------------------------
Part 6 - Getting Started…
After the meeting with Pete, Clark seemed more open to suggestions of going out and
doing things. Of course Lex wasn't sure how used to the real world he would get if he
went out with him as most people treated Lex as if he were the second coming, or at
least a member of royalty. Clark though seemed to want to get out more and Lex
knew that he would not discourage it just because Clark begged him to go too. So
when the flyer came for the Science Symposium Fundraiser, Lex found himself
telling his secretary to book tickets, despite the fact that he had not been to a charity
social event in more than two years. At least this way it would be something that they
would both enjoy. The lecture was on mythology and the stars and Lex was pretty
sure that Clark would enjoy it given his fascination with all things space.
Clark was excited about going, he had smiled widely when Lex started to tell him that
the tickets were booked and the older man was glad that he had made the
arrangements as a surprise. It was an early evening event, organised so it would fit
between luncheons and cocktail parties and Lex was sure that Clark would feel a little
out of place so he was surprised to see Clark dressed in a suit when he returned from a
Board Meeting that he had to attend. Lex had wanted to tell the board members
where to go when they had called the meeting but he supposed that being the head of
a multi-national conglomerate had certain responsibilities that even he could not shirk.
Clark seemed fine with him going and he was more than surprised with the tailored
suit that his companion for the evening wore.
"Clark, you…" Lex said as he walked in to the lounge room and saw the dark suit that
his friend wore.
"Is it okay?" Clark asked insecurely, and Lex was sure that he would have to take a
cold shower when he saw the younger man biting his lip uncertainly. It really ought
to be a crime for one man to look so innocent and yet so naively good looking.
"It's more than okay." Lex said as he tried to keep the desire out of his voice, even
though his throat was dry at the sight of the young man that came across as so chaste
and yet looked sinful. "I feel a little underdressed myself." Lex added to try and take
some of the want from his statement. He had promised himself that no matter what he
did or felt he would not make Clark uncomfortable around him.
"You look fine." Clark said, although Lex wasn't sure if it was because he was paying
him a compliment or just because the kid was raring to go to the Symposium. Lex
decided that he would take it as a compliment and smiled, checking his pocket for the
tickets and then beckoning Clark toward the door. He was determined that they
would have a good night and from the look on Clark's face it was quite likely that they
would have a good evening.
The limo ride was an experience. Clark had only been in a limo once before and that
had been with Lana back when he had still been trying to date her. This time it was
different, not only because he was with Lex (who kept the divide between him and the
driver up, unlike Lana) but also because they had driven for only twenty minutes and
then overtaken another Limo so that they were at the front of the queue. Lex took in
the crowds and wondered if there was a way he could have avoided this, but he knew
that Clark was looking forward to the lecture and that there was no way of getting out
of it now.
"There is a lot of press outside." He said to Clark. "Don't worry if they take a picture,
the worst that can happen is that we'll be in the society pages tomorrow, and it will be
me they are talking about." Lex said as he squeezed Clark's shoulder reassuringly,
trying to keep the gesture as familial as possible. Clark nodded and tried not to think
of the last photographs that he had been subjected to, every angle had been taken and
every detail catalogued in the compound. He shook his head to clear the image and
then got out of the car, following Lex a few steps behind. Lex posed for a few
pictures before stepping in, he avoided all of the questions shouted at him by the press
although Clark could not help overhearing about the fertiliser plant in Tennessee that
had closed and the fact that Lex was taking three months vacation. As they got inside
Clark was too awed by the sights to think any more of the comments.
It was not the science that amazed him so much as the finely turned out people, all of
them dressed to the nines in clothes that would have cost Clark his entire life's worth
of allowance and then some. He didn't think how much his own suit had cost because
Lex had told him that it was hardly a drop in Lex's monetary ocean but Clark could
see the irony of these people spending more on their outfits than on their actual
contributions to the charities themselves.
"You okay?" Lex asked as he watched the look that crossed Clark's face, one of
wonder followed by what appeared to be amusement.
"Yeah." Clark said. "Just thinking."
"Good thoughts I hope." Lex said with a smile and Clark nodded. Lex was glad that
Clark was happy.
