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Chapter Text

Chapter 1

Lex could admit that he had what some would call unhealthy eating habits. He ate full meals only when his body truly required it, sometimes working hours on end until his assistant demanded he "put some gas in the tank", in her words. 

He did have an assortment of healthy snacks lying around his office, and it's not like he doesn't enjoy good dining and the occasional greasy indulgence, but he tended to get lost in his work and usually ended up with an irregular schedule for meals.

However, that all changed after coming to Belle Reve. Here, everything works in a tight schedule, including meals. At the risk of not having any food later on, he's forced to attend all meals, and there's a loud alarm that announces when it's time to go to the mess hall. 

As someone who usually forgets meals, he immediately notices how his mind quickly relates the sound with food. Now every time he hears it, he feels a little hungry. 

He realizes this is obviously some sort of Pavlovian response to his new living arrangements, unavoidable really. He is, after all, regrettably human. Unlike Superman, who's won over him and doesn't even have the decency to look smug or happy about it. The alien actually went to his trial and argued for rehabilitation treatments instead of normal incarceration. In his eyes, Lex simply needed some therapy to get rid of his “obsession” with him, to have healthier outlets for his genius mind. Right…

He has a lot of time to analyze where his plans went wrong and come up with new ideas, while he's healing and his army of lawyers figure out a way to bribe/extort his way out of this place. 

He realizes maybe a Pavlovian response isn't a bad idea, maybe aliens aren't immune to such a thing either.

And so he comes up with a plan. A perhaps unnecessarily complicated one, but at least it shouldn't get him in trouble with the law. If he makes sure nothing can be traced back to him, of course. And he's sure Mercy can take care of that. 

The plan is this. Once he's released, he'll appear to follow whatever the justice system asks of him, like a good boy, while also setting up scenarios that put him in danger somewhere where Superman might rescue him easily. 

He knows the other man has a bleeding heart for people in danger; he's seen him on TV, time and time again, bonding with the everyday folks he rescues. He even remembered that man Lex shot… He doesn't regret that exactly, but he knows from all the things he did, that one might be the most difficult to overcome if this is going to work. He might even have to apologize if the situation calls for it. He'll cross that bridge if it's necessary. 

For the moment, the plan is that he'll make Superman save him so many times that he'll create a natural response to protecting him, an instinct almost. It'll make him lower his guard around him, build some sort of rapport, that will eventually be his undoing when Lex gets close enough to make his move. 

A week before his release, he figures out, why not start early, and he sets up a fake attempt on his life by bribing an inmate who has nothing to lose if they add a couple more years to his sentence, to attack him in a public setting. He obviously comes out unharmed, but word of the attempt makes it to the press (at his request), setting a precedent of how dangerous life in prison is for him. 

When he finally gets out, he does the necessary public statements and prepares to lay low for a couple of weeks. He uses the time to catch up on whatever he missed and workshops his plan with Mercy, who has doubts about how effective this endeavor will be, but she dutifully follows through with it. 

He spots Superman doing a lap or two around the vicinity of the tower in the days after his release, likely listening in to see if he's keeping up his part of the deal. So the plans are mostly discussed via text message and email. 

Finally, the first attempt is set in motion. 

LuthorCorp is holding a small job fair where young people can apply for internship programs. Even with the hit they took on their public image, people still need jobs, and his company is willing to train and invest in those who show promise. 

The event will be hosted in the 12th-floor offices. A small fire has been orchestrated to start right in the middle of it, in an area that will block all the escape routes, leaving them trapped. The building's water sprinklers will get jammed and won't get enough water to stop the fire from spreading, and he's made sure that they invite members of the press so that word of the emergency is quickly spread through the media outlets, likely reaching Superman wherever he is. 

There is, of course, an emergency plan in case the red and blue menace doesn't show up. But he would bet half his considerable fortune that it won't be necessary. 

The day of the event, he shows up with one of his best outfits, expensive cologne, and the most genuine fake smile he can muster. He does the necessary rounds, smiling for the photos and speaking with the young people. 

