Clex Bingo: Forth and Back (pre-Clex, single prompt fill)
Title: Forth and Back
Category: Ficlet
Pairing: pre-Clex
Rating: G
Word Count: 928
Spoilers: None
Bingo: Clex bingo/clexmas
Prompt: Cars/Trucks/Vehicular
Notes: I kept having to remind myself that it didn't have to be porny.
Summary: Driving as a relationship metaphor: the car goes forwards, the car goes backwards. The car goes side to side.
"No," Lex said. It was the same firm tone Clark had heard him use when refusing interviews, when taking over companies and ousting corrupt CEOs, and more recently to Lionel's request that Lex wear less purple during board meetings.
Since it typically wasn't directed at Clark, he wasn't used to the way the single syllable could pierce. He bit his lip and looked again at the car. He could predict already what Lex's objections would be and he'd done the research to counter them. Starting with, "Dad brought me to sign the paperwork earlier. I just had to pick up the keys." He jingled them in demonstration.
Horrified blue eyes rose to meet Clark's averted gaze. "Your father approved of this?"
"It's a perfectly nice car, Lex." Clark unlocked the passenger door and held it open for Lex, who scowled in response but obligingly got in. Clark gently closed the door before releasing a sigh of relief. Step one accomplished: Lex was in the car.
His side wasn't as cooperative and it took a moment for him to actually unlock the driver's door. He knew his face was a little red when he slid into the seat, but of the new powers that had cropped up, stopping his blush hadn't been one of them. He shot Lex a look under his lashes and found the other man's expression a little less fierce. Lex may even have been smirking a bit, if Clark squinted. It was more apparent when Lex repeated, "Perfectly nice?"
Clark ignored that for a moment as he put the key in the ignition, but he hesitated to turn it. If it didn't start...
Lex's slender fingers brushed over the back of his hand. "Clark."
This was perhaps not the way to convince Lex that Clark had confidence in this decision. "It's a little older, but the mileage is good. The tires are relatively new and Mr. Burton kept up with the regular maintenance work."
"Clark," Lex repeated, his hand curling over Clark's and pulling it away from the key. "It's... nice." It was grudging, but sincere.
Clark looked over at Lex. "Yeah?"
"For some value thereof, yes. It's nice enough to be seen in, at least. That is, if you ever plan on starting it and driving us someplace. Or should I get back in my car and follow?"
Clark turned his hand over to grip Lex's to keep him in place, despite the fact that Lex made no move to actually get out of the car. "I thought we could come back for your car later."
"Then drive, Kent." Lex gave Clark's hand a squeeze before withdrawing his own and settling back into his seat with a quickly hidden grimace.
With a deep breath and a silent prayer, Clark turned the key. He grinned when the car turned over immediately, but he didn't push his luck by looking at Lex. Instead, he checked the mirrors and the position of Lex's sports car, then proceeded to get them carefully onto the road.
A few minutes later, he had to look at Lex, pleased as he was with the quiet of the engine and the smoothness of the ride. Not comparable to what any of Lex's fleet could provide, but damn fine for what Clark had paid.
"Perfectly nice," Lex said in acceptance. "Let me help to fix it up, at least." He sounded reasonable enough that Clark hesitated, thinking about saying yes, before sanity returned.
"You mean pay someone twice the amount its worth to 'fix it up', don't you?"
Lex sighed, caught out, then pushed on anyway. "A few repairs here or there. Some modifications."
Clark smiled at him. "You can buy me a key chain."
"A key chain?" Lex repeated. He narrowed his eyes at Clark. "I can't tell if you're humoring me or teasing."
"A bit of both," Clark admitted. "But I'm serious, too. No expensive, hand-crafted seat covers. No top of the line audio equipment. Buy me a key chain." He could feel the intensity of Lex's stare.
"Fair enough. Take us by the castle?"
Clark agreed, pleased that they'd already moved past step two: get Lex past the desire to put outrageous amounts of money into the car. It meant step three could begin once they were back in the car and parked in a secluded place.
They pulled around the drive to the front door. "Come on inside. It will be a few minutes," Lex said as he unclasped his seat belt and opened his door. "Though if you'd like to stay and commune..."
"I'll come in," Clark said. He ended up waiting in the foyer for a few minutes, but then curiosity got the better of him. He started up the stairs after Lex, only to meet him halfway on Lex's way back down. The box in his hands seemed to contain something magical, if the way he was fighting a smile was an indication. His earlier bad mood had evaporated completely.
When Lex pressed the box into Clark's hands and he could see its contents, he understood a little why. "Warrior Angel?"
"Limited edition. You're going to need a superhero on hand with that... car." Lex's look was smug. "No arguments. You said I could give you a key chain."
Trapped by his own words, Clark could only look down at the carefully molded figurine. "How much is this worth?"
Lex clasped him on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Clark. "It's only a key chain."
