#supeheir

[imperiouslex]

"just once, could you maybe - not? like just this once?" (pls lex ur kid is tired)

     his carefully crafted smile falters ever so slightly. " what do you mean? I'm only making sure you and your friends— " Lex doesn't finish that thought, taken aback by the scowl superboy levels at him; for a fleeting moment, he feels like he's looking into a mirror rather than out the ostentatious windows of his office.

" ... fine, " Lex says, finally dropping his saccharine charm in favor of something colder but closer to the truth. " young justice had a very interesting run-in with a group wielding technology I am... unfamiliar with, and I wish to examine it. I assume it has since been confiscated by batman or the justice league for further study? "

     Lex may not have super-hearing or x-ray vision to help him determine whether someone is being truthful or not like a certain alien does, but he knows how to read expressions and body language and he knows his son. at the mention of batman, kon-el shifts his gaze for an nth of a second, and the mogul has his answer without a single word being spoken. such a good boy, and he doesn't even know it.

" and am I right to assume you're not going to help me in this endeavor? "

     when superboy indicates that he is correct, Lex purses his lips as if displeased by this obvious outcome, but shrugs. " are you going to stay for dinner, then? " he suddenly asks, the corner of his mouth lifting almost imperceptibly. " I had mercy order chinese from jiang nan on donner avenue. you remember their peking duck, yes? "

@supeheir

[imperiouslex]

"I NEVER ASKED TO BE MADE!"

     the petulant exclamation is met with a hard stare. a thick and heavy silence permeates the space between them, as if intent to choke out the boy's newfound bravado. and then—laughter. Lex barks out a laugh, clipped and loud and mean. yet the look and words that follow somehow manage to be even meaner:

" no one 'asks' to be made, you idiot. "

" such is the unfortunate reality of the human condition that you share with the rest of us. but where most are thrust onto this miserable mudball of a planet and left to plod about aimlessly until they die unfulfilled and unremarkable, I have so very graciously given you a purpose: to be superman. "

     the lights suddenly shut off only to turn back on a moment later, now bathing the room in a dull red glow. " and yet, " Lex continues, seemingly unfazed by the abrupt change in decor, " despite being quite literally made for it, you can't even do that. "

     he advances on the boy until his back's pressed up against the cool glass of a vat not unlike the one he was grown in. Lex roughly grabs his face, nails digging into the flesh of his cheek with ease despite his alien biology, and forces his head against the chamber. " I see now that letting you remain outside so prematurely may have been a mistake. you're just not ready to be superman, are you, thirteen? "

     Lex can tell the boy is beginning to panic at the implication, and it thrills him. if only HE could have been so easily cowed! if only HE could have been made so small before him! if only HE was the one at his mercy instead of⸻!

     it takes a few seconds for Lex to realize he had struck the boy so hard he was on the floor. his hand ached. he sucks in a breath and smooths out his suit, trying to compose himself. " well, I'll give you some time to think on it, " he says, turning to leave. " when I return, I expect an answer. your choices are simple, really: yes or no. "

     Lex closes the door behind him without looking back.

@supeheir

[imperiouslex]

" stop fidgeting. "

     he hums in approval when the order is met with immediate compliance. Lex grasps both ends of the expensive fabric draped around the boy's neck, feeling its subtly embroidered " L " pattern beneath his fingertips, and proceeds to maneuver it into place with practice ease. where superman has his silly cape and gaudy tights, Luthors have bespoke suits and the perfect windsor knot.

     and tonight, he wanted his son looking like the Luthor he's raised him to be.

     however... as he begins to center said perfect knot, Lex feels his hands pause their ministrations as he studies the boy standing before him: the loose tie, the suit that fit snugly around the shoulders, the curly hair that simply refuses to be tamed (though Lex did manage to somewhat quash that prominent strand on his forehead, which was a victory in and of itself as far as he was concerned)... he doesn't see the alien, thankfully, but it's not exactly Luthoresque, either. actually, if he were to put a pair of thick-rimmed glasses on the boy, then wouldn't he look just like—

" Lex? " mercy calls from behind the door, knocking three times before letting herself in. " they're waiting for you. " she gives the boy a smile and a quick thumbs up.

     Lex clears his throat, annoyed at the sudden interruption, but tightens the knot before stepping back to appraise his work. " perfect, " he declares with a look of unbridled satisfaction, which the boy would likely read as fatherly pride.

of course he's perfect—Lex made him that way.

     placing a firm but warm hand on the boy's shoulder, Lex begins ushering him out the room. " come, leon, your adoring public awaits. "

@supeheir

[thirdsmartest]

" Got a minute? "

     Mr. Terrific nods his head towards the empty conference room. when Superboy agrees (after taking a moment to sus out if he's in trouble or not, probably—hard to tell since Michael's face always looks like that) and enters the room, the older man follows and closes the door behind them. As soon as they hear the door softly click shut, he calls forth one of his T-spheres with a simple hand gesture and launches into an explanation without preamble: " I received an interesting message from an interesting person the other day. "

     the device hovers to the center of the conference table and emits a red-tinted hologram of none other than Lex Luthor. even his digital facsimile has got that signature smug as hell look as he informs Mr. Terrific about his son's academic aspirations and seeks to hire him as the boy's private tutor. there's more, of course, because Luthor is nothing if not loquacious, but Michael spares them both the headache and shuts the recording off once he's said the key notes.

