This chapter is being broken up into 2 parts (at least) so it's not too long. This part is Lex's point of view, because I love Lex. Current spoilers through KINETIC.
Guilt was not an emotion Lex Luthor had much experience with. In truth, he tried to avoid experience with many of the more messy and complicated emotions, guilt being one of the top on his list. In his life, there was no room for guilt. It was a luxury one could not afford when a typical "day in the life" included hostile takeovers and running a multi-billion dollar company. Lex had learned that lesson very early on.
Which is why his current feelings of guilt were so disturbing.
Not only was he feeling guilty, but he was feeling guilty over something that was not his fault and that he could not have prevented. There was no way for him to have known that thieves who could walk through walls were going to break into his house on the same night he had scheduled Clark and Chloe to come over so the young reporter could interview him. Even if he had known what was happening, he still couldn't have prevented her fall.
And yet he was still experiencing guilt. Which is probably why he had invited both Chloe and Clark to the castle for a day of fun and relaxation. Not to mention allowing the injured Miss Sullivan an opportunity to interview him again. This guilt thing was really a pain in his ass.
He had agreed to it, however, so when the doorbell rang at two, he personally was there to answer it and invite his young friends inside. That had been an hour ago. Now, guilt or no guilt, he was beginning to question his sanity.
Had he ever been as young as these two? Logically, he had once been the same age, but he simply didn't remember ever being so…carefree? Perhaps that was the best word to describe the light-hearted banter and jokes that flew so easily between the two. It made him feel as though there was some great secret he was missing out on. As though he was an outsider looking in.
At the same time, he enjoyed the reminder that not everything in life was as complicated as it somehow
seemed. There was indeed, corny as it may sound, time to stop and smell the roses. He answered another of
Chloe's surprisingly well-thought-out questions with his standard PR response, and then watched as she
closed her notebook. Could the interrogation be over?
"Thank you very much, Mr. …Lex," she finished with a charming smile. "Though I know you were feeding me public relations bull," she added with a smirk, "at least you took the time out to answer my questions."
"Why Miss Sullivan, I have no idea what you mean!" He replied, his tone teasing, his statement one of mock surprise. "I could never be anything other than totally honest with you." She let out a rather unladylike, yet somehow adorable snort at his comment mumbling what he thought to be "I'll remember that for later." He continued as if he hadn't been interrupted. "And it's never a problem taking time out for a stunningly beautiful young woman such as yourself." Leaning over, he took her hand, and placed a kiss on the inside of her wrist. It was a move that had been charming women since he was her age. God, he sounded like a dirty old man.
"I bet that works well for you doesn't it?" she asked with a quirky smile and an arched eyebrow.
He laughed out loud at that, smiling at both of them as Clark came up to stand behind Chloe. "What do you
two say to dinner? I've canceled my appointments for the evening and would appreciate the company."
"I don't know," Clark responded, "I don't think Chloe should over-exert herself. She just got out of the hospital a few days ago." Lex noticed that Clark had taken a step closer to Chloe. His body was almost pressed against the small girl, reminding Lex of mother bear protecting her cub.
"Clark," Chloe said with a roll of her eyes, " it's dinner. I have to eat regardless. It might as well be good food with good company. Anyway, I'm fine. I refuse to be coddled until this stupid cast comes off." She had turned mid- rant to jab Clark's chest with her finger, accentuating her point.
"Okay, okay," Clark backed away, hands raised in surrender. "I just thought you wanted to see that thing I have back at the loft," he said, eyes bugging to emphasize various words and, damn, Clark was about as subtle as an bull in a china shop. Lex had no idea what "thing" Clark had to show Chloe, but he suspected that it was nothing more than an attempt to get her to agree with him on the issue of staying.
Chloe's quirked eyebrow made Lex wonder if there was indeed something at the loft, something apparently very interesting by the look on her face as she said, "I'm sure it'll still be there later, right Clark?"
"No, that's fine. It was just a suggestion," Lex watched as the tension disappeared from Clark's face only to be replaced with something else entirely as Lex continued. "I'm sure Chloe and I will find ways to entertain ourselves without you here, if you really need to leave." Reaching over, Lex took Chloe's good arm and looped it through his own, turning both of them to walk out of the study. He did, however, have time to note the statement on Clark's face before he turned. Shock was evident, but there was something else…jealousy, perhaps? He would have to pay closer attention to his two young friends to piece together this puzzle.
