A Smallville fic by The Fox.
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Part Two- ONE MAGIC DAY.
There was a boy, a very strange, enchanted boy
They say he wandered very far, very far, over land and sea
A little shy and sad of eye but very wise was he
And then one day, one magic day
He passed my way while we spoke of many things
Fools and kings, this he said to me
"The greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return"

Clark felt as inconspicuous as a daisy in an orchid's garden. Despite Lex's musings, the business reunion had implied more
than old men from Lionel Luthor's age, and the very air had been tinged with animosity. He was sitting in a couch near Lex's
table, where the bald boy was facing no less than twenty people. Some where old, but there was plenty of strict business
women, with perfect make up, hairstyles as severe as clothes, and still young executives, all of them staring at Lex with tense
posture and hard eyes.
The one person relaxed in the whole room was Lex itself, who was leaning in his chair with a smile as dangerous as a knife.
Clark wondered if those persons took his presence as an insult, with his worn out jeans and his battered red T-shirt. And tennis
shoes. Gods, I should have dressed better, at least burrow a jacket from Dad.
It took Clark good fifteen minutes to emerge from his self embarrassment to take a peek around, and be encouraged because
all those elegant people wasn't staring at him. In fact, they kept staring at Lex, as he spoke, lazily ordering " No" " Get him
out" " Buy" "Sell" or a simple nod. Some of them showed DataShow presentations, some handed Lex reports he barely
peeked over before to gave one-word answers. He barely seemed interested, and the glaring in the room rose to such a level
that Clark wondered how Lex didn't started to crisp like a fried potato. In fact, he seemed oblivious to it, except for a calm
brilliance in his eyes, certain belligerence in his posture- Clark wasn't sure. But in the moment mugs of coffee were served,
and Lex turned to give him one with his long fingers around the rim of the Luthorcorp cup, that belligerence was gone, and
Lex winked at him. Clark tried to smile him back, even if all his joints ached from the long sitting exercise, and more than a bit
worried for the air in the reunion.
How I would feel, with so much people… despising me, like that,?
I would be broken.
But even if I know Lex can be ruthless, he is still a boy like me! They simply can't go and hate him like that! He is not
evil, only… a bit self-centered, maybe spoiled.
Clark looked at Lex's profile, as he stared silently to a bearded young man doing an exposition. It was true he had heard
enough horrors from the Luthor family, and from Lex in particular: but it was true, too, that he had never received from Lex
more than friendship, gentleness, deep respect and understanding
I know you can be a total bitch.
Couldn't I, too?
They don't know you as I do. And I wonder why you choose me to reveal yourself. If they knew you as I do, they
would like you as I do.
Clark blinked, and then smiled at the revelation. Well.
I like you, Lex, I really do.

The meeting wasn't over till lunchtime, and Clark' stomach have been growling for a while when they finally closed their
reports and piled in the door. No even one of them stayed longer that the strictly necessary to nod at Lex and fade away
without even an asking for his health. Lex eyed them as they went away, and turned to Clark, whose legs were well as dead
by know. Incredible, he looked as fresh as a rose, as Clark felt wretched.
- Would you mind terribly if I tell you I prefer to carry piles of hay at dawn? No offense -
- I prefer it too.- Lex confessed, smiling. – By far.- he straightened, and his backbone gave a series of cricks.
- Ouch.- Clark sympathized, eyeing the smaller boy.- Hurts?- with a simple, gentle gesture, he reached a hand, and massaged
the aching shoulder. Lex closed his eyes and gave a sigh at the big, strong, but gentle hand massaging his delicate bone, and
laughed when Clark patted it.
- That's more like it.- he praised, stirring.- I feel like a cat. A very bald, very bad cat.-
- Aren't the Egyptian cats bald?-
- The Pharaoh' s pets, yeah.- Lex smiled.- I'll get one someday, and name him " Tut". Great guy, dying bumped in the head
by your wife truly. But let's lunch. I'm starving, and I think I know the right place.-
Lex indeed knew how to move in Metropolis, a place that still dizzied Clark. But after another mad drive through the avenues,
Lex entered a very discreet, very tasty restaurant where the maitre addressed him by name, and gave them a table in a
secluded terrace, with a beautiful view of Metropolis Central Park under the blue sky.
When plates of steaming lamb and sauces were settled in their table, Clark's stomach made a happy jig.
- It smells great!- he grinned.- Lex, what is it?-
- I would tell you, but I have the sneaky suspicion that if I tell you is a marinated baby you're going to wolf the food anyway.-
Lex sipped his wine, and served Clark's coke. Clark laughed out loud, and wolfed the food, indeed. It took him a moment to
realize Lex wasn't eating nearly as enthusiastically, staring in the blue space, the building outlines, cup in hand with a pensive
face. Clark put his fork down, swallowed, and cleaning some sauce from his lips with a napkin attempted a reading of his
elusive friend's thoughts.
- Is beautiful view, isn't it?-
- Personally.- Lex said with nonchalance, - I think is hideous.- the comment was so relaxed, and unexpected that Clark
sputtered in his Coke.
- Really?-
- Yes. Disgusting. Horrible. In fact, this bloody city is the bane of my existence.- Lex took another sip. His clear eyes were
even clearer, and even with his dry humor it gave seriousness to his assessment. Clark stared at his plate, strangely touched
at Lex's sincerity.
- It's about the meeting? They didn't seem to like you very much?-
- Thanks, Clark, you're a definite winner for Understatement of the Year.- he chuckled.- They despise, abhor, get sick of me.
In fact, I think only my black belt keeps them from lounging at me with an axe. After fighting each other deadly for
precedence in the waiting row to Get Lex Bald Head On A Platter.-
- Did you do anything to upset them?- Clark was feeling truly silly and lost in Lex's metaphors. Or at least, he wished it were
metaphors.
- See this?- Lex said with a chuckle, waving one of the reports addressed to him in personalized leather bounds with LL
imprinted in gold.
Clark sighed.- But your name isn't your fault, Lex.-
- Well.- Lex took a bite, and studied the fork as it was a rare object.- I always think my father named me "Lex" not because
Alexander the great but from laziness. He didn't wanted to change any of his LL signatures.-
- But there's still " Louis"- Clark was relieved seeing Lex's mood lighten, and answered grinning around his marinated lamb.
-" Laurence"-
-" Leroy"-
-" Lancelot"-
-" Lorenzo"-
-" Legolas"-
-" Leonard"-
-" Lestat"-
-" Leland"-
-" Lewis"
- Don't you know any name that came not from a book? "Lee"-
- That's silly. If you think I can go around calling myself "Lee Luthor", is because you have a very inflated opinion of my
cheek.- they laughed aloud, starting some doves that had came to take a curious peek on the wooden veranda, and they took
fly. Clark looked at them, soaring white into the sky, and taking some bread spread a little in the veranda. When he came back
to his seat, Lex was looking at him, chin in hand.
-What?-
- Nothing. Just that my first thought at those doves was that if one of then dared to ruin my shirt, I'll stab it with my fork and
eat it alive.-
- Well, I thought they could be hungry, and this little rest of bread is going to be lost.-
- And I was the man who thought the cheesy line " Did it hurt when you fell to earth?" was dead.-
Clark blushed, hard.

