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Language:
English
Series:
Part 1 of Who am I, if not Superboy?
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Published:
2024-01-02
Words:
569
Chapters:
1/1
Comments:
7
Kudos:
188
Bookmarks:
10
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2,215

Maybe someone would want me

,

Summary:

Kon never felt like he belonged in any family.

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Work Text:

Kon never had a proper family. Not like other people, not even by superhero standards.

To Lex Luthor, Kon was just another person to use whenever it benefited him and to cast aside when it didn’t.
Their relationship was purely transactional, Lex only ever treated Kon like a son if he thought he could gain something from it and likewise, Kon only ever played along when he truly needed something from Lex.
Lex never spared a single thought for Kon’s emotional well being, not even in the very start when he had been manipulating Kon into fighting Superman and playing Conner Luthor, Lex’s pretend son that had supposedly never made a public appearance due to him being shipped off to boarding school. Kon almost wished that he could have lived that life instead. At least then, his life would have been less confusing.

Maybe then, someone would want him for who he was, not for what he could give them.

.To Clark, Kon was nothing but a burden, a clone made without his consent, an opponent he never asked to fight, a teenager he was forced to take care of. Clark never asked to have Kon in his life and it was clear he wanted very little to do with him. The only reason that Clark had let Kon live in Smallville with his parents and dog was because he wasn’t a complete asshole that would just leave Kon to find shelter on his own and because he wanted to make sure Kon didn’t go running back to Lex.
In reality, Kon never truly had a place in the Kent family, that was always clear to him, especially after Clark and Lois had a son.
As soon as Jon was born, Kon knew his place in the Kent family, however small it had been, had become non-existent.
Clark never saw Kon as his son, but now any chance there might have been of a future where he did was long gone. Martha and Jonathan had been incredibly nice and welcoming to Kon, but always knew that he didn’t stand a chance against their actual grandson. Kon was so tired of fighting to be recognised and loved. He wished that he could have had the life that Jon would get. A happy life with a loving and supportive family that loved him unconditionally. Maybe then someone would want him regardless of his flaws.

Kon had no doubt that when Jonathan was old enough, he would replace him as superboy too. Perhaps that was the part he was most upset about. At least as Superboy he could do great things. He could protect people, fight villains and save lives. He knew how to fight, he had good control over his powers now, he was useful and he wasn’t sure who he would be if he didn’t have his mantle.
He had been made to be like superman, but he never lived up to him. He was nothing but a failed copy, he didn’t even have most of Superman’s powers, he had TTK that could emulate them but he would never truly be like Superman.
Maybe it was best that Kon distanced himself from Superman altogether. Maybe then he wouldn’t have to live up to something that he never would be able to become. Maybe then someone would want him for who he was and not who he was supposed to be.

Notes:

This story is part of the LLF Comment Project, which was created to improve communication between readers and authors. This author invites and appreciates feedback, including:

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