Firstly i would like to thank my lurrrvly reviewers without whom i wouldn't have bothered to keep writing ; ) and secondly i would like to post the next chapter: have fun reading and pleasetell me what you think.
The Truth shall Bind ye in Chains...
Clark arrived home with Lex, thinking about the evidence so far: they had little to go by. As they pulled up Clark muttered that he wouldn't be long and ran inside.
As he came through the door his mother cornered him.
"You're home late…?" Martha stated casually.
Of course she did it casually, like it wasn't a problem that he was late, but he knew beneath the surface it was an interrogation. Phrasing her interrogation as an observation was something his mother had gotten good at.
"Yeah, I umm… went round to Lex's?" his mother gave him a look that lay somewhere between warning and disapproval.
"Oh…?"
"Umm… yeah." He wasn't quite sure what he was expected to say next. He suddenly remembered that he was going to need an excuse to leave again in a minute… and a way to take out the photo without looking suspicious.
He started with the infamous drawn-out, whiny tone and phraseology used by needy teenagers everywhere: "Muuum…? Do you think it would be okay if I stayed at Lex's tonight, because it is a Friday and I don't have anything I have to do tomorrow, except my chores and I'll make sure I come back in time to do them, it's just Lex has this really cool new home cinema system and I really wanna watch this film he has and he's invited me to stay and I'll be really careful and everything…. So would it be okay?"
Martha did not look surprised by the very fast spiel and seemed to consider. She sighed: that meant yes.
"Okay, I suppose that would be alright, so long as you do come back and do your chores. I'll clear it with your father… and you owe me one for that."
Clark ran upstairs at normal speed, then packed a bag and grabbed the photo from its place in his sock drawer at super-speed. Currently both Photo-Clark and Photo-Lex were fully clothed and sitting wrapped together in a loose embrace against the right edge of the photo.
The photo's envelope was on the bed… he hadn't put it there. He picked it up suspiciously and realised that it was a new envelope, not the old one. It looked thicker than the previous one. He tore it open quickly; half hoping it contained something as 'good' as the photograph and half dreading the thoughts of Lex it would conjure if it was better…
It was a cassette. Clark frowned and pushed the picture into the same envelope: well, at least they had some more clues to look at now. They could listen to it when they got back to the mansion: there wasn't time to listen to it alone now… but Clark worried a little that it might be something he didn't want Lex to hear. He could always keep it hidden from Lex and listen to it alone, then if it was ok, let Lex listen… but then he'd have to explain to Lex why he hadn't just let him listen to it with him: it would be like withholding information from him… and he already felt pretty bad about that.
He ran back downstairs with his bag, the envelope tucked safely inside.
"Bye mum! Cya tomorrow!" he called running out of the door.
Lex gave him a bewildered look as he threw his bag into the car and climbed in.
"Umm… by the way: is it okay if I sleep at yours? I had to say something to my parents to get them to let me go… I didn't think the truth was a god idea…"
"I don't think the truth would make a particularly convincing argument anyways; as far as spending any time with me is concerned, that is… I mean, 'I'm going over to Lex's to examine photographs of me and Lex shagging; purely scientific of course' is hardly going to get you a day pass." Lex smirked, as he took the Ferrari from 0-60 in far too few seconds.
"We're not actually shagging. And technically it's not us. And it is purely scientific. And I don't need a day-pass… I need a night pass." Clark grinned happily, savouring the warm fuzzy glow of outwitting his sharp-minded friend.
"And you call me pedantic!" Lex scoffed, then added "I'm just surprised they let you come at all. What did you tell your mum?" Lex guessed correctly.
Clark chuckled "that you had a new home cinema system and some films I wanted to see."
"Hmmm…. Perhaps I'll have to buy one, just to make it look convincing, if she happens to drop over."
"Firstly, my parents aren't exactly in the habit of dropping over to the Luthor mansion, and secondly, they wouldn't know the difference between the expensive cinema system you have now and a new very expensive one you could buy… they don't really do technology… most people my age don't even know what an eight track is, never mind aspiring to own one." Clark grinned.
"I just didn't want to make a liar of you." Lex shrugged, while a smirk played on his lips. The sentence was certainly a little challenging, but at the same time, not aggressive.
The loaded statement made Clark think of all the lies he had told Lex… most recently about jerking off to the photograph… not that he'd lied exactly; he just hadn't corrected Lex when he assumed Clark was innocent. Then he remembered the tape, and took the opportunity not to be a liar, hoping he wouldn't regret it.
