Chapter Text
Apparently, the ban on superhero work at night didn't extend to Cadmus investigations. Well, Lex was also in the lab as Conner eyed an abandoned building at the docks.
He was scanning the building for the number of goons, the presence of lead and so on when suddenly there was someone behind him. A heartbeat he recognised. As he turned around his eyes went wide. One. What was Robin doing in Metropolis? And two. There was no way it was Tim Drake-Wayne under that mask. Not with how his lips were twisted in annoyance.
“What are you doing here?” Robin asked. His voice was a lot like Tim's to his super hearing. So maybe it was Tim?
“Status?” he heard Dad ask in his ear.
“I'm investigating something,” Conner said slowly and disabled his Comms temporarily. Sorry dad. “Earlier today two thugs associated with this place tried to hijack a LexCorp truck in the Meadows,” he said, arms up, feeling conflicted that Tim had no clue about his true identity. “My team tracked them here,” he pointed to the building with his head.
Robin listened and nodded. “Okay, team player. Since this is your turf until the real Superman is back, I won't argue, we can investigate together,” he decided with an unfair smirk. So annoying.
This was going to be a fun night, Conner thought as he turned Comms back in. “Robin will be joining us,” he informed everyone. Really fun night. He thought again as he quickly texted Dad ‘How much should I tell him?’
‘Whatever you think will help later,’ Dad's response was all kinds of worrying. Was he that worried about Cadmus? Or was it just his usual overprotectiveness? All questions for later.
“So? What did you see?” Robin asked, crouching next to him as Conner returned to watching the compound. He was wishing really hard he wasn't aware it was Tim behind that domino mask. Pretty, smart, witty Tim he had pizza with, and would not mind having lunch with again.
“About thirty goons, eighteen outside, rest inside. Door’s locked with a fancy lock, no signs of lead anywhere,” he said and Robin whistled.
“Impressive,” he said even though he didn't sound all that impressed. Conner rolled his eyes. “So you have a whole team somewhere around here?”
“We can't all get our suits from Batman,” Conner shrugged while studying goons' patrol routes. Calculating the spots where they had no vision of each other. “Stay here I'll take them out,” he said and was about to fly off when Robin stopped.
“Since when are Super’s all stealthy?” He asked, sounding seriously offended.
“Since it's me? And this whole thing is delicate, and I don't want it to be super obvious I was here,” Conner hissed and proceeded with his plan.
And of course, Robin couldn't just sit back. He had to help. And almost get them caught. Wasn't Batman known for being stealthy? At least the team was mostly silent. Or muted.
Then was the lock. Conner pulled out the decryptor. It couldn't be hacked. But it should stop working once it's out of power.
“Really? Gadgets?” Was Tim really going to be a snarky ass the whole time?
“Breaking the wall would make it pretty obvious who was here,” Conner rolled his eyes as he flew to find and fry the fuse boxes connected to the lock. According to his calculations, there is no chance the power inside the building would go out from this.
And he was right, thank you Dad's genius-level intelligence. He knew no one was watching the door. Confident the guys outside were enough of a protection so they managed to sneak in and get to the rafters.
Well. Conner quietly got them to the rafters. “Don't freak out,” was the only warning Robin got before he picked him up by the scruff of his outfit to fly up when he was fully confident no one would see them.
To his credit, Robin didn't freak out. “Bit of a warning next time,” he grumbled while fixing himself.
“I did warn you,” Conner shrugged. Goons here were not that much more careful. Less actually since they were counting on the squad outside.
“Whatever. What now? We silently knock everyone out to have our sweet time investigating?” he could feel the eye roll even if he couldn't see it. Wasn't Batman all about stealth?
“Basically,” Conner whispered back, not mentioning the thing outside. And sneaked to where he thought was the best spot to start. He vaguely heard Robin mumble something rude. “Language,” he chastised.
Overall it wasn't hard to knock everyone out. And once they were out cold and tied up in one corner Conner went to get any data on them he could. Sadly nothing on Cadmus, the location of their main base or their boss. But there was a mention of a mysterious cooperator. Maybe Cadmus.
“They seem to have bases all over town. Disguised as storage facilities or still establishing businesses,” Robin called out from where he was investigating.
Conner walked over to him, having copied all the data this base had access to. Robin was right. And there was even a map “Doesn't look like any of these is the main base,” Ash hummed in his ear and Conner passed it on adding “One of these must have more information.”
“We can agree on this,” Robin said while stifling a yawn.
