Condition
by Mindige0
Disclamer: I don't own them, nor do I make any money off of them. That would make me a seriously rich woman, now wouldn't it?
Author's Note: Some may recoginze this story from my site, it's only taken me how many years to post? So no, I didn't rip off the idea, I created it!
Act I: In which we meet the players
"Come on bro, it will be the party of the year!"
"Scott, I said I don't want to go. Why can't you leave it at that?"
"Cause you just gotta come"
"No, I don't gotta *do* anything"
"Don't make me tell mom and dad that it was you who broke the vase that Grandma gave them." Scott said with a smirk on his face.
"But I didn't break it, you did and you know good and well you did."
"They don't know that, so who do you think they will believe more?" Scott said watching the other person's face for cracking under the pressure.
"Fine"
"You, my brother, are the best."
"Tell that to mom and dad" Was said to a retreating back in a whisper.
"Crap, Clark what have you gotten yourself into?" Clark asked a now empty room.
"Whatever it is, I have a feeling it won't be good" Clark said before leaving the room to get ready for the last day of school. A few hours later found Clark and Scott sitting at the dining room table, trying to sell their parents on the party that was being held for the graduating seniors of Vanguard Preparatory School by Pete Ross.
"Come on mom and dad, this might be the last time that I see some of these guys for years." Scott whined to his parents while Clark sat next to him hoping that his parents wouldn't include him in the discussion as Scott was so sure they would.
"We understand that Scott, but you also have to understand why we are uncomfortable allowing you out." Scott McBride, Sr. said to his son.
"Yeah" Scott said in a dejected tone.
"How about we let you go on one condition" Jessica McBride said looking at her son and husband for a compromise.
"Anything mom" Scott said perking up at the idea of what his mother had in store.
"You take Clark with you"
"Sure, no problem right Clark?" Scott said winking to his little brother who he had blackmailed into going anyway.
"Sure, great" Clark said with such sarcasm.
"Well, there you have it" Scott crowed to his parents before he ran out of the room to call Pete to tell him that things were a go.
"Now Clark" Jessica started in a condescending tone.
"Mom" Clark said not looking up from the perusal of the back of his hands.
"I want you to follow your brother's instructions while you are at the party, is that understood?"
"Yes, ma'am" Clark said. Before getting up to leave, he was stopped by his father speaking.
"Clark, see this as an opportunity to make new friends and meet new people. Lord knows you need to meet more people than those farmer people you hang out with"
"Dad" Clark said before he was cut off by his father again.
"Just try" was said in an exasperated voice.
"I will, but I like my 4H friends just fine" Clark said before leaving the room before his father or mother could speak. As Clark made his way to his room, his brother stopped him in the hallway upstairs.
"Now to lay down a few ground rules"
"Yeah, I don't want to go in the first place" Clark said defensively.
"I know that, but I refuse to have you being the major freak that you are at this party, got that?" Scott said with a vicious tone.
"Got it" Clark said with a sigh, if only he hadn't been born a McBride he wouldn't be having these issues. Issues he would still have, but not these particular ones.
"First of all, the flannel will have to go for the night"
"Fine"
"Next, I don't want you to speak to anyone unless I have introduced you to them"
"Sure"
"Last and not least…..if you see Alexander Luthor, you are to avoid him or better yet come find me ASAP, got it?"
"Whatever"
"I asked you, do you have that?" Scott asked acting like a drill sergeant from the Army.
"Sure, but what for?" Clark asked wondering if his brother wasn't as "saintly" as his parents painted him to be.
"That is none of your concern"
"You have a crush on him" Clark said smiling at the thought of his brother crushing on someone.
"And if I do, what are you going to do about it?"
"Nothing, just….it's cute" Clark said before laughing at the thought of his brother following someone around like a love sick teenage girl.
"It's not cute, and you would do well to remember that" Scott said in a huff about his dorky younger brother making fun of him.
"Sure, sure" Clark said with a smile on his face.
