt. He looked around a bit, and, determining that his parents weren’t around, started to run up the stairs.
Little teeth touched his fingers lightly. Clark moved up the stairs a little slower. “It’s okay, little guy. Don’t struggle. I’ve got you.”
The teeth let go, and a small furry head nuzzled against his hand.
“Clark!” His father’s voice boomed up the stairs. Clark froze. The little heartbeat beside him fluttered wildly. He stroked the soft fur reassuringly. “You gonna do your chores today?”
“Uh, yeah, Dad! Just let me drop off my books in my room? I had to help Chloe with her uh... homework.”
“Well, do it pretty soon, son. It’ll be dark.”
“Okay!” Clark hurried to his room, shut the door, and dropped his book bag on the floor before taking the little bundle out of his shirt and setting it on the bed.
The little red bunny looked up at him curiously.
“Sorry about that. But… just stay here while I do my chores, okay? Will you hide if Mom comes in?”
The bunny stared back at him blankly. Clark looked worried. Then, the bunny hopped to the edge of the bed and looked down at the floor, then up at Clark.
“Too high?”
A long ear went down, and the little bunny sighed. Clark scooped it up in his hands and set it on the floor. It gave him another little nuzzle and hopped quickly into the closet. Then peeked its cute nose out to look back at Clark, who grinned.
“Awesome. Okay, I’m going to do my chores. I’ll be back with some food and water later.” He walked over and gave the bunny a pet on the head.
Another little sigh came from the bunny as he left.
***
Clark zipped around the farm as fast as he could and returned to the house a little worried. What would happen if they found the bunny? He walked inside a little nervously.
“Well, that was motivation right there!” Jonathan clapped a hand on his son’s back.
”Sorry I was late.”
”No problem. You’re a good friend to Chloe.” He steered his son into the kitchen so that they could have dinner. Clark was mostly quiet, plotting how he could get some carrots or lettuce without his parents noticing.
Duh. Speed down here after dinner.
So he did just that. To Clark’s amazement, his parents didn’t seem to know anything was up, and that made Clark very happy. He’d been afraid that he would have to keep the bunny in the barn, and that predators would get him. He was awful small. He’d checked out a book on bunnies and read that they were really pretty fragile. But all was going pretty well.
Until the weekend when he returned home and found his parents waiting for him.
“Why in the world would you keep this from us?” Martha asked. She had the small creature in her lap. It crouched low and held its ears back.
“He, um. Chloe’s dad rescued him from testing at Luthorcorp, so… I took him.” Clark put his hands in his back pockets and tried to do his best cute, apologetic expression.
”Well, we’re gonna have to get rid of him.” Jonathan picked the bunny up by the scruff of its neck and looked at it critically. He frowned in surprise as the creature looked at him in clear annoyance and made a soft growl. “Set him loose.”
“I tried to make sure he stayed in my room! I kept it clean and changed the litter pan! Please don’t get rid of him! He’s just a little thing! What if a dog gets him?”
“Then that’s nature,” Jonathan said glibly. Martha gave him a disapproving look to both of them. The bunny was kicking wildly.
“I wish you’d just asked, Clark,” she said.
“I’m sorry.” Clark hung his head. Jonathan cupped the bunny in his hand then dropped it suddenly.
“Lex!” Clark jumped to catch him but was a bit too late. He fell on his leg and made a soft, injured noise. Clark picked him up and cuddled him to his chest.
“Did he bite you?” Martha looked at her husband’s finger. “Oh, no mark?”
“He sure doesn’t bite hard,” Jonathan said sheepishly. “Sorry.”
“It’s a warning bite. You were being too rough, and he wanted down. He’s really smart, for a bunny.”
The bunny flattened his ears and looked at Clark with annoyance. He was breathing hard. It must hurt a lot. Clark just petted him gently. “Mom, his leg is hurt.”
Martha came over to look at it. “Can you keep him still?”
“Stay still,” he told the bunny, who quirked his ears as though to say ‘I heard her.’
She gingerly pressed her fingers against his leg then bent it a little bit. The bunny whined. “He’ll be alright, sweetie. The foot is fractured, but it’s straight. We can wrap it up here.”
“You named your pet, Lex?” Jonathan asked suddenly. Clark flushed.
“Uh… Alex. I named him Alex.”
Martha eased him out of her son’s nervous hands. “Well, Alex, we’re going to have to decide what to do with you, hm?” She looked up at Jonathan. “He’s so well trained for a rabbit this young. And he and I share a hair color, don’t we Alex? Why don’t we keep him awhile?”
“We can’t reward lying, Martha.”
“No, I agree. But we don’t have to punish Alex, too. A punishment for Clark. And maybe a nice big cage for Alex.”
