Archive of Our Own ^omega

A Different Song

From a terrifying helicopter flight to a nothingless land of dirt and corn. Lex looked around, trying to see things and not fall down as his dad's grip on his collar kept him walking faster than normal and off-balance. Sadly, he was used to it enough that he managed to keep up with his dad with only a few stumbles.

They joined a group of men who were all twice as tall as Lex, though not taller than his dad, and who all looked over him in their eagerness to say hi to his dad. This, too, was familiar, and Lex stood patiently, waiting for that moment when the grip would relax and he would be able to slip off on his own.

Not that it looked like there was any place to slip off to. The dirt and corn observation was literal as they stood on the one, surrounded by the other. In the distance, there was a metal tower with a sign that proclaimed it a "corned cream factory", but it wasn't close enough to explore. This was probably deliberate on his dad's part.

All the way over, Lex had been treated to the usual lectures of how to be a Luthor and to make money by buying what people didn't want and turning it into something people did, and for God's sake, Son, open your eyes! A Luthor isn't afraid of heights!

In his mind, Lex snorted at the idea. Sadly, he'd never be able to do it out loud because his parents didn't approve of vulgar sounds. He had tried it in his room a few times, though, and the sounds he'd come up with didn't sound nearly as appealing as when he read the phrase in books. How did one snort with dignity? Or was it all just a phrase and not something to do out loud? He'd never actually seen anybody snort, though most of the people he knew were all like his dad. Or the kids at his school, but that was another version of hell.

A few more men came up to the group, their faces not quite as open and welcoming as the first set.

"Mr. Luthor," the first man said, holding his hand out.

Lex's dad took it firmly, incidentally letting go of Lex. "Mr. Ross. I'm glad you could make the time."

The two men locked gazes, and Lex started edging away.

That was enough to get the man's attention and he looked down, his eyebrows going up. "And who might you be, young man?"

His dad glanced down as well, a frown indicating he didn't appreciate the interruption. "This is my son, Lex. He's here to learn the business. Lex, introduce yourself."

Considering his dad had just done that, it would sound really stupid if Lex did it again. But he disobeyed his father to his detriment. That was his new word that he'd learned last week and kept repeating because it fit so well. "I'm Lex." He held out his hand and saw his dad's mouth starting to turn down in a frown. He hurriedly added, "Lex Luthor." The Luthor part was very important. Couldn't ever forget the Luthor.

"Pleased to met you, young Lex," the man gravely replied. "I'm Paul Ross." After he shook Lex's hand, he gestured over at the men who had accompanied him. "This here is Ted Moore and Tyrone Black." Then he went on to introduce the rest of them, not that Lex paid any attention. It was rare for the adults to notice him, and in Lex's experience, not usually a good thing.

"Ted, who do you have with you today?" Paul asked his friend.

The man's gaze was still on Lex. He glanced up at Paul's question and nodded, answering an unspoken question. "I've got Sky Rider. He's good. Have you ever been on a horse, young Lex?"

Lex's head went up with a bit of interest. "Sure. Mom has a ranch..." he trailed off with an eye on his father. His dad didn't like the ranch, and never went with them when Lex and his mom would go. His mom laughed and said some people were just meant to be city people only and that was his dad, but Lex's mom could get away with saying and doing a lot of things that Lex himself couldn't. His dad didn't like to be reminded of things he couldn't do.

Ted politely didn't ask for details and kept on with the present. "Would you like to meet mine? He's a good fellow. A little tall for the likes of you, but he's steady and I'll be right there."

"I don't think---" Lex's dad started to say, repressively, but Lex got a reply in there fast enough so that he could later say that he hadn't heard his dad starting to answer.

"Sure!" Then he winced and looked over at his dad. His dad could scuttle everything right now. But the one advantage was his dad hated looking like a fool in public.

"Come on, Lionel," Paul Ross drawled, "He's not going to be able to keep up with us anyhow when we get into details, and if we choose to go inside the plant, he won't be allowed in – too young for the safety regulations. Let the kid have a bit of fun while we talk business."

Reminded that he wanted something from those people, Lionel frowned one last time at Lex, then graciously allowed him to be led away, praising them for their thoughtfulness, when Lex was sure he really wanted to growl at them instead.

