Chapter Text
Lex, a red-haired boy of about twelve, who was already in high school in Smallville, unlike his peers, was leaving the school building. It was almost the end of December, and there was a light snowfall on the lawn. Luthor wanted to leave the school as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary confrontations.
The shadows were already creeping across the schoolyard, and Lex tried to slip through the gate. He knew it was crazy to stay here after school, and every time he was targeted by some brainless gorilla, his classmates. Now he was rushing home to get there before dark. But the world was never kind to geniuses.
"Where are you in such a hurry, you nerd?" a voice called from behind, making Lex speed up his pace.
They quickly caught up with him. In front of him stood Ted and his "team" - two guys, all of them two years older than Lex. Many adults do not understand that such a difference in age is very noticeable in childhood. In Lex's case, it is a difference in physical strength.
Ted, tall and broad-shouldered, with a predatory grin in his eyes, stepped forward as his friends spread out, cutting off Lex's escape route.
"Well, bookie, did you decide to leave without saying goodbye?" Ted reached out and yanked the book out of Lex's hands. The pages flapped like the wings of a startled bird.
"Give it back," Lex said, trying to sound serious, not letting fear get the better of him.
"What if I say no?" Ted grinned and opened the book to a random page. "Oh, look, there's... uh... Something about science... Nerdy bullshit... "
Ted clearly didn't understand what the book was about, and in fact, it was a textbook that was already being taught at the university. He threw the book at Luthor, who caught it awkwardly as the sharp corner hit him in the stomach. Lex held the book close to him and hissed in a toxic tone. "Oh, what? Can't you read? Your dear mommy didn't teach you that?"
Lex watched as the bully's face reddened and contorted into an angry grimace. He knows he said too much, but he couldn't help it. He enjoyed offend people, especially those who deserved it.
"What did you just say, you little fucker?" Ted screeched in anger. His hand curled into a fist and flew straight at Lex's face. But the young genius was saved from the blow by someone else's hand, someone's strong hand, Clark Kent. He was Lex's only friend at the school, and although he was two years older, but he was the only one in the class who treated Lex as an equal.
Clark held the bully's fist, which was pointed at Lex's face. Clark said in a calm and strong voice, "Leave him."
"Get out, you farm idiot. We're not talking to you." Ted says, trying to pull his hand out of Clark's steel grip. "Luthor started it, he insulted me."
"No, I saw who started it. Maybe you want to fight someone your own age?" Clark says calmly, releasing Ted. The bully hesitates, as everyone at school knows that despite his modesty, it's best not to mess with Kent in a fight. Ted, like a dog with his tail between his legs, left with his friends, grumbling.
"Thank you," Lex said quietly.
They walked together through the snowy streets of Smallville. Lex moved here with his father when he was five. His mother and sister, Lena, had moved to the other side of the country, and Lex wanted to go with them, but that meant leaving Metropolis. So he decided to stay in the nearby town, away from the big city that he was so drawn to.
The reason for the move was the bankruptcy of LuthorCorp, caused by his father's poor investments and decisions. And now Lex was one of those who was trying to restore their family name's glory, trying to correct his father's mistakes.
Clark noticed that Lex was being a little quiet and sad today. "Hey, buddy, are you okay? You seem down. Is it because of what happened today?"
"Ah? What? No. I'm just thinking..." Lex was pulled out of his thoughts.
"Oh, of course, tomorrow is a big day for you, you're getting an award from Professor Hart in Metropolis," Clark said to cheer him up. Lex was immediately excited when he heard the name of his idol, Professor Sam Hart, one of the smartest people in the country. Lex was obsessed with him, and it was a great honor for him to receive a medal for his research from his idol.
All evening, Lex had been putting himself together, rehearsing his acceptance speech, planning every step of his actions. Despite the fact that he thought like a twenty-year-old in his younger years, sometimes the child in him still came out. He wanted to jump and kick his legs in the air when he found out that his research had been recognized as the best in one of the categories.
At dinner with his father, Lex also tried to solve the issues of LuthorCorp, offering his father a strategy to pull the company out of the brink of collapse. But Lionel was drunk, as usual, and he didn't want to be commanded by a child, especially his own son. He rarely listened to Lex, and when he did, he never thanked him.
"Well, at least listen to me once! I'm right, I know what I'm doing. Just shove your pride up your ass," Lex argued with his father at the dinner table.
"How do you talk to your elders?" Lionel shouted in outrage.
"Older?" You're acting like a little kid. Instead of trying to save our company! You're running away and getting drunk! All you do is desire yourself! Lex's voice is practically a scream.
"Shut up! I'm doing it! I do a lot! And first of all, it's not Our company, but Mine" - Lionel's face is red with anger.
"Oh, my God. Tomorrow you will definitely embarrass me in front of everyone," Lex says out of desperation.
"I wasn't going to. Because I'm not going." His father grumbles softly. - "Will you pick up the reward the next day..."
-"What?! Why?! You promised!" - now Lex is definitely screaming.
"I didn't promise you anything, I just said I'd think about it." - says Lionel, shaking his head.