The bunny looked worried.
“I don’t know that he’d like a cage, Mom.”
“Maybe not, but I’ve kept rabbits before, hon, and if you don’t keep them in a cage, they’ll chew on things. They have to, to keep their teeth down.” She smiled at Alex. Love at first nibble. “But you can take him out when you’re around to watch him.”
Clark nodded. Oh boy. This wasn’t going to go over well. His father put his hands on his hips.
“Guess we can’t throw him out there in the wild with a hurt foot.”
Martha nodded and took him to the bathroom to wrap up his leg. “Might take a couple of weeks before he’s healed.”
“You, mister.” Jonathan looked to Martha, who nodded. “Alright then. I’m going to come up with a new list of chores for you.”
Clark nodded eagerly.
”And you’re to be home right after school, everyday.”
He nodded again. Martha came back with Alex the bunny. Clark took him protectively. “I will.”
”And take care of Alex? I think I have an old cage around here somewhere. And we need to find him something to chew on.”
Alex the bunny looked up at Clark plaintively.
“Sorry, guy. I’ll try to take you out whenever I can.”
***
”Jonathan, you’re not going to believe this.” Martha was sitting in the kitchen with Alex in her lap. Jonathan walked over and grinned at the creature. He didn’t like rodents much.
“What’s he done now?”
“He’s healed. His foot… it was still broken yesterday.”
Jonathan sat next to her and looked at the tiny bunny. He could swear that it was glaring at him. Crazy rabbit. “You think Luthor did experiments on him?”
“Why else would Gabe try to hide him? What kind of creature can heal itself overnight?”
Alex nudged her hand away softly.
“Oh, I don’t mean that in a bad way, sweetie.”
“You’re talking to a rabbit. Don’t apologize to it,” Jonathan groaned. Alex started to burrow under Martha shirt to hide from his loud voice.
“Oh hee hee! Alex stop. I won’t let him hurt you.” She held him up to look at him in the eyes. Alex sighed. “Poor little thing. He’s so friendly, but he seems sad.”
Clark zipped by them and opened the refrigerator. He pulled out the orange juice. “I got my chores done.”
Alex’s ears stood on end and his eyes were, for once, characteristically, wide and frightened.
“How is he, Mom?” Clark walked over to Alex, who hopped back a little bit. “Huh.”
“Maybe y’scared him a bit, Clark. I bet he’s never seen anything move that fast,” Jonathan pointed out. Martha nodded and rubbed Alex’s nose to calm him.
“Oh. Ohhh.” Clark rose his brows in alarm.
“Don’t worry too much, honey,” Martha advised him. “He’s the smartest rabbit I’ve ever seen. He’ll get used to it.”
“Yeah.” Clark held his hand out for Alex to sniff. The bunny frowned and held one ear back irritably. “Sorry I scared you? Come on. I’ll give you something to chew on.”
He wiggled backward again, but Martha caught him. “You’re so cross today. What happened to the sweet little bunny we took in a day ago, hm?”
Alex huffed then hopped into Clark’s hands but kept his ears down. Clark gave him a big grin. “Aw.”
He cuddled him to his chest with one hand, which Alex seemed to enjoy and gulped down his juice. “I need to finish my homework. Thanks for looking after him, Mom.”
“He hates the cage,” she replied. “I try to take him out when I’m not busy so he won’t try to chew the bars.”
“I don’t think he’s dumb enough to do that.”
“Son, we’re thinking… that bunny healed so fast. He’s oddly smart. We wonder if Luthorcorp didn’t do some weird experiments on him,” Jonathan said.
Clark shook his head. “I don’t think Mr. Luthor would experiment on Alex.” Alex butted his head against Clark’s hand to get his attention. “Oh?” He looked into Alex’s bunny eyes in disbelief. Alex stared back seriously.
“I…” Clark looked back up to his parents. “You don’t think…”
Jonathan held out a hand. “Now calm down. A lot of people experiment on animals. You figured that’s what Luthor was doing with the animal, right?”
“That’s horrible. His f- … uhm.” Clark looked back to the bunny. “God, I’m so sorry.”
“Just keep in mind. If Mr. Luthor has some kind of serious experiment going on… he might be looking for him,” Martha warned. “We don’t want you to get caught up in it.”
“I’m not turning him over to Mr. Luthor. He’s not going to be looking for a little rabbit.”
“That’s true,” Martha sighed. “Since Lex has been missing. He must be very upset.”
“Unless it’s something he’s done to the boy.” Jonathan shrugged. “I don’t know how that kid ever made it out of his teens.”
“Yeah.” Clark looked downcast. He nodded to his parents and headed up to his room with the bunny. He shut the door and placed Alex on the bed while he put something in front of the door. “Okay, Lex, please just let me explain.”