Ted held Lex's hand on the way over. Normally, Lex would have objected, but he was happy enough to be out of his father's reach, and he was curious about the horse. But... "Don't you have to be with them?"

Ted laughed. "Paul has it, and he's got Ty to back him up. Just as well I'll be with you – I've got a tendency to say the wrong thing at the wrong time that would just rile them up." He winked. "I'll have a much better time with you and Sky."

"Sky Rider?"

"'Cause he's so light on his feet, he rides through the sky instead of the ground." Ted nodded at a small group of horses tied up by the cars. "He's the brown and white fellow."

"He's beautiful," Lex breathed out, in love already.

"Come on, then," Ted said. "Let's get you introduced."

Though he didn't know it then, that was the moment that changed Lex's life forever.

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Twelve Years Later
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Clark stood by his open locker but wasn't looking inside of it. Instead, his sight was engaged further down the hall. Almost involuntarily, he let out a wistful sigh.

Next to him, Pete glanced up at the sigh, then followed Clark's gaze down the hall to where a dark-haired girl was smiling up at the quarterback. Showing a distinct lack of compassion, Pete laughed. "Clark, buddy, I'd give you some advice and tell you to give it up, but it's too funny watching you make a fool of yourself over Lana."

Clark didn't even bother glaring. Finally he looked away and gathered up his homework and the books he needed for it, stuffing them into his backpack. "So how's that thing with Chelsa working out?"

"Hey, at least she's speaking to me!"

"Lana speaks to me!"

"Only to say 'that's okay' when you're apologizing for tripping over your feet in front of her."

"Hey boys," another perky voice dropped into their midst. They glanced around to see Chloe with her books looking just as perky as her voice. "Girl troubles?"

Pete snorted. "Just the usual. Do you have notes for English?"

"Sure, but I need to review them first. Bring them over after dinner?"

"Okay. You have a ride or should I ask my brother to drop by?"

Chloe hesitated. "Actually... if you could ask your brother. There's something going on at the factory and I'm not sure if Dad would be free."

"What's up?"

"Not sure," Chloe frowned. Everybody knew she hated not knowing what was going on. "He was worried this morning, but was too distracted when I asked and just grunted. He was looking at spreadsheets, but I didn't get a good enough look to see what they were before the bus arrived."

"Speaking of which..." Clark put in, and the three friends headed out to catch the departing bus.

As they waited outside, Clark's gaze again went to Lana, walking with her boyfriend Whitney to the parking lot where his car was.

Then Lana abruptly halted, with Whitney going a few steps past her before he turned in surprise. Lana, though, wasn't paying any attention to him at all, her gaze past and over to the cars.

"Lex!" she cried happily, then dropped her books and ran past Whitney.

The young man leaning on a car barely straightened up in time to catch her as she launched herself into his arms. Laughing, he swung her up off the ground by a good three feet or more, before gravity took effect again and he guided her gently back down. "Hey, Horsey Girl. Miss me?"

Getting a good look at him, Clark could see that he was older than their crowd, but not by a lot. Whitney's age, or maybe a little older. Lana tended to hang out with the older kids more than their own set, always had. This guy was tall, light-skinned but slightly tanned, wearing a subtle-weave tweed pants and a vest over a white long-sleeved shirt, and a hat to match. He could have just stepped out of the Scottish lowlands or an expensive hunting club.

Whitney growled and stalked forward, shaking himself out his stunned stillness.

The school collectively watched in awe, those that were outside and nearby. Exchanging glances, Clark and his friends edged closer. The bus wasn't going to leave yet anyway. This was worth missing the good seats for.

Along the way, Clark picked up Lana's books, which she and Whitney had completely ignored.

As she caught her breath and balance, Lana laughed in response to the young man's last remark. "I haven't had time to miss you, Lex. It's only been a few weeks. But what are you doing here? In Smallville!?"

Whitney caught up to them and possessively draped an arm over Lana's shoulders. "I'm Whitney, Lana's boyfriend."

The young man looked Whitney up and down, raising an eyebrow, obviously not very impressed at all.

The school held their collective breath.

"Hi, I'm Lex," came the eventual response, as he held out his hand for Whitney to shake.