The lecture itself had been stimulating if dumped down, Lex supposed that in order to
get a large number to attend they had to place it at a lower level, he was more of a
pure scientist but he watched as Clark, who was a philosopher and thinker at hear,
was awed by the true meanings of the heavens from the lecturer's point of view.
Clark was taking in everything, from the elaborate holograms and projections that the
orator used to the words that he was using and as the man spoke of gods from the
skies Clark could not think of how what he could do, his freakish abilities and how in
less cynical times how he could have been a God. The thought both amazed and
terrified him.
After it was over they stayed to mingle with the other guests. Clark would have rather
just gone straight back to the Penthouse. Perhaps staying up late enough to discuss
some of the evening's theories with Lex who had always involved him in stimulating
conversation and seemed to have an opinion on everything back when they had been
in Smallville.
"I'm sorry." Lex said as he wandered into the hall and was almost immediately
beckoned over to speak to someone. "It's a hazard of being my friend."
Clark thought back to a similar visit he had taken with Lex, a museum opening, it was
a long time ago and he could barely remember the exhibits but he did remember not
seeing Lex for most of the night. At least this time around he had enjoyed the talk.
"It's okay." He heard himself say as he pushed Lex gently to speak with whomever it
was that wanted to speak to him so badly. "My Mom taught me to share my toys."
Lex went off with a delicious idea in his mind about just how much he would like to
be Clark Kent's toy before he stopped the thought, knowing that even entertaining a
joke along those lines was dangerous, especially if he was going to quell his growing
feelings for the boy.
Instead of thinking his lascivious thoughts of being all dressed in leather and begging
for Clark's attention he went to speak to Darren Goldsmith, an old friend of his fathers
and the group that he was with. Lex just hoped that Clark was not mauled by too
many well meaning dowagers with young daughters before he could get back. The
boy was far too handsome to be left alone and far too young to be married off to an
eligible frump.
Clark had started on his second bowl of punch, enjoying the fruity texture and the
slight hint of alcohol, when he saw her. A woman quite obviously trying to make her
way over to him without being too obvious, at first he thought she might be flirting
with him but then he realised that he was just sitting at one of the few half empty
tables and that she walked as if her feet were sore. A few years before he would have
blushed at the thought of a woman approaching him but recently he had been thinking
other thoughts.
"May I sit?" She asked, and the words sounded too formal for her less than upper-
class accent, almost as if the words were alien to her mouth.
"Sure." Clark said, not bothering to hide his own background. He was proud of who
he was and he didn't care if they judged him for it, he was farm stock and that was
nothing to be sneered at. "As long as you're not expecting a scintillating discussion
about astrophysics or something. I'm not too well versed in advanced science." She
smiled and took a seat, not really even taking much notice of him. In a way Clark was
glad, he didn't really want to talk anyway.
"Yeah, I don't really take much notice at these things either. If it wasn't for Perry's
insistence I would have stayed home tonight." She said with a sigh as she sipped
whatever it was she was drinking.
"Is Perry your husband?" Clark asked, trying to remember the rules of etiquette that
his mother had tried to teach him once, he was sure that there was a way to talk in
high society but he couldn't remember what it was. He supposed just be friendly and
don't mention politics would be a good one.
"Oh God…" She began laughing, he wondered what he had said. "No…No…Perry is
my boss." She said. Clark nodded and wondered if that meant she was a secretary, a
mistress, an escort or a little of all three. Even with his rural background he knew that
it would not be polite to ask that question. "And you?" She asked conversationally.
"I saw that you were with Lex Luthor. Definitely a good prospect."
Clark blushed a little but did not comment immediately. He wondered if she thought
Lex was gay.
"No, Lex is a friend." He said, hoping that it did not give too much away.
"It's okay. I mean, purely between us, we both know that Lex Luthor is at least
bisexual. His reckless youth shows that much, there were always rumours but a girl
has to know what it takes to catch the world's richest man." She said, Clark looked at
her speculatively but did not know quite how to react to that. If he denied it then he
would look as if he was lying for Lex but if he lied and said they were together it
would cause a reaction that he was not ready for and would spread untrue rumours
about Lex's sexuality.