"That reminds me: they sent a cassette. It was in my room when I went to get my overnight stuff and the photo."
"What's on it?" Lex said, eyes firmly on the road.
"Dunno yet. Didn't have time to listen. Thought we could listen to it when we get back to yours?" Clark really hoped he wouldn't regret telling Lex about the tape before checking it over. "Demands maybe?" he guessed.
"Thank you." Lex said quietly "Hearing the truth is a luxury that, ironically, I can't often afford."
"Umm… well this is about you as much as it is me." Clark didn't point out the fact that Lex had implied that Clark (and probably a lot of other people) normally lied outright to him about a great many things: he knew Lex had intended the positive comment to contrast his normal behaviour… and he knew Lex was right, so bringing it up to defend himself would only mean lying some more.
After a short silence, in which Lex observed that Clark was not telling him any more lies, he pressed on. "It could be demands. If not, it's more incriminating evidence" Lex stated, raising an eyebrow along with his insinuation.
Clark tried not to gulp. He really didn't want to be imagining what could be on the tape and he certainly didn't need Lex aiding his imagination.
"Don't you have a tape player in here?" Clark asked… and felt instantly stupid as Lex laughed. They were in a Ferrari and Lex had more money than most teens had issues: of course only the most expensive, state-of-the-art technology would be installed. Clark almost felt happy to be blushing about something non-sex related and smiled through his embarrassment.
"I mean it though, Clark." Lex glanced sideways at Clark's relaxed posture. "It means a lot to me… I know you didn't just tell me because this is about me too… I mean, the meteor shower concerns me irrevocably and… well… we both have our fair share of secrets in that department." Lex wasn't sure if he'd been too honest all at once. Clark was staying silent.
After several long seconds Lex decided that he'd said too much already and wondered what to say now… until Clark spoke:
"Lies are the one thing that could tear us apart, Lex, but the truth might not be any better." Clark said eventually, imagining all of Lex's possible, very negative, responses to the truths he seemed to want to hear so much.
"The truth shall set ye free, Clark."
"Well… if you ask me, freedom is overrated: it's just doing whatever you want, which is just being selfish, which, ultimately, only brings unhappiness. Freedom shall bind ye in chains and throw ye in the river with lead weights tied to ye-"
"Thy" Lex corrected instinctively.
"-feet." Clark finished, looking down at his boots.
"Pretty bleak outlook, Clark. I had no idea you hated the idea of being free so much?"
"I don't… I mean, that's just another point of view on it…" Clark had been dwelling on the kind of 'freedom' the truth might bring him.
Silence reigned for seconds: Lex must have been driving slow to fit in so many uncomfortable silences…
"You know, Lucifer's only desire was to be truly free…? and by your definition, that's exactly what he got: misery, hatred, suffering, hell…"
"He wanted true freedom, Lex, but he didn't want the truth, just the freedom. When freedom is built on a lie, it's worthless. Freedom is what you make it."
"You can't have done anything that terrible, Clark?" Lex grinned.
"You have no idea what I'm capable of…" Clark beamed back… and they were making a joke of this serious conversation again. But it wasn't a joke and he knew it; they needed to talk in earnest.
After a few moments of wondering if, and how, this conversation would become serious a third time, Lex spoke.
"Never pay too much, Clark: only a fool spends more than he can afford to. But something that's worth the price- that's rare… and it can actaully become more valuable for having paid the right price for it." Lex glanced at Clark again, as they approached their final destination "If the risk is too big, then the friendship isn't worth it, Clark." He said as he sopped the car.
"I don't think it's worth it." Clark stated bluntly.
Lex's heart shuddered to a painful halt: he'd given the boy an ultimatum and he'd blown it and now Clark was rejecting him, walking out of his life forever. He knew it'd been a risk…and he'd thought it was worthwhile, but nowhe'd give anything to take it back and just continue under their pretence of contentment. The lie they'd had was better than the freedom he was being banished to...
"But it will be." Clark finished, smiling.
...but the truth was best of all.
Clark smiled softly at Lex. The thought that had entered his mind, and wasn't about to leave any time soon, went something like this: 'The friendship might not be worth it… but you are. You want the truth: I want to set you free.'
well... tell me what you thought: i'd love to know how i'm doing.
Think they're gonna start listening to the tape in the next chapter ; ) mwahahahahaa! well, i'm enjoying writing this even if you're not enjoying reading it, so there... but then if you're not enjoying reading it why would you have read this far...