Before he and Chloe had even made it to the door, he heard from behind him, "No, wait," followed by the sound of Clark's fast paced footsteps as he approached them. "I didn't say that I didn't want to stay, I was just making sure that Chloe would be alright. I can stay for dinner."
Lex gave Chloe a mischievous smirk, sparing Clark a quick glance before turning to the blonde. "I don't know, Chloe, should we let Clark join us for dinner?"
His admiration for the blonde shot up a few notches when she replied, "Well, he can be a bit of a pain in the ass with the hero complex he has going on, but I've found him useful from time to time."
That was when things became genuinely odd to Lex for the first time. The comment made was rather innocent, slightly joking. Why then, would Clark blush bright red after looking at Chloe who then began to blush as well? Exactly what kind of uses did Chloe have for Clark? And apparently he had asked that aloud, or something to that effect, because Chloe looked up at him after quickly getting her flush under control.
"Oh, you know, lifting heavy things, opening jars. There are several useful things that freakishly huge 16 year olds are good for."
"Freakishly huge?" Lex asked, wondering which parts of Clark Chloe was referring to.
"Do you know any other 16 year old who's six foot three?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
Before Lex could answer, Chloe was swept up into the air, rushed from behind linebacker style by Clark. He easily hoisted her up, holding her with one arm around her waist while the other tickled sensitive spots on her ribs. She giggled uncontrollably, fighting to free herself from his grasp. He heard Clark mumble "freakish" and "lift heavy things", but couldn't make out what exactly he was saying. Before he realized what had happened, Chloe was back on her feet, peeling down his hallway at a run, squealing in delight with Clark chasing after her.
Lex had a feeling it was going to be a very long afternoon.
***
"What could possibly be taking her so long?" Lex asked Clark, trying hard to keep the irritation out of his voice. Chloe had been recently wounded at his house, his guilt reminded him. Still, he never thought she would take so long just getting changed. He and Clark had both been waiting for her for a good fifteen minutes.
"Maybe she got lost," Clark replied flippantly. Lex was really surprised that his young friend was taking this so well. He had been such a mother hen all day; he would have thought Clark would be a little worried by the extra time his friend was taking. Who ever would have thought it would take so long to put on a bathing suit?
They had decided, after much discussion, that some time in the hot tub would be the best way to while away the hours till dinner. Billiards was out due to Chloe's arm. So was the swimming pool, for the same reason. However, both teens had looked so excited about going into the water in February, Lex had brought up the hot tub idea. Chloe's arm could easily be kept dry if wrapped and kept outside of the tub. His guests readily agreed only to be brought to a crashing halt upon the realization that they had no suits. Luckily they were in the house of a billionaire who entertained a lot. Lex truly was prepared for any and all possibilities and kept new suits in a few of the guestrooms for cases like these.
Now he and Clark were awaiting Chloe's return and Lex was beginning to wonder if maybe she did indeed lose her way.
"I just hope she's alright. She did just get out of the hospital." That was low. Lex knew it, but he needed something to get Clark up off his ass. It also allowed him to gauge Clark's reaction, helping him to piece together the unusual behavior his friend was showing.
At Lex's not so gentle reminder of Chloe's accident, Clark was up off his feet, looking around nervously. "I'll go see what's holding her up," he said, as calmly as he could manage, before dashing off in the direction of the room Chloe had been given.
Something was definitely going on between Clark and Chloe. Something odd. Something not totally explained by a need to look out for a recently injured friend. The looks, the blushes, the innuendo, they were all pieces to the greater puzzle; a puzzle Lex intended to solve. After giving Clark a few moments, he followed after him. Lex would not admit that he was spying on his young friends. He was simply checking up on them.
He reached the room that they were occupying and heard them mid-conversation. Technically the checking up excuse was now blown out of the water, because if they were talking they were fine. He was now official eavesdropping, but it was his house so fuck it.
"I can't go out there in this. Not in front of Lex." Soft feminine voice, obviously Chloe. Lex sneaked a glance into the room and saw her standing with her robe held open to Clark's view and yet obstructing Lex's. He could see the clothes that Chloe had worn to the house, folded neatly, sitting on the bed. Lex could only assume she was wearing one of the extra suits he kept around. Though after looking at the statement on Clark's face, maybe she wasn't wearing anything at all.
"Clark? God, are you even paying attention to me?" She dropped her arms and the robe fell from her grasp, hanging limply from her sides. Lex saw a flash of red across Chloe's chest and realized that she was indeed clothed. And yet Clark was still staring.