"Oh come now Ms. Lane. We both know that the Sultan of Brunei is still richer than I
am, and I tell you that rumours of my youth are vastly overstated." Lex said, Clark felt
the strong hand on his shoulder and was glad of the support.
"May I quote you on that?" She asked with a smirk. Clark realised in that moment
that she was a reporter and he hoped that he had not said anything too much in that
time.
"Should I call Mr. White and ask for your job now?" He asked with a similar smirk,
his somehow coming over as more sinister than hers. "After all I do believe that the
recording device in your bag is a direct violation of city guidelines as well as a gross
invasion of privacy." Clark didn't know if Lex had somehow acquired X-ray vision or
if this was just a lucky guess but the blush on her face was all the answer he needed to
know he had been duped and that Lex was right. A quick scan of her bag using his
own super power indeed showed a small dictaphone that would fit into the tiny
handbag that she carried.
"I was just leaving." Lois said as she stood, her embarrassment clear in her beating a
hasty retreat towards the buffet table and leaving them behind.
"Ms. Lane." Lex said as she walked away, she turned to see him taking the seat next
to Clark and watching him carefully she saw that he was smiling in a way she had not
seen before. "The tape?" He asked holding out his hand. She snorted softly,
mumbling something under her breath about his manhood and how small it was but
she reached into her bag and handed over the tape anyway.
To Clark it was just another show of just how powerful Lex was, and he was again
glad that he had this man as his friend. With Lex Luthor watching his back he would
not be crossed again and he knew that he would not be alone. If it weren't for Lex he
would still be in that…place. Lex had saved him again tonight with Lois Lane and he
knew that he never wanted to have Lex on the other side, as an enemy instead of a
friend.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know…" Clark began as the huffy Lois Lane stomped off, her tail
between her legs because someone had put one over on her. Lex put a hand on
Clark's knee and shook his head. As if telling him it was okay and that no apology
was needed and Clark nodded in response, no need for verbal communication
between them.
"We should go." Lex said as he saw another group spot him, the last thing that he
wanted was to be dragged off into some other conversation about something that was
best dealt with by one of his assistants. He took his phone out of his pocket and
called for a car, it was to meet them at the front in a few minutes. Then they crossed
the room quickly, avoiding people other than to nod or smile as they went and headed
for the door. As planned the limo was there to meet them as they stepped out into the
chilled Metropolis evening. Clark leaned to get in and heard Lex's slight intake of
breath as he bent to do so, and for the first time he wondered about what Lois Lane
had said and began to question what it was that Lex wanted with him.
Lex studied Clark on the way back, something seemed off with his friend. It was not
that Clark was not often silent and stoic, in fact it was a change that had occurred
since his ordeal, but this time Clark seemed troubled by something other than the
imprisonment, almost as if it was the evening itself that had upset him and Lex could
not help but question what it was that Lois Lane had said to him or worse if Clark had
actually been attracted to the woman that could almost be an older version of Lana
Lang.
Clark was lost in thought and Lex was half right when he wondered if it was to do
with Lois but it was not a fantasy about being with her, nor was it that he was
distressed by something she had said, contemplative would be a better word. Clark
had never really stopped to think about how he felt about Lex, he knew that they were
friends but that had always been enough for him. In high school he had been too
troubled with first coming to terms with his powers and then dealing with everyone
elses and their problems with them to actually think about a serious relationship. He
didn't even know which planet he was from let alone what his sexual orientation was.
After his abduction he had never really thought much about anything like that, just
surviving each day had been taxing enough.
Clark thought instead about love, and lust. He knew that lust was something he had
only really felt over girls, Lana Lang in all her unobtainable glory and the few girls
that he had dreamed of, Britney Spears and Mandy Moore to mention two but then in
high school he had not looked at men as a viable option because he had never really
thought about it and it was certainly not something that he had been brought up to
think openly about. Sure there was locker room stuff like towel flicking and eyeing
the others to see if they had a bigger package than you but that was boys being boys,
nothing else. So lust was out, he didn't really think of it like that. Which left love.
