FIC: Practical Lessons in Luthor Family Gift Giving, Clex PG-13
Title: Practical Lessons in Luthor Family Gift Giving
Genre: futurefic, mpreg
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Clex, maybe a hint of Tim/Kon
Summary: It’s Christmas, and Lex is Jewish, Atheist, and pregnant with twins. Even worse, the in-laws are staying over for the holidays. Woobie!
Spoilers: Through S3, references Kon but other than that no comic spoilers
Warnings: AU, mpreg (birth offscreen), angst, schmoop
Kon leaned out of the doorframe and bit his lip, watching his dad on his knees arranging presents underneath their Christmas tree. It was kinda strange because Lex didn’t really believe in any of the religious backing of the season, but Kon knew that his grandparents would be coming up later in the day, and Lex had been working hard to make the penthouse look nice for them. Lex wiped his brow, looked at the arrangement critically, and rubbed a circle on his burgeoning belly. The twins were due in about a month and a half, and Kon couldn’t help but try to be protective of him.
“Need some help, dad?”
Lex turned just a bit and frowned up at him. “No, I’m pretty much finished.”
He started to stand.
“No, no, I’ll come to you.” Kon walked over and wiped his hands on his jeans. “It looks nice.”
“I had a good teacher,” he returned. Kon sat on the couch and slumped. Lex fussed with the presents’ positions a little more, in that manic way he did when he wanted to pretend something wasn’t bothering him. He rolled up his sleeves. His face was flushed, and he felt a little warm. “I watched your grandmother do it a few times… What time is Tim coming over?”
“He said he’d be in at three.”
“I’ll drive you to the airport then.”
“Are you sure?”
Lex set a hand atop his belly and took a deep breath. “Or Clark will. If he gets home anytime soon. Maybe I should get him a watch for Christmas.”
Kon chuckled. Lex tried to maneuver himself up. “No, wait dad.”
Lex leaned back onto his hands and closed his eyes. Kon took his hands and helped pull Lex to his feet. Lex had a hard time since entering his third trimester moving around, but Kon’s strength made it pretty easy for him to help his dad get up and down. “How would I ever get around without you and Clark?”
“I’m guessing a lot easier. You wouldn’t be pregnant.”
Lex tilted his head and raised his brows in acknowledgement. “True enough.” He stepped back from his handiwork. “Does this look right?”
Kon shrugged. “I think it looks fine.” He watched his father looking at it harshly. “Why… it looks fine, dad. Why is it so important for it to be perfect?”
“I’m merely trying to alleviate tension between all parties. I’d like to avoid comments about how strange it is for the anti-Christ to celebrate Christmas.”
“Who said that?” Kon asked incredulously. Lex’s eyes hardened. “Ma wouldn’t… Pa?”
“Not exactly.” He turned and headed into the kitchen. Kon raised his brows. His dads were so weird.
Clark returned almost a half hour later, disheveled and glasses askew. Kon suspected he’d had to do a little “super” work before he got back.
Kon ran out to greet him. “Hey!”
“Hey! Where’s your dad?” Clark asked.
“He moves slow these days.” Lex came into the room. Clark walked over and hugged him. Lex rested his head on the curve of Clark’s shoulder.
“How do you feel, babe? Up to dinner with my parents tonight?”
“You know your father expects me there whether I am or not.”
Clark shrugged. Kon frowned. Lex looked awfully tired. He only kept the security guards on staff during the holidays, so he’d been preparing the penthouse by hand all day. His hand was on the curve of his back, and he looked up at Clark with half-lidded eyes.
Kon knitted his brows and tried not to sound pushy. “Uh… one of you has to come with me to pick up Tim.”
Lex’s face fell. “How did I forget that so quickly?”
Clark winced. “”Pregnancy brain. I have no excuse. I just suck at planning.”
“So Dad can come with me to pick up Tim, and you can be here to meet Ma and Pa. Right?” Kon rocked on his heels. Lex frowned a little but moved to get his coat.
“Of course I will. We’ll be back in time to meet your grandparents.”
They weren’t. The plane had been delayed, and Lex came back to the penthouse overtired with two hungry boys. Pa Kent’s eyes went straight to Lex protruding middle then turned to ask Tim how his flight had been. Tim narrowed his eyes and proceeded to bore him with endless details about the type of plane they had been on and how the weather patterns were affecting the aviation. Kon smiled and caught Tim’s eye. He was doing it on purpose.
Lex slipped past Jonathan and into Clark’s arms. Kon wished he had Clark’s hearing. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he figured Clark was urging him to hit the sack early. Lex shook his head and looked worried.
“So, you boys ready for dinner?” Jonathan asked rubbing his hands together.
Kon looked over to his dads. “Uh, I think Tim’s pretty tired from the flight.”
Tim raised a brow. “Yes. Exhausted.”
They ordered in. Ma was pleased and had them all sit around the table. Lex could barely keep his eyes open, but managed to stay awake through dinner with some shoulder rubs from Clark. Kon noticed how Pa looked at the two of them whenever they touched. It was weirding him out. Pa had been so nice when he lived with them at the farm before Lex had taken him in.
“So, what’s up with this family drama?” Tim asked. He was setting up his things in Kon’s room. Both he and the Kents would be staying for the holidays. They had several guest rooms, but Lex had said it would be nice for them to be able to talk at night without being interrupted.
“I think Pa is annoyed that they’re having Christmas here this year. And Lex well…”
“He looks horrible. I’ve never seen him like that. Except when he had cancer. I guess that was worse.”
“He’s tired,” Kon protested. Tim rolled his eyes.
“I bet.”
“It’ll get better once Pa is used to staying here,” Kon predicted optimistically.
It didn’t. Pa muttered about the lack of Christian imagery around the house. Commented on Lex’s weight. Pointed out when Lex made business calls or wasn’t able to attend activities with the group. When Lex helped them clean up after dinner, Pa suggested he was lowering himself to help them. When he didn’t, Pa suggested he was too good to get his hands dirty. After a few days, Lex started spending more time working or hanging out with Martha.
***
One night, Kon and Tim were playing Soul Caliber III in the den before dinner, and Pa came in and examined the tree.
“Would it kill him to have a nativity?” he said under his breath.
Tim gutted Kon’s man and laughed in evil glee.
“Aww! You killed me,” Kon protested.
“Voldo wins! I don’t think it would kill him,” Tim said. He didn’t even turn around and instead started selecting his next player. “It would probably feel like a slap in the face to his mom, though. The Jew thing, even if he is atheist. Unless of course, you approve of slapping around dead parents, then by all means, put up a plastic Jesus.”
Pa actually looked a little like he’d been slapped. Tim crooked his mouth and switched his conversation back to the game. Pa left the room.
That night at dinner, Pa was uncharacteristically quiet, until Lex answered his BlackBerry at the table and was promising to get back to the caller shortly.
“I think you should turn that thing off. Us Kents consider dinner family time,” Pa scolded sharply. Ma shot him a disapproving look. Lex opened his mouth and looked at him cautiously. When he finished his call, Lex took a deep breath and slid the phone back into his pocket.
“While many of my employees have the luxury of a Christmas vacation, I do not. This is the best that I can do, Jonathan. Either I am available at home, or I spend my days in the office.”
“Considering your… condition,” Pa said with a little disgust. Clark flitted his eyes back and forth between his mother and father as though trying to decide what to do. “I would’ve thought your family would be more important to you.”
“They are very important to me,” Lex insisted. His cheeks were turning a little pink.
“Y’wouldn’t know it, the way you put your life before theirs.”
“Jonathan!” Martha grabbed his arm. Lex’s eyes had grown wide, his nostrils flared, and his lips tensed together in the way they did before he was about to tear into someone. Kon watched intently for his father to explode at Pa.
“I’m sorry that you feel that way.”
Kon frowned. Lex was breathing deeply. He turned his gaze from Jonathan and pushed food around on his plate. Kon watched him throughout the rest of the meal. He faked a few bites, but didn’t eat anything at all.
Later that evening Kon could hear Lex and Clark yelling in their room. Since getting together, they hardly ever fought.
***
After that night, Lex made himself scarce during family outings and pleaded exhaustion during dinner. Kon could seem him moving slowly through the house, rubbing his back, and slipping away from the group whenever he could. Once he caught him sitting on the side of the bathtub, rubbing his temples. When Kon asked, Lex told him it was only a headache and that he would be fine as soon as he was able to lay down for a bit.
“Um… you’d say something if Dad was sick, wouldn’t you?” Kon asked. He poked at the brazed salmon.
“It’s the pregnancy. It’s wearing him down. He’ll be okay.” Clark gave a wavering smile. Liar. He was obviously trying to ignore his father’s expression, which was hard to read, but included a lip curl.
