26
Davis
"So, did Clark have to work late again, sweetheart?" his mom asked. "He usually at least tries to make it home for weekends."
Davis frowned and kept playing with his food more than eating it. The steak was excellent, perfect filet cut, but it was cooked. With his family now or at work, he forced himself to eat the minimal amount not to look suspicious, but it wasn't what really sustained him. He'd started keeping a mini fridge and freezer in the back of his walk in closet. It was always stocked with raw meat of various types, most often steaks or cow rib cuts, but he always had them. He realized how much more he was eating each day, how much more it had been even since last December.
The dreams were coming every night now.
Sometimes he dreamed more than just of what Jonathan's death might have been like or even Kyla's. He dreamed of great swaths of destruction, of leaving bodies all over in his wake. He dreamed of a pile of bodies several feet high, of the blood, of fucking Chloe boneless on top of it.
He wasn't sleeping much if he could help it.
"Davis?"
He nodded at his mom, realizing how big and lonely the dining room was with Clark never there and his grandfather dead. "Yeah, he was busy. He's alwaysbusy."
"Do you know which professor he works for? I'm surprised you and Chloe haven't done a background check to ensure that he's going to be alright."
Code: You need to do more.
"Mom, I'll get on that, I promise. He's just...he's busy!"
She took a sip of her soup. "He has school now and a job. He has grown up a lot. I...you two are special and bonded by your nature, that's never going to change, and I worry about him so much after he hurt himself, you know I do, but I also understand he wasn't going to be at the estate forever."
Davis took a bite of his steak again and forced himself to chew through the toughness. "Why astrophysics? Scientists won't do us any damn good. I don't think he'll get caught or figured out but what does it matter where we're from. We're here now, we have abilities, and they clearly sent us away for a reason."
"Clark used to think it was because The Beast was too dangerous for your homeworld. Now he thinks that-"
"The planet was destroyed because of some old Native American legend Kyla taught him. I understand that, believe me I do, that he's convinced himself we're alone. I don't think he gets that I honestly don't care if we are."
"Davis, if there are other beings like you out there-"
He snorted. "I can't imagine a pack of Beasts is very pleasant company. They sent us away. I know Lara and Faora feel good to us from our memories, but they still let us go. I don't need them if they don't want me."
"I think that's wise. I get that your brother wants answers, but you all have what you have. Clark's almost twenty himself. The odds even if you figured out where you're from, that you could contact them or get back there are beyond remote. You all need to focus on what you have. Clark is incredibly bright; his memory a gift. He'd have made a wonderful attorney."
Davis shook his head and pushed his plate away. "Clark's too polite to be a lawyer, mom. No offense but he doesn't have that instinct to go for the jugular. Now it's a useful instinct and I don't think we could have survived this long without you and Grandfather's sharp minds looking out for us but Clark's just gentle. He wasn't made to be a corporate lawyer. Maybe a civil rights attorney pro bono in a rabbit warren. That I can see, but he's not really Metropolis wheeling and dealing material."
"He's foolish to be in the line of fire with scientists who want to find aliens, however. Look into the professor he's working for. I don't want your brother making any more mistakes. Lord knows we escaped a huge one with Maddie."
"Of course mom," he said, standing up and clearing both their plates in a blur. His stomach rumbled and he knew he'd be hunting tonight. The Beast was doing it every three to four weeks, and, deep down, some part of him-of Davis-liked that.
Chloe
She was not amused. She'd been walking home late from a study session at the main library on campus and, yeah, it wasn't but so smart to be out at one a.m. but she could handle herself and had a best friend who could hear her heart accelerate if she were attacked. She definitely had back up. Still, being snuck up on was not something she appreciated; Chloe appreciated even less that it was The Beast staring at her.
"Chloeeee."
Rolling her eyes she huddled down below the bushes from which it had come. "Davis, I know you aren't really gonna get all this, but I don't live with my dad in the city anymore. Remember Gotham?"
"Gothammmm," he growled and everything rumbled around them.
Sighing, she patted the top of his head. "I have an apartment off campus but my roommate doesn't even like hamsters! I can't bring you there. I...go home, Davis."
"Chloeeee," and now The Beast was nuzzling at her shoulder like the world's scariest and yet oddly cuddly pit bull.