The bunny rolled his eyes. As if he could interrupt.
“Sorry sorry sorry, you don’t know how my parents are about my secret. If they knew I was hiding you like this they would totally freak out!” Clark leaned against the bed and rubbed his brow frantically. “That day after you hit me with your car my dad told me that I came to them in a spaceship; I was so freaked out. I’m such a freak, Lex. I couldn’t tell you… My dad thinks bad things will happen if people find out. I don’t know. I don’t think my friends would hurt me. Maybe people like your dad would.”
“I can’t believe your dad experimented on you. Did he do this? Why would he look for you if he turned you into a rabbit?” Clark waited, watching Lex frown. “Oh! Sorry. One question at a time. Did he do this?”
Lex shook his head.
“But he did experiment on you?”
Lex hopped up on his hind legs and tried to make his head nod. Clark looked distressed. He took Lex and put him in his lap. “That sucks. This sucks. I know we’ll find a way to get you back to normal.”
Lex pressed his head into Clark’s stomach.
“I’m sorry I didn’t trust you before. I’m sorry- hey, do you want to see the ship?”
***
Lex was so excited as they went down into the storm cellar that his little body was shaking. Clark was a little worried the stimulation wasn’t good for him, but he couldn’t promise to show him and not do it. He walked slowly over to the ship.
“Calm down a little.”
Lex gave him impatient eyes.
“You’re too cute as a bunny.”
Lex nipped him.
“Don’t bite down too hard. You’ll break your teeth.” Clark held him in one hand and pulled the tarp off the ship. Lex’s little heart fluttered eagerly, and he almost hopped out of Clark’s hand. “Hang on.”
He pointed his nose to Clark then looked back at the ship and sniffed at it. Clark set him on the ship and watched as Lex moved over it, feeling with the pads of his feet.
“God, I wish I could hear what you had to say. You’re like the smartest person I know.” Clark shrugged and looked over the ship himself. “So this is where I come from. I don’t know anything else besides that. I can take a car to the gut. I’m really strong and really fast. That’s all I really know. Oh! And I just learned how to look inside things. Like through them. Like an x-ray.”
Lex stopped his rabbitish explorations and looked at Clark inquisitively.
“Sorry. You can’t help but listen to me.” Clark walked over to where Lex was sitting and petted his little head. Lex leaned into the rub affectionately. “You’d listen anyway? Maybe. But I think it would be harder for me to open up. My parents… I know they’re trying to protect me. But when I was growing up, it sucked so much. I had to hide everything that I can do, and it’s just… they make me not trust people and I don’t want to be like that. So when I couldn’t control my strength I had to stay away from people. And I had to hide and lie…”
Lex gave him another nuzzle.
“Do you know what that’s like? Did you have to hide your abilities?”
He lifted his nose in the air. Clark petted him sadly. “I don’t know what that means.”
Lex rested his hands on his paws. Clark gave his nose a little rub. “We’ll talk about it when you’re better.”
Lex gave another little sigh.
***
“Is that a rabbit on my desk?” Chloe came in wrinkling her nose. Clark grinned.
“I’m showing Alex Sluggy Freelance.”
“What’s that?” She sat next to him and stroked Lex’s nose delicately. “You’re such a pretty bunny, aw… he’s the cutest thing ever, huh?”
Clark laughed. “He’s a charmer, that’s for sure.”
Chloe looked at the screen. “What’s that circle with… a stick?”
“It’s a bunny. With a glock. And a switchblade. He’s Bun-bun, and he’s an evil bunny. I thought it might lift Alex’s spirits. He seems down.”
“Aw. Well, maybe he needs a little girl bunny to keep him company.”
Lex covered his eyes.
“Oh my god that’s so cute!” Chloe exclaimed. She picked him up and hugged him. Lex looked at Clark pitifully.
“Well, stop being so cute, if you don’t want to be held. Just don’t bite her.”
Lex nibbled on her arm rebelliously. Chloe giggled. “Oh, god. I’ve got to get me one of these. He’s the cutest! I wonder if I could convince my dad to let me have a bunny.”
***
Martha paled looking out her front door. “Clark, honey, go to your room.”
“What is it, Mom?”
“Just go.”
Clark picked up Lex and headed up the stairs. He went into the guest room and x-rayed the floor. “Lex! It’s your dad.”
Lex leaned into Clark’s body defensively and made a distressed noise in his throat.
Downstairs, Martha had let Lionel in and was wringing her hands. “What can I do for you, Mr. Luthor?”
“I’d like to talk to your son, actually.”
She froze. “Why is that? How could he possibly interest you?”
