Fic: Shall Not Fade (2/3)
Title: Shall Not Fade
Author: Hils
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Smallville
Pairing: Clark/Lex, hints of Clark/Lois
Summary: Lois loves Superman and ignores Clark. Lex misses Clark and hates Superman. Clark is caught in the middle
Written for 10_hurt_comfort. The prompt was ‘love’. A million thanks to romanyg for the beta!
“So, how was your date?” Lois asked with a grin as soon as Clark walked through the door. He ignored her and sat down at his desk, his mind still whirling with thoughts about his meeting with Lex.
“Smallville?” Lois prodded when Clark didn’t respond. “You in there?”
He turned to face her, annoyance blazing in his eyes. “Why don’t you offer to sell my number to Osama Bin Laden and see if you can get an interview out of him too?”
He didn’t know why he was so angry really. The lunch with Lex had gone quite well, all things considered. At least they were on speaking terms now. Still, it could so easily have gone badly.
“Hey look, I said I was sorry. Come on, he just wanted to have lunch with an old friend. Who am I to stand in the way?”
“Who are you to stand in the way of anything if it gets you something you want?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Clark regretted them. Lois wasn’t a bad person, and he was sure she hadn’t intended anything malicious when she’d given Lex his number. It was just typical of her to forget that he had feelings and see beyond getting a story.
“Look, I’m sorry,” he said when Lois fell silent. “Seeing Lex again was just…I dunno. A bit weird I guess.”
“How did it go?” Lois asked, more gently than Clark had ever known her to before. Wow, she must feel really bad about this.
“He wants us to be friends again. He even promised to stop all his less reputable projects as proof of how serious he is.”
Lois raised an eyebrow. “And you believe him?”
Clark shrugged. “He’s going to give us full security clearance so we can look around his facilities. He seemed genuine when I spoke to him.”
“But…” Lois prompted.
“It’s Lex,” Clark sighed. “I want to believe him but I’m not sure I can. If he wanted to find a way to hide anything, I’m sure he could.”
Lois patted his hand gently. “Clark, if he’s stupid enough to hide something, we’ll find it. We’re the best investigative reporters in Metropolis.”
Clark nodded. Right now, if Lex was hiding something, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. Because it really would be the end of any chance of reconciliation.
* * *
Hovering above Metropolis, Clark was struck by how beautiful the city looked at night. He relished these moments, allowing himself to just float there and feel at peace. Unfortunately, for him, these moments were rare and far between. Tonight was no exception.
The smell of smoke hit him first and then the sounds of people calling for the fire department enabled him to quickly locate the source of the fire. He swooped down towards the warehouse district near the docks.
A quick scan of the building revealed one person trapped inside, and Clark charged in. The smoke was so thick that he had to use his x-ray vision just to see where he was going, the building was on the verge of collapse. He quickly made his way to the huddled figure in the corner.
“Lex?”
He forgot for a moment that Superman always referred to Lex by his last name. Thankfully, the roaring of the flames had apparently drowned out his voice, and Lex didn’t seem to have heard him.
Not wanting to waste any time, Clark wrapped his cape around Lex to protect him from the flames and carried him outside in a burst of speed. The paramedics, who had apparently arrived while Clark was in the building, quickly took Lex from him and loaded him into an ambulance. Clark had to force himself to look away, but despite that, he could still hear Lex’s ragged coughing echoing in his ears.
He quickly blew out the flames, leaving little more than a charred frame behind. When he turned back the ambulance was already gone, speeding Lex to the hospital. He thought about following it but knew there was nothing else he could do to help Lex. Clark most likely wouldn’t be granted access at this stage, and Superman would only create attention which Lex surely wouldn't want.
“He’ll be ok,” one of the paramedics said, apparently reading his mind. “He inhaled a lot of smoke, but he should be fine. I’m just glad you got here when you did. You saved his life.”
Not for the first time, Clark thought to himself before thanking the paramedic and taking back off into the night sky.
* * *
He always flew home via Lois’s apartment. Mostly to check that she hadn’t got herself into some sort of trouble, but also because sometimes she would wait on her balcony for him and they would talk.
His talks with Lois when he was in his Superman costume were much less one-sided than when he was Clark. When he was Clark, Lois talked and he listened. When he was Superman, she was actually interested in what he had to say.
He smiled as he descended, seeing Lois spot him and hurriedly stub out the cigarette she’d been smoking.
“Good evening, Lois.”
He had to smile as she attempted to smooth down her hair and clothes discreetly.
“Hi,” she finally said when she’d decided she looked presentable. “How are you?”
“I’m fine, thank you. How are you?”
She shrugged. “I’ve gone a few days without needing to be rescued so I guess that’s a good thing. Do you want to sit down?”
Clark hopped down from the edge of the balcony and pulled Lois’s seat out for her, waiting until she was seated and comfortable before sitting down himself.
“Do you want something to eat?” she asked, the faintest hint of a blush on her cheeks. “Something to drink?”
“No, thank you.”
“So,” she asked, lounging back slightly in her seat in an effort to appear casual. “What’s happening in our city tonight?”