"Oh for fuck's sake. I miss you too but this is not good. People absolutely cannot see you like this."
"Chloe?" he asked, his voice rising in pitch and making a bit of a whine.
"You aren't leaving are you?"
He nuzzled her again and rumbled, almost like a purr. Weird. "Stay now."
"Yeah," she said, pulling out her cell. "Clark, yeah, it's okay and no one's hurt but, uh, can I borrow Maddie's place until sunrise?"
"You can't...I thought you meant you were too tired to drive home from off campus! You can't just bring The Beast in!" Clark hissed from the door. "I mean, first of all Davis will wake up here!"
"No, you just take him back the moment he changes and leave him in his room. He'll never even know The Beast was out."
"Maddie's here!"
Chloe snorted. "Yes, that's why it's her apartment. Clark, I have a roommate and I cannot bring seven feet of sabertoothed monster home with me."
The Beast, who really couldn't care less just rumbled against her side. "Chloeeee."
Clark sighed. "You're serious? This is what he does when not deer hunting? Just cuddle up on you like a St. Bernard? Also he doesn't say a lot."
The Beast, finally noticing that Clark was blocking his way into the apartment, shook his head and pointed. "Kal-El."
"Yeah, I get that, Davis," Clark replied. "Me Kal-El, you The Ultimate. I just...crap her neighbors can't see him like this. Just come in but try and stay in the living room part."
"You're gonna make her camp out in her room?" Chloe snarked, shutting the door and locking it behind her. "Clark, she knows about you and Davis,everything about you and Davis. It might be good if she saw this so she understood how you felt growing up and how just thorny everything is. If you were the only one, if we didn't have to hide The Beast, it'd be easier."
Despite his annoyance, Clark nodded and patted his brother's head. "Believe me I know."
"Kal-El!"
"Right, great, got that," Clark replied. "Just, okay, but he better behave himself."
The Beast, for its part, just set itself at Chloe feet, its head on its front forelimbs. Clearly now that he'd had his run and found her, he wasn't interested in anything else but sleep. She didn't want to think about what he'd found in the city to hunt or why his fangs were still red at the gum line. She hoped he'd had deer and rabbits on the estate, truly she did.
"See, he's calm."
"I..." Clark fumbled, heading into Maddie's bedroom and shutting the door behind him. She figured it'd take a minute for Clark to get up the courage to explain that The Beast was here.
Shaking her head, Chloe let herself stroke the top spikes on Davis's head very carefully. He rumbled again. "You know, it's incredibly unfair you do this to me. I can hear you bitch about Clark on the phone, go to lunch with you all at the estate, or have you come to my feet like a Mastiff-um thanks for no dead animals this time-but you, Davis Kent, won't come to me when it's obvious both halves of you are in love with me."
"Chloeeee," he said, big red eyes glaring back at her.
"Yup, that's my name."
"Love Chloeeee."
She blinked, unsure The Beast had ever learned that word. Hell, she was still unsure what it was capable of understanding. Chloe first her voice not to tremble and continued to stroke the length of his spike. "I love you too but you're a real drama queen you know that? The spiney version definitely is more honest."
"Love Chloeee."
She nodded. "I love you too Davis."
"Hey," Maddie said, stepping out from her room just then, eyeing The Beast carefully. Clark was trailing behind her. "I...we're not interrupting anything Hallmarky are we?"
She shook her head. "No. Maddie, I'd like you to meet The Beast. Beast, Maddie."
Davis or The Beast, depending on how you looked at it, was too happy being petted to pay Maddie much mind. It merely lifted its head and let its tongue loll out. "Kal-Elllll."
Maddie frowned but sat down in her recliner. Chloe noted that Clark put himself between the her and The Beast. "Translation guys?"
Clark shifted and frowned. "That's my birth name. We don't know Davis's but for some reason he knows mine. He's, uh, very fond of repeating it."
The Beast's tongue lolled out further as he nuzzled Chloe's hip. "Chloeeee, Kal-Elllll."
Maddie nodded and Chloe admired how calm the other girl was, even if you discounted the superstrength endowed boyfriend next to her. "Can you say 'Maddie?'"
"He's not a parrot," Clark huffed, adjusting his sunglasses on his nose.
The Beast did what he could to spite him by nodding and saying, "Madddie."
