It had been eighteen days, seven hours, and twenty-five minutes since Lex had touched Clark, not that anyone was counting actually. It made him feel even worse then when he had gotten hooked on cocaine and went through withdrawal. Though there were no psychical symptoms, having them on the inside hurt even worse.
It felt like he was walking through his life, playing a part. He waved and talked on command, but he would find at night he didn't remember a single thing he had said at the business meeting. It was just a blank screen and he had to often reread the notes his sectary would take during the meeting. She had gotten a pay raise and a bonus to keep her mouth shut about the state of the Luthor's.
There was a huge gaping hole in his body where his heart should have been, and he couldn't help but feel like he wasn't fully there, as if his mind had wandered off on a journey and had yet to find it's way back to his body.
Dear my love, haven't you wanted to be with me?
And dear my love, haven't you longed to be free?
The worst times of the day but were also his happiest were when he went to the Talon to read the newspaper and sip his black coffee. It would be then he would see Clark, who would be cleaning off the tables of their empty plates and cups, and washing the tables down so more money could be made.
The government had not been kidding, and Clark went into hiding. The bond for him if he was caught, was nearing the ten million mark and it was hard to go anywhere in the world without a posted sign throughout the various forms of media about Clark.
Clark was hiding out in his own backyard. Lex, owning the Talon, created a job that never existed to be a job he had always had as Nelly, who had worked there since the day they are opened. It hadn't been easy to make Clark unknown from all the small town folks who knew him, but it had been done with some adjustments.
Lex had done the piercing himself, to give Clark a wild boy appearance. Clark had agreed to it, knowing it wouldn't hurt him and the minute the piercing came out, he would heal up again. He had gotten three holes in each ear, with one on his eyebrow, one tongue, and a lip ring. He had turned gothic so he could hide behind the make-up, and just pretended to be a washed-up punk rock star wannabe.
I can't keep pretending that I don't even know you
Their eyes would connect across the Talon that was constantly filled with people, flocking to Smallville to get a shot at the meteor rocks and the other hopes it brought, having a resident alien around. They never got to talk even if they had the chance to, and Lex would turn into a schoolgirl, his heart fluttering. For the split second they could gaze longingly at each other, he would feel complete and then reality would return. And Lex wanted to cry, feeling so alone.
And at sweet night, you are my own
His company was soaring, profits had tripled, and he was at the top of the world. But inwardly he had died. He didn't care anymore about the company. All he wanted and needed in the world was Clark. Clark who occupied every waking thought, and his sleeping thoughts. But dreaming wasn't enough…anymore.
Lex sighed, shifting the blankets off his naked skin, and slid off of the bed. His feet connected with the ground, and in his trance, he walked downstairs to the garage. He vaguely remembered sliding on a thin long-sleeved shirt and discarded pajama bottoms that had been on the floor, and if he hadn't been sitting in the seat of the orange Dodge Viper, one of his less flashy cars, he wouldn't have known he had driven half way across town in the dark, still in his disillusioned state.
He felt fully awake now, as the cool wind ran along his scalp, and he smiled, reaching through his mind to find Clark. It had frightened him the first time he had tried it, but around the second or third try at it, he found it to oddly soothing. After all, only 5% of the brain was ever used in one's life, he had just accessed an unusual section of it.
{Clark}
Huh
{I need to see you}
Why?
{Please…}
The desperation he had felt must have carried over because Clark was there in an instant, appearing by his side. Worry and confusion was engraved into his eyes and Lex looked up at Clark, from his position on the grass, leaning against the pine tree.
He extended his hand to grab Clark's and pull him to him. It was only by sheer grace that Clark didn't fall into Lex's body, but he realized it was the point as Lex clung to him, nails clawing into his back with a dull ache.
Soft kisses alternated with licks went up and down his neck, and he exhaled, his eyes falling closed naturally, as Lex's scent and warmth engulfed him. Eventually Lex must have stopped, since his heart rate was beginning to stabilize, and he peeked through his long eyelashes to see Lex scraping something into the tree trunk with a rock.
I have dreamt of a place for you and I
"What are you writing?" he asked when Lex turned around to look at him. Lex scooted over a few inches so Clark could see what he had written
I love Clark
Clark couldn't help laughing at the declaration of love, and tears began to stream down his face from the excursion of laughing so hard. Lex was staring at him, cheeks blushed from embarrassment, and a little bit of madness mixed in, obviously not getting the response he wanted.
"I like it," Clark declared, trying to appease Lex, kissing him gently. As they withdrew from each other, Clark smiled.
"I always wanted to write that. Just didn't have the right person to write it about," Lex mumbled, averting his eyes from Clark as he shrugged, trying to take the beauty out of his actions. It was the typical Lex reaction to everything in life.
