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Lex was really at the top of his game today.
Not only did he take down the interplanetary threat that Superman had failed to contain, but he had also managed to take the alien into captivity. Under the guise to the public of helping him heal up at LuthorCorp, of course.
Now, in LuthorCorp's sub-sub-sub-basement, Lex was poking and prodding at an unconscious Kryptonian. He was still trying to collect data on what exactly happened out there. One minute, Lex was firing lazer cannons at the giant, insectoid monster that had fallen out of a temporal rift in the sky while Superman buzzed around like a particularly obnoxious housefly. Regular Tuesday in Metropolis. The next, the big bug swatted Superman, and he actually went down. And stayed down.
His team was dissecting the bug upstairs, but Lex didn't really care about that. He was much more interested in this alien.
--
When he woke up, his head was buzzing painfully. He opened his eyes and a large, sterile looking room slowly came into view. He seemed to be laying on a table, with a tray full of metal instruments to his left. His wrists and ankles were bound, a faint green glow emanating from the restraints. They burned a little. A bright light shined down on him, lighting up his bright red and blue clothing. The colors were a little overwhelming, but the fabric was comfortable.
A voice came from somewhere on his right, and he turned his head to see a slim, but muscular figure in a white coat. A doctor, maybe?
"Good morning, alien," the maybe-doctor spit. Okay, so not a nice doctor. He looked around. From where he was, he couldn't make out anybody or anything else in the room.
"You think I'm an alien?" he asked.
This question didn't seem to make the man in the lab coat any happier. His face screwed up into an expression of disgust. "What are you playing at?"
He thought about it. He couldn't remember how he'd gotten here. He couldn't remember much of anything, actually. Like who this man was, or... who he was, now that he thought about it.
"Do we know each other?" he asked.
The doctor man stared at him. "Yes. We're lovers," he said, deadpan.
The man on the table's eyebrows shot up. He looked the other man up and down. He was far from unattractive. He didn't seem especially loving, so far, but maybe that was the way they were with each other. Playfully mean.
"I, um, I don't mean to alarm you, but... I don't remember you," he said. "Actually, I don't remember me, either."
The other man squinted. "You're serious?"
"Uh, yeah. I'm sorry. Can you... tell me my name?"
"Superman."
He—Superman—furrowed his eyebrows. "Super...Man? What kind of a name is that?"
"Don't ask me, you're the one who named yourself that."
"It doesn't seem very... humble," Superman said.
The other man actually let out a short laugh at that. It was the first positive emotion Superman had seen from him so far.
"That's what I've always said."
"And... who are you? I mean, besides my...lover?" Superman seemed to blush a little as he said it.
"Lex Luthor," the man, Lex, replied. He paused, his eyes narrowing as he scanned Superman’s face for any sign of deception. "The most brilliant mind on the planet."
"So I take it neither of us is humble."
"Funny. No, I suppose we aren't," Lex said.
"Could you actually let me up?" Superman asked. He shifted his arms, and the green glow of the restraints pulsed, sending a sharp throb through his veins. "And... why am I tied down, anyways? Are we, um... into that?"
Lex didn't answer immediately. He stepped back, his mind racing through a dozen different scenarios. If this was a psychological play to get Lex to lower his guard, it was an inspired one. He had been being sarcastic earlier, but if Superman so readily believed they could actually be... involved... then Lex could probably get him to believe anything. The room, which he'd designed just for this scenario, had power dampeners and a series of concentrated Kryptonite emitters in the ceiling. If Superman tried to bolt, he could have him incapacitated in three seconds just by turning up the controls.
The perfectionist in Lex didn't exactly want to let him slip out of the bonds he had so meticulously crafted for him, but... what better test of Superman's sincerity could there be? Call it a trust exercise.
"Of course," Lex said. "You’re a restless sleeper... darling. You thrash. I couldn't possibly run a full diagnostic on your injuries if you kept tossing the equipment across the room."