She laughed. "Ha, see he does know me." Growing a bit more somber she leaned against Clark's side. "At least part of your brother likes me."
Chloe sighed. "Now you know how I feel!"
She was sitting with Maddie in the cafeteria of the DP the next day at noon, sipping her black coffee. "Long night, right?"
Maddie nodded and took a bite of her sandwich. "I...he's interesting."
"Davis? Yeah, The Beast part is dangerous and I've seen it mad or covered in blood, well cat blood."
"Cat?"
"He ate mine named Morris in freshman year. I know it's scary and it's got bloodlust. I'm not a fool, but it can be so gentle with me and I know it loves Clark and Martha. I...killing Jonathan was wrong but I can understand The Beast was acting on an instinct to protect its own. Wrong but not completely out of nowhere."
"And Kyla, her too?"
"Well she was a wolf at the time, but yes. Kyla was dangerous. The Beast knew she was a killer and wasn't good for Clark. Like I said, protective instincts, very kill or be killed, but not sadistic. We just try and give him space to run and deer to eat when he changes. I hope it helps. I honestly don't know."
"He was well behaved. It's very hard to realize all he's done and looks like with how docile he is with you and Clark."
She nodded. "He loves us. Whatever intellect or knowledge The Beast has. For right now, it loves its family."
Maddie frowned and started picking at her potato chips. "You think that'd change?"
"I don't know, hope not, but I do worry about him."
The other girl giggled despite their situation. "Yet, he clearly loves you. The Beast would have serenaded if it could have!"
"Yes the 'Chloeeeeee' song," she replied, smiling despite herself. Sometimes things in her life were too weird not to laugh at. The Beast's attempts at courtship were one of them.
"Definitely. Still, this is why you need to get Davis on board. So, have you picked a patsy yet?"
"Huh?"
Maddie shook her head, pig tails bobbing back and forth. "A fall guy. There has to be one guy in the interns' office who'd go out with you. The Omega Chis are having a big sorority bash for the return to school. It's a costume party thing and Clark's so excited."
"He likes capes. He has this whole Zorro worship thing going on."
"I can tell from his patrol outfit. I think we were gonna try something a little different. I'm trying to talk him into like a Cleopatra Mark Antony thing."
"Clark in a fake breast plate?" She chuckled at the image. "Right."
"It'd come with a cape, and I don't think he should wear anything Blur or Zorro-like in public."
"Good point, still I have to see that."
She nodded, "So just pick a guy. I mean what about that redhead in the stupid bow tie? That guy? He's gonna say yes and no way you'll fall for him."
Chloe eyed him as he tried to clean up a can of soda that had exploded all over him. "Nope, not a chance."
Clark
"So I made it to Metropolis?" Davis asked, yawning and at least dressed in scrubs after he'd woken up human, naked, and at least back in his own bed.
Clark had really not enjoyed the trip to run his brother back but it still beat him waking up in Maddie's apartment and realizing they were dating before Chloe could smooth the whole thing over.
"Yes. You didn't seem to hurt anyone. There's no police report stuff. You just showed up in a dark patch of bushes on campus to see Chloe."
"Is she okay?"
Clark nodded. "She's fine, you're fine, and we're all fine. It was just inconvenient getting you back home. I...I've never seen The Beast leave the estate to go as far as Metropolis. That's like two hours from here."
Davis sighed. "I went pretty far to Smallville to kill a man."
"I...look, I am going to do more research. Dr. Crosby's lab is extensive. She's the executrix of Dr. Swann's estate and if anyone had a prayer of knowing anything about alien life it was Virgil Swann."
"Who's been dead a while, squirt," Davis replied. "There might not be a cure for this. I think you're right about it accelerating. The last time I hunted down a deer was three weeks ago. I know I'm changing."
"Well, yeah, we have footage and stuff."
"No, I mean that I know I'm different even as 'Davis.' My appetite's different. I can barely stand cooked food and vegetables are something I have to forced down."
"You want raw meat, don't you?" his brother asked, his head quirked thoughtfully.
"No, what I really want is blood."
Clark hadn't stopped turning over his brother's words all morning. Davis was losing his fight with The Beast; that much was obvious. He didn't want his brother to no longer be humanoid at all, to be trapped on the estate hunting down deer and rabbits, to be nothing but a massive maw and red eyes. Someone had to help them. There had to be an answer. They just needed to know where they came from and maybe...
