Work Text:
Year 1— Jump City
Lex was about to lose count.
Fifty-seven.
Fifty-eight.
Fifty-nine.
Ten twenty-three.
And then it started all over again. Each painstaking second equated to the next minute. Each minute took him closer to the moment he could finally stop listening to the irritatingly deep voice being projected throughout the room.
Lex ran his fingers in circles on the table mindlessly, his other fingers wrapped around a champagne glass. He took a sip, eyes resting on the blue and red blur on stage.
Superman.
An alien, in a ridiculously silly cape with his underwear on full display, was on stage giving a speech at the annual Christmas Charity Ball.
The closing speech.
The honor that Lex always had.
That thing, which had only arrived on this planet six months ago, was already proving to be more of a pain in Lex's side than he would have originally guessed.
Up on the stage, Superman nearly glowed from the spotlights that seemed to know all the correct angles to highlight, making him appear absolutely ethereal.
Lex wanted to laugh.
What did this alien know about charity? Last time he checked, LuthorCorp was the top donor this year, just as it had been every year.
Think of the kids, Otis had told him, in his sad attempt to justify the committee's choice of Superman giving the closing speech privileges rather than Lex.
"The kids, my ass," Lex muttered against the glass as he quickly downed the rest of the champagne. Eyeing his watch, Lex watched the next two minutes tick by, counting each second until Superman wished everyone a 'Merry Christmas' and the band started up again.
As he took the stairs down from the stage, he rounded Lex's table, flashing him a toothy grin. Lex promptly diverted his gaze, gathering his suit jacket into his arms instead.
Ten thirty marked the end of the ceremony and the beginning of the dancing part of the charity ball. People were already getting out of their seats to sway to the beat. Lex, however, was in no mood for swaying. Not with the people who are flashing fake smiles and half-assed waves at him, but grinning ear to ear at that meta-human.
He'd rather spend the rest of his night with a bottle of wine and a crappy rom-com.
Lex said goodnight to the people at his table, other business figures from the Metropolis area, before leaving the ballroom.
Like the ones before it, the balls are held within large fancy hotels that offered rooms to all its guest. Each city that held the ball had to be accommodating, as there was always a positive press buzz to any city that hosted. It was considered quite the honor. In the random cases that a city is known for its lack of hospitality, it would be blacklisted forever, never hosting the ball again. Unsurprisingly, Gotham City was the first and currently only blacklisted city. Since then, the rest have attempted to uphold high standards and therefore choose the very best hotels to hold the ball.
Lex waltzed through the lobby, humming to himself as he looked at the decorations that covered the walls. They were tacky, but brought the feeling of the holidays nevertheless. Lex never cared too much for the season. The idea of gathering with a family he no longer had wasn't very appealing, and he wasn't too big on religion either. So the only thing that he truly looked forward to was this exact event. After today, it was a flight straight back to Metropolis and LuthorCorp.
He pressed the elevator button once he reached it, pulling out his phone in the meantime. He scrolled through a few of his social media accounts, catching a few posts here and there mentioning the Ball as well as Superman's speech. Seems as though his PR team didn't hesitant to post a snippet of it online.
Great.
The elevator chimed once it reached him, the doors prying open with an inviting rumble. Lex entered as he stuffed his phone away, pressing the button for the twenty-second floor. He was given one of the best rooms they had to offer. Money did make the world go round.
"Oh, excuse me," a familiar voice chimed in as an arm squeezed its way in between the closing metal door. Lex stared at the oddly familiar blue sleeves that were preventing him from taking a peaceful elevator ride.
The doors parted, revealing Superman on the other side of them.
"Oh. Mr. Luthor," Superman started as he entered the elevator, pressing for floor twenty-one. At least he was still above him in terms of hotel rooms. It was a small win in his book.
"Superman," he replied dryly, pulling out his phone simply to avoid conversation.
"Your speech was great tonight," the alien complimented.
"I know."
The elevator door finally closed and began its slow ascent to their floors. Lex flicked his thumb mindlessly against his glass screen on beat with each 'beep' for every floor they passed.
"I think the idea of this ball is really sweet. I am quite bad at dancing, though, so I figured it was time to leave once the band started," Superman said with a chuckle. Lex rolled his eyes.
"Wouldn't want to make your PR team fight to protect that perfect image, huh?" Lex snorted.