“He interested Lex. He must be special.” Lionel paced around the room and looked down his nose at their poor farmhouse. “However, I would rather talk to him on this day in particular because I wonder if he might know something about my missing son. I haven’t been able to find him at all. Either his kidnappers are extremely clever, or he’s gotten better at running away.”
“I don’t think Lex would run away…”
“He’s done it before. How close is he with Clark? Might he be hiding out here somewhere?”
“Oh, Clark wouldn’t do that. Jonathan wouldn’t have it. Let me talk to him.” Martha called upstairs, and Clark returned cautiously.
“Hi, Mr. Luthor.” Clark held Lex tightly.
“Why, that’s a fine looking animal you have there.” Lionel stalked closer. “I was speaking with your mother and asked if you might have any idea where my son has gotten to.”
“I dunno, Mr. Luthor. He sure didn’t tell me if he went somewhere.” Clark tried to look hurt. It became more difficult as Lex tried to crawl up his sleeve. “Stoppit.”
“May I see him?”
“He’s a little skittish.” Clark secured Lex tightly in his arms.
Martha frowned. “He’s usually very friendly, though. I wonder what has him so jumpy?”
“Maybe rabbits can sense evil,” Clark suggested.
Lionel laughed. “I think my son may have given you a distorted view of me.”
Clark stood firmly and gave Lionel Luthor an obstinate look.
“I’m tempted to have the farm searched for him, if you won’t cooperate.”
“I don’t know where he would go! He’s your son. Why can’t you figure out where he went?”
“Normally, I’m quite able to.” Lionel circled around Clark and Lex. Lex had his face buried in Clark’s firm chest. Lionel shrugged. “Really, if he’d been kidnapped, I would have gotten some demands by now.”
Clark scowled worriedly. Lionel’s hand gripped his shoulder, and Clark felt a chill run down his spine.
“Don’t worry then. I’m sure Lex will turn up when we least expect him. However, I will be continuing the search. If you have any information, please, bring it forward before I have to let the police search this place.”
Clark nodded and ran back up the stairs.
At night, Clark had gotten used to having Lex cuddled up beside him. At first, he’d been worried that he might crush Lex’s furry little body, but he was more aware of Lex being there while he slept than he had originally thought.
So that night he lay on his side, stroking Lex’s fur and waiting for sleep to come. Sleep was awfully late tonight.
“I’m worried about your dad.” Clark wondered if Lex weren’t already asleep, but Lex nudged him in reply. “Yeah. If he finds out, will he do tests on you? Or would he try to bring you back to your before form?”
Lex’s big, blue eyes shone up at him, catching the moonlight from the window outside.
“I don’t know what to do but to hide you. What if we never find a way to turn you back?” Clark sighed. “I wish I knew how this happened.”
Lex started butting Clark’s side with his head.
“What is it?” He turned on the light beside his bed and sat up. “I guess you could tell me what happened. But the boys at the lab pretty much know, right? They were there when you stepped into your dad’s secret lab? Why would he be trying to bunnify people anyway?”
Lex sighed.
“Okay okay. One question at a time. Um…” Clark got up and pulled a notepad out of his backpack. He started writing. “Okay, I’m putting the alphabet here. Can you try to point to the letters?”
Clark set the pad down on the bed and watched Lex closely. He hopped up and put his nose to he paper. “R? Okay… O. C. K. Rock? Music?”
Lex sighed again. Clark tried to think about that a little more. Lex wiggled a little and pointed his nose to another letter.
“M.E… Meteor rocks?” Clark asked. Lex lifted his head and looked slightly less irritated. Clark grinned, then frowned fretfully. “That’s bad! He was experimenting with meteor rocks… how are we going to reverse it? Okay… I. D. U. N. N. O… oh.”
Clark laughed sadly. Lex hopped over to his leg.
“Should I turn you in?” Clark was getting used to Lex’s little bunny looks. He was pretty sure that pissed off expression plus the snort was a no. He rubbed Lex’s nose and cheeks. Lex freaken loved that. His eyes would half shut, and it always calmed him almost immediately. “Maybe I should go talk to Mr. Sullivan. See what’s going on with this cure.”
Lex hopped back over to the pad and put his nose on the C.
“C? H. L. O. E. Chloe? You think we should tell her? W. A. L. L. Huh. Well, she is the purveyor of all the weird in town. We can try her in the morning.” Clark set the pad on the floor. He scooped Lex up and snuggled under the covers with him. Bunnies didn’t purr, but Clark could still hear a tiny happy sound come from Lex as they curled together and his little teeth began to grind in contentment. Clark hoped for a cure for him with all of his heart, but he would be sad to let this closeness with him go. He doubted Lex would want to curl up next to him at night. Let alone curl up next to him naked. Clark blushed at the idea and petted Lex chastely.
