tushanshu | video; 001.

Entry tags:

video; 001.

[The video flickers on without any trouble. The console's familiar enough that Lex doesn't have to fumble with it to get it working the way he wants. Behind him is the large space of a luxurious room that obviously originates from the Metal Sector. He couldn't see the harm in letting the, uh, 'citizens' of this In-Between see where he stands on trivial matters like his choice of interior decoration and he'd even gone and tidied up some before the broadcast, or at least that's what it looks like with two small cuts above his right eyebrow nothing but thin red lines now as opposed to the angry marks of earlier.]

[And the young man himself is seated comfortably, leaning to one side, legs crossed somewhere off-screen, left arm propped up on the table where the communicating device rests. A finger twitches and, right, he doesn't have anything around to grab a hold of at the moment. And so he begins to speak.] 'Tu Vishan. An In-Between of life, death, and dreaming.'

[And he has a sort of hushed voice despite the obvious intention to project to, well, the audience. And there's some light in his eyes that signals amusement-- or something resembling it. Excitement is either good or bad, never both. There's no upturn of his lips, no creased brow. He shifts, sitting straighter, peering closer into the camera, damn well expecting someone out there to listen.]

I'm supposed to believe this?

[He expects someone to listen, not to answer, because he just goes on.] The Kedan were generous enough to offer the explanation that I might not be dead, and to be frank, I appreciate any attempt of reassurance on the matter. I'd put more faith in it if I hadn't also heard the turtle had been in danger of dying. Spending the rest of my years aboard an ailing reptile wasn't exactly the life I envisioned. [He can believe abduction and drugs, but no deep sleep of his will ever revolve around an animal so stupid and slow. His voice turns wry. He knows he's not dead. He knows he can't be fully alive. The... Kedan were nothing from his waking world. That could only mean one thing left to figure out.]

[He's still seemingly calm. He's still only just sitting, just talking like he can see the company across the screen already. Like it's only a conference call he's taking from his desk. But now he sighs and he wants to smirk, but he doesn't. And now he'll be waiting for an answer.]

So who's the big dreamer?

[Show yourself, mastermind. A clear challenge, but after a second he tacks on a detail with clear concern and some well meaning urgency.] I also heard something about a clinic in trouble. Is there anything I can do to help?

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[Sure, sure, Clark's old enough now to not need him and Lex can rationalize that much, but to hear it is another story entirely. He squares his shoulders. Ours is a high and lonely destiny. He tries not think about the bitter taste in his mouth.]

I know you're still a freshman in high school, Clark. If you're really two years my junior, I'd have to question your intelligence.

[But his jaw's tightening, a little, and he doesn't like this conversation anymore. He only half listens to the rest of it, and he's only honing in on his name.]

[So much for Clark not growing up like Jonathan, but even Jonathan's a good man, if not too damn stubborn to see what's good right in front of him. But they'd shook hands, even, and Lex-- hell, anyone can call him Luthor and he'll turn. It's his name. It's just a brand. Clark knows better. Clark should know better.] Call me 'Lex'. We're friends.

[Best friends, he doesn't say, because then his request would feel like a plea. Clark's making everything difficult. --oh yeah. The question.] What are you going to tell me about the multiverse? [He has a good idea. He doesn't want to hear it.]

Lex.

[The name feels like ashes inside his mouth, even though he uses it to refer to the man when he's talking about him. It's just never to his face, to his face he's always Mr Luthor. Or (when he's Superman and angry and about to punch the hell out of that damn superpowered suit once more) simply 'Luthor'.

Luthor was the man he hated, Lex was his friend in high school. Lex had died on the accident with the Kryptonite, Lex had died with his father. And now he's back after decades and Clark has to pretend nothing is wrong, nothing has changed.

It's a bit too much, but he continues on trying to keep a friendly face.]

The multiverse is the set of possible universes where we come from. In our case, there were 52 different possible universes- we think, we aren't so sure after the last crisis.

