"Bruce? It's Lex. I'm half way to Gotham right now. Care to join me for dinner in-- Approximately an hour? I know, it's short notice but I'm going to be in town soon. I thought it'd be a grand opportunity to catch up on things. If you're not too busy, that is."
"Lex, is that really you? Oh, if it weren't for my tabs on LuthorCorp I would have thought that you ran away to some middle-of-nowhere town in Kansas. Excuse me, you've already done that, haven't you?" Bruce laughed a full attractive laugh, one that hadn't escaped his lips in a long time. Who was it on the phone that could make Bruce exclaim like that?
"You're coming into town? Metropolis getting too dull for you? It's okay, I understand. Without a doubt we should get together, go to dinner and catch up. You need to tell me more about that boyfriend of yours. Call me when you arrive at the airport, okay? Have your driver take you to our place. See you, Lex."
Bruce hung up his phone and slipped the little electronic device into the hidden pocket inside of his black trench coat. Joe had not moved into the limousine. He had stood by, eavesdropping on Bruce's impromptu conversation. His arms were crossed over his chest and his foot was tapping impatiently on the sidewalk. Once the conversation was over a smile graced Joe's face and suddenly it seemed as if all annoyance dissipated and the younger man's affect was greatly improved. "Brucie, you're such an important man. Just make sure those phone calls don't get too numerous during our dinner, okay? I'd have to throw a fit if that was the case." Joe made a sound resembling a hyena's laughter and moved to get into the limo. Bruce frowned and reached out, grabbing Joe's arm gently and pulling him back.
"Sorry, Joey. New plans. My old friend Lex is coming in for business and I haven't seen this boy for a while now. He's the light of my life, you know." Although the comment was made jokingly, there was a glint in Bruce's eye that Joe didn't recognize. A glint that made Joe instantaneously suspicious.
"The light of your life?"
"I've know Lex for years, Joey--"
"Lex? Are you talking about Lex Luthor?"
"Yes, Joey, Lex Luthor. I've told you about him before. We went to--"
"Yeah, yeah, you went to Excelsior Prep together and you two are best friends, isn't that precious?" Joe laughed as he talked, the smile on his face stretching dangerously. It looked as if Joe's seams were tearing and his face was going to fall apart.
"We'll reschedule and go out some other time." With a stoic face Bruce opened the door to his limousine and guided Joe into the seat. "Anthony will take you anywhere you want to go, Joey."
"No, Bruce, you can't just leave me. You said that you'd take me out." The laughter and smile had faded, replaced with a face that burned with anger at Bruce and his little friend from LuthorCorp. "You can't just break your word."
Bruce chuckled; he found it amusing whenever Joe threw one of his little fits. It did not bother the older man much that Joe was glaring at him so furiously. Within a day or two, after whining and complaining to his friend Harleen, Joe would be calling Bruce and telling him how sorry he was that he had ignored him. Bruce would forgive him without even thinking about it for a second and then the two would go on to continue being best friends. It's just how life worked.
"You're so cute, Joey. Talk to you later." Bruce closed the car door on Joe and walked around to the front of the window, bending down and speaking to his driver. "Tony, take Joey down to Harleen's, would you? He's going to want to blow off some steam."
"Sure, anything ya want, sir."
"Thanks, Tony." Bruce walked back to the sidewalk and watched as the limo drove off through the city toward Harleen Quinzel's house. Harleen was a friend of Joey's from school. A sweet girl with a devious smile that Bruce knew was one day going to get him and Joe in trouble. She had been studying to become a psychiatrist and often practiced her craft on Joe, who certainly needed a bit of therapy every now and then. Joe would rant and rave to the chestnut haired beauty and once she had stripped him of all his negative feelings he would come running back.
The restaurant that Bruce had instructed Lex to meet him at was a quaint but upscale place called Antonelli's, located around the corner from the Wayne Enterprises main office building. With a small smirk and deep breath, Bruce began weaving his way through the crowds of people passing him on the sidewalk towards the restaurant. While he walked Bruce whipped out his phone and dialed the restaurant's number (he had taken many a business partner to Antonelli's and thus had the number memorized) and instructed the peppy hostess to save Mr Wayne's favorite table for himself and Lex Luthor.