They'd probably have to work on step two for a while.
Category: Ficlet
Pairing: pre-Clex
Rating: G
Word Count: 928
Spoilers: None
Bingo: Clex bingo/clexmas
Prompt: Cars/Trucks/Vehicular
Notes: I kept having to remind myself that it didn't have to be porny.
Summary: Driving as a relationship metaphor: the car goes forwards, the car goes backwards. The car goes side to side.
"No," Lex said. It was the same firm tone Clark had heard him use when refusing interviews, when taking over companies and ousting corrupt CEOs, and more recently to Lionel's request that Lex wear less purple during board meetings.
Since it typically wasn't directed at Clark, he wasn't used to the way the single syllable could pierce. He bit his lip and looked again at the car. He could predict already what Lex's objections would be and he'd done the research to counter them. Starting with, "Dad brought me to sign the paperwork earlier. I just had to pick up the keys." He jingled them in demonstration.
Horrified blue eyes rose to meet Clark's averted gaze. "Your father approved of this?"
"It's a perfectly nice car, Lex." Clark unlocked the passenger door and held it open for Lex, who scowled in response but obligingly got in. Clark gently closed the door before releasing a sigh of relief. Step one accomplished: Lex was in the car.
His side wasn't as cooperative and it took a moment for him to actually unlock the driver's door. He knew his face was a little red when he slid into the seat, but of the new powers that had cropped up, stopping his blush hadn't been one of them. He shot Lex a look under his lashes and found the other man's expression a little less fierce. Lex may even have been smirking a bit, if Clark squinted. It was more apparent when Lex repeated, "Perfectly nice?"
Clark ignored that for a moment as he put the key in the ignition, but he hesitated to turn it. If it didn't start...
Lex's slender fingers brushed over the back of his hand. "Clark."
This was perhaps not the way to convince Lex that Clark had confidence in this decision. "It's a little older, but the mileage is good. The tires are relatively new and Mr. Burton kept up with the regular maintenance work."
"Clark," Lex repeated, his hand curling over Clark's and pulling it away from the key. "It's... nice." It was grudging, but sincere.
Clark looked over at Lex. "Yeah?"
"For some value thereof, yes. It's nice enough to be seen in, at least. That is, if you ever plan on starting it and driving us someplace. Or should I get back in my car and follow?"
Clark turned his hand over to grip Lex's to keep him in place, despite the fact that Lex made no move to actually get out of the car. "I thought we could come back for your car later."
"Then drive, Kent." Lex gave Clark's hand a squeeze before withdrawing his own and settling back into his seat with a quickly hidden grimace.
With a deep breath and a silent prayer, Clark turned the key. He grinned when the car turned over immediately, but he didn't push his luck by looking at Lex. Instead, he checked the mirrors and the position of Lex's sports car, then proceeded to get them carefully onto the road.
A few minutes later, he had to look at Lex, pleased as he was with the quiet of the engine and the smoothness of the ride. Not comparable to what any of Lex's fleet could provide, but damn fine for what Clark had paid.
"Perfectly nice," Lex said in acceptance. "Let me help to fix it up, at least." He sounded reasonable enough that Clark hesitated, thinking about saying yes, before sanity returned.
"You mean pay someone twice the amount its worth to 'fix it up', don't you?"
Lex sighed, caught out, then pushed on anyway. "A few repairs here or there. Some modifications."
Clark smiled at him. "You can buy me a key chain."
"A key chain?" Lex repeated. He narrowed his eyes at Clark. "I can't tell if you're humoring me or teasing."
"A bit of both," Clark admitted. "But I'm serious, too. No expensive, hand-crafted seat covers. No top of the line audio equipment. Buy me a key chain." He could feel the intensity of Lex's stare.
"Fair enough. Take us by the castle?"
Clark agreed, pleased that they'd already moved past step two: get Lex past the desire to put outrageous amounts of money into the car. It meant step three could begin once they were back in the car and parked in a secluded place.
They pulled around the drive to the front door. "Come on inside. It will be a few minutes," Lex said as he unclasped his seat belt and opened his door. "Though if you'd like to stay and commune..."
"I'll come in," Clark said. He ended up waiting in the foyer for a few minutes, but then curiosity got the better of him. He started up the stairs after Lex, only to meet him halfway on Lex's way back down. The box in his hands seemed to contain something magical, if the way he was fighting a smile was an indication. His earlier bad mood had evaporated completely.
When Lex pressed the box into Clark's hands and he could see its contents, he understood a little why. "Warrior Angel?"
"Limited edition. You're going to need a superhero on hand with that... car." Lex's look was smug. "No arguments. You said I could give you a key chain."
Trapped by his own words, Clark could only look down at the carefully molded figurine. "How much is this worth?"
Lex clasped him on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Clark. "It's only a key chain."
They'd probably have to work on step two for a while.