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When Clark got requested for an interview with the exclusive Lex Luthor, it was a surprise for multiple reasons. One, the guy was a billionaire tech corporation. Two, he was not known for doing interviews at all, and three, that went with the second one, he barely contacted the outside world at all. Never allowed media or personnel to enter his penthouse, barely had any relationships, and over all, didn’t seem the type to be very a pleasant conversationalist. That last part was Lois Lane’s opinion. Clark for one, was excited to get this exclusive, it would get him more information on Lex Luthor as a whole. He showed up to the interview on the dot—Mr. Luthor was very insistent on that, and dressed in his nicest suit. When he entered the Luthorcorp penthouse, he felt almost immediately out of place.
The penthouse was cold, almost unbearably cold for humans, and almost completely gray. Gray and black stone made up the house. If it could even be called that, to Clark it felt more like a pristine museum. Ma would suggest some color, Clark would agree.
“Mr. Kent. I’m glad the Daily Planet at least teaches its reporters to be on time.” He didn’t love that connotation. Mr. Luthor stood in the living room. Though Clark doubted anyone did much living here. The light gray luxury couch looked like no one had sat in it in years.
Now, Clark didn’t use his x-ray vision on people who didn’t ask for it. At least he tried not to. But sometimes it happened by accident. Some sixth sense could tell that someone was injured, or if something was off—and something was certainly off with Mr. Luthor. His heart rate elevated to a point that indicated an almost dangerous amount of stress. What concerned him most of all, was that in his system there seemed to be a strange drug that he didn’t recognize. A black liquid that clenched at his heart and nervous system.
There was a flicker of something in Lex Luthor’s eyes that Clark could only read as fear. It was clear to him then, that this man needed help. Maybe that was the reason for this interview in the first place. He wanted to reach out, but doubted Mr. Luthor would be receptive to that kind of thing.
“Please, call me Clark, my pa is Mr. Kent.” He willed his voice not to shake. He hated seeing people in such obvious pain, at least obvious to him, and not know what to do about it
“Pa. I haven’t heard anyone call their father “pa” before.” Mr. Luthor said. Clark shrugged and smiled, he hoped to be as disarming as possible.
“What can I say? I’m from Kansas.” When he smiled, he noticed Mr. Luthor’s lip trembled. His heart rate soared impossibly higher.
“How about we sit down and get started, that alright with you Mr. Luthor?” Clark asked. For a moment Mr. Luthor looked like he was on a different planet. The look left when he blinked, and he was back to reality.
“What—oh yes of course. Sit, right. Well, let’s begin, yes?” He sat down and neatly folded his hands together. The couch still in pristine shape.
“So Mr. Luthor, what does your day to day look like for you?” Luthor didn’t answer, instead he stared past Clark, at something he couldn’t see. It was only thanks to his super speed that he was able to catch him before he fell down. Gently, he guided Luthor to the floor.
“I know who you are, Superman. And I need you to help me.” If Clark’s blood could freeze it would, out of all the things he expected to learn during this interview, this wasn’t it. But the momentary fear was replaced with panic when Luthor’s eyes rolled into the back of his head.
Clark didn’t know what else to do but take off to the Fortress. He held Luthor tight as he flew at lightning speed. And hoped that he wouldn’t see any news of “Superman kidnaps secretive billionaire Lex Luthor.” Lois would have published it, and then she would laugh at him. But joke’s on her, they’d have to listen to Jimmy’s new conspiracy theories for at least the next month.
But as he laid Luthor down to have him examined, he couldn’t think of that.
“Who is this Superman?” Four asked. The other superbots surrounded him, he placed the back of his hand against his forehead, hot to the touch.
“This is Lex Luthor, he asked for help, but I don’t know what’s wrong with him.” Four went to the crystals on display and picked one up. When they hovered it over Luthor’s body, it turned an inkish black. He twitched in his sleep.
“What does that mean?” Clark asked, he wished he didn’t feel so helpless.
