Life With You Could Be So Grand

Stryker's Island

Notes:

Writing this chapter was more fun than I expected it to be. I wanted to get this out sooner but I broke up a cat fight and got bit in the wrist by a damn cat fang first thing in the morning on New Year's Day, and now I'm typing with just my index and ring fingers on my left hand because the rest of it is too sore to move.

Anywho, notes on this chapter:

The idea here is that Lex-37 is in prison, again. He's more or less a composite of Lex from Smallville and Supergirl.

Reminder that Crisis never happened (I'm not a fan, esp because they fucked off on Andrea Rojas's storyline, but that's a rant best reserved for Tumblr followed perhaps by its own Lena/Andrea fic-maybe).

***

"I've figured it out, Lex."

"Mmmm, figured what out, sis?" Lex said, his present focus on the figures placed strategically upon the board more than the conversation.

Lex and Lena Luthor were seated in Lex's visiting room at Stryker's Island, playing chess. The room was spacious and luxurious. One would not immediately think they were in a prison, especially considering how smartly Lex was currently dressed.

Lena, also elegantly dressed in a dark silk blouse and tailored vest and trousers, uncrossed her legs and leaned forward to make her move.

"Why you never told me the truth-that I was your biological sister. You let me think for most of my life that I was adopted."

"It wasn't only me. It was Father and Mother too."

"But it was different with you. You did it to wield power over me. And as a result, I spent my life trying to please you, Father-even your mother. You made me think I was an outsider all this time."

"Lena, it was a matter of tactics. Nothing personal. Just because I never told you doesn't mean I didn't love you."

"You know, it's funny-a few days ago I would have said that you were incapable of loving anyone. But now I've changed my mind. I believe you. I believe you do love me... somewhere deep down in your shriveled-up heart. The extent in the way you can love, however, that's a different story. I see you now."

"See me? If you were half as good at reading people as you are at chess, I'd wager you'd become the most influential person in the world."

"And while I was growing up, you wanted to dampen my power, to keep me from reaching my potential."

"Like I said, Lena-tactics."

"It's funny. I never told you this, but Father once told me privately that he loved me more than you. I couldn't believe it because I figured it wasn't possible for a man like him to love an adopted daughter more than his own biological son-a dated and sexist notion, I know, but then again father was from another time, another class. Still, he always planned to leave Luthor Corp to you and never even considered handing it over to me, so in some ways I was right."

"What's your point?"

"My point is-he treated you harshly. He abused you because he didn't feel that you were worthy, but at the same time could not bring himself to hand over Luthor Corp to me."

"Yes, but you went and took over anyway the first time I went to prison."

"I'm sorry for that, Lex. Maybe things would have been different for both of us if Lionel Luthor wasn't our father."

"I used to think that all the time. I used to think how differently I would have turned out had we been raised by a wise and just man, like the Lord fathers from old stories of kings and knights and castles. But over time, I came to realize that my power lies solely within me, in letting myself give into my true nature."