His parents had been in love, very much in love but before that his Dad had wanted
Nell and had switched to his mother only when he found that Ms. Lang was sleeping
with a Luthor behind his back, his Mom wasn't the pretty one but she was the smart
one and she had accepted Jonathan for the man he was. His Mom had always told
him that Love was having someone that loved you not in spite of your quirks but
because of them, whatever that had meant. Then there was Lana, she had told him
that Whitney made her feel safe, and loved and he was there for her. That was her
definition of love. Finally he thought of Pete, sure in high school the footballer had
his share of girls but Kirsty, the one he had settled for was a friend first of all. Pete
had gone through the cheerleaders and gorgeous girls in High School only to settle
with the one that had understood him and trusted him as you did a friend.
So the definition of lover was a friend, someone you trusted, who made you feel safe
and wanted and who would accept you for who you were. Not only that but someone
who would be there and do things for you, often without being asked. A person that
you could be the same for in return. Lex fitted all of those and even though Clark
wasn't sure if he was gay he could fill all of the requirements, they had saved each
other at different times and they had always been friends. That only left the sex thing
and seeing as he was a virgin that was a problem that Clark would have to sort out in
time, he assumed that Lex, at least the Lex he pictured in his mind would wait for
him. At least for a little while.
"Clark?" Lex asked, his deep timbre pulling Clark out of his musings. "You okay?
You're pretty quiet."
Clark turned to look at Lex and saw the concern that shined in the blue eyes. He
smiled softly and reached for Lex's hand, he was spurred on when it was taken.
Softly pulling Lex to him he paced a tentative kiss on the man's lips and was pleased
to receive a groan in response, he gave it another chance, this time with a more firm
press of lips, still relatively chaste but more recognizable as a kiss.
Lex enjoyed it for a moment before his brain engaged and he pulled away. Clark's
face fell as he took this as a rejection and he pulled away violently, glad that the car
was stopping. Lex watched as the boy he had wanted for so long disappeared out of
his life for a second time and he wasn't sure if he would see him again. All he could
do was hope that Clark would come back on his own, because he had caused Clark's
desertion this time and he wasn't sure that the younger man would come back. As he
walked into his suddenly empty house Lex felt his lips and wondered what had caused
Clark to kiss him, he really did wonder what was on that tape.
------------------
To Be Continued…
Sorry, this would have been up a week ago but ff.net wouldn't let me in…
Part 6 - Getting Started…
After the meeting with Pete, Clark seemed more open to suggestions of going out and
doing things. Of course Lex wasn't sure how used to the real world he would get if he
went out with him as most people treated Lex as if he were the second coming, or at
least a member of royalty. Clark though seemed to want to get out more and Lex
knew that he would not discourage it just because Clark begged him to go too. So
when the flyer came for the Science Symposium Fundraiser, Lex found himself
telling his secretary to book tickets, despite the fact that he had not been to a charity
social event in more than two years. At least this way it would be something that they
would both enjoy. The lecture was on mythology and the stars and Lex was pretty
sure that Clark would enjoy it given his fascination with all things space.
Clark was excited about going, he had smiled widely when Lex started to tell him that
the tickets were booked and the older man was glad that he had made the
arrangements as a surprise. It was an early evening event, organised so it would fit
between luncheons and cocktail parties and Lex was sure that Clark would feel a little
out of place so he was surprised to see Clark dressed in a suit when he returned from a
Board Meeting that he had to attend. Lex had wanted to tell the board members
where to go when they had called the meeting but he supposed that being the head of
a multi-national conglomerate had certain responsibilities that even he could not shirk.
Clark seemed fine with him going and he was more than surprised with the tailored
suit that his companion for the evening wore.
"Clark, you…" Lex said as he walked in to the lounge room and saw the dark suit that
his friend wore.
"Is it okay?" Clark asked insecurely, and Lex was sure that he would have to take a
cold shower when he saw the younger man biting his lip uncertainly. It really ought
to be a crime for one man to look so innocent and yet so naively good looking.
"It's more than okay." Lex said as he tried to keep the desire out of his voice, even
though his throat was dry at the sight of the young man that came across as so chaste
and yet looked sinful. "I feel a little underdressed myself." Lex added to try and take
some of the want from his statement. He had promised himself that no matter what he
did or felt he would not make Clark uncomfortable around him.