“Oh dear. It looks to me that this Lex Luthor has gone and gotten himself dimension poisoning. How he managed to do that, I have no idea. If I had emotions, I would be weary.” Four said. Clark had a feeling that they were right. Dimension poisoning—or whatever it was, was not something any ordinary person got.
“He said he knew who I was. My secret identity. I know what you’re going to say, it’s dangerous, I know. But he needs my help. We need to see what we can do for him, then we’ll figure out how he knows who I am, and what he plans on doing.”
Days they worked on Lex Luthor. They unlocked the secrets of the crystals and dimensional portals/ Clark only understood so much. Not for the first time, he wished his Kryptionian parents could be here to explain things to him. On the third day of Luthor’s stay, he regained consciousness.
“Where am I?” he asked. In his eyes, anger carefully masked fear.
“At my Fortress.” Luthor scoffed.
“Of course you have a fortress.” he said, Clark couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Hey, you asked for my help, remember?” Luthor crossed his arms, but immediately regretted it. As his face flickered with pain, Clark placed his hand on his shoulder feather light. Strangely, Luthor let him stay. He hadn’t thought a man like Lex Luthor would be open to a comforting hand. Yet here he was.
“I did, and I don’t seem to be getting any better hmm?”
“Well you’re awake now aren’t you?” Luthor huffed, a noise that probably wasn’t supposed to be cute.
“So tell me Mr Luthor—” He rolled his eyes.
“Please, after carrying me in your arms like the "valiant" hero you supposedly are, I think you’re allowed to call me Lex now.” Clark grinned like he scored a point.
“Golly Lex that almost sounds like you like me.” Clark said. If he had the strength to do it, Lex looked like he would have strangled him. Part of Clark knew he probably shouldn’t be poking the bear that had the key to a pocket dimension. Not to mention his secret identity. But Lex didn't really seem like a bear. He was more like a ferret, if anything.
“I hope you know I have enough money to buy you, Superman.” Lex said.
“Come on, you know who I am don’t you?” Clark narrowed his eyes on him, Lex stared at him, met the challenge.
“I do, Clark.” He would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy how Lex said his name.
“Then, why all this effort into getting to meet me huh? Poisoning yourself is a bit extreme I must say.” Lex grumbled.
“I didn’t do that on purpose you idiot. Things…got out of hand.” But he didn’t deny that this was at least in some part an effort to get to him. Lex winced again, something black shot up the veins in his neck. It made Clark sick to his stomach.
“Four!” As Four came forward Lex shook his head.
“I’m fine—it’s fine. That happens sometimes.” Lex said. Clark frowned, he wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake some kind of sense into him! Or bring him home to Ma and Pa for some rest and pie. He’s sure Ma could find a way to make him never open a pocket dimension again.
“How do you know who I am?” Clark asked. Maybe it was the wrong time, but Clark had to know. Not many had figured out his secret identity, he much preferred being the one to tell them. Lex looked at him. His face was completely unreadable.
“You remember a kid from Smallville you used to…hang out with?” Lex said. Clark thought back, suddenly very confused as to why Lex was bringing up Smallville of all places. It made him worry—how much did he know?
“I talked to a lot of people in my childhood, Lex.” Clark said. Lex rolled his eyes again.
“His name would be Alexander. You did a lot of class projects with him before he left that school, one involved catching fireflies? You cried when you caught them because you felt bad.” Clark furrowed his brows together. Was he threatening him? Alexander? He had no idea what his play was, but he knew he didn’t like it.
“I don’t understand what you’re getting at, or what you hope to gain.” Clark said. He really wished he knew more about Lex, maybe he should’ve brought backup. Lex smacked his forehead as he let out a sigh of frustration.
“I had hair back then you imbesule!” It felt like Clark was seeing him for the first time. Immediately, he was taken back to a time not so long ago, in Smallville, Kansas. Two boys who caught fire flies in the warm evening light. He did have hair then, straight auburn hair a little past his ears. But his eyes were the same. If a little colder, just like a storm.
