Chapter 16
He dreamed for a moment that he was walking in a desert; flat featureless spaces in all directions. As his sight seemed to clear he became aware that it was more like snow, acres of snow all around him, nothing to draw him on any one bearing more than any other. He felt empty, alone.
Lex woke to find himself curled in the centre of his king size bed, white sheets smooth and flat around him, the comma of his body unable to fill the void. He felt disturbed by the images from his dream, so shook himself and stretched. His mouth felt like sandpaper left at the bottom of the garbage from a particularly unpleasant school dining hall, and his head seemed to be under some kind of construction work. Sighing, he pulled himself into a sitting position on the side of his bed, head bowed, and tried to work up the energy to go to the kitchen.
When he stayed in his apartment in Metropolis, he always saw to his own needs, never having found servants to be necessary. He rarely spent so much as an evening in the place, and never had to cook or make anything more complex than coffee. Dragging himself to the kitchen now, Lex cursed his upstart independence, wishing more than anything that he could have rung a bell and been attended by a quiet and discreet butler. Even better, he could have sent out for headache powders and health shakes, and been back on form in no time. With a sinking sensation in his already troubled belly, he remembered that there was not so much as an Advil in his bathroom cabinet. 'The curse of the perpetually healthy,' he thought grimly and winced as the water whistled en route from tap to coffee maker.
Later he sat at the desk in his darkened office, rather than face the glare of the morning sun through the full length windows on two sides of his dining table. Sipping the bitter black liquid, he began to feel a little more human. It was becoming too much of a habit, these hung over mornings, and it was a habit that he intended to break as soon as possible. His arrival back in Smallville would herald a fresh start, no more drinking and no more obsessing about his shortcomings. The factory needed his attention, as did his battle with his father. Recently Lionel had had the advantage, not a trend that Lex wanted to see continue. Groaning, he let his head drop onto his hands for a moment, remembering the tour of the plant scheduled with his father in only a few hours. It was not a pleasant prospect at the best of times. Resignedly, he picked up the phone and ordered the helicopter prepared for his departure.
Two hours later he slipped into the mansion, shutting the door silently behind him. All his efforts in making a quiet arrival were in vain, however.
"Lex. Nice of you to make an appearance." Lex inwardly winced at his father's tone and turned to see him descending the staircase. Lionel's unerring sense of timing was always mildly disconcerting, but this morning it was particularly unwelcome.
"Dad." Lex stood straighter, and gave a small smirk.
"Hmm. Heavy night last night?" Lionel walked up to his son, the Luthor smirk adorning his features with far more confidence than the weak effort that Lex had managed. He could tell that he was going to enjoy this tour far more than he had anticipated. Lex looked paler than usual, and tired, which usually meant that Lionel could gain and keep the upper hand with ease in their sparring. He intended to take full advantage.
"I take it you're ready to go to the plant?" Lex was in no mood for his father's caprices, but from the older man's expression he knew that Lionel was in a particularly plaguing frame of mind. Perhaps he could get Gabe Sullivan to take him on the tour instead. He inwardly shuddered at the picture that instantly formed in his head, of his father hectoring Gabe until the gentle plant manager told Lionel everything and then handed in his resignation. A wave of nausea washed over him and he was almost convinced that he was going to throw up on Lionel's bespoke Armani suit. With some effort he got control of his stomach and answered his father's nod. "Well, let me pick up a couple of papers from the study and I'll be with you." He was halfway across the floor before Lionel stopped him, delight evident in his voice.
"We're going to have guests for dinner tonight. I assume you don't mind?" Lex could practically hear him rubbing his hands in glee and wondered with a sinking sensation exactly what it foreboded.
"You're staying longer than you planned? I'm pleased." Lex spat out the obvious lie, hoping that it would mean the end of the conversation. He was disappointed.
"Oh, I may stay for quite some time. If that's all right with you." Lex swung around to face his father, ready to hit him for all his perfunctory and obviously unintended politeness. With difficulty he bit back a sharp retort when he saw Lionel's smug expression.
"And to what does Smallville owe the honor?"
"Come, come, Lex. Sarcasm has never suited you." 'Sanctimonious bastard' Lex thought viciously and turned towards the study. "Don't you want to know who our guests are this evening?"
"Not particularly. If they are friends of yours I'm sure they will be both suitable and charming." 'Take that you prick. Sarcasm suits me fine." Lex allowed himself a small smirk and slipped into his study. Closing the door behind him he took a long breath and let it out slowly. It was going to be a difficult day.
In the hallway Lionel folded his arms and leant back against the eighteenth century table beside the door. As much fun as he intended to have with his overwrought son at the plant, he was sure that dinner that evening was going to be infinitely more enjoyable. Particularly since Lex had declined entirely to find out who was coming to visit. It was going to be even better than he had anticipated.