Phoning home did sound stupid didn't it?
But it was all he could think of and Davis wouldn't be lost. Clark would never allow that.
Today was his first day with Dr. Bridgette Crosby. He'd finally gotten and interview scheduled with her and passed with flying colors. It was exciting, to be starting on his major, to be working with one of the most imminent physicists in the world. Yeah, he was going to do grunt work, but it was a start.
Dr. Crosby nodded-he knew that rustle of hair on fabric by now-as he came in. "Clark, ten minutes early for your first day. I'm pleased."
He smiled and focused in on her voice. "I'm excited. It's going to be really great.
She was quiet for a second and then sighed. "I'm sorry. I smiled and forgot for a second."
He nodded and pointed to his glasses. "Right, that I can't see. It's a habit, everyone smiles or frowns. I just read a lot from tone of voice. It's really alright. As long as you're not scowling at me, then we're fine."
"I'll save that for tomorrow. Now, I have some data for you to enter into a database for me. The data is audio recorded and the computers are 100% attuned to voice commands. I assume you've used similar programs for your term papers?"
"Yes, doctor. I...maybe you're the most convenient lab on campus. Dr. Swann probably wasn't any better at typing than I."
"Clever," she said, drolly. "It did occur to me that even if they're not supposed to, other labs passed on you as an assistant because of your special needs. We are well accommodated to the differently abled. It's no bother."
Clark frowned as he used his cane to find a seat. "Really? I just thought I hadn't tried hard enough. I sent out emails to people and left some voice mails..."
"I checked your grades. You went blind in an accident and never missed a beat. I don't think you have any grade less than an A+ in the first year in some fairly rigorous math pre-reqs. When we talked you were extremely knowledgeable about the field, clearly you have access to journals and research them."
"Yes."
"And you passed the test I gave you. I've had graduate students do worse on the calculations. I assume your tutor can't do upper level differential equations and linear algebra?"
"He has a degree in special education from Gotham, but nope, it's all Greek to him."
More rustling, he assumed a nod. "Exactly. You're brilliant and actually care more than just grades or brown nosing. No, Clark, I think the other labs on campus have missed out by not scooping you up. I...just because the body's not all it used to be doesn't mean the mind's not excellent."
"That's right. Dr. Swann had an accident back when you were, um..."
"Still married, Clark. It's alright. We were great colleagues until the end. I don't mind talking about what ended twenty years ago. But, yes, welcome to my lab. I'm impressed so far, but you have to keep up the good work. You might be a genius but there are tons who would work for me. I want to see some drive."
"Believe me, Dr. Crosby, you can't imagine how much I want this."
Maddie
"No."
She rolled her eyes, not giving a damn if her boyfriend could see her or not. "It's a costume! The Omega Chi thing starts in two hours. You cannot go as Zorro."
"It's nice! It has a cape."
"This has a cape," she corrected, shoving the red velvet mantle into his hands. "You can't go out dressed similarly to the Blur. You match for obvious reasons on the reports about height and build. You can't go around dressing the part."
Clark grinned. "I'm blind remember? Blind people don't fight crime."
"Just you and Matt Murdochm," she huffed. "Mark Antony now."
"I-"
"You know," she added, "This wouldn't even be an issue if you could see me in my outfit. I look hot." She emphasized this and grabbing his hand, leading it to wear her dress dipped low over her chest, not enough to be obscene, but enough to get the impression across that she was definitely going to be the hottest girl out there.
Clark gulped. "Wow, that's...be back in a flash."
"Exactly my point."
The sorority party was pretty typical. It was drinking and dancing and sweaty people crammed into a few rooms listening to bad hip hop. It didn't really matter because she was with Clark. She was with Clark and they're conspiracy with Chloe was moving forward and she'd soon be part of his family. She couldn't imagine her life without him now, how integrated he was into the fabric of her world. Standing there, swaying with him, her face cradled on the nape of his neck, she felt complete.
"Thanks," he said quietly as the slow song continued to play.
"What for?"
"For everything. I...you're right. I'm very high maintenance and this morning you had a, well-"
"A Davis ," she supplied, figuring that saying "The Beast" wasn't smart in mixed company.
"Yes, on your floor and you just rolled with it. I can't even figure out how I got so lucky to find you."