***
“Clark, honey, who were you talking to last night?” Martha asked as she set down his plate. Clark looked a little embarrassed.
“Uh, just Alex.”
“He talk back?” Jonathan joked. Clark gave him an odd look.
“Well, he understands me when I talk. He can’t actually talk, though.”
“Pets can seem like they know what you’re saying. I think they read your tone of voice,” Martha said tenderly as she sat down. That boy was getting so attached to his bunny. To be honest, so was she.
“Yeah, but he like… shakes his head at me.” Clark felt hot under his parents’ gaze. “When he means no. And…”
“And?” Jonathan looked alarmed. Clark shook his head quickly.
“Nothing.”
“Clark,” Martha admonished. “You need to be truthful with us.”
“Okay, I’ll show you.” Clark got up and fetched Lex from his cage. Lex looked at him curiously as Clark set the pad out on the table. “Say hello to my parents.”
Lex decided to clean himself instead.
Clark flushed, this time in frustration. “Just show them. Don’t make me look crazy.”
Lex stuck his little bunny tongue out at Clark then hopped over to sniff his breakfast.
“Fine. You stubborn bunny.”
Martha laughed. “Are you giving Clark a hard time, Alex?” Lex looked up and sniffed at her. She gave him a little pet. “It’s okay, Clark. He really is a bright rabbit. Too bad he can’t respond more to what you say.”
Clark nodded and sat back down to breakfast. He glared at Lex, who was giving him a little bunnysmirk. “Jerk.”
***
Clark slammed the notepad onto an empty table and glared at his bunny.
“Uh, okay, Clark?” Chloe looked at him nervously. She cast Pete a sideways glance.
“Are you going to behave now?” Clark asked the little animal. His friends stared at him. Alex the bunny looked at them all with wide eyes. He started to preen his fur. “What is your problem? This was your idea.”
The bunny sat on his hind legs and looked up at them curiously.
“Hey, man, why don’t… we just take this easy? Have a seat and uh… call your parents?” Pete eased towards him slowly. The bunny glared at Clark, lowered his head, and skewed his ears, one in the air, one pointing directly at Pete.
“You don’t want Pete here? Why?”
The bunny dropped its head and turned his back to them with a huff. Chloe frowned a little. “Pete, wait. That’s… really strange. Does he understand us?”
“Don’t feed the delusions, Chloe,” Pete warned. The little red bunny hopped over to the pad. Chloe leaned over and watched him as he began to point his twitching nose to the letters.
“I. Ah..m. I am. L.E.X. L.U.T.H.O.R.” She gasped and looked up at Clark. Pete laughed.
”That’s a cute trick.”
Lex jerked his head over to Clark, looking extremely annoyed.
“Pete, stop. Clark, is it? Is it really him? Is this why they haven’t been able to find him?” She stepped in front of Pete to keep him away from the bunny. She wasn’t sure how he’d behave with Lex being so small and vulnerable. Clark nodded and ran a hand through his hair.
“Your dad gave him to me. There was an accident in one of his dad’s labs. I have no idea what they were doing, but Lex says meteor rocks were there.”
“Was he… part of the experiment?” she asked.
“No, they weren’t experimenting on him.”
“Um. We’ll was he… you know. Part of it.”
Lex turned back to the pad. N.O. F.O.U.N.D. I.T.
“How do you know that it was the meteor rocks?” Chloe leaned in as though she were interrogating the bunny. Pete looked baffled.
H.U.R.T.
“Hurt? You?”
B.O.N.E.S. F.E.E.L. I.T.
“Huh. Because of the meteor shower?”
Lex just lifted his head and sniffed.
“Maybe yes? Don’t know? Huh. Okay.” She took a deep breath. “So my dad is working on a cure or what? Why isn’t his dad in on this?”
“Your dad thinks that Mr. Luthor will experiment on him.” Clark pushed his hands into his back pockets. “I’m a little scared he will, too. But we need to do something. He’s been a bunny for weeks now. What if they can’t reverse this?!”
Just then Pete burst out laughing. Lex huffed in annoyance, and Pete just kept laughing. He had to sit down and tears were streaming down his face.
“This is not funny!” Clark yelled. “How would you like to be trapped in an animal’s body?”
“Ignore him,” Chloe advised. “Alright. We need to… get some information. I can get my dad’s security card, and-“
She stopped to watch Lex. M.I.N.E.
“Your card… probably a good idea. So… Clark, why don’t you get his security card from the mansion? I’ll ask Lex some more questions about where this happened? Is there anything else that you can tell me verbally?”
Clark shrugged. “Your dad just told me that he was in an accident.”