He dreamed for a moment that he was walking in a desert; flat featureless spaces in all directions. As his sight seemed to clear he became aware that it was more like snow, acres of snow all around him, nothing to draw him on any one bearing more than any other. He felt empty, alone.
Lex woke to find himself curled in the centre of his king size bed, white sheets smooth and flat around him, the comma of his body unable to fill the void. He felt disturbed by the images from his dream, so shook himself and stretched. His mouth felt like sandpaper left at the bottom of the garbage from a particularly unpleasant school dining hall, and his head seemed to be under some kind of construction work. Sighing, he pulled himself into a sitting position on the side of his bed, head bowed, and tried to work up the energy to go to the kitchen.
When he stayed in his apartment in Metropolis, he always saw to his own needs, never having found servants to be necessary. He rarely spent so much as an evening in the place, and never had to cook or make anything more complex than coffee. Dragging himself to the kitchen now, Lex cursed his upstart independence, wishing more than anything that he could have rung a bell and been attended by a quiet and discreet butler. Even better, he could have sent out for headache powders and health shakes, and been back on form in no time. With a sinking sensation in his already troubled belly, he remembered that there was not so much as an Advil in his bathroom cabinet. 'The curse of the perpetually healthy,' he thought grimly and winced as the water whistled en route from tap to coffee maker.
Later he sat at the desk in his darkened office, rather than face the glare of the morning sun through the full length windows on two sides of his dining table. Sipping the bitter black liquid, he began to feel a little more human. It was becoming too much of a habit, these hung over mornings, and it was a habit that he intended to break as soon as possible. His arrival back in Smallville would herald a fresh start, no more drinking and no more obsessing about his shortcomings. The factory needed his attention, as did his battle with his father. Recently Lionel had had the advantage, not a trend that Lex wanted to see continue. Groaning, he let his head drop onto his hands for a moment, remembering the tour of the plant scheduled with his father in only a few hours. It was not a pleasant prospect at the best of times. Resignedly, he picked up the phone and ordered the helicopter prepared for his departure.
Two hours later he slipped into the mansion, shutting the door silently behind him. All his efforts in making a quiet arrival were in vain, however.
"Lex. Nice of you to make an appearance." Lex inwardly winced at his father's tone and turned to see him descending the staircase. Lionel's unerring sense of timing was always mildly disconcerting, but this morning it was particularly unwelcome.
"Dad." Lex stood straighter, and gave a small smirk.
"Hmm. Heavy night last night?" Lionel walked up to his son, the Luthor smirk adorning his features with far more confidence than the weak effort that Lex had managed. He could tell that he was going to enjoy this tour far more than he had anticipated. Lex looked paler than usual, and tired, which usually meant that Lionel could gain and keep the upper hand with ease in their sparring. He intended to take full advantage.
"I take it you're ready to go to the plant?" Lex was in no mood for his father's caprices, but from the older man's expression he knew that Lionel was in a particularly plaguing frame of mind. Perhaps he could get Gabe Sullivan to take him on the tour instead. He inwardly shuddered at the picture that instantly formed in his head, of his father hectoring Gabe until the gentle plant manager told Lionel everything and then handed in his resignation. A wave of nausea washed over him and he was almost convinced that he was going to throw up on Lionel's bespoke Armani suit. With some effort he got control of his stomach and answered his father's nod. "Well, let me pick up a couple of papers from the study and I'll be with you." He was halfway across the floor before Lionel stopped him, delight evident in his voice.
"We're going to have guests for dinner tonight. I assume you don't mind?" Lex could practically hear him rubbing his hands in glee and wondered with a sinking sensation exactly what it foreboded.
"You're staying longer than you planned? I'm pleased." Lex spat out the obvious lie, hoping that it would mean the end of the conversation. He was disappointed.
"Oh, I may stay for quite some time. If that's all right with you." Lex swung around to face his father, ready to hit him for all his perfunctory and obviously unintended politeness. With difficulty he bit back a sharp retort when he saw Lionel's smug expression.
"And to what does Smallville owe the honor?"
"Come, come, Lex. Sarcasm has never suited you." 'Sanctimonious bastard' Lex thought viciously and turned towards the study. "Don't you want to know who our guests are this evening?"
"Not particularly. If they are friends of yours I'm sure they will be both suitable and charming." 'Take that you prick. Sarcasm suits me fine." Lex allowed himself a small smirk and slipped into his study. Closing the door behind him he took a long breath and let it out slowly. It was going to be a difficult day.
In the hallway Lionel folded his arms and leant back against the eighteenth century table beside the door. As much fun as he intended to have with his overwrought son at the plant, he was sure that dinner that evening was going to be infinitely more enjoyable. Particularly since Lex had declined entirely to find out who was coming to visit. It was going to be even better than he had anticipated.