Clark frowned. They always talked about what he’d been doing when they met up like this and normally it wasn’t a problem. But right now he really didn’t want to talk about the fact that he’d just saved Lex’s life. In fact he didn’t want to talk about Lex at all, or think about him for that matter. Unfortunately, he’d taken a vow that whenever he was in the Superman costume he would never lie.
“There was a fire in a warehouse downtown,” he said. There, that was the truth without being specific, and Clark hoped that would be the end of it.
Wrong.
Lois immediately had her Dictaphone in her hand, always the on duty reporter.
“Was anyone hurt?” she asked. “Do you know what started the fire?”
Clark had to struggle to keep his face neutral. “One man was trapped inside. I managed to get him out before he was seriously injured.”
“Who was he? One of the workers?”
And there it was. The question he knew Lois would eventually ask but hoped she wouldn’t. There was no way he could evade this one without lying.
“It was Lex Luthor.”
Lois’s eyes widened ever so slightly and she stared at him for a moment. “Lex Luthor? The Lex Luthor?”
“Yes.”
“What was he doing there?”
A good question, and one Clark intended on getting an answer to as soon as he could. There didn’t seem to be any evidence to indicate that Lex had been kidnapped, which meant he was there voluntarily. Clark should have known Lex hadn’t been sincere in his claims to want to change. What possible lawful reason could he have for being in an old warehouse in the early hours of the morning?
“I’m afraid I don’t know,” he said, answering both Lois’s question and his own.
Lois ducked her head, her cheeks flushed. “Sorry, I know you’re not in the habit of questioning the people you save. I’ll bet he was up to no good though. I told Clark not to trust him.”
Clark stood up suddenly, really not wanting to talk or think about this any more. “Do you want to fly with me for a while? It’s a beautiful night.”
He smiled when Lois’s face lit up. It wasn’t often he saw her looking truly happy, and he was pleased he was able to help her get there. For a few moments at least, she was able to forget about being the hardened reporter, and he was able to forget about being the protector of humanity. They were just Lois and Clark.
He wrapped his cape around her to keep her warm and took off into the night.
* * *
Flying with Lois at his side Clark found himself thinking again. They had a confusing relationship, for him anyway. For Lois it was simple. She was in love with Superman and that was it.
He wondered if this was what true love really felt like. Not the all engulfing passion that he’d felt with Lana or the raw pain he felt whenever he and Lex fought, but something comfortable. He knew that at the end of each day he could fly to Lois’s balcony and she’d be there for him, but he did wonder if she’d still love him without his abilities and the costume he put on. She certainly paid Clark no attention at all, but wasn’t that the point of a secret identity?
“You’re quiet tonight,” Lois observed. “Are you ok?”
Clark smiled and nodded. “Sorry. I was just thinking.”
Lois returned the smile. “It’s ok. So long as nothing’s bothering you.”
“I’m fine. But thank you for asking.”
They continued the flight in silence, just enjoying each other’s company until they finally landed back on Lois’s balcony.
“Well, I guess this is goodnight then.” There was a hint of sadness in Lois’s voice, and for a moment Clark wondered if she was going to ask him to stay and spend the night. Part of him wanted to say yes, and that scared him.
“I’ll see you again soon, Lois.” He leaned forward ever so slightly, thought about kissing her, then decided against it and pulled back. “Goodnight.”
Moving over to the edge of the balcony he looked back over his shoulder. Lois was watching him.
“Don’t be too hard on Clark if it turns out you were right about Luthor,” he said gently. “He just wants to see some good in an old friend.”
He took off before Lois could answer and flew home, all the way hoping that they were both wrong.
* * *
Clark paced outside Lex’s hospital room, knowing that once he was inside there would be no turning back. Either Lex would have an explanation for why he was in that warehouse or he wouldn’t.
Clark placed his hand on the door, almost pushed it, then let go and resumed pacing.
He thought about just leaving and pretending the whole thing had never happened. But he knew that even if he tried to drop the matter, Lois never would. There was no escape. He had to face this.
With a deep breath he opened the door and stepped inside.
Lex’s eyes were closed, his face even more pale than usual and, for a moment, Clark thought he was asleep. He was just starting to consider making a quiet escape when Lex stirred, a smile flickering across his face.
“I wasn’t expecting any visitors.”
His voice was dry and raspy, and Clark instinctively reached to pour Lex some water. He accepted the cup gratefully.
“I heard about what happened,” Clark said as he took a seat beside Lex’s bed. “Are you ok?”
Lex nodded. “The doctor says I can leave this afternoon. I suppose I should be grateful that your alien friend found me when he did.” He chuckled and then broke into a cough. Clark rose, ready to call a doctor if needed, but Lex shook his head. “I was just thinking, I miss the days when it was you saving my life, Clark. I’d rather be indebted to a friend than an enemy.”
Clark frowned and sighed. “Superman isn’t your enemy, Lex. You’ve just made him one in your head.”
“That remains to be seen.”
“What were you doing in that warehouse in the middle of the night anyway?”
He hadn’t intended to blurt it out like that. He wanted to believe he’d changed since he’d left Smallville and grown up a bit. Yet here he was hurling accusations at Lex just like he’d used to.