Tonight was going to be a good night.
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How COULD he?
How could Bruce just ABANDON him like that?
Joe sat in the back of the limousine, staring at the window without really looking through it with a cruel smile painted across his face. Bruce was a fucking bastard, Bruce knew just want to do to drive Joe fucking INSANE. It wasn't fair that Joe always came second when it came to sweet little Lex Luthor. It wasn't fair that Bruce found the need to break plans that he had made only two minutes earlier. Sometimes Joe was convinced that Bruce didn't give a flying fuck about him. Bruce was so. So. So not right sometimes. He was often flaky, missing dates and appointments, finding excuses for every little event that he couldn't possibly attend because he was busy doing something. Oftentimes it felt to Joe like Bruce was carrying a secret with him that he refused to share. Almost every second of the day Joe thought about taking an axe to that pretty head of Bruce's in an effort to make all those secrets bleed out.
As Anthony crossed the intersection of First and Kingsley, images of that first day sped through Joe's head at a speed that only he could follow. Images of the Wayne building, Joe's prehistoric car being hooked up to the tow truck, the truck driver who wouldn't cut the seventeen year old kid a little fucking slack and Bruce. Bruce, the ridiculously handsome young billionaire that just happened to wander out of his building at the exact moment that Joe was down on his knees, begging the tow truck driver to just give him this one free pass, just once. He remembered that smile that Bruce gave when he walked up and placed a large hand on Joe's thin shoulder, a smile that was filled with confidence and just perhaps a little arrogance.
"Don't worry about your car," Bruce had said, his eyes glittering as he peered down on Joe. "I'll buy you a new car. Anything you want."
Anything he wanted. Four years ago, Joe was allowed to get anything he wanted. Now he was lucky if he could even receive a fucking dinner with Bruce. So much for the celebration; at least Harleen would be proud of him, right?
- in this city -
Lex flipped his cell phone closed with a distinct sound of plastic against plastic. He rested his head against the cool window pane, which shot a rather welcomed chill down his body. As he stared at the darkness through the slightly fogged window, he could vaguely see the outlines of Clark's angelic features in the clouds. The image became more pronounced as the moon drifted in and out of the clouds. Clark's eyes momentarily highlighted by the brief appearances of the moon. He could see the outline of betrayal chiseled into those brilliantly green hues. A green so vivid, so vibrant that it simply entranced Lex. Threw him into a whirlwind of absolute lust and admiration for a boy who fed Lex nothing but mistrust and excuses. If he didn't feel such an anger towards Clark, the young Luthor would almost go as far to say the small pang he felt in his ribs was simply guilt, but what had he to feel guilty of?
Well, yes. He had told Clark he would call off all investigations and he did! The room simply held contents of his past and future. He truly believed that. He somehow believed that this boy... this high school teenager was his future. Where and how exactly that was, well, Lex wasn't sure. Therefore, he had built this room to discover that very reason. Clark seemed to be the source of most (if not all) of these meteor freaks. Okay, perhaps that was a little too unrealistic. Clark wasn't exactly the "source" of it, really. The boy had a hero complex far beyond what Lex could really comprehend. Nonetheless, this room... the photos, his Porsche (that he was still certain had hit Clark that day on the bridge), the meteors, and all those damn homicidal meteor freaks had something to do with his savior. His angel.
Damn it! He had to stop thinking about Clark like this. It wasn't healthy. He closed his eyes. If only he could make Clark believe him. It seemed like only a few days ago, the boy was completely mesmerized by Lex's charms. Laughing at Lex's odd humor and horrible jokes. Only a few days ago Clark had treated him like a friend and not some criminal. If only he could rid Clark of his father's sanctimonious platitudes! Ugh! If anyone had it out for him, it was certainly Jonathan Kent, but he wasn't going to go there. Not tonight anyway. Clark had provided more than enough emotional distress for Lex without adding the senior Kent into the mix.
