The Boy Who Fell From The Sky

Chapter Twenty-Two

Clark stepped onto the main streets of Los Angeles late morning. The morning traffic was gone but that didn't mean the streets were empty. For a farm boy such as himself it was a bit of a culture shock to encounter the bustling streets and lay his eyes upon probably the most famous city in all of America. Central City while large held none of the gravitas that LA seemed to hold.

Everywhere he looked Clark could see a story in the making. From the busy roads to the quiet suburbs everyone seemed to a character, some of them stereo-typically so, but his keen senses also picked up what most Hollywood residents didn't want people to see. At a glance it was all glitz and glamor but look closely and you didn't need x-ray vision to spot the drug dealer down the block, the well-dressed lady going from car to car, the kid brushing too closely next to an elderly gentleman, the alarm going off a mile away signalling a break in, the moans coming from the motel two blocks behind him, or the screams coming from the alley across the street.

Clark stopped the kid as he went past him and grabbed the wallet he had swiped. Keeping a hand on the Boy he opened the wallet and showed him the contents. No cash and a nearly expired food stamp voucher.

He saw the moment when the kid realized what he had done. Sighing Clark let the boy go.

"Next time, think a little about who you're hurting." Was all he managed to get out as Clark walked briskly over to the old man and tapped him on the shoulder.

"You dropped this, sir," he said offering his wallet back. The toothless smile did wonders, and he ran back to the alley in high spirits.

Stopping the two gangbangers from beating up on the seventeen-year-old kid was easy enough but getting the kid to admit to who they were and why he was being beaten was a lot harder. In the end he left his phone number with the kid asking him to call him if he wanted to say something.

Exiting the alley Clark looked back at the dealer and the street walker for a moment. He let his senses spread back out and heard the moans in the motel room again along with the click of a camera flash and the sound of a man giving instructions. He let his hold on his senses go and let it envelope the entire city.

All the noises, all the sounds and smells of the city took him over as Clark quickly got overwhelmed by the amount of crime and debauchery taking place throughout the city. Even though his heart spoke to him to try and help and stop as many wrongdoers as he could he also realized that a lot of people in this city and most of the world did bad things for a variety of reasons, most of which were borne out of desperation.

Sure he could stop that dealer from poisoning the city's youths but chances are he works for a gang and if he doesn't give them his take for the day or the money he owes them for the drugs he's selling, they might hurt him or his family.

He could maybe stop the street walker from working but he was pretty sure that places like this had pimps running the hookers, and if she didn't give him his cut of the day she might get hurt or even end up losing her life over Clark's good intentions.

The truth was, that the more he saw and heard all the wrong that was happening in this city and the others that he had passed on the way to LA, the more Clark realized that he couldn't punch everyone's problems away, sometimes he might end up making things worse for the people who were just desperate and were trying to make a living.

Sighing he walked past the dealer ignoring his hissed offer and crossed the street to avoid possibly being propositioned by the street worker. Clark spotted a diner about halfway up the block and decided to nip in just to grab a bite to eat and to think about his predicament.

As he entered the diner the ringing of the door made the heavy-set man at the counter look up. Clark could almost feel the dark-skinned man check him out head to foot. He assumed that new faces weren't really welcomed with open arms in this part of LA. But Clark figured as the guy took in his scruffy jeans and well-worn t-shirt that his outfit ruled him out as the government or the well to dos of the city, whose presence in the slums probably didn't bode well for any of its residents.

Having passed the silent inspection, the man on the counter went back to watching the game on the TV hooked up near the ceiling in the corner of the diner. Clark glanced at the flickering images but having given up on any real hope of playing the game, his interest in the sport had waned and he chose a seat that forced him to turn his back on the screen and waited for the waitress serving the couple in the back to take his order.

Thanking Tony mentally for the unlimited credit he ordered a full breakfast and thanking, this time, his fast metabolism he got to work inhaling his late breakfast. As he was signing a substantial tip for the overly friendly blonde waitress the game on the TV went to half time and an anchor came on the screen. Tony's name caused him to look up from the cheque.

"... and while we're waiting for them, let us all have a look, once again at Tony Stark's spectacular entrance when he officially opened back up the long-awaited Stark Expo.

As is usual with the Stark heir, Tony certainly doesn't do things by half..."

