Author: Mitch

Title: Operation: Humbug

Series: Part 2

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Clark/Lex

Spoilers: None

Feedback: I'm not getting paid for this you know!

December 19, 2002

3:02PM

Still exhausted, still aching, and recently having had the pleasure of dropkicking a homemade wreath sent to him by one of the craftier wives, Lex poured over more reports at his desk.

But this time his bad mood had nothing to do with The Holidays. This time it was all about Clark and the last awkward exchange they had shared.

You really screwed the pooch this time, Luthor.

Not so much as a phone call had transpired since that day. True, Lex had disconnected his phone under the pretense of not wanting to be disturbed, but he had hoped it would force Clark to make a personal appearance. But he only came to make the produce deliveries, and even then only stopped in the back entrance, not bothering to say hello. It had been the worst 12 days of Lex's life.

So that was it. He had finally pushed too far and alienated his best friend. His only friend.

He took a sip of coffee, welcoming the hot sting on his tongue. As the burn started to go down his throat, there was a knock at the door. "Come in."

Clark walked into the study and the hot coffee traveling down to Lex's stomach threatened to travel right back up in his surprise. "Clark!"

"Hi, Lex." Clark grinned shyly, a promise of brighter smiles to come, and Lex was positively baffled.

"What can I do for you?" But with Clark standing there in his thick tan coat and jeans as tight as his skin, Lex wondered if the more appropriate question was What can I do to you??

"Actually, it's what I can do for you," Clark said, not seeming to notice the full body scan. "Do you have a warm coat?"

"I have several," Lex answered, still unsure.

"Grab the warmest one, then."

Clark turned and walked out of the study, obviously quite confident Lex would follow. He did. He caught up with Clark at the front door after putting on his coat, and tried not to shake in his excitement.

"Where to?"

The mischief sparked again in Clark's eyes. "Your second mission, of course." Clark winked again, turning Lex's insides upside down. There was something so sexual about it, whether or not that was the intent. He spared half a second for the thought of Clark winking at him from below. On his knees. Naked.

"O holy God," he muttered to himself.

"That's the spirit." Clark smiled and took Lex firmly by the hand to the driveway where their chariot of rusted blue awaited under a darkening sky. In the bed of the truck was something large wrapped under a tarp, but Lex was a little too fixated on his current situation to ask what it was.

Funny how Clark didn't seem to notice Lex's attraction in spite of his inability to hold himself together. In fact, it often seemed like Clark was encouraging him, egging him on. But that was just wishful thinking. Wasn't it? Lex glanced down at his hand wrapped tightly in Clark's and for the first time in over a year, allowed himself to wonder.

**********

They arrived at their destination, and Lex looked all around, trying to figure out what Clark had planned. The truck was parked on the side of the road next to a field of pure white extending as far as Lex could see. The horizon was barely discernible against the whitish-grey of the overcast sky, and for one instant Lex felt like he was floating. Like the weight of his worries had momentarily released him.

Clark put a strong hand on Lex's shoulder and squeezed softly. "Don't worry, Lex. No kids this time. I promise."

Lex turned to face him as Clark's comforting smile turned into a lopsided, teasing grin. "Very funny, farmboy. You realize you'll pay dearly for all of this."

"I'm counting on it." With that, the lopsided grin turned into something else that Lex couldn't quite put his finger on. Actually he could. The look on Clark's face now was one of very blatant flirtation. It just seemed so different on Clark. Not unnatural really, and certainly not unpleasant. Just different. Again, he had a very hard time believing that Clark's motives were anything more than innocent friendship, and as the motives the look was inspiring in Lex were anything but innocent, he decided to look away.

He felt Clark's gaze a few moments longer, then Clark opened the door. "Wait here," he said. "And don't peek."

Feeling for the first time like a child waiting for Christmas, Lex folded his arms and resolved not to turn around, no matter what he heard going on behind him. This proved more difficult than he had anticipated when the entire truck started to shift in the snow and he heard whatever was back there being dragged out. But he stayed strong and soon Clark was outside his window mouthing the word "Okay."