“I think that’s to be expected with twins.” Ma said, trying to give Kon a reassuring smile. He bit his lip. If he didn’t, he might say something nasty to Pa. Tim grabbed his hand under the table. Kon looked in his eyes and calmed a little.
When the rest of the family had retired to the den, Kon said he was going to the bathroom and headed further up the hall. When he reached his parents’ room, he peeked inside and saw Lex lying on the bed over the covers with an arm draped over his face. His middle stuck up in the air, and Kon kind of wished he could x-ray like Clark did to be sure the babies were okay.
“Dad?”
There was silence for a moment then Lex uncovered his eyes and looked over at his son. “Come on in.”
Kon sat on the edge of the bed. His parents slept in a huge king-size, and Lex looked a little swallowed by it, in spite of his bulging middle. “Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m just tired.”
“That’s what Dad says. He’s a bad liar.”
“Your grandfather hates me,” Lex stated bluntly.
Kon played with his fingers. “I don’t understand why. I’ve never seen him treat anyone so bad.”
“He hated my father, and then I took his son, and then I took his grandson. I’m probably not exactly what he expected in a daughter-in-law,” Lex added dryly, resting a hand on his bump.
“Well, he needs to get over it. Why don’t you tell him off?”
“I can’t do that. He’s Clark’s father and your grandfather, and I decided a long time ago that I could never come between Clark and his family.” He propped himself up on his elbows. He did look tired and a little flushed and puffy, now that Kon thought about it. “He’s a stubborn man, but overall, he is a good man.”
“He isn’t being what he taught me was good in a man.”
“Sometimes you have to be patient with people you love. He makes me angry, and he raises my blood pressure, but Jonathan has many good traits you can learn from.” Lex frowned. “Don’t look so sad, Kon. Every family has their problems. Comparatively, ours aren’t so insurmountable.”
Kon sat with his father for awhile before returning to the rest of the family. He couldn’t help but be stiff and quiet. Jonathan tried to shake Kon’s shoulders, but Kon shrugged him off and moved to the other side of the couch where he sat with Tim sullenly. Until Pa tried to make a joke. Then Kon found himself storming out before he knew it.
“What’s got into that boy?” Pa asked. Clark sighed and muttered to himself.
“He’s a teenager, Jonathan. You remember how temperamental Clark was at that age. He put his hand in a wood chipper.”
“Cool!” Tim exclaimed. Kon ran the rest of the way back to his room and waited for Tim to come yell at him for leaving him alone with the old people. To his surprise, when Tim returned, he didn’t mention it, just gave him a rub on his shoulder and let him talk.
***
And so the little family feud between Lex and Pa had spread to Kon. Eventually, Clark took him aside and asked him to be a little more polite to his grandfather. Kon had snapped back that he would when Pa gave a little respect to his father.
“Hey, how would you boys like to come with us to the park after church? I hear the lights are great this time of year. Never seen ‘em, being from Smallville.” Pa asked energetically that Saturday evening.
“I’m not going to church,” Kon said immediately. Tim raised his brows eagerly. The insubordination amused him. And Tim had worried he would be bored visiting Kon’s painfully harmonious parents.
“Excuse me, young man? You are so going to church.”
“I am not. You’re not my father, and you can’t make me.” Kon almost winced. He sounded like he was five. Tim snorted.
“Well, I guess Clark can make you, but he shouldn’t have to.” Pa stared him down, reminding Kon of one of their bulls.
“I’m half Jewish. I don’t want to go to your church.” Kon could practically hear the jaws dropping. “I’m staying home with Dad.”
Pa looked frustrated and confused. “Look here, Kon, I don’t give a damn what Lex does, any member of my family-“
“Jonathan, stop it.” Ma had entered the room quietly. She crossed her arms.
“You think he should just stay home? Just skip church? Clark never skipped church.”
“Clark was our son. Kon is their son. Kon has to make these decisions on his own, and we cannot get in the middle of that.” Ma walked up behind her grandson and touched his arm lightly, as though he might push her away. Kon felt bad for making them feel bad. He wasn’t angry at Ma at all. “Plus, I’m sure Lex wouldn’t mind the company. Hm? Holidays must be hard on him. His childhood… didn’t have much family time.”
Kon nodded and looked back to Pa, who had seemed to deferred to her. Unfortunately, later that evening Kon sat in the hallway, listening to Pa and Lex in the bedroom.
“You aren’t going to raise that boy to be a heathen.”
“I’m doing the best I can. It’s his choice what he does religiously-“
“It’s your job to guide him!”
“I’d hardly be a good guide on that front.”
“Kon is a special boy. He can’t be running wild.”
“I think I’m infinitely more qualified than you to assess delinquent adolescent behavior.”
“You go and use your big words, Luthor, but it doesn’t change the fact you need to do better by that boy!”
Kon covered his ears and tried to force himself not to run into that room and force Pa to shut up. He could hear the tension rising in his dad’s voice, even if he refuse to shout back at Pa. If only Kon had been better behaved, maybe Pa’d leave his dad alone.
***
The next morning Kon had intended to be a good grandson and go along. Just so Pa would be a little nicer to his dad, but one look at Pa, and Kon lost the will to put on his suit. Tim was still in bed. He walked up to Clark and gave him a hug.
“Sorry I’m such a brat,” he whispered. Clark tousled his hair.
“I happen to like brats,” Clark said conspiratorially. He took in a deep breath and put his hands on his son’s shoulders. “Kon, I don’t want to worry you, but you guys are going to be alone with him so… his doctor is worried about his blood pressure. Probably nothing will happen, but if you see anything weird, give me a call? I’ll answer and be here in a couple of seconds. Okay? He might get dizzy or he might start getting pains in his belly. Just call me. I’ll make sure he gets to the doctor quick.”
Kon felt tears sting his eyes. “Yeah. I... I will. Enjoy your time with Ma.”
Pa looked at him then, seriously and intensely. He said nothing but pushed his glasses back on his nose. He nodded to Kon. Kon turned away and headed back to bed.
When he woke again an hour later, Kon wandered into the kitchen to find his dad leaning over the counter breathing heavily.
“Dad!” Kon rushed to his side and leaned over him worriedly.
“Kon...” His face was pinched in discomfort. “It’s just… the girls moving. No worries.”
Kon slid his arms around his father and coerced him into sitting down. Lex complied and continued to rub his belly as he watched his son looking down on him in fear.
“I’ve frightened you. I apologize.”
“Should I call Clark?”
“Because the babies are moving? No. I think I can handle this one on my own.”
Kon felt tears spilling over his cheeks. Lex reached for him, and Kon curled into his father’s arms and let him rub his back.
“Mm. The joke was that bad?”
“Ahhh… ha ha…” Kon laughed weakly. He lifted his head and sniffed. Lex pulled a napkin off the table and gave it to Kon. The boy blew his nose ungracefully. “Sorry.”
“No. I’m sorry this situation has you so scared.”
“Clark said that… the doctor was worried…”
“It’s true. But you need to stop worrying. I’ll be okay.”
“Pa is stressing you out, and you don’t need any more stress.” Kon sat next to him and sniffled a little more. He was grateful that his father never made him feel embarrassed for crying. Not that he made a habit of it, but Lex always treated it as a non-event. Even if he never cried himself.
“I wish I could tell you it this wasn’t true. I… had already spread myself too thin. I should have told Clark that this arrangement wouldn’t do. I should have let you go spend the holidays at the farm.”
“But then… we wouldn’t be able to spend Christmas with you.”
“I don’t like the holidays, Kon. They’re painful for me.” Lex said simply, rubbing circles over the silky fabric of his pajamas. “I think I’d like them to be special for you, though.”
Kon hunched over, fretting, as his father leaned into another movement by the twins. Lex narrowed his eyes, pulled up his shirt, and placed Kon’s hand against his belly. The boy’s mouth dropped open. He could feel the small movements underneath the taut, hairless skin. He looked up and saw his father trying to gauge his reaction. Kon smiled widely, not knowing that Lex thought he looked like his other father when he did that.
Kon stood. “Were you getting breakfast?”
“Trying to. Until the girls interrupted.”
Kon looked around the kitchen and realized he couldn’t cook. “Uh… Cereal okay?”
“That would be perfect.” The smile in his father’s voice calmed and warmed him.
When Tim came out, groggily rubbing his eyes, the two of them were sitting and chatting lightly over a bowl of Peanut Butter Captain Crunch. Tim bypassed them and began to make waffles.
***
Clark and his parents returned late that afternoon to find the three of them in the den playing that violent game the boys liked so much. Grinning like a boy, Clark came up behind Lex and nuzzled his face into his neck.
“How do you feel?”