"But, there will be Sam Hart... You know how important it is for me." - Lex's voice turns into a plea. - "Besides, LuthorCorp used to cooperate with Hart, you know him."
"No. Even more so, no. You have nothing to do in the same room with this bastard." - says Linole with tension.
"A bastard?" You're the bastard!" Lex screams hysterically.
"Get back to your room!" - Lionel can't stand not respecting himself.
Lex gets up from the table, knocking over his chair, and quickly runs up the stairs, slamming the door to his room. Lex slides down the wall to the floor, his eyes burning with tears. He couldn't believe that his father would ruin such an important event in his life. His body was shaking with anger and resentment, and he was tired of putting up with it. If his father wasn't going to take him to Metropolis, then Lex would have to handle it on his own.
He waited until the middle of the night, when Lionel should have been asleep. His backpack was packed with a black suit for the awards ceremony, an ID, and a few snacks. The only thing missing was money, so Lex took $50 from his father's wallet, even though it wouldn't be enough to buy a case of beer.
Luthor slipped out of the second-floor window, which was a common practice for Clark when he needed to return to the farm. Lex quickly and discreetly attempted to leave the neighborhood where he lived and make his way to the outskirts of Smallville as quickly as possible. Beyond the town, there was a highway that led to Metropolis, and Lex hoped that he could hitchhike.
After more than two hours, Lex reached his dream city, having been picked up by a kind elderly lady. The sun was just rising in Metropolis, and it was a day off, so the streets were almost deserted.
The awards ceremony was supposed to take place that evening, and Luthor had the whole day to prepare. He spent the morning at a 24-hour cafe, ordering breakfast. Then he headed downtown, where the shops had just opened and the streets were bustling with activity. This made it easier for Lex to blend in with the crowd, ensuring that the police wouldn't stop him for being a lone child on the streets.
Lex spent the rest of the day at the mall, occasionally glancing at the expensive boutiques. He used to shop there before the company went bankrupt and he moved to Smallville. In the evening, Lex changed into a suit in a public restroom. The black jacket was slightly too tight, but it was only noticeable if you looked closely at him. Lex kept checking himself in the mirror, as he needed to look perfect and impress Professor Hart.
The awards ceremony was held on the top floor of one of Metropolis's skyscrapers. Lex entered the main hall, where other winners and their families were already gathered. Lex was probably one of the youngest participants. No one paid much attention to Lex, as most people assumed he was someone's son or younger brother.
Lex tried to communicate with some of the winners, he knew everything about everyone here. He had studied each scientist and their research in advance. In some works, he could see unnoticed mistakes, or solutions that he would have solved in a completely different way. But he only managed to exchange a couple of polite phrases with them and nothing more.
It was time for the awards, Sam Hart himself came on stage, the one who organized the whole event. Hart begins to give a welcoming speech, Lex couldn't take his eyes off the professor, memorizing every word. His palms were sweating with excitement as he waited for his category to be announced.
"And finally, the last category is Genetics, where the winner is Alexander Joseph Luther's "Creation of Artificial Life." I would like to ask you to step onto the stage." Hart says into the microphone. Lex puts on a confident face and stands up from his seat. The audience looks at him in surprise. Was this the winner?
Lex walks up to the stage, looking confident and composed, but he is nervous inside. He hopes his hands are not sweaty. Hart gives him a medal with a certificate and a check for $5,000.
"My congratulations," Hart says, shaking Lex's hand. Luthor's hand seemed small in the professor's.
"It's an honor," Lex says with a smile as they are photographed together.
After the awards ceremony, there was a social gathering where guests chatted and drank together. Some were making deals, others were praising their work, but Lex sat alone, picking at his snacks. He was exhausted, having spent the night awake and the day wandering around the city. This fatigue manifested itself when Lex forgot to give his speech of thanks. Because of this, Luthor was angry with himself.
When suddenly a well-groomed hand did not fall on Lex's shoulder, it was Professor Hart.
"Why sad?" - asked the scientist with curiosity, sitting down at the stoic next to Luthor.
"Oh, Professor Hart!" - fatigue and despondency immediately passed from Lex - "Yes, I'm just thinking."
"Clear. So why are you sitting here alone?" - asks Hart - "Shouldn't you be with your family?"
Lex hesitated before replying, "The thing is, I came here alone. My father refused to bring me. You won't tell anyone, will you?"
"Oh, don't worry, I understand. It's very similar to Lionel," Hart laughs softly.
"Do you know each other?" Lex's eyes darted with curiosity. He knew that Hart had collaborated with LuthorCorp ten years ago, but he had never met his father personally.
"Yes, we were even friends. Hasn't he told you? But that was a long time ago, and you know how proud he can be." Hart winked at him.
"Yeah, I'm trying to get our company out of this mess, but he won't listen to me." You see, he has too much ego to listen to the advice of a 12-year-old. - Lex criticizes his father for his pride.
"Twelve-year-olds? You know, after reading your research, I couldn't imagine that you wrote it at such a young age. You don't think like a child, but like a man, Alexander" - Hart praises him.