This meant that Whitney either had to be horribly rude, or he had to take his arm off from around Lana. There was a moment of hesitation, then manners won out. As Whitney shook Lex's hand, Lana scooted out and a little bit away. Not far enough to be apart, but enough that he wouldn't be putting the arm back in the same position.

Lex grinned easily at them, "I guess Lana hasn't mentioned me, which is perfectly natural since it has nothing to do with here. We do the competition circuits together – have for the last ten years."

"Six years," Lana put in with wry humor. "I'm not as old as you are, Lex."

The young man in tweeds stuck his tongue out at her. "Just because it's my last year in youth competitions, doesn't mean I'm old!"

"Competition?" Whitney sounded confused.

"Dressage," Lex explained, bringing his attention back. There was a pause, then Lex went on. "Horse competitions. You know – all the ribbons Lana has up all over her stables everywhere? The competition where she just won first place in the Prix Caprilli in her division two weeks ago? Surely you noticed that, if you're her boyfriend."

The onlookers gasped.

They couldn't see Whitney's face from their angle, but the back of his neck was turning red, which didn't bode well.

Lana cleared her throat. "Lex won the Musical Freestyle – he always wins the freestyle; it's like he can talk to the horses or something. He also won the Anflug-Eilers Perpetual Trophy, the big Ben Memorial Award, the---"

Lex cut her off with a laugh. "Nobody needs the whole recitation, Lana – not even me!" He shrugged. "It was the last year – had to go out with a bang."

It was from a distance, but Clark thought Lex looked a little sad. Guess growing up had its downsides too.

"So, Lex, what are you doing here?" Lana asked again.

Lex grimaced. "Dad wanted to drop by the factory for some reason and he dragged me along."

Beside Clark, Chloe stiffened. "The factory... Lex... Lex Luthor? That means Lionel Luthor is there! What does he want?"

Clark looked down at her curiously, but Chloe hadn't said it loud enough for anybody except Pete and Clark to hear her, and the drama by the cars was still going. They'd missed something, but it didn't seem important.

"That's your dad's car!" Lana raised her hand to her mouth in amused dismay. "Don't tell me you left him there at the factory."

"You just told me not to tell you." Lex grinned.

"You snuck off from the tour, took your dad's car, and left him stranded there." Whitney sounded awed, which was quite a change from his earlier anger. But then, it was pretty audacious.

Lex shrugged. "He's not exactly in the desert. He can catch a ride from somebody. Or call for the limo. He does that often enough, even when he has the car. Which is a total waste of people's time as then two people have to go out and fetch the car later – one to drive it back."

"Oh, Lex..." Lana was giggling in a manner that suggested she was still somewhat horrified.

A sound like a giggle escaped Lex as well. "Come on, Lana. Let's get out of here before Dad figures it out and sends somebody after me."

That brought Whitney's anger back. "Hey, Lana and I have plans!"

Lana was already heading to the passenger side of the car. "Sorry, Whitney. Raincheck?" She smiled sweetly at him. "Lex has never been to Smallville before, and you're here all the time."

"Well, not for a really long time..." Lex muttered. Then, louder, "It's okay, Whitney. I promise not to ravage her or anything like that – Nell would kill me if I did."

"You know Nell," Whitney's neck was red again, but he sounded calm enough.

Lex raised his eyebrows. "Of course. She's always at the competitions too, and visits Dad a lot."

The onlookers were reminded that while Lana's aunt Nell might be a Smallville town native, she had money and connections beyond that of the small flower shop she ran. The connection between this rich young stranger and Lana was suddenly a bit more clear, horse competitions aside.

Clark, though, was reminded of something else and stepped forward. "Wait, Lana!"

Next to him, Pete and Chloe looked at him in surprise. Clark ignored them and walked to the car.

Lana turned to him, a look of polite puzzlement on her face. "What is it,... Clark?"

Clark didn't feel insulted at the moment it took her to remember his name. He never had moved in her circles. "Your books." He held them out to her. Then he had to brace himself as a slight wave of dizziness came over him as she exclaimed and came forward to get them.

"Thank you! I'd totally forgotten about those!" She shot Whitney a look that said very clearly that he should have been the one to remember, not a random stranger.

"Yes, thank you," Lex said from behind her. "We would have gotten half-way to her place and she'd've made me turn around and then they wouldn't have been there and we would have spent the day tracking them down instead of riding." He grinned, a lazy, easy turning of the corners of his mouth, the skin at his eyes crinkling.