“Alex?” Clark asked. Lex looked away from him.
“That doesn’t explain why you knew it was me. I mean, I look at least a little different don’t I?” Lex still didn’t meet his eyes.
“I…keep tabs on people. But besides, you’re still the same soft hearted fool.” Clark chuckled, he might've imagined it, but he could have sworn that there was a light blush on Lex’s cheeks. Clark felt a little bad about it, but when he listened, he could definitely hear his heart rate was elevated. But maybe that was still due to the pocket dimension poisoning.
“What happened to you?” Clark asked. It wasn’t often that boys like them from Kansas moved so far up into the world like Lex—and then completely shut themselves off from socialization, seemingly out of nowhere.
“I came into a large amount of wealth very suddenly. As you know, my family was always quite wealthy, but I escalated it. I know how to squeeze every inch of something I want and get it. But it seems I went a little bit mad, didn’t I?” Clark didn’t appreciate the vagueness of the answer, but accepted it. He knew he wasn’t going to get another exclusive interview anytime soon. Especially not when he shivered again, still under the poisons’ control.
“I’m going to help you Lex.”
“You will, or else I’ll tell the whole world your secret identity.” Lex said.
“Sure you will.” Lex sneered at him.
“Don’t push it Clark, I will do it!” Lex shook his fist like an angry lord. Clark burst out laughing and slapped his knee as he did. It made Lex look like he ate a particularly bitter lemon.
“You’ve had my identity in your back pocket for how long Lex? You haven’t said a thing. Obviously, you’ve been planning something, but you weren’t able to go through with it because…let me guess, it went wrong?” Lex sighed, but more defeated than anything.
“Not that hard of a guess when I’m dying in front of you is it?”
It was rare when Clark experienced lapses in control. He prided himself on being careful—execpt when deliberately not in a fight. So he surprised even himself when he grabbed Lex’s hands and squeezed them tight. But he didn’t let go, and Lex didn’t pull back.
“You’re not dying. Not on my watch.”
“God you haven’t changed a bit have you?” Emboldened by the prominent blush on Lex’s face—blush that went all the way to his ears and neck, he cupped the side of his cheek, as Clark did, Lex froze on the spot.
“What do you think you’re doing, Superman?” Lex said.
“Saving you.” Lex melted under his touch, Clark pressed his forehead against his.
The days after were filled with equal parts monotony and trepidation. Lex’s condition worsened, but he refused to let it show. In fact he practically bounced around the Fortress, the questions about Krypton were constant. Clark did his best to answer as much as he could. He knew he probably shouldn’t be giving Lex all the information he could ever want on a silver platter, but he couldn’t help it. When Lex got excited, he could see the part of his old friend Alexander that was still there.
Four approached him after Lex had fallen asleep in the chair.
“I cannot find a cure for him, Kal-El.” Clark’s heart sank.
“We just haven’t found it yet. We’ll keep looking.” Four shook their head.
“We have searched everywhere Kal-El. If there was a cure, we would have found it. If I experienced any amount of human emotion, it would be regret.” Four said. Clark squeezed his eyes shut. He wouldn’t admit defeat, he couldn’t, he refused too. He glanced over at Lex, sound asleep, but not exactly peaceful. His face scrunched together. His arms wrapped around himself.
“I don’t accept that Four. Maybe we just…need a little help.” Four tilted his head.
“Forgive me Kal-El, but who is willing to help such a controversial figure such as Lex Luthor?” Clark raised his eyebrow.
“Do you not like Lex, Four?” Clark asked.
“I do not have the capability to express dislike. But if I did, I would be concerned about his reputation and influence on Superman.” Clark laughed softly, careful not to wake Lex up. He patted Four’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry Four, I won’t let him influence me too much. Maybe I can influence him.”
