"Lex." You called, storming into the room. To your right, stood a tall man with dark hair and covered in tattoos from the neck down, who stared at you intently.
Suppressing a shiver, you walked pass the stranger and carried yourself over to Lex.
"Ah! Y/N," Lex replied, greeting you with a smile. "You're here, good. I was beginning to worry."
"Tell me it's not true." You continued, ignoring him. "Please, tell me you didn't kill Jimmy."
Lex's eyes flew wide, as if suddenly slapped. Unintentionally, his expression crumbled into shame for just an instant, and with that you knew.
"Oh, God." You inhaled sharply.
"Y/N. I—" Lex responded in a nervous tone. "Please, listen to me."
"No." You shook your head and retreated in fear, tears stinging behind your eyes. "Why, Lex?"
Lex swiped a finger on the tip of his nose, nervously tapping his foot against the floor.
"Lex!" You exclaimed, pulling him from his thoughts. "How could you? Why—?" You began, but came to a halt, realization hitting you suddenly. "Were you jealous?"
He didn't speak, just waited. Shyly raising his gaze to meet yours with perfect puppy eyes. Next to you, the stranger with the beard rolled his own eyes and shifted his weight from one leg to the other.
"Maybe I should go—" He stated, annoyed.
"No! You stay right there." Lex cut him off, walking towards you and grabbing you by the shoulders. "Y/N, I'm sorry. I really am, but I couldn't let him have you. Hm! No, not after everything I've done for you."
"Everything you've done for me?" You fumed, incredulous. "What are you talking about?"
"Ah! There you go. Finally asking the right questions." He told you, puffing up his chest slightly, pleased with himself. "Well, where do I start? Hm! Ah! Yes. You seem to be under the impression, that you're innocent, my dear. A harmless little thing, but that's not entirely true, is it? Let's see, where do I start?" He tapped his chin, thinking. "Hm... remember that professor we had in college? The one, what? Twice your age? That you used for good grades and free dates?"
You glared at him and opened your lips to protest, but Lex spoke up, preventing you from running your mouth.
"You do remember. Good, that's good. He got you a job too, didn't he? And when that business went bust, you still made him pay you for a job you didn't do, didn't you? You robbed him, technically. Ah! How proud of yourself you were. All of that trouble, and he never even got you into bed."
You moped and sulked, fixing him with a stare that burned. "He was the one taking advantage of his students, Lex! He deserved what he got. I thought you understood.
Still, why does it matter? Why are you bringing that up after all this time?"
"Because you didn't get away with it, Y/N." Lex hissed, forcing you to look at him as you cowered down. "I got him fired and banned from every school in the state before he could hurt you back.
All I've ever done is protect you, Y/N. From him and every person you've carelessly used and discarded over the years. You're no saint Y/N L/N. I'm the sole reason you've come this far unharmed and untouched by this monstrous world. And this is how you repay me? Running off with some ordinary photographer?
No... no, Y/N. I'm sorry but you left me no choice, he had to die."
You tried to turn away, but he stopped you, grabbing your wrist. Your eyes clashing like blades. "You're not leaving me again, Y/N." Lex whispered.
"So now you own me? Because you did all of that for me, even when I never asked for it? Is what you're saying?" You muttered, swallowing with difficulty. "Fine, Lex.You can force me to stay with you. I know you will. But you can't make me forgive you. Let alone love you again."
Smitten, Lex stayed quiet but quickly recovered.
"Ah, how fickle you are, my dear." Lex said, despondency not completely dispelled from his features. "To think mere hours ago you told me otherwise..." He sighed, over-dramatically, "... if only I could turn back time..." He turned to you with a malicious glance, "Oh, wait. That is exactly what I'm going to do."
Lex jerked his head to the side, signaling the man with the beard. "Anatoli, restrain her."
"What—?" You quavered, as Anatoli grabbed both of your wrists and held them to your back tightly, a pathetic little squeak escaping your lips from the pain.
"Gently!" Lex scolded.
"What are you doing, Lex?" You asked, raising your gaze to meet his, sorrow and disbelief trailing the words.
"I just told you, my love." Lex began as he walked to his desk and leaned on it, tapping his fingers on it's smooth surface. He then looked up to face you with a waggish expression. "I'm going to erase this misunderstanding and that man from your mind." Lex pledged, his eyes softening. "It'll be like nothing happened, and then you will love me again."
With that, Anatoli's arm wrapped and tightened around your neck. And the world went black.
"Y/N," You heard Lex say to you, as you blinked the slumber away on one of many mornings you'd woken up by his side.
"Hi." You replied with a stretch, moving closer to wrap your arms around his waist, unwilling to get out of bed.
He buried himself underneath the covers, holding you tight and kissing your forehead. Then, whispered: "Do you have any idea of how much I love you?"
You looked up to face him. "Hm... a lot?"
"More than anything." He continued. "More than you can imagine."
You smiled, nuzzling your nose into the crook of his neck. "I love you too, Lex."
After ten minutes or so, you gathered the strength to get up, a headache threatening to wreak havoc if you didn't.
You stretched again once you were on your feet and walked to the nightstand to grab your phone.
"Huh," You mouthed and titled your head. Bright red alarms going off everywhere in Lex's head.
"Hm?" He inquired, scurrying to your side. "What is it?"
"I don't remember unplugging my phone. How strange." Not one to forget easy, you examined the device in your hands, going through everything you did yesterday to find the exact moment you'd unplugged it, but nothing came to mind. You shrugged, losing interest.
"Oh, well. I guess it happens, right?" You smiled, wrapping your arms around Lex's waist for a moment, before heading to the shower.
"Um, Y/N?" Lex called.
"Yeah?" You turned on your heels and walked back the way you'd come.
"Does the name Jimmy Olsen mean anything to you?" He asked with a dubious expression.
You looked up, groping among your scattered thoughts. "Not really, no. Sorry." You replied, apologetic. "Should it?"
"Oh, no. It's nothing, I picked up the name somewhere, but forgot about it." Lex continued, removing one hand from your own waist to tuck a loose strand of hair behind his ear. "It doesn't matter." He assured, kissing your hair.
"Oh, okay." You replied, flashing him a smile. "Don't worry, Lex. I'm sure it'll come back to you.
Are we still up for lunch later?"
"Of course," Lex confirmed, the corner of his mouth turning upwards. "I made a reservation at three."
"Perfect." You grinned, before slowly and with some reluctance, letting go of him and entering the bathroom.
"Perfect, indeed." Lex whispered to himself, once the door thudded closed behind you and the room went silent. His gaze meandered away from the space you'd previously occupied, and he headed to the nightstand on his side of the bed. Finding his phone under one of his journals, and dialed.
"Mr. Luthor." A toneless voice called from the speaker. "Did the serum work?"
"She doesn't remember anything." Lex replied, the feeling of satisfaction was quickly smothered by a rising wave of guilt. "Welcome to LexCorp Industries, Dr. Thorne. We'll talk soon."
He felt the doctor's grin, even through the phone and hung up before he could say anything else.
That grin. It send a shiver down Lex's spine still. That sinister grin he'd worn when he tied you to a chair, begging for your life as Lex watched that blight of a serum consume your memories.
Memories of the man who'd made you happy entirely out of love, with no ulterior motives. No blackmail, no manipulation, no physical pain or subterfuge. Just love.
Lex hated him for that, for holding your heart so close without even trying. He could never do that, because deep down Lex knew, that you would never love him. Not after tasting sincere love like that.
So he took it away
