Title: Lex - posted 2004
Series:  Beginnings (Shadows and Stone)
Author: Lacey McBain
Rating:  G.  Lex, Bruce.
Summary:  Nine-year-old Lex Luthor meets his new roommate, Bruce Wayne.
Disclaimer:  If they were mine, Lex wouldn't need such a big closet.  You can take that however you want.
***

Beginnings:  Lex

Lex flung his suitcase down on the single bed nearest to him and slammed the door behind him.  He glared around the room that contained two beds, a pair of desks, and two chests of drawers.  A closed door undoubtedly led to a bathroom that was small and equipped with only the barest necessities.

"My closet is bigger than this," Lex said in a disdainful tone.

"You must have a lot of clothes," a voice said with a hint of amusement.

Lex whirled around to see a dark-haired boy standing by the window.  Lex could've sworn there was no one there a moment ago.

"Have you been there the whole time?" Lex asked curiously.  The boy nodded.  For a moment the two of them stared at each other, like boxers sizing up their opponents.  Lex could see that the other boy was about his age, black hair and dark eyes, easily a head taller than him.  There was something about his face that was tremendously serious.  Lex resigned himself to having a roommate who was all brains and no fun.

Lex scanned the desktop.  He walked over and picked up the book on top of the pile, holding it up towards the other boy.  "Have you read this?"

"Sun Tzu's Art of War?  Of course.  Have you?"

Lex nodded.  "Standard reading in our house.  My father has a thing for military history."

"I'm interested in Asian cultures.  I've been studying Aikido and Tai Chi.  We get to take Mandarin here, I guess."

Lex sighed.  "Yeah, my dad thought it would supplement the Greek and Latin he's been drilling me on since birth."  Lex tossed the book to the other boy, who caught it easily.  Lex shoved his suitcase aside, pulled off his suit jacket, and sank onto the bed.  "He figures it'll help in business."

"You're Alexander Luthor, right?"

"Yeah," Lex said.  "How'd you know?"

"Not that many redheads with billionaire parents."

Lex self-consciously ran a hand through his auburn hair.  "You have me at a disadvantage then," Lex said, pulling out a line he'd heard his father use on numerous occasions.

The other boy snickered.  "Do you seriously talk like that all the time?"

Lex grinned.  "Sorry.  And it's Lex.  Only my mother calls me Alexander."

"I'm Bruce."

Lex suddenly realized who his roommate was.  "Bruce Wayne."

It was Bruce's turn to look suspicious.  Lex tried to place what he knew about the other boy.  Billionaire heir to the Wayne fortune.  First family of Gotham.  Orphaned when his parents were murdered.

"Yeah, that's me," Bruce said guardedly.

"I think we've been at some of the same things with our parents."

"My parents are dead," Bruce said automatically.  Lex met his eyes and didn't waver.

"I know.  I meant before."

"Oh."

"There was some museum opening in Gotham; I remember they had huge ice sculptures everywhere."

Bruce looked at him with interest.  "Were they giant birds?"

"Yeah, and they were melting like crazy–there was water all over the floor," Lex said fondly.

"People kept slipping on the water all night.  Then somebody pushed one of the sculptures off the buffet table and it shattered.  The waiters looked like they were walking on marbles."  Bruce laughed.

"That was me."  Lex couldn't help but grin back broadly.  He had the feeling that it took a lot to get Bruce to laugh.  He seemed so ... serious.

"Really?" Bruce asked.  Lex could see the other boy assessing his size and strength.  Those ice sculptures had been huge.

"A solid silver punch ladle and a thorough knowledge of the principles of leverage made me unstoppable," Lex said wickedly.

"That was the best museum opening ever," Bruce said, impressed.  Lex just laughed.

"Me too.  You know, Bruce, I didn't want to come to this stupid school, but this could be all right."                    

Lex was pleased to see that Bruce was smiling in return.  Maybe Excelsior Prep wouldn't be so bad after all.

THE END

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