Chapter Text
Superman burst through the large window into the sparsely decorated bedroom of Lex’s expansive and well-lit penthouse.
“Alright Lex! party’s over! Superman barked.
“You know how…this…goes…”
Superman stopped suddenly in his tracks, he was in complete shock at the sight before him.
“Lex…?” he stammered.
Lex wasn’t plotting, he wasn’t waiting evilly in a chair with a shit-eating grin, or doing anything Superman usually expected him to do.
Instead he was just, lying there, on his ridiculously lavish bed. Practically motionless.
is he sleeping? Superman wondered I didn’t know Lex could even do that… he almost felt bad for intruding on a man peacefully resting, but then he remembered this was lex Luthor and felt a little better.
After a few moments of hesitation he softly landed on the smooth marble floor and silently approached lex, whom was on the side furthest from Superman and facing the the opposite wall so it wasn’t clear if the billionaire was smiling and waiting for the moment to strike or if he was actually, genuinely asleep.
Superman carefully crept forward with his powers at the ready in the event lex tried something. but once Superman reached the side of the bed, he witnessed something more surprising than any ambush.
lex. Was crying.
Superman couldn’t believe his eyes.
He peered over the covers just to make sure, and he was right. the Lex Luthor -one of the most evil men in history- was just, crying. He was curled up on his side and clutching a pillow like a a small child. Superman had no idea what to make of this rather uncomfortable scene. Most of all, he was confused as to why Lex hadn’t spoken to Superman or tried to attack him. Surely by now the villain would have called security, or opened some kind of portal to escape or have done something. But no, he just laid there in his pathetic sadness. was he even aware that his enemy stood only a few feet away from him? if Lex didn’t acknowledge Superman’s existence soon he might just be convinced it was some kind of hologram.
Superman was about to make a move but before he could lift a finger, before even a single word could escape the hero’s mouth, lex finally spoke.
“You win” he mumbled with a sharp exhale.
“What?”
“You win”
Superman circled cautiously around to the other side of the bed to face Lex, whom made an effort to hide himself and preserve what little dignity he had left.
“what’s the point of fighting anymore” Lex choked out the words in complete sorrow.
“When no matter how many times I win, no matter how many times my bots beat you into the ground, you’ll always have something I’ll never have, you will always win, even if you don’t know it.”
a crease formed in lex’s brow.
“And maybe the fact that you don’t understand just how lucky you are is even worse, how ungrateful you are for the gifts the universe has given you… and for what?”
even if Lex had lost his dignity, he hadn’t lost his love for cryptic monologues. but still, superman was confused. What does he mean I’ll always win? What do I have that he doesn’t?
“Lex… what are you talking about…? Is this about how I have superpowers or something? I know you’ve always envied my abilities but-“
“My point exactly!” Lex snapped angrily while still refusing eye contact with superman.
“You’re so unaware of what you have! You take for granted things that some of us can only dream to possess-!!” Lex buried his face in the sheets, unable to articulate words.
Superman stood his ground, not sure what he should do. In all the years of battling with this man, lex showed no emotions other than envy and hatred, so this taboo display of mental anguish was almost to much to handle. As much as Superman wanted desperately to comfort the miserable man before him, he had no idea how to. He also didn’t even know what he would be comforting him about on the account that Lex refused to mention what was actually bothering him so deeply.
Superman knelt down and was now just about eye level with Lex, and for a moment neither of the two men said a word nor held one another’s gaze. both of them simply taking in the silence.
it was Superman who spoke first.
“Lex I don’t know what to tell you,” he sighed “you won’t say what happened so I really can’t do anything. but I do, truly want to help you.” Superman stated with pure honesty.
Although Superman was confident it would take more convincing for Lex to open up, he thought he should at least try.
“And you know, Lex, I don’t try to be better than you. I was given what I was given but that doesn’t make me more or less important that any other being.” Superman flicked his gaze over to the window that he had crashed through, trying to find the proper words in the many shards of glass. “if you want to mesure worth by strength or power then sure, maybe some people could be more or less important. but I think that if you can find the worth in others, no matter how small or different they might seem, then you will find worth in yourself.” Superman eyed Lex hopefully.
“God, you are so patronizing” Lex responded simply.
even in the midst of the petty response Lex had uttered, Superman had some confidence that his words didn’t fall on deaf ears.
a few moments of silence slipped by, both Superman and Lex thinking about what the other had said.
Superman would’ve liked to say more but he didn’t want to push it, so he simply allowed Lex to speak if he wanted to. and if he didn’t, that was perfectly fine.
. . .
after a few moments of complete yet not uncomfortable stillness, lex shifted his position to where his face was finally visible, and Superman’s heart dropped.
Lex’s face was stained with tears, it was clear he had been crying for a while, his green eyes were heavy with despair. Superman sighed empathetically while maintaining Lex’s gaze. No matter what evil deeds this man had done, no matter the damage he had caused to metropolis, Superman still couldn’t stand to see any human in such a state of misery. Especially when he had no idea what was causing it. But before Superman could ask any further questions, Lex reluctantly motioned to something on the bedside table.