My point is, I think you and I come from different universes. You look a lot like theLut- Lex, the Lex in my world but... something is off. It doesn't change much though, you're still you and I'm still Clark Kent.

[He wants to tell him 'we're still friends' so badly, but he can't. Not when it isn't true for him.]

[No.]

[He makes it painfully obvious he's not buying this, that he doesn't want to believe this. Not much different from living a dream, you'd say, and Lex would love to punch your guts. But why would Clark Kent lie? Oh please. It's all the boy ever does. Every word is perfectly articulated, a hard, wry smirk in place.]

Whatever's happened in your world, I hope you break your obsession with reading the Inquisitor every time of day. Imagination's a powerful tool, but never when it gets the best of you.

[Little brother is so much older now... Oh, give him a day, Clark. He'll figure it out. It doesn't change much though, you're still you.]

Tell me you're pulling my leg, Clark, and I'd like to know what's really going on. I can't tell you how much I hate not knowing if I should be calling you Mister Kent. It just doesn't suit you.

I don't lie, Lex. And if I can call you Lex, you can call me Clark.

[Clark is inwardly praying to Rao that no matter how much different things are between their worlds- and judging from what Lex has said so far and what he's seen him say in other conversations, a lot is probably different- that is still true for the Clark in Lex's world. He's having a friendly conversation with Lex Luthor, he doesn't want to risk putting this Luthor on his bad side as well simply because he didn't believe in the multiverse.]

I wouldn't joke about something so... big. The world is bigger than what we always imagined, but if you're anything like the Lex in my world you probably believed as much already. Now that you're here in the turtle you'll see things way more strange like that.

And for the record, some people took to calling me 'Mister Lane' after I got married. [He shrugs, he doesn't seem to mind.] They actually use that more than 'Mr Kent'.

[It's true. Lex just-- hah. It'd be difficult to explain. He sighs. He looks off to one side of the scree. He pulls a face. That Clark's a mystery he hasn't yet figured out didn't make the man a liar. He was right. How could he explain that this experience, this supposed new multiverse, had him floored? Hell, Lex just wouldn't, it seemed like, because he can't stand the idea of being the only one struggling to find his footing.]

[Speaking of, it's a good thing he's sitting, though the spark of astonishment, widened eyes and mischievous glow make it perfectly clear he's just about had the wind knocked out of him. One, two, okay that can't be a joke to offset the seriousness of this all and--]

[Lex swallows, because he's certain he's heard that name before.]

[Oh no, oh no, oh shi--]

Married?

[Overjoyed for his friend, terrified of the consequences for his previous actions-- what a strange mix of emotion. But he's mustered up the strength for a grin.]

Congratulations.

[Clark Kent married. There's hope for humanity yet.]

[Clark lifts a hand to show the ring. And he's also trying hard not to smile but it's... hard, he doesn't get to share the news of his marriage often anymore.]

Thank you, I guess. Lex offered us a car as a wedding present, if you were wondering.

[Except his wife had already paid for a Lamborghini so they didn't need it. And it was pretty obvious Lex was only doing it to try to show Lois she'd chosen the wrong man. But he's trying to get him on his good side, and sharing those details will just make things worse than they already are. And what they will probably be.

He just said he didn't lie and he's already only telling half-truths, what is it about Lex that always brings the worst in him? He lowers the hand, trying not to feel guilty and kind of failing. At least he manages to keep a smile on.]

So, multiverse. If you want to ask questions to see how different they are...?

[Clark Kent married and here he'd been having the bribe the boy to work up the strength to ask a girl out on a date. The grin's unwavering-- the wonder of it is... well, see, when you think of someone as your brother, you fix up their bow tie for the dance, and next thing you know they're married--]

[Hell, poor Lana, though.]

[But that's how it is; high school romances aren't meant to last. Swallow the bitter pill and move on, but Lex is suddenly thinking 'unfair'. One breathless, short chuckle. He'd clasp his hand on the man's shoulder if he could. The grin dissolves into a pleasant calm, then just a calm. High school romances don't last, neither do familial relations, neither do any relationships at all.]