She grinned. "Let's just call it even, alright? I think you're pretty amazing too."
"Because I date a beautiful, smart, talented artist? Yes total hardship," he added and stroked her hair.
"No, because you know about dad and about what I could be one day. Thank you."
Her boyfriend nodded and leaned down to kiss her. "You're welcome!"
It would have been a perfect moment if not for a familiar voice. "Clark! What the hell are you doing?"
Maddie froze. She'd called Chloe and told her to invite Davis to the party starting at midnight. It was barely past eleven. She was supposed to have more time with Clark and to set up Davis walking in on Jimmy and Chloe, finish up operation Green Eyed Monster.
"Davis?" Clark asked, swallowing but actually tightening his grip on her.
"Clark, outside, now."
"I..."
"Davis, we'll all three go out there. I think we have a lot of talking to do," she finished, stalking out with both brothers to the veranda in the back. She was amazed yet grateful that they were able to find a corner without drunken code-eds either vomiting or making out. Easing Clark onto a porch swing and sitting next to him, her hand clutching his, she looked back at Davis. "Talk."
"Me? I'm supposed to talk? I can't even. Clark, you've been seeing her all this time?"
He nodded. "I couldn't break up with her. Davis, I love her. She's my best friend and everything else too."
"Unacceptable."
"I know, Davis. I know everything," she said quietly. "Clark told me about where you're really from and Chloe explained about The Beast. I even met him last night. It was my apartment you crashed in when you made it to Metropolis."
Davis's eyes flashed red and Maddie felt her heart race. "You told her?"
"Yes. Chloe and I were trying to figure out how to ease you into this. Davis, I know she's infected but she's never hurt anyone. That's more than either of us can say between what happened last December and my spree in Gotham. She's not a killer like Kyla nor is she obsessed like Alicia. We've dated since March and it's never hurt anybody."
Davis was pacing, gaping at his brother as if he could see him. "She knows. You know no one can know."
"Chloe knows," Clark pointed out. "Why can't Maddie?"
"Chloe's different."
Clark shook his head and quirked his ear to his brother. "No, Chloe's yours. Maddie's mine and I accept that. I love Maddie. I feel about her like you feel about Chloe and that's never gonna change. If you pressure me to leave her, then I won't . I'm not like you. I'm not going to cut the best thing out of my life because of where I was born. I can't do that."
Maddie smiled and kissed his cheek. She never wanted him to pick her over his family, knew he'd never actually survive that but it warmed her nevertheless to know he would stick up for her even over the approval from Davis he deeply craved.
"Chloe isn't the issue. In fact, I saw her dancing all over some twerp inside."
Now Davis's voice was distorted and Maddie felt herself break into a sweat. "Davis?"
"I...nothing," he said, taking a few ragged breaths and when he spoke again, his words weren't distorted. She assumed it meant he'd pushed the burgeoning fangs away.
Clark frowned. "Chloe has a date?"
Maddie shifted nervously. In theory, her idea made perfect sense-bring out Davis's inner caveman-but in reality it wasn't like that. Davis wasn't a neanderthal underneath. He was a beast. Getting jealous meant he could lose control and kill people. She'd been stupid to do otherwise.
"Not really," she clarified. "She only asked Jimmy out to make you jealous. It was my idea."
Davis turned on her, and his eyes were so red. "You what?"
Clark was up then, shoving his brother a few steps back. "Stop. Maddie did it wrong but she and Chloe were trying to make a point. You're pissed because you saw Chloe finally seem to take your advice and you can't stand the idea of her really with a boringly normal, human guy. You can't."
"She looked happy," Davis gritted out. "That's what matters."
Maddie sighed. "I should go tell Chloe the cat's out of the bag and let her know that she doesn't have to keep dancing with that worm."
"Thanks," Clark said, squeezing her hand. "I...what you and Chloe did was stupid and we'll talk about it later, but thank you."
With that, she hurried back into the house.
Davis
"Squirt," he started, voice still ragged as he fought to keep The Beast down, struggled to keep it from tearing that bow tie wearing moron apart. "Why would you lie to me? For six months!"
Clark sighed and adjusted his sunglasses. "You said no. I wanted to show you she was safe, that she wasn't dangerous."
"She's a mutant, Clark."