Superman turned slightly and located what Lex was pointing to, an envelope addressed to his penthouse. It had clearly already been opened and the contents had been read, but by the small tear stains on the paper Superman could tell whatever the letter said must not have been good.
“Read it” Lex muttered with a mix of anger and emptiness that made Superman’s chest hurt.
Superman reached over to the table and grabbed the envelope, carefully slipping out the letter it held.
Superman was about to say something to Lex in regards to the message, but when he stared back up at him he had already hid himself behind sheets and pillows, clearly not wanting to be reminded of the letter or the words within it. so Superman shifted his sights back to the paper and began to read it silently in his head.
Alex,
This will be my last letter to you for the foreseeable future on account
that you have continued to do nothing but disappoint me.
you assured me you would rid this world of Superman. And I have given you the funds and employees necessary to do so.
But after years of waiting you have still yet to complete the simple task of annihilating that wretched alien.
so therefore, I am withdrawing my funds and personnel from you until you can prove that you deserve them.
You have one week to demonstrate that you can live up to my name and to my expectations.
Otherwise, you will be cast out of the Luthor family and will forever.
do not disappoint me.
Superman lowered the letter from his gaze and looked up at Lex who was now sobbing uncontrollably, a new wave of understanding settled in and it made Superman shudder.
“Lex… I … I don’t understand…” Superman started. “if this man wants you to destroy me, why are you allowing me to stand here freely?”
“What do you suppose I do, prick?” Lex mumbled bitterly into the pillow he was using in an attempt to hide his grief “I have no weapons, no robots, no minions.” A sound of utter defeat and despair was prominent in every word he spoke. “I’m useless”
Superman lightly placed the letter back on the bedside table and knelt down on both knees while laying his arms on the mattress. he kindly placed a hand on lex’s left arm while carefully moving aside the pillow Lex had been cowering behind.
Lex barley even fought against Superman’s movements, he was too lost in his own sorrowful thoughts to care, though he still maintained a slightly agitated expression.
Superman tried to keep his eyes on Lex’s face but he was distracted, he couldn’t help but notice how cold Lex’s body was. Which was odd, on account of all the fur and satin bedding he was surrounded by. Superman searched the grand room with his gaze and located a thermostat which was not only very complicated, but also very far away. Superman quickly brought his attention back to Lex. He’s been so upset that he couldn’t even get the motivation to get up and change the temperature.
Wanting to help, but also having no idea how to work the expensive thermostat, Superman thought up another idea.
“Move over” he whispered
“What?”
“Move over”
Superman motioned for Lex to make room for him. even if Superman couldn’t change the temperature he could still provide warmth.
See, Superman learned recently that not only could he harness the power of the sun, but also its warmth. He could raise his body heat and essentially become a human heating pad.
Lex reluctantly inched over and made just enough space for Superman, he laid down next to Lex with his face towards the ceiling and after a few seconds, managed to heat up his body temperature to a comfortable yet not overwhelming degree. Lex was clearly surprised and some what cautious of Superman’s ability and yet was silently grateful. He had been shivering for hours and could barely even think due to how cold it was.
Superman laid perfectly still, knowing subconsciously he was already pushing so many boundaries, and he was also still in acknowledgment of the fact that Lex could at any moment try to attack him. But Lex still lay there, almost completely motionless, a few shivers running down his body periodically.
Superman looked to the ceiling, it was so high up, it made him feel weirdly small and insignificant. he wondered how rich people like Lex could stand to have such a feeling follow them from one large room to the next. How do people live like this? Superman was grateful that he was raised in a low ceiling, tiny farm house. he thought of his parents, his earthly parents. and how much they had done for him. as memories of the time he spent with the Kents floated through Superman’s mind, he truly empathized with the Lex’s situation. To have a family member, especially one you trust or look up to, hate you so deeply had to be such a terrible, crushing feeling. Superman’s eyes fell back onto Lex, who was pressed up against the hero’s warm body, eyes halfway closed. Superman lifted his arm over and moved him closer, Lex shifted slightly and rested his head on Superman’s chest, which made the hero blush uncomfortably. It wasn’t clear if Lex’s move was done consciously, but Superman didn’t dare comment on it.
Superman noticed that Lex had completely stopped crying by this point, though his face still held a sad expression.
once Lex lay still, the same hand Superman used to move him now softly lay on Lex’s shoulder, holding and comforting him. and as the beautiful sunset shown through the broken window, Lex dozed off softly.
And for the first time, Superman didn’t feel nervous in the villains presence. He didn’t have to worry about fighting him or about protecting citizens from various evil robots. In fact, superman didn’t have to worry about anything right now. Because he had just helped a human being by using kindness and Love.
And to Superman, that was enough.