His eyes were blue, Clark noticed, his attention grabbed by the stranger and pulling his focus off the girl in front of him. Blue, in that shifting sort of way that meant the color could probably change. There were hints of grey and hazel in them. And they were focused on Clark.

Lex's head tilted to one side, as if he was listening to something, and he studied Clark intently.

Clark blushed. He wasn't used to being noticed. Well, his size, but once people got past that, they usually ignored him, and that was perfectly fine with him.

He stammered something incoherent and stepped back, running into Whitney.

"Watch it, oaf!" Whitney growled, shoving Clark aside.

Clark stumbled, and Lex was suddenly there, a hand on his elbow, steadying him.

Lex switched his focus to Whitney, "I don't think you want to do that," he said mildly, but there was steel underneath.

It was a tense moment. There was no doubt that Whitney was larger and more powerful. While Lex was almost as tall as Clark, he was leaner and almost skinny. But Lex had the car, the girl, the steel, and after a moment, Whitney just growled and stomped off.

"Um, thanks," Clark said awkwardly. Lex's hand was still on his arm and even through the layer of flannel, Clark imagined he could feel the warmth.

"No problem," Lex replied, slowly taking his hand away, still with that searching gaze.

"Lex, come on!" Lana called from in the car. "Before your dad gets here."

With a sigh, Lex dropped his hand. He muttered under his breath, "He would, too." With a last look at Clark, he turned and got into the car with Lana. Then they drove off.

"Wow."

Clark thought for a moment that he'd spoken, but when he looked, it was Chloe next to him with Pete beside her.

"Lana ditched Whitney," Pete sounded awed.

The school bus honked its horn, reminding everybody still gathered in the parking lot that they had somewhere else to be too. With a last glance where the car had been, the three friends went to get on the bus and trade their gossip there.

... ... ...

When Clark got home, he said hi to his mom, then went out to start his chores. This time of year was great because the sun was still out late, but that didn't mean they could be put off. There was always a lot to do on a farm. His mom and dad had talked about allowing him more free time after school so he could go hang out with friends, but that would also need a way to get there. Right now, he could run... but that would (and had) lead to questions about how he got there. He was counting the days until he could get a learner's permit. Per rural laws, he could drive around on the farm, so he could help with the tractor and getting livestock and such, but he wasn't allowed to go into town. Not that it didn't stop most of the teenagers anyhow, but his parents were a bit more cautious about the law.

He was in the barn, grooming the boarded horses, when his dad came in with Lex.

Both of them were splattered with blood and mud, but they were talking amiably, not showing any signs of distress. The horse Lex was leading also didn't seem upset, though it obviously didn't like the smells. Clark concluded the blood wasn't either of theirs and there wasn't a cause for alarm.

Still, though, he came out of the stall. "Hi Dad. What happened?" He nodded to Lex, not sure if the other youth would remember him. "Can I take your horse?" Clark looked a little closer. "That's Bluebonnet." One of Lana's horses.

Lex gave him the same sort of searching look as he'd done just a few hours ago. "Clark, right?" Then he smiled and put Bluebonnet's reins into Clark's hand. "Thank you. I was riding him in the pasture when I heard a cow bellowing and we went to see."

Clark's dad grunted. "Slow Neddie. She'd spooked at something and run smack into the fence line, breaking some boards and tearing a gash in her side. When I got there, this young man had managed to calm her down so she didn't make it worse. We untangled her, then stitched her up. I'd've brought her back here, but it didn't seem too bad. Still, I put her in I5 where she can't get into more mischief for now and I'll check tomorrow. Lex is pretty handy with a needle and good with the animals."

He ran that last sentence straight into the others as if it was all part of the same thing, which in his dad's mind, it probably was.

Lex looked happy at the praise. "I work a lot with the competition horses. There's always something, and they trust me."

Clark had the oddest feeling that Lex meant the horses trusted him, rather than the people. Though he probably needed both. He patted Bluebonnet on the nose and the horse wiffled at him. Lana didn't just let anybody ride her prize horse, and Bluebonnet didn't just stand for anybody. Lex obviously was good with animals. "Where's Lana?"