At some point, he notices the Daily Planet sent that dorky reporter who sometimes interviews Superman. He makes a point to give him a few words, emphasizing the importance of fostering young talent and easing their transition into the workforce, and his company’s commitment to offering new positions that can help them grow. 

Hopefully, he puts in a good word with his alien friend, but the way he looks at him with slight distrust makes him think that might not be the case. No matter, he'll show them. 

Right on time, the fire is sparked, the alarms go off, and people start looking for the exits, only to realize the fire has blocked them. They start to panic and he then plays his part, assuring them that it will all be okay, that they have notified the authorities, and help is on the way. He reaches out to people, even when he hates it, placing a hand on their shoulder and saying kind words. 

He notices the reporter (Kent, was it…?) giving him strange looks, but he loses him in the frantic crowd before he can ask if he needs anything. 

A helicopter starts hovering near them, and soon enough, Mercy lets him know, via text, that they have made it to the news. 

It doesn't take much longer for Superman to finally make an appearance after that. He hovers close to the windows and gestures for people to step away from it, then uses his heat vision to carve the glass out and carefully places it to the side before entering. 

Lex sees the wave of relief flooding the room and feels a pang of bitterness he has to push down in order for this to actually work. 

Superman assures everyone that he'll get them to safety and will carry them down two at a time. He takes one of the older folks in the room and a lady who's having a panic attack down first. 

Lex uses this opportunity to take charge and look like he's helping somehow, by talking over the crowd, instructing them to get into pairs and form a line to make things easier for the rescue. Luckily, they actually listen, and when Superman comes back to pick up the next ones, he sees a second of pleasant surprise on his face. 

There were up to 20 people in the room at that time, so Lex hangs back while Superman picks them all up. Smoke has started to make its way into the room, but it's nothing he can't handle. He does notice the alien giving him a curious look a couple of times, as if he's surprised Lex isn't demanding to be brought down first. 

Finally, Superman gets the last couple out and comes back up to get Lex, who's arguably starting to feel a bit dizzy. 

The alien floats for a moment before landing in front of him. They stare at each other for a few seconds, and Lex is reminded of the last time they actually saw each other, before they dragged him out to jail. He pushes back a pang of anger and gives him the best fake smile he can manage under the circumstances. 

“Well, fancy meeting each other like this again, Superman,” he says before softly coughing a bit. 

“Luthor…”Superman says with a small nod, then he frowns. “Are you okay?”

“I'm fine,” he says, rolling his eyes. “Would be better away from this smoke, though. If you'd be so kind as to get me down? Unless, of course, you'd rather get rid of me once and for all and leave me here.”

“Of course not! I'd never do that to you!” Superman says, sounding offended. “Listen, we might have started on the wrong foot, but I don't wish you any harm, Luthor.”

“If you say so,” he says in a teasing tone, moving closer to the alien. 

Superman gives him a once-over for a moment, then looks a bit embarrassed when he sees Lex noticing it.

“What?” he asks, slightly annoyed.

“Just thinking… How do you want to do this?” Superman says, scratching the back of his head in a way some people might consider charming.

Lex shrugs, “However you want, as long as it's not over your shoulder like a sack of potatoes.”

Superman chuckles a bit at that, probably picturing that mental image. It feels like some sort of achievement, like a step forward in improving their relationship. 

“I wouldn't dare try that, no. Alrighty, let's take you out of here then,” he says, finally reaching out for him. 

He telegraphs his movements slowly in a way he didn't with the rest, so that Lex won't take offense at it, he guesses. He places a hand above his hip and asks him to place his arm over his shoulders and hold tight.

Flying down is a strange feeling. He's certain he weighs as much to Superman as a pillow would to a normal human. He holds him so effortlessly by his side that it's rather disturbing. But he's warm next to him, like… really warm, and the cape wraps around them comfortably. Even when he hates his colorful nightmare of a costume, he has to admit the cape is rather nice, made of a flowy, sturdy material that makes him look more regal than he has any right to. 