Lex caught sight of Pa and tensed. “Not too bad.”
Pa nodded to them and left the boys to their own devices. Clark started to massage Lex’s tight shoulders. He leaned over and whispered into Lex’s ear. “I know you don’t think I ever go to bat for you with my dad. We had a long talk today.”
“Clark-“
“Shhh…” Clark kissed the back of Lex’s head. “Ma backed me up. He’ll stay away if he can’t say anything nice. He’ll hold his tongue. Okay?”
“All right.”
“And Kon.” Clark’s voice turned stern. Kon grimaced. “Be respectful. He’s your grandfather. Yes, he’s being an idiot. But you still have to be polite. Okay?”
“Okay.” Kon said grudgingly. Clark swept both of them into his big arms.
“Had enough yet, Tim?”
“Oh, this is better than daytime television.” He grinned. Kon kicked at him.
***
Over the next few days, the air was still tense, but Pa and Lex mostly weren’t talking to one another. Lex came to dinner more often, although once he had excused himself halfway through. Clark had gone after him and come back with assurances that Lex would be fine, and he would make him finish dinner later.
“He’s been sick a lot lately,” Ma began tentatively. “Is he…?”
Clark smiled a little proudly and pulled out some bread. “We have to keep an eye on him. He’s doing better, though.”
“Lex has always been a trouper.” Pa added. Kon raised a brow in surprise.
Kon allowed himself to be convinced to go see the Christmas lights with his grandparents. It was funny. He had seen them from above a few years before, flying over the city, trying to be the super boy that everyone expected him to be. It was very different, strolling through the park with his grandparents. People to whom he belonged. Christmas was a bizarre little holiday when you looked at it from the outside.
Kon’s first Christmas with Lex was the first that Lex had ever celebrated, really. He’d never wrapped a gift before. Kon was certain of that. All of the gifts were in the same wrapping paper and were taped so efficiently that they’d had to get scissors to get them open. Kon had asked cheekily if no one had ever given him a gift before. Lex had said of course, but it was difficult to wrap a Lamborghini.
“No. Like… has anyone given you a normal gift?” Kon knew that the cars people gave Lex were never given with him in mind as a person.
“Why would anyone give me a gift?” Dead serious. Lex had simply handed him the scissors and watched him try to pry his way into his gifts half-heartedly. Lex didn’t mind to give gifts. He did it whenever he felt a gift was wanted or deserved and seemed to boggle at the idea of a holiday that made it perfunctory. Lex didn’t even celebrate his birthday. In fact, he had asked Clark to tell his parents not to bother giving him anything.
Kon looked out on the snow-covered park. “Pa, I’m sorry for… the way I’ve been acting.”
“I appreciate that Kon.” The man put a hand on his shoulder.
“But you taught me to always be honest about how I felt. And to be direct with people and not to let my pride get in the way of doing what is right.”
Pa rubbed his mouth.
Kon wrinkled his nose and gazed up at him in hurt and confusion. “I’m embarrassed at the way you’ve been acting. If feel bad letting Tim see that. I always told him you were a great man. And you know that what you’re doing to my dad isn’t right.”
“Kon, we’re really sorry that things are working out so badly,” Ma said. Kon shook his head hard and stepped away.
“You haven’t done anything, Ma. Dad was sick and tired before you guys came, and now he’s sicker and tireder and lonely. It’s awful. Can you just do one thing for me, Pa? Okay?”
Pa looked over Kon’s shoulder and frowned deeply. “I’ll try, Kon. I’m trying now.”
“I don’t really know what it was like for him growing up, but he always sort of sits to the side when Clark and I do the Christmas thing, and now everyone is in it but him. You made him feel like he wasn’t even part of the family! And he doesn’t need that right now.” He tugged at his sleeves awkwardly. “You can take back whatever you got me for Christmas. Just please be nice to my dad.”
Pa sighed and reached forward to grab Kon in a bear hug. “You don’t have to give up your Christmas presents to get me to do what I should be doing already.”
Kon sniffed a little and let Pa hug him. Soon Ma joined in, muttering about her stubborn, stubborn boys.
He returned home to see Tim with a sour look on his face. “What’s wrong?”
“Your parents are being schmoopy in the music room.”
“Y’all have a music room?” Pa frowned and turned to Ma with a baffled grin. Tim shrugged.
“It has the piano and stuff.”
“What do you mean schmoopy? Define.” Kon asked, taking off his coat. Tim made a face.
“Clark was trying to sing that Jewish song earlier. Bhagavad gita. Badly, I might add. Singing is not one of his super powers.” Tim came up to them. “I think he was trying to do it mostly to annoy Lex. So Lex pulled him into the music room and sang it properly for him, along with a bunch of other Hebrew songs I didn’t know he knew. Then they started playing other stuff, and when I peeked my head in, they were being schmoopy.” Tim rolled his eyes at the expression on his friend’s face. “Sugary sweet. Giggly.”
“Lex doesn’t giggle.” Kon protested.
“Clark does.” Tim returned, with a lopsided grin. “Ohhh, does Clark giggle. If I’d had the forethought to bring my camera, I’d have some super blackmail on my hands. I don’t think Clark would like Bruce to see him like that.”
Ma chuckled and beamed. She and Pa headed to their room, and Kon nodded to them, faked a pass to his room and headed back around for the music room.
Sure enough, Clark and Lex were seated at the piano. They had abandoned playing and were now just kissing each other gently. Lex had both of his hands in Clark’s hair, gazing fondly on his face with the hint of a smile on his lips. Clark grinned madly and slid his hands under Lex’s shirt. He leaned down and put his face to Lex’s belly.
“God, what precious cargo,” he whispered.
“I’m glad you trust me to hold it for you.” Lex twirled Clark’s dark hair around his fingers.
“You’re horrible,” Clark declared.
“Nothing but your vessel, am I?” Lex joked, with a straight face. Clark kissed him, holding Lex by the hips.
“Mmm. You’re my everything.”
Lex bowed his head, and Kon could see the beginnings of a big, happy smile. He always turned his head when his emotions were showing. Kon left the room with a lighter heart. It looked like they might be getting ready to fool around. If Lex could being that big. Kon didn’t know. And he didn’t really want to see that but somehow he was glad it was happening anyway.
***
Kon knew that something was wrong from the way Clark turned his head. He’d seen him do it a hundred times on the job, and now it turned his insides to ice water. Clark blurred away before anyone could ask him what was wrong. A moment later, he called for Ma.
They all ran to the sound of his voice. He was in the hallway, holding up Lex, who was curling around his middle. His face was scrunched up in pain.
“Oh!” Ma said, raising a hand to her mouth. “So soon?”
“The doctor said this might happen. Hold on… hey.” Clark shifted his grip and whispered into Lex’s ear. “Breathe, babe. I’m here, okay? I’ve got you. I’ve got you, Lex.”
Kon’s eyes fixed on his parents. He could not lose his dad. He just couldn’t.
“Ma, could you grab my cell phone? The doctor is on there.”
She moved quickly. Clark met Kon’s eye. “Hey… hey, Konnie, want to go get Lex’s suitcase? It’s in the bedroom. The lavender one, okay? Got it?”
Kon nodded swiftly and ran to his parents’ room.
The next few hours were a blur, but Tim wrapped an arm around him and tried to keep him from freaking out too much by listing the millions, or what seemed like millions of injuries that Lex had already managed to survive. His doctor came out and assured them that he would be fine and the twins were doing well. They had given him some medication to stop the premature labor and to manage his blood pressure, for now, but he would need to stay in the hospital for a few days to keep an eye on him. He still might be delivering early. It was near midnight when they were allowed in to see him. Clark was already by his side, looking as though he had been through surgery as well.
“Kon, come here.”
The boy ran to Lex and tried to give him a gentle hug. Lex was hooked up to a heart and fetal monitor, and they had him on an IV drip too. Kon was sure his face betrayed how scared he was. Lex looked a little groggy still.
“Oh, Dad…”
“I know. I’m such a drama queen. It’s all about me.” Lex actually looked a little embarrassed.
“We’ve been worried about you,” Ma scoffed. She lightly grasped his hand then let him go before Lex could get uncomfortable. Kon felt like a child, but he laid next to his father and put his head against his shoulder. Lex’s fingers came up and began to stroke his hair.
“Don’t be. I don’t want this to ruin your holiday. We all know that I’ll come through alright, even if I’m bedridden for a little while.”
“I want you to be there,” Kon whispered. Lex kissed his temple.
“It won’t make that much of a difference, Kon. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I want you to have a good time with your family. You can visit me here afterward.”
“You are his family,” Pa boomed. “How can he possibly enjoy any holiday without you around?” The old man shook his head. “The Kents are just gonna have to relocate from that posh apartment of yours so we can celebrate together.”
