Title: "Crushed Beneath the Crest"
The asphalt radiated heat beneath him, but it was nothing compared to the burning in his chest. Superman—once the symbol of indestructibility—now knelt, breath shallow, limbs trembling.
The glow of kryptonite pulsed from the device clutched in Lex Luthor's hand, casting an eerie green light across the Man of Steel’s face.
“Well, well,” Lex purred, crouching down, his tailored suit immaculate even amidst the chaos. “Even gods fall, given the right pressure.”
Clark gritted his teeth, one gloved hand clutching at his side. His iconic suit stretched taut across his frame, the emblem of hope now slick with sweat and dirt. He looked up, defiant even in weakness.
“I won’t… give you the satisfaction.”
“Oh, but you already have,” Lex whispered, reaching out and placing his hand against Superman’s chest—right over the S. The pressure wasn’t cruel, but intimate, possessive.
“Look at you,” he continued. “Brought to your knees. Vulnerable. You think power is what makes you special. But it’s your restraint, your code… your mercy.”
Superman’s breath hitched as Lex leaned closer, their faces inches apart. The kryptonite throbbed between them like a shared heartbeat.
“I could destroy you,” Lex murmured, “but that would be too easy. No, Kal-El… I want you to feel this. Every second of helplessness. Because even gods deserve to kneel.”
Lex’s fingers lingered, tracing the edge of the emblem before sliding away. “And deep down, maybe… just maybe… you’ve always wanted to.”
Superman looked away, jaw clenched. He couldn’t answer. Wouldn’t. But in the heat of the moment, the tension between them was a flame that neither would fully extinguish.