"What? Yeah, Chloe I hear you." His gaze was still well below eye level, and he continued his conversation talking to her breasts. "Why can't you go out there?"
"I can't let Lex see me in this," she stated. "I mean, Lex is used to women like Victoria. Women whose breasts walk into a room two minutes before the rest of their body gets there. "
Lex had to fight to hold back a laugh at Chloe's perception of the women he knew. Not that she was far off. If nothing else, all the women he'd had in Smallville had possessed gorgeous bodies. Of course, with some of them, that's all they had. And, judging from Clark's continued conversation with Chloe's breasts and all points south, he doubted he'd have anything negative to say about Chloe. On top of what he was rather sure was a nubile, if young, body, Chloe had; charm, personality, spunk, a great sense of humor and intelligence. That far outweighed the qualities of most of the women he knew. Shockingly, Lex actually respected Chloe.
"Chloe, I really don't think you have anything to worry about. You have an amazing body." Did Clark just take a step closer to her? It sounded like his voice had dropped into a lower timbre, too. Very interesting considering Lex's earlier thoughts about something between the two. Maybe he was onto something here.
"Says the boy whose experience is limited to seeing me and the other girls of Smallville," was the snarky response from the blonde.
"Apparently the SI swimsuit edition is meaningless to you. That's blasphemous, Chloe." Yes, he was definitely closer. It was obvious when the younger man's hand wrapped around Chloe's waist, inadvertently exposing the length of her leg and half of her ass. God, Lex should not be having impure thoughts about an almost 16-year-old's ass, but damn. There was a reason why all the most popular porn sites advertised teens; not that Lex had ever visited one, of course.
"Clark," she whined, somehow making his name three syllables long.
"Chloe," he replied, dragging her name out to five syllables. Then he did something that Lex thought was sure to end the boy's short life, especially with a spitfire friend like Chloe.
Clark lifted one, gigantic hand, and placed it on Chloe's breast, fingers cupping the side, thumb stroking over the nipple.
Lex closed his eyes briefly, offering up a silent prayer for his friend. The boy was really too young to die, and it saddened Lex to know his demise was immanent. He had really liked the kid, but if you had to go, why not go with a handful of breast? On a serious note, he wondered if his staff could get blood out of the carpet.
When he opened his eyes again, he saw something he was not quite prepared for. Not only was there no bloodshed, but Chloe's head was arched back ever so slightly, thrusting her chest further into Clark's hand. The hand around her waist, the one that had provided his luscious view of ass, had pulled her in closer. The lower halves of their bodies were meshed together as Clark continued to caress the breast he had in his hand. Well, on the bright side, Lex had guessed right when he thought something was going on.
"Chloe, you have an awesome body. Trust me on this one. Would I lie to you?" Clark asked, grinning as he leaned down to lick at her lips. Their lips met for a brief moment before Chloe pulled her head back just slightly.
"Clark?" her voice was so quiet Lex had to strain to hear her.
"Hmm?" Clark murmured in response, his lips trailing across her jaw line.
"With you pressed this close to me, you don't have to say you like the way I look. I can feel it." Clark blushed bright red, smiling a very charming little boy smile as Lex fought not to choke due to shock. Chloe had just teased Clark about his erection. Lex was sure Chloe had just made a joke about cock. He knew there was a reason he liked the girl.
Before the teens could start anything else, Lex made a big show of stomping his feet once or twice to mimic the sounds of someone approaching. Clearing his throat loudly, he knocked sharply on the door, quickly slipping on his "emotionless" mask to avoid suspicion.
By the time he had swung the door open, Chloe and Clark were a respectable distance from one another, though Clark was facing the back wall. Lex could only guess he was trying to calm his raging hormones lest the "evidence" of Chloe's considerable charms be visible to all.
"I'm sorry. Just wanted to make sure everyone was alright in here. Clark, I see you've found Miss Sullivan," Lex tactfully left the word "breast" off the end of that sentence, smiling at the two youngsters instead. "Are we ready to go enjoy a relaxing soak?"
"Umm, yeah. I just…I have to cover my cast." Chloe was so concerned with appearing normal that she had completely forgotten about the fact that she was in front of Lex in the swimsuit that had been bothering her so much earlier. He could understand why she would be bothered by it. Not that she didn't look amazing, because she did. It just seemed that the particular swimsuit she was wearing had been purchased at some point during Lex's misspent youth. The word that best described it was… tiny. Miniscule. Small. Leaving little to the imagination. OK, so that last one was more a phrase than a word, but Lex could understand the girl's apprehension behind wearing it. He felt compelled to comment on how attractive she looked in it, if only to ease her mind. Of course that was the only reason, because there was no way he was going to hit on a high school freshman.