He stepped forward and tapped a sequence into his smart watch. With a series of clicks, the restraints snapped open. Lex watched, waiting for the sudden burst of speed, the fist aimed at his jaw, or the effortless flight toward the exit.
But Superman just sat up on the table.
Superman rubbed his wrists, the skin there still tingling. He looked at Lex, his expression open and concerned. "What happened to me? How did I get hurt?"
Lex paused. He could have told him the truth—that he’d been knocked unconscious by a temporal insect—but the truth was boring. The truth didn't build dependency. "A skirmish," Lex replied. "An alien entity from another dimension tore through the city, looking for you. You tried to stop it, but it caught you off guard. It was... brutal, really. You were nearly killed."
Superman frowned, looking genuinely hurt. "I couldn't protect the city?"
"You, uh—" Superman probably couldn't even name what city he was in, let alone have a reason to want to protect it. What a pompous... hm. "It's dangerous to stand out," Lex said. "You fought it, but you were overwhelmed. It did a number on you, darling. You're lucky I was there to intercept you before the military could get their hands on you."
"The military?"
"Their view of aliens is not exactly positive. I mean, one did just smash through the city."
Superman nodded, still looking hurt and conflicted. "So, I am an alien? Like... from another planet?"
"You told me you came from a planet called Krypton, that you were the last of your kind. Your parents sent you here to conquer Earth and repopulate your species."
Superman looked panicked, his eyes widening. "I don't want to conquer anybody!"
Lex hid a smirk. He only left out a few key details. "I know, I know. You're a softy. But the world doesn't see you that way. To them, you're a ticking time bomb. It takes a lot of resources for me to protect you."
Superman nodded again. Then, he reached out, taking Lex's hands in his own. It took everything in Lex not to flinch or recoil. "Thank you for taking care of me," Superman said, looking Lex straight in the eye. "You must be a really good guy. I'm sorry I don't remember."
Lex stared down at their joined hands. The sensation was unsettling; Superman’s grip was firm but incredibly gentle, as if he were consciously aware that he could crush Lex’s metacarpals with a twitch of his thumb. Muscle memory, maybe.
Lex didn't pull away. Instead, he let his mind drift into a series of calculations. For years, he had dreamt of the day Superman would be neutralized, but he had always imagined the victory as a corpse in a box or a broken spirit in a cage (or a pocket universe). This was something different, a blank slate upon which Lex could write whatever narrative he desired. He could mold the alien into a personal bodyguard, or a puppet. He could feed him curated "memories" of their shared history, creating a story of absolutr dependency.
He felt a little heady with the power he was holding. Or, that was holding him, at present.
"Do you think we could get something to eat?" Superman asked. "I'm so hungry, I could eat a horse." He paused. "Um, not literally. I mean, I don't eat horses, do I?"
Lex looked at the door, then back at the alien. The logical part of his brain kept insisting that that this was a trap. To let Superman out of the facility Lex had spent so much time, energy, and untaxed money trying to get him into. On the other hand, the scientific side of his brain really wanted to test his hypothesis, the one that said Superman now trusted him implicitly. That he was willingly wedging himself just under Lex's thumb.
"Yes," Lex said, letting go of his hands. "Are you feeling well enough to walk? I can have food brought up to my office."
Superman shuffled off the table, his movements cautious and slightly clumsy, as if he were rediscovering how to balance his own weight. He looked at Lex expectantly, which made Lex feel... something. As they walked toward the elevator, Superman kept glancing at him. He didn't try to fly; he didn't even try to peek through the walls. He simply walked beside Lex, his shoulder occasionally brushing against the white lab coat, expecting the other man to guide him.
Lex stood rigid as they ascended the floors of LuthorCorp, his thumb hovering over the emergency lockdown button on his watch, while Superman turned toward the mirrored wall, fascinated by his own reflection. He was making faces with a childlike curiosity that was slightly offensive to Lex’s sense of dignity. It didn't fit the uber-powerful creature from another galaxy.
