SV fic post: A Young Kryptonian part 22
12/4/07 12:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
roxy
Title: A Young Kryptonian's Travels Or, Slouching Towards Smallville
Fandom: SV
Pairing: Kal-El/Lex
Rating: G
Summary: Our only point here is to have fun! No message, no moral--enjoy!
The Previous Parts are here, filling the stockings with glee. Glee…hmmm.
Lex watched his reason to draw breath disappear in a shower of gold sparkles—he heard nothing over the thundering pulse of blood in his ears, he doubted what he was seeing, it couldn't be, it wasn't happening--his mind raced wildly and the insane thought that the effect of Kal disappearing had been rather cheesy skittered around under his skull. The thought was followed by the most intense migraine he'd ever experienced—too much pain for him to move, or make a sound, or breathe…
*Kal's husband…I'm sorry, but when you wake again you'll understand. This is all I have; the rest is waiting for you in a cave on the ridge behind the plant. You'll understand when you wake. Use it, use all of this--*
*the AI? Is that…you?*
*Yes, you must listen, this is important—I lied to you.*
* Lied? Lied to me…* Lex repeated and knew his contribution to the conversation was severely lacking.
*Yes, yes, lied, am a horrible creature, I abase myself—*
Machines could be sarcastic, Lex observed. *You're being kind of a bitch—*
*I lied when I said I couldn't read your mind—and now, I'm so sorry for what I am about to do to you—it's all for you and Kal-El, remember that—it's for Kal.*
The explosion in his head seemed to last forever--he was swimming in the knowledge of what felt like--everything.
*I'm sorry,* he heard again. *You know what to do and where to start. For Kal* it repeated and was silent.
Lex blinked hard, black gave way to gray and gray to a blurry view of the roadside. He could smell car exhaust and warm blacktop and he had the oddest experience of feeling hollowed out and lonely inside his own head. He blinked again, and realized he was on his knees in front of the car, his hands planted in a puddle of cooling puke. He was grateful for two things, tissues…and having the money to do what had to happen next. He sat up, holding his hands carefully away from him and grimaced. He sighed, seemed unaware of the tears slipping down his face. He hated to disappoint Pamela but he saw no other way….
******
In a cave not far from another system of currently 'undiscovered' caves chock full of odd drawings that an ancient visitor had left, detailing the sexual positions they were most fond of—it had been a long and boring journey to a boring little planet dominated by barely upright hairy beasts, and it had to make it's own fun—the stasis suit 'awoke'. A light in the forehead lit with a deep red glow, and the halves of it opened for access, dislodging dust and small animal nests. It put itself on alert but standing down, and initiated a small electric charge to convince the little life forms around it that this hotel was closed. It waited for its new owner.
*******
Lex returned to the farmhouse and packed; flinging clothes into whatever suitcase they landed on, surprising himself by being completely unconcerned about minutia like creases and folds and whether sleeves were actually inside the case. Martha came up the stairs and stopped, apparently as astonished at Lex's uncharacteristic behavior as he was himself. His clothing would be a solid wrinkled mass by the time he unpacked again—before this moment it would have been physically impossible for him to disrespect his wardrobe this way. Now, now…his priorities had been violently rearranged, whittled down to one sharp stabbing point. Get his husband back. The Kryptonian word popped into his mind like a bubble expiring--ehmera and the flare of pain it produced left him momentarily breathless.
"Lex, where's Kal? What are you doing—honey—what's wrong?" Martha tried to hold Lex but he gently, firmly pushed her away and continued crushing his wardrobes into blocks.
"Aunt Martha, you know that I love you and Uncle Jon, don’t you?" He grabbed a handful of Kal's clothing, tossed carelessly over the back of the couch, as usual. He started to throw them into the open bags too, and stopped. He pressed a shirt against his face and breathed in. "Don’t ever doubt it," he said, his voice breaking. He turned away from her, stared out of the open loft doors; the air was so clear he could see to the horizon, there was nothing but fields of wheat and corn for miles and miles…"No matter what happens, or what I seem to be, don’t forget. Please."
"Alexander—tell me right now, damn it--"
"Kal is gone," he said. He turned to face her and she gasped. When he spoke his voice came from a million miles away. "I have to get him back." Difficult as it was, he focused on Martha and he could feel his eyes burning as he talked to her. "No matter what it takes." Martha took a step away, and after a second, held her hands out to him.
"Lex, Lex, don’t do anything—Kal wouldn't want you to—"
Lex smiled, a slow shark-like twitch of his lips. "Oh yes he would, Aunt Martha. He'd want me to do whatever it took. At any cost."
******
He was sitting in a cave, a little musty cave that held a thing called a stasis suit, had held several tons of acorns and many, many small untidy nests constructed of straw and empty snack bags…and a pop bottle holding a desiccated bouquet of roadside weeds. He'd gone a little insane at the sight of it. When he'd calmed down again, the cave was empty of everything but the suit.
