The Many Faces of Lex Luthor The Many Faces of Lex Luthor by SarahRosie Written for TimIan's Drabble-On challenge. Notes: All chapters are based on diagnosable psychological disorders listed in the American Psychological Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV). Special Thanks: To Aelora for the bunny and Rhiannon for the beta - you guys rock my socks! Feedback gives me joygasms. Hypochondriasis It's hard to accept, after all the wishing and the numerous doctor's appointments, that the child I've prayed for is flawed. Carefully plotting his growth from day one, I've watched his food intake like a hawk. I've spent countless nights just standing by his open door, hoping tonight won't require a trip to the emergency room. Maybe I hovered too closely, but it was all for his benefit. What might happen, if just for one night, I let him eat whatever he wanted, or I didn't listen by his door, or I didn't wake him up when his breathing changed? Major Depressive Disorder After Smallville, everything changed. That bastard Lionel refused to look at little Alex, and his mother was so distraught she didn't know where to begin. Even the damned servants looked at him like he was a freak. He moped around the house for weeks, and nearly stopped eating all together. He became a pale little ghost, haunting the halls of the mansion. I watched him slowly waste away for over a month before I decided I had to do something. So, I dragged him, kicking and screaming, out into the garden one sunny afternoon. Lily always had coddled the boy. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder *(ADHD)* To the Parents of Alexander J. Luthor, Your son is openly defiant of our rules in both the classroom and the dormitories. He is a constant distraction and poor influence to the other students around him and he never fully completes his assignments. Our professors have tried nearly every method, but are simply unable to control your son. We consider it necessary for Alexander to undergo a full psychological evaluation by our school counselor. With your permission, we will begin this action immediately. If not, we must regretfully request that you withdraw Alexander from this institution posthaste. Sincerely, Nigel Roberts Oppositional Defiant Disorder *(ODD)* The boy continues defying me. He waives his drug use and sexual escapades in front of my face like a matador waiving a red flag in front of an angry bull. I throw thousands of dollars at the ravenous press to keep his name out of the newspapers and off the television, and still he refuses to come to heel. He cares nothing for the Luthor name, for the empire I've built. He would gladly burn this building down around my ears and dance on my grave. But I'll kill Lex myself before I'll allow it to come to that. Borderline Personality Disorder Luthors are the worst kind of trouble, and Lex is no better than his bastard of a father. Martha may say he's just a little boy playing at being a man, but I know better. Clark may want to befriend him, but I won't allow it. Lex is a danger to himself and those around him. I know what goes on up there at that castle of his, surrounded by fast cars and faster women. I know what he did in Metropolis, the cocaine and the heroin. He burns brightly, like a dying star. Soon there'll be nothing but ash. Narcissistic Personality Disorder So, everybody in the whole universe knows Lex is all about the self-love. And I don't mean that in a sexual way, you pervert. Jeez, get some mental floss, for Christ's sake. I heard this rumor, back when I still lived in Metropolis, that he makes all of his one-night stands refer to him as "Overlord" when they fuck. Isn't that wild? Ok, ok, so it was probably a big hairy lie, but it's funny to think about. And can we talk about those cars of his? Sure, they're sexy and all, but just what is he compensating for, anyway? Bipolar I Disorder Sometimes Lex reminds me of Clark when he was a small child. Clark's first Halloween, he got into the bucket of candy I was preparing for the neighborhood kids. It was like teeing off a golf ball in a tile bathroom. Watching Lex work is a lot like that. His intensity can be almost frightening, but his focus is incredible. And he never stops moving. If he's not pacing, then he's bouncing. If he's not bouncing, then he's fidgeting. He gets his intensity from his father, but Lionel's completely different from Lex - almost lazy, like a predator lying in wait. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder *(OCD)* Everyone has little rituals they perform for luck: golfers wear mismatched socks for big tournaments, people throw spilled salt over their shoulder, and my daughter, Chloe, always makes waffles the morning of a big test. Lex Luthor always wears purple during major buyouts. It might be his shirt or just the accent of his tie, but he's always wearing some shade of purple on important occasions. It's like his lucky color or something. It's the color of kings, I guess. Today LexCorp is dissolving the remnants of the dying corporate giant that was formerly LuthorCorp. He's probably wearing purple underwear. Sedative Dependence When I was younger, I used smack to make it all go away. I traded in the heroin for sleeping pills and alcohol a long time ago - it's a hell of a lot more socially acceptable, anyway. In all of my dreaming, I never thought about how difficult carrying the weight of the world's problems on your shoulders would be. War, Pestilence, Famine, Economics - it's all in a day's work for the President of the United States. Add that to the ever-important public approval rating, and the bravest of men develop peptic ulcers. Winning, though, makes everything worth it. Dementia Lex is the last one to die. Pete slowly drank himself to death after Lana died in a car accident. Mom and Dad both went quietly, in their sleep. Losing Chloe had been painful, but at least she went out in a blaze of glory. That was nothing compared to watching Lex slowly lose himself. It was so subtle I didn't notice at first. He would forget little things - where he'd put his reading glasses, or he'd misplace his coffee mug. It got worse, though, until one day he didn't even remember hitting me with his Porsche. Only I remain. If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to SarahRosie Also, why not join Level Three, the Smallville all-fic list? Back Level Three Records Room