Lex’s eyes opened wide, and he looked at Pa with complete disbelief. Pa’s expression was a firm smile, and he walked out of the room after a moment, telling Ma he was going to have to get one of Lex’s servants to bring up their things tomorrow evening. Lex turned his head to Clark, shook it, and said almost gravely, “I think your father is possessed.”
Clark chuckled. Ma shook her head firmly and screwed up her lips. “No, he’s been exorcised. For awhile he was channeling my father.”
At that Clark just burst out laughing. He shook so hard that he leaned into Lex and started tearing up.
“Do I want to know?”
“Haha…you never got to meet Grandpa Clark. Hee… Oh, god. It’s true.”
Lex smiled a little bit. “I appreciate the effort, Martha, but you don’t have to-“
“Yes, we do. I don’t think we’ve given you a good idea of what this holiday is supposed to be about. And it isn’t denominational politics, or presents, or decorations, or who is right and when. It’s about family, and friends, and love.” She moved behind her son and squeezed his shoulders. Lex still looked skeptical, but Ma didn’t seem phased. Clark had said once that Ma probably knew Lex better than he did.
***
Tim called his father while the Kent family opened their presents on Christmas morning. Clark had curled up in the hospital bed with Lex and held him in his lap, rubbing his belly. They were both wearing matching silk monogrammed pajamas. Kon grinned when he opened a present and found that they’d given him a red pair to go with their dark violet and primary blue.
“Honestly, I thought about waiting. You’re still going to grow,” Lex admitted. His head was resting on Clark’s chest.
“We went for K.L. Too many Ks in a row wouldn’t look good.”
Lex bit back a laugh. “It’s a pity this didn’t go the other way around.” He put his hands on his belly over Clark’s. “You know your father’s initials are the same as Chris Kringle.”
Tim howled in laughter. “Oh wow, for the next one we’re going to have to make sure Clark gets knocked up. I just had the scariest image of him flying over Metropolis in his suit-“
“Okay, that’s enough,” Clark said loudly. His eyes told them he wasn’t really angry. “It’s bad enough that I have to fly around with this super pudge I’ve gained.”
“Oh, you have not.” Lex rolled his eyes.
“Yuh huh.”
“Even if you’ve gained a little-“
“Told you so.”
“Well, it’s nothing compared to what I’ve gained, so hush up.”
“You’re all baby. This,” Clark pinched his side. “Is flubber.”
“Well. Sympathy flub, anyway. Quit complaining. At least it’s cute pudge.” He shrugged. “At least I think it’s cute. Maybe you should gain a little more, so that Lois Lane will stop ogling you?”
“I’m sure glad you two waited.” Pa shook his head. “Cause if you’d gotten the Luthor boy in trouble back when you’d first met, I’d’ve had to turn my shotgun on you, son.”
After a few minutes, they were laughing so hard that a nurse had to come in and asked them to calm down while she checked Lex’s vitals. She wished them a happy holiday as she left, and told them to keep an eye on her patient. He was stubborn.
“We’ll do the best we can, Becky,” Ma promised. She watched her boys proudly. Tim was surprised when someone handed him a present and floored when he’d realized he’d been given a dark green pair of the family pajamas.
Clark sighed in irritation when his beeper went off. “And here I thought the big ones had gone on holiday with us.”
He wiggled out from under Lex and set him gently back on the pillows. Lex pulled him back down by his collar and gave him a deep kiss. “Be careful.”
“Always.” Clark replied, giving him another kiss. Then he went lower and kissed Lex’s belly lightly. Logically, Kon knew that his fathers must get scared sometimes, but it was so seldom that they showed it. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
When he left, Ma turned on the television set in their room and looked for the news. “Oh, just some mutants.”
She put her hand to her chest, and Pa wrapped his arms around her. They watched Clark fight them off and waited for him to come back.
***
“Your family is so weird.” Tim told Kon as he waited in line to check his luggage.
“I know.”
“And uh… wonderful.”
“… I know.” Kon smiled a little. He grabbed his friend in a bone crushing hug.
“Ugh! Okay, don’t super hug me to death! We’ll see each other at the Titan meetings.” Tim hushed his voice on the last sentence.
“I know. I’m just happy you didn’t bail on me through all this weirdness.”
“Families are drama. Have you taken a look at the Batfamily lately?”
Kon grinned and bit his lip.
“So your dad is going to deliver today?”
“Yeah. Both he and the twins are getting sicker, so they can’t wait anymore.”
“They’ll be fine. I bet the twins have his ‘shit-doesn’t-stick’ mutation.”
“Hope so.” Kon bounced a little nervously. Tim shook his head.
“Normal kids wouldn’t be this excited about having siblings. They’re going to leech time from your parents.”
“Babies do that. But… man, I got a car for Christmas. You know my parents adore me.” Maybe you couldn’t wrap a Lamb, but you sure could wrap the keys.
“For a guy who doesn’t believe in holidays, Lex sure as hell gives good gifts.”
“I think it was mostly because I’m turning sixteen this year. He likes to give people what he thinks they can use. That and I think he genuinely just like cars. I’m sure he wants me to learn to be responsible for it.” Kon moved forward in the line. “Besides, if I have a car, he can ground me more efficiently.”
Tim laughed. “Of course. Can’t take things away if you have nothing, right?”
Kon looked at his watch. “Okay, I uh… I wanna be in the hospital when he has the babies. So I gotta go.”
Kon hugged him again. Tim let him but started to blush after a few minutes. A few people were looking at them, so Tim gave him a peck on the cheek as well. “See you later, swtheetie.”
He said it loudly enough that a few people laughed. Kon hugged him yet again and swung him around.
“Oh, Delilah! How will I ever go on without you!”
“Save me from the peril, Warrior Angel!”
The two of them had several people in the line shaking in laughter.
“Okay okay!” Kon made himself back away.
“Good luck with your dad! I know he’ll be fine.”
Kon nodded and ran out the door. Pa was waiting on him to bring him back to the hospital.
***
That night was hell, but when they finally let Kon in to see his father and his new sisters, it was worth the wait. Both Clark and Lex were holding a small redheaded bundle. He came in and looked upon them reverently. They must have inherited Lex’s abilities; otherwise they would have been stuck in the ICU for a few more weeks.
“Meet your sisters, Konnie. Laura and Lillian.”
Ma was sitting by Lex and feeding him some ice. “To be honest, I’m glad you went with Laura. Growing up, I hated my name. It made me feel like an old lady. Now that I am one, it isn’t so bad though.”
Kon drifted over to his fathers and watched in amazement. Clark was trying to feed one of the tiny girls with a bottle. “She won’t eat.”
“Give her some time to get used to the nipple.” Ma advised.
“Laura ate right away.”
“Seems like Laura takes after you,” Lex muttered hoarsely. He looked up and smiled wearily at Kon. Martha excused herself and moved so that he could sit by his father. The boy felt a huge weight come off of his shoulders. His sisters were here and his father was out of harm’s way.
“Wow. So… wow.”
“Precisely what I was thinking,” Lex said. Clark sat on the other side of them.
“Hell of a present you gave me this year. How are you ever going to top it?”
Lex gave a dry laugh. “It’s a little late to be a Christmas present.”
“Great way to ring in the New Year, then. It’s still a wonderful gift. You’re amazing.” Clark leaned over and kissed him on the nose.
“Be that as it may, I’m thinking we have enough kids.”
Clark chuckled. “Unless I carry them?”
“Sure, if you have them, pop out as many as you can stand.” Lex readjusted Laura in his arms. Kon leaned closer but felt shy about going too near the baby. “You can touch her little hand. It’s safe.”
Kon lifted Laura’s hand with one fingers. “Whoa.”
“Yeah.” Lex sighed happily. “Clark, I promise you, however amazing this seems, your parents… this year they gave me a family. And I know that I had you two, and that was more than I had ever dared to ask for and you both have made me so…”
He stopped and blinked quickly, looking up at Clark who grinned and kissed a tear that was running down Lex’s face.
“They surprised me too. Well, not Ma. She already loved the hell out of you.”
“Your mother is just full of love. She adopts everyone she can. I doubt your father will be easy on me in the future."
“Pa figured out even if you two fought, you’re one of us,” Kon said, deciding not to tell them about the talk he’d had with Pa.
“He figured out he was acting like his father-in-law,” Clark said. He wrapped a free arm around the two of them. “Pa’s relationship with Grandpa Clark meant that he and I barely knew each other. I guess… it wasn’t worth it to be ‘right’ about whatever he fights with you about. And I’m glad.”
Clark kissed Lex’s brow several times gently. Kon snuggled close to his dads and sisters.
