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Oliver watched Lex Luthor from across the room.
Although their companies often clashed in business and they moved in the same circles, Oliver hadn't seen Lex in person since their school days. He had seen him on television, in the newspaper, and several times as Green Arrow when he wanted to keep an eye on Lex Luthor in his city.
But this was the first evening event they had attended together. And, of course, Oliver felt like the biggest asshole the world had ever seen.
It was always like that when Lex Luthor was around. It wasn't Lex himself, it was the universe.
Even back in school, Oliver only interacted with Luthor when he wanted to set the whole school on fire, including himself.
Oliver didn't feel the slightest bit of desire to talk to Luthor right now.
But that was a lie he wanted to sell himself.
No matter how much Oliver wanted to escape the past, himself, and Lex Luthor, in the end he had to admit that their encounters had one thing in common: he felt better after the "meeting" than before.
Oliver looked at the door. He should leave now before he made the same mistake he had made in school. Only this time, he should know better. Lex Luthor was a notorious supervillain, and Oliver didn't have the excuse of being a horny teenager desperate to get laid.
He took a step toward the door, but Lex Luthor suddenly stood in front of him and stared at him as if he could read his thoughts.
“It's been a long time, Queen,” the man smiled.
Oliver saw the same boy as before. Just as torn by pain and anger as ever.
“Yes,” he confirmed, “The last time must have been at boarding school.”
“You're going to be in big trouble if they catch you,” said a bored voice.
Oliver spun around and coughed out the smoke. He didn't hide the cigarette, but he must have looked pretty scared, because Lex fucking Luthor laughed.
Oliver didn't really know him, but everyone knew he was a genius and an asshole.
Oliver had a reputation for being nothing but an asshole, which is probably why he shouldn't judge.
“That's the idea, Luthor,” Oliver grumbled, “I want to get kicked out of this school as soon as possible.”
“Then you shouldn't smoke in the attic, but somewhere where you'll get caught,” the boy suggested.
Oliver just rolled his eyes: “I know how to get kicked out of a school, thanks. First, you have to stink of smoke so the teachers get suspicious. Then you have to gradually make your hiding place more conspicuous so it doesn't look like you want to get caught. Otherwise, one of the teachers will just want to save you.”
Luthor looked at him for a long time and then nodded: “That's well thought out. Can I have a drag?”
Oliver handed over the cigarette with skepticism. He expected Luthor to stub it out, but instead he actually took a drag. He coughed like a beginner, but he didn't give the cigarette back.
“Who would have thought,” Oliver wondered, “the nerd is also a daredevil.”
“I'm not a nerd or a daredevil. I just don't hide my intelligence, and if I get caught, my father will pay to keep me here. He would do anything to make sure I never return home.”
“Amen,” said Oliver, stealing the cigarette back.
One might think that hating one's own father was not a good reason to sit smoking in the attic of the boarding school, but it was the only reason.
They exchanged stories about their fathers as quickly as they lit new cigarettes.
Oliver couldn't say which father was worse, but he knew that this hatred burned so deeply under their skin that it hurt.
With the next cigarette, he kept the smoke in his mouth and instead of handing Lex the cigarette, he handed him the smoke.
Lex looked at him as unimpressed by the kiss as he had when he caught Oliver smoking.
“If this is your attempt to replace your father's lack of love with me, then I'd better go now.”
Oliver laughed: “Please! I'm not desperate enough for that.”
Lex grinned and then asked, “Do you want to fuck?”
At that age, Oliver would never have turned down an invitation to have sex.
The sex was dirty and bad, but Oliver felt better afterward. Simply because, for a single moment, he didn't think about how much he hated his father.
Lex seemed to feel the same way.
It didn't stay a one-time-thing.
Every time something went wrong in their lives, they seemed to find each other, and the sex was almost as liberating as a real relationship.
When Oliver finally got expelled from school, he was almost relieved. At least that's what he told himself when he punched holes in the walls at his next school instead of burying himself deeper in Lex.
