Chapter Text
Alternate Universe (AU)
Nine-year-old Alexander Luthor stared calmly at the crackling fireplace as he ignored the angry screaming from the next room.
His nursemaid, Kellian, if he remembers her name correctly, was sitting next to him on the plush sofa. Her hands tirelessly going through the motions as she knit together a gray scarf, while like him ignoring the squabble resonating through the walls. Despite the fact that Kelly was also one of his father's lovers, Lex did not hate her as much as he hated his own mother. Perhaps it was because she was actually sane and was clever enough to avoid annoying him.
His father on the other hand, have always rewarded well for blind obedience. For Kelly's obedience and loyalty, she would probably get a raise, especially since she was the one who 'discovered' Lilian when she was strangling his baby brother and therefore saving a potential heir.
As for his mother, Lex ventured a guess that she would be shipped off to the closest inpatient psychiatric hospital for the next couple of weeks and would return by Thanksgiving.
Lionel would not divorce her.
No, his father no matter how ruthless, was hopelessly in love with the woman who birthed him. Unironically, it was his love that has led her to madness as Lilian Luthor never loved her husband. A young, willful girl, forced to marry him too early before her dreams was realized and ex-fiancé killed in front of her. That alone would drive anyone insane. Lilian survived that, only to be repeatedly betrayed by the man who repeatedly raped her. Lex supposed that was enough for a woman to go insane and attempted to kill her own sons as they were the product of her hatred for Lionel Luthor.
One day, he might help Lilian kill his father but not yet. He still had some growing up to do.
Scratching his nose, Lex yawned before pulling his blanket closer around him. "When do you suppose they'll stop yelling at each other?"
Kelly paused in her knitting, doe-brown eyes hiding what intelligence he knew she had. "Not long now, would you like a cup of milk?"
Saved for his mother, Lex have always appreciated his father's taste in women. Kellian was attractive as she was smart and willing to do what it takes to secure her position within the Luthor manor, and despite being terrified of Lex, has ever only have respect in her eyes.
"That would be nice," Lex commented. "But no, I believe that after such trauma, I should be in exhausted and in bed. With nightmares for the next several days, wouldn't you agree?"
Tilting her head, and for a moment, respect flickered in her eyes before returning to the dumb and naïve gaze that makes men disregard her presence within the manor, Kelly finished her knitting and set it on the coffee table.
"Of course. I'll fetch your pajamas."
...
Original Universe (OU)
President Alexander Joseph Luthor tapped his finger contemplatively at the satellite images and the accompanying report on his desk. It was taken from one of the last thermal satellites left the US owned, and one of the last in the world. Most were destroyed by Superman but after a ten-minute meeting and a brutal fucking later, Lex convinced him that it was in his best interests to have some satellite orbiting Earth, maintaining communications and outer space sensors, etc.
The photographs illustrated the thermal images of what was thought to be Batman and the Flash, working on a machine that his spies have deducted to be a time-traveling machine, one powered by the Flash's secondary ability to slow-down and sometimes reverse time. The report was less detailed than he would like, but only a few across the world can understand the quantum physics and only two worked for him currently.
And like a true Luthor, Lex knew when to seize the opportunity when it so prettily fell into his lap.
Not that he didn't enjoy having an insane Superman at his disposal...but he didn't really have Superman at his disposal.
Like a mad dog, the super-powered alien went after anything that annoyed him and anyone who defied him. Half of Russia and China's landmass have already been decimated because they refused to bow to Earth's new dictator. Africa had armies but they were a drop of water in an Ocean. Europe and the US opted for a more "peaceful" solution, bowing to his whims and did the best they could, especially after what's left of Justice League went underground. And Clark Kent have always had a soft spot for the US.
Lex sighed, stacking the reports and slipped them into the green and gold Kryptonite lined safe that kept it out of Superman's reach.
"Charity, call Dr. Sherman, I'd like him in my office in ten minutes." Lex said, holding the red button on his office phone for his secretary.
Ten minutes later, he had Dr. Sherman in his office and quick notes was passed between them to avoid detection of a new plan, as Lex hate to say it, to save the world.
...
AU
The next few days passed quickly.
Lilian, as Lex expected, was shipped off to Metropolis Psychiatric Hospital. Lionel had moved Julian and Lex out of the Luthor manor into an expensive penthouse in downtown Metropolis. It was located closer to Luthor-Corp where he could keep an eye on them while spending most of his time in his office. Kellian was the only servant that came with them and now play nursemaid to both boys. There was a smug grin on her face when she realized that she was the only servant to arrive at the penthouse and she alone would report to his father. Lex would have laughed because while Kellian was valuable as a nursemaid, she would soon outlive her worth once Julian was of age to attend Excelsior. Lionel would never divorce their mother while she was alive and even dead, she would remain the only Mrs. Luthor of this generation.