“Then you go, and I’ll ask some questions. Go. Go.”
Clark left. And dragged Pete with him.
***
To Lex’s annoyance, they left him at the Kent farm to stew in his cage. He hated that cage so so much. He stuck his little nose through the bars and waited for Martha to walk by so he could give her a mournful look.
Meanwhile, Chloe, Clark, and Pete, who had calmed down enough to ask why he had to come on this “mission,” snuck into the lab on the outskirts of town where Lex had suffered his accident.
“Nobody’s here.” Clark walked into the large room. There were several large cats, a dog, and a fat lop-eared rabbit in cages. He felt a sudden bout of nausea and remembered what Lex had said about the meteor rocks. Clark tried to step away from the table where several vials filled with a green liquid sat. “Over there.”
“Okay. So is this what got on Lex? Or is it an antidote?” Chloe asked. Pete shrugged.
“Did he just spill it?”
“No, something exploded.” She poked around the lab some more, looking at things and picking some up. She was wearing gloves to mask her fingerprints and taking some pictures. “Okay, found some files. Keep an eye out.”
Clark took the initiative to get away from the meteor rock serum and watched the door. She began taking pictures of each of the pages. “Woooah. This stuff is bizarro.”
“What is it?” Pete looked over her shoulder.
”I don’t get all of it. But I think they’re turning people in animals to use them as spies. Wow.” She clicked another picture. “It’s a cool idea, I guess. But not if they’re using humans to experiment.” She looked over at the other animals in the cages. “We should let them out.”
“Hey! Don’t go all PETA on me, here. How do you know letting them out is right? Maybe they signed a form or something?”
“Lex said he was looking into it because he didn’t think they were volunteers. Those poor people…”
“Let’s help them by getting a cure and not by getting turned into rabbits or ocelots ourselves, kay?” Pete suggested. He pocketed a few of the vials and turned back to her. “Done?”
“Almost. Clark?”
”Still clear. This is odd. Why…” Clark looked back to them. “How come there’s no security?”
“Cause Luthor’s a moron,” Pete said, looking through the other cabinets. “Found Lex’s clothes.”
“I think those vials are the antidote,” Chloe said. She sighed and put the files back where they belonged. “But I don’t know if it works.”
Pete looked to the animals in the cages. “Hey. Cat. Do those work?”
The cat lay down and ignored them.
“Hey, dog. Come on. Do these work? If I give it to you, will you be a human again?”
“They can’t answer you, I’m afraid.” All three froze as Lionel Luthor walked in. “I would appreciate if you could return what you’ve stolen from me.”
He took Chloe’s camera and stripped the film. Pete handed over the vials immediately.
“The antidote hasn’t worked thus far, unfortunately. We can turn our subjects, who have volunteered, by the way.” Lionel pointed to the camera. “They are soldiers with terminal diseases. Military men understand self-sacrifice. We can turn them into an animal for espionage, but unless we change them back within a few hours, it is impossible for them to regain human form.”
Clark’s face fell.
“I take it that furry little creature you’ve been carrying around was once my son.” Luthor’s voice was cold and distanced.
“He… so he’s just stuck in an animal’s body forever?” Clark asked in a high pitch. Chloe winced, hearing the pain in Clark’s voice.
“We could use the serum to turn him back, but after all this time, I’m sure he would still have the mind of a rabbit. It would be ridiculous to waste the material.”
“But he doesn’t!” Chloe protested. “Mr. Luthor, I saw him this afternoon. He’s still Lex in there!”
“That would be impossible.”
“Yeah, a bunny pointing out messages on a notepad. Impossible.” Pete shook his head.
“Please, Mr. Luthor, we have to try! He still knows us. He hasn’t gotten any dumber since I picked him up,” Clark insisted. Lionel rubbed his chin.
“Well. Perhaps this project won't be a wash after all.” He picked up a syringe and a vial of the green liquid. “Bring him to the mansion, if you really think he's still intact. I don’t want anyone else finding out about this. It would be very unfortunate for all of you if you were to spill military secrets.”
“I promise, Mr. Luthor. We just want to help Lex,” Chloe said. She shook a little at his presence.
“I hope that is possible.” He left the room without another word, and the teens looked to one another anxiously.
***
Clark held Lex closely as he and Chloe entered the mansion. Pete had opted to back out of the scheme and headed home to reinforce the locks on all of his doors.
“You think your dad gave Lex to me because he thought it was too late for him?”
”Maybe.” She gave Lex’s soft fur another pet. “One for the road. We’ll miss the fur, huh?”
Lex made no indication that he heard her, but his ears were high, listening as they followed a servant to a bedroom in the east wing. There, Lionel and three doctors were waiting. Lex’s eyes widened, and his ears went back.