“That is an interesting notion, Clark.” Lex said. Clark gently floated over to him and placed his hand on his forehead again.
“Well you are calling me Clark instead of “Mr Kent,” or Superman, right? Your fever broke,” he said.
“That explains why I’ve sweated through my suit. This was designer too.” Lex said, Clark patted the side of his head.
“You’ll live.” Clark said. Lex narrowed his eyes at him, but didn’t say anything. He didn’t believe him. He still wholeheartedly thought that he wouldn’t make it out of this. Something he planned on thoroughly arguing against, but for now he’d let Lex rest.
He flew over to the Justice Gang (name pending)’s building the next day. He had a feeling Four was likely somewhat right about people not wanting to help Lex—the fact that Lex refused to go with him had nothing to do with it—so he left him behind.
“So this fella has pocket dimension poisoning? How the hell did he get that?” Mr. Terrific asked. Clark was grateful that none of them asked who this someone was. Though he knew it was likely a question in the back of all their heads.
“I assume he got it from opening a pocket dimension.” Clark said. Mr. Terrific scoffed.
“Of all the stupid things to do. If he somehow manages to live after this, tell him to close that damn pocket dimension, yeah?” Mr. Terrific said.
“I will,” he hoped Lex would listen. “Do you think there could be a cure?” he asked. Guy laughed.
“A cure for a dimensional disease? No way. Right Mr. Terrific?” Guy said.
“Poisoning. Not disease. Your Kryptonian alien magic couldn’t fix it so I don’t know how on earth earth’s could. But maybe technology has a chance.” Mr. Terrific turned away to his computer.
“You can’t be serious! Face it Clark, this guy is a lost cause from the sound of it.” He clenched his jaw.
“No he isn’t!” Clark shouted, louder than he meant too. Guy stared at him, mouth agape. Hawkgirl didn’t seem to care one way or another, and Mr. Terrific typed quickly on his computer as if the world outside him didn’t exist. Guy held his hands up in defeat.
“Okay. Alright. Fine, we’ll do our best big blue. But I demand to know who in the hell this guy is once we’re done!” Clark let out a sigh of relief. He would not be telling Guy who in the hey it was.
“Thank you. You won’t regret it.” A thought occurred to him then, how long had it been since he went to work? A pit of dread began to form in his stomach, as he thought of Lois and Jimmy having had no explanation as to why he was gone. Let alone if he would still have a job or not.
“Oh heck.”
“What?” Guy asked.
“I gotta get to the Daily Planet. I haven’t been to work in three days.” Guy’s laugh followed him out the door. He changed in a phone booth and rushed the rest of the way to the Daily Planet, where he hoped Lois wouldn’t kill him. He stepped in and was immediately rushed by Jimmy, he jumped around like an excited chihuahua.
“Clark! Glad you're feeling better, did you hear that Superman has been missing?” Feeling better? He looked too Lois, she glared at him from his desk.
“Oh gosh I haven’t, I hope he’s alright.” Clark said, with a sheepish smile towards Lois’ direction. Jimmy rattled on about what the public thought of Superman’s sudden disappearance. Once Jimmy was distracted, Lois poked a pencil into his rib.
“Hey. What the hell. You go missing for three days and don’t even call?” Clark cringed. He really should’ve called. It was the least he could do, they were friends.
“I’m sorry, I became…preoccupied.” Lois’ frown deepened.
“You’re going to have to do better than that, Superman,” she hissed under her breath.
“You’re going to have to do better than that, Superman,” she hissed under her breath.
“I’ll tell you I promise,” he looked around, Jimmy tapped his pencil against his coffee cup on his desk, “just not here,” he said.
“Alright. But you’re okay, aren’t you?” she asked, her face softened.
“Yeah I’m alright. I’m not the one who needs to be helped.” Clark said, before Lois could ask anymore questions, Perry called him away to give him a talking too. It was thanks to Lois and his high approval rating that he still had a job at the Daily Planet after three days of no call no shows.