"PR team?" The confusion was extremely evident in his tone, causing Lex to finally look up. His eyebrows were furrowed as he was fully facing Lex. His demeanor caused Lex to instinctively take a step back as he answered.
"Yeah. Your PR team. Public relations?"
"I do not have one of those, I'm afraid."
Lex cracked his jaw. Of course, all the positive press was conjured up organically. No one was behind the curtain pulling the strings. The people loved him.
The elevator finally reached Superman's floor.
"Oh! This is me," he chirped. "Happy holidays, Mr. Luthor." Superman smiled softly and gave him a small wave. Lex stared at him before dropping his eyes back to his phone.
"Yeah… you too."
Year 2— Midway City
Three steps ahead.
Lex always preferred to be three steps ahead.
A full year after his first Ball appearance, his hatred for Superman had only grown. However, in the public eye, he's only grown more in popularity.
If no one wanted to see the danger that the alien posed, fine. Lex Luthor would plan. He would be three steps ahead of everyone before they realized how absurd it was to trust a Krypt-whatever to work for the 'good of humanity' with nothing in return and answering to no one.
He was still deep in his research, trying to figure out exactly how the meta-human worked. There were only so many sources he could turn to. There was the Supers, his crazed online fan base, and Clark Kent, his own personal journalist dick-rider. Neither were great, but when things got desperate, Lex read anything.
While he had already spent the new year studying Superman's combat habits and moves, there were things that camera footage alone couldn't provide answers for. Curiosity was what truly plagued his brain, and he wanted more than anything to delve into Superman's mind and body.
He craved to know everything about this specimen. He wanted to know exactly why everyone was so infatuated with him.
Lex couldn't ignore the voices in his head that mentioned that there could be another chance at the Christmas Charity Ball to talk to him, or rather, get talked at. But Lex, being Lex, wouldn't go seeking that opportunity himself. Something about his pride prevented him from doing so.
Did that alien really deserve Lex Luthor to orchestrate a whole conversation just to ask a few prying questions?
No.
So, instead, Lex went about the ball as he usually did: fake smiles, short conversations, giving his speech, and announcing LuthorCorp's annual donation. Of course, Superman did the last speech again, but Lex choose to chalk this up to humanities weakening grasp on it's potential. He'll soon make them realize the errors of their ways. Until then, he would have to get used to the celebration of the Primary Color Man.
Quite similarly to last year, once the commencement of the first phase dancing started, Lex was more than ready to excuse himself from the scene. However, his escape wasn't as clean.
Lex was more chatty this year, causing people to stop him to wish him a good night or to confirm that they would do business together once the new year began.
He quickly moved from conversation to conversation, getting closer and closer to the exit. It seemed like each year the room seemed to get bigger, making the ideals of escape implausible.
Eventually, he freed himself from conversational chairs and found the hotel's elevator. Catching sight of one already opened, he entered without thinking, pressing floor fourteen. Midway had a smaller hotel compared to Jump City's, but it was still one of the best they had in terms of prestige.
"Oh, Luthor..."
Lex shut his eyes and held in the sigh that so desperately wanted to leave his lips. He stepped back to the other side of the elevator, coming face to face with Superman.
"Superman."
Lex's eyes immediately drifted back to the control panel, noticing that floor fifteen was highlighted.
Superman was given a room a floor above him.
Has a Superman plague gone around and caused everyone to lose common sense? When did his 'contributions' begin to matter more than Lex's?
"Another great year, yeah?" his irritating voice began.
"Sure," Lex muttered, still staring at the number fifteen that stared right back.
"Not quite the party person, huh?" Lex pressed his thumbnail into the tip of his pointer finger, the small pressure preventing him from asking the alien to fuck-off. He could sweeten the words; he was Lex Luthor after all, sweet words was part of LuthorCorp's success.
"I'm quite tired is all. No longer in the socializing mood," Lex explained.
"Ah, I see. Rest is really important." Lex bit the inside of his cheek. Rest. What did Superman know about rest? Lex wasn't quite sure. Logically, a being of his power and strength shouldn't need to rely on sleep; there was some other way he was keeping himself recharged after a fight. A way that Lex was still trying to figure out.
"I'm sure you know a lot about rest," Lex hummed, lightly scratching his own finger as the elevator finally arrived at his floor.
