-prepare for your favourite strugglers!-

"First dose." Luthor said. "You're going to enjoy this, I'm sure." Without a reply, he returned the stare expectantly. "Are you?"

"Yes." He said. "...father." He added immediately, not wanting this to be taken away. He watched eagerly as the box was slid open and a small section was cut from the shield. This was going to be incredible. Suddenly his father put down the box and reached behind it, removing something else. "What's that."

"This is a betterment. It will take the place of your previous safety net." His father removed it and approached him.

"No!" Conner started, he recognized that! He couldn't just let— he couldn't move. He could not move.

"Don't be scared." Luthor said. "I'm only helping you. Now, stay still." He said rhetorically, reaching around His neck to attach the inhibitor collar. He peeled the old devices off Adam's forehead. "Good boy, how does that feel?"

Adam's fingers trembled a little as he reached up and stroked the collar. "Why?" He asked hollowly.

"To keep you safe. Unlike the others, this device will keep you safe outside your home as well." His father looked down at him where he sat. "Why are you upset? You won't need it forever, just as long as you're house training. Now don't you want your medicine for behaving so well?"

He nodded, at least he had this. "Yeah. Yes. please."

"Okay, here you are." Father stuck the part of the shield behind his shoulder, out of reach should Adam wish to remove it. "Say thank you."

"Th'nk you." He muttered, looking over his shoulder to try and look at the shield.

He was already feeling the rush to his heart. The adrenaline pounded through his ears, his entire face flushed from the resurfacing blood, and he started sweating. His focus hardened, forced motivation, he could do anything.

He grasped the collar around his neck and tore at it.

And tore at it.

And tugged it.

His neck was starting to hurt.

Lex tutted, circling him. "And we were making so much progress... I wasn't going to let you do something rash. Your special new inhibitor will let you feel your medicine without allowing you to do something unreasonable with your powers."

Conner felt his eyes heat up, if he'd had any hope of leaving of his own, the last of it was draining before his eyes. His nose stung. The shield continued to pump energy through him

He felt something on his face and reached up to feel water. He quickly wiped his eyes, embarrassed. This never happened...

"Don't be upset, Adam." He felt a hand on his shoulder, still tense from the shield. "You're safe with father." Adam didn't say anything, focusing on his tear ducts to try and stop crying. He was so ashamed. He never cried normally. And to cry here of all places, with him. "Don't forget how father has been protecting you from Superman. I even named you. I won't let you get yourself hurt, Adam."

Adam nodded a little, staring straight ahead. He started as father's hand reached into his face, forcibly wiping a tear off. He turned away, but his father followed, holding his face still forcibly. "You're only safe here, you need to let us protect you. I won't let you run away and get hurt. Now , go get some rest, you'll need it for tonight."

———————————————————————————————-

"Dick, you're going. Put on your clothing and get downstairs, NOW!"

Dick rolled off his bed and stated buttoning his shirt. It was uncomfortable to wear a crisp suit feeling this gross and unpalatable. "Can't I stay grounded tonight?"

"You'll still have plenty of time to be grounded, you're coming to this party."

Dick grumbled, but followed orders; Bruce had not been debatable of late. Ever since the mission, he he'd barely even spoken to Bruce. Alfred, at least, didn't enforce his grounding; he let Dick roam free around the house. Alfred assured him that Bruce was 'just anxious', but he really didn't seem that way, Bruce seemed mad. And Dick couldn't really blame him... he was a terrible sidekick.

"Hurry up. We should have left five minutes ago, Dick!"

"I'm coming!"

"Than come!" His father shouted through the door.

"I AM!" He swore. "Christ..."

"What?"

"Nothing!" He stormed through the door. "Come on! Let's go, then!"

——————————————————-——————————————————-

"I need you here to keep an eye on her— Artemis!"

"What?" She stopped, scowling. She was pissed with Oliver for not only making her come, but making her look 'presentable'; making her shower, style her hair, and dress up in provided clothes, etc.

"You should stick near us since no one recognizes you."

"Piss off."

"Thats why I said to watch her."