Lex slipped his near paper thin cell phone into his suit pocket. He slowly opened his eyes to watch as the plane elegantly flew over cornfields towards the dark and gloomy city that was known as Gotham. He certainly didn't miss that element of Gotham. It was too dark and damp for Lex's liking. Unfortunately, it was Bruce's humble abode and Lionel's destination for most of his black market dealings. Not that Lionel ever formally admitted to it of course, but Lex wasn't an idiot. He knew his father better than he knew.. well, Clark, really. God damnit. A muscle twitched in his jaw again.
"Lex..."
He could hear him so loud and clear in his head. It was almost as if the tall dark Angel had leaned over him and whispered into his ear...
The small passenger jet began to shake as it descended back to Earth. Although his father had always scolded Lex for closing his eyes during landing, he couldn't help himself as he listened to the sounds of the jet plane's wheels coming in contact with the landing strip; his hands firmly grasping the seat's armrest and pale blue eyes firmly rested upon the black television screen at the head of the plane.
----------
Clark watched as the older boy disappeared into the confines of the plane. A feeling of deep regret emerged its ugly head in the pits of his heart but he refused to acknowledge its presence. He wanted to stop Lex and demand a further explanation than what he had offered though he knew it would do no good. He wasn't sure what to believe when it came to Lex. While the young Luthor never bluntly lied, often times he never told the complete truth. But then, could Clark really talk? He wasn't exactly the epitome of truth himself. How many times had he outright lied to Lex to protect his secret?
Too many to count, quite frankly. He supposed he couldn't blame Lex for being so curious, really. However, he had taken it too far! A room entirely dedicated to him? That was beyond creepy. That was nearly stalker-ish, really! No, he'd give Lex the space he needed for now. Maybe. A part of him wanted to run after Lex. He wanted to follow the older boy to Gotham and plead with him. Maybe apologize for acting like a total jerk.
He watched until the plane became nothing more than a speck on the horizon. His shaggy black hair flew into his shining emerald hues when the wind blew it back. Yeah, he'd wait for Lex to calm down and come back to Smallville...
Er, maybe..
----------
Lex retrieved his cell phone from his suit jacket and dialed Bruce's number. Hearing the man's voice always brought a genuine smile to his ghastly pale face. It was an odd sensation to cross his features but welcomed nonetheless. "Bruce, it's me. The usual place then? Fantastic, I'll see you there in a few minutes then. Order me a glass of their finest Cognac, please. I need a drink."
He briskly hung up the phone.
Speaking of alcoholic beverages, Lex reached for the mini-bar and quickly grabbed his father's favorite cognac (L'Esprit de Courvoisier) from within. He almost considered skipping on a glass, but it would be a great shame to simply chug a two hundred year old bottle of cognac. In fact, that would be downright disgraceful. Therefore, like a proper gentleman, he found himself gracefully sipping from a crystal glass.
It had been years since he had seen Bruce. Years since he had seen that somber yet youthful face. He wondered vaguely if Bruce still contained that somberness; he wouldn't be surprised. Of course, the billionaire's face was often times printed across the pages of magazines such as GQ and FORTUNE, but Lex didn't have time for such things. He'd rather preserve Bruce's image from their schoolboy days. Despite the fact that it was much too late for that.
The limo lurched and Lex knew they had arrived. While it had taken no more than thirty minutes for his driver to reach the restaurant, the smell of alcohol was already heavy on his breath. He almost regretted drinking so much but simply blamed it on shit-tastic day and shoved his slender pale hands into the depths of his pockets. His breath lingered in front of him; the icy winter air stung his lungs and made his nose turn a little pink at the very tip. Lex quickly entered the restaurant. While it wasn't Lex's favorite, it certainly made Bruce happy.
And the smile that graced Bruce's lips when he slid into the seat across from him made the trip here entirely worth it. "Bruce." Lex's smile was a little off but he tried to pull himself together for his friend. "God, has it really been a lifetime since I've seen you? You look great."