“We should go and call the police before they wake up,” Conner hummed glad tonight wasn't a total waste. Using his powers at night was more draining.
“You sure? One of them might know something,” Robin countered.
“They're just goons,” Conner shook his head. “And we need to talk,” he added before, this time with a warning, disabling his comms after assuring them he'd be in contact if anything happened.
Robin, as hesitant as he was to work together, actually agreed to listen to him out. And even to a late-night snack. So Conner ordered takeout to a special spot in town. Using a card under a pretend name. Colin Cloves liked his random pickup spots.
With their food, they settled on a rooftop and watched the cops raid the hideout full of knocked-out goons. It still amazes Conner that fast food was faster than cops.
“So, what did you want to talk about?” Robin asked once they settled.
“Why I'm here… umm I'll be easier if you can see my face,” Conner decided to trust Robin. Or at least Tim. “Sorry I kind of figured out your secret identity already," he grinned after removing his glasses. They were what made the scrambling work.
“Con… what? How?” Tim demanded, clearly shocked but kept his mask on.
“Your heartbeat. It's hard to not focus on the heartbeats of people I think are important, and you're kind of my first friend outside Dad's company,” Conner explained, taking a bite of his burger. “Sorry,” he said once more.
“Okay… at least we're even with you showing me your face, I guess. So what were you doing here? It's not just about your dad's truck?” Tim let that go.
“Well… kinda does. That truck was connected to a specific project that was closed a while ago. Project that went rogue and made… well me,” letting it all out was harder than he thought. And yes, maybe it was a bit soon, but Conner really would like to have someone to fall back on in case of a mess. Someone other than his dad.
“Shit. I forgot you're a super. Yet you're Lex's son. How?”
“It's complicated but I'm somewhere between a clone and artificial baby of my dad and Superman made without any side's consent,” he said with one breath and an awkward silence fell over them.
“And I guess that's why you guys didn't go to JL?”
“They would never believe Dad didn't have anything to do with Cadmus, the name of the project, we use it for simplicity,” Conner sighed.
“So you're just going out alone? With no training or anything?” Robin huffed clearly, not happy about it.
“I'm more durable than you, have a whole team dedicated to keeping me safe, and when we have enough proof dad wasn't involved with my creation and how evil Cadmus potentially is we plan to send it to Batman since he's close,” Conner shook his head. “Getting Dad to let me help with even the smallest things around the city was a miracle,” he added with a chuckle.
Robin, or Tim as Conner would rather call him. Tim was nice, but Robin was a jerk. So far at least.
“I was such a jerk back there,” Tim whined.
“Eh, just be nicer next time we run into each other?” Conner offered and finished his burger. Dad wasn't going to be happy he was eating junk food at this hour.
“Lex Luthor being a good dad is still hard to imagine,” Tim chuckled and yawned. “And I'm helping you with this especially since Black Mask is involved.”
“He's the other reason we decided Batman would be the point of contact, one of his villains in Metropolis is not a good look,” Conner added and gathered their trash to toss it perfectly into a trash can on the corner. Spooking some drunk students stumbling back home. “Anywhere you're comfortable with me taking you to?”
“What?” Tim mumbles still staring at the trash can. And yawned.
Conner rolled his eyes as he put his glasses back on. “You're clearly exhausted, I won't insist on taking you home but I'm taking you at least close to it, we can meet up tomorrow for lunch and talk more?” He offered with a smile, even if Tim probably couldn't recognise it anymore.
“You know what, whatever,” Tim sighed and yawned before giving Conner a building he was comfortable being taken to.
“Hold on tight,” Conner said before picking Tim up. This time properly. One arm under his knees and the other behind his back. For some reason, Tim's heartbeat went up. “I promise I won't drop you,” he assured and took off. Gentler than he usually did.
By the time he dropped him off Tim's face was all red. “All good?” He asked, trying to get his temperature.
“Perfectly, just tired,” Tim assured but his voice sounded strained. “I shouldn't have trouble making it home from here.”
“Okay, good night,” Conner nodded as started to float. Should he go to the lab or straight home?
“Good night and sorry if you're in any trouble, for you know, telling me,” Tim waved awkwardly. He must have been quite tired.
“I'll be fine, Dad left it up to me as to how much I wanted to tell you,” Conner waved it off and flew away. “Should I go home or to the lab?” He asked as he turned the Comms back on.
“Home, the boss left already,” Celine told him. “Have a rest kid, you've earned it.”
Conner thanked her and wished the whole lab a good night before flying right home, making sure it wasn't too obvious where he lived.