“I was doing just what I promised,” Lex said, for some reason not sounding the least bit angry or annoyed. “That warehouse contained files and resources for several projects which I have now closed down. I was destroying my research so that nobody else has the opportunity to use it and unfortunately I miscalculated how flammable the building was. The fire got out of control before I could escape.”
Clark studied Lex long and hard. If he was lying then he’d also become a master actor.
“You nearly got yourself killed so you could have your fresh start?” he asked incredulously.
“It wasn’t intentional, Clark, I assure you. But I am serious about this.”
Clark almost jumped out of his seat when he felt Lex’s hand rest upon his. A whole barrage of feelings stirred up inside him which he thought he’d long since buried. He cursed under his breath when he felt his face flush red and quickly pulled his hand away.
Lex smiled and Clark refused to acknowledge that his heart was suddenly beating faster. “I need to get back to work, Lex. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Thank you for visiting me, Clark. It means a lot.”
“No problem.”
Clark turned and bolted.
* * *
“Destroying files, I believe,” Lois said as Clark gave her the edited version of his visit with Lex. “The reason behind it, I don’t buy. He’s hiding something. I don’t know what, but the sooner we get this clearance he’s been talking about, the sooner I’ll be able to find out. Did you ask him about that, by the way?”
Clark shook his head. “I thought it might be polite to wait until he wasn’t lying in a hospital bed.”
Lois rolled her eyes. “Clark, we’re reporters, we’re not supposed to be polite.”
“Look, Lex is my friend and I know you don’t trust him but-“
He was interrupted by his cell ringing in his pocket. Grateful to be spared another lecture from Lois about how manners get you nowhere, he answered it.
“Have dinner with me tonight.”
Clark frowned. “Lex?”
“We don’t have to go out. I can have some food prepared here if you’d prefer. I just thought we could talk some more. We haven’t had a chance to catch up properly yet.”
“I don’t know, Lex, we’re pretty busy here tonight.”
He had to fake a wince of pain when Lois elbowed him sharply in the ribs. Apparently, the two of them were conspiring to make sure Clark spent as much time with Lex as possible.
“We can go through some of my files as well, if you like,” Lex offered.
There was no getting out of it. Lex wasn’t taking no for an answer. Even if he came up with all the excuses in the world, Lois wouldn’t let him get away with it.
“Fine, but I can’t stay long.”
“Great, see you at eight tonight.”
“Ok, bye.”
Lois grinned at him when he hung up. “Another hot date then, Smallville? Don’t forget to ask him about our clearance.”
“That’s the only reason I’m going.”
For once, Clark was glad Lois believed his lies far more easily than Lex ever had.
* * *
He deliberately worked late that night so he could go straight to Lex’s and not have a repeat of the multiple outfit changes. He still found himself glancing in windows to check if his hair looked ok, but that was something he’d just have to live with. Then, of course, there was a mirror in the elevator and he simply had to straighten his tie and smooth his hair down again.
Lex was waiting for him when he reached the top floor and greeted him with a warm smile.
“You’re looking better,” Clark observed as Lex showed him inside and took his coat.
“You know me, Clark. I’ve always been a fast healer.”
Lex showed him into the dining room which was, of course, almost the size of Clark’s entire apartment.
“Would you like some wine with your meal?” Lex asked, already holding the bottle.
Although Clark couldn’t actually get drunk, and he’d tried a couple of times, he found he didn’t really care for the taste of alcohol. “Water is fine, thanks.”
Lex nodded, poured him a glass and sat down beside him. Moments later, two steaming plates of food were brought out and placed in front of them. Just the smell made Clark’s stomach rumble in anticipation, but he remembered to be polite enough to wait for Lex to start eating before diving in himself.
“Lex, this is amazing.”
Lex smiled and Clark couldn’t help but smile back. This was just like old times, when he used to spend evenings at Lex’s mansion. Yet again, he found himself missing the simplicity of those days.
“I’m glad you like the food. It’s nice to see you’ve kept your healthy appetite.”
Clark grinned. “It’s nice to see you eating something for once. My mom always said you were too thin, and you haven’t changed much.”
“You have,” Lex replied. “Your mother must be very proud of the man you’ve become.”
Clark shrugged. “You know my mom. She’d be proud if I was working as a garbage man.”
“How are you enjoying being a reporter?”
“It’s not what I imagined doing with my life, but I like it a lot. Although Lois can be hard work sometimes.”
Lex chuckled and poured Clark some more water. “I can imagine.”
“I don’t really want to talk about work tonight, but she made me promise to ask you about our clearance. She doesn’t trust you.”
Lex’s face didn’t change as he refilled his wine glass. Either he wasn’t surprised or he didn’t care. “What do you think, Clark?”
“I want to trust you, but I’m not sure I can yet.”
Lex nodded. “I don’t expect you to just accept all of this right away. I want to prove to you that I’m serious about this and about our friendship. I’ve missed you more than I’d care to admit.
“Well, I think nearly setting yourself on fire proves something. Possibly that you’re insane.”