“Count your blessings Kent, you’re lucky you’ve got friends who have your back.” Perry said.
“Yes sir, it won’t happen again.”
“Good, now get to work.” With that, Clark was sent back to his desk. Clark sighed, and thought back to Lex in his Fortress. Lex didn’t have any friends, no one seemed to care that he was missing. To be fair, it wasn’t like Lex actively tried to make friends, mostly the opposite. But Clark liked him, he was determined to be Lex’s first. After the day’s end, he leaned against Lois’ desk.
“Thank you for covering for me.” Clark whispered to her.
“Of course, I’m amazing. Don’t make a habit of it. You will tell me what you’ve been doing, right?” she asked.
“You might not like it, but I will.” Lois sighed. If he
“Just…don’t get hurt.” Clark smiled.
“I promise.” He was Superman, after all.
He returned to the Justice Gang (name pending) headquarters when he got off work to check on Mr. Terrific.
“Did you get fired?” Hawkgirl asked, she laid across the chair as she swung her mace back and forth.
“Goodness thankfully not. How are things going, Mr. Terrific?” Clark asked. He couldn’t help but be antsy, he wanted to return to the Fortress with at least some good news. Mr. Terrific swirled to him and handed him a small curricular white red and black device with a button on the end.
“What is this?” Clark asked, he turned the device over in his hand.
“It’s a super charged antidote. I only need one more ingredient to make it work.” Mr. Terrific said. Clark looked at him expectantly.
“What? What is it?” He waved his hands around in the air. He didn’t even bother to hide how frantic he felt.
“Your DNA. Kryptonians have heightened healing abilities if my analysis is correct, and if you want your guy to have a fighting chance, he needs all the help he can get. Are you willing?” Clark had already rolled up his sleeve.
“Take it.” Mr. Terrific took his DNA sample, probably the most priceless DNA sample in the entire world, to give to Lex Luthor. But he trusted Mr. Terrific, and he hoped in the end, that he could trust Lex.
“Alright. Give that to your friend and he’ll be right as rain. If not…then there wasn’t any way to help him in the first place.” Clark certainly hoped that wasn’t the case. He had promised Lex, after all.
“Are you gonna tell us who this guy is, big blue?” Guy asked. Fair question, especially after all the work he had asked Mr. Terrific to do. But he didn’t like the idea of anyone knowing why he was helping Lex Luthor of all people. And he doubted Lex really wanted his condition to be public knowledge.
“Sorry, I can’t, not yet.” Guy frowned, and looked like he wanted to start a fight about it. But before he could Clark thanked Mr. Terrific and left.
He returned to the Fortress only to find it on high alert. Four and their team scurried around Lex, who looked worse than he had ever seen him. The black veins had returned all around his neck and hands, they reached his eyes as he squirmed in agony. For a moment all Clark could do was watch, completely helpless. Until he remembered the device in his hand. Instinct took over, he rushed over to Lex and pressed Mr. Terrific’s handiwork right at the end of his neck. The reaction was instantaneous. Lex’s eyes met him, clear as day, and then he went completely limp in his arms. Cleared of the terrible poison, but completely lifeless.
“Lex?” He cradled his head in his hand, his pale skin almost sickly green. Clark pressed his forehead against his. He couldn’t hear his heartbeat.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, forgive me, please, I’m sorry.” If the Kryptonian gods existed, and if they cared at all for their son Kal-El, he hoped they would listen. Then Lex released a breath, his heart beat rang in his ears. Maybe the old Kryptonian gods kept an ear out for their only children left.
“What are you apologizing for…you saved me.” Tears rolled down Clark’s face, he didn’t bother to stop them.
“I told you I would.” Lex pulled him in by his tie and kissed him. It felt like time slowed—or maybe it actually did, he wasn’t sure if he could do that or not. Clark wrapped his arm around his back and held him close. It felt like coming home.