Of course, Lex didn't show it, but inside, he was ready to explode from the praise, at least someone from the adults finally treated him as an equal. - Thank you. You can call me Lex.
"Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Lex," Hart says, shaking Lex's hand before returning to the group of businessmen.
Lex glanced at the clock, and his eyes widened when he saw that it was already ten o'clock in the evening. The last bus to Smallville had left an hour ago, and Lex had completely forgotten about it. However, it was too late to leave, as the buses would not be running until morning. Therefore, he decided to spend the rest of the night here and possibly stay at a nearby convenience store.
As midnight approached, the award ceremony was almost empty, as most of the guests had already departed. Lex didn't want to sit in an empty room either, so he headed for the exit.
Lex was standing on the street stairs of the skyscraper, the air outside was cold, there was a light snowfall. Lex was looking at the night Metropolis. It was hard to catch an attempt from here to Smallville, the banks were already closed, so it would not be possible to withdraw money from a check to pay for a taxi. And taxi drivers are unlikely to agree to go such a long way in the middle of the night.
At the same time, Professor Hart was leaving the building, humming to himself some melody, looking for the keys to the car in the pocket of his coat. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Lex standing at the top of the stairs, the boy looked lonely. Hart stopped "Hey, Lex. Are you waiting for Lionel?"
Lex immediately came out of his thoughts and looked at Hart. "Um, no, if he refused to bring me, he certainly won't take me away."
"Okay," Hart sighs and takes a couple of steps towards the parking lot, but then an idea comes to his mind, and he hesitates before asking, "Do you have a place to stay?"
Lex descends the stairs to Hart's level and replies, "No, I was planning to wait in a 24-hour cafe."
Hart thinks about it for a moment, and it's clear from his expression that he's making a decision. "You know, you can stay in my hotel room until tomorrow morning."
"Really? You don't mind?" I don't want to inconvenience you... Lex says politely, even though his stomach is filled with butterflies.
"It's okay. I know what it's like to run away from home," Professor Hart nodded.
Soon, they arrived at a luxurious hotel in the center of Metropolis. Lex followed Hart inside, still carrying his backpack on his shoulder. The lobby was vast, with marble floors and crystal chandeliers. Lex missed this kind of luxury. They took an elevator to a high floor, offering a panoramic view of Metropolis.
"You can take the right-hand bedroom." You're a lucky guy. There were no single suites left at the hotel, so I booked a family suite. - Hart says as he opens the door with his key card and invites Lex inside.
Lex's eyes were wide open at the beautiful interior, new furniture and panoramic window, as if he was living his old life at the top of Metropolis again. Lex went to the bedroom, it was gorgeous, king size bed, private bathroom, huge TV, network player and access to the shared balcony. Lex was so happy with this dream that he managed to forget about all the bad things.
It was the middle of the night. Luthor's emotions were overwhelming, and he was overexcited, so despite his exhaustion, he couldn't sleep. He kept thinking about Hart's kindness and how different he was from his father. He quietly left the room and found Dr. Hart in the living room, still awake and working on his laptop, with a glass of whiskey nearby.
Hart startled when he saw the small figure in the doorway. "Oh, Lex! Don't sneak up on me like that."
"I'm sorry," Lex said awkwardly.
"It's okay. Can't sleep?" Hart asks, taking a sip of whiskey.
"Yeah, my emotions are running wild. Thank you again, for everything" - Lex thanks him, it was a sincere gratitude.
"Sit next to me, I wanted to discuss something with you" - Professor pats the place next to him on the couch. Lex sits down, he was interested in what his idol wanted to discuss with him.
"Do you know what is the tuition reimbursement ?" - Hart asks him. Lex's heart skipped a beat, he nods in agreement. "Great, I'd like to offer you this. You could study at the best universities in the country and then work for me."
"Really?" Lex says quietly, his eyes shining with hope.
"Yes. I've shown your work to some university principals I know, and they're ready to accept you as soon as you graduate. You can't miss out on a brain as brilliant as yours." Hart says with admiration. Lex feels a warm sensation spread throughout his body, knowing that he has finally been recognized.
"It would be an honor to work with you." Lex says, his smile never fading.
"Great, we'll discuss the details in the morning." - says Hart, looking at Lex, seeing how the boy is shaking with joy, he sighs. - I think I should have told you about this in the morning.
"Oh, it's okay, Professor Hart," Lex says, his voice slightly trembling.
Hart thinks for a moment, then takes a second glass from the set and pours some whiskey, handing it to Lex. "Here, drink this, it'll help you sleep."
Luthor takes the cold glass in his hand, the amber liquid seeming mysterious and forbidden. He takes a small sip, the alcohol burning his throat, causing him to cough. Hart chuckled softly, patting Lex on the leg. "You'll get used to it over the years."
Lex takes a bolder sip, downing the rest in one gulp. The alcohol hits his head hard, causing a slight dizziness, and the world starts to swim before returning to normal a few seconds later. Luthor feels more relaxed. "That's strong."