Lex grinned. “Are you saying my time in Belle Reve didn’t prove that to you already?”
Clark felt his heart sink. Out of all the mistakes he’d made in his past, abandoning Lex to his father was the one that still plagued him at night occasionally. Lex stood up and squeezed Clark’s shoulder. “Sorry, bad joke. I know that time must have been difficult for you.”
Clark forced a smile. “I’m just glad you got better.”
“Still fully functional, as you can see, my latest brush with death aside. Shall we go into the living room for a while? Or do you have to leave?”
He’d almost forgotten that he’d told Lex he wouldn’t be able to stay long. He knew he should go now before things got too relaxed. He already felt a bit weird being so at ease with the man who’d fought with him for years and had made it his mission to destroy Clark’s alter ego. Yet, despite his head telling him to leave, the rest of him apparently had other ideas.
“I can stay a bit longer,” he said, rising from his seat and following Lex into the living room. He took a seat on the couch while Lex turned on the stereo so that a soft piece of classical music filled the room. Lex then took a seat beside Clark on the couch, lounging back so that his head was resting on the back cushion.
“You look tired,” Clark observed. “Do you want me to leave so you can get some rest?”
Lex rolled his head to one side so that he was facing Clark. “No, I like having you here. This is the first time I’ve felt relaxed in weeks.”
Clark smiled and matched Lex’s position, lying back so that his head was resting on the back of the couch. There was a large decorative medallion in the middle of the ceiling and, for some reason, he couldn’t take his eyes off it.
“Clark, can I ask you something?” Lex asked suddenly, his eyes also fixed on the ceiling.
“Sure,” Clark replied.
“Do you think things will ever be the way they used to? Between us, I mean?”
Clark sighed deeply. He really didn’t want to talk about this right now. He was just enjoying spending time with Lex.
“I don’t know,” he finally admitted. “We’ve both changed a lot since we left Smallville”
“I know.”
“But I’d like to try. I’ve missed you too, Lex, and I hate fighting with you all the time.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say not speaking to each other for months fully counts as fighting, but it’s not a great deal better.”
Clark and Lex hadn’t fought, that was true, but Lex and Superman had almost daily encounters. Right now, Clark realized that if he and Lex were to have any sort of chance at their friendship, he was going to have to tell him the truth. Lex had sacrificed much of who he was in an effort to make things right with Clark, and it only seemed fair that Clark do the same.
He turned his head so that he was facing Lex. “Lex, I need to tell you something.”
Lex turned his head and they both froze. Suddenly aware that their faces were so close, they could feel each other's warm breath.Then Lex closed the small gap between them and placed a soft kiss on Clark’s lips. Clark didn’t even have time to think, he kissed Lex back, opening his mouth to allow him greater access. As their tongues toyed with each other, Clark couldn’t stop the moan rumbling in his throat. Never before had anything felt so wrong and so right at the same time. He wanted more but knew he should stop. Finally, Lex was the one who pulled back.
“I’ve wanted to do that for so long.”
Clark ran a finger across Lex’s bruised lips, his brain still stuck on the kiss. “I, uh, had no idea you felt that way about me.”
“How do you feel, Clark?”
He lowered his eyes. “I don’t know. Lex, we haven’t spoken in ages. It’s just a bit sudden, I guess.”
Lex sighed and closed his eyes. “Please tell me I didn’t just ruin all this.”
Carefully, Clark reached out and brushed one hand over Lex’s face. “Just give me some time, ok?”
Lex smiled. “I think I can do that.”
He wanted to kiss Lex again, but instead he forced himself to stand up. “I should go.”
Lex rose as well. “Alright. Why don’t you and Lois come to LuthorCorp tomorrow? I’ll give you a tour and then arrange for your clearance so you can go wherever you like.”
“Thanks, Lex.”
Lex walked Clark to the door and paused. For a moment, Clark thought he was going to kiss him again, but instead he leaned past and opened the door.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Clark.”
“Night, Lex.”
* * *
As soon as he was clear of Lex’s apartment, Clark changed into his Superman outfit and took to the skies, his mind whirling. How had he let this happen? He’d tried so hard not to let himself feel for Lex what he used to, and now he’d kissed him and made things even more complicated.
He didn’t realise where he was flying to until he spotted Lois’s balcony. Deciding this was a bad idea, he was about to leave when he heard her call his name. There was no escape now and he floated down to land.
“Hi,” she smiled as he landed. “I wasn’t sure I was going to see you tonight.”
His feet were moving before he even realised it, and the last thing he saw before he caught Lois in a deep kiss was the look of surprise and shock on her face.
It was different from Lex’s kiss, less desperate and more warm. It was the way Clark felt kisses should be, and yet something wasn’t quite right. He pulled back, his eyes sad.
“I’m sorry, Lois.”
“Sorry? Why? That was amazing. Do you have any idea how long I’ve wanted you to do that?”
Clark shook his head and took a step back from her. This was wrong. He was toying with her because he couldn’t work out how he felt about anything. “I shouldn’t have come here.”
He took off, her calls for him to come back ringing in his ears.