He stepped out into the chilly air and put on a black snow cap as the first small flakes began to fall. He followed Clark around to the back of the truck and what he found there stopped him in his tracks.

"A snowmobile?" Clark nodded, rubbing his hands together excitedly. "Thoughtful, Clark, but I already have a snowmobile. Actually, I have a garage full of them."

Clark laughed, straddling the seat. "It's not a gift, Lex. It's part of the mission."

"How so?"

"Well, it's not exactly old-fashioned, but I know my Christmas season wouldn't be complete without a ride through the snow."

"Oh." Lex could barely hide his disappointment. He thought the activity would be something they could do together. "Well, you go first then. You should have told me what you were planning. I could have brought mine so we wouldn't have to take turns."

"That was kind of the point, Lex," Clark said patiently.

"I don't understand."

"Get on." Clark motioned to the back of the seat with his head.

Lex attempted to respond but the only sound from his mouth was a soft choked breath, not unlike a drunken hiccup.

"There's plenty of room." Clark scooted forward slowly, spreading his legs to accommodate the handlebars.

Rather than turn away what could be the most unbelievable opportunity of his life because of his own bashfulness, Lex started to get on the snowmobile.

"Wait." Clark put up his hand. "There's something else in the back of the truck. Could you get it?"

Feeling like he just got caught in the act, Lex lifted his leg away from the snowmobile (and Clark) and went back to the truck. There was a small picnic basket with a plaid blanket folded on top. Because he was growing accustomed to not knowing what the hell was going on and, more importantly, because a tight-jeaned Clark Kent was waiting for him only two steps away, Lex didn't bother to question it. He grabbed it and handed it to Clark, who rested it between his arms and grabbed the handles. Lex then lowered himself down behind him, his face burning as he felt Clark's warm backside against his crotch.

"Hold on," Clark said.

Lex couldn't pass that up. "To what?"

Clark glanced at him with a sideways grin. "My waist, Lex."

"Oh. Right."

Lex did as he was told and tensed up as Clark started the motor. He could ride a snowmobile with his eyes closed, but he had never ridden with another person before. But he trusted Clark with everything he had, so he forced himself to forget any worries and just enjoy the proximity.

Soon they were traveling at what felt like light speed. Lex didn't have reference points in the open field, so he couldn't tell how fast they were actually going. All he knew was that the wind was so cold against his cheeks it burned, and not wanting Clark to see him red-faced and runny-nosed, he bent over, burying his head in the curve of Clark's shoulder and neck. Clark's hair tickled his face and while he couldn't actually hear anything but the passing air, he was sure he felt the vibration of Clark's voice. He hoped it was an utterance of contentment.

Just as Lex was thinking of taking up permanent residence on Clark's back, the engine's blare quieted as the snowmobile came to a stop. Clark killed the power and stepped off, forcing Lex to relinquish his hold. But Lex hardly had time to be disappointed before Clark offered his hand, the look on his face surprisingly void of humor. Lex took it and Clark lead him to a fence beneath a gigantic, snow-covered pine tree whose lowest branches were high enough for them to sit beneath, protecting them from the quiet flurry.

Clark spread out the blanket and they seated themselves as he emptied the basket. First he pulled out a thermos and poured two mugs full of steaming hot chocolate, which Lex accepted gratefully. Next, he handed Lex a plate of frosted sugar cookies in Christmas shapes.

"Eat up," Clark said through a mouthful of his own cookies.

But Lex hesitated. The cookies before him seemed to be significant for some reason, and he struggled to remember. There was a cookie shaped like a candy cane, one like a Christmas tree, one like a snowman... The picture frame! He looked up at Clark in wide-eyed wonder and took a sharp breath.

"You little bastard."

"Wha?" A small spray of crumbs flew from Clark's mouth.

"I should have known. Who else could have been so creative?"

"Ah oo ohay, Leh?" Clark asked, forgetting for the moment how to chew and swallow.

Lex laughed at his friend, the most wonderful man alive, even if he was a little goofy. "I've never been better, Clark. And thank you. For everything." Lex popped a cookie into his mouth. "I heenk I filey feel the spiwit of Chwismus."

