Author’s note: Hello all!!!!! This is my 1st fic I am posting here...been reading for many many many moons. I hope I am doing this right. Also this is the 1st fic I have written with LibreOffice so if things look weird I am still getting use to it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to L&C:TNAoS. No infringement of any kind intended. The plot bunnies have now been silenced. Thank you. (Who am I kidding they will probably run amok)
Title: Lex’s Cage Monologue : The Trappings of Truth
Summary: There was this plot bunny that said ‘What if Lex knew from the beginning Clark was Superman...and frankly didn’t care...you know just another obstacle in his path to world dominion. But Lois. Lois he wanted. And then it hopped around leaving dust bunnies – they are so cute and you entertain them - of a whole fic or fics around this...but nothing solid...until the plot bunny had actual mini plot bunnies – kept me up all night - and this whole conversation in front of the cage would not go away...it kept multiplying. So this is what you have here. It is a one part...and I have not written fanfic or anything in a very very long time. Lex is the only one speaking we do get some Clark thoughts but this is when he is in that green cage on that icky wedding and well what if Lex made one more trip down before going to meet his bride. That plot bunny was babbling about him coming back from the dead and coming for Lois instead of just skipping town and that burning money scene...crazy on a level that makes the coming back from the dead for her make sense but also him taking an axe to kill Clark before going off the roof makes sense as well...what if it was a spite thing...he knew Superman could not save him and he knew it would haunt him…And I am going to stop rambling now. Here is your story. I hope you enjoy.
Luthor walked into the room looking at the ‘man’ in the green gilded cage...a cage of both their makings and decided to come clean…
“Superman!”
Lex called striding to the cage and banging a long pipe against the green glowing bars. A gavel echoing through the sound proofed room.
Tipping his head to the side he met his...his what...what exactly were they to each other...sworn mortal enemies? Suitors for the same fair maiden’s hand? Rivals in life? Frenemies...no. That was a deplorable term and neither would compromise their standards to that.
He met him in the eye. Eye to eye. Even though one was lying on the ground withering while the other stood strong. The was no oak staring down at a sapling struggling for life. In that moment, Lex knew and accepted it. Basked in it. Owned it. What it was. What they were. What they weren’t. And what they could never be.
“I knew Lois would be blind because she was blind to you. Once she trusts she can't see. Or is it that we both believe who we say we are to her when we say it to her. You have no desire to be Superman to her and I have all the money to back up all the injustices she wants righted. That is all I need her to see me as. I don't care she is a reporter - it is the investigating that is the problem. I can control myself and what I say but you can't control the help. Someone would slip. They would then go missing. Just the mere interaction my associates have with me during the day and how they behave when someone is around will pique her interest. Clever our Lois is. She is going to think affairs or maybe a surprise for her but the latter would grow old fast and the former would fester as a rotten apple in the bottom on the barrel.
I do not leave things to chance.
That is why you must meet your end in this cage. You would never do anything improper with Lois once we are married but you would find ways to get information to her that would expose me.” Lex chuckled and smiled at that.
Clark said nothing. It was clear that Lex was talking as much to him as not to him. He was also concerned about the ‘expose me’ as Lex had stopped his lazy pacing and started right at him...right through him if he were being honest, before continuing.
“It is also why if you don't know, should you have been fortunate enough to have the relationship with Lois and not I, then this secret would not have lasted long. And while I believe we are the 2 most powerful beings on the planet there is some truth to “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned /betrayed “ and Lois would see it as a betrayal.”
Leveling Clark with another one of those stares, Lex continued. “While she she may forgive you in time she would never forgive me.” Lex stopped again and looked at Clark, letting that hang in the air between them.
“Do I see us growing old together...no honestly I don’t.” Lex laughed and threw his hands whirling in a small circle. “Tsk. Tsk. You really do think I am a monster and I really must dispose of you as that would not do well for my wife to be to find out you think this way...and I know you as you lay helpless before me has not told her...some misguided war within about wanting her to want ground version instead of the air version...Silly naive man. Only the air version would know me. Anything else sounds like a jealous person rejected or too slow to make a move. But, I will appease your conscious this bit. I am not going to kill Lois or break her like I said - that was to torment you. I see it worked marvelously.”
Lex resumed his lazy pacing. “...no she will find out the truth at some point sooner than later knowing our girl. And she will turn me in.” Lex shakes his head smiles and offers an air toast.“My closet associates say I should leave her alone, leave her to you. I can’t. I want her.”
Another level look into Clark’s eyes. “Lois is not impressed with my wealth and status. Overwhelmed and flattered because it is directed at her. Yes. Very few wouldn’t be. Lois is not impressed in the way that would turn a person into a simpering fool. Very few and I seem be in the company of several of them - Well...there is you but you are not from here...but I do not believe that has anything to do with it...your parents probably wouldn't be too impressed if you brought Lexi boy home on school vacation either...even if he promised to keep the family farm running with luxury farm tools.”
Clark watched Lex walk over to a throne, sit in it, press a button and glide across the floor to stop in front of the cage in front of him. Meeting his eyes once again.
“She is the only person in the world not afraid of me. You fear me because of Lois. You fear me because my very being and all I stand for threatens all you stand for...because of Lois. I on the other hand accept what you can not.”
Closing his eyes he tipped his head back smiling and announced, “Lois Lane isn’t an itch to be scratched,” before opening them and meeting Clark’s again and noticed that they were angry yet hazy...this wouldn’t do. He rapped the metal bar gavel against the bars again.
“Now. Now. Focus. Focus. I am just getting to the good part.” The metal rod disappeared once again. “She is my equal. I dare say my better half. My greatest weakness. And if her discovering my 'secret identity ' doesn't destroy us then an enemy will.” Lex closed his eyes almost in pain it seemed at that thought. His voice dropped and he leaned forward in his chair, closing the distance like what was coming next needed to be guarded. “I won’t be able to protect either of us as soon as she finds out. Lois will not trust me. Not even as the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” And his voice became a whisper. “...No. Should she discover your secret she will allow you to save both of you unless you are in a nasty bind with this lovely green stuff...the point is she will table it until you are both safe...and on top that until it is safe to discuss.”
Chucking – Clark did not know if it was from the gasp he could not conceal or the quick look of surprise before masking it or maybe it was the lack of true reaction – no theatrics Clark had to conserve strength to really get out of this madness. It didn’t matter. Lex, in his own world sat back and then stood while pressing a button of the arm of the throne/chair that sent it back to where it rolled from originally.
“Your demise is my only chance...fleeting I know.” Closing his eyes and shaking his head again as if there was another conversation he was listening to in his mind, before opening them and pinning Clark with a gaze he had never seen before.
“Another life...who knows...maybe it is all the pheromone. ...No there must be some attraction to begin with… Alas! ...Oh worthy opponent! Another life. We may have been the best of friends. But our paths are set.”
The End – This is a stand alone. If anything more comes of it. It will not change the fact this fic can exist in the world on its own.
(This started as a 700 word text to myself on my phone…)
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed. (Ok the next hurdle is setting up the FB thread)