He’d just made thing ten times worse.
Part 3
Author: Hils
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Smallville
Pairing: Clark/Lex, hints of Clark/Lois
Summary: Lois loves Superman and ignores Clark. Lex misses Clark and hates Superman. Clark is caught in the middle
Written for 10_hurt_comfort. The prompt was ‘love’. A million thanks to romanyg for the beta!
“So, how was your date?” Lois asked with a grin as soon as Clark walked through the door. He ignored her and sat down at his desk, his mind still whirling with thoughts about his meeting with Lex.
“Smallville?” Lois prodded when Clark didn’t respond. “You in there?”
He turned to face her, annoyance blazing in his eyes. “Why don’t you offer to sell my number to Osama Bin Laden and see if you can get an interview out of him too?”
He didn’t know why he was so angry really. The lunch with Lex had gone quite well, all things considered. At least they were on speaking terms now. Still, it could so easily have gone badly.
“Hey look, I said I was sorry. Come on, he just wanted to have lunch with an old friend. Who am I to stand in the way?”
“Who are you to stand in the way of anything if it gets you something you want?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Clark regretted them. Lois wasn’t a bad person, and he was sure she hadn’t intended anything malicious when she’d given Lex his number. It was just typical of her to forget that he had feelings and see beyond getting a story.
“Look, I’m sorry,” he said when Lois fell silent. “Seeing Lex again was just…I dunno. A bit weird I guess.”
“How did it go?” Lois asked, more gently than Clark had ever known her to before. Wow, she must feel really bad about this.
“He wants us to be friends again. He even promised to stop all his less reputable projects as proof of how serious he is.”
Lois raised an eyebrow. “And you believe him?”
Clark shrugged. “He’s going to give us full security clearance so we can look around his facilities. He seemed genuine when I spoke to him.”
“But…” Lois prompted.
“It’s Lex,” Clark sighed. “I want to believe him but I’m not sure I can. If he wanted to find a way to hide anything, I’m sure he could.”
Lois patted his hand gently. “Clark, if he’s stupid enough to hide something, we’ll find it. We’re the best investigative reporters in Metropolis.”
Clark nodded. Right now, if Lex was hiding something, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. Because it really would be the end of any chance of reconciliation.
* * *
Hovering above Metropolis, Clark was struck by how beautiful the city looked at night. He relished these moments, allowing himself to just float there and feel at peace. Unfortunately, for him, these moments were rare and far between. Tonight was no exception.
The smell of smoke hit him first and then the sounds of people calling for the fire department enabled him to quickly locate the source of the fire. He swooped down towards the warehouse district near the docks.
A quick scan of the building revealed one person trapped inside, and Clark charged in. The smoke was so thick that he had to use his x-ray vision just to see where he was going, the building was on the verge of collapse. He quickly made his way to the huddled figure in the corner.
“Lex?”
He forgot for a moment that Superman always referred to Lex by his last name. Thankfully, the roaring of the flames had apparently drowned out his voice, and Lex didn’t seem to have heard him.
Not wanting to waste any time, Clark wrapped his cape around Lex to protect him from the flames and carried him outside in a burst of speed. The paramedics, who had apparently arrived while Clark was in the building, quickly took Lex from him and loaded him into an ambulance. Clark had to force himself to look away, but despite that, he could still hear Lex’s ragged coughing echoing in his ears.
He quickly blew out the flames, leaving little more than a charred frame behind. When he turned back the ambulance was already gone, speeding Lex to the hospital. He thought about following it but knew there was nothing else he could do to help Lex. Clark most likely wouldn’t be granted access at this stage, and Superman would only create attention which Lex surely wouldn't want.
“He’ll be ok,” one of the paramedics said, apparently reading his mind. “He inhaled a lot of smoke, but he should be fine. I’m just glad you got here when you did. You saved his life.”
Not for the first time, Clark thought to himself before thanking the paramedic and taking back off into the night sky.
* * *
He always flew home via Lois’s apartment. Mostly to check that she hadn’t got herself into some sort of trouble, but also because sometimes she would wait on her balcony for him and they would talk.
His talks with Lois when he was in his Superman costume were much less one-sided than when he was Clark. When he was Clark, Lois talked and he listened. When he was Superman, she was actually interested in what he had to say.
He smiled as he descended, seeing Lois spot him and hurriedly stub out the cigarette she’d been smoking.
“Good evening, Lois.”
He had to smile as she attempted to smooth down her hair and clothes discreetly.
“Hi,” she finally said when she’d decided she looked presentable. “How are you?”
“I’m fine, thank you. How are you?”
She shrugged. “I’ve gone a few days without needing to be rescued so I guess that’s a good thing. Do you want to sit down?”
Clark hopped down from the edge of the balcony and pulled Lois’s seat out for her, waiting until she was seated and comfortable before sitting down himself.
“Do you want something to eat?” she asked, the faintest hint of a blush on her cheeks. “Something to drink?”
“No, thank you.”
“So,” she asked, lounging back slightly in her seat in an effort to appear casual. “What’s happening in our city tonight?”