"I suppose you can say that. Anyway, it's always nice to see you, Luthor. Happy Holidays." Lex finally turned to look at him. Superman's smile revealed the dimples in his cheeks that Lex hadn't quite noticed before in his research.
Lex made a mental note of it.
"Goodnight."
Year 3— Central City
There was a reason why Lex chose to listen to his instincts. His gut has been his best weapon since he was a teenager, every choice guiding him to his beautiful future.
He always knew to trust his gut. However, when Otis suggested that he bring Eve Teschmacher to the Christmas Charity Ball, he ignored his gut for the first time in years.
Something was telling Lex that it would be a bad idea to bring her along. They had only started dating a few months ago, and while he was fond of her, she could be a lot to handle at social events. If one flipped to the dictionary for 'social butterfly,' Lex swore her picture would be there.
While it would be a pain to be present for all the conversations she would find herself in and create, Lex knew Otis would not make him go through all of this for nothing. Eve was a good look for LuthorCorp and for Lex in general. She made his strictly business persona soften with her bright colors and bubbly persona. She balanced him out.
And in terms of PR, her purple maxi dress with a high slit was currently the talk of the part of the internet that cared about the charity ball's fashion.
Still, he knew that Eve could sometimes be more trouble than good publicity was worth. She clung to him all night, squealing the nickname she made for him every few minutes, and drinking a little more than she should have.
And when Superman concluded his speech this year, Eve clapped loudly when the music started.
"Oh. My. Godd. Lexie, come on. We should dance!" she giggled, lightly tapping his arm repeatedly as if he didn't hear her.
"Eve. Don't you think maybe it's time to call it a night? The flight tomorrow leaves pretty early. You need your rest," Lex said softly, trying to not draw too much attention from the other guests who sat at their table.
"You never do what I want to do," Eve whined, a pout forming on her lips. "It's one dance, Lexie. After that, we can go straight to bed!"
"Sleep," Lex quickly said, cringing at her choice of words.
"Tomato, tomahto," she giggled as she pulled him to his feet. Reluctantly, he let her, not wanting to cause more of a scene than they already were.
Luckily for him, the song the band was playing wasn't too fast a tempo, so he could play off a two-step here and there while he held Eve's hand. She thrashed and moved her hips and arms to each beat, already picking up the repeating melody. It was hard to follow as a partnered dance, but she knew having him on the dance floor in the first place was already asking a lot from him.
Eve pulled Lex close as she hugged him, giggling to herself before pressing a kiss against his cheek. He was sure her pink lipstick left a mark.
"This is so much fun, Lex. Thank you for bringing me," she whispered into his ear. A small smile crept onto his face.
"You're welcome, Eve. Come on. I think you're ready to sleep."
Eve shot her head up, her pout already making its reappearance.
"Already? But we just started dancing!"
"You said one dance, and the band already changed the song," Lex stated, patting her back.
"Fineee."
Lex went back to the table to grab her purse and his jacket before going to collect Eve from the dance floor. She was already in the process of finding another dance partner to rope into what seemed like a conga line.
They exited the ballroom with Eve clinging onto Lex's arm as she often did. Usually Lex would pull away, but tonight he didn't mind it. He was grateful for her company at times.
Finding the elevators to take them to their room, Lex froze in his tracks as he saw a familiar figure waiting in the lobby as well.
Hearing their footsteps, Superman turned to face them, a small smile on his face when he recognized Lex. However, a different expression befell him when he saw Eve. It was gone a second later, Lex losing his chance to decipher it.
"Luthor. We seem to keep meeting this way."
Lex, who wasn't in the mood to have this back and forth with him right now, just nodded.
"Perceptive as always, Superman."
The elevator arrived, and Superman stuck his arm in the doors' opening as a preventive measure.
"After you."
"It's okay. I think we'll catch the next one."
"Lexie… there's no need to keep up appearances right now. Let's just take the elevator," Eve whined, already making her way inside and pulling Lex along with her. Catching a small chuckle from Superman, Lex glared at him as he also entered the elevator.
"What floor?" Superman asked, seeming to ignore the holes Lex was trying to burn into the side of his face.
"Sixteen." Superman pressed sixteen and seventeen.
Still a floor above him. Lex tried to ignore it.
"Hey, Superman," Eve started, turning to completely face the meta-human.
"Yes?"
"The pictures do not do you justice. You are quite the cutie in person."