"I'm not her babysitter." Roy protested, hands in his pockets. "I'm only here because you're paying my car insurance..."

"HEY ARTEMIS!" She glanced over her shoulder and rolled her eyes. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Hey." She said.

"Hey, nice hair." She swatted him away from her iron-scorched and sprayed-solid curls. "I probably could have done better on the make up though. Hi Ollie."

"Hi kid. I thought you were grounded."

"I am." Artemis frowned. Of course this kid; Dick something, would know Oliver. "So, Artemis, how about I show you around."

"How do you know my name?"

"Uh, I don't think that's a good Idea, Artemis—"

"Do I have some news for you..." the kid grabbed her wrist, tugging her through away, through the crowds.

"Hey! Let go asshole!" She broke her arm away, but the kid was too fast, pulling her into a hallway.

"Artemis Lien Crock, do I have something to show you!"

"What? Fuck off pervert!" She snarled. She didn't want to be here, she definitely didn't want some rich freshmen trying to get in her maxi dress.

"Get taught of shut up, Artemis!"

She halted, stopping the freshmen abruptly. "oH." She swallowed hard. "Fuck you, wonder boy."

——————————————————-——————————————————-

"He cannot hurt you. He wears an inhibitor collar for his own safety." His father explained.

"Isn't that bad for him?"

"Not at all. It's just another of my measures to keep him from hurting himself." He gripped Adam's shoulder, almost like a ventriloquist's puppet.

"Is this really his first time out?" A lady with a dress and pearls asked, getting far closer that comfortable.

"We took a walk around the office early to be sure he could be trusted around people."

"Oh poor thing." She touched Adam's face. TOUCHED HIS FACE. He wanted to scream and kick and thrash from the unwanted contact, but he couldn't move, of course.

"He is being fixed, right?" The man who'd been introduced as the woman's husband pulled her away cautiously. "I mean, he's not retarded in the head, is he?"

Adam— con...?— tensed, but other than that, he felt himself immobilized. His face was hot with anger. He wanted to let it out onto this man. The tension in his lungs was explosive. "STOP!" The word came out involuntarily, erupting from his lungs.

The group of philanthropists surrounding him fell silent. He gasped for breath and felt the need to scream and cry tearing at him.

"Adam." Father gripped his shoulder, not that he could move. "I'm sorry, since the Justice league kept him isolated, He's still afraid of people. he has meltdowns like this frequently." This earned several sounds of pity and murmurs. "Adam, apologize to the people."

"I'm sorry." He muttered. Again, the words crawled from his lungs without thought, and the want to cry got stronger. It was the thing in his brain. His father wanted him to get upset; he wanted him to cry. But he didn't Want to cry in front of these people. He tried to hold it in.

The adults continued discussing him, asking father how he behaved and what extra care he needed, if he would be safe around children, if he can take care of himself...

He stared straight ahead; eyes locked on an approaching figure. He was short, weaving through the crowd towards him, being followed by a taller person with pelvis-length hair tossed over her shoulder.

"Hey!"

Adam blinked. This was almost the first time he was addressed all evening. There weren't many kids at the gala, and most if them had been resentfully ignoring him for the irredeemable crime of being the center of attention.

Looking at the approaching figures put a pit in his stomach, he didn't Know why. Suddenly, his chest flared with pain. What was this feeling? How were the blonde teen and the blue-eyed kid making him feel this? Where the teens metahuman? Maybe they had the power to make him feel a strange, jumpy, twisting feeling in his stomach.

"Hey, I didn't know you'd be here." The blue-eyed kid said quickly.

The blonde texted someone, and looked up at him, "What- come on! Let's bounce! Come on!" She jerked her head towards the door to the terrace.

"What?"

"We're just exiting, via the garden!" Blue eyes tried to lead the way out, as if expecting the teenager to follow unconditionally.

"Where are we going?" He started after the teens, The twisting feeling getting worse.

"Just wait." Blonde whispered. "Come on! Let's go into the garden!" She grabbed his wrist and tried to drag him towards the exit, towards the cool night air and the full moon.