Clark frowned. They always talked about what he’d been doing when they met up like this and normally it wasn’t a problem. But right now he really didn’t want to talk about the fact that he’d just saved Lex’s life. In fact he didn’t want to talk about Lex at all, or think about him for that matter. Unfortunately, he’d taken a vow that whenever he was in the Superman costume he would never lie.
“There was a fire in a warehouse downtown,” he said. There, that was the truth without being specific, and Clark hoped that would be the end of it.
Wrong.
Lois immediately had her Dictaphone in her hand, always the on duty reporter.
“Was anyone hurt?” she asked. “Do you know what started the fire?”
Clark had to struggle to keep his face neutral. “One man was trapped inside. I managed to get him out before he was seriously injured.”
“Who was he? One of the workers?”
And there it was. The question he knew Lois would eventually ask but hoped she wouldn’t. There was no way he could evade this one without lying.
“It was Lex Luthor.”
Lois’s eyes widened ever so slightly and she stared at him for a moment. “Lex Luthor? The Lex Luthor?”
“Yes.”
“What was he doing there?”
A good question, and one Clark intended on getting an answer to as soon as he could. There didn’t seem to be any evidence to indicate that Lex had been kidnapped, which meant he was there voluntarily. Clark should have known Lex hadn’t been sincere in his claims to want to change. What possible lawful reason could he have for being in an old warehouse in the early hours of the morning?
“I’m afraid I don’t know,” he said, answering both Lois’s question and his own.
Lois ducked her head, her cheeks flushed. “Sorry, I know you’re not in the habit of questioning the people you save. I’ll bet he was up to no good though. I told Clark not to trust him.”
Clark stood up suddenly, really not wanting to talk or think about this any more. “Do you want to fly with me for a while? It’s a beautiful night.”
He smiled when Lois’s face lit up. It wasn’t often he saw her looking truly happy, and he was pleased he was able to help her get there. For a few moments at least, she was able to forget about being the hardened reporter, and he was able to forget about being the protector of humanity. They were just Lois and Clark.
He wrapped his cape around her to keep her warm and took off into the night.
* * *
Flying with Lois at his side Clark found himself thinking again. They had a confusing relationship, for him anyway. For Lois it was simple. She was in love with Superman and that was it.
He wondered if this was what true love really felt like. Not the all engulfing passion that he’d felt with Lana or the raw pain he felt whenever he and Lex fought, but something comfortable. He knew that at the end of each day he could fly to Lois’s balcony and she’d be there for him, but he did wonder if she’d still love him without his abilities and the costume he put on. She certainly paid Clark no attention at all, but wasn’t that the point of a secret identity?
“You’re quiet tonight,” Lois observed. “Are you ok?”
Clark smiled and nodded. “Sorry. I was just thinking.”
Lois returned the smile. “It’s ok. So long as nothing’s bothering you.”
“I’m fine. But thank you for asking.”
They continued the flight in silence, just enjoying each other’s company until they finally landed back on Lois’s balcony.
“Well, I guess this is goodnight then.” There was a hint of sadness in Lois’s voice, and for a moment Clark wondered if she was going to ask him to stay and spend the night. Part of him wanted to say yes, and that scared him.
“I’ll see you again soon, Lois.” He leaned forward ever so slightly, thought about kissing her, then decided against it and pulled back. “Goodnight.”
Moving over to the edge of the balcony he looked back over his shoulder. Lois was watching him.
“Don’t be too hard on Clark if it turns out you were right about Luthor,” he said gently. “He just wants to see some good in an old friend.”
He took off before Lois could answer and flew home, all the way hoping that they were both wrong.
* * *
Clark paced outside Lex’s hospital room, knowing that once he was inside there would be no turning back. Either Lex would have an explanation for why he was in that warehouse or he wouldn’t.
Clark placed his hand on the door, almost pushed it, then let go and resumed pacing.
He thought about just leaving and pretending the whole thing had never happened. But he knew that even if he tried to drop the matter, Lois never would. There was no escape. He had to face this.
With a deep breath he opened the door and stepped inside.
Lex’s eyes were closed, his face even more pale than usual and, for a moment, Clark thought he was asleep. He was just starting to consider making a quiet escape when Lex stirred, a smile flickering across his face.
“I wasn’t expecting any visitors.”
His voice was dry and raspy, and Clark instinctively reached to pour Lex some water. He accepted the cup gratefully.
“I heard about what happened,” Clark said as he took a seat beside Lex’s bed. “Are you ok?”
Lex nodded. “The doctor says I can leave this afternoon. I suppose I should be grateful that your alien friend found me when he did.” He chuckled and then broke into a cough. Clark rose, ready to call a doctor if needed, but Lex shook his head. “I was just thinking, I miss the days when it was you saving my life, Clark. I’d rather be indebted to a friend than an enemy.”
Clark frowned and sighed. “Superman isn’t your enemy, Lex. You’ve just made him one in your head.”
“That remains to be seen.”
“What were you doing in that warehouse in the middle of the night anyway?”
He hadn’t intended to blurt it out like that. He wanted to believe he’d changed since he’d left Smallville and grown up a bit. Yet here he was hurling accusations at Lex just like he’d used to.