“Part of a family,” Lex muttered. “Best gift anyone could ever give me.”
Genre: futurefic, mpreg
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Clex, maybe a hint of Tim/Kon
Summary: It’s Christmas, and Lex is Jewish, Atheist, and pregnant with twins. Even worse, the in-laws are staying over for the holidays. Woobie!
Spoilers: Through S3, references Kon but other than that no comic spoilers
Warnings: AU, mpreg (birth offscreen), angst, schmoop
Kon leaned out of the doorframe and bit his lip, watching his dad on his knees arranging presents underneath their Christmas tree. It was kinda strange because Lex didn’t really believe in any of the religious backing of the season, but Kon knew that his grandparents would be coming up later in the day, and Lex had been working hard to make the penthouse look nice for them. Lex wiped his brow, looked at the arrangement critically, and rubbed a circle on his burgeoning belly. The twins were due in about a month and a half, and Kon couldn’t help but try to be protective of him.
“Need some help, dad?”
Lex turned just a bit and frowned up at him. “No, I’m pretty much finished.”
He started to stand.
“No, no, I’ll come to you.” Kon walked over and wiped his hands on his jeans. “It looks nice.”
“I had a good teacher,” he returned. Kon sat on the couch and slumped. Lex fussed with the presents’ positions a little more, in that manic way he did when he wanted to pretend something wasn’t bothering him. He rolled up his sleeves. His face was flushed, and he felt a little warm. “I watched your grandmother do it a few times… What time is Tim coming over?”
“He said he’d be in at three.”
“I’ll drive you to the airport then.”
“Are you sure?”
Lex set a hand atop his belly and took a deep breath. “Or Clark will. If he gets home anytime soon. Maybe I should get him a watch for Christmas.”
Kon chuckled. Lex tried to maneuver himself up. “No, wait dad.”
Lex leaned back onto his hands and closed his eyes. Kon took his hands and helped pull Lex to his feet. Lex had a hard time since entering his third trimester moving around, but Kon’s strength made it pretty easy for him to help his dad get up and down. “How would I ever get around without you and Clark?”
“I’m guessing a lot easier. You wouldn’t be pregnant.”
Lex tilted his head and raised his brows in acknowledgement. “True enough.” He stepped back from his handiwork. “Does this look right?”
Kon shrugged. “I think it looks fine.” He watched his father looking at it harshly. “Why… it looks fine, dad. Why is it so important for it to be perfect?”
“I’m merely trying to alleviate tension between all parties. I’d like to avoid comments about how strange it is for the anti-Christ to celebrate Christmas.”
“Who said that?” Kon asked incredulously. Lex’s eyes hardened. “Ma wouldn’t… Pa?”
“Not exactly.” He turned and headed into the kitchen. Kon raised his brows. His dads were so weird.
Clark returned almost a half hour later, disheveled and glasses askew. Kon suspected he’d had to do a little “super” work before he got back.
Kon ran out to greet him. “Hey!”
“Hey! Where’s your dad?” Clark asked.
“He moves slow these days.” Lex came into the room. Clark walked over and hugged him. Lex rested his head on the curve of Clark’s shoulder.
“How do you feel, babe? Up to dinner with my parents tonight?”
“You know your father expects me there whether I am or not.”
Clark shrugged. Kon frowned. Lex looked awfully tired. He only kept the security guards on staff during the holidays, so he’d been preparing the penthouse by hand all day. His hand was on the curve of his back, and he looked up at Clark with half-lidded eyes.
Kon knitted his brows and tried not to sound pushy. “Uh… one of you has to come with me to pick up Tim.”
Lex’s face fell. “How did I forget that so quickly?”
Clark winced. “”Pregnancy brain. I have no excuse. I just suck at planning.”
“So Dad can come with me to pick up Tim, and you can be here to meet Ma and Pa. Right?” Kon rocked on his heels. Lex frowned a little but moved to get his coat.
“Of course I will. We’ll be back in time to meet your grandparents.”
They weren’t. The plane had been delayed, and Lex came back to the penthouse overtired with two hungry boys. Pa Kent’s eyes went straight to Lex protruding middle then turned to ask Tim how his flight had been. Tim narrowed his eyes and proceeded to bore him with endless details about the type of plane they had been on and how the weather patterns were affecting the aviation. Kon smiled and caught Tim’s eye. He was doing it on purpose.
Lex slipped past Jonathan and into Clark’s arms. Kon wished he had Clark’s hearing. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he figured Clark was urging him to hit the sack early. Lex shook his head and looked worried.
“So, you boys ready for dinner?” Jonathan asked rubbing his hands together.
Kon looked over to his dads. “Uh, I think Tim’s pretty tired from the flight.”
Tim raised a brow. “Yes. Exhausted.”
They ordered in. Ma was pleased and had them all sit around the table. Lex could barely keep his eyes open, but managed to stay awake through dinner with some shoulder rubs from Clark. Kon noticed how Pa looked at the two of them whenever they touched. It was weirding him out. Pa had been so nice when he lived with them at the farm before Lex had taken him in.
“So, what’s up with this family drama?” Tim asked. He was setting up his things in Kon’s room. Both he and the Kents would be staying for the holidays. They had several guest rooms, but Lex had said it would be nice for them to be able to talk at night without being interrupted.
“I think Pa is annoyed that they’re having Christmas here this year. And Lex well…”
“He looks horrible. I’ve never seen him like that. Except when he had cancer. I guess that was worse.”
“He’s tired,” Kon protested. Tim rolled his eyes.
“I bet.”
“It’ll get better once Pa is used to staying here,” Kon predicted optimistically.
It didn’t. Pa muttered about the lack of Christian imagery around the house. Commented on Lex’s weight. Pointed out when Lex made business calls or wasn’t able to attend activities with the group. When Lex helped them clean up after dinner, Pa suggested he was lowering himself to help them. When he didn’t, Pa suggested he was too good to get his hands dirty. After a few days, Lex started spending more time working or hanging out with Martha.
***
One night, Kon and Tim were playing Soul Caliber III in the den before dinner, and Pa came in and examined the tree.
“Would it kill him to have a nativity?” he said under his breath.
Tim gutted Kon’s man and laughed in evil glee.
“Aww! You killed me,” Kon protested.
“Voldo wins! I don’t think it would kill him,” Tim said. He didn’t even turn around and instead started selecting his next player. “It would probably feel like a slap in the face to his mom, though. The Jew thing, even if he is atheist. Unless of course, you approve of slapping around dead parents, then by all means, put up a plastic Jesus.”
Pa actually looked a little like he’d been slapped. Tim crooked his mouth and switched his conversation back to the game. Pa left the room.
That night at dinner, Pa was uncharacteristically quiet, until Lex answered his BlackBerry at the table and was promising to get back to the caller shortly.
“I think you should turn that thing off. Us Kents consider dinner family time,” Pa scolded sharply. Ma shot him a disapproving look. Lex opened his mouth and looked at him cautiously. When he finished his call, Lex took a deep breath and slid the phone back into his pocket.
“While many of my employees have the luxury of a Christmas vacation, I do not. This is the best that I can do, Jonathan. Either I am available at home, or I spend my days in the office.”
“Considering your… condition,” Pa said with a little disgust. Clark flitted his eyes back and forth between his mother and father as though trying to decide what to do. “I would’ve thought your family would be more important to you.”
“They are very important to me,” Lex insisted. His cheeks were turning a little pink.
“Y’wouldn’t know it, the way you put your life before theirs.”
“Jonathan!” Martha grabbed his arm. Lex’s eyes had grown wide, his nostrils flared, and his lips tensed together in the way they did before he was about to tear into someone. Kon watched intently for his father to explode at Pa.
“I’m sorry that you feel that way.”
Kon frowned. Lex was breathing deeply. He turned his gaze from Jonathan and pushed food around on his plate. Kon watched him throughout the rest of the meal. He faked a few bites, but didn’t eat anything at all.
Later that evening Kon could hear Lex and Clark yelling in their room. Since getting together, they hardly ever fought.
***
After that night, Lex made himself scarce during family outings and pleaded exhaustion during dinner. Kon could seem him moving slowly through the house, rubbing his back, and slipping away from the group whenever he could. Once he caught him sitting on the side of the bathtub, rubbing his temples. When Kon asked, Lex told him it was only a headache and that he would be fine as soon as he was able to lay down for a bit.
“Um… you’d say something if Dad was sick, wouldn’t you?” Kon asked. He poked at the brazed salmon.
“It’s the pregnancy. It’s wearing him down. He’ll be okay.” Clark gave a wavering smile. Liar. He was obviously trying to ignore his father’s expression, which was hard to read, but included a lip curl.
