Title: Smitten
Author: J.D.
Disclaimer: Smallville belongs to the WB and not to me.
Warning: fluffy mostly with lecherous thoughts from Lex but then who wasn't expecting
that?
Fandom: Smallville
Rating: PG-15 with cursing. and slash, 'duh'
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Archive: Anywhere. *digs toe into soil shyly* That is if you really want it.
Summary: This is the time period before the rescue vehicles arrive and continues the
scene when Lex revives. There is no way you're going to get me to believe that all those
rescue personnel arrived 2 minutes later, no-how no-way.
Author's Notes: Because I was wondering what the boys were up to this story got written.
Also, I'm keeping Clark at the age of 15. Why, you ask, because it gives Lex absolutely
fascinating angst. Oh, and Clark's eyes are blue.
---------------------

"I could have sworn I hit you." Lex gasped, still fighting to get back his breath
after coughing up the scummy lake water.

"If you did," Clark looked back to the bridge and the gaping hole in the steel
fencing then his brain caught up to him, "I'd be … I'd be dead."

Lex blinked at his savior, he felt confused and rattled. "I drowned didn't I?"

Clark looked back down to Lex, worry clearly etched in his features, "Yeah, you
weren't breathing and I couldn't find your heartbeat. I had to give you CPR."

Lex shivered, this time death had been too close. He cracked a smile at Clark,
"The Kiss of Life. Does that make me Sleeping Beauty?"

Clark's cheeks burned a brilliant scarlet. "I'm no prince."

Lex grinned at the blush, "No, just my knight in shinning armor."

Both grinned at each other, hysteria making both giddy.

Lex's teeth began to chatter as the cold from his water drenched clothes soaked
into his body core.

Clark's expression returned to concern. "You should take off those clothes before
you get hypothermic." Clark reached out and caught Lex's hands in his own. "You're
freezing. I think you're going into shock." He tugged off the black leather gloves and
briskly rubbed Lex's hands to warm them.

Lex nodded at the good idea and was able to take off his outer layers. The sun
was helping but he still wasn't warm enough, and he was *not* getting naked in public.

"We need to get you help." Clark chewed on his lower lip, torn over his next
course of action. Fortunately both heard a car approaching the bridge.

Clark bounced up and ran upward towards the car, yelling behind him, "Stay
there! I'll be right back."

Clark recognized the truck full of produce and frantically waved his hands. "Mr.
Hicks! Mr. Hicks! Stop!"

"Clark Kent," Henry Hicks stated, startled. "What's wrong?"

"There was an accident," Clark waved at the hole in bridge, "The driver's Ok but
I still think he needs an ambulance. Could you head to the nearest phone and call for
help?"

"No problem Clark. Do you need anything else?"

Clark spied two brilliant scarlet blankets on the passenger side. "Yeah, can I
borrow those?"

"Sure," Mr. Hicks hit the gas, happy for a chance to break the speed limit. He was
secretly a daredevil racer in his most inner heart of hearts.

Clark slid down to Lex holding the blankets gently to not tear the fabric. "Mr.
Hicks is going for help and he lent us these"

Clark gently wrapped both blankets around Lex's shaking form. Lex's shivering
decreased infinitesimally. He looked up gratefully at Clark, it seemed a wonder that this
young man had not only saved his life but now provided blankets! Nearly out of thin air!

"Are you sure you don't need one?"

Clark shook his head, "No, you need them more than me."

Lex looked at him deeply, he wasn't used to unselfishness. He wasn't certain on
how to respond. He finally just nodded. Lex then cocked his head inquiringly. "You're
incredible. I get the feeling I'm going to be saying thank you a lot. And I don't even
know your name."

Clark flushed again, embarrassed over his bad manners. Thank God his Mom
wasn't here. He held out his had, "My name is Clark Kent."

Lex grasped Clark's hand, "Lex Luthor." Lex braced himself for one of two
inevitable reactions. Either disgust and fear or a fawning worship and greed.

Clark just smiled at him calmly and said quite sincerely, "Pleased to meet you,
though I wish it had been under better circumstances."

Lex blinked, once again he felt off balance. Clark wasn't responding like he
expected. Could he actually not care that he was a Luthor? He stared at Clark feeling
fascination develop within. *Everyone* Lex had ever met had reacted with the disgust or
the greed, never before had he met someone who just reacted like he was a normal
person and not a Luthor. Hell, he had *never* met anyone who actually was happy to
meet him. Unless they had ulterior motives, like a nice fat check from him.

