Title: The Sweetest Burn
Author: Chosenfire
Type: Slash
Main Pairing: Oliver/Clark (mention of Lex/Clark, Lex/Lana, Clark/Lana, Oliver/Lois)
Status: WIP (1/6)
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: slash, m/m pairing
Word Count: 900
Permission to Archive: Y
Summary: Clark has to deal with Lana's death and Oliver Queen comes back to help him, but he's not the only one concerned with Clark.
Chapter 4 Lex
He was numb. He knew he was the bad guy in the tale, knew he deserved to suffer but he had never really accepted it. To his way of thinking what he was doing was right, for him, for his happiness.
He had already lost so much how was it wrong to hold onto the woman he had chosen as his wife, for so many years he had watched Lana and wanted her. She was strong and beautiful, she was perfect, and she was Clark's.
So when he had won her, when she had said yes and later married him, he had been elated.
Everything he had ever wanted was falling into place; the perfect life he had envisioned would be his. It didn't matter that he had had to lie and go to extreme means of deception to get it, which was just a formality.
He was just making sure nothing would go wrong. He believed the evidence of a child would keep Lana with him, but he had been wrong. The only thing that had kept her with him had been his father's threats, deep down he'd known Lana was going to leave him.
Once she had found out about his deception, she was adamant for a divorce, even then he would have never let her go. But he hadn't had a choice, he had enemies and they had taken her from him.
She was dead and he was numb.
The funeral was in true Luthor fashion with champagne and waiters. Everyone who was anyone had showed and it was more of a society party than a ceremony to grieve for a loved one. There were some though that weren't there for recognition, some who had actually cared for Lex Luthor's wife.
Lana's aunt and uncle had stayed close to Martha Kent who had flown from Washington and had taken it upon herself to see to the grieving woman who had lost the girl she had raised like a daughter. His father was staying close to Mrs. Kent as well.
He had seen Chloe Sullivan, Lana's best friend, flanked by her photographer boyfriend and nosy reporter cousin. She looked like she was holding up well and he applauded her for that.
Clark was here too. Lex had made sure everyone could come and he knew Clark would show. His love for Lana had been the crux of Lex's plans and he knew that if his former friend hadn't cared as much as he had for the woman than he probably would have not pursued her as hard.
Clark seemed to be holding up and Lex knew that was because of the other man attached to his side. Oliver Queen had kept close to Clark through out the whole ceremony. He was in his element among society's elite, steering Clark through the throng easily while making light conversation and holding up his image.
His eyes narrowed on the blond watching the way his hand lingered on Clark's back, the way his eyes followed the boy closely, never leaving him for too long. He knew the look in his eyes, knew the infatuation the other man felt.
His hand on Clark's back was possessive and Lex felt the sharp pain of what he had given up. Everyone thought it was about Lana, that he had loved Lana. He had cared for her, but for years he had been obsessed with Clark Kent. Everything about him fascinated Lex. He had wanted to own the boy and when he couldn't he had set out to destroy him.
But Clark wasn't destroyed, he was still standing with Oliver beside him and he was looking as strong as ever. He wasn't Lex's; he hadn't been Lex's in a long time.
Lex watched them and felt the pain twist in his gut. He knew Oliver Queen, knew the way he worked. He might be reformed, might be one of the good guys now, but he hadn't changed that much. He wanted Clark and he would have him.
Lex's jaw tightened and he turned away feeling the familiar rage burning inside him, comforting in its intensity masking the hollow pain he felt at everything he had given up. He was a man of aspirations and he could not afford to lean on anyone or trust or believe in anything other than his own desires.
Still it burned, the knowledge that while pursuing his curiosity he had given up the companionship of Clark Kent. His desire to learn the truth of the mystery that was Jonathan and Martha Kent's adoptive son had pushed away the one person he had believed could pull him away from the darkness that had always awaited him.
Lex watched Clark follow Queen to his car as the ceremony was breaking up and his hand clenched into a fist. He pulled out his cell phone dialing the number for one of his associates. He had his suspicions about the events that had surrounded his wife's death and it was time to get back in business. He had been watching Chloe Sullivan and he knew she was the key.
"I need someone to follow Chloe Sullivan."