“There there, son. Do you understand me?”
“Don’t play dumb, Lex. He’ll only give you the antidote if he thinks you’re still in there.” Clark held him up for Lionel’s inspection. His father put a finger under Lex chin.
“He doesn’t seem that intelligent. I think that this is wishful thinking of yours, Mr. Kent.”
Lex shook his head and nipped at his father’s finger. Lionel’s eyes lit up.
“Lex? Is that you?”
He lifted his head and nodded a bit.
“Good god. Set him on the bed. We’ll give him the serum.” Lionel motioned to a doctor who took a bit of the serum into the vial. “Use more.”
“He’s too small, sir,” she asserted. Lionel shook his head.
“Use at least three fourths. You don’t want him half transformed, do you?”
Clark got a grim image in his mind. The doctor adjusted the dosage and leaned over to the bed to inject it into Lex. Lex hopped backward nervously.
”Stay still,” Lionel ordered. The doctor came forward and pressed the needle into the shaking bunny. “Step back…”
The change happened instantaneously. The bunny started to grow, then his limbs started to stretch. His fur fell out, and after a little over a minute had passed, Lex was crouching wide-eye, naked, hairless, and human on the bedspread. They all stood there watching him. Lex blinked a few times.
”Say something, son!” Lionel reached for him, and Lex recoiled and pulled himself into a ball.
“Uh…” His voice was low and shaky.
“Maybe we could save the bunny fur and make it into a toupee? Sew it in?” Chloe suggested. Lex looked at her indignantly.
“Absolutely not,” he said shaking his head. Clark jumped in place like a girl. Thankfully no one was watching him.
“Lex! You’re you!”
“Ugh.” He pressed his face to his knees.
“For godssakes, son, what did you do to yourself? Why the hell were you in that lab?” Lionel grabbed his shoulder, despite Lex’s flinch.
“Vogler.”
“What?” Lionel narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Dr. Vogler?”
“He… was selling information,” Lex whispered. “How I found it. Maybe pulled some people living on the streets for experiments… I dunno. Didn’t get that far.”
“He won’t be selling information anymore. He’s a gray lop-eared rabbit now.”
“Sir,” one of the three doctors interrupted him. He held up a clean syringe. Lionel nodded.
“Hey! What are you going to do to him?” Chloe demanded. She stepped back when Lionel turned his gaze on her.
“We have to make certain his DNA is stable… Miss Sullivan.”
She nodded quickly. Now that the serum was gone, Clark stepped over to the bed and took Lex’s hand. “It’s okay.”
“I’ve had more horrifying things happen to me. Recently.”
“You and I are going to have a long talk about appropriate protocol when you find an information leak,” Lionel began. He launched into a long lecture. Lex ignored him and looked into Clark’s eyes as they began to draw blood from his arm.
“Are they going to leave any for you?” Clark asked after they took another syringe out. Lex said nothing, but continued to stare deeply into Clark’s eyes. Clark reached out and rubbed along the bridge of his nose. Lex relaxed and laid his head back on a pillow. “I… how much do you remember, Lex?”
“Mmmm. Everything.”
“Could you? Uh…”
Lex rolled his head over and whispered into Clark ear, “I want to see you in a cage as much as I want to be in one again myself.”
“Oh, my god!” Chloe exclaimed suddenly. She turned around and covered her eyes. “I must be gay. I’m staring at Lex Luthor naked, and I didn’t realize it.”
Clark burst out laughing. Lionel rolled his eyes at them and ordered a servant to get his son some clothing.
***
The next day, a clothed Lex Luthor came over to the Kent house to visit. He looked a little tired and maybe a little jumpier than normal, but otherwise smiled amiably at the Kents.
“Oh! Lex, come in! Everyone was worried about you,” Martha said, opening the door.
“I hear there was quite a search. I’m sorry if my father tried to intimidate you. It scares him when he thinks his heir might have gotten away from him.”
Clark bounded into the room and gave him a hug. Lex grinned.
“You don’t know how much I missed talking to you!” Clark cheered.
“Yeah? Oh, hello, Mr. Kent.” Lex let Clark go and put his hands in his pockets.
“Well, were have you been?” Jonathan asked bluntly.
Lex shrugged. “I hated to worry all of you. My father pissed off some mob boss in Asia, and his lackeys came after me. Before they could get to me, I was on the run, and I didn’t have time to send word to anyone.”
“Oh, my goodness.” Martha stepped forward, hesitated then grabbed Lex in a tight hug. He smiled involuntarily and tried to keep from nuzzling his face into her shoulder. “That must have been horrifying.”
