Chapter Eight

He was in public and there were too many things that could go wrong. He looked into Lex's poorly disguised, eager eyes and it gave him hope that he even came this close, that Lex had not missed what he'd almost said.

He could see the desire in Lex's eyes fighting with the facade of normality. There was a hopeful curve to his lips. Clark looked him up and down, slowly, wanting to give Lex at least a hint. Something, because if he could make the next move, Clark might be able to relax.

"You want?"

Clark sighed and turned around. "Coffee. What about you?"

He heard Lex's footsteps behind him. "Yeah, that would be good." Quiet, but he still felt the soft punch of words filled with disappointment. "So you're... you're over Lana or something? How did that happen?"

"I found someone else," he stated bluntly. He liked this new him; the truth was intoxicating. It was so different to be able to just say what he needed to. It jarred him to realize he had Vicky to thank.

The Talon was empty, but there was soft music in the background. Sarah McLachlan, one of Lana's favorites. And it was on 'Good Enough' a song that always reminded him of Lex and-

Empty. The word finally hit him. Lana had told him 9 and don't be late. They were on time, a miracle for him. And it was empty.

Empty but for him and Lex.

He turned and was shocked to see Lex biting his bottom lip, looking at him with full on desire. Lex turned away embarassed and started trying to distract the moment with a box of decorations on a table nearby. He distanced himself from Clark in four short steps.

There were too many mistakes to be made here, and they all started with ignoring what was between them. It was the same mistake he'd been making for years now.

"I want to stop being lonely," he started and Lex put his hands on the formica table top. The older boy was staring into the box as if the answer to life was in there. "I want to stop wondering what could have happened 'only if'. I want to start taking chances."

"How many times-" Lex started, his voice cracking a little. "-have I told you-"

"I want a lot of things, Lex."

He saw the boy grip the table at the sound of his name. Clark stepped forward until he was two inches from Lex's back. When his hands came up to Lex's hips, the young man jumped. Clark rubbed Lex's lower back lightly with his thumbs. The sweater was thinner than he would have guessed and he could feel the strong muscles there.

"Turn around, Lex."

Lex faced him and for a moment the only thing Clark could think of was those lips and putting his on them again. Only this time they would be warm and alive and kissing him back.

He didn't miss the heated desire in Lex's eyes. Clark stepped forward and Lex backed up against the table, leaving less than an inch between them and shaking the table. "I had sex with Vicky last night," he blurted.

Clark shrugged. "So?"

"I... I didn't want it to be her."

Clark nodded. There was no room. Lex's eyes were lidded and his breathing was shallow.

"I know what it is to be lonely." Lex's eyes began to shine a little and Clark remembered the sadness in the bookstore. He ducked his head, brushing his lips against Lex's ear. "Tell me what you want, Lex."

He shivered and shook his head "I..."

Clark's hand cupped his head. "Just tell me."

"I... I want you."

Clark took Lex's mouth with his and for a second, a single second, he was filled with warmth. Lips pressed desperately to his and Lex's breath hitched. Hands came up to his jeans and tugged him close. He could feel hardness already in Lex's pants. This felt like nothing else. He melted into Lex's form, his mouth filled with possibility. He licked Lex's top lip, the scar separating two uneven halves. Lex panted and parted his mouth, thrusting his tongue in.

The door to The Talon crashed opened with a loud bang and Clark jumped away from Lex, fearful that this was not Lana. And it wasn't.

It was Chloe. With a pair of his socks.

What is she doing with my socks?

He saw Lex scramble to get behind the table with the box to hide his erection and Clark took a deep breath. "Chloe."

Something was wrong. Her eyes were filled with tears and it looked like she had been crying for sometime. "Don't you, 'Chloe' me."

His socks. Why-

"Oh, God."

He was barefoot. He left his socks at Lana's.

"Oh, fuck, Chloe, listen."

"Did you think I wouldn't find out?"

Lex looked startled at this very unChloe like outburst.

"Well, I mean-"

"Listen," she started moving forward. "I'm not your girlfriend, I understand. It's not like you cheated on me."

Lex's eyes looked sharply over to him, narrow and suspicious.

Fuck, fuck, fuck! Not now, Chlo, please!

"But next time you fuck Lana, could you do the girl who has admitted she's in love with you a big favor and not do it in the next room?"

Lana burst into The Talon and her face fell, realizing she was too late to stop anything.

Chloe threw his socks at him and left, running into Lana's shoulder and pushing her housemate out of her way.

"Shit," whispered Lana.

Clark cautiously met Lex's eyes, seeing so much hurt there.

How am I going to fix this?

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