"Eve," Lex groaned.
"What? Lexie, I'm not hitting on him. I'm just being honest. You know, I love you." Lex rubbed his eye in embarrassment. His gut was trying to prevent this from happening: Eve being in proximity to Superman. He should have listened.
Superman again chuckled.
Lex again shot him a glare.
"I'm very flattered, thank you," Superman replied, ignoring Lex. Again.
"Of course." The elevator doors, after what felt like hours to Lex, finally creaked open. Lex grabbed Eve's hand, ready to bolt out of the elevator and go to bed. As they were leaving, Eve couldn't help but say her farewells.
"Goodnight, Superman! Merry Christmas!"
Lex was already too far down the hall to hear his response.
Year 4— Coast City
Lex never cared to examine his relationship with alcohol. After all, what was there to examine? He went out on business dinners as a part of his job and had a bit of a collection at home. He drank a glass of Moscato there, a rosé here. Sure, he used it as a way to numb himself from time to time, but so did single mothers on Wednesday nights after book club. At least he was able to justify it by purchasing high-quality brands.
Drinking was more of a guilty pleasure after his third glass. The feeling of letting go of the restraints he held on himself and his brain buzzing slightly were worth any ramifications. He would deal with them when they arose. At least, that's what he told himself when he gulped down his seventh glass of prosecco that night.
Lex placed the now-empty glass on the table, his fingers running against the stem. He couldn't quite remember why he let himself go past glass number two tonight. Not that it mattered anymore.
The damage was already done.
He was drunk.
Not messy drunk, where he couldn't walk, but drunk enough where he wasn't sure what would come out of his mouth. His well-polished filter was definitely dismantled somewhere between glass four and five.
The little bit of logical sense in him was urging him to leave now.
It didn't matter if he was going to miss his own speech. He couldn't stand up in front of these people and tell them the same bullshit he told them every year: Spreading joy, coming together, family.
He would vomit right on that stage.
He already gave them the donation; he was sure someone would be able to read off the numbers on a note card and let Super-freak do the closing speech, in the speech slot he took from him three years ago.
God, he couldn't wait for his plan to finish so he could get rid of that pest. Lex wanted to remove Superman in a way that assured he'd show his face on Earth again or guaranteed he would never breathe another breath of air again. He would be quite satisfied either way, but his plan needed years of intricate planning.
Soon. His time would come. But until then, he would be subjected to these annual mockeries of human consideration.
Lex found himself by the hotel's elevator, his head pressed against the wall as he waited for one of them to take him back to his room. He was looking forward to sitting naked in the bathtub for the next hour, listening to slow jazz.
The elevator dinged with its arrival, and as Lex moved to enter, he bumped into someone as he failed to lift his head.
"Oh, sorry-!" Hands gripped his shoulders as they collided into one another. Lex could not pretend to not recognize that voice, even if he tried. It was the voice that haunted him in his dreams, the voice that told him he would never beat him, the voice that hid behind that damn smirk and dimples.
He pulled away, looking up at Superman, who was watching him in bewilderment.
"Luthor? Shouldn't you be giving your speech right now?" Lex laughed, stepping around him to press his floor.
"I don't want to this year," he spat. He sounded like a spoiled child, but he couldn't find it within himself to care. "You'd better hurry. They'll probably ask you to replace me. Again."
His eyebrows furrowed, creating wrinkles in that damn near perfect face.
"Again? What are you talking about?"
"Oh, do not feign cluelessness with me, Supes. I'm really not in the mood," he groaned, pressing the close elevator button repeatedly. Lex knew it wouldn't close, however, as Superman's large frame was standing in the way. "Can you go?"
"Are you… drunk?" Superman asked, his voice lowering in tone.
Lex rolled his eyes.
"Even if I were Superman, it would be none of your concern. Just go… already. You're holding up the elevator."
"I don't know if you should be alone right now. Where's your girlfriend?"
Lex's frown deepened.
His girlfriend.
Eve.
A year and a half down the drain because Lex couldn't stop, or better yet, he didn't want to. He was consumed by his work, his research, his plan. He got more upset by the day, and by the week, he became more aggressive.
She stayed longer than he expected her to.
He didn't want to push Eve away, not at first. He actually liked her. But the moment his voice began to terrorize his waking and subconscious thoughts, he knew it wouldn't be fair to try to keep her by his side. She deserved better than a man who couldn't admit that he was losing. Losing the fight against Superman. Losing the fight to keep his ego in tack.