"Wow," he hadn't even had to try to convey awe in his voice. She really was magnificent. "Miss Sullivan, I must say, you look… delectable in that." Lex always found it best to use words that meant "very pleasing to taste" when talking about scantily clad teenagers.
Chloe blushed brightly, uttering a quiet and shy "thank you" as she stood frozen before Lex. Clark had clearly regained control, because he was now striding over to where they stood. Lex decided to test his theory on the nature of the relationship between Clark and Chloe. After all, it was possible that what he had witnessed was nothing more than a comfort with one's body that Chloe just happened to possess. Unlikely, but possible.
"Just one thing," Lex said quickly, before reaching out to the breast Clark had been caressing. With deft hands, he ran his thumbs under the edges of Chloe's bathing suit top, fingertips just barely grazing her nipple.
"Lex!" Clark shouted at him, stunned by his action. Lex knew he would be.
Quickly removing his hands, Lex explained, "Sorry. The top was twisted." He glanced at the brightly blushing Chloe, offering her a quirky grin. "You were about to…well, you were about to fall out."
Clark had taken a step closer and was again hovering over Chloe. This time, Lex didn't get the impression of a mother bear protecting it's young. The fierceness in his stance and imposing demeanor was now more comparable to a lion protecting its mate.
Not many people knew it, but Lex had the IQ of a genius. Oh, sure, people knew he was smart. The whole Princeton, Suma Cum Laude thing proved that, but few people realized how intelligent he truly was. And, as an intelligent human being who quite enjoyed the life he led, Lex knew that now would be a very good time to back off. After all, he didn't truly want to have his questions about blood coming out of carpets involving his own blood.
"Forgive me, Chloe. I acted without thinking. I was trying to preserve your modesty and instead embarrassed you. I'm truly sorry." Lex could just hear it now, "and the Oscar goes to…." Damn, he was good. Chloe's blush had all but disappeared and he could actually see Clark backing down from attack stance. Luthors didn't live long without decent bullshit survival skills.
"It's okay, Lex. Just unexpected, that's all. It's not everyday I have men grabbing at my breasts," she grinned as she said this and Lex wondered if she realized that today she had had two different men grab at her breasts. Ah, to be young again.
"Try not to make a habit out of groping my friends, huh Lex?" Clark teased with a little punch to the arm that wasn't quite gentle enough. Lex winced, bringing a hand up to rub at his abused flesh.
"Careful, there big guy. Not all of us are built like you," Lex quipped, thinking if all men were built like Clark, what a wonderful world it would be. Of course nothing would get done with all the fantasizing, but still, it was a nice dream.
"Well, now that everyone's feathers are soothed over, let's go get something to cover up that cast so I can soak my sore arm muscle in the hot tub." Clark had the decency to look sheepish at Lex's comment, before he began walking out of the room and down towards the pool.
Lex couldn't help but notice the hand that Clark had on the small of Chloe's back, guiding her along the way.
***
Clark Kent was hiding something from him. Truth be told, Clark was probably hiding several things, but among them was something having to do with Chloe Sullivan. Something having to do with Chloe's breasts and Clark's hands. Lex didn't know why Clark would hide something like this from him. Not that Clark was doing a good job of hiding anything. If Lex did decide to confront the two of them about whatever this was, he would also let them know that if they intended to keep their relationship a secret, they were going to have to try a little harder.
Lex let his body sink a little further into the relaxing waters of the hot tub, allowing the warmth to ease away the tensions of the past week. He looked over to where Clark sat across the tub, Chloe in front of him, her arm propped up on the side of the tub, out of the water. Clark was rubbing Chloe's shoulders with his strong hands after hearing the young woman complain about soreness from not being able to sleep properly with her cast. So while Clark rubbed and Chloe enjoyed, Lex simply observed.
If he hadn't witnessed the earlier scene in the bedroom involving kissing and breast touching, Lex could almost believe that the two were simply close friends. Though the blushing at any sexual innuendo seemed suspect, it could be written off as unresolved sexual tension. With these two, it could almost be written off as easily offended innocence. But the bedroom scene was not as easy to explain. Something was going on. Clark wasn't the kind of guy who would fool around with a girl he wasn't emotionally invested in.