Clark watched with an indulgent smile as Tony leaped out of the jet dodging the fireworks and at the last minute engaging the landing gear to land smoothly in a classic three point superhero landing amidst dancing supermodels in skimpy outfits with lit up chest pieces mimicking Tony's arc reactor.

He shook his head, the smile not leaving his face as the stage Tony had landed on separated and mechanical arms came out to remove his suit, well his Iron-man suit anyway, to leave him standing gallantly in a smashing pinstriped tuxedo, with the onlookers eating out of the palm of his hand.

Clark turned back to the waitress only to hear her sigh enviously at the performance onscreen. He signed the cheque and pushed it gently towards her and started to gather his backpack thinking back to a couple of weeks ago when Tony had been spit-balling ideas for making the suit less snug so it would assemble over his clothes. He had no idea that Tony had been thinking to do this but of course Tony would redesign the suit just to be able to show off at the Expo.

As the clip ended the anchor picked the narrative back up again.

"Mr Stark will be attending a formal court hearing later today with members of the Senate to address future use of the Iron-man suit as it has been deemed by some as too dangerous a weapon to be allowed in the hands of a civilian..."

'Well there goes my plans for the day,' Clark thought to himself as he exited the diner. He tuned back into the break in alarm he had heard earlier and was reassured that the police had responded to the anonymous text he had sent, and an arrest was currently in progress. He still had to figure out how to intervene in these cases physically since he didn't want the papers to be spattered with reports of a Red Blue Blurr or something like that possibly outing him.

As far as Clark knew, he was the only thing like him on Earth and he was reluctant to bring notice to anything extraordinary about himself. In the cover of Smallville's woods and fields was one thing but the streets of LA were another. There were cameras everywhere, even if the reporters didn't spot him, the government might and then he'd be in even bigger trouble.

As he walked down the street, he thought more and more about how to make a difference to the people on the streets, driven to crime out of circumstances not in their control. More and more firmly his thoughts went to his old dream of being a reporter.

At first it had been an indignant need to make a difference and give reporters a better name after hearing from his dad about Rita Skeeters actions. However, his mother, being who she was, had provided him with great examples of journalists who had made a name for themselves in the pursuit of justice, equality or righteousness.

He had researched heavily into the profession and had long idolized journalists from Barbara Walters to Joseph Pulitzer himself. He also was a huge fan of his Aunt Luna, who had never met but read articles written by her on a weekly basis when he received the Quibbler with the muggle mail order service. Her articles, while out there, still spoke of truth and the promise of change.

Over the years Clark had cultivated quite a virtual scrapbook, collecting hundreds of different news articles and read multiple books written by world renowned journalists.

The more he thought about it the more it cemented in his mind, he could make a difference, but surprisingly it would be the voice of Clark Kent, not Kal-El, who would be heard. As he walked on the slums gave way to the more suburban area of the city, he made his decision. Even as an inexperienced hopeful, he wanted to put his voice out there, but he needed to talk to someone who had some experience in this field. Thankfully as he was visiting Tony, he had a great font of knowledge living in the same house as him. Someone who had worked under the great Cat Grant herself. As Clark thought about it, he got more and more excited. Tony was already his mentor in everything tech and he was hoping that today he would gain another in Kara Danvers!

Tony had a bounce in his step as he climbed out of his Audi and stepped into the elevator. After much deliberation with Clark and Kara he had given in and separated his lab floor from the garage floor, after all, while he could afford to, it was always best not to put burn marks on a car that was one out of the fifty that was ever made. He shuddered at the thought, that Shelby was still in the shop.

The reason Tony was peppy was that he had just given Senator Stern as good tongue lashing as the elder Jarvis might have put it and the AI JARVIS had just informed him that Clark had arrived. And he was just in time, with the Stark Expo getting in full swing by tomorrow night, tonight was the only night that he could show the kid around town. There was a new club opening that he was dying to go to.

And what with Ms Danvers opinion of him meaning more to him than he'd like these days, he needed the excuse of Clark turning eighteen lest he face those accusatory blue eyes. She would never say anything, he knew that, but those eyes said a lot. Damn them!

He rolled his own eyes at himself. How the mighty have fallen.