Now they both started laughing and the falling snow was no match for the shower of white crumbs falling all over the picnic blanket. They laughed until they had tears in their eyes and they thought they wouldn't live long enough to even swallow their cookies. But eventually they calmed down and finished their hot chocolate looking into each other's eyes, breaking every now and then for a few remaining giggles.

So this is it, Lex thought, feeling like he was in a dream. This is what it's like to love someone. Someone who loves me back.

He put down his cup and scooted a little closer. "Seriously, Clark, you don't know what this means to me. I don't think I've had this much fun since... ever."

Clark scooted closer too. "Well, you haven't completed the mission, you know. There's one task left."

"What's that?" Lex whispered leaning in.

"This." Clark leaned toward Lex's face and Lex closed his eyes as the younger boy's arm reached behind him, presumably to pull him closer. But instead, Lex felt a sudden wet coldness on his neck, piercing in its severity. He opened his eyes with a jolt, turning around to see what it was and immediately understood. Clark had shoved a snowball down his shirt.

"Holy shit that's cold!" Lex stood up, hitting his head against the low branches of the pine, sending more snow down onto his back. "Damn it!"

He ran out into the open field and danced around like a Sugarplum Fairy trying to get the snow out of his shirt. All the while, Clark remained under the tree, convulsing with another fit of laughter.

Lex finally got rid of the small amount of snow that hadn't melted onto his back, and looked at Clark, who was still in hysterics. "Laugh it up, farmboy," he challenged, "'cause you're going down." Before Clark had a chance to offer a comeback, Lex shoved a handful of snow into his face. He shook it off and looked up at Lex, shocked.

"Oh, so that's the way we're playing?"

"You're the one who started the game, Clark."

"Okay, that's fair. But don't think you'll get out of this alive."

"You can't kill me if you can't catch me." Lex turned tail and ran as fast as his legs would take him, suddenly thankful for the rigorous workouts he put himself through on a regular basis. Right when he thought he was getting away, he felt another snowball hit him square in the back. It didn't hurt, but it was enough impact to knock him to the ground.

Staying low, he turned around and formed another snowball and stood long enough to throw it at Clark, who was still running toward him. It hit Clark in the leg with a startling crack, but he kept running.

Lex started running toward Clark, faked to the left, and then ran to the right, doubling back on their current path in hopes of hiding behind the trunk of the pine tree. But Clark caught up with him before he got far and grabbed him by the waist, sending them both rolling over each other on the ground until coming to a stop with Lex on his back and Clark on top of him, breathing heavily into his face. They laughed some more until they realized the position they were in.

"Clark--"

"Ssh, Lex. Just let it happen." Clark gently caressed Lex's cheek and looked over his face with such affection in his eyes that Lex felt himself blushing again. The cold around him ceased to exist. The bright light of the snow was a fading flame compared to the brilliance of Clark's eyes. He could smell the frosting from the cookies on Clark's breath and he knew that the inside of that mouth would be twice as sweet.

"I love you, Lex" Clark whispered.

Lex closed his eyes and felt a rush of warmth up his spine as their lips met softly. Clark pulled away for a fraction of a second, then dived back in at full steam, sending hot breath into Lex's mouth and moaning softly as his tongue searched eagerly for Lex's.

Their tongues met and glided against each other desperately as Clark's lower lip pressed harder and harder against into Lex's chin. He then took Lex's lower lip into his mouth and pulled on it gently, eliciting a moan from its owner. It was more than Lex could take and he reached around to grab Clark's ass, perfectly defined in his shamelessly tight jeans and he squeezed until he heard Clark whine with a mixture of pleasure and need.

Lex was rewarded further as Clark's leg slowly shifted until his knee was just below Lex's crotch, pushing softly on the sensitive area. The light pressure developed into a harder pressure, which then developed into a steady rhythmic grind. Sensation filled Lex's body and everywhere Clark touched him was on fire; the fingertips on his face, tracing down his neck and finding their way to his chest where they started to unbutton his shirt.

"Mm-- Clark wait."