"You look fine." Clark said, although Lex wasn't sure if it was because he was paying
him a compliment or just because the kid was raring to go to the Symposium. Lex
decided that he would take it as a compliment and smiled, checking his pocket for the
tickets and then beckoning Clark toward the door. He was determined that they
would have a good night and from the look on Clark's face it was quite likely that they
would have a good evening.
The limo ride was an experience. Clark had only been in a limo once before and that
had been with Lana back when he had still been trying to date her. This time it was
different, not only because he was with Lex (who kept the divide between him and the
driver up, unlike Lana) but also because they had driven for only twenty minutes and
then overtaken another Limo so that they were at the front of the queue. Lex took in
the crowds and wondered if there was a way he could have avoided this, but he knew
that Clark was looking forward to the lecture and that there was no way of getting out
of it now.
"There is a lot of press outside." He said to Clark. "Don't worry if they take a picture,
the worst that can happen is that we'll be in the society pages tomorrow, and it will be
me they are talking about." Lex said as he squeezed Clark's shoulder reassuringly,
trying to keep the gesture as familial as possible. Clark nodded and tried not to think
of the last photographs that he had been subjected to, every angle had been taken and
every detail catalogued in the compound. He shook his head to clear the image and
then got out of the car, following Lex a few steps behind. Lex posed for a few
pictures before stepping in, he avoided all of the questions shouted at him by the press
although Clark could not help overhearing about the fertiliser plant in Tennessee that
had closed and the fact that Lex was taking three months vacation. As they got inside
Clark was too awed by the sights to think any more of the comments.
It was not the science that amazed him so much as the finely turned out people, all of
them dressed to the nines in clothes that would have cost Clark his entire life's worth
of allowance and then some. He didn't think how much his own suit had cost because
Lex had told him that it was hardly a drop in Lex's monetary ocean but Clark could
see the irony of these people spending more on their outfits than on their actual
contributions to the charities themselves.
"You okay?" Lex asked as he watched the look that crossed Clark's face, one of
wonder followed by what appeared to be amusement.
"Yeah." Clark said. "Just thinking."
"Good thoughts I hope." Lex said with a smile and Clark nodded. Lex was glad that
Clark was happy.
The lecture itself had been stimulating if dumped down, Lex supposed that in order to
get a large number to attend they had to place it at a lower level, he was more of a
pure scientist but he watched as Clark, who was a philosopher and thinker at hear,
was awed by the true meanings of the heavens from the lecturer's point of view.
Clark was taking in everything, from the elaborate holograms and projections that the
orator used to the words that he was using and as the man spoke of gods from the
skies Clark could not think of how what he could do, his freakish abilities and how in
less cynical times how he could have been a God. The thought both amazed and
terrified him.
After it was over they stayed to mingle with the other guests. Clark would have rather
just gone straight back to the Penthouse. Perhaps staying up late enough to discuss
some of the evening's theories with Lex who had always involved him in stimulating
conversation and seemed to have an opinion on everything back when they had been
in Smallville.
"I'm sorry." Lex said as he wandered into the hall and was almost immediately
beckoned over to speak to someone. "It's a hazard of being my friend."
Clark thought back to a similar visit he had taken with Lex, a museum opening, it was
a long time ago and he could barely remember the exhibits but he did remember not
seeing Lex for most of the night. At least this time around he had enjoyed the talk.
"It's okay." He heard himself say as he pushed Lex gently to speak with whomever it
was that wanted to speak to him so badly. "My Mom taught me to share my toys."
Lex went off with a delicious idea in his mind about just how much he would like to
be Clark Kent's toy before he stopped the thought, knowing that even entertaining a
joke along those lines was dangerous, especially if he was going to quell his growing
feelings for the boy.
Instead of thinking his lascivious thoughts of being all dressed in leather and begging
for Clark's attention he went to speak to Darren Goldsmith, an old friend of his fathers
and the group that he was with. Lex just hoped that Clark was not mauled by too
many well meaning dowagers with young daughters before he could get back. The
boy was far too handsome to be left alone and far too young to be married off to an
eligible frump.
Clark had started on his second bowl of punch, enjoying the fruity texture and the
slight hint of alcohol, when he saw her. A woman quite obviously trying to make her
way over to him without being too obvious, at first he thought she might be flirting
with him but then he realised that he was just sitting at one of the few half empty
tables and that she walked as if her feet were sore. A few years before he would have
blushed at the thought of a woman approaching him but recently he had been thinking
other thoughts.