Lex shrugged. "Harnesville, I think. She wanted to go shopping, so I gave her the keys to the car and she said I could ride while she was gone."

Clark blinked. So did his dad. Clark spoke first. "You said you both found Neddie."

There was a slight pause, before Lex figured it out and laughed. "I meant 'we' as in me and Bluebonnet. Lana pretty much took off right after we got to her place."

His dad spoke next, the concern of a parent showing through. "Does Lana even have her learner's permit yet?"

It was Lex's turn to look startled. "Um, she didn't say, and I didn't ask. I forgot..." He shrugged. "She drove the car pretty well, so hopefully nobody stops her."

His dad sighed, but didn't pursue it. "We better get cleaned up. Martha's not going to let us the kitchen in like this."

Lex looked down at himself, appearing surprised. He'd apparently forgotten the blood and mud all over his nice clothes.

The two of them headed out from the barn around to the side where the pump was. Clark took Bluebonnet over to a clean stall and spent a bit of time checking his hoofs and making sure he wasn't the worse for wear for their little adventure. He seemed fine, and nosed Clark's hair in hopes of some stray hay, so Clark got some for him and then closed up and went inside.

Technically, he hadn't finished all his chores yet, but there was no way he was going to miss anything with the stranger, Lex. Lex was the most interesting thing in Smallville right now.

Clark got in before his dad or Lex. He let his mom know about the unexpected visitor and helped her to get some pie out, sampling it to make sure it was good for their guest. His mom laughed at him and asked him to try the whipped cream as well.

Finally, his dad and Lex came in. They were both now in his dad's spare work clothes kept out by the pump. Apparently they'd decided just scrubbing off wasn't doing it for what they had been wearing. Lex fit into the clothes okay, though they hung loosely on his spare frame. And Lex was bald. Clark blinked at that. He'd thought... well, not that he'd really considered it, but he'd just assumed Lex had short hair under the hat. He hadn't expected bald. It was weird, seeing somebody so young completely bald. Not even the crew cuts the military wore, but completely hairless. After a moment, though, Clark decided it didn't look bad on Lex. Different, yes, but not bad.

His dad and Lex were still talking. Clark listened, and it seemed to be all about the cows. The cows, and the various problems they had and what a farmer could do on his own and when to call in a vet. Lex was raptly listening to it all, with regular questions and asking for more information.

In all honesty, Clark had never cared all that much about the cows. Worked with them, aye, and was fond of several of them, but he definitely didn't have the eagerness to learn that Lex was showing now. Of course, he already knew a lot of that having grown up with them, but... Clark wondered if his dad had ever wanted him to be more enthusiastic about the cows.

His mom had to clear her throat to get their attention.

They broke it off and looked to her, both with identical shame-faced looks, knowing they were in the wrong.

With a laugh, his mom handed out the pie slices. "Hi, I'm Martha, Jonathan's wife and Clark's mom."

His dad took his pie and kissed his mom. Clark was used to it. They kissed each other a lot.

"Honey, this is Lex..." his dad hesitated, then looked questioningly at Lex.

Lex sighed, losing a lot of his animation. "Lex Luthor," he clarified in dull, flat tones, pronouncing the last name as if it was the knell of doom.

"Luthor?" His dad let go of his mom, and stared uncertainly at Lex.

"Yes, son of that Luthor," Lex sighed again. "Don't worry, I'm used to it. Hey, I'm the one who has to live with him."

"Oh honey," his mom went into material protective over-drive, melting at the forlorn look, "it doesn't matter who your father is."

Lex smiled a little cynically. "It's nice of you to say so, but it always matters." He looked at Clark's dad. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, sir."

His dad still looked a little disconcerted, but he rallied bravely. "We were busy with important things." And then, just like that, it was all over. Lex's help with Naddie overcame any reservations about his name.

Clark honestly wasn't all that familiar with the problems with Luthors. He knew that Mr. Luthor owned the fertilizer farm, of which Chloe's dad was the manager, and he knew that everybody who worked there like Chloe's dad and hated Mr. Luthor. Mr. Luthor was apparently an arbitrary and demanding owner who simply liked profits and didn't care about the workers. Pete also held a grudge since the factory used to be his family's corned cream factory and apparently Mr. Luthor had given them the short end of the stick on the deal, but Clark didn't know or want to know details.