"Good now go and get ready; I will be by in a while to make sure that your clothes are up to par." Scott said before walking down the hall and into his room. Clark then completed his journey to his room, before falling into a heap at the end of his bed. He hated when his brother would drag him into these parties, because in the end he would be the one that got into trouble, what with being the black sheep of the family. Clark just shook his head before making his way to his closet to pick out an outfit that his brother would approve of, it was hard due to the fact that Clark's wardrobe consisted of a lot of flannel and worn out jeans. He found in the very back of his closet a pair of deep blue jeans, that looked to have been worn once or twice and he grabbed the first t-shirt from his dresser; which was an army green t-shirt with the logo of "Kal's Chicken" on it. Once he had collected the other things he needed for his shower he left for the bathroom down the hall, since it seemed that his parents felt he didn't need his own bathroom like his brother or sister. An hour later, Clark came out of the bathroom dressed and ready to go, his brother Scott came to his room shortly there after.
"So" Scott said as he opened the door to see that Clark was sitting at his computer reading, as usual.
"Huh" Clark said swiveling in his desk chair.
"Nice, like the shirt" Scott said checking his brother for any flaws, and he noticed the largest one sitting on the perch of Clark's nose.
"For goodness sakes, take those God awful glasses off and put in the contacts that mom bought you" Scott said shaking his head at his brother and his lack of style.
"But I like my glasses just fine"
"I don't care, you look like a complete dweeb and that is not the look we are going for tonight. Plus how much did mom spend on those contacts for you to only wear those glasses?" Scott said sneering at Clark, and the glasses that were on his face.
"I don't like sticking my finger in my eye, and I do wear them but only when mom or dad tells me to, you know that." Clark said eyeing his brother hoping that he would be able to get out of wearing the contacts for the night.
"Well, go and put them in, you aren't going out with those on your face" Scott said pointing to the glasses.
"Fine" Clark said with a sigh, he could hope couldn't he. Clark searched his dresser top for a few minutes before he found the box that held the disposable contacts that his mother had bought hoping that he would brush up his image. It didn't happen but Clark really didn't care what people thought about him. Scott watched his brother and had to wonder, how on Earth Clark came out the way he did. Neither one of either parents were into farming or anything having to do with agriculture, so Scott always wondered if maybe his mother had an affair with the gardener and Clark was result, but due to the fact that Clark looked like the perfect mix between both of their parents that theory had been thrown out the window. Scott on the other hand looked just like his father, only with his mother's eyes which were the famous Grant green.
"Done?" Scott asked impatiently.
"Just about" Clark said trying once again to put his contact in his eye, once he had it; he turned so that his brother could inspect him.
"It'll do" Scott said before turning and walking out of Clark's room and down the stairs to the front door. Clark trailed behind him, hoping that his brother would change his mind or even forget about him all together going to the party.
"Come on, you're going to make us late" Scott yelled from outside next to his new car that he got for graduation.
"Coming, coming" Clark mumbled as me made his way outside and into the H3 that had his brother waiting for him in.
"Jeez, Clark, it won't be that bad" Scott said before pulling out of the driveway and making his way over to his best friend's, Pete Ross, house. It was only a ten minute drive, but Clark felt that it took hours to get there. When they arrived they were met by Pete at the door.
"Man! This is going to rock; the 'rents are gone for the rest of the week so if there is major damage I got some time to fix things up."
"Sweet!" Scott said and Clark wanted to roll his eyes at the way that his brother and Pete spoke to each other, as if they were straight from a California beach which was so not the case.
"Did you *have* to bring him?" Pete asked now noticing Clark standing off to the side waiting for the night to be done with already.
"You know my 'rents wouldn't let me come if I didn't bring him. He won't be a problem trust me on that" Scott said smiling at Pete and thoughts about the party and who was going to be in attendance.
"So, do you really think Luthor is going to show?" Pete asked excited with the prospect of having *the* Alexander Luthor coming to his graduation party.
"Well, I heard from Brody that Alex said he was coming" Scott said with a big cheesy smile on his face. Clark laughed then, due to his brother's face.
"Dude you are majorly crushing" Pete said to Scott as they made their way into the house where the DJ was getting ready for the night ahead.
"Clark" Scott said once Pete had left to check on some last minute details.
"Yeah" Clark said looking around to see if he could find a hiding spot for the rest of the night.