“Apologies for interrupting Superman, but there seems to be an issue with the outskirts of Metropolis.” Clark apologized to Lex, who seemed too stunned with himself to speak, and went over to Four to see what he meant. At the same time, he got a call from Mr. Terrific.
“I told you to close the goddamn pocket dimension! Now it’s tearing open the world!” Mr. Terrific shouted. He turned to Lex. Who had gotten up from the chair, he watched the footage projected on the Kryptonian crystals. A strange tear of blue, purple, and black tore into the woods, it grew ever closer to Metropolis.
“Lex we have to stop the pocket dimension.” Lex violently shook his head.
“No! I’ve worked too hard and too long to stop it now!” Clark wanted to tear out his own hair. Why was he being so difficult?
“Why?! If it continues like this they’ll be nothing to work for!” Lex clenched his fists at his sides.
“Of course there will! Because you’ll be there!”
“What? Lex what are you saying?”
“If everything’s fine you won’t have a reason to…to be around me anymore. I’m not a good man, Clark, never was. There’s no reason for you, the most powerful alien…the perfect being, to care about—to love someone like me.” The look in his eyes took him back when he held a firefly in his hand, both him and Lex in awe of the little creature. Clark had fallen in love with him then, as the glow of the firefly reflected off of his face. A warm summer evening.
Clark’s heart ached. Maybe he was too trusting, and maybe he shouldn’t give Lex another opportunity to do something like…starting another pocket dimension. But he didn’t care. He wanted to be selfish for Lex, if only for a moment. His friend.
“Of course I’ll still care about you. I love you Lex. I loved you in Smallville, too.”
“You did?” Clark, after quickly getting back into his Superman suit, started walking them out the Fortress door, ready to fly them to Luthorcorp headquarters.
“Yes, come on, let’s stop the tear.” Lex looked down at the floor.
“Fine,” if Clark were any less stressed from the fact that the world could end, he would have teased Lex for pouting of all things.
As they walked out, Clark picked him up with ease. This time Lex was conscious, he glared at him when he squirmed in his arms.
“Come on, you love it.” Lex mumbled something that Clark pretended not to hear for his sake. Once Lex was comfortable—clinging to him as if there was any possibility that Clark would drop him—they took off. Despite the obvious threat to the world, Clark couldn’t help but be comforted by the steady heart beat in Lex’s chest; he would be haunted by its absence for a while.
They arrived at Luthorcorp headquarters not a moment too soon.
“Close it!” Lex shouted at his staff. When none of them did it fast enough, Lex marched forward and shoved a man out of his seat. Clark watched the rift close, once the two pieces of land slid back together with Mr. Terrific’s help, he let out a sigh of relief. Lex leaned against the desk. Clark placed a hand on his shoulder.
“You did the right thing.” Clark said, when Lex didn’t look at him, he slid his hand underneath his chin and turned his face towards him.
“You did. I’m here whenever you need me.” Lex shifted.
“You’re here for everyone.”
Since Lex got him the first time, Clark decided to return the favor, and pulled him for a kiss. Lex once again leaned into his touch. But there was something more hesitant, almost unsure. As if he still thought that because the crisis was over Clark would leave. When they parted Clark suddenly felt the eyes of every one of Lex’s small amount of staff on them. Lex cleared his throat.
“Pleasure doing business with you Superman.” Lex held out his hand, Clark smiled as he shook it. It looked like he wasn’t going to share his secret identity to the world after all.
“And you as well, Mr. Luthor.” Clark said goodbye to Lex’s staff and left the building, as he passed by the designer couch they had their interview, Clark hoped he would see him again soon. If only to make sure he wasn’t up to anything.
Clark hadn’t heard from Lex in a few months. He had expected that, their circumstances weren’t exactly…conventional. But still, he had hoped for some form of communication. Especially after Lex’s confession. He didn’t want to push it, he’d sent a few letters, and decided that if he didn’t get a reply within the next month he would stop by for a visit, whether Lex wanted him to or not.