Stepping into Lex's office, Superman felt immediately like he was going to break something. Everything was sharp, transparent, and likely expensive. The room was all floor-to-ceiling glass that made Metropolis look sprawling and tiny, and the furniture, all sleek, brushed metal and floating glass, looked like it had been designed by someone who hated the very concept of comfort.
Lex didn't use a phone that Superman could see, he simply pressed a button atop his shiny glass desk. A chime echoed through the room, and Lex barked an order for what seemed like a lot of food: wagyu steaks, truffle risotto, wine, and sparkling water, into the air. A disembodied voice confirmed the order immediately. Superman watched the interaction with wide eyes, glancing from the empty air back to Lex.
He must be... rich rich.
"Is the food always delivered by ghosts?" Superman asked, his voice echoing in the cavernous office. He looked around the room with an expression of genuine awe.
"Might as well be," Lex replied, leaning back into his ergonomic chair. He gestured to a glass chair across from him, and Superman carefully took a seat.
So far, so good, Lex thought. Superman hadn't flown away.
Lex cleared his schedule for the rest of the day while Superman mostly looked out the windows. He was glad he had Lex here to guide him, if the world was as hostile as he said.
It wasn't long before the food arrived, a compartment opening in the wall with the steaming plates inside. No human even entered the room. Lex glanced up expectantly, eyes flicking to Superman, then to the food. It took him a second to get the hint, after which he blushed and jumped up, rushing to bring over their plates. He was fast, and it only took him two trips.
The beef had to be the best thing Superman had ever tasted. He couldn't remember the taste of much else, but he was sure this could top anything. It was after many voracious bites that he finally caught Lex watching him. He felt his cheeks warming again.
He swallowed around the meat he was chewing, then looked to Lex. "Can you tell me about yourself?" he asked.
Lex had to think about it. He had a persona for just about every situation. Benevolent philanthropist, hardass boss, boardroom titan, "mad" scientist, economics expert, lover of bimbos the world over. He had no idea which mask to apply in this instance.
"I'm the CEO of LuthorCorp," he said, coolly. "We develop technology that changes the world." He left out the percentage of that technology which was deadly weapons. "I had a father, Lionel, who was an idiot, and a mother, Lillian, who was a mastermind, but a cruel one. Fortunately I survived them both. My life has been a series of careful choices, mostly dedicated to ensuring that I am the only person in the room who truly understands the stakes of the game."
"The game?"
"The game of power," Lex replied. "The struggle for dominance, for legacy, for the right to decide how the future unfolds. Most people are just pieces on the board; they follow the rules they're told and hope for a comfortable retirement. I prefer to be the one moving the pieces."
"It seems like you're doing a good job," Superman said.
Lex actually smiled. "It does, doesn't it?"
"What about us?" Superman asked. "How did we get... together?"
Lex paused, coming up with a hundred lies at once. He leaned forward, his voice dropping like he was telling a secret. "You were relentless," Lex said. "You kept showing up on my balcony, floating outside my office windows, staring at me and finding every absurd excuse to drop in. Asking for my advice on 'human things.' Pretending you needed my perspective."
He held Superman’s gaze, watching the way the alien hung on every word.
"At first, I found you insufferable," Lex continued. "A god playing mortal, intruding on my work. But you were persistent. You told me I was the only person on this planet who challenged you. Who saw you for what you really were. Eventually... I allowed myself to be persuaded."
Superman blinked, a faint flush creeping up his neck. "I... floated outside your window?"
"All the time," Lex murmured, a thin smile on his lips as he leaned in just a fraction closer. "It was thoroughly distracting. And perverse. Though I suppose, given the way you're looking at me right now, some habits die hard."
Superman's face was burning now. "I didn't know I could... float," was all he said. Lex laughed.
"Oh, you can do a lot more than that. Why do you think the average person is so scared of you?"
This comment broke Superman out of his momentary romantic haze. Right. He was hated and feared outside of this room.
It was after Lex finished eating (Superman was long done by then) that Lex said, "We should probably address the elephant in the room. Or rather, the bruises on your ribs."
Superman nodded earnestly, his expression softening into one of deep, misplaced gratitude.