"What is it?" Clark shifted his kisses to Lex's cheek and continued to grind.

"We should really-- ah, God." Clark's tongue had discovered Lex's ear. "Clark, we should really go back to the mansion. I'm all wet."

"Glad to hear it," Clark whispered, touching Lex's crotch.

"Jesus! Clark, please." He took Clark's face into his hands and the motion stopped. "I want you at the mansion. In my bed." That should do it.

And it did. Clark gave Lex a look of desire that nearly made him climax on the spot. But he held himself in check, literally, and Clark gave him one last kiss before standing and helping Lex to his feet. Clark went to the snowmobile and started the engine as Lex ducked under the tree to hurriedly gather their things.

As he was folding the blanket, he faintly heard a muffled crack like a twig snapping and he turned to Clark. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

Lex shook his head, dismissing it, and turned back to the blanket. He heard another crack, louder this time and coming from above him. "Now you had to have heard that."

"Yeah, I did," Clark said looking up. "It sounded like it came from the tree."

Lex looked up too, but saw nothing but the lowest branches holding a layer of tightly packed snow. He jumped as he heard another crack, this one loud enough to vibrate the ground, and the next thing he heard was Clark screaming. "Lex, look out!"

He wanted to say "Look out for what?" but he was interrupted by a deafening grinding and his view of Clark was cut off by a sheet of snow falling from the tree. Chunks of snow were suddenly slamming into the top of his head, pushing him face first to the ground. The same frozen weight started pounding down onto his back and seconds later, he felt like he was being crushed, unable to breath.

As he felt his mind losing its grasp on consciousness, he thought of Clark and was thankful that at least he had one special memory to hold onto as he left the earth. But before completely losing awareness, he felt strong arms lock onto him like a vice and he was suddenly being pulled through the cold darkness. In one blurred second, he was carried away from the tree and was suddenly out in the open with cold air burning his lungs and Clark's arms wrapped around him.

"Lex, I'm so sorry," he was stuttering through fierce breaths. "I didn't know that would-- I'm so sorry, Lex. If anything ever happened to you..."

"Clark, I'm okay," Lex managed to choke out. He took several deep breaths and straightened his legs, pleasantly surprised that he was able to hold his own weight. He turned toward the tree. "I guess it just..."

He trailed off as he looked at the pine tree. The pine tree that he had just been nearly crushed beneath. The pine tree that was now at least 40 feet away. He jerked his head back to Clark in amazement. "Clark, how did you do that? You couldn't have run that fast!"

Clark looked Lex up and down, as if deciding how to answer. "Adrenaline?" he supplied, shifting his eyes back to the tree.

Lex's breath caught in his throat and he felt hot tears sting his eyes. He pulled back from Clark abruptly, shaking his head. "Adrenaline? Adrenaline, Clark? How stupid do you think I am?!"

"Lex, I don't, I--"

"No! Don't say anymore. I can't take, it Clark. I can't take one more, lie."

"Lex, I'm not lying--"

"Stop! How can you do it? Are you just so used to telling blatant lies that you've started telling them when it's not even necessary?" Clark looked at him pleadingly. "I didn't even ask, Clark. All I asked you was how you did it, which seems a fairly sensible question in a situation like this. But you could have just not answered. It's still bullshit, but at least you wouldn't have to lie to me, again!!!"

"Lex, please! I can explain!" Clark took Lex's arms and Lex ripped them away.

"You told me you loved me, Clark. Don't you know that that was enough? I know you aren't ready to open up to me and I've accepted that. All that mattered to me was our friendship, and today I thought there could be more."

"There can!"

"Not after this. You can't just tell me you love me and then lie to my face."

Lex stormed off in the direction of the snowmobile, knowing full well that Clark could catch up with him, and half hoping he would. But his own footfalls in the snow were the only ones he heard and his pride prevented him from turning around.

"I'll send a check for the snowmobile," he spat as he revved the engine and sped across the field toward town, where he would call a cab to take him home, leaving Clark alone in the stillness of the field. The vast open space that had offered intimacy only moments before, now offered isolation, and Clark crumpled to his knees, sobbing.