No one knows who we are there
"I hate this!" It came out of nowhere out of Clark' mouth.
"Not being able to see each other?"
"Yeah. Seeing my parents every day and not being allowed to tell them about how I am doing…"
"Seeing you every day and being forbidden to touch you."
All I want is to give my life only to you
Lex seemed to be reading his mind, and Clark climbed on to Lex's lap, to place a kiss on his forehead. As he suspected, Lex's eyes slid closed to better sense the feel of his lips against his own skin, and who was Clark not to comply?
He brushed his lips against the chilled skin, drawing the coldness out of it. He watched in amusement with sick pride, Lex getting frustrated as Clark kept getting closer to his lips to only restart the cycle.
I've dreamt so long I cannot dream anymore
Their lips connected finally, and Lex's lips parted in anticipation for Clark but Clark still was refusing to kiss him, nibbled at the corners of his mouth. He grumbled in annoyance, and he could feel Clark smile, biting hard on his lip. He grunted in pain, and gave up on his rebellion. It wasn't like what Clark was doing didn't feel good. It was amazing, but he needed lip to lip contact.
Clark was slowly licking Lex's lips, and all thoughts of being obedient shot out of the window. It was too close and licked his lips, touching the tip to Clark's tongue.
What happened next wasn't what Lex was expecting as Clark bit his tongue in punishment, hard enough to break the skin. The salty iron-tasting blood began to ooze out of the small slit, and Clark, Clark took the tongue and sucked on it, clearing the blood off of it.
Erotic, was the only word that came to Lex's hazed mind, and he finally was allowed to taste Clark, the happiness of that was only overdone by the pleasure that was slowly filling up that hole inside of him.
Let's run away, I'll take you there
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The only thing keeping Clark from freaking out completely was the tight grasp Lex had on his wrist as they walked through the fields of corn to his house. He was terrified about the future that they were going to create, because Lex had told him the truth. Neither of them was meant to have a happy life if destiny was correct in saying what would they both become. So they were going to make their own path.
Lex had not informed him on the details, he had just told him to get in contact with all of their close friends and family, and tell them to meet in the Kent's living room at eleven at night.
Clark exchanged a worried look at Lex who smiled at him, sliding his hand down to grab Clark's and squeezed, reassuring him that everything would turn out okay.
They were nearing the house and Clark did a quick scan of the house with his x-ray vision. He couldn't help but feel like something was going to go wrong and they were being watched. Lex paused at his side until Clark was sure that there weren't hidden spies or cameras around.
Lex led him to the side door and they slipped in, Clark tapping the door shut with his foot. Lex stopped before shortly entering the living room where their guests were mingling and looked up at Clark.
"This is going to go fine, trust me on that," he whispered, leaning up to capture Clark's lips. It was short but sweet and Clark felt the tension ooze out of him. Lex grinned at him, and they walked into the living room, hand in hand.
The shocked look on all their faces seeing Clark warmed his heart and it was his parents who got to him first to hug him, and he returned it, tears running down his face. He had been there for only a minute and already he was sobbing. It was going to be a hard night as he moved along to grab his favorite two girls, Chloe and Lana and he swung them around easily, which both giggled.
Pete was sitting in the corner next to Gabe, looking out of place in the confusion and smiled at Clark, who was getting nervous, knowing how much Pete hated Lex. Clark sighed and hugged his friend, and gave a respectable nod to Chloe's dad before taking a seat next to his parents as Lex towered at the head of the room.
"Now that the hug-fest is over with, I have came here with Clark to tell you what the deal is going to be from now on," Lex's eyes scanned over the people in the room, just daring them to speak. Clark would have giggled if not for the dire consequences it held.
"The picture of us on the newspaper last month was true. Clark and I are together. I am sorry that Clark's secret had to be exposed and all of this had to happen. All of your lives have been screwed up by this little mishap and I apologize greatly for not being able to stop it from happening.
"Clark can no longer live the life he should be having. And I, though my life has returned to normal, I am not enjoying it, having to hide myself from the world. All of you have been terrific with hiding Clark and allowing me to take care of the government but I think all of us are tired of hiding. That is why I am proposing…I mean telling you that tomorrow evening, Clark and I will be leaving. Permanently…to a place where no one will ever bother us again."
Everyone in the room was shocked, and Lex looked at Clark to gage his reaction. He was confused but his face was lit up, excited. Their eyes met and Clark beamed. Lex exhaled, realizing he had been holding his breath.
We're leaving here tonight
"But can't they still find you? I mean, you and Clark aren't exactly people who can blend in well…" Lana asked.
There's no need to tell anyone
They'd only hold us down
"They won't be able to tell who they are, if they don't remember us." Lex smirked, exposing the side to him that was all business, the fun of winning and terrorizing the enemy.