Another shiver caught him off guard, and Clark concern returned full force.
Clark then grabbed Lex's outer blanket and made sure it covered Lex's head.

Lex blinked a question at Clark, who flushed again. "Um... You're losing too
much body heat through your head. You need to cover it to stay warmer."

Oh..... Lex knew that. But how did Clark know that? He had a full head of silky
dark hair.

"How do you know that?"

Clark looked down at his feet and sort of shuffled them. Lex leaned forward,
fascination rippling through his being again. Clark Kent as so innocent. A beautiful
innocent.

"My mom makes me wear a hat whenever the weather drops a few degrees."
Clark mumbled, embarrassed over having to admit to another guy that his mom still
babied him.

"How *old* are you Clark?" Lex asked, unable to keep the bemusement out of his
tone.

"Fifteen."

*Shit.* He's fifteen. A kid. Lex tried to use this new knowledge to stomp on and
destroy his emerging feelings of desire, hunger and the urge to grab Clark and take him
where he can [hug him, and squeeze and love him, forever and ever.] Lex blinked and
touched his head gingerly. He had just channeled a cartoon character he had last seen
when he was seven, Teenage Toons or something.

"I think I need to sit down." Lex sat down abruptly onto the damp dark earth.

Clark joined him on the ground. He scooted closer and wrapped an arm around
Lex. Lex leaned against Clark's body. Clark was warm, he was nearly as warm as the
sunlight. Now Lex was bemused at himself. He was snuggling with his rescuer. He never
snuggled with anyone. He looked up into Clark's brilliant blue-eyed gaze.

If eyes were truly the window to a person's soul then Clark had to be the best,
purest, and most innocent soul he'd ever met. No hint of deceit or darkness existed in
those eyes. Each emotion was laid bare to the world to see. Concern, trust, and relief
shone out, blazing like the light from yonder shore, a lighthouse to those lost in the
darkness. Lex couldn't look away.

"Tell me about yourself Clark."

Clark looked away and chewed on his lower lip. Lex found himself fixated on
that mouth. He tore his gaze away to stare back at the lake.

"I'm not really very interesting, Mr. Luthor."

Lex cringed before he could catch himself, "Just call me Lex, Clark. And start
with background information. Like what is your favorite color? What do you parents for a
living? Your favorite food? Do you have a girlfriend? I know nothing about you, any
information is interesting."

Clark nodded mutely and began hesitantly, "Well, my favorite colors are blue and
red, and for food I like pizza. Um... I don't have a girlfriend, and my parents are
farmers."

"You don't have a girlfriend?" Lex asked incredulously. What was wrong with
the teenagers around here? Can't they see how Clark is great? "And you're a farmboy?
Don't tell me, you were born in the barn."

Lex felt Clark stiffen beside him. He looked over wondering what he said to make
Clark so tense.

"No, I wasn't born in the barn, Lex." Clark's voice was tight with control, "I'm
adopted. My parents got me when I was three."

"Oh." Lex shifted away from Clark to look at him in the eye. "I'm sorry, I didn't
know." Lex was amazed to hear the apology spring from his lips so easily. Luthors
*never* apologized. Ever. Maybe he received a concussion from the car crash.

"I always thought farmers bred like rabbits with a dozen kids per parent."

"Lex!"

"What?" Lex grinned at Clark's mock outraged expression. "I'm a city boy Clark.
I wouldn't know a potato from a rutabaga."

Clark grinned back relaxed again. He tugged Lex back into his warm embrace.
"We grow corn Lex, and apples plus other vegetables but no rutabagas. Sorry."

"Damn! You're sure?"

"Yes, Lex."

"I guess I still won't learn the difference."

Clark shook next to Lex with suppressed laughter. "We've got potatoes Lex. You
can have one if you like."

"Thanks." Lex intoned dryly. He was pleased to cheer up his rescuer but was
certain, more than ever, that he was suffering from a concussion. He never worked to
please someone like he was doing with Clark. It felt good to just relax with him. Hell, it
felt *weird*.

"You're welcome."

"What would I do with a potato Clark?"

"Eat it!" Clark chirped.

"Smartass," Lex grumbled

"You've got Chloe to thank for that. She's the Queen of Comebacks."

"Who's Chloe?" Lex wondered. 'He said he didn't have a girlfriend.'

"She's one of my best friends."

Lex blinked once more in surprise, "How many best friends do you have?!"

"Just two." Clark stated cheerfully, "Chloe Sullivan and Peter Ross."

"*Just* two," Lex shook his head and gave out a short sharp laugh, "You're lucky
Clark. I've never had a best friend. Hell, I've never had a friend before in my life."