"You are to find me the minute that Alexander Luthor comes in. Got that?" Scott said with a nervous air about him.
"Sure, if you don't see him first, I come and find you" Clark said rolling his eyes now that he had been told twice to come and find Scott if he saw Alexander Luthor first, even though Clark had no idea what Alexander Luthor looked like. He had heard the name since he did attend Vanguard Prep with his brother, but he wasn't too bothered with who the popular people where since he liked his 4H friends just fine.
"Great" Scott said as he left to answer the door for the first guest to arrive at the party.
"Just bloody terrific" Clark said as he walked away and toward the back of the house. It was three hours later and many trips to the bathroom that Clark found himself staring into the eyes of an Alexander Luthor, though he didn't know it at the time.
"Mind if I sit here?" Lex asked Clark, as he looked down at the younger man.
"Oh, no, go right ahead" Clark said moving over a bit to make room on the loveseat that he had been on almost all night.
"Thanks" Lex said looking at Clark with his intense steel-blue eyes.
"So" Clark said after a moment of Lex staring at him, with something he couldn't quite put his finger on.
"Yes?" Lex said in the form of a question.
"Uh….nice party" Clark said and then wanted to punch himself for how dorky he sounded.
"It has its appeal" Lex said looking at Clark as if he was the only person in the room.
"I guess" Clark said turning his head and looking around for his brother.
"Lex, by the way, and you are?" Lex said with a rising of his eyebrows.
"Oh, uh, Clark McBride"
"Scott McBride is what, your younger or older brother?" Lex said staring at Clark.
"Oh, my older brother" Clark said moving toward the end of the couch now that Lex knew who is brother was.
"Hmmm, well I guess I can over look that" Lex mumbled to himself, but Clark heard it loud and clear.
"Overlook what?" Clark asked wondering if the person next to him wasn't a fan of his brother.
"That your brother is Scott McBride"
"Not a fan, I take it?" Clark questioned hoping that someone in the town of Metropolis didn't think his brother hung the moon and the stars like his parents seem to think.
"No, not a fan at all"
"He has his moments, or so I am told" Clark said before chuckling a bit at the cracks they were making about his brother.
"You don't seem the fan either"
"No, being the youngest of three does that to you. My brother hung the moon and stars and the soccer world revolves around him. Then there is my sister, Jessie that the fashion and dance world have yet to notice, even though she is horrible in both." Clark said by way of explaining his family dynamic.
"So, what year are you, since you obviously are not here because you graduated"
"Oh, I'm a sophomore next year" Clark said hoping not to sound like a complete dweeb.
"Hmmm"
"Uh, well, it was nice talking to you" Clark said as he tried to make his way across the room for another bottle of water.
"Would you be amenable to getting me a drink as well?" Lex asked with a bit of hope that Clark would come back.
"Sure" Clark said being nice to Lex.
"How about a bottle of water" Lex said looking to the now standing up Clark.
"Water?" Clark asked not believing his own ears.
"Yes, water…you know the H.2.0 thing our bodies are made 70% up of." Lex said smirking at the amazed look on Clark's face.
"Okay, sorry" Clark said before he turned away to get two bottled waters, Lex watched him the whole time with something more than lust in his eyes. He could have had anyone in the room, but something about Clark was drawing him to the younger man. It was few moments later that Clark came back with the waters and sat down again.
"So, what do you plan on doing now" Clark asked curious to find out what the other man had plans to do.
"Well, I plan to go to Princeton in the fall" Lex said eyeing Clark for a reaction.
"Sounds good, to be able to get away from here I mean" Clark said with longing in his voice. He could only wish to leave Metropolis and his family behind.
"Don't like it here, I take it?"
"You could say that" Clark said brushing one of his hands against his pants.
"Why is that?" Lex said putting the now empty water bottle on the floor.
"Not a fan of my family ideas on what I should do with my life"
"Aren't we all" Lex said with a small laugh and smile on his face.
"I guess so, huh?" Clark said smiling at Lex now too.
"So do you play any sports?" Lex asked Clark, now interested to find out more about the person sitting next to him.
