Chapter Text
When Lex was a little boy he would spend hours looking at the city from the large window inside his father's office. He would look at the cars and the people and imagine he was one of them, with a normal life and normal dreams, in his young mind he lived it all, Metropolis was after all the city of possibilities and as trapped as he was by his legacy the idea made his heart race, still does sometimes, even if he won't admit it.
When he was six years old his father opened the window and made him step to the edge. "This is the city of destiny and it belongs to us." He said. "You need to learn to control it, to be above it, be a Luthor, Lex, or the city will eat you whole." It took a long time for him to go back to that window and he never played pretend again. But even when he was sure his father would push him to the ground, even as Lionel told him all about how the city would exploit his weakness, she was beautiful.
Lex learned everything in Metropolis. To talk, to walk, to kiss, to act and to conquer. But the first lesson the city gave him was to want.
He wanted her and he wanted it all.
It is funny Bruce Wayne was constantly praised for telling everyone that Gotham was his, Lex had to pretend to not own Metropolis even as he changed her.
And while not all the changes were good, in the end of the day he did improve the city, it was his home and he always treated his things well. Metropolis was his mother in ways neither of his parents ever could be and he owned her the best treatment.
The thing about billionaire kids, specially only children with all the power and very little consequence unless you count Lionel's belt is that they don't know how to share. Lex learned Batman's identity when he saw a clip of the so called "Cape Crusader" telling some other stupid do-gooder to get away from his city. He knew the feeling.
He hated sharing.
From the first time he laid his eyes on Superman he knew deep down that the alien loved Metropolis as much as he did. That the city belonged to Superman too.
At first it was completely unacceptable.
Lex did everything in his power to take down Superman. To make the hero get away from his city.
Lex Luthor always gets what he wants no matter how much the universe tries to stop him. He might end up being punished for it, but he has never once accepted defeat.
And still he learns to share. It is the first of many lessons Superman teaches him.
Lex learns to share, he learns about friendship and compassion and love, he learns more than anyone ever should about farm life and none of his vast knowledge on space ever prepares him for the stars on Superman's eyes when Lex learns he is loved.
Metropolis is their city.
Until Darkside.
Looking from the window of an office that once was his father Lex steps into the edge.
Metropolis is still a breathtaking.
She was theirs. They loved her together.
She still needs Superman. He still needs Superman.
Lex has served the city all his life, has wanted all his life. They need Superman. He wants Superman. And what Lex wants he gets no matter how much he has to fight the universe for it.