Clark's gaze widened in disbelief, "Never? Ever?"

Lex rested his head on Clark's shoulder, "All my life I've had associates, or
associates. No one trusts Luthors and Luthors trust no one."

The closest Lex had ever come to a friend had been Bruce but it was an odd
relationship for it seemed that Waynes trusted no one as well, yet both had understood
the other.

Clark's arm tightened briefly around Lex, "I trust you."

Lex looked up and once again was caught by the absolute sincerity and innocence
of those gorgeous eyes.

Clark's cheeks reddened, "I'll be your friend, that is if you want to be friends with
a high school freshman."

Lex stared at him but as hard as he searched he found no deceit in Clark.
Amazement filled him as he realized that Clark meant every word. Clark wanted to be
friends, and he had no ulterior motive just trust. Lex tried to wrap his brain around this
unexpected miracle but even his vaulted intelligence couldn't grasp it.

Clark continued, babbling, "I mean I understand if you don't want to be. I'm just
a kid, very boring really and....."

Lex brought out a finger to rest it against Clark's lips silencing the outpouring.
"OK."

"Really!" Clark beamed against Lex's finger, happiness rolling off him and
hitting Lex like a tidal wave gone horribly right.

"Yeah," Lex swallowed in the attempt to wet his suddenly dry mouth. He could
feel the softness of Clark's lips, how they curved into a smile and even the shape of the
teeth beneath them. Lex felt dizzy, *making friends* was easier than he thought.

He reluctantly pulled his touch off Clark, part of his mind protesting loudly. 'Stop
it!' he hissed at himself, 'you just got him as a friend. you can get laid anytime you want
*DO NOT RUIN THIS*''

Clark, unable to contain his exuberance hugged Lex tightly. Clark loved making
friends.

"Ack," Lex strangled out. "Air!"

"Oops," Clark let Lex breathe. "Sorry about that. I guess I got carried away."

Lex grinned helplessly at Clark's sparkling joy. Any doubt that may have lingered
over Clark's motivations had just been eradicated. There was no way such happiness
could be feigned, not even by an Oscar winning actor. And he should know, being forced
to meet so may at those fund-raisers.

Clark felt guilt claw its way into his heart. He had almost hurt his new friend. He
had to be careful!

Lex say the darkening in Clark's mood. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Maybe you should reconsider being my friend Lex."

Lex sucked in his breath sharply, pain radiating from his gut. "Wha-Why?!"

Clark looked into his hands. "You've barely been my friend 10 seconds and I
practically suffocate you."

Lex relaxed, "That's all? Clark, *I* nearly killed you with my car even before we
were properly introduced. If there is anyone who should be doubting the safety and sanity
of this friendship it should be you. Not me."

Clark looked up and gave Lex a relieved smile. "Ok, Lex."

Lex and Clark gazed at each other in mutual satisfaction at the continuation of
their fledging friendship.

Sirens broke the moment and both looked up towards the bridge as the wails
filled the air.

"Mr. Hicks must have reached that phone," Clark started up to the road. "I'm
gonna flag them down. You stay here and stay warm."

"Wait!"

"What is it Lex?"

"Here," Lex handed Clark one of the blankets, "I wouldn't want anyone to say
that I hogged the blankets and wouldn't share them with my friend. I already have a bad
reputation as it is."

Clark considered protesting but Lex's eyes looked too determined. "Ok, thanks
Lex."

With one last bright smile at Lex, Clark started up the embankment.

Lex watched Clark wave at the emergency vehicles. He cursed the timely arrival
of the ambulance and police officers. Just before they had arrived it had felt like he and
Clark had been connecting at a deeper level.

Lex mentally shook his head at himself. He was quickly becoming obsessed with
Clark Kent. It was too fast, he'd never felt like this about anyone before. It felt like he
had jumped out of a plane and wasn't sure he remembered to put on the parachute. It felt
like he was.....smitten.

He was smitten with a high school freshman who was impossibly more beautiful
inside than he was outside.

If an hour ago someone had told him that he'd be falling for a farmboy in the
middle of nowhere, he would have sent them to Gotham's Arkham for their own safety.

Lex muffled a laugh as he watched Clark lead the paramedics down to him. It
seemed daddy dearest had just screwed up royally in his attempt to punish him by exiling
him to Smallville. Instead he had given him the opportunity to gain a wondrous treasure.

"Thanks Dad," Lex whispered softly and with irony, smugness leaked into his
eyes.

"Thanks."

-*-The End-*-