He carefully does not look up at the alien, instead keeping his eyes down at the crowd below. He can see the firefighters have already made it to the tower and are instructing people to step back for their safety.

Too soon, he's carefully deposited back on the ground and Superman steps back, leaving him feeling a little unsteady on his feet. He oversells how dizzy he is, and the alien quickly moves back to gently hold his arm by the elbow, as he hoped he would.

Lex hears the sound of several cameras taking pictures of them, and he takes the opportunity to place his own hand over the alien's.

“I'm alright. I suppose a thank you is in order then…” he says, keeping his eyes on the S symbol on his chest.

“Don't worry, I wouldn't dream of asking for that, Lex,” Superman says teasingly, the shadow of a smile on his lips. 

Lex… not Luthor. Score 1 in his favor. 

He nods and finally steps back from the other man, who looks at him for a moment before finally taking off to the sky once again. He figures it's best not to push too hard on the first try. 

The unfortunate event is a success for his public image. The photos of him and Superman standing close, the alien's lips curling up in a tentative smile, are all over the news. People are speculating that there's some sort of truce going on between them. The boldest ones suggest maybe Lex’s time in Belle Reve was beneficial for him and changed his mind about the flying menace. That maybe, just maybe, he buried the hatchet and came out of there a new man. 

Even the Daily Planet reporter ends up writing a positive review of the company’s work and Lex’s role during the fire. He too, points out that maybe the billionaire has turned a new leaf and wishes to start over.

Nonsense, really. But it works for him, so he ignores it in favor of planning his next rescue. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 2

Lex seldom deals with his own bank trips; he has an army of people to handle his everyday finances, but this second attempt on his life merits him making an in-person appearance at the First Metropolitan Bank. 

He has arranged for a low-level gang to try their hand at robbing the place at just the right moment, and he's also anonymously tipped the police off about a possible crime in the vicinity, guaranteeing that the thieves will have no time to escape and will have to hold him and the rest of the customers hostage long enough for Superman to make an appearance. And he's instructed his assistant to let the press know he's among the people being held, in case it seems like things are taking too long. 

The clerks at the bank are obviously surprised to see him there that day. They bend over backwards to make sure he has everything he needs to check his accounts in a private office in the back. 

Just in time, they are interrupted by the sound of people yelling in the main hall, and Lex makes his way over, feigning surprise when he's eventually dragged with the rest of the attendants to a corner where they're being held. 

As expected, the police arrive outside before the criminals can execute their escape, and they are forced to use them as bargaining chips.

Now it's just a matter of sitting there looking pretty. He notices one of the thieves recognizes him and points him out to his mate, likely planning how they can use him to get more out of the policemen outside. 

When Superman finally arrives, he quickly deals with most of the thieves, knocking them down in what he imagines is a considerable show of control, given his actual strength. But one of them, the one who noticed him before, moves over to Lex and pulls him aside, putting his gun against his head. 

Annoying, but it might work in his favor. 

“Take one step closer and I'll blow his brains out!” the street rat yells at the alien. 

He sees the moment Superman’s eyes land on him, surprised and then concerned for him.

“Lex? What are you doing here?”

“Getting held hostage. What's it look like? Gonna do anything about it?” he asks nonchalantly. 

The guy presses the gun closer to him, annoyed by their exchange. 

Superman makes a placating gesture to him, then moves faster than the eye can see when the cops outside use a lousy speaker to ask Superman if it's safe to go in, distracting the thief. He knocks him out easily, with perhaps less gentleness than the rest, and bends the gun into a neat little metal ball, throwing it back over his shoulder, looking a bit mad about it, which Lex again considers a win. 

He heads over to the rest of the hostages to assure them it's all okay and instructs them to head outside, before coming back to stand in front of Lex.

“Are you alright?” he asks, looking at him for any signs of injury. 

“I'm fine. Thanks to you again… Were you in the neighborhood?” he asks, leaning against one of the clerks’ desks.

“I saw it on the news and heard the cop sirens. I didn't know you'd be here, though. Don't you have people to do this type of thing for you?” 

