Chapter Text
“Kent’s omega.” The words taste like bile coming up, but they’re true. Even if they weren’t, Bruce has had more than enough practice saying distasteful lies to protect his children. He holds his ground and refuses to lower his gaze or tilt his chin. It might be decades since Bruce took his last lesson on interacting with other high society omegas, but he still knows the steps. “Who are you?”
“Connor’s mother.” Lex narrows his eyes at Bruce before scanning the living room and kitchen. Whatever he’s looking for, probably the pup, he doesn’t find it. Instead he turns his gaze back to Bruce. The scan Lex finally gives him is as insulting as it’s clearly meant. “Are you the one raising my son?”
“No.” Bruce answers. He doesn’t invite Lex in to sit or offer water.
“Ah.” Lex pushes past Bruce anyway and takes up a delicate cross legged seat on the very edge of the Kent’s couch. Compared to the worn edges of the couch and the frayed blankets draped over the back, Lex looks out of place in his business slacks and blue silk button up. “You’re one of Clark’s charity projects.”
Bruce doesn’t bother to deny it. He gets himself a glass of water, just to reinforce that Lex isn’t wanted, and takes a sip as he sits down on the stuffed chair opposite the couch. He doesn’t like Lex but while he has access to an outsider he might as well take the opportunity to learn more about his circumstances. “I take it Kent has a habit of collecting… charity projects?”
“Hmm. Before I left him he resigned himself to only animals.” Lex confirms.
The unsubtle ‘I had him first’ isn’t worth the energy it takes for Bruce to notice. Lex didn’t want Clark enough to keep him and Bruce doesn’t care enough to be possessive. It is interesting that’s the power play Lex goes for.
“He hasn’t gotten in trouble for going through so many omegas?” Bruce asks mildly. Laws might have changed over the years, but he does remember his parents and a dinner guest politician discussing a law that flagged alphas who registered too many omegas or who passed off custody too quickly.
Nobody had asked him because he was an omega pup, even though they really should have, but Bruce had thought the law was stupid. No trafficker was going to own the omegas and link them to their legal identity. Point in fact, Bruce hadn’t even been in the system until Clark registered them.
Luckily.
Had Kent realized the millions that he should have inherited with Bruce’s transfer… well, no alpha is that kind. Bruce would be chained to a bed until he was pupped for sure.
A soft clearing of Lex’s throat pulls Bruce back to the present. “If you won’t deign to grace me with your attention, shall we skip the pleasantries?”
“Apologies.” Bruce slides on the gala smile he’d use whenever some huffy Alpha was offended by his presence. “I was just realizing Kent doesn’t have any animals here.”
“I’m sure they’re with his parents on the farm.” Lex scoffs. It’s clear he’s annoyed by the continued conversation, but not enough that he’s willing to press the matter yet. “Clark never thinks about the consequences before he commits to something.”
Bruce hums, mulling that over. “I have noticed his tendency toward impulse. Who is your alpha now?”
“Mercy. She’s waiting in the car.” Lex doesn’t offer more explanation than that. While he doesn’t have any obvious tells, there’s a slight pinch to his forehead that’s new.
Good.
“And what does she do for a living?” Bruce stands and moves toward the kitchen. “Pardon my manners, can I get you something to drink?”
That seems to break him. Lex doesn’t stand or raise his voice. Instead he speaks with clear diction in a tone that expects to be obeyed. “You can fetch my son.”
“Kon isn’t leaving today. He’s sick.” Bruce lies without hesitation, pouring Lex some of the obnoxiously sweet tea that Alpha Kent always keeps on hand. If he remembers correctly Lex isn’t big on sugar but since Bruce shouldn’t know that it’s not as obvious a snub.
The picture of a consummate host, Bruce places the glass on a coaster and takes his own seat again. This time he crosses his legs at the ankles and leans forward just slightly to ensure he’s keeping perfect posture.
Lex’s eyes narrow—and yes, there’s the slight upward draw of his lip to indicate displeasure—as he sips politely on the offered tea. “Strange. He didn’t inform me that he was under the weather.”
Setting down the glass, the liquid inside barely touched, Lex moves toward the hallway. His body language and tone say worried mother but his scent reads impatient. “If he’s truly that ill, I want to check in on him.
Bruce is quick to block the path and rumble a low warning; dispensing with the high society pretense. It’s crass and below the both of them.
Lex, predictably, recoils ever so slightly from the blatant threat but he still doesn’t back down. Instead he recovers quickly, drawing himself up to his full height. It’s not quite as intimidating as it should be.
In another life Bruce never would have dreamed of behaving like a—well like a common whore. In another life, Bruce wouldn’t have had to trade his body for his children’s safety. This is far from the worst thing he’s ever done. He squares up, holding loose fists at the ready position. “Kon isn’t feeling well. You can come back when Kent is here.”
Lex, like Bruce, is built delicate. The other omega is clearly not a pushover but it’s just as clear that whatever struggles life has brought him, Lex isn’t the one to fight his physical battles.
“Mercy, go fetch Conner.” Lex commands of the alpha who pushes in through the door that Bruce forgot to lock.
The presence of an alpha has Bruce’s heart stuttering a beat.
Stupid.
In the shock of dealing with an intruder in his den, he’d forgotten he was allowed locks now. The acrid scent of threat and dominance burns the back of Bruce’s throat and sends him hurtling back to concrete walls and secondhand beds.
Alphas mean pain and pretending to be sweet until his pups are safe. This time though, he has to fight the alpha and that means more pain than Bruce has ever dared to provoke.
Baring his teeth and squaring his shoulders, Bruce moves to step in front of Mercy. “Stay back. “
And that’s when Kent walks in through the door.