"The injuries from the skirmish," Lex continued, standing up, "they were extensive. While the diagnostic on the table gave me a baseline, I need a comprehensive, hands-on physical exam to ensure there isn't any internal hemorrhaging or lingering alien toxins in your system. My quarters are just through those doors; they have the necessary equipment and, more importantly, privacy."
Really, Lex wanted to assess just how in control of his powers Superman actually was right now. If he didn't even remember the ability to fly, there was probably a lot he didn't remember about his power.
"Of course," Superman said, standing up so quickly his chair nearly tipped. "Whatever you need. I want to make sure I'm healthy so I can... you know, help you." He beamed at Lex. Lex felt that... thing, again.
Lex opened the adjoining door, and Superman followed him into a much more comfortable looking (if not any less exhorbitant) room. Lex gestured for him to sit on a squishy leather couch, and Superman did. He waited patiently while Lex left and came back with some kind of handheld scanner.
Lex rolled up the sleeves of his lab coat, revealing forearms that were lean but surprisingly tense. He stepped into Superman’s personal space, the handheld scanner humming with a low drone. To maintain the charade of intimacy, Lex had to bypass the invisible barrier he usually kept between himself and the rest of humanity. Or, in this case, non-humanity. He leaned in, his touch precise and clinical, but close. Very close. His fingers traced the line of the alien's broad shoulders and drifted down toward the collarbone, pressing against the skin to check for "internal trauma."
"Does that hurt?" he asked, voice quieter, now.
Superman didn't answer immediately. He was enamored by Lex, now that he was so close. He smelled like... something. Superman couldn't remember the name of the scent, but he knew he liked it. He felt a sudden, magnetic pull toward the man who claimed to love him, and as he focused on the warmth of Lex's hands, his heart began to hammer fastee.
"No," he said, finally. "It doesn't hurt."
The bio-scanner in Lex's hand emitted a sharp beep. Lex glanced down at the screen, squinting slightly as he saw the spike in the alien's vitals. The heart rate was accelerating. Lex smiled. The power he weld was absolute; Superman beneath his hands, stripped of his history and completely susceptible to every word and touch Lex provided.
Lex leaned in further, a smirk playing on his lips. "Heart rate elevated. Still nervous around me?"
"Something like that," Superman said, as Lex's hand ran down, across his broad chest, poking and prodding. Then, he said, "I just... I feel like I don't deserve someone like you. At least, this version of me doesn't. You're so smart. You saved me. And I can't even remember who I am, let alone how to be a good partner to you." He looked down at his lap as Lex's hand felt around his stomach, his waist. "What if I don't remember?"
Lex studied him, and Superman couldn't read his expression. "It won't matter," Lex replied. "Memory is a collection of records, most of them tedious. Why bother recalling the past when we can simply decide who you are now?"
By we, Lex of course meant I, but he didn't say as much.
"I want to remember you. I want to know as much about you as I can."
Lex didn't pull away. Instead, he leaned in closer, his thumb tracing the sharp, clean line of Superman’s jaw. It was a calculated move—he wanted to see if the alien would flinch or if a flicker of the old, stubborn Superman would resurface. It was a gesture of ownership, a way to mark the territory of this new, malleable creature. But as Lex watched the way Superman’s eyelashes fluttered, he felt something like trepidation.
If he was going to do this, he had to commit to it.
He leaned in closer. Superman shut his eyes fully, tilting his head up. Open. Expectant.
Hadn't he already committed to it?
Lex moved to close the space between them, just as Superman jerked away. "Ah, nuts!" he exclaimed.
The moment was severed when a searing, white-hot throb detonated in Superman’s left calf. He recoiled, clutching his calf, his body twisting away from Lex with a reflexive jerk.
Lex snapped back into cold scientist mode almost immediately. "What is it? What's wrong?" Lex demanded. He slyly waved his scanner over Superman's leg, a radiation warning he hadn't seen before flashing on the screen.
