#the fact lex would cross that line is anathema to him

[lena-in-a-red-dress]

Succession AU Thoughts Pt 4

Been thinking about how Lex will be all 'oh my sweet baby sister is safe! I was so worried!' after the abduction, until eventually Lionel puts the pieces together and calls him on it. And Lex will initially try to obfuscate but ultimately drops the pretense.

"Well, it worked, didn't it?"

He doesn't even see the fist that cracks against his jaw, sending him sprawling backwards onto the couch.

"You dare!" Lionel roars, furious. "You would endanger your own sister?!"

"Jesus," Lex hisses. "There was never any danger, pop. I had everything under control--"

"CONTROL! You hired thugs to lay hands on your sister. On your family!"

"I didn't do anything you wouldn't do--!"

"She is your family! Your family is all you've got, boy. It has always, always been us against the world. The strength and safety of this family has always been paramount! And yet you pull a stunt like this..."

"What was I supposed to do?" Lex blusters. "She was going to squeeze me out, I wasn't about to take it lying down--"

"Then you rally your allies, shore up your defenses, plan your countermove! Just like I taught you! You do NOT abduct and drug your sister to keep her out of play."

Lionel draws himself up, smoothing down his ruffled hair and straighting his collar.

"I thought I raised two intelligent, responsible children. But it seems I raised only one. You're a fucking coward, Alexander."

"What? Dad--"

"When your sister was going to blast you into oblivion, at least she had the cajones to do it to your face, instead of skulking about in the shadows, as you have."

Lex scoffs. "Oh, come on--"

"I've let you run amok for too long, son. That ends today." Lionel looks down his nose at Lex. "You're out. Lena is in."

That earns a laugh. "Right."

"Oh, and I mean you're out of everything. No more board, no more operations, no more inheritance." Lionel steps in Lex's space, glaring imperiously down at his son.

"You played your last hand-- and you've still lost."