“I think that’s to be expected with twins.” Ma said, trying to give Kon a reassuring smile. He bit his lip. If he didn’t, he might say something nasty to Pa. Tim grabbed his hand under the table. Kon looked in his eyes and calmed a little.
When the rest of the family had retired to the den, Kon said he was going to the bathroom and headed further up the hall. When he reached his parents’ room, he peeked inside and saw Lex lying on the bed over the covers with an arm draped over his face. His middle stuck up in the air, and Kon kind of wished he could x-ray like Clark did to be sure the babies were okay.
“Dad?”
There was silence for a moment then Lex uncovered his eyes and looked over at his son. “Come on in.”
Kon sat on the edge of the bed. His parents slept in a huge king-size, and Lex looked a little swallowed by it, in spite of his bulging middle. “Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m just tired.”
“That’s what Dad says. He’s a bad liar.”
“Your grandfather hates me,” Lex stated bluntly.
Kon played with his fingers. “I don’t understand why. I’ve never seen him treat anyone so bad.”
“He hated my father, and then I took his son, and then I took his grandson. I’m probably not exactly what he expected in a daughter-in-law,” Lex added dryly, resting a hand on his bump.
“Well, he needs to get over it. Why don’t you tell him off?”
“I can’t do that. He’s Clark’s father and your grandfather, and I decided a long time ago that I could never come between Clark and his family.” He propped himself up on his elbows. He did look tired and a little flushed and puffy, now that Kon thought about it. “He’s a stubborn man, but overall, he is a good man.”
“He isn’t being what he taught me was good in a man.”
“Sometimes you have to be patient with people you love. He makes me angry, and he raises my blood pressure, but Jonathan has many good traits you can learn from.” Lex frowned. “Don’t look so sad, Kon. Every family has their problems. Comparatively, ours aren’t so insurmountable.”
Kon sat with his father for awhile before returning to the rest of the family. He couldn’t help but be stiff and quiet. Jonathan tried to shake Kon’s shoulders, but Kon shrugged him off and moved to the other side of the couch where he sat with Tim sullenly. Until Pa tried to make a joke. Then Kon found himself storming out before he knew it.
“What’s got into that boy?” Pa asked. Clark sighed and muttered to himself.
“He’s a teenager, Jonathan. You remember how temperamental Clark was at that age. He put his hand in a wood chipper.”
“Cool!” Tim exclaimed. Kon ran the rest of the way back to his room and waited for Tim to come yell at him for leaving him alone with the old people. To his surprise, when Tim returned, he didn’t mention it, just gave him a rub on his shoulder and let him talk.
***
And so the little family feud between Lex and Pa had spread to Kon. Eventually, Clark took him aside and asked him to be a little more polite to his grandfather. Kon had snapped back that he would when Pa gave a little respect to his father.
“Hey, how would you boys like to come with us to the park after church? I hear the lights are great this time of year. Never seen ‘em, being from Smallville.” Pa asked energetically that Saturday evening.
“I’m not going to church,” Kon said immediately. Tim raised his brows eagerly. The insubordination amused him. And Tim had worried he would be bored visiting Kon’s painfully harmonious parents.
“Excuse me, young man? You are so going to church.”
“I am not. You’re not my father, and you can’t make me.” Kon almost winced. He sounded like he was five. Tim snorted.
“Well, I guess Clark can make you, but he shouldn’t have to.” Pa stared him down, reminding Kon of one of their bulls.
“I’m half Jewish. I don’t want to go to your church.” Kon could practically hear the jaws dropping. “I’m staying home with Dad.”
Pa looked frustrated and confused. “Look here, Kon, I don’t give a damn what Lex does, any member of my family-“
“Jonathan, stop it.” Ma had entered the room quietly. She crossed her arms.
“You think he should just stay home? Just skip church? Clark never skipped church.”
“Clark was our son. Kon is their son. Kon has to make these decisions on his own, and we cannot get in the middle of that.” Ma walked up behind her grandson and touched his arm lightly, as though he might push her away. Kon felt bad for making them feel bad. He wasn’t angry at Ma at all. “Plus, I’m sure Lex wouldn’t mind the company. Hm? Holidays must be hard on him. His childhood… didn’t have much family time.”
Kon nodded and looked back to Pa, who had seemed to deferred to her. Unfortunately, later that evening Kon sat in the hallway, listening to Pa and Lex in the bedroom.
“You aren’t going to raise that boy to be a heathen.”
“I’m doing the best I can. It’s his choice what he does religiously-“
“It’s your job to guide him!”
“I’d hardly be a good guide on that front.”
“Kon is a special boy. He can’t be running wild.”
“I think I’m infinitely more qualified than you to assess delinquent adolescent behavior.”
“You go and use your big words, Luthor, but it doesn’t change the fact you need to do better by that boy!”
Kon covered his ears and tried to force himself not to run into that room and force Pa to shut up. He could hear the tension rising in his dad’s voice, even if he refuse to shout back at Pa. If only Kon had been better behaved, maybe Pa’d leave his dad alone.
***
The next morning Kon had intended to be a good grandson and go along. Just so Pa would be a little nicer to his dad, but one look at Pa, and Kon lost the will to put on his suit. Tim was still in bed. He walked up to Clark and gave him a hug.
“Sorry I’m such a brat,” he whispered. Clark tousled his hair.
“I happen to like brats,” Clark said conspiratorially. He took in a deep breath and put his hands on his son’s shoulders. “Kon, I don’t want to worry you, but you guys are going to be alone with him so… his doctor is worried about his blood pressure. Probably nothing will happen, but if you see anything weird, give me a call? I’ll answer and be here in a couple of seconds. Okay? He might get dizzy or he might start getting pains in his belly. Just call me. I’ll make sure he gets to the doctor quick.”
Kon felt tears sting his eyes. “Yeah. I... I will. Enjoy your time with Ma.”
Pa looked at him then, seriously and intensely. He said nothing but pushed his glasses back on his nose. He nodded to Kon. Kon turned away and headed back to bed.
When he woke again an hour later, Kon wandered into the kitchen to find his dad leaning over the counter breathing heavily.
“Dad!” Kon rushed to his side and leaned over him worriedly.
“Kon...” His face was pinched in discomfort. “It’s just… the girls moving. No worries.”
Kon slid his arms around his father and coerced him into sitting down. Lex complied and continued to rub his belly as he watched his son looking down on him in fear.
“I’ve frightened you. I apologize.”
“Should I call Clark?”
“Because the babies are moving? No. I think I can handle this one on my own.”
Kon felt tears spilling over his cheeks. Lex reached for him, and Kon curled into his father’s arms and let him rub his back.
“Mm. The joke was that bad?”
“Ahhh… ha ha…” Kon laughed weakly. He lifted his head and sniffed. Lex pulled a napkin off the table and gave it to Kon. The boy blew his nose ungracefully. “Sorry.”
“No. I’m sorry this situation has you so scared.”
“Clark said that… the doctor was worried…”
“It’s true. But you need to stop worrying. I’ll be okay.”
“Pa is stressing you out, and you don’t need any more stress.” Kon sat next to him and sniffled a little more. He was grateful that his father never made him feel embarrassed for crying. Not that he made a habit of it, but Lex always treated it as a non-event. Even if he never cried himself.
“I wish I could tell you it this wasn’t true. I… had already spread myself too thin. I should have told Clark that this arrangement wouldn’t do. I should have let you go spend the holidays at the farm.”
“But then… we wouldn’t be able to spend Christmas with you.”
“I don’t like the holidays, Kon. They’re painful for me.” Lex said simply, rubbing circles over the silky fabric of his pajamas. “I think I’d like them to be special for you, though.”
Kon hunched over, fretting, as his father leaned into another movement by the twins. Lex narrowed his eyes, pulled up his shirt, and placed Kon’s hand against his belly. The boy’s mouth dropped open. He could feel the small movements underneath the taut, hairless skin. He looked up and saw his father trying to gauge his reaction. Kon smiled widely, not knowing that Lex thought he looked like his other father when he did that.
Kon stood. “Were you getting breakfast?”
“Trying to. Until the girls interrupted.”
Kon looked around the kitchen and realized he couldn’t cook. “Uh… Cereal okay?”
“That would be perfect.” The smile in his father’s voice calmed and warmed him.
When Tim came out, groggily rubbing his eyes, the two of them were sitting and chatting lightly over a bowl of Peanut Butter Captain Crunch. Tim bypassed them and began to make waffles.
***
Clark and his parents returned late that afternoon to find the three of them in the den playing that violent game the boys liked so much. Grinning like a boy, Clark came up behind Lex and nuzzled his face into his neck.
“How do you feel?”
Lex caught sight of Pa and tensed. “Not too bad.”
