"What is this?"
The question hung in the air like a blade. After a tense pause, Adrian prepared himself to tell his parents the necessary white lie.
Clark, however, jumped up before he could speak. His expression was pale, his voice uneven. "This isn't ours," he said, eyes darting between his parents.
The stammer in his tone, the twitch in his fingers—everything screamed guilt.
Jonathan Kent's brow furrowed. "If it's not yours, Clark, why is it in your hands?" His voice carried quiet disappointment. "You know where our boundaries are. You know our bottom line."
"Yes, sir, I know." Clark's shoulders sank. He stole a glance at Adrian, who stood silent and expressionless, offering no rescue.
Clark felt his stomach twist. He knew he had just made everything worse.
Jonathan sighed, the weight of fatherhood pressing on his tone. "Clark, your and Adrian's gifts come with responsibility. I don't want you wasting what you've been given. You both know what's right—and what isn't."
He turned to Adrian, his eyes sharp. "That goes for you too. You understand where I draw the line. You use your abilities carefully. That's what we agreed on."
"I understand," Adrian replied calmly. His voice was smooth, confident, the kind that didn't waver. He didn't need to explain—Jonathan already knew his second son's power came with an ego to match. The concern was simple: that Adrian might use those powers for something darker.
Jonathan's attention returned to the box. "So, Clark, what's inside?"
Clark froze. Sweat gathered on his forehead. His mind blanked.
Then, the creak of a door broke the silence.
Lex Luthor stepped in, his polished shoes clicking against the floor. "Sorry to intrude, Mr. Kent. That box is mine. I asked Clark and Adrian to hold it for me."
Everyone turned toward him—especially Clark, who looked utterly shocked.
"Lex?" Clark said, voice filled with relief.
"Sorry for showing up uninvited," Lex said with a polite smile, walking forward and extending his hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Kent."
Jonathan didn't take the hand. His eyes narrowed. "I don't believe my sons' relationship with the Luthor family is close enough for that."
Lex withdrew his hand smoothly, pretending not to notice the rejection. "Understandable. My manor was damaged recently, and I asked Clark to keep a few valuables safe while I handle the repairs. You know how slow rebuilding can be."
He turned to Clark with an easy grin. "Right, Clark?"
Clark nodded, almost too quickly. "Y-yeah, that's right."
Adrian watched in silence, the faintest smirk playing at his lips. Lex might've fooled his father, but Adrian saw through it. He could sense the slick charm, the layered manipulation beneath every word.
Jonathan crossed his arms. "I know Clark was at your manor during the attack. Maybe it's best if you keep your distance from him, Mr. Luthor. The danger that follows you isn't welcome in this home."
"I'm very sorry, Mr. Kent," Lex replied, tone even but his smile slightly strained. "I'm grateful Clark was there."
"What we need isn't gratitude," Jonathan said flatly. "It's distance."
"Jonathan," Martha interjected softly. She placed a hand on her husband's arm, worried the tension would boil over. "You've said enough. Let them speak."
Jonathan paused, exhaled slowly, and nodded. He gave Lex one last disapproving look before heading upstairs with Martha.
As their footsteps faded, Clark let out a relieved sigh. "Thanks, Lex. You really saved us."
Lex chuckled. "No, I should be thanking you, Clark. I'm glad you're alright."
After a brief exchange, Lex turned to Adrian, who was slipping on his jacket, preparing to leave. "You must be Adrian," Lex said, extending his hand again. "I've read some of your work. Your imagination is… brilliant."
Adrian glanced at the offered hand, unmoving. "Strange," he said evenly, "I didn't think capitalists and ambitious men had time for reading."
Lex gave a faint laugh. "On the contrary, reading reminds capitalists what society really is. And for ambitious people, it helps them justify crossing moral lines when the moment calls for it."
Adrian tilted his head slightly. "So, you admit you're both ambitious and corrupt."
His tone wasn't hostile—just matter-of-fact, confident, unnervingly calm. The faint glint in his eyes made Lex uneasy.
"I know who you are, Lex Luthor," Adrian continued. "And I can smell the hypocrisy. You hide your self-interest behind civility, but you're not fooling me. Reign in that curiosity of yours. The next time you poke into something dangerous, you might not walk away."
He didn't wait for a reply. Adrian brushed past him, leaving Lex frozen in thought. There was something about that young man—something commanding, like standing before a storm.
"Are you alright, Lex?" Clark asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Lex forced a smile. "I'm fine. Just… thinking."
He hesitated, then asked, "Clark, how did you make it out of the manor? You were in the main hall when it happened."
Clark's face darkened. He didn't answer.
---
The next morning — Smallville High School
"It's great to see you safe, Clark," Pete said, punching his friend lightly on the chest. "But honestly, I knew you'd be fine. You're basically Superman."
Clark gave a tired smile. "I'm not. If it weren't for luck, I wouldn't be standing here."
Chloe folded her arms. "Shouldn't we be talking about the terrorist attack that leveled Luthor Manor yesterday? Everyone's pretending like it didn't happen."
"Because the Luthor family has incredible PR," Pete muttered. "They can bury any bad press—just like they did to my parents."
Clark frowned but said nothing.
Pete changed the subject quickly. "Hey, Clark, you're still coming to the community event this weekend, right? I can't talk to those old folks at the nursing home all day alone."
Chloe grinned. "Didn't you say one of them could predict the future?"
Clark's eyes flickered. The words predict the future echoed in his mind.
He remembered what he'd seen—Adrian standing over a broken battlefield, a severed head raised high.
Darkseid is dead, Adrian had whispered.
A vision… or a glimpse of what was to come?
---