As the elevator doors opened up to the living room floor, he saw Kara and Clark situated on the couch with Ms Danvers listening in closely as Clark told her something. They both looked up as he exited the elevator.

"Tony!" Kara said with a smile. "You're back." the smiled turned shrewd. "I saw the news...?" she said trailing off.

Tony gave a faux bow. "I was on my best behavior sweetheart, I promise!" he joked with a hand on his heart.

Kara held the frown for a moment before letting that smile slip in. "Well I can't say that I haven't wanted to shut Senator Stern up once or twice in my life."

"Well milady," Tony replied in a hoity toity voice. "Your knight in red and gold armor, at your service," he finished with a ridiculous twirl and flourish grinning at the pair on the couch.

Kara shook her head at the juvenile behavior but the smile never left her face as she turned back to Clark. "Clark, we can finish this later?" she waited for his nod before continuing. "But I want you to know that I absolutely support what you're trying to do. And I don't want you worrying about your voice being lost in the ether. Every voice counts okay?"

Clark nodded with a smile shutting up his laptop as Tony looked on in confusion. He walked over to them as Clark was shoving the computer back in his bag.

"Buddy?" he asked as Kara got up to arrange their late lunch and he took her place next to the farm boy. "What was that all about?"

Clark shrugged and avoided eye contact. "I'm working on something with Kara," he fessed up. "I'll tell you when it's done."

Tony studied the kid for a moment. "She doesn't know does she?" he asked in a whisper causing Clark to look at him with wide eyes. "I mean, I know Harry told her about magic, but does she know about the other thing? Did you tell her?" he asked pointing up significantly.

Clark shook his head quickly. "No!" he exclaimed, then quietened back down. "No, of course not. Although I don't know why we can't tell her," he continued with a frown. "I mean she didn't freak when Dad told her about magic..."

Tony shook his head. "It's not about her freaking kid. It's about her protection. Listen magic is one thing. There's a whole community out there full of magic users. It's easier to wrap your head around." He pointed at Clark. "There's only one of you. And if you think they fought hard trying to get Caps formula, imagine what they'd do if they would do if they found out about what you can do." He finished grimly sure that he got his point across as Clark swallowed hard. "Keeping this secret is as much for her protection as it is for you."

Clark nodded quickly and wiped his sweaty hands on his jeans. Feeling like this was getting a little too serious he clapped the newly turned adult on his back and grinned.

"You ready to paint the town red tonight?" he asked half in jest.

Clark smiled up at him tremulously. "Tony, I don't think mum will approve of anything you have planned…" he started only to be cut off as Tony whipped out his phone and played him a recording.

There was a pregnant pause ending with a sigh before. "…okay Tony, but only to the club and back at midnight. I know he's an adult now but he's also your responsibility in that city. I'm trusting you with him."

Clark blinked at the phone for a moment, very surprised that his mum had consented.

"See kid," Tony cajoled as he threw an arm around him. "All set and you know I won't risk your mom's wrath even if you paid me."

Clark smirked at the reminder of the last time Tony had gotten on the wrong side of his mother's wand, he was sure Tony was in no hurry to repeat the experience. As he thought about Tony's invite the more and more appealing it started to sound. He obviously couldn't get drunk; he had figured that out when he sneaked out to a party in Smallville and almost drank a keg dry only for it to not affect him at all. It did earn him a little street cred in school as the kid who could hold his liquor the most.

But Clark wasn't even looking to get drunk. This was his opportunity to take in the big city nightlife in a safe way and get to experience, at least one night as normal as the guy next to him, well maybe not as the guy next to him right now. Otherwise he might wake up in bed with the maxim cover models for the last three months. Whatever he thought he was ready for? That wasn't it.

In the end he allowed Tony to drag him off to the guest room selected for him and reluctantly accepted the seven sharp suits he had already arranged to be pressed and ready for him to try out. He immediately rejected the James Bond and Bruce Wayne cosplay options feeling that the bow ties were a little bit too much at a nightclub opening. Finally settling on a blue suit with a red shirt combo with the top shirt buttons undone he leaned out of the room to shout down at Tony who was already dressed sharply in his dark pinstripes, gold and gray cross stripe tie proudly clipped to his shirt, modelling for JARVIS who of course was half playing and asking if he wouldn't mind Ms Danvers opinion on the matter. "Hey Tony? What did you say the clubs name was again?"