Seeing he had everyone's attention as the silence came to a roar, he spoke. " I have been researching from Dr. Swann the properties of the powers that Clark holds. And we came to the conclusion that he can erase memories. Of course, we haven't tested this yet to know if it can work, but it's our best hope. This meeting was held to tell you of this plan. As of tomorrow, at noon, we shall start erasing people's memories. Only the people in this room shall have any memory of us or the events that have transpired from the date of our births to this moment now. In a sense, we will have never existed though it is very obvious we have."
So by the morning's light
We'll be half way to anywhere
"But what about the documents that you are in?" Chloe asked, and he smiled at her. She had read his next thought.
"I want you to erase all the pictures that are even associated with Lex Luthor or Clark Kent. I want you to get rid of the stories. Gabe will have owned the plant for all of for the ten or so years that I have been running it. The Kent's will have never had had a son. All of the incidents that have taken place in Smallville the past few years resolved themselves on its own. Lionel shall have had two sons, but both of them died. Clark and me will be said to have both died the day of the car accident. Just two random people, leave out the names. I think you get the idea."
Chloe nodded as did her father, and he turned to the Kent's who were clutching their son who was squished between them. They were hovering over him, protecting him and he had to laugh.
"You both have been wonderful parents to Clark. It makes me wish I had had parents who were as kind as you are to Clark. You will retain all your memories of this, and I give you money and we will send you letters to tell you of how we are doing. Clark will be able to drop by and see you anytime as will you to him. This was the only way I could think to keep Clark safe."
Martha's hand came up to grip his chin, and she stroked his cheek with her free hand. " You're a good boy, Lex," was all she said, and she hugged him, dislocating Clark on the couch. As he pulled away free, he felt a pat on the back from Jonathon and he spun around.
"You aren't a Luthor." That had been said to his back as Jonathon got up to get the tissue box for the sobbing girls who were sniffling obsessively.
Lex couldn't help the shocked look on his face, and he sniffled, touched considerably.
Clark hugged him from behind, and Lex sighed, content for the moment.
"I like the idea." Clark whispered into his ear.
"I don't know if you can even do it."
"I can try. If it doesn't work, we'll figure something else out."
Lex nodded. " We can leave in a second. Start saying your good-byes and I will talk to Pete and Lana."
Clark and him split ways, and he walked over to Lana and Pete who were hugging, Lana using him as a human tissue/pillow.
"I don't need to tell either of you that you can never talk again about Clark or I again. When we get set up, we'll come up here to visit you."
He walked away before he could see their nods, and slipped out the front door to sit on the stairs up to the front porch, waiting for Clark to say his mushy good-byes.
Where love is more than just your name
Forget this life
Come with me
Don't look back, you're safe now
Unlock your heart
Drop your guard
No one's left to stop you
The first year had gone by without a hitch, and though he loved the seclusion where Lex had gotten built their new house, he missed the snow. It was funny, most people would love to never see snow again, but snow was something-such a part of him that he felt weird without seeing it.
So he had told Lex he was going to go up North to see his parents to help them set up the farm for the winter. Lex hadn't complained much, he would meet him later after he checked all the Luthor Corp plant's finances to make sure they were running fine under his unknown name. In the end, Lex couldn't give up his plants willingly and so they kept them, owning them under a name known as Mr. McNasty which had gotten many laughs out of Clark who had no idea Lex knew how to be funny when it came to business.
He had to run out to the store for some batteries for the flashlights because a blizzard was coming, when he ran into Nell literally, spilling her piled packages on the ground which were in her hands. It was when he picked them up to her, and handed them to her, she looked at him.
"I think I have seen you from somewhere, but I can't remember. Do I know you?" she had asked him.
He shook his head and she smiled at him, which he returned. " Are you sure that I have never met you before?"
"Yeah, I am not from around here," he said, not lying, and she had laughed at him, and she had gone on with her business.
Author's Note: Yes, I know I could have made the ending more detailed. But I didn't feel like it. I think it speaks for itself. It gives it a more abstract feel I would say. I really did want to write another making-out scene and I could do it and fit it in the story without too many problems, but…oh well. I think there are good enough ones in the story already.
The ending paragraph comes from the anime "Serial Experiments Lain" in the last episode. This is where the idea came from. If you ever get a chance to see it, it's haunting.
If you haven't realized it yet, every song I used in this story was from the band "Evanescence." That is why it is the title to this story. It means to have a vapor like quality, and I decided it was too cool not to use and it fits oddly enough.
The songs were used to outline the story and the name of each song that was used is the chapter title.
Thank you for reading this work of fiction and please review.
All ideas belong to me, the characters and all other things belong to whoever they respectably belong to.
And here's to writing Clark and Lex…may they prosper together in our dreams since they could never be together in real life though that would be amazingly hot and perfect.