“Sometimes a personal touch is required,” Lex says with a shrug. Cops have started to come into the building, most doing a double-take when they see them standing there. “I think your job here is done; you should go.”

Superman looks at the officers, giving them a smiling salute, then back at Lex, “Stay out of trouble, Lex.”

He nods, and the alien flies off in the blink of an eye. After that, he's forced to make a statement to the police about the crime before he's allowed to go back home. 

Their interaction might have been short, but he counts that concerned look on the alien's face as a step forward in the right direction. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

Lex doesn't like being scared of anything; he despises weakness. So when a tiny dog barks at him in the short walk from his building to his waiting car, and he feels his whole body seize in panic, he knows he has to address the issue head-on. 

That damn super mutt. He refuses to develop a phobia of dogs because of it; allergies are one thing, but fear is another entirely.

He decides the best way to cut to the root of the issue is some good old-fashioned exposure therapy. Instead of just buying a dog, Mercy arranges for him to spend some time doing community service in the local dog shelter. Claiming the double benefit of getting some good PR. 

That day, he takes his allergy meds and forces himself to endure petting the little furry menaces and tries to stop jumping every time one of them barks too loudly. 

Eventually, he's given a small dog on a leash and instructed to take him out for a walk around the nearby Centennial Park, to help it socialize and whatnot. 

He's thinking about how this really isn't worth the effort, when he spots Superman helping a couple of girls to place a baby bird back in its nest on the top of a high tree. All that power and he's just… wasting it like that. It makes his blood boil. 

Then he looks down at the little dog, and an idea pops into his head. Why not take advantage of this opportunity? He kneels next to it and releases the leash, urging him to run off into the tree line. Fortunately, the little pest runs off at top speed, good dog. 

He waits a couple of minutes, watching Superman interact with the blushing girls from afar, and right when it looks like he's gonna fly off, he whistles loudly for him. 

“Hey! You alien menace! Need a hand over here!” 

Superman turns to look in his direction, easily spotting him standing in the middle of a grass field. He waves the girls goodbye and flies over to him. 

“Lex? What are you doing in the park? Alone?” He asks, looking around the area, probably expecting a bodyguard or two. To be honest, he should have brought someone, but the idea of having to work through the whole dog thing with someone watching him made him a bit sick. 

“Yes, I'm all by my lonesome. I was… working on something, ditched my entourage. Anyway, are you gonna help me or not?”

“What happened?” the alien asks, crossing his arms in front of his chest and looking down at him with suspicion. 

Lex rolls his eyes at him, “I was walking a dog, and he got loose from its leash and ran off in that direction.”

“You have a dog?!” Superman asks, with a small smile, dropping his previous distrust. 

“No, I took it from the shelter. I'm…” he debates telling him this, after all, it's not part of his plan to share true facts about his life, but maybe it's worth it to make him feel guilty. “It's all your dog's fault! Dogs never scared me before, but now I can't see one without jumping, so I thought being around one would help. Now I lost it and can't return to the shelter without it.”

It works. Superman looks immediately ashamed of himself, dropping to the ground instead of hovering, “Oh, I'm sorry. I mean, you sort of had it coming with how you treated him, but Krypto shouldn't have been so rough with you. He usually knows how to moderate his strength around humans…”

“You were telling him to stop, and he wouldn't listen. The mutt clearly lacks training,” he says, avoiding Superman's big, remorseful eyes, damn him. “Anyway, it doesn't matter now. I'll get over it. So, are you going to help me or not? I saw you helping those girls. Am I not pretty enough to get help from Superman?”

He means it to sound teasing, a dig at the whole harem thing, but it comes out a bit more bitter than he wished for. 

Superman smiles at him again, a sort of spark in his eyes that wasn't there before.

“You know that's not a requisite, Lex. But I helped you before, didn't I?” he says, giving him a teasing wink, which DOES NOT make him blush. “I’ll help you find him. What does he look like?”

“Hmm. He's black with white on all paws, chest, and tail. Small, the shelter lady said he was a bull terrier mix, I think. Has a purple collar.” 