Tony didn't bother turning as he buttoned up his jacket and took a final swig of his whiskey. "I didn't. It's very new trying to go for a low-key opening while everyone's being distracted by the Expo. The owners being making a name for himself in the past few years as a guy who grants favors, goes by some biblical name or other," he rambled finally turning. "Anyways the clubs name is LUX," he said taking out two glossy golden VIP passes from his inside jacket pocket and flaunting it at him. "And tonight, it ours for the taking."

LUX was interesting to say the least. The club was located in Hollywood Boulevard and displayed olden architecture with a modern twist. That twist being that the entire building could be seen for miles for all the lights adorning the outside of it. Whatever Tony might have called it, low-key this opening was definitely not.

Thankfully their passes worked like wonder and they were invited past the hordes of people gathered around the club and up the elevator they went only to open up to the loudest music that Clark had ever heard. Only his modified glasses prevented him from clapping hands to ears and hightailing it out of the place. Tony was of course in his element. He was pretty sure that he didn't know anyone of the people who tried to approach him but the way he gently rebuffed them as he played the room spoke of years of ease manoeuvring through the cesspool that was high class politics.

Eventually Tony passed on his passes and they were led by a bouncer over to a roped off area with sofas where they had a bird's eye view of the entire club and a couple of very attractive waitresses serving them. Tony's scotch was in his hand before he even had to ask and when he sipped the drink without spitting it back out Clark knew that their host knew what he was doing. Just as they were settling in, Clark with club soda in hand, the strobe lights went out and a spotlight shone from the roof as the music stopped and it lit up a Steinway that must have been wheeled into center stage with nobody noticing.

The spotlight was masterfully illuminating the piano and its shiny keys but keeping the piano player successfully hidden in the darkness until slender fingers appeared on top of the black and white keys and the night truly started.

He didn't know the song but couldn't help but think that the man who was singing seemed to have the voice of an angel. A siren call that echoed through the old dusty corners of the building and resonated through all that were present, even Tony was enthralled.

His first song finished he started on the second but this time the ring of light grew larger finally revealing the man seated at the bench. His eyes were closed as he reveled in his own talent, his hands sure on the keys as he shook to his own music, capturing all of them in the web of his voice.

The third and final song had him finally opening his eyes revealing them to be the deepest brown, his stubbled jaw complement his shaggy hair and his entire look personified sex and confidence. Clark was sure he wasn't the only one enraptured by the creature seated at the piano but even as he thought it the spell was broken. The final chords struck. The piano was being wheeled away and, in its place, stood the man, now with microphone in hand turning around and smiling pearly whites at one an all.

"Welcome! Welcome everyone," he repeated. "To LUX!" he bellowed into the microphone with a grin. "I am your humble host, Lucifer Morningstar." He said with a bow not flinching as titters arose at the name but were soon silenced. "As thanks for your generous attendance to my first of, hopefully, many soirées in the future," he paused dramatically a wicked smile on his face. "Drinks are on me! Enjoy!"

The cheers rose from the rafters only to be drowned out by the music as the strobes came back on and they lost sight of their host. Looking towards Tony in order to get his opinion on this Lucifer guy he rolled his eyes because Tony was already flirting with the waitresses.

"…well, Delilah was it, it's a shame that I couldn't sway you. Your boss is very lucky to have you."

"Yes, he is." Came the refined English voice from the other side of the cordon. And there he was, dressed a little more understated than one would expect on the night of their premiere opening of a night club, but Lucifer seemed to make the plain dark jacket suit and white shirt ensemble work for him.

Just for a second, not longer than that, once again the man seemed to take Clark's breath away and the way his gaze slid from Tony's careless stature to his own hyper-aware demeanor was intoxicating in and off itself. There was something about this man which made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up but not in a way that told him to bold or attack but to just be aware that something else was present.

"May I," he asked Tony politely, indicating the velvet rope to which Tony nodded without a thought and Lucifer unhooked the rope to hook it back behind himself and turned to introduce himself. "I must say that when I saw your name on the guest list I was intrigued." Reaching out a welcoming hand.

Tony smiled as he gently took the offered hand and dropped it as quickly as he could. "Most people tend to be," Tony agreed without offering much in the way of conversation.