"It's... my leg," Superman gasped, his voice tight. He tried to mask the intensity of the pain, his eyes darting to Lex. He didn't want him worrying any more about him. "Inside my leg. It feels like it's burning." He fingered at the searing spot, brushing over a small tear in his blue suit pants. He pressed in, feeling a sharp, hard sliver under his skin. He pinched at it and pulled out the searing splinter.
It was then that the world snapped back into focus. The shard, a jagged splinter of Red-Gold Kryptonite, came free, and the mental fog evaporated. Years of memories, the smell of Kansas cornfields, the weight of the cape, arguments with the Justice Gang, late nights at the Planet, and the exhaustive, tedious history of his rivalry with Lex, all rushed back.
His first instinct was to fight, but two thoughts stopped him. The first was that Lex had spent the afternoon lying straight to his face about, well, everything. The second was that Lex had been mere millimeters away from kissing him.
He looked down at the tiny, glowing sliver in his palm, then up at Lex.
"Is that..." Lex reached out, his fingers hovering just short of touching the strange stone. "An alien compound? Did the entity leave that inside you?"
Clark blinked, forcing his wide, panicked eyes to settle back into a look of naive, awe-struck wonder. Lovers. Lex Luthor had actually told him—with a completely straight face—that they were lovers. And even worse, Clark had spent the last few hours practically batting his eyelashes at him.
If he came clean right now, Lex would lock down the building, blast him with green Kryptonite, and go back to treating him like an intergalactic criminal. But if he didn't...
Well. Clark was only human. Sort of.
"I... I think so," Clark murmured. "It was stuck deep in there. It burned so bad, Lex."
"Let me see that," Lex said, pulling a lead-lined specimen container from his coat pocket. Clark obediently dropped the shard into the box. The moment Lex snapped the lid shut, the faint, residual buzzing in Clark's head vanished entirely. His full X-ray vision came back; he could see the complex network of Kryptonite emitters hidden in the ceiling, the hidden cameras in the corners, and the ridiculously high heartbeat registering in Lex’s chest.
Lex was nervous. Lex was thoroughly rattled.
"Fascinating," Lex muttered, turning the lead box in his hands before slipping it away. He cleared his throat, adjusting his coat and regaining his composure. "A localized bio-toxin, no doubt. It’s a miracle it didn't cause permanent damage to your nervous system. How do you feel now?"
Clark looked up at him through his lashes. He let a smile spread across his face, the exact same dopey smile he’d been giving Lex all afternoon.
"Much better," Clark said softly. He reached out, closing his hand over Lex’s wrist. He felt Lex’s pulse jump beneath his thumb. "Especially with you here. You really saved me, didn't you?"
Lex froze, his eyes narrowing slightly as he searched Clark’s face for any sign that the status quo had changed. But Clark just beamed back at him, the picture of absolute, brainwashed devotion.
"I... did what was necessary," Lex said. "I protect my investments. And my... partners."
"Right. Partners," Clark repeated. It was ridiculous. So ridiculous. That's why he was playing along.
He stood up slowly, towering over Lex just for fun. "You know, when you were telling me about how we met... about me floating outside your window..."
Lex’s jaw tightened. "What about it?"
"I was thinking," Clark said, his voice dropping as he tilted his head, bringing his face dangerously close to Lex’s again, just where they had been before the pain interrupted them. "Maybe you could show me what else I used to do. Just to help jumpstart my memory."
For the first time Clark had ever seen, Lex Luthor looked entirely out of his depth. His eyes flicked down to Clark’s lips, then back up to his eyes.
"I think," Lex said, his voice a little tighter as he subtly tried to maintain his footing, "we should take this one step at a time, darling."
"Whatever you say, Lex," Clark said cheerfully, giving Lex's wrist an affectionate squeeze before letting go. "May I please use your restroom? I don't, uh, remember exactly where it is."
Lex cleared his throat and nodded. He stood up and showed Clark which room was the bathroom. Clark thanked him, pressing a kiss to his cheek before shutting the door behind him.
Of course, he flew right through the ceiling. Lex could foot the repair cost.
What a strange day.