“Got it! Wait here,” Superman says cheerfully before flying off in the direction the dog went. 

It doesn't take much time for him to return, holding the dog in his arms like a baby, looking annoyingly pleased with himself. 

“He was chasing a squirrel around a tree not too far from here,” he says, landing in front of him and holding the dog for him to leash it.

Lex moves close, taking the dog's collar in hand, aware of how strange they must look to everyone else in the vicinity, “Such simple-minded creatures… No wonder you like them.” 

Superman rolls his eyes at him, then laughs when the dog moves in to lick Lex's face, “I think he likes you too. You should consider adopting him.” 

“What, so we can go on dog walks together? Just because you like taking care of tiny, domesticated nuisances around your place doesn't mean we all do too.”

“First of all, Krypto isn't really my dog, you know? He's my cousin's. And second of all, I'm sure you have an army of people at your disposal that could take care of the little guy, so he wouldn't bother you much, and you get to see him when you get home. There are plenty of proven mental and physical health benefits to having a pet,” the alien says, finally placing the dog down and watching him happily roll on his back. 

“Who are you, my psychiatrist?” Lex bites back, annoyed. “Next you're gonna recommend that I try meditation or something.”

Superman shrugs, a teasing smile on his face, “Wouldn't hurt you. Gotta go now. Take care, Lex. You too, Oreo.” 

Lex huffs, looking up at him as he starts to fly away, “Oreo?”

“What? He's black and white!” Superman says with a big smile on his face, before dashing away. 

“How did the walk go?” the lady at the shelter asks once they return. 

“Hand me the adoption papers, I'll be taking him,” Lex says in the most neutral, business-like tone possible. 

The girl is thrilled, of course. The PR for the shelter is bound to be raised after this, and he supposes one less dog to take care of is always good. 

“What will you name him?” she asks while filling in the paperwork.

“... Oreo…” 

Chapter Text

Chapter 4

The next rescue is easy enough to arrange. There's going to be a technical malfunction on his private jet, one easily corrected if needed, of course. And it'll happen right as he's taking a remote, live interview with a TV reporter, to guarantee maximum exposure and therefore, get Superman’s attention. 

It all goes according to plan, they experience turbulence, the flight attendant comes to whisper something in his ear mid-interview, and when asked, he calmly shares the news that they have lost control of the plane and are flying without a way to safely land. 

He terminates the interview by saying that if someone else were willing to help, he would be grateful. 

Then it's just a matter of waiting. His people keep him in the loop of the media buzz around the event back on the ground. The pilot and staff are clearly nervous about the whole thing, but they endure it on the promise of a huge bonus. 

They don't have to panic for long though, soon enough, the turbulence stops and they feel the plane smoothly stop moving. 

“Kill the engines,” he instructs the pilot, looking out the window to see that familiar red cape. 

Superman notices him from below and gives him a thumbs up, then gestures to the ground in question. 

Lex shakes his head, “What would I do with a busted plane in the middle of nowhere, you fool? Take me to the airport,” he says, knowing he'll hear him even from outside. 

Superman rolls his eyes at him and flies them over. Lex sits by the window where he can look down at him. 

He usually hates how strong the alien is, but he has to admit it is rather nice when it's for his benefit. If only it always worked that way… but Superman has a mind of his own, unlike his clone, and a bleeding heart for lost causes, which doesn't match Lex's interests. 

They are carefully dropped down at the airport, and the cabin crew rushes outside to thank Superman profusely. They all scatter off when Lex approaches, of course, afraid he'll get them fired for it. 

“Superman, once more to my rescue. Did you see our conundrum on the news?” he asks. Up close, he can see the way his hair is all messy from the wind up high. 

“Yes, it's all over the news. You should let them know you're okay.”

“Meh, no doubt any of those peeping Toms up there already did,” he says, gesturing to the people at the airport, eagerly recording them with their phones from above. “I think they might expect another confrontation from us.”

Superman looks up and waves at them, getting some greetings in return, then looks back at Lex with a small smile on his face.