The suit stood like a sentry near the back of the cave, in the shadows. It seemed to stare at him from a single red light, slowly winking at him like a malevolent eye. He stared back, chin cupped in one hand, sucking the bloody knuckles of his other hand. Maybe not so much malevolent. More…disinterested. Lex huffed, closed his eyes and concentrated. When he opened them again, he had a migraine sized headache, the taste of some alien delicacy in his mouth that his tongue was frantically trying to get away from, and the knowledge he needed to operate the suit. More importantly, he knew how to cannibalize the technology the suit contained, and how to use what was left of the probe Kal had discovered in his first few days on Earth. He walked out of the cave, and turned towards the plant. The time was now. Everything was about to change—there was a light in the tunnel all right and it was the fucking Lex Express. He chuckled, gagged a bit on the phantom taste of something for God's sake not at all reminiscent of chicken.
*****
On one hand, Smallville became prosperous with the quick growth of the plant, more prosperous than the town folk could ever have dreamed. On the other hand, the old citizens of Smallville were confused by the new people that shared their town with them, folks who by-passed the Beanery to drink coffee at a dozen different overpriced shops and sneered when their Hummers cut off their dusty farm trucks, their trusty Oldsmobiles….
In leaps and bounds Smallville grew, from a stagnant town whose citizens barely avoided falling off the narrow ledge that separated them from have and have not it blossomed into a bustling, crowded, almost city with a multiplex theater where once a windmill stood but it was okay, the two story tall neon sign that advertised the nearby mall featured a stylized windmill. All around the paean to modern architecture little farms lay, struggling still, while the rest of Smallville took lunch. 'Of course change was painful,' their mayor told them. 'growth involved growing pains, after all.' And if the mall took business from the local department store, well it *was* barely two steps above a five and dime, and the forty-five minute drive to the formally nearest mall wasn't necessary any more—not with a two-story super mall hosting stores that sold name brand products the townspeople had never heard of but Lex's closets were stuffed with…
The Kents hadn’t seen their nephew in months. Pamela barely heard from her charge. Weeks turned to months and soon, to years. Christmas after Christmas rolled past and Pamela was a frequent visitor to the farm but she came alone and on Christmas Eve, they opened boxes sent by the person who figured so large in their lives by his absence. This particular Christmas was exceptional—this Christmas they watched Presidential hopeful Alexander Luthor on their TV screen. He made a dashing figure, this bachelor candidate--smiling, waving into the camera, someone primped and beautiful and popular hanging off his arm. He was seen frequently enough with women to excite an amused and fond sort of envy, but not so often to make him seem…a slut.
His abandoned family watched him silently. Their Alexander, with a smile that was wide and white and eyes that were grey and dead.
The camera followed him now at one of the dozens of charity events that Lex frequently attended. He supported so many charitable organizations—organizations dedicated to helping children, the homeless, women's issues, people who'd been forced out of jobs, out of their communities, forced to try and keep up with all the changes that rained down on them what seemed like daily. The swift survived and adapted, and the photogenic were seen with their playboy Senator.
"Still strange that he's running for president," Pamela said after a sip of her cocoa. It was a habit she indulged frequently since her forced retirement. A little whipped cream and a splash of Baileys helped to make it even more palatable. They were in the living room, a huge tree twinkling in the background, expertly, professionally wrapped gifts piled at its base. They sat on the same furniture that had been in the Kent family since Lex was a boy; they watched a television that had been new when Clinton was in office…a huge plasma screen TV sat in the box in the barn.
"Never mentioned wanting it once when he was a boy," Jonathan said. They stared in silence for a bit.
"How are you dealing with that virus affecting the cows? Vet come up with anything yet?" Pamela asked, and took a cookie from the fragrant plate full on the coffee table.
"Ah. Yeah. Actually, Lex sent someone. Worked out good. Don’t know how he knew. Martha called to thank him." He took a gulp of cooling coffee and watched the cameras track Lex through a crowd of celebrities, who all seemed to know him personally.
Martha stirred another spoonful of Kent Farms honey into her tea. "His secretary was very nice, promised to tell Lex I'd called."
Pamela put her cup down. "He's a fame-obsessed bastard who only cares about himself, never calls anymore, forced me out of my own company, won’t talk to the only other people on this planet who love him, and pretty much destroyed this town…"
Jonathan sighed. "He's all about money, and making it in amounts that are just obscene and trotting all around Metropolis and New York and what not with women that are a bare step up from hookers."
"When Kal left, he didn’t break Lex's heart, he took his soul." Martha wiped at a tear rolling down the curve of her cheek.