Least of all a simple nursemaid who cannot offer him power, wealth, nor means to further his ambitions. Warm his bed perhaps, but Lionel's heart would die alongside his mother.
Well, one must have dreams to carry on, Lex thought as he placed down a copy of the Art of War (Sun Tzu), one of the first copies published after the industrialization period of China. His father has a bad habit of collecting precious items--including books, jewelry, even the random clay tablets dating back to Mesopotamian period.
Fortunately, the library was what gave him the most entertainment to pass the time as he was not quite old enough to do anything else. Furthermore, he has always liked learning and if not for his father's demands, he would have spent more of his younger years in the pursuit of knowledge rather than a mere business degree at Met-U. But here he is again afforded the chance to walk his own life rather than blindly obeying his father. Too bad Excelsior did not accept children under nine, and even with his father's money and influence, he still had a year to wait.
Lex pondered if he had enough patience to wait until then and when Lionel came home that afternoon, he decided not.
Putting on his most innocent smile, Lex greeted his father at the condo door. "Father."
A younger Lionel looked almost relieved to see his oldest as he handed his assistant his briefcase. They spoke about the day as Lex trailed him to the study, putting on his best behavior, which was the easy part. The harder part was trying to act his age which made him appreciate all the more how much his father expected of him. His behavior, mature beyond his years---was merely...Luthorian rather than out of place and strange.
During dinner, his request to join his father at Luthor-Corp HQ the next day was granted. Lex got the feeling that his father was amused by his request but that did not stop him from feel accomplished. For once, he has gotten his way without his father knowing the better.
With access to Luthor-Corp offices, Lex would also have access to his own computer stationed in his father's office and it would have internet access. He would never settle for less.
The first step was to finish all the lessons his father had thought to download onto the desktop, thinking that it would keep him busy while he worked. The second step---was to reprogram all monitoring programs so that it appeared that he was going through his lessons at a normal rate. Third, with knowledge of an evil mastermind with decades of experience, and despite the dial-up internet (Lord help him), he shall successfully set up oversea bank accounts. Ideally, they will be in different countries across Europe and with his meager allowances (he also has his own bank account, being a Luthor), he would begin trading stocks.
And his plan was carried out flawlessly.
The only piece of the puzzle involved was himself and he had the advantage in every move he made. Within a month, he had amassed over 10 million USD. By Christmas, he had several hundred million dollars at his disposal, safely stored away in different banks under several untraceable identities across the world.
To the rest of the office, he was merely a child emulating his father on his little computer.
On Christmas, much to Lex's disappointment though he has been expecting it, Lionel moved them back to Luthor Manor. His mother had arrived home, heavily medicated, and slightly less dangerous. She looked gaunt and skin paler than he had ever seen her, blonde hair limp around her shoulders without shine and lifeless, dull eyes. Eyes that are identical to his own at the very end of his life. However, unlike hers, his glinted of insanity---of his refusal to believe that he had truly lost everything that mattered to him.
Lex moved slightly behind father and pulled on Kellian's sleeve, who was holding Julian, so that she also moved behind him. His father merely patted his back soothingly.
Dinner was somber affair with Lilian barely eating despite the servant's coaxing and Lex ignoring both of his parents in favor of his favorite Italian clam risotto. Lex wondered how long he would have to wait until his mother tried to murder his brother again.
Or maybe she would come for him this time.
Lex did not have to wait long. Two days after New Years and a day before their plans to fly to Okinawa for Winter Vacation, his mother attempted to smother Julian in his crib, this time Lex did not call for Kelly, opting for screaming his head off while tackling his mother.
Julian survived, but not after a few nights in the pediatric ICU for acute hypoxic respiratory failure and possible brain injury. Lex himself had a room next door given that his mother shoved him against the bookshelf in Julian's room, breaking a rib or two.
His mother was committed indefinitely to Metropolis Psych.
Two months later, he received news of his mother's suicide by overdosing on a month worth of antipsychotics stolen from her ward-mates. Lex have no doubt that his father will sue and cover her death up.
At her funeral, Lex buried his face against his father's legs and sobbed, tears initially forced was mixed with real ones as he mourned for the death of his mother for the first time in both of his lives.
...