“I think we're past that now, aren't we?”  

Lex pretends to think about it for a moment, then shrugs and offers out a hand for the alien to shake, “I think we are. Thank you for the ride, Superman.”

The alien smiles and shakes his hand, firmly but obviously careful, and very warm. 

“I heard you adopted a dog called Oreo from the shelter,” he teases, not letting go of his hand just yet, and he lets him.

Lex huffs, looking away. “I figured it would be good for my public image, and I was filling in the paperwork in a hurry; it was the only name I could think of. Don't flatter yourself.”

“I didn't say anything,” Superman argues with a teasing smile, finally releasing his hand. “I bet  Krypto would like to meet him.”

“And have him become a bad influence on my dog? No, thank you,” Lex argues, frowning. 

“Oh, come on! He's not that bad…”

“I don't think you get to decide that. He broke my arm, not yours,” he says, smacking the alien's arm to make his point. “I'm guessing its poor training is this mysterious cousin's work then?”

“Kara is not mysterious. She's just… going through some stuff,” he says with a wince. “Maybe you'll meet her one day, if she stays on Earth for longer than an hour.”

“I’d rather not push my luck. Wouldn't she hate me for trying to kill her only living relative?”

“Don't worry, I'll protect you, Lex,” Superman teases him.

Ah, score for him, the plan is working. This is exactly what he wanted. 

“Lucky me,” Lex says, with what he hopes is a somewhat genuine-looking smile. 

It must be enough because Superman smiles back at him warmly. 

It would be enough to make a normal person's knees tremble. Not him though. He just has a normal reaction, blushing is a normal reaction…

“Are you sure you'll be alright here? Didn't you have somewhere to go?” the alien asks, looking back at the jet. 

“Never mind that, they'll have it fixed in a flash,” he says, waving away his concerns. “Or were you planning on flying me in your arms, like an alien taxi service of some kind?”

That actually makes the other man chuckle, “I don't think you would be able to pay the fare for that trip.”

“Me? The billionaire?” Lex huffs.

Superman only nods, with a smile wide enough to cause wrinkles in the corner of his eyes.

“Alright, try me. What would be the hypothetical fare for a trip in Superman’s arms?” 

The other man looks up, pretends to think about it for a moment. 

“A walk at the dog park, dog included,” he says with a smug grin. 

Lex rolls his eyes at him, “I can delay my meetings. I'd rather fly on a plane, thank you very much. However… Oreo does need walks now and then… I'll think about it,” he says, avoiding looking straight at him since he just knows he's going to shine as brightly as the sun that he needs to function.

“Great! Let me know next time we see each other. You know, Lex… You’ve been having a lot of bad luck lately, might wanna check what's up with that,” he says before flying off, waving goodbye as he goes. 

Ah, if only he knew... He's actually been pretty lucky so far. The alien even willingly asked him to go for a walk together. His plan is going perfectly. 

“You do realize he sort of asked you out on a date, don't you?” Mercy says when he tells her as much once they are back in the air. 

“What?! No, he didn't!” he says, feeling his heart rate jump for some reason, in anger definitely. “He only did it to annoy me! He knows how much I hate that dog of his.”

“I think by now he would definitely protect you from that menace of a dog. He wants to spend time with you, alone, walking through the park…” she says, listing each point with her fingers. “That's a date if I ever heard one. But believe whatever you want, sir. There's only one way to find out for sure, isn't it?”

Lex groans, turning to stare out the window as she walks away from him, back to her own seat.

That can't be right, can it?

Superman isn't… Actually, he doesn't have enough information to know what he likes or doesn't like in that department. His parents simply assumed he'd have wives to continue his legacy, which doesn't confirm or deny anything about his actual inclinations. And he can't exactly use Ultraman as a base to guess that. The clone could be quite clingy with him when they spent time alone in the lab running tests, but perhaps that was due to the imprinting process… 

Regardless, it doesn't matter! He's not interested. And that would be… a risky, messy complication, one he can't afford if he's to one day rid earth of this alien menace. 