"We're you know what," he hissed, keeping his voice low. "It's not different. She's not just like any other mutant. There are like twenty per cent or so who are good and not psychotic. She's clearly one of them."
"Her father isn't."
Clark snorted. "We don't even know what our parents were, don't have a name for it. Stop being a judgmental ass. I know you want to protect me but I'm safe now."
Davis reached out and took off his brother's glasses. "Just barely now. You've had so much stuff go wrong. I have to protect you. Mom made me."
"I'll be twenty in May. I'm not a scared little kid anymore. I have a life and a career I look forward to getting into, a girl who loves me, and I save this city every night almost. Davis, you have taken care of me better than any brother could have, but I need you to let me go just a little."
He hesitated, holding the sunglasses in his hands, thinking of all that his brother had lost and compensated for. "I worry about you."
His brother reached out and took his glasses back and Davis wondered if their plastic was just pungent to his brother's nose. He never did quite understand how Clark perceived the world, especially his connection to air currents. "And I worry about you too. You were about to Beast out right here over Chloe. I mean, yeah, Maddie was being naive about this."
"I know...and that's exactly why I can't be with her."
Clark shook his head. "The Beast loves her best of anything except possibly saying 'Kal-Elllll' a lot. You seek her out whether you want to or not. So it's really like, why wait any longer?"
"Because I'm a-"
"Davis, she loves you and The Beast. You're not going to get a better deal in life that this, not ever, and I don't think you'd want to. You love her and you both-beast and guy-want to beat the ever loving crap out of that Jimmy guy. Okay?"
He nodded. "I wasn't expecting that. I was mostly just interested in coming by cause Chloe had left a message about it and I figured get there earlier, less watered down beer."
"You can't get drunk!"
"I can taste the crap left over two hours in," he said. "It felt like when you burned me with heat vision when I saw her. I...even if it was a set up, Clark, it hurt."
"And this was a ruse. How would you feel if she'd really fallen in love with someone? If you'd caught her kissing a real boyfriend or engaged to someone else?"
"Well it wouldn't end well for the boyfriend," Davis riposted. "I'm serious. I love her but I don't deserve her."
Clark laughed, long and hard. "I don't deserve Maddie. All the shit I pulled in Gotham? I should be in jail for fifty years at least for all the grand larceny. It's not about deserving them. They love us, and I'm not gonna question that." Then, his brother stood and hugged him. "Go talk to her, you've delayed on this too much."
With that, there was a breeze and Clark was gone.
Davis didn't waste time finding Chloe. Maddie was already gone, headed back to her apartment and presumably to do extra curricular activities with Clark. Davis didn't even want to deal with that. Maddie was still an unknown quantity and mom would be furious. Easing mom into Chloe was still a work in progress. He'd have to worry about that later, accept their family was growing again.
She looked up at him from the corner of a dorm room, a small red solo cup barely drunk in her hand. "You came."
He nodded and sighed. "Yup, the invite was intriguing."
"Maddie told me you were jealous enough to start to shift, that your fangs started coming out."
"Yeah, that's better," he said, sitting next to her.
She smiled sadly and stroked his cheek. "Your eyes are pretty red."
"I don't like you dancing with other guys; apparently neither does my beastly half."
She kissed him then and he melted. He'd tried so hard to be strong, to let her go for her own good but he couldn't anymore. He couldn't leave her be or lose her. He couldn't imagine life without her as his. Even if Clark were right and he was spending more time as The Beast, even if one day he might not be human at all, he couldn't let her go.
She was Chloe after all and there was no one like her anywhere.
It went like that for a long time. He had the presence of mind not to go too far since they were in God knew whose bedroom. Still, he'd not touched her in two years and it was everything he'd waited for an wanted. Finally, merely human, Chloe broke apart from him to take in gulps of air.
"Wow."
He nodded and could feel his vision still clouded with red. "I know. I missed you."
"I can tell. I...you visited."
"Yup, so Clark and Maddie said. The Beast is probably smarter than I am."
She giggled and kissed him again. "He's not a conversationalist. Davis, can you speed back to the estate? I'm not suggesting, you know, doing anything drastic, but I've missed you and I just...can I spend the night."
He had her blurred back to his room before she could blink and, if in the morning he awoke in shredded pajamas at the foot of her bed, for just a moment, that was okay. He could live with that, just not without her.