"Yeah, lacrosse and my family hates me for it" Clark said laughing at the fight that he had about being on the lacrosse team as apposed to the soccer team.
"Not fans, huh?"
"No way, I had to beg just to get to play this year and if my brother has his way, which he will, I will end up playing soccer. I'm no good at soccer" Clark said with anger rolling off of him in waves.
"Well, I am a fencing man myself" Lex shared.
"Wow, I heard we went to state this year" Clark said interested in the other man next to him. Not knowing that this was *the* Alexander Luthor that his brother was looking for; to him it was just some guy named Lex. He didn't know how much this night would haunt him, come the next day.
"Sure did, and got the championship too" Lex said proud of the accomplishment.
"Great job!" Clark said with a huge smile on his face in congratulations.
"Thanks, my father wasn't too impressed though" Lex said his face changing at the mention of his father.
"Sorry" Clark said sad now that he had brought something up that the other wasn't happy about.
"Its fine" Lex said brighten up with a change in subject.
"So what else does Clark McBride do?"
"Well I am a 4H member; I am working on the best practices for organic farmers."
"Agriculture, who would have thought" Lex mused out loud, not looking for a response but getting one anyway.
"My family sure didn't think so" Clark said shaking his head at the numerous times he fought with his parents about his choice of extracurricular activities.
"Understandable, it isn't everyday that one's child decides agriculture is something enjoyable."
"Sure" Clark said sad at the idea that once his brother went to college that he would have to live up to his brother's goals.
"Would you walk with me for some fresh air?" Lex said hoping he didn't sound too odd asking Clark to walk with him. He had seen some of the guys eyeing him and Clark and he knew he had to leave the area soon or be swamped by guys that wanted to get in his pants.
"Sure" Clark said standing up and then moving out of the way so that Lex too could stand; soon after, they made their way to the back of the house where a set of stairs lead to the upstairs.
"Think it will be better up there?" Clark said while motioning with his head up the stairs.
"Might" Lex said mounting the stairs with Clark trailing behind him. Once they reached the top, they made their way to the first open door that had a nicely made bed in it.
"How about this?" Lex said walking in and looking around.
"Looks good to me" Clark said walking over to the window to open it a bit to let in some fresh air. Lex on the other hand closed and locked the door to avoid people coming in. Clark heard the lock and spun around.
"Just to keep others out, I have no desire to be pawed at" Lex said while gracefully sitting on the bed. Clark nodded his head and looked about the room for any sort of indication on whose room this was.
"Looks to be a guest room" Lex threw out to Clark.
"I think you are right" Clark said now coming to sit next to Lex on the bed, since there didn't seem to be any chairs in the room. Both Lex and Clark sat in silence for a few moments before Lex decided to test the waters with Clark. While Clark looked around the room with his eyes again, Lex placed his hand on Clark's. Clark jumped and looked into Lex's eyes to see something more than lust shining out of them.
"Clark" Lex whispered as he got closer to Clark. Clark just sat there frozen, Lex was about to kiss him, Clark McBride dorky brother of Scott McBride, Jr.
"Clark" Lex called out one more time, before his lips where on Clark's. Clark resisted for all of one second, before Lex's tongue ran across his bottom lip asking for entrance to his mouth. Clark opened willing then and that was the end of Clark's resistance. Lex guided Clark to lie down while still staying connected to his lips. They broke the kiss with harsh panting due to the lack of air.
"Wow" Clark said and then giggled; Lex thought it was the best sound he had heard ever, well at least since his mother died.
"I want more" Lex said kissing Clark again, hoping that Clark wouldn't say no. Clark just nodded his head and began to kiss Lex again hoping that Lex would guide him through this.
"Are you sure?" Lex asked one last time, before he would take Clark fully.
"Yes" Clark said running his right hand along Lex's back.
"Good" Lex said diving back in for a kiss and then moving his hands around Clark's body. This continued on for what seemed like hours to Clark, he had no idea that sex could be so amazing or maybe it was because he was with someone who he genuinely liked and he was genuinely liked in return. Clark fell asleep on Lex's chest, while the other man ran his hand through Clark's sable locks. Lex fell asleep awhile later, comforted by Clark's even breathing.