Attending the Christmas Charity Ball this year only reminded him. Reminded of Eve, reminded of his dwindling relevance, reminded him that he was currently fighting a one-sided all-out war.
Lex Luthor was tired. And the bane of all his problems was currently looking at him with the utmost concern etched on his face.
How pathetic.
"She's not here," Lex finally answered. "I will manage just fine on my own. I have been doing so for years."
Superman looked down the hall, seeming to pick up on something happening in the ballroom, before turning his attention back to him.
"I'm sorry, Lex."
"I don't need your pity. I need you to move out of the way so I can sleep the rest of this night away."
"Right… I, um… I hope you have a good holiday, Luthor." Something glimmered in his eye as he stared at Lex, and it made the shorter man's stomach flip.
Lex chalked it up to the alcohol in his system as Superman stepped out of the way, finally allowing the metal doors to shut.
Year 5— Fawcett City
What was the point of tradition? A repetitive gesture and event amounting to what? Joy, happiness, human satisfaction with patterns?
Lex was struggling to find any reason why he should attend the Ball this year. He had nothing to gain. They might as well have called it Superman Feet-Kissing Ball at this point. Five years later, it seemed to fully tailor to him, regardless of the other billionaires and superheroes that were invited year after year.
No one amounted to Superman.
Just like the years prior, Otis urged him to attend. Lex had no family, no significant other, nothing holding him in Metropolis other than his work at LuthorCorp. However, he already buried himself in that throughout all the other days of the year.
"You need to take a break," Otis had said, "Travel some. Even if it's for a day." If it wasn't for the amount of trust and respect Lex had for Otis' opinion, he wouldn't be here right now.
Right now, with a glass of champagne in his hands, sitting at a table with other businessmen competing to be the top donor, and listening to Superman's speech.
The cycle continued.
The pattern repeated.
And if the last couple of years showed him anything, it would be inevitable to try to escape the meta-human's elevator small talk in the next few minutes.
It was almost funny how life had worked. As much as Lex loved to plan, he couldn't plan for the pit feeling in his stomach when December rolled around.
Perhaps he was embarrassed for skipping out last year because he was too drunk. His PR team put out a statement that saved him, but Lex couldn't personally live down his failure.
He was letting Superman win. He had to be strong, for Metropolis, for what was left of humanity.
Ten thirty finally arrived, and Superman walked off the stage, his ridiculously red cape swaying behind him.
Lex watched him with curiosity as he left the ballroom after saying goodnight to a few of the meta-humans he was sitting with.
Luthor could sit here, knowing that if he waited just a few minutes, he wouldn't have to endure that horrid elevator small-talk.
But where was the fun in that? When else would Lex have the chance to interact with his latest science project? If he were to build an exact copy of Superman, he needed every face-to-face opportunity he could get.
Lex, after excusing himself from his table for the night, followed Superman to the elevators. Spotting, or hearing, Lex after he pressed the button, Superman turned around and gave him a curt nod.
"Luthor."
"Superman," Lex drawled, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. He stared shamelessly at the meta-human, trying to account for anything he may have missed.
Boots, muscular thighs, bulge in underwear, defined abs, protruding pectorals, huge biceps—
"Is there… something wrong, Luthor?"
Lex slowly drew his eyes from his body.
"No."
The elevator arrived, and Lex entered, pressing floor ten. When Superman entered, he only glanced at the panel before situating himself on the other side, which was only a step away, as it was incredibly tiny.
Fawcett City, by far, had the worst hotel since Gotham. There were barely any decorations up, and the ballroom almost failed to hold all the guests. It seemed they had no choice this year but to put Superman and Lex on the same level.
The elevator began its ascent, but before it could even reach floor six, it came to a shaking halt.
Lex looked at the floor number before the lights in the elevator went out.
"Great," Lex muttered.
A heavy hand landed on Lex's shoulder, nearly startling him.
"Lex, are you alright?"
"No, I'm dying," he muttered sarcastically.
Ignoring his remark, Superman spoke again, "I can get us out of here."
"Then do it."
Superman let go of his shoulder, moving to what Lex assumed was prying the doors open. He heard the metal squeak and grind against each other. Still, the elevator remained dark as Lex's eyes were struggling to adjust.