“Dad?” He called out once inside.
“You're back fast, did it go that bad with Robin?” Dad was in the kitchen having tea.
“No, it went well with him, I kind of told him everything and he seemed to believe me, we’ll be investigating Black Mask together,” Conner explained with a wide smile. “And I kinda already knew his identity… I'm not.”
“Don't, he trusts you, and that's hard to earn,” Lex shook his head. “Go to sleep now, talk more in the morning.”
Conner nodded, and while yawning widely wished Dad good night before going to quickly shower. Being a hero was fun, but also exhausting. Lex's cats followed him despite being almost asleep on the couch. Conner didn't mind sharing a bed with the two Persians.
Once in his apartment. Barely inside. Tim had a small freak-out. Superlad and Conner Luther. The two people he was attracted to, even if at first based only on their physical appearance. Were the same person. And Tim was a jerk to him for a solid moment as they investigated. And he still wanted to talk to him.
“Why must his costume be so tight fitting,” he groaned, jumping as his phone buzzed on the coffee table. Where he left it before leaving.
It was Bruce. “Yeah?” He said doing his best to not show he was tired. He didn't want a lecture.
“How's Metropolis?” So it was Bruce himself and not Alfred with his phone while Bruce patrolled. Grand.
“Good, I met the Luther kid today, he seems like a decent sort despite his… family history,” Tim shrugged. “I found a hideout of Black Mask's goons but nothing on where he's hiding.” He wasn't going to mention he ran into Superlad there.
“Okay, I appreciate you're looking into it but don't overdo it, you're still not in shape since Jason showed up again,” he said sternly and Tim just rolled his eyes.
Wasn't it why he was in Metropolis? To distance himself as Jason settled in around Batman. Well, it was good to have him close in case he got some crazy ideas again.
“I'll be fine, Bruce, Black Mask isn't that bad,” he chuckled.
That seemed to satisfy Bruce so Tim briefly showered and went to bed. Instantly falling asleep to dream about blue eyes, pretty smiles, strong arms and being carried.
He woke up feeling incredibly awkward. How old was Conner even? Like not physically, physically he was about Tim's age. How long ago was he… created, for the lack of a better word?
“It'll be so awkward to ask,” Tim grumbled as he got up to get his coffee machine heating up while he washed his face. It was already pretty late. Close to lunchtime. He really hoped Conner didn't send anything yet.
With a steaming cup of coffee in hand Tim checked his phone. Nothing from Conner yet. ‘You free for a late breakfast?’ He wrote as a sign that he slept properly. He didn't need Conner to know how bad his relationship with sleep was.
‘Sure, eleven at the same mall as last time? Need to talk to dad first,’ Conner wrote back almost instantly
Tim glanced at the time. It was barely past ten. Conner was likely in the LexCorp office. Enough time for Tim to finish the second coffee and make himself presentable. ‘Sure’ he sent back and speed ran his ‘morning’ routine.
Conner was glad Tim contacted him first. Dad seemed pretty serious when they had their breakfast. Not when they talked over last night. That went well.
Apparently the media and the public were done with Conner avoiding one-on-one interviews. They wanted to know more about the mysterious heir to one of the top companies in the country, if not the world. They were excited to have their own Dick Grayson.
Conner thought it was a waste of everyone's time. But Dad said he'd eventually have to give an interview, so he told Conner to come by the office to discuss which publication he'd be comfortable taking to.
“So what are my options,” he huffed once in Dad's office.
“Daily Planet, Metropolitan, the Metropolis Gazette, Violet, that last one is an absolute rag, I have no clue how they're still working,” Lex listed off.
Conner hummed. “Maybe Daily Planet? They are supposed to be reputable, right? Probably won't mind us having certain topics be off limits?” He decided, frankly picking. The one title he was at all familiar with.
“Good pick, I'll get our PR team to arrange something,” Lex nodded. “Any plans for today?”
He was likely hoping Conner would take a break from superhero work. The city has been a lot calmer lately.
“I’m meeting with a friend for lunch and then… we'll see I guess,” Conner shrugged and just then remembered he never told Dad he befriended Tim. “I kinda accidentally befriended Timothy Wayne,” he chuckled.
Dad sighed. “I guess it could have been worse. Could have been a Queen,” he shook his head. “Have fun, the team downstairs is working on the stuff you've found, I'll let you know when the interview’s set up.
Conner grinned, hugged Dad and left for his lunch with Tim. He had to pick a place with some privacy.