Which led him back to the question that had been plaguing him for a while now. Why hadn't Clark told him that he and Chloe were involved?
Did Clark honestly believe Lex wouldn't be happy for the two of them? Lex liked Chloe. She definitely had more personality than Lana, she was available, and most importantly, she absolutely adored Clark. Lex had been able to see Chloe's emotion for Clark pouring out of her eyes like some love sick puppy ever since he had worked with the two of them while trying to figure out Jeff's attacks.
Perhaps Clark was afraid to say anything because Lex had been trying so hard to help Clark win the cheerleader. Did his young friend not realize that Lex personally couldn't care less who Clark ended up with so long as the boy was happy? If Chloe would make him happy, then that was good enough for Lex. Glancing back up at the teenagers, he could tell that they made each other happy. If what he had seen earlier and what he was seeing now were any indication, then they could make each other very happy.
At the moment, Clark was rubbing Chloe's back, somewhere between her shoulders and her waist. Though it was hard to tell with the water churning around them, it seemed to Lex that his hands were right about shoulder blade level. Every now and then, Chloe would take an exceptionally deep breath and sway back towards Clark, leading Lex to believe Clark was doing more than just rubbing Chloe's back. Lex could only guess where Chloe's good hand was, but it certainly wasn't visible.
So either they were a) together and hiding their relationship, b) together and not hiding things per se, just not announcing them either, or c) working one of those "friends with benefits" deals that many kids had been trying unsuccessfully to have. He doubted that was the case. They both were too smart not to realize that feelings would inevitably get hurt when two innocent young people were involved in something like that. Especially when one so clearly had feeling for the other. Though, after watching Clark's behavior towards Chloe all day, he was beginning to wonder if the feelings Chloe had for Clark were returned just as intensely.
One of Lex's kitchen staff announcing that dinner would be served shortly if they were ready for their meal, brought him out of his musings. Lex climbed out of the tub after thanking Marie and dismissing her. He grabbed a towel from the nearby warmer and one for both Chloe and Clark as well. When he turned back to the tub, Clark was helping to lift Chloe out of the water. Lex was somewhat stunned for all of two seconds before realizing that, with her cast, it was probably difficult for Chloe to push herself out of the water.
Clark took the towels that Lex handed him, using one to quickly wipe off his body and tie around his waist before turning to Chloe with the other. Before Lex's startled and amused eyes, Clark began to dry Chloe off. He started at her shoulders, towel gliding down each arm, before returning to her body to swipe down her chest, lingering a bit over her breasts before continuing down. As he watched Clark kneel before Chloe to dry off the lower half of her body, Lex couldn't help himself. He had to test out his theory on the Clark and Chloe situation and find out once and for all what was going on.
"So Clark, how are things going with Lana?" Low blow, but it definitely got a response. Clark froze in the middle of drying a leg and Chloe's entire body tensed up. So things weren't perfect in this little teenaged drama. Clark half turned to face Lex as he answered.
"Umm…everything's going fine, I guess. I mean, no real changes there. Thanks for hearing her out with her proposition for the Talon. It meant a lot to her." Clark turned back towards Chloe in time to see her bending down to pull the towel from his grasp.
"I'm plenty dry, thanks Clark," she said tightly as she wiped the towel over her other leg and then draped it over her shoulders. Lex noticed the change in her mood instantly. So it wasn't clearly defined relationship. Unless Chloe was still jealous over Clark's feelings for the brunette. Of course, if Clark was committed to Chloe he could have simply told Lex that there was nothing happening with Lana because he was happy with the blonde. Were it anyone other than Clark Kent, he would write it off as "teenaged hormones taking control". But it was Clark, the personification of Kansas purity and farm-boy innocence. Quite simply, Lex was back to square one with not knowing what was happening between the two. Though he was firmly convinced that there was some sort of physical relationship between the two, he had no idea what the nature of the relationship was. He fully intended to find out before the night was through.
Chloe started walking to the doors leading out of the atrium and back into the house, then turned back to face Lex before she reached the doors leading inside. "Lex?" she asked sweetly. "What do you say to drinks with our dinner?"
Drinks. Alcohol certainly had the ability to release ones inhibitions. And with two people who were almost assuredly not used to drinking anything other than foamy beer at the occasional kegger, it would be easy enough to get them to the loose lips stage of drunkenness. An easier plan had never been thought up, and more importantly, it wasn't his idea so he didn't have to worry about feeling responsible for the outcome. "Why Miss Sullivan, I think that would be an excellent idea."