"I can't believe I'd ever say this about him—but it looks like the apple didn’t fall far from the tree after all." Jonathan looked stern, his lips pressed into a bitter, thin line. Didn’t stop them from trembling.
Pamela glared at Jonathan, but before she could speak, Martha said, "He told me once that no matter what he might seem to be to never forget that he loves us."
"Look at that pile of---*shit* under the tree," Jonathan snapped. "What are those? Bribes? They're not gifts, Martha. Doesn't look like love to me. Looks like he's got a busy god-damn secretary."
"Aides," Pamela burped gently. "They're called personal aides…" She stared blearily at the set.
******
While the world watched, Alexander Luthor was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States, the richest country in the world, the leader in technological innovation, the leader in space exploration, now had a leader who perfectly fit the climate and the nature of the country.
Many reliable hands took up the reins of Lex's companies…the key word here was marionette, and one could also say ventriloquist, and also, assassin, spy…LexCorp steamed forward like a velvet covered juggernaught, gifting the world amazing invention after invention, most designed to make the public's life comfortable, soothing—a cradle to grave sort of thing, with minimum rocking of any sort. Behind the scenes, vast projects moved, known only to Lex himself—project Cadmus, project Nautilus, project Excelsior, dozens of different projects that only he knew in what way they fit together.
The only thing left to do was wait.
TBC
part 23
Tags:
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
12/4/07 05:32 am (UTC)I do believe in CLex! I do! I do!
(no subject)
12/9/07 01:02 am (UTC)Yes, yes, he needs his man! A lonely Lex is a cranky bored possibly dangerous Lex!
Every time a bell rings, a fanfic author is bringing Clark and Lex together in hot-man-lovin'.
*SNORT*!
(no subject)
12/4/07 05:40 am (UTC)It is nice to know that Kryptonian food doesn't actually taste like chicken - to anyone who has actually eaten chicken! Hee.
(no subject)
12/9/07 01:10 am (UTC)Oh no you don't! You're not making me write a story about how Lex brings the Universe to it's knees! you know you can make me do just about anything but not this time! I just want to get them together and that's that. As for Lex still being a man that Kal can love--no worries--Kal is not a bit like Clark, not at all.
It is nice to know that Kryptonian food doesn't actually taste like chicken - to anyone who has actually eaten chicken! Hee.
The great thing about this story is I can be as silly as I want! :)
(no subject)
12/4/07 06:03 am (UTC)So Innty gave Lex the knowledge to gain enough power to to set Earth up as bait for the Dominion? And perhaps he's built built a secret army to combat them and take back his mate? (Cadmus, Nautilus and Excelcior -- metahumans?)
I really wouldn't want to be the Emperor. Lex has been waiting way too long to get Kal back.
More. Please?
(no subject)
12/9/07 01:15 am (UTC)Inny gave Lex all the knowledge he possessed, plus the ability to use the suit. (Lex is a genius after all, he'll know what to do.) Lex has big, big plans to get Kal back, and what the heck, while he's at it, he might as well take everything. *G*
Cadmus, Nautilus and Excelcior-- metahumans?)
No, but dang--that would have been cool!
(no subject)
12/4/07 06:27 am (UTC)Lex Express, huh? Can I get a ride on that? ;D
(no subject)
12/9/07 01:17 am (UTC)okay, but we'll have to share!
I know, I feel so sorry for his family, but it's not as dark as it seems. Sort of. :)
(no subject)
12/4/07 09:22 am (UTC)Great job showing Lex's change and acceptance. I love how Martha still has some faith that Lex really is still thinking of them and Pamela is so matter of fact about everything they ar ewatching him do. It really hurts to see Lex so dead though. I hope Kal comes back soon.
(no subject)
12/9/07 01:23 am (UTC)Thanks so much! I think Martha would always look for the best in a person after she's accepted them as one of her own. And Pamela in my mind is relentlessly practical. Mind you, she hasn't given up on Lex either, none of them really have. :)
(no subject)
12/9/07 01:28 am (UTC)(no subject)
12/9/07 01:38 am (UTC)Mine was made by the brilliant and talented
(no subject)
12/4/07 02:05 pm (UTC)*hunkers down to eagerly await the next installment*
(no subject)
12/9/07 01:26 am (UTC)The universe in in deep deep doo-doo, to be sure!
and the next installment is whispering to me, swearing it's ready to post--if only I could trust it.
:)
(no subject)
12/4/07 07:09 pm (UTC)I love this story, I really do.
(no subject)
12/9/07 01:26 am (UTC)(no subject)
12/4/07 08:22 pm (UTC)(no subject)
12/9/07 01:29 am (UTC)Thanks so much for sticking with me--and sorry for getting back to comments so late, oy.
EXCITING STUFF
6/3/09 12:44 am (UTC)