" He sent me copies of your transcripts, too, " Michael says. he doesn't mention verifying their validity, because that seems rude. " Pretty impressive. "

    and therein lies the rub. it's not as if those school records listed his name as Super B. Oy, they had his civilian identity: Conner Kent. he's not proud of it, but after he got that message, Mr. Terrific made a point to have Superboy and those closest to him scanned for any signs of LexCorp tech—thankfully, nothing turned up. but this is Lex Luthor we're talking about, so... Michael's expression turns solemn, and he places a hand on @supeheir's shoulder as he asks, " Are you safe? "

" And is there any chance Luthor knows about the other Kent? "

[grawl1x]

     it started with an empty titano's pizza box. that's how john found out @supeheir pretty much subsisted off of frozen pizzas, chinese takeout, and big belly burger... just like any teenage boy left to his own devices would do, really. it's kinda strange to think about superman being just a kid, but he had to have started out as one like everybody else, right? anyway, john figured treating him to some real pizza was the least he could do, given how often the kid's had his back, so he brought him to a little hole in the wall called louie's on the corner of loeb boulevard and sale street, near southside park.

     they've got the best damn pizza in all of metropolis, don't let anyone try to tell you any different.

     john's polishing off his second slice of meat lover's when he steals a glance at the kid, who's on his fourth slice of pepperoni and currently wrestling with an especially impressive cheese pull. he chuckles and folds his arms atop the table, taking a moment to enjoy the show.

" bet that cardboard you've been eating never did that, " he teases.

[arkahmarchive]

there'd never been an opportunity to know jason, considering. he'd popped out the test tube after the guy was in the ground. but the shadow of a young punk with a killer smile haunted the bats, plain as day. when the prodigal son returned in red and black and chrome barrels, kon had witnessed the aftermath. no matter their black sheep parallels, he'd not had much to do with him. superhearing is a gift and a curse at times, but he picks up that riff from a few blocks away and just had to check it out, tinny from an earpiece under a helmet. he hadn't known jason had taste. he floats, a bit away (this one has bullets), and calls down to the rooftop. "is that bulls on parade?"

𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐒 𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐌,     fatigue as dark circles beneath the eyes,     hunched sore shoulders,     legs that idle in air;     here lies a  vast city  that expands beyond bleak horizons,     skyscrapers garnish urban corners,     𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒆 - 𝒔𝒄𝒖𝒎  spitting rotten tobacco in the sewers whilst shaking hands for predatory deals that'll most likely ruin the economy──population of approximately ten million,     a number that equally rises  ﹠   falls as the seconds tick to another day,     and yet it feels as if he's unknowingly followed,     akin to his own psychological horror,     truman show brought to life by gothamite sights.     burger grease causes slick palms  ﹠   dirty wrists,     jaw unhinged for a bite 'till he senses an undesired presence near.     these are not the morbid,     brooding steps of his father.     no taps of glee,     or any brother looking to be a silent nuisance as the sun looks to rest.     but a new body,     a figure he ought to know     [   dots connect.     this is  tim's  guy;    saw him once on an unlocked phone,    text messages green eyes weren't meant to see.    another formidable asset to the extended family of crime - stoppers.     or something like that   ].     he looks him up  ﹠   down,     then turns his back, three taps to the helmet  ﹠   the music stops.        ❛      you listen to  rage against the machine?      ❜      gluttony is a sin he partakes in well.    meat  ﹠   cheese gets smashed in his back molars.     he speaks with his mouth full.        ❛      ya'know,  this is jason - eating - a - burger - alone - time.    you're interrupting it.      ❜

[teschmacher]

eve holds the blue eyeliner to kon's eye with the same great care a surgeon has for a scalpel. both with pursuits of equal importance, too. her tongue is peeking from the side of her mouth, the ultimate sign of concentration, while she works her magic. and it is magic. a magic she is happy to share with kon, which she does by rattling off tips and tricks to make sure his make-up is the best in any room, rivaled only by eve's herself, of course. even so, she's happy to give up her crown for him.

he's just so cute!

❛ oh! we should play a game! ❜ eve's green eyes light up like it's the best idea she, or anyone else, has ever had. she has that enthusiasm in her voice that only a monster could destroy. ❛ something just like truth or dare, except we don't ever pick dare, and we just tell each other our deepest, darkest secrets. ❜

what could go wrong there?

💕 starter call. | @supeheir 💕

[imperiouslex]

" don't look so surprised, superboy. "

     an open palm accompanies the remark. it crackles with residual energy from the blast that had saved him before dissipating entirely. " you should know by now that I don't appreciate having my things messed with, " Lex explains—unless I will it is left unsaid, but all too easy to imagine—pulling the boy back onto to his feet whether he accepted the gracious offer or not.

" now, then, " he continues, placing his hands on his hips and squaring his shoulders as if to show off that bright 'S' on his armored chest, " I think it would be best if⸻ " before he can finish that thought, Lex is sent careening by a counter attack.

" ⸻OOF!! "

SUPER LEX starter for @supeheir! ❤️💙🖤