Lucifer didn't seem to be bothered by Tony's demeanor, in fact he smiled widely revealing his canines and for the first time in his life Clark saw Tony's public mask falter. It only happened for a second, but he saw the moment when Lucifer caught it. The smiled reduced into a soft smirk as he pulled back in satisfaction as Tony tried to adjust to a more guarded pose knowing full well by whom the subtle power play had been won.

Their host turned to the waitress, Delilah who had been watching the by play between the two alphas with bated breath. "Delilah do be a dear and fetch Mr Stark here a refill, one for Mr Kent as well?" he suggested glancing at Clark's empty glass. "Then do check on Mazikeen, my dear. I'm afraid I did see her drag one of the new bar-boys to the back, the last time that happened I had to replace my entire stock, plus the bar-boy," he finished with a cheeky smirk as he pulled away from Tony's personal space and approached Clark even as Delilah went to do his bidding.

"Mr Kent?" he asked, and Clark didn't detect a single hint of mocking or superiority in his tone as he did. He spoke to Clark as he spoke to Tony, like a host addressing his patron. "Lucifer. Morningstar."

Clark took the offered hand. "Its Clark, sir."

Lucifer smiled it was not the same smile he gave Tony. "Then its Lucifer to you, darling." The familiar endearment dropped so innocently into the sentence that Clark didn't even notice. All he felt was intrigue. Then surprise, because there was something else he could feel. He could actually feel Lucifers hand in his own. It was a foreign feeling, because for the longest time there was nothing in the world that could ever match his own strength to ever allow him to feel if they touched him.

Sure, he felt the surface touch, but his skin was harder than steel, malleable yes to a degree, but tough enough that the human touch was like feathers over glass. Not so much with Lucifer and when he clasped Clark's had in his own and blue eyes met deep, deep brown Clark understood that he knew and surprisingly he was okay with that knowledge.

Clark eventually did venture down to the dance floor, he wasn't as much of a wall flower to not enjoy a good party, but the lack of buzz certainly made him more conservative than others.

Before the night was over, he did see Lucifer again. After flushing and leaving the cubicle he was unconsciously straightening his cuffs when he spotted the owner of the club resting against the counter of the relatively clean sinks a cigarette in his hand tapping against the silver lighter in the other.

Pausing for a second Clark took a deep breath and let it out, walking towards the sink and washing his hand. Drying up he watched as Lucifer lit the cigarette and took a long drag before closing his eyes.

"Dad was ruthless when he created humans," he said conversationally. "One of his reasons for being such an asshole to them was because he claimed he was too kind when he created your people and you squandered his gift."

Lucifer shrugged. "I never cared for his excuses, he spoiled one child while overcompensating with the other. It was nothing I hadn't seen before, then he put that idiot Rao in charge of overseeing your planet and we all know how well that bloody went."

Clark shuddered as Lucifer's words finally registered. All of this knowledge without a single admittance from him? How exactly did Lucifer know all this?"

Lucifer ignored his questioning gaze, instead he took another drag. "There will come a time when you will have no other choice but to ask for help," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a card with nothing, but a set of numbers embossed on a white background. "When that day comes? Call me, no strings." One last drag before he threw the cigarette into the provided dispenser and walked to the door touching the handle he paused. "Consider it a freebie. My family owes you one and I always pay my debts."

Clark was left at the sink, holding onto the card, at a loss for words.

So here we are. Hope you enjoyed that last part with Lucifer. A lot of it is set up for a sequel and I don't think I'll be making Lucifer a main character in this fic. More of a wild card.

Surprisingly this isn't the only story with Lucifer that I have written even this week. I recently discovered another gem of a series called Wynonna Earp and it has absolutely stolen my heart. I binged all the available episodes in two weeks and didn't waste much time crossing it over with the other two of my favorite TV Shows in Supergirl and Lucifer. Interested? Then check out my profile for the story Earp of a Time, I even cross posted it on AO3 knowing I would get more visibility there.

Well with the promotions done, tell me what you thought of the chapter. Did you like the cameo? I did like writing it a lot, hope I got the characterization right in the end. Anyways guys that will be all from me for now. Enjoy 2021 and ill catch you guys on the next one. Cheers!