Still, no matter how hard he tries to forget it, the thought does end up occupying a dark corner of his mind for the next couple of days.

On the third day, some sort of alien monster starts attacking the city, and Lex goes out to the balcony of his penthouse to watch from a distance. He sees that familiar red and blue blob moving around, helping the Justice Gang as they inelegantly deal with the threat. 

Once the fight seems over, Lex takes a deep breath and tests a theory he's had for a while now. 

He, very calmly, calls out for Superman in a normal tone. 

Not a minute goes by before the alien is floating in front of him, smiling when he sees Lex is not in some sort of problem this time. 

“You called?” he asks, tilting his head to the side like Oreo sometimes does; he refuses to call it endearing.

“And you came… I always figured you'd have to block out and filter a lot of sounds in your everyday life. And yet you heard me from all the way over there?” Lex points out, having proven his theory right. Superman is paying attention to him. 

The other man blushes, looking to the side to where they can see the police and paramedics tending to the wounded, “I guess I'm familiar with your voice by now. Did you need something, Lex? I should help with the clean up…”

“I think LordTech’s gang can handle things for one more minute,” he says dismissively. “You insisted on a walk in the dog park. My afternoon meeting was cancelled. Meet you there at 5?”

Superman’s eyes widen and his jaw opens. Clearly, he wasn't expecting him to accept the invitation, but he recuperates fast enough.

“Of course! I'll help here and go get Krypto after. See you soon, Lex!” he says with a smile, before flying off, back to play hero. 

Lex DOESN’T put a lot of thought into what he's wearing for the outing; he's only aware that other people might take photos of them, so he chooses something nice that will also keep him warm. A thick, burgundy long coat, with a black turtle neck and black dress pants. 

He gets Oreo leashed and ready to head out in the car, and he instructs his driver to take them to the park. 

They're standing at the entrance by the time Superman glides down and lands in front of them, followed by Krypto. 

Lex has a small moment of panic when he sees the mutt and it starts to growl, no doubt remembering when he kidnapped him, but Oreo barks at him in anger, and the alien dog immediately stops it, coming to meet him, wagging his tail. 

The two smell each other and decide they can be friends after all. 

“That's good, I was starting to get nervous,” Superman says with a lazy smile.

“I wonder if Earth dogs can smell he's not exactly from here…” Lex says out loud, looking down at the way they're playing. 

“Hey, no more weird science experiments,” Superman teases, waving a hand in front of him to bring his attention back to himself. “This is about relaxing, not working.”

“I can multitask, you oaf. A bright mind never rests. But you're right, we'd best get going. Come on,” he says, pulling on Oreo's leash for them to start walking down the dirt path. 

It's a rather nice afternoon out, and there aren't many people at the dog park, which is good, fewer eyes on them this time. He does spot people doing a double-take when they see them, but no one actually approaches them. 

Things are a bit awkward at first. Lex defaults to something he knows well, his Company. He assures him that the issue with the jet was resolved now and then proceeds to tell him about the new aerospace project they are working on. Superman does ask smart enough questions to keep the conversation interesting. 

Then, since Mercy reminded him it's impolite to talk only about himself, he asks about the monster attack from before, and Superman tells him all about it. 

He talks about the super gang as if they're friends, which again begs the question of why he decided to spend his free time with Lex, of all people… Not that he's complaining, he IS gathering precious data as they speak, but was Mercy right? Is this really a date? Or is the alien trying to keep a close eye on him?

They take a seat on a metal bench and watch the dogs play on the grass. He's glad the white mutt is controlling his strength around Oreo.

“Sounds like the Justice Gang, ugh, what a distasteful name…” he mutters. “They see you as an honorary member of sorts now.”

“I guess… I like to think we're friends by now,” Superman says, with a good-natured shrug. 

“You could be celebrating with them. Instead, you're here, spending time with someone who tried to kill you in the past.”

“And their cute dog,” Superman adds, pointing to Oreo, who's trying to playfully catch Krypto as he hovers above him. 