"I think we're stuck between floors," Superman finally concluded. "I can fly us out through the top."
"Fly?" The hand found its way back to Lex's shoulder.
"You're not scared of heights now, are you, Lex?" Of course, he wasn't. But he wasn't too fond of the idea of being carried by Superman to escape a faulty elevator.
"No."
"Then give me a few seconds." Lex could only hear the sound of what he assumed was the top plate of the elevator being removed. Superman flew through the top, only for Lex to hear more screeching metal, before he returned.
"Ready?"
"Sure."
A strong arm hooked the backside of his knees as another rested against his back. Lex yelped, not expecting to be picked up bridal style and instinctively clung to the fabric of Superman's suit.
"I got you," the meta-human murmured as he slowly ascended from the elevator and safely took him to the tenth floor. Lex blinked at the harsh light difference once they arrived in the hallway. Superman placed Lex on his own two feet, setting him down carefully.
Lex looked up, staring at the being who stared back at him. He's never been this close to him before, pressed up against his firm body and staring into his piercing blue eyes.
Eve was right. The camera didn't do him any justice.
With so little distance between them, someone should have moved. But the seconds that few by felt like hours as they searched for something within each other. Lex could have sworn Clark's eyes had shifted to his lips a few times before he parted his own.
"I think I should let the staff know the elevator is broken," Superman uttered softly, breaking Lex out of the trance-like state he was in.
"Of course," Lex said as he cleared his throat and took a step back. His heart was thumping in his chest for reasons unknown to him. Perhaps he was thrilled to gain more information about Superman's abilities. He can see well in the dark.
Yes, that is what he would chalk this odd feeling up to. Progress.
Superman turned to the pried open elevators before looking back at Lex, who, for some reason, was still standing there, watching him.
"Happy Holidays, Luthor."
And for the first time, he responded.
"Happy Holidays…"
Year 6— Metropolis
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
It only took six years of thorough planning, but Lex's plan was almost ready to commence. Pride is all he has been feeling the past few months as everything has been falling into place.
When the new year rolled in, Superman was in for the treat of a lifetime. Lex hadn't been this excited around the holidays in ages. He needed this.
His patience would be rewarded; all he had to do was enjoy the one event of the year he was beginning to look forward to again.
The Christmas Charity Ball.
Last year, Fawcett City was a complete disaster. Not only did one of the elevators break down, but many low-priority guests found bed bugs in their rooms. A few others had clothing and jewelry stolen.
The committee had no choice but to put the city on the banned list, which had them panicking about where to host next year, according to all the gossip columns. A week later, Lex was in communication with them about the prospects of Metropolis becoming the recurring city for the gala. Lex knew it was a big ask, but Metropolis was a gorgeous city. It wouldn't be that hard to sell it to them, especially as nowadays it was considered 'Superman's city.'
The committee first wanted to see how Metropolis would handle hosting the charity ball before they fully committed. Lex promised them they wouldn't be disappointed.
Of course, everything ran well. The decorations were beautiful, the catering was high-quality, and the band was talented. All handpicked by LuthorCorp staff or Lex himself.
At the end of the night, when speeches were given, Lex ensured he would be the last speaker.
After Superman's speech, Lex took the stage, thanked everyone for their support, announced LuthorCorp's biggest donation to date, and announced that Metropolis would now host the ball annually rather than switching it every year.
If he knew anything about business, he knew that the committee had already agreed to have Metropolis be its forever host city without needing this trial run.
Each time the crowd erupted in applause, Lex felt like he was being personally patted on the back by each one of them.
They were thanking him. Not Superman.
This would only be the beginning of his return to glory.
Lex wished everyone a happy holiday, throwing in a joke about the band with a clasp of his hands before sauntering off the stage.
This was how the ball used to feel like years ago, before that alien popped his head into the sky and slowly started taking from Lex. Now, instead of spending his night in a hotel room, cursing Superman's name, he can go home and relax.
Otis, who was standing at the bottom of the stage, handed him his black fur coat with a grin on his face.
"Thank you," Lex hummed as he slipped it on, retrieving his gloves from the pockets.
"You made quite the speech there. I'm glad I finally got to hear it." Lex laughed softly.
"Oh, that old thing? You'll get used to it after a year or so." Otis chuckled in response, sticking his hands into his suit pockets.