Pa nodded to them and left the boys to their own devices. Clark started to massage Lex’s tight shoulders. He leaned over and whispered into Lex’s ear. “I know you don’t think I ever go to bat for you with my dad. We had a long talk today.”
“Clark-“
“Shhh…” Clark kissed the back of Lex’s head. “Ma backed me up. He’ll stay away if he can’t say anything nice. He’ll hold his tongue. Okay?”
“All right.”
“And Kon.” Clark’s voice turned stern. Kon grimaced. “Be respectful. He’s your grandfather. Yes, he’s being an idiot. But you still have to be polite. Okay?”
“Okay.” Kon said grudgingly. Clark swept both of them into his big arms.
“Had enough yet, Tim?”
“Oh, this is better than daytime television.” He grinned. Kon kicked at him.
***
Over the next few days, the air was still tense, but Pa and Lex mostly weren’t talking to one another. Lex came to dinner more often, although once he had excused himself halfway through. Clark had gone after him and come back with assurances that Lex would be fine, and he would make him finish dinner later.
“He’s been sick a lot lately,” Ma began tentatively. “Is he…?”
Clark smiled a little proudly and pulled out some bread. “We have to keep an eye on him. He’s doing better, though.”
“Lex has always been a trouper.” Pa added. Kon raised a brow in surprise.
Kon allowed himself to be convinced to go see the Christmas lights with his grandparents. It was funny. He had seen them from above a few years before, flying over the city, trying to be the super boy that everyone expected him to be. It was very different, strolling through the park with his grandparents. People to whom he belonged. Christmas was a bizarre little holiday when you looked at it from the outside.
Kon’s first Christmas with Lex was the first that Lex had ever celebrated, really. He’d never wrapped a gift before. Kon was certain of that. All of the gifts were in the same wrapping paper and were taped so efficiently that they’d had to get scissors to get them open. Kon had asked cheekily if no one had ever given him a gift before. Lex had said of course, but it was difficult to wrap a Lamborghini.
“No. Like… has anyone given you a normal gift?” Kon knew that the cars people gave Lex were never given with him in mind as a person.
“Why would anyone give me a gift?” Dead serious. Lex had simply handed him the scissors and watched him try to pry his way into his gifts half-heartedly. Lex didn’t mind to give gifts. He did it whenever he felt a gift was wanted or deserved and seemed to boggle at the idea of a holiday that made it perfunctory. Lex didn’t even celebrate his birthday. In fact, he had asked Clark to tell his parents not to bother giving him anything.
Kon looked out on the snow-covered park. “Pa, I’m sorry for… the way I’ve been acting.”
“I appreciate that Kon.” The man put a hand on his shoulder.
“But you taught me to always be honest about how I felt. And to be direct with people and not to let my pride get in the way of doing what is right.”
Pa rubbed his mouth.
Kon wrinkled his nose and gazed up at him in hurt and confusion. “I’m embarrassed at the way you’ve been acting. If feel bad letting Tim see that. I always told him you were a great man. And you know that what you’re doing to my dad isn’t right.”
“Kon, we’re really sorry that things are working out so badly,” Ma said. Kon shook his head hard and stepped away.
“You haven’t done anything, Ma. Dad was sick and tired before you guys came, and now he’s sicker and tireder and lonely. It’s awful. Can you just do one thing for me, Pa? Okay?”
Pa looked over Kon’s shoulder and frowned deeply. “I’ll try, Kon. I’m trying now.”
“I don’t really know what it was like for him growing up, but he always sort of sits to the side when Clark and I do the Christmas thing, and now everyone is in it but him. You made him feel like he wasn’t even part of the family! And he doesn’t need that right now.” He tugged at his sleeves awkwardly. “You can take back whatever you got me for Christmas. Just please be nice to my dad.”
Pa sighed and reached forward to grab Kon in a bear hug. “You don’t have to give up your Christmas presents to get me to do what I should be doing already.”
Kon sniffed a little and let Pa hug him. Soon Ma joined in, muttering about her stubborn, stubborn boys.
He returned home to see Tim with a sour look on his face. “What’s wrong?”
“Your parents are being schmoopy in the music room.”
“Y’all have a music room?” Pa frowned and turned to Ma with a baffled grin. Tim shrugged.
“It has the piano and stuff.”
“What do you mean schmoopy? Define.” Kon asked, taking off his coat. Tim made a face.
“Clark was trying to sing that Jewish song earlier. Bhagavad gita. Badly, I might add. Singing is not one of his super powers.” Tim came up to them. “I think he was trying to do it mostly to annoy Lex. So Lex pulled him into the music room and sang it properly for him, along with a bunch of other Hebrew songs I didn’t know he knew. Then they started playing other stuff, and when I peeked my head in, they were being schmoopy.” Tim rolled his eyes at the expression on his friend’s face. “Sugary sweet. Giggly.”
“Lex doesn’t giggle.” Kon protested.
“Clark does.” Tim returned, with a lopsided grin. “Ohhh, does Clark giggle. If I’d had the forethought to bring my camera, I’d have some super blackmail on my hands. I don’t think Clark would like Bruce to see him like that.”
Ma chuckled and beamed. She and Pa headed to their room, and Kon nodded to them, faked a pass to his room and headed back around for the music room.
Sure enough, Clark and Lex were seated at the piano. They had abandoned playing and were now just kissing each other gently. Lex had both of his hands in Clark’s hair, gazing fondly on his face with the hint of a smile on his lips. Clark grinned madly and slid his hands under Lex’s shirt. He leaned down and put his face to Lex’s belly.
“God, what precious cargo,” he whispered.
“I’m glad you trust me to hold it for you.” Lex twirled Clark’s dark hair around his fingers.
“You’re horrible,” Clark declared.
“Nothing but your vessel, am I?” Lex joked, with a straight face. Clark kissed him, holding Lex by the hips.
“Mmm. You’re my everything.”
Lex bowed his head, and Kon could see the beginnings of a big, happy smile. He always turned his head when his emotions were showing. Kon left the room with a lighter heart. It looked like they might be getting ready to fool around. If Lex could being that big. Kon didn’t know. And he didn’t really want to see that but somehow he was glad it was happening anyway.
***
Kon knew that something was wrong from the way Clark turned his head. He’d seen him do it a hundred times on the job, and now it turned his insides to ice water. Clark blurred away before anyone could ask him what was wrong. A moment later, he called for Ma.
They all ran to the sound of his voice. He was in the hallway, holding up Lex, who was curling around his middle. His face was scrunched up in pain.
“Oh!” Ma said, raising a hand to her mouth. “So soon?”
“The doctor said this might happen. Hold on… hey.” Clark shifted his grip and whispered into Lex’s ear. “Breathe, babe. I’m here, okay? I’ve got you. I’ve got you, Lex.”
Kon’s eyes fixed on his parents. He could not lose his dad. He just couldn’t.
“Ma, could you grab my cell phone? The doctor is on there.”
She moved quickly. Clark met Kon’s eye. “Hey… hey, Konnie, want to go get Lex’s suitcase? It’s in the bedroom. The lavender one, okay? Got it?”
Kon nodded swiftly and ran to his parents’ room.
The next few hours were a blur, but Tim wrapped an arm around him and tried to keep him from freaking out too much by listing the millions, or what seemed like millions of injuries that Lex had already managed to survive. His doctor came out and assured them that he would be fine and the twins were doing well. They had given him some medication to stop the premature labor and to manage his blood pressure, for now, but he would need to stay in the hospital for a few days to keep an eye on him. He still might be delivering early. It was near midnight when they were allowed in to see him. Clark was already by his side, looking as though he had been through surgery as well.
“Kon, come here.”
The boy ran to Lex and tried to give him a gentle hug. Lex was hooked up to a heart and fetal monitor, and they had him on an IV drip too. Kon was sure his face betrayed how scared he was. Lex looked a little groggy still.
“Oh, Dad…”
“I know. I’m such a drama queen. It’s all about me.” Lex actually looked a little embarrassed.
“We’ve been worried about you,” Ma scoffed. She lightly grasped his hand then let him go before Lex could get uncomfortable. Kon felt like a child, but he laid next to his father and put his head against his shoulder. Lex’s fingers came up and began to stroke his hair.
“Don’t be. I don’t want this to ruin your holiday. We all know that I’ll come through alright, even if I’m bedridden for a little while.”
“I want you to be there,” Kon whispered. Lex kissed his temple.
“It won’t make that much of a difference, Kon. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I want you to have a good time with your family. You can visit me here afterward.”
“You are his family,” Pa boomed. “How can he possibly enjoy any holiday without you around?” The old man shook his head. “The Kents are just gonna have to relocate from that posh apartment of yours so we can celebrate together.”