Lex pokes him hard with his elbow, likely not doing any damage, “You know what I mean.”

“Ouch. I do. But I was the one who proposed this trip, and I didn't want to impose on them too much… Besides, you’re not trying to kill me right now, are you?”

“Hmm. No, too many witnesses,” he says, making the alien laugh. It feels like a win of some sort. “Still, isn’t there someone else you can hang out with?”

“I… had someone… But we have been having issues lately. She… we decided to end things not long ago.”

Ah, so this is likely not a date. That's… a relief. Yeah…

Matters of the heart are not his forte at all, but he has to make an effort if he wants Superman to consider him a friend, and friends listen to each other's romantic woes, don't they?

“I’m obviously not the best at relationships; my own ex-girlfriend sold me out to the press, but alright, let's hear it. What was the issue?” he says, scratching Oreo's ears when he makes it back to the bench and sits between them, watching Krypto play with a branch too big for a normal dog to lift.

“Umm… it was about you, actually…” Superman answers sheepishly.

“What?!” he exclaims, turning to look at the other man in surprise.

“Or more about how I feel about you,” he says, looking away, making things even worse.

Lex's mind is running in circles now, trying to figure out what the other man could possibly mean.

Superman pets Oreo's head, their hands almost touching, and Lex is suddenly increasingly aware of every point of contact between them, sitting on that small bench. 

“I think you're an interesting person, Lex. You're a big part of this city, whether most like it or not. You've done terrible things… But I believe you want to change. I believe in second chances, even after all you did. She doesn't. She thinks I'm being a fool for thinking the best of everyone, especially you. Said she wasn't willing to just sit by and watch me being taken advantage of.”

Ah… so that's it. Smart woman then. He shouldn't be trusted, and she's right about the man being way too trusting with everyone he meets. 

But honestly, part of him really resents the implication that this person thinks she knows him well enough to be sure he's beyond redeeming. 

It's insulting. 

“I agree that thinking the best of everyone you meet is a great way to get yourself killed, but since you are, well… you, I don't think it's that problematic. I usually would recommend that you, at the very least listen to the warnings of others, but first of all, I know how stubborn you can be; it takes one to know one. And second of all, this is me we're talking about, and I can admit that I'm not proud of what I did before, and I do want to do better in the future,” he says, not really lying. He has spent a lot of time figuring out how his previous plans went wrong and he does intend to be better next time.

“I’m glad to hear that. I think we can do great things together, Lex. If only we could get past our differences. And I think we're doing pretty okay right now, aren't we?” Superman says, with a teasing smile, tilting to the side to gently nudge him with his shoulder. 

“Yes, we are being very civilized,” Lex agrees, nudging him back to his side of the bench. “You're covered in dust from that fight; you'll get my coat dirty.”

Superman laughs softly, his dark hair falling onto his face. Lex has to admit there is a charm to him; the other man is unlikely to realize how much that fact influenced people's opinion of him when he made his heroic debut. But he's seen many in the crowds who are obviously fawning over him. It always made him mad, such an effortless appeal… But it's different when it's directed at you. You can't help but feel important somehow. 

“Sorry, it is a nice coat. So… you no longer have a problem with me being an alien?” Superman asks, looking at him with those annoyingly bright eyes. 

Lex thinks about it for a moment, trying to speak in half-truths. “I still think that humanity’s heroes, the ones they look up to and aspire to become, should be from Earth. But you don't really have any control over that. People will believe what they want to believe. I… I still find you annoying, but I can tolerate you better now. Is that good enough for you?”

Superman rolls his eyes at him, looking around the park, hearing god knows what. 

“I don't think you're the type of person to go out with someone you just tolerate, but I'll take it for now,” he says with a shrug.

He's not wrong… Lex does have his ulterior motives, but even so, it's true that his company hasn't been that bad. Certainly better than some boring meeting with mediocre people. There's always something interesting about him, even when he's doing terribly mundane things, like taking his dog for a walk.

“Patience is a virtue. Maybe one day you'll change my mind,” he says, and part of him isn't sure that it's really a lie.