Lois rolled her chair over to his desk. She had that sparkle in his eye she only got when she knew she had found a good story.
“What’ve you got?” Clark asked. She grinned, wide and cheshire.
“Lex Luthor just made a public appearance for the first time since he was heckled by those environmentalist reporters, and he has a brand-new looking baby.” Clark’s mind went completely blank. Lois’ concerned expression brought him back to reality.
“I have to go,” he said, he struggled to keep his voice even as his brain went to every possibility. He left without any explanation, going faster than what was humanly possible to Luthorcorp. He went right up to the front desk employee. Strangely, there was more staff here than he remembered.
“Tell Lex Luthor Clark Kent is here to see him.” He felt bad for how her face paled, he’d apologize later for having caused such a scene. But he wanted to see Lex. Needed too.
“He’s in his suite sir, I’ll notify that—” he didn’t bother to wait for her to finish. He’d apologize. He went up to Lex’s room and opened the door without knocking, he’d apologize for that too.
“I told you to notify me if—”
Lex stopped, all Clark could do was stare. The room was a complete mess, baby supplies everywhere, Lex himself looked like he hadn’t taken a shower in days. What Clark assumed to be the culprit, was a tiny bundle of a baby in his arms. Big blue eyes and chubby cheeks, a puff of dark curly hair. Any and all annoyance at Lex’s lack of communication slipped away. He approached Lex as if he were a scared animal, hands held up.
“Just what do you think you’re doing?” Lex snarled, he clutched the baby close to his chest.
“I wanted to see you. I heard you were—preoccupied.”
“More like “occupied” no thanks to you.” Lex shot back, but seemed to immediately regret it as he slapped his hand over his mouth. But then the baby started wailing. He gave the baby all his attention as he tried and failed to calm it down.
“What do you mean, thanks to me?” His breath caught in his throat, the baby reached out to him. Lex feebly tried to redirect the baby’s attention away, with little to no success as its cries intensified.
“He just won’t stop crying!” Lex stomped his foot, which only set the baby off more. Clark held out his hand to him, he couldn’t be more than a month old. Instantly Clark had all the baby’s attention, with those big blue eyes on him, Clark was taken. The baby grabbed his finger with strength that a less than a month old shouldn’t have had.
“Lex, how did you get this baby?” Clark asked, he felt a little bit like a kid asking where babies came from but he had no idea how else to get an answer out of him.
“Ugh. Fine. You win Superman. Yes yes Conner it’s Superman, I know, shhh. Lets just say whatever that your DNA in that miracle cure provided…well a little more than a miracle.” Clark looked back down at the baby that held his finger.
“So this is…this is my son?” Clark asked. He couldn’t describe the feeling. He had to call his parents, he had to tell Kara, Krypto had to know! He wanted to shout it to the roof tops, his son.
“Your son? What makes you think I want any help with him?” Lex asked, the baby started crying again, Lex looked up at the ceiling as if he thought there’d be some divine intervention. Clark hadn’t realized he was floating, with all the joy he felt it must’ve happened by accident.
“Looks like Conner doesn’t agree, that’s his name right? Conner?” Lex blushed a soft feather pink.
“Yes. But I’ve also been calling him Kon-El.” Clark’s heart soared and he knew what it felt like to fly. This was better.
“Can I hold him?” Clark asked. Lex deflated and handed him over. Clark took him and held him like he was the most precious thing in the world. He looked up from Conner then back at Lex.
“I’m sorry you were alone.” Clark said. Lex looked back down at the baby.
“Don’t be. I still don’t need your help.” Conner babbled something, completely content in his arms.
“But I’m here, you know, I meant what I said.” Lex brushed away a curl from his forehead. Clark, mindful of the baby, leaned in and kissed him, Lex held the side of his face with his hand. When they parted, Lex looked smug.
“You know, if I had known it would be this easy to get Superman’s attention, I would’ve poisoned myself a lot sooner.”