"So you're really not staying? You worked so hard to put this thing together, you should enjoy it."
Lex scanned the room, watching as guests danced to the band's music while others ate and chatted amongst themselves. He recognized a group of his staff members in the corner, laughing and drinking.
Otis was right; he did work for this. But old habits to spend the evening alone died hard.
"Otis, I'm afraid I already did enjoy it," Lex replied, "I think this might be the last time I truly do." Otis patted his arm as he shook his head.
"I'll take your word for it, Mr. Luthor. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Otis," he said with a small smile, before exiting the ballroom. Lex walked past the elevators and made his way straight to the lobby. Stepping outside, he stopped underneath the porte cochère.
Lex inhaled the chilly air into his lungs as he looked out onto the streets of his city.
There was more snow on the ground than Lex had anticipated at this hour. He had hoped that his driver would be here shortly to take him home.
Minutes passed before Lex pulled out his phone to call his driver. To his dismay, he was sent straight to voicemail twice. Lex sighed, cursing under his breath as he placed his phone back into his pockets.
Scanning up and down the streets, Lex wasn't sure if he'd be able to call a cab, especially when the snow showed no signs of slowing down.
"Luthor?" Lex bit the inside of his cheek. Why would this year be any different than the others?
"Superman. What are you doing out here?" he asked as he turned to face the meta-human.
"I was on my way home." Lex tilted his head to the side.
"What? Was the room not to your liking? I made sure to choose the very best for you," he said in a mocking tone that made Superman quickly shake his head.
"No, no, that's not it! The room was perfect. I'm just… I have a dog," he finally drawled out slowly. Lex blinked, staring at him before turning around.
"It's alright, Martian. I really don't care."
"Kryptonian," he corrected.
"As I said, I really don't care."
Superman joined him by his side.
"What are you waiting for?" he questioned, making Lex wonder if he should even indulge in this. But the meta-human caught him in a good mood. He'd play along.
"My driver."
Superman too scanned the streets, "I don't know if they'll come, Luthor. The roads have been pretty bad due to the snow."
Lex didn't reply. Maybe he was already bored with playing along. All he wanted was the chilled bottle of chardonnay that awaited him at his penthouse.
"I could take you home if you'd like," Superman offered, and Lex shook his head.
"No, thank you, Superman. I will manage to get home by myself."
Superman finally turned to look at him, but Lex continued to stare straight ahead.
"Do I… make you nervous, Luthor?" Lex couldn't hold in the laugh that bubbled out of his throat, crossing his arms.
"And what makes you think I'm nervous around you?"
"Your heart beat." Lex felt his face grow significantly warmer despite the chilled air.
"You freak," he spat. "Why are you listening to my heartbeat?"
"I didn't mean to, honestly. It's… really loud."
Lex groaned, turning to fully face Superman. He was closer than he realized, Lex nearly bumping into his chest as he did.
"I'm not nervous around you. If anything, I'm quite peeved by your existence."
"My existence?"
"Yes!" Lex snapped, "All you've done since you've arrived is take from me. It began at the Ball years ago, and it slowly trickled into my success in Metropolis. All you make me feel is anger and jealousy."
Superman only stared at him.
"What? Why are you staring at me like that?" Lex snarled, losing his patience and happy mood. Superman had no clue what Lex was about to put him through next year.
"We're under a mistletoe," he answered, pointing upwards. Lex squinted at him before glancing up. They were indeed under a mistletoe.
"What? Why does that-" Superman pressed a kiss against his forehead before he could fully get his sentence out.
"I'm sorry I've made you upset, Lex. I hope that Earth custom makes up for it."
And with that, the meta-human took off to the sky, leaving behind an even redder Lex Luthor who was now unable to speak or think properly.
"What the fuck," was the only syllables he could slap together in a whisper as he watched him fly away.
Lex stood there and counted.
One two three… fifty-eight, fifty-nine, sixty.
One minute to choose what he would do next.
In utter silence, he turned to enter the hotel.
Three steps ahead, and Lex could have never prepared for Superman to kiss him. He removed his coat as he entered the ballroom, joining his employees who cheered at his reappearance. As he called the waitress over for a drink, Lex didn't wipe the area where he could still feel the ghost of Superman's lips.
Instead, he drank away the confusion. Drank away the thumping in his chest and the growing pit in his stomach.
Lex would drink away his conflicting feelings for Superman.