"May I sit?" She asked, and the words sounded too formal for her less than upper-
class accent, almost as if the words were alien to her mouth.
"Sure." Clark said, not bothering to hide his own background. He was proud of who
he was and he didn't care if they judged him for it, he was farm stock and that was
nothing to be sneered at. "As long as you're not expecting a scintillating discussion
about astrophysics or something. I'm not too well versed in advanced science." She
smiled and took a seat, not really even taking much notice of him. In a way Clark was
glad, he didn't really want to talk anyway.
"Yeah, I don't really take much notice at these things either. If it wasn't for Perry's
insistence I would have stayed home tonight." She said with a sigh as she sipped
whatever it was she was drinking.
"Is Perry your husband?" Clark asked, trying to remember the rules of etiquette that
his mother had tried to teach him once, he was sure that there was a way to talk in
high society but he couldn't remember what it was. He supposed just be friendly and
don't mention politics would be a good one.
"Oh God…" She began laughing, he wondered what he had said. "No…No…Perry is
my boss." She said. Clark nodded and wondered if that meant she was a secretary, a
mistress, an escort or a little of all three. Even with his rural background he knew that
it would not be polite to ask that question. "And you?" She asked conversationally.
"I saw that you were with Lex Luthor. Definitely a good prospect."
Clark blushed a little but did not comment immediately. He wondered if she thought
Lex was gay.
"No, Lex is a friend." He said, hoping that it did not give too much away.
"It's okay. I mean, purely between us, we both know that Lex Luthor is at least
bisexual. His reckless youth shows that much, there were always rumours but a girl
has to know what it takes to catch the world's richest man." She said, Clark looked at
her speculatively but did not know quite how to react to that. If he denied it then he
would look as if he was lying for Lex but if he lied and said they were together it
would cause a reaction that he was not ready for and would spread untrue rumours
about Lex's sexuality.
"Oh come now Ms. Lane. We both know that the Sultan of Brunei is still richer than I
am, and I tell you that rumours of my youth are vastly overstated." Lex said, Clark felt
the strong hand on his shoulder and was glad of the support.
"May I quote you on that?" She asked with a smirk. Clark realised in that moment
that she was a reporter and he hoped that he had not said anything too much in that
time.
"Should I call Mr. White and ask for your job now?" He asked with a similar smirk,
his somehow coming over as more sinister than hers. "After all I do believe that the
recording device in your bag is a direct violation of city guidelines as well as a gross
invasion of privacy." Clark didn't know if Lex had somehow acquired X-ray vision or
if this was just a lucky guess but the blush on her face was all the answer he needed to
know he had been duped and that Lex was right. A quick scan of her bag using his
own super power indeed showed a small dictaphone that would fit into the tiny
handbag that she carried.
"I was just leaving." Lois said as she stood, her embarrassment clear in her beating a
hasty retreat towards the buffet table and leaving them behind.
"Ms. Lane." Lex said as she walked away, she turned to see him taking the seat next
to Clark and watching him carefully she saw that he was smiling in a way she had not
seen before. "The tape?" He asked holding out his hand. She snorted softly,
mumbling something under her breath about his manhood and how small it was but
she reached into her bag and handed over the tape anyway.
To Clark it was just another show of just how powerful Lex was, and he was again
glad that he had this man as his friend. With Lex Luthor watching his back he would
not be crossed again and he knew that he would not be alone. If it weren't for Lex he
would still be in that…place. Lex had saved him again tonight with Lois Lane and he
knew that he never wanted to have Lex on the other side, as an enemy instead of a
friend.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know…" Clark began as the huffy Lois Lane stomped off, her tail
between her legs because someone had put one over on her. Lex put a hand on
Clark's knee and shook his head. As if telling him it was okay and that no apology
was needed and Clark nodded in response, no need for verbal communication
between them.