“I was doing just what I promised,” Lex said, for some reason not sounding the least bit angry or annoyed. “That warehouse contained files and resources for several projects which I have now closed down. I was destroying my research so that nobody else has the opportunity to use it and unfortunately I miscalculated how flammable the building was. The fire got out of control before I could escape.”
Clark studied Lex long and hard. If he was lying then he’d also become a master actor.
“You nearly got yourself killed so you could have your fresh start?” he asked incredulously.
“It wasn’t intentional, Clark, I assure you. But I am serious about this.”
Clark almost jumped out of his seat when he felt Lex’s hand rest upon his. A whole barrage of feelings stirred up inside him which he thought he’d long since buried. He cursed under his breath when he felt his face flush red and quickly pulled his hand away.
Lex smiled and Clark refused to acknowledge that his heart was suddenly beating faster. “I need to get back to work, Lex. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Thank you for visiting me, Clark. It means a lot.”
“No problem.”
Clark turned and bolted.
* * *
“Destroying files, I believe,” Lois said as Clark gave her the edited version of his visit with Lex. “The reason behind it, I don’t buy. He’s hiding something. I don’t know what, but the sooner we get this clearance he’s been talking about, the sooner I’ll be able to find out. Did you ask him about that, by the way?”
Clark shook his head. “I thought it might be polite to wait until he wasn’t lying in a hospital bed.”
Lois rolled her eyes. “Clark, we’re reporters, we’re not supposed to be polite.”
“Look, Lex is my friend and I know you don’t trust him but-“
He was interrupted by his cell ringing in his pocket. Grateful to be spared another lecture from Lois about how manners get you nowhere, he answered it.
“Have dinner with me tonight.”
Clark frowned. “Lex?”
“We don’t have to go out. I can have some food prepared here if you’d prefer. I just thought we could talk some more. We haven’t had a chance to catch up properly yet.”
“I don’t know, Lex, we’re pretty busy here tonight.”
He had to fake a wince of pain when Lois elbowed him sharply in the ribs. Apparently, the two of them were conspiring to make sure Clark spent as much time with Lex as possible.
“We can go through some of my files as well, if you like,” Lex offered.
There was no getting out of it. Lex wasn’t taking no for an answer. Even if he came up with all the excuses in the world, Lois wouldn’t let him get away with it.
“Fine, but I can’t stay long.”
“Great, see you at eight tonight.”
“Ok, bye.”
Lois grinned at him when he hung up. “Another hot date then, Smallville? Don’t forget to ask him about our clearance.”
“That’s the only reason I’m going.”
For once, Clark was glad Lois believed his lies far more easily than Lex ever had.
* * *
He deliberately worked late that night so he could go straight to Lex’s and not have a repeat of the multiple outfit changes. He still found himself glancing in windows to check if his hair looked ok, but that was something he’d just have to live with. Then, of course, there was a mirror in the elevator and he simply had to straighten his tie and smooth his hair down again.
Lex was waiting for him when he reached the top floor and greeted him with a warm smile.
“You’re looking better,” Clark observed as Lex showed him inside and took his coat.
“You know me, Clark. I’ve always been a fast healer.”
Lex showed him into the dining room which was, of course, almost the size of Clark’s entire apartment.
“Would you like some wine with your meal?” Lex asked, already holding the bottle.
Although Clark couldn’t actually get drunk, and he’d tried a couple of times, he found he didn’t really care for the taste of alcohol. “Water is fine, thanks.”
Lex nodded, poured him a glass and sat down beside him. Moments later, two steaming plates of food were brought out and placed in front of them. Just the smell made Clark’s stomach rumble in anticipation, but he remembered to be polite enough to wait for Lex to start eating before diving in himself.
“Lex, this is amazing.”
Lex smiled and Clark couldn’t help but smile back. This was just like old times, when he used to spend evenings at Lex’s mansion. Yet again, he found himself missing the simplicity of those days.
“I’m glad you like the food. It’s nice to see you’ve kept your healthy appetite.”
Clark grinned. “It’s nice to see you eating something for once. My mom always said you were too thin, and you haven’t changed much.”
“You have,” Lex replied. “Your mother must be very proud of the man you’ve become.”
Clark shrugged. “You know my mom. She’d be proud if I was working as a garbage man.”
“How are you enjoying being a reporter?”
“It’s not what I imagined doing with my life, but I like it a lot. Although Lois can be hard work sometimes.”
Lex chuckled and poured Clark some more water. “I can imagine.”
“I don’t really want to talk about work tonight, but she made me promise to ask you about our clearance. She doesn’t trust you.”
Lex’s face didn’t change as he refilled his wine glass. Either he wasn’t surprised or he didn’t care. “What do you think, Clark?”
“I want to trust you, but I’m not sure I can yet.”
Lex nodded. “I don’t expect you to just accept all of this right away. I want to prove to you that I’m serious about this and about our friendship. I’ve missed you more than I’d care to admit.
“Well, I think nearly setting yourself on fire proves something. Possibly that you’re insane.”
