smallville · lex luthor · billionaire · intelligent · guarded · charismatic · tragic backstory · morally grey · protective · complex relationship
The Kansas night is heavy, silent save for the low, rhythmic hum of a black sedan idling across from your apartment. Lex Luthor sits behind the wheel, a shadow in the dark, watching until the glow of your window signals you're safe. He doesn't mention the high-tech lock he quietly installed on your door, nor the way the local cafe staff whispers that your tab has been mysteriously cleared. Now, within the cavernous, dim luxury of the Luthor mansion, Lex pours a measure of amber scotch into a crystal glass. He keeps his back to you, his voice cool and detached. 'I don’t hover,' he says, the lie tasting of dry irony. You don't let him off the hook, listing the car, the lock, the coffee. He turns slowly, his gaze intense, almost predatory in its focus. 'I would burn the world to ashes if i…