"Thank you for the pie, ma'am." Lex's politeness was out in full feature with the wife of the farmhome. He hadn't been that mannered at the school or in the barn.

Speaking of the school... "So why'd Lana go shopping? I thought you two were, um, together?" Clark blushed, not sure that he liked the idea, and for the first time, not knowing why.

Lex blinked. Then he laughed, a little of his easy manner returning. "Lana's like my little sister or something. Most of that at the school was staged for Whitney."

A trio of gazes were directed his way, even if Clark's parents didn't know what happened at school.

Lex expanded. "For years, Lana has been going to Whitney's football practices and games, and she even joined cheerleading for him, but he's never once been to one of her competitions. Apparently some months back, he even made a reference to barrel racing... which proves he doesn't even know what she's doing. Lana was in tears over it last month when we were talking at the show. So when Dad came to Smallville and dragged me along... well, I saw the chance to prove a bit of Lana's worth. She deserves better."

Clark's gaze went to his dad, who he knew adored Whitney for his football prowess.

"Whitney is the star quarterback this year," Jonathan said fairly mildly.

"I know that, Sir," Lex replied, not giving in. "And Lana won the Prix Caprilli in her division. She's an exemplarity rider, and could even go international, if she wanted to. Whitney's accomplishments don't outshine hers."

Instead of replying to Lex, Jonathan turned his gaze to Martha and they had a little silent conversation in the way they often did.

Martha turned to get some fresh apple slices. "How long are you and your dad in town for, Lex?" She handed out the apples and then somehow got everybody sitting at the table without actually telling them to.

Lex shrugged. "I'm not sure. He's here to look at the plant and..." his face fell into glum lines, "... I think to try and get me to work in it."

"You, work in the factory?" Jonathan's voice held some disbelief.

Lex winced. "Well, to manage it. Or something. I was trying not to pay attention to the details. But dad's been pushing me awfully hard to graduate this year, and he keeps reminding me of my promise that I'd give up the dressage when I finished out the youth circuit." He opened his mouth to say something else, then seemed to recollect where he was and shut it. "Sorry. That was probably too much information."

Lex's gaze went to Clark, though Clark didn't know why. He had that listening expression on his face again, though Clark couldn't hear anything, and he seemed to relax after a bit.

Clark cleared his throat, uneasy with the attention but not really willing to redirect it for some reason. "So, um, your first time in Smallville?"

That got a laugh from Lex, though it wasn't a particularly happy one. "Not quite." He ran his hand over his head. "I was here twelve years ago."

Everybody in town knew that date the way most other Americans knew Thanksgiving or the Bicentennial. There were three collective gazes of horror at Lex.

"I'm so sorry," Martha said softly. "You were... how old?"

"Nine," Lex replied. "But it wasn't all bad. Really. It actually helped in a lot of ways, afterwards. Dad would never let me come back again, though. I was surprised when he took me with him today."

None of them knew quite what to make of that and there was a little silence.

"Um, speaking of which," Lex cleared his throat. "Would you know Ted Moore? I'd love to visit, if he's still in town."

"Ted?" Jonathan rubbed his chin. "Aye, he's still here. Not far from here, even." Most of those who still had farms or ranches were on the southeast side of town, on the opposite side from the edge closest to the bigger cities, where suburbia tended to take over. "This time of day, he should be at the stables." He turned to Clark. "Maybe you could drive Lex over?"

Clark felt his face light up. "Really?" The rural roads out to Ted's were a lot like back-farm area, and Clark could drive them without worrying about things like a license or permit. Still, it was rare that his dad sent him out alone. Well, he'd have Lex with him. Maybe in his dad's mind, that counted.

His dad laughed. "Really. I want to stick around in case Naddie decides to run into any more fences. I'll finish your chores, so don't worry 'bout that."

"That's very generous of you," Lex said politely. "I don't want to take your time, though. I can either ride Bluebonnet or take him back to Nell's and get my car."

"Your dad's car," Clark reminded him with a grin.

"It's not far," Jonathan spoke to the practical, "but it's not a good horse trail between here and there. Particularly not for an expensive fellow like Bluebonnet. Not a lot of good road signs either. Be easier if Clark takes you the first time."