Lex grinned. “Are you saying my time in Belle Reve didn’t prove that to you already?”
Clark felt his heart sink. Out of all the mistakes he’d made in his past, abandoning Lex to his father was the one that still plagued him at night occasionally. Lex stood up and squeezed Clark’s shoulder. “Sorry, bad joke. I know that time must have been difficult for you.”
Clark forced a smile. “I’m just glad you got better.”
“Still fully functional, as you can see, my latest brush with death aside. Shall we go into the living room for a while? Or do you have to leave?”
He’d almost forgotten that he’d told Lex he wouldn’t be able to stay long. He knew he should go now before things got too relaxed. He already felt a bit weird being so at ease with the man who’d fought with him for years and had made it his mission to destroy Clark’s alter ego. Yet, despite his head telling him to leave, the rest of him apparently had other ideas.
“I can stay a bit longer,” he said, rising from his seat and following Lex into the living room. He took a seat on the couch while Lex turned on the stereo so that a soft piece of classical music filled the room. Lex then took a seat beside Clark on the couch, lounging back so that his head was resting on the back cushion.
“You look tired,” Clark observed. “Do you want me to leave so you can get some rest?”
Lex rolled his head to one side so that he was facing Clark. “No, I like having you here. This is the first time I’ve felt relaxed in weeks.”
Clark smiled and matched Lex’s position, lying back so that his head was resting on the back of the couch. There was a large decorative medallion in the middle of the ceiling and, for some reason, he couldn’t take his eyes off it.
“Clark, can I ask you something?” Lex asked suddenly, his eyes also fixed on the ceiling.
“Sure,” Clark replied.
“Do you think things will ever be the way they used to? Between us, I mean?”
Clark sighed deeply. He really didn’t want to talk about this right now. He was just enjoying spending time with Lex.
“I don’t know,” he finally admitted. “We’ve both changed a lot since we left Smallville”
“I know.”
“But I’d like to try. I’ve missed you too, Lex, and I hate fighting with you all the time.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say not speaking to each other for months fully counts as fighting, but it’s not a great deal better.”
Clark and Lex hadn’t fought, that was true, but Lex and Superman had almost daily encounters. Right now, Clark realized that if he and Lex were to have any sort of chance at their friendship, he was going to have to tell him the truth. Lex had sacrificed much of who he was in an effort to make things right with Clark, and it only seemed fair that Clark do the same.
He turned his head so that he was facing Lex. “Lex, I need to tell you something.”
Lex turned his head and they both froze. Suddenly aware that their faces were so close, they could feel each other's warm breath.Then Lex closed the small gap between them and placed a soft kiss on Clark’s lips. Clark didn’t even have time to think, he kissed Lex back, opening his mouth to allow him greater access. As their tongues toyed with each other, Clark couldn’t stop the moan rumbling in his throat. Never before had anything felt so wrong and so right at the same time. He wanted more but knew he should stop. Finally, Lex was the one who pulled back.
“I’ve wanted to do that for so long.”
Clark ran a finger across Lex’s bruised lips, his brain still stuck on the kiss. “I, uh, had no idea you felt that way about me.”
“How do you feel, Clark?”
He lowered his eyes. “I don’t know. Lex, we haven’t spoken in ages. It’s just a bit sudden, I guess.”
Lex sighed and closed his eyes. “Please tell me I didn’t just ruin all this.”
Carefully, Clark reached out and brushed one hand over Lex’s face. “Just give me some time, ok?”
Lex smiled. “I think I can do that.”
He wanted to kiss Lex again, but instead he forced himself to stand up. “I should go.”
Lex rose as well. “Alright. Why don’t you and Lois come to LuthorCorp tomorrow? I’ll give you a tour and then arrange for your clearance so you can go wherever you like.”
“Thanks, Lex.”
Lex walked Clark to the door and paused. For a moment, Clark thought he was going to kiss him again, but instead he leaned past and opened the door.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Clark.”
“Night, Lex.”
* * *
As soon as he was clear of Lex’s apartment, Clark changed into his Superman outfit and took to the skies, his mind whirling. How had he let this happen? He’d tried so hard not to let himself feel for Lex what he used to, and now he’d kissed him and made things even more complicated.
He didn’t realise where he was flying to until he spotted Lois’s balcony. Deciding this was a bad idea, he was about to leave when he heard her call his name. There was no escape now and he floated down to land.
“Hi,” she smiled as he landed. “I wasn’t sure I was going to see you tonight.”
His feet were moving before he even realised it, and the last thing he saw before he caught Lois in a deep kiss was the look of surprise and shock on her face.
It was different from Lex’s kiss, less desperate and more warm. It was the way Clark felt kisses should be, and yet something wasn’t quite right. He pulled back, his eyes sad.
“I’m sorry, Lois.”
“Sorry? Why? That was amazing. Do you have any idea how long I’ve wanted you to do that?”
Clark shook his head and took a step back from her. This was wrong. He was toying with her because he couldn’t work out how he felt about anything. “I shouldn’t have come here.”
He took off, her calls for him to come back ringing in his ears.
He’d just made thing ten times worse.
Part 3