[Offered a car. Right. Grand gestures were easy. But it's like he's been rejected again. And it stung again and he knows he should have put more thought into, what, something he hadn't done yet? It's like the farm boy's father had said 'return the keys' again. And Clark's smile was suddenly chafing.]

I prefer to forge my own destiny, Clark. Multiverse or not.

[Whether Clark would like it or not. When there's no one to turn to, there's only yourself left to indulge. He's selfish- oh, he knows. Hard not to be when everyone pushes you in that direction. But when push comes to shove, Lex doesn't shy away. He knows how to prove people wrong. He adores it.]

Thanks for the offer. [But he won't take it today.]

[Clark Kent just told Lex Luthor he's married and he's... well, he's happy for him. There's no other way to put it, he can see the look on his eyes. He wishes he was right there in front of him so he could listen to his heartbeat, check his vitals and do whatever he could to know if he was lying or faking his reaction but even if he was, this is Luthor. Lex Luthor.

The man who convinced him he was actually his son, the man who convinced America to vote him. If he wanted to lie to him, he could and would and Clark wouldn't be able to tell.]

You always did, and you'll manage to. [At least he doesn't have to lie to say that. Lex does what Lex wants, in this universe and all of them.]

I'm really sorry if I dropped a bomb on you with all this Lex, I really am. In my world everyone already knows or at least assumes it. If you'd rather ask about the turtle I can do that instead?

Don't apologize, Clark. [He's quick to that, at least. Preening over being told he's in charge of his own life just wouldn't happen- it's common sense to him.] You had nothing to do with this. [Someone in his world had to know about the multiverse being... real, or. This. Someone had to know about the multiverse, period. About other planets and aliens coming to live among them. If he looks spaced out, it's because for a moment he's just thinking. Dropped a bomb, Clark? Yes, you really did.]

[And those moments of silence are what show the trust Lex Luthor deposits in Clark Kent. That's it, really.]

[The wry smile creeps in, and Lex is above showing any weariness.] Between you and me, I've had enough of cold-blooded reptiles for the day. [That's someone on his mind, not so much the gargantuan turtle.] Besides, I'm already meeting someone tomorrow to talk it over. I'd like to be surprised.

Alright.

['Nothing to do with this'? Well, that's a new one. Luthor is always twisting everything, turning it around so it's his fault and the world finally sees Superman the way Luthor sees him. Sometimes it even work, like the time with the Kryptonite meteorite and what he did to Hope. Most of the time it doesn't.

It doesn't make it any less annoying, though.]

'Someone'? [He asks to change the subject, curious. Or at least he hopes it came off as curious and not the terrified 'what if it's someone I know' that he's really feeling inside. He will have to check the network later, see who Lex has been talking to and he hates it. He hates that Lex turns him in such a paranoid, he hates that the man who always gives a second chances has almost given up on this man.

Not this man, he chastises himself inwardly. This is not the man he knows, he tells himself, just like he isn't the... best friend Lex seems to be taking him for. But what is he supposed to do but tag along? And it's not like- he had been Lex's friend, Lex's only friend once.

Maybe it won't backfire on him this time?]

[And just like that, he's sporting a grin again.]

A young girl named Traci. [Yes, he did his research after she hung up on him. Next time he'll ask before that happens again- he'd hate to have someone snoop through his replies and learn he had to dig up a name himself. Oh well, he figures. No harm. Everything here's innocent. It isn't as if he can't pull off an encryption.] To kill two birds with one stone, we'll meet at a tea shop. [And he hopes they serve strong coffee and he hopes he wakes up before then. Two days atop of an honest man's word may be a little much. As it is, he knows he'll hardly relax enough to rest tonight. And he had so been looking forward to that back home.]

[No use pining over what you can't have. He shrugs. He thinks Clark's question was trivial.]

We'll just chat.

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