"We should go." Lex said as he saw another group spot him, the last thing that he
wanted was to be dragged off into some other conversation about something that was
best dealt with by one of his assistants. He took his phone out of his pocket and
called for a car, it was to meet them at the front in a few minutes. Then they crossed
the room quickly, avoiding people other than to nod or smile as they went and headed
for the door. As planned the limo was there to meet them as they stepped out into the
chilled Metropolis evening. Clark leaned to get in and heard Lex's slight intake of
breath as he bent to do so, and for the first time he wondered about what Lois Lane
had said and began to question what it was that Lex wanted with him.
Lex studied Clark on the way back, something seemed off with his friend. It was not
that Clark was not often silent and stoic, in fact it was a change that had occurred
since his ordeal, but this time Clark seemed troubled by something other than the
imprisonment, almost as if it was the evening itself that had upset him and Lex could
not help but question what it was that Lois Lane had said to him or worse if Clark had
actually been attracted to the woman that could almost be an older version of Lana
Lang.
Clark was lost in thought and Lex was half right when he wondered if it was to do
with Lois but it was not a fantasy about being with her, nor was it that he was
distressed by something she had said, contemplative would be a better word. Clark
had never really stopped to think about how he felt about Lex, he knew that they were
friends but that had always been enough for him. In high school he had been too
troubled with first coming to terms with his powers and then dealing with everyone
elses and their problems with them to actually think about a serious relationship. He
didn't even know which planet he was from let alone what his sexual orientation was.
After his abduction he had never really thought much about anything like that, just
surviving each day had been taxing enough.
Clark thought instead about love, and lust. He knew that lust was something he had
only really felt over girls, Lana Lang in all her unobtainable glory and the few girls
that he had dreamed of, Britney Spears and Mandy Moore to mention two but then in
high school he had not looked at men as a viable option because he had never really
thought about it and it was certainly not something that he had been brought up to
think openly about. Sure there was locker room stuff like towel flicking and eyeing
the others to see if they had a bigger package than you but that was boys being boys,
nothing else. So lust was out, he didn't really think of it like that. Which left love.
His parents had been in love, very much in love but before that his Dad had wanted
Nell and had switched to his mother only when he found that Ms. Lang was sleeping
with a Luthor behind his back, his Mom wasn't the pretty one but she was the smart
one and she had accepted Jonathan for the man he was. His Mom had always told
him that Love was having someone that loved you not in spite of your quirks but
because of them, whatever that had meant. Then there was Lana, she had told him
that Whitney made her feel safe, and loved and he was there for her. That was her
definition of love. Finally he thought of Pete, sure in high school the footballer had
his share of girls but Kirsty, the one he had settled for was a friend first of all. Pete
had gone through the cheerleaders and gorgeous girls in High School only to settle
with the one that had understood him and trusted him as you did a friend.
So the definition of lover was a friend, someone you trusted, who made you feel safe
and wanted and who would accept you for who you were. Not only that but someone
who would be there and do things for you, often without being asked. A person that
you could be the same for in return. Lex fitted all of those and even though Clark
wasn't sure if he was gay he could fill all of the requirements, they had saved each
other at different times and they had always been friends. That only left the sex thing
and seeing as he was a virgin that was a problem that Clark would have to sort out in
time, he assumed that Lex, at least the Lex he pictured in his mind would wait for
him. At least for a little while.
"Clark?" Lex asked, his deep timbre pulling Clark out of his musings. "You okay?
You're pretty quiet."
Clark turned to look at Lex and saw the concern that shined in the blue eyes. He
smiled softly and reached for Lex's hand, he was spurred on when it was taken.
Softly pulling Lex to him he paced a tentative kiss on the man's lips and was pleased
to receive a groan in response, he gave it another chance, this time with a more firm
press of lips, still relatively chaste but more recognizable as a kiss.
Lex enjoyed it for a moment before his brain engaged and he pulled away. Clark's
face fell as he took this as a rejection and he pulled away violently, glad that the car
was stopping. Lex watched as the boy he had wanted for so long disappeared out of
his life for a second time and he wasn't sure if he would see him again. All he could
do was hope that Clark would come back on his own, because he had caused Clark's
desertion this time and he wasn't sure that the younger man would come back. As he
walked into his suddenly empty house Lex felt his lips and wondered what had caused
Clark to kiss him, he really did wonder what was on that tape.
------------------
To Be Continued…
Sorry, this would have been up a week ago but ff.net wouldn't let me in…