Lex’s eyes opened wide, and he looked at Pa with complete disbelief. Pa’s expression was a firm smile, and he walked out of the room after a moment, telling Ma he was going to have to get one of Lex’s servants to bring up their things tomorrow evening. Lex turned his head to Clark, shook it, and said almost gravely, “I think your father is possessed.”
Clark chuckled. Ma shook her head firmly and screwed up her lips. “No, he’s been exorcised. For awhile he was channeling my father.”
At that Clark just burst out laughing. He shook so hard that he leaned into Lex and started tearing up.
“Do I want to know?”
“Haha…you never got to meet Grandpa Clark. Hee… Oh, god. It’s true.”
Lex smiled a little bit. “I appreciate the effort, Martha, but you don’t have to-“
“Yes, we do. I don’t think we’ve given you a good idea of what this holiday is supposed to be about. And it isn’t denominational politics, or presents, or decorations, or who is right and when. It’s about family, and friends, and love.” She moved behind her son and squeezed his shoulders. Lex still looked skeptical, but Ma didn’t seem phased. Clark had said once that Ma probably knew Lex better than he did.
***
Tim called his father while the Kent family opened their presents on Christmas morning. Clark had curled up in the hospital bed with Lex and held him in his lap, rubbing his belly. They were both wearing matching silk monogrammed pajamas. Kon grinned when he opened a present and found that they’d given him a red pair to go with their dark violet and primary blue.
“Honestly, I thought about waiting. You’re still going to grow,” Lex admitted. His head was resting on Clark’s chest.
“We went for K.L. Too many Ks in a row wouldn’t look good.”
Lex bit back a laugh. “It’s a pity this didn’t go the other way around.” He put his hands on his belly over Clark’s. “You know your father’s initials are the same as Chris Kringle.”
Tim howled in laughter. “Oh wow, for the next one we’re going to have to make sure Clark gets knocked up. I just had the scariest image of him flying over Metropolis in his suit-“
“Okay, that’s enough,” Clark said loudly. His eyes told them he wasn’t really angry. “It’s bad enough that I have to fly around with this super pudge I’ve gained.”
“Oh, you have not.” Lex rolled his eyes.
“Yuh huh.”
“Even if you’ve gained a little-“
“Told you so.”
“Well, it’s nothing compared to what I’ve gained, so hush up.”
“You’re all baby. This,” Clark pinched his side. “Is flubber.”
“Well. Sympathy flub, anyway. Quit complaining. At least it’s cute pudge.” He shrugged. “At least I think it’s cute. Maybe you should gain a little more, so that Lois Lane will stop ogling you?”
“I’m sure glad you two waited.” Pa shook his head. “Cause if you’d gotten the Luthor boy in trouble back when you’d first met, I’d’ve had to turn my shotgun on you, son.”
After a few minutes, they were laughing so hard that a nurse had to come in and asked them to calm down while she checked Lex’s vitals. She wished them a happy holiday as she left, and told them to keep an eye on her patient. He was stubborn.
“We’ll do the best we can, Becky,” Ma promised. She watched her boys proudly. Tim was surprised when someone handed him a present and floored when he’d realized he’d been given a dark green pair of the family pajamas.
Clark sighed in irritation when his beeper went off. “And here I thought the big ones had gone on holiday with us.”
He wiggled out from under Lex and set him gently back on the pillows. Lex pulled him back down by his collar and gave him a deep kiss. “Be careful.”
“Always.” Clark replied, giving him another kiss. Then he went lower and kissed Lex’s belly lightly. Logically, Kon knew that his fathers must get scared sometimes, but it was so seldom that they showed it. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
When he left, Ma turned on the television set in their room and looked for the news. “Oh, just some mutants.”
She put her hand to her chest, and Pa wrapped his arms around her. They watched Clark fight them off and waited for him to come back.
***
“Your family is so weird.” Tim told Kon as he waited in line to check his luggage.
“I know.”
“And uh… wonderful.”
“… I know.” Kon smiled a little. He grabbed his friend in a bone crushing hug.
“Ugh! Okay, don’t super hug me to death! We’ll see each other at the Titan meetings.” Tim hushed his voice on the last sentence.
“I know. I’m just happy you didn’t bail on me through all this weirdness.”
“Families are drama. Have you taken a look at the Batfamily lately?”
Kon grinned and bit his lip.
“So your dad is going to deliver today?”
“Yeah. Both he and the twins are getting sicker, so they can’t wait anymore.”
“They’ll be fine. I bet the twins have his ‘shit-doesn’t-stick’ mutation.”
“Hope so.” Kon bounced a little nervously. Tim shook his head.
“Normal kids wouldn’t be this excited about having siblings. They’re going to leech time from your parents.”
“Babies do that. But… man, I got a car for Christmas. You know my parents adore me.” Maybe you couldn’t wrap a Lamb, but you sure could wrap the keys.
“For a guy who doesn’t believe in holidays, Lex sure as hell gives good gifts.”
“I think it was mostly because I’m turning sixteen this year. He likes to give people what he thinks they can use. That and I think he genuinely just like cars. I’m sure he wants me to learn to be responsible for it.” Kon moved forward in the line. “Besides, if I have a car, he can ground me more efficiently.”
Tim laughed. “Of course. Can’t take things away if you have nothing, right?”
Kon looked at his watch. “Okay, I uh… I wanna be in the hospital when he has the babies. So I gotta go.”
Kon hugged him again. Tim let him but started to blush after a few minutes. A few people were looking at them, so Tim gave him a peck on the cheek as well. “See you later, swtheetie.”
He said it loudly enough that a few people laughed. Kon hugged him yet again and swung him around.
“Oh, Delilah! How will I ever go on without you!”
“Save me from the peril, Warrior Angel!”
The two of them had several people in the line shaking in laughter.
“Okay okay!” Kon made himself back away.
“Good luck with your dad! I know he’ll be fine.”
Kon nodded and ran out the door. Pa was waiting on him to bring him back to the hospital.
***
That night was hell, but when they finally let Kon in to see his father and his new sisters, it was worth the wait. Both Clark and Lex were holding a small redheaded bundle. He came in and looked upon them reverently. They must have inherited Lex’s abilities; otherwise they would have been stuck in the ICU for a few more weeks.
“Meet your sisters, Konnie. Laura and Lillian.”
Ma was sitting by Lex and feeding him some ice. “To be honest, I’m glad you went with Laura. Growing up, I hated my name. It made me feel like an old lady. Now that I am one, it isn’t so bad though.”
Kon drifted over to his fathers and watched in amazement. Clark was trying to feed one of the tiny girls with a bottle. “She won’t eat.”
“Give her some time to get used to the nipple.” Ma advised.
“Laura ate right away.”
“Seems like Laura takes after you,” Lex muttered hoarsely. He looked up and smiled wearily at Kon. Martha excused herself and moved so that he could sit by his father. The boy felt a huge weight come off of his shoulders. His sisters were here and his father was out of harm’s way.
“Wow. So… wow.”
“Precisely what I was thinking,” Lex said. Clark sat on the other side of them.
“Hell of a present you gave me this year. How are you ever going to top it?”
Lex gave a dry laugh. “It’s a little late to be a Christmas present.”
“Great way to ring in the New Year, then. It’s still a wonderful gift. You’re amazing.” Clark leaned over and kissed him on the nose.
“Be that as it may, I’m thinking we have enough kids.”
Clark chuckled. “Unless I carry them?”
“Sure, if you have them, pop out as many as you can stand.” Lex readjusted Laura in his arms. Kon leaned closer but felt shy about going too near the baby. “You can touch her little hand. It’s safe.”
Kon lifted Laura’s hand with one fingers. “Whoa.”
“Yeah.” Lex sighed happily. “Clark, I promise you, however amazing this seems, your parents… this year they gave me a family. And I know that I had you two, and that was more than I had ever dared to ask for and you both have made me so…”
He stopped and blinked quickly, looking up at Clark who grinned and kissed a tear that was running down Lex’s face.
“They surprised me too. Well, not Ma. She already loved the hell out of you.”
“Your mother is just full of love. She adopts everyone she can. I doubt your father will be easy on me in the future."
“Pa figured out even if you two fought, you’re one of us,” Kon said, deciding not to tell them about the talk he’d had with Pa.
“He figured out he was acting like his father-in-law,” Clark said. He wrapped a free arm around the two of them. “Pa’s relationship with Grandpa Clark meant that he and I barely knew each other. I guess… it wasn’t worth it to be ‘right’ about whatever he fights with you about. And I’m glad.”
Clark kissed Lex’s brow several times gently. Kon snuggled close to his dads and sisters.
“Part of a family,” Lex muttered. “Best gift anyone could ever give me.”