“It was an experience, but I’ve had worse. Really, I’m fine. I grabbed a gun on my way out, and I still know enough people in low places in Metropolis and Edge City. I wasn’t really in that much danger,” he assured her. She looked into his eyes and seemed almost teary.
“I’m sorry, it just scares me that our boys can get in so much trouble for things their fathers do.” She wiped her eyes. “And Clark’s bunny Alex ran away yesterday. He was such a sweetie. I’m being a baby about it, but he was so friendly and smart. But...” She caressed Lex’s cheek. “We have you back, and that’s something to be very glad of. No matter how much you try to be brave, that must have been very frightening. Thank God you stayed out of harm’s way.”
“Thank you. I uh… mostly have my friends to thank for that.”
Martha finally let him go. “Sorry about that, Lex.”
“No, it’s fine. It’s always good to know that people miss you when you’re not around.”
Jonathan nodded curtly. On the way up the stairs, Lex muttered to Clark, “Your father likes me better as a rabbit.”
“Sorry he broke your foot.”
Lex shrugged. “I’m okay now. I should get your mom a bunny. She needs something around the house to baby.”
“You spent a lot of time with her,” Clark commented. Lex looked down.
“I spent a lot of time with you.”
“Yeah.”
They walked into the bedroom and closed the door. “Can I look at your ship sometime when I have hands? No pictures; that wouldn’t be smart. Just look? I swear I saw that ship when the meteor shower hit.”
“Yeah, but we’ll have to do it when my parents aren’t around.”
Clark sat on the bed. Lex cuddled up beside him. Clark looked down in surprise. It seemed so natural, though. He stroked his scalp experimentally. When Lex didn’t pull away, he did it again.
“You should just tell your parents that you told me. They’re going to have to trust your judgment sooner or later. Even if they don’t trust me.” Lex pressed his head against Clark’s chest. Clark kissed Lex’s head softly. “And by the way, that’s about as far as you’re going to get until you’re legal, Clark.”
“I… uh…”
“I don’t know if this is familiar because of what I just experienced… or… just…”
Clark kissed his head again. “I got it. Clark will be a good boy.”
“Good.” Lex ran his fingers along Clark’s chest. Clark reached down and rubbed his nose. He turned to goo in Clark’s arms. “Oh… do that…”
“I think you’ve kept some bunny traits.”
“Too bad I don’t have the fur.”
“Nah. Your skin is just about as soft. You’re easily pettable.”
Lex smiled blissfully. “I have to go. Your parents are going to wonder what we’re doing in here.” He made no move to leave the bed.
“You’re at my mercy.”
“Ohh… Clark. I’ve always been at your mercy. Please, let a man go.”
Clark grinned a little wickedly and kept rubbing Lex’s nose. “Well, I cleaned up after you for weeks.”
“Here’s to never having that happen again. Maybe I can clean up for you once and awhile.”
“I screw up a lot. That could happen.”
“All you have to do is ask. I’m yours.”
Clark dropped a third kiss on his head and let him go. “Do you have any other bunny traits?”
“I drank carrot juice this morning and liked it.” Lex shrugged as he got up. “But I had a steak for dinner and enjoyed having the proper teeth to chew it with.”
“Chloe has a picture of Alexander the Bunny on her Wall of Weird. Lana asked the other day, and she told her that he was a superintelligent rabbit, but he escaped before they could figure anything out.”
“I’m definitely getting your mom another bunny. Maybe two. It’s lonely being trapped in a cage.”
“Aw. Poor bunny.”
Lex turned the door handle and stepped outside. Martha raised her brows and stepped back and put her hands in her back pockets.
So that was where Clark got that particular mannerism.
“Hello, Mrs. Kent. Still glad that I’m back?” Lex kept his face calm. Martha sighed.
“I’m sorry for invading your privacy, Clark,” she said immediately. “You two missed each other. I could see that. But you’re going to have to tell your father, and soon.”
”They’re nothing to tell, Mom!” Clark insisted. Martha crossed her arms.
“You told him. I hope you’ve thought about that. It’s your decision to make.” She raised her hands. “But you still need to be the one to tell your father.”
“Okay.” Clark scuffed his shoes. Martha turned to Lex and looked him over critically. Lex felt anxious under her gaze. Would she take back her emotion from earlier? He didn’t want her to be disgusted with him.
“Thank you for telling Clark to wait. I hope we can trust you to keep that resolve.”
Lex opened his mouth. “I uh… I will. He’s under aged. I couldn’t… I don’t even know if we…”
“Well,” she said softly. “I suppose you two will figure that out.” She turned and headed down the stairs. “But it had better stay at petting until Clark is older.”
“Petting,” Lex muttered.
Clark reached over and petted his head, grinning like a fool.