- What did your mother ask you to bring home?-
They had taken for a walk after lunch, feeling confortably full, and crossed the Park to get into the commercial area. Lex was
relaxed, jacket slung over one shoulder, hands on his pockets, his tie loose and his shirt slightly more open, and, thought Clark,
still looked like something took from a stylish fashion campaign. He, in change, was in his old and very used jeans, and simply
knew his hair looked like a bird's nest. After some time spent with Lex, he started to envy the cleanness and simplicity of
being bald.
- Some personal items you don't find easily in Smallville. Her perfume, a new pair of her favorite boots, and a stylish tie for
Dad: his birthday is coming soon.-
- Really?-
- Yeah. Forty-six. I barely can't believe it, my Dad is more energetic than me.-
- They surely found you when they were very young.-
- Yeah.- took a moment to Clark to process what he had just said. He lifted his gaze quickly, hoping against all hope that Lex
hadn't caught the meaning, but Lex was smiling smugly.
- Damn it, Lex, that's wasn't fair!- he shrieked.
- Clark, it just came. I'm sorry.- he said, not looking a little bit sorry, staring at him closely.- I just couldn't resist.-
- Lex, I hate when you do that.-
- Would you forgive me if I say I could tell you were to get Renascence with a huge discount?-
- What…Lex, how did you knew my mother wears that perfume?-
- I have a nose, I think.- he sighed.- One of my girlfriends wore it.-
- Do you know, when you say one of my girlfriends, I feel like a eleven year old.-
- I'm not bragging. I assure you, I would like to pine for a woman and be as free of temptations as you do.-
- Who said I was temptation-free?-
- Your friend Chloe has a very fine ass.-
- WHAT?… Really?-
- End of the point.- Lex produced his stylish sunglasses from his jacket, put them on, and put them on, face to the blue sky.
Clark chuckled, defeated.
- Never thought that maybe is a limit to smart-ass remarks?-
- Nope.- Lex resumed his walking, relaxed and perfect.
Clark grinned. If he were Pete, he would be swimming on the lagoon by now for that remark. And if I am going to be
his friend, let's starts treating him like one.
- Well, I'll show you one.- he said, and without even break on a sweat he draped Lex over his shoulder just like a pile of hay,
and started jogging to the lagoon.
- CLARK?- Lex's shriek was half annoyed, half started.- What do you think you're doing?!-
- Throwing you to the water if you don't take back that comment about Chloe, you sot.- the farm boy announced happily, the
rich heir hanging from his shoulder.
- I never took anything back.-
- So you're better good on swimming.- Clark did a whirl, and Lex laughed, unceremoniously grabbing at his shoulders. Clark
kept an eye in Lex: at the first sign of annoyance, he would drop him, but Lex was laughing, and it his eyes it was a happy, if
stubborn, shine.
- You wouldn't dare, Clark.-
- Care to try?-
-*sigh* Clark, I am carrying nothing but what I am wearing.-
- So you better apologize.-
- Ok, I'll take that back. Now, put me down. Those gentle pair of Grandpas there are looking at us: I'm sure they're betting on
you.-
- What?-
- *grin* probably they think you're a gay pervert who will throw me on the grass and ravish me.-
- *WHA-AT?*-
Lex took advantage of Clark's distraction, and clawed Clark's back. The farm boy overbalanced, and they fell in the grass in a
heap, giggling madly all the way.
- You…- Lex was breathless.- You caveman, beast, fiend…-
The sun was high, and the sky was blue, and they were laughing so hard it bring tears to their eyes. And when Clark sat finally
and brushed some grass from his black hair, found in Lex's gaze gratitude so bright, a smile so joyful, that he could have weep.
We will be friends. You have been being a great friend to me and I haven't done anything. I never realized you
needed so much a friend, the one thing you can't buy the one thing I can give to you, the one who has everything.
Well, here I am, if you want me, I'm all yours.
Because I trust you, Lex Luthor.