He took another few steps after them, suddenly compelled that he needed to follow. There was a tug in his stomach, and this time he recognized the feeling: CADMUS Labs: level 52, July 4th. The unmistakable yearning, reaching out, knowing that freedom lurked right beyond his fingertips.

Just like Cadmus, he had to reach for it. He had to trust the uncertain and vague promises of seeing the sky. He had to fly too close to the sun, just to see if he'd fly at all. Maybe he'd even see the moon's beam interrupted by a floating figure high above him.

Maybe he'd actually be relieved to see that symbol of hope that used to be printed on is chest. He had to. He felt the chilly night breeze on his cheek. He was so close.

There was a firm hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, but Adam isn't supposed to play with other children yet."

The teens, both the blonde and blue-eyes, turned to face the figure behind him, their faces dropped. He swears he even saw the blood drain from their faces.

"We were just-"

"I want to go outside." Adam interrupted her, he turned to face His father, without meeting his eyes.

"You aren't allowed to go outside yet." Luthor said, seemingly not put off by His attempted demand.

"But I want to." He said in a low voice, which came out as more of a mumble than a growl.

"But You're not allowed out without Supervision." Luthor replied, unbothered, putting his left hand on Adam's other shoulder to ensure he stayed in place.

"I know someone who can supervise." Blonde said. "He's an adult, tall lanky fuc- guy, He'd an adult! He has nothing to do, and responsible enough to watch your kid! Name of Roy-"

"Harper?" Luthor finished. The blonde's face dropped. "I don't trust my only son to an eighteen-year-old who's had so many public drug scandals. What would I be setting my boy up to be?"

"He's a good guy..." She couldn't help but mutter, looking at her feet, then up, dangerously locking eyes with Luthor.

Before He could say, of think, anything, a man appeared out of nowhere in front of him. The man grabbed blue-eyes by the shoulder, like Luthor was doing to him. "Lex. Luthor." He stated.

"Ah, Mr. Wayne, I thought I recognized your ward."

The man nodded, never breaking eye contact. It was like who Wolves staring each other down, seeing who would fold first.

"Dick, did you come over to see the child that Mr. Luthor took in?"

"What if I did?" Blue-eyes muttered, almost bitterly.

"I expect someone like you, who's shown dedication to the justice league, isn't pleased that I've taken my son back." Luthor stated.

"Legally, that isn't my business." The other man replied stiffly. He grabbed the blonde's arm warningly with his free hand, never breaking eye contact. "I don't need to flaunt my moral beliefs for some vail of superiority."

"Co-" the blonde stopped herself. "He's wearing a collar!" She pointed at him.

His hand flew to his neck immediately. He felt hot, averting his eyes from the people. The fingers played along the metal clamp at the back. His fingers met unfamiliar skin and he looked up to see his father pulling his hand away from the collar.

"Adam doesn't have control over his powers yet, this is the safest option for him."

"You're restricting him with the same inhibitors used on convicts in Belreeve penitentiary."

"On the contrary, the collars used on dangerous criminals are made to suppress their powers and deliver static shocks to knock them out. My collar doesn't do that. In fact, it delivers positive reinforcement whenever Adam behaves correctly."

"Positive reinforcement how?"

"I don't need to tell you how I take care of my son."

The other man gripped his ward. "Dick, No."

But he didn't Listen.

"Are you being overseen by child protective services? Ministry of children and family development? Meta-human child protection clinic?" Dick ordered. "What if you don't know how to take care of him? You've admitted that he's basically a newborn in many aspects, so are you assisting with tasks he can't complete and giving him constant supervision and hands-on care?"

"Dick!"

"Yeah, wouldn't he then need nonstop assistance." The blonde added.

"Ar— Dick, we're taking your friend back and we're going to have very important talk."

Adam opened his mouth to say something; he didn't want them to get in trouble...

"Sup— wait! You know this isn't Right!" He yelled, being pulled away. "You know he isn't Your dad!"

"Richard! Stop!"

"Well," father reached out and popped his mouth shut, for it was still hanging open. "Those children weren't very nice to you, were they?"