Luthor had invited him to his penthouse. Five floors above the party. He had used some cheap excuse.
Oliver had agreed.
Luthor had given the elevator door just enough time to close before he pinned Oliver against the wall and explored Oliver's mouth with his tongue.
Oliver pushed him back and back and back until Luthor hit the other wall and Oliver had control of his mouth.
For a moment, he thought Luthor would protest, but instead he felt a knee between his legs.
Oliver nibbled appreciatively on Lex's lower lip. Just like years ago, he still sent a shiver through the other man's body.
The elevator door opened and Lex grabbed Oliver's tie and pulled him into the apartment. He didn't even care if Oliver could keep up.
Every time Oliver paused briefly, he felt the pressure on his throat and knew that Lex wanted control.
But Oliver wanted that too.
He grabbed Lex's wrist and pulled him abruptly toward him. Their noses touched.
Lex laughed, “The same hatred still simmers inside you, Oliver. But your father has been dead for a long time.”
Oliver kissed him on the cheek, on the lips, and bit him lightly on the chin.
“Who do you hate today?” Lex asked, his clever hands moving down Oliver's shirt until they found and undid his belt.
The button underneath was next.
Oliver turned Lex around and pressed him against the kitchen island with his upper body. His hands held Lex's hands pressed against his back.
“Maybe I hate you?” he growled in Lex's ear.
“That really feels like hate,” Lex laughed. Then he let out a fake moan that could have come from a porn movie.
Oliver got the hint and let go. He gave Lex just enough space to turn around.
“Want me to guess?” Lex asked.
His hands were no longer on Oliver's pants, but were unbuttoning his jacket and shirt.
That hadn't changed, apparently. Lex was still eager to undress his sex partner while keeping all his clothes on.
“You don't know me,” Oliver growled. He would have left long ago, but he needed this just as much as he had needed it in school. Someone who understood him and temporarily replaced the hatred with sex.
It was disgusting how much Oliver was still the same boy he had been back then.
His jacket and shirt fell to the floor and Lex's fingers ran over his numerous scars as if he knew exactly what had caused them.
“You hate yourself,” Lex whispered, but in the quiet room it sounded like a whip crack, and Oliver took his counterpart's hand and squeezed it so hard he could feel the bones.
They didn't break yet, but Oliver had a strong urge to change that.
Lex just raised his eyebrow defiantly and slowly moved his other hand down until it was under Olivers boxer shorts. He squeezed just as hard as Oliver and only let go when Oliver released his hand.
As a reward, he stroked Oliver's best asset almost tenderly.
Oliver wanted to punch him, but instead he ripped Lex's shirt open because he knew Lex hated that.
Lex took his hand out of Oliver's pants and put his hands around Oliver's shoulders to pull him closer.
Oliver felt Lex's lips on his chin, on his cheek, and then on his ear.
“You hate yourself because you've become just as bad as your father.”
Oliver froze and closed his eyes.
The truth hurt. For a week, all he could think about was how much he wanted to call Roy, but he didn't. And every time he put his phone away, he felt like his own father and hated himself a little bit more.
Maybe that was why he had come to Luthor's ball. Not as a distraction, but because of exactly this.
Sex with a person who knew exactly what an asshole he was.
And the thought came to him suddenly and was mean because Lex could understand what he was talking about.
“Do you hate yourself too?” Oliver asked. “After all, you treated Superboy worse than your own father ever treated you.”
Lex didn't reply, but kissed him on the cheek. It was a concession and a small reward.
Oliver had hit the nail on the head.
“Do you want to fuck?” he asked Lex.
Lex grinned at him as if he had missed the question.
The next hour took place in the bedroom and was more like a fight than sex.
It was dirty, it was painful, and in the end, Oliver felt better than before.
Even if only a little bit.
Lex didn't kick him out, and Oliver didn't want to stay. He slowly got dressed again and left the bedroom.
The next day, he found a bill from Lex on the table for the shirt.
It was a reminder that Lex was an asshole too.
Oliver hoped it was the last time between them.
But he was lying to himself.