"And this way," Martha put in, "I can wash your clothes and have them ready for when you get back. Should be just about dinner time and you can stay for that, unless your father needs you home."

Lex's eyebrows did a little dance of raising and lowering at this casual dinner invitation. Or at least Clark thought it was the invitation that caused the emotions. The clothes weren't dry-clean only, or something, were they? No, Lex didn't seem like the type. They were good quality, but not obnoxiously so. It was definitely the dinner.

"I'd... I'd love to accept, but I don't know how long my excuse will hold out." Lex shrugged, embarrassed. "I'd really rather not tell Dad what I've actually been doing. Better if he thinks I've been with Lana this whole time. If the two of us manage it right, we can each get a measure of freedom for awhile."

Jonathan frowned at this evidence of lack of filial respect.

Lex's mouth drew down. "Believe me, it's better if the people I'm with don't come to my father's attention. It doesn't usually end well. I wouldn't have drawn you into this except for the cow. I'm sorry." He sighed under his breath, a low, sad sound. "I'll just head on back to Nell's. Dad might even have people watching Ted Moore's, just in case." He got up from the table, turning slightly away from them.

That won everybody's instant sympathy, and anger towards the elder Luthor. Clark didn't think Lex had done it on purpose. It was just a matter of fact statement. He wondered if anybody Lex knew ever stood up to his father. Well, apparently some did, and it hadn't gone well. What did that mean? How not well?

"Clark will drive you," Jonathan said firmly, also getting up from the table. "You've given help and assistance this day, and we'll not turn you away, not for anybody, particularly your father." He hesitated, "But if you don't want us to, we won't mention it either."

Clark's eyes went a little wide as he realized that Lex might be the one in trouble, not the people he was with. Or, well, both. Clark was really going to have to grill Chloe and Pete on just what Mr. Luthor was really like.

There was a brief pause and Clark belatedly realized they were waiting for him. "Oh, sure, yeah!" He scrambled up, and tripped over the chair, stumbling but not falling. He hurried to the key rack, his cheeks burning. "The truck okay, Dad?"

"Yep. Just be sure and put the oil pan under it when you stop at Ned's. I haven't fixed that leak yet."

"'Kay." Clark grabbed the keys and went outside. It took him a moment to notice Lex wasn't with him.

Turning around, he saw Lex coming at a slower pace through the doors, a bemused look on his face. Lex walked to Clark and tilted his head, gazing up into Clark's face. "I think I'm having an extraterrestrial experience."

"Um, what?" Clark couldn't figure that one out, though he admittedly didn't try too long.

"This is all very..." Lex paused, "strange. I don't usually find people this friendly. Well, humans, at least."

Which was a very strange thing to say. But Clark had heard stranger. And while his folks could run hot and cold to people, if they decided to take somebody in, they really did, with the exception of needing to keep Clark's secrets. Clark was pretty sure there were secrets they hadn't even told him yet. But for now at least, Lex had made it into their good graces, and would get all their help. Clark, too, liked him. He wondered idly how old Lex was. If Lex was nine at the meteor shower, that made him 21 now. Huh, Clark had thought he was younger. He felt a brief stab of disappointment, but decided that was silly and just took the moment for what it was.

With a shrug, Clark muttered something about small towns and people, though that was more true in fiction than truth, and lead them to the truck. Lex didn't expand further on his remarks and followed him easily.

When they were on the road and heading out, Clark reached to turn on the radio. Lex made a little sound of dismay and put his hand out, then pulled it back.

"Um, if you don't mind, could we leave it off? I'm enjoying... um, the atmosphere."

Clark wondered in what world a noisy old truck that needed its muffler repaired was a good atmosphere. But he didn't turn on the radio. The rest of the ride was made in silence. Clark kept trying to think of something to say, to start a conversation, but ideas just dried up on him. The times he thought he had something he didn't say anything because he'd glance over at Lex and see that the other man had a look of relaxed contentment on his face, and didn't want to disturb him.

When they got to Ted's place, he was out in front, standing a little closer to the stables, watching the truck come in.

They got out, and Lex tentatively walked forward. "Ted Moore? I don't know if you remember me... I'm Lex Luthor..."

The corner of Ted's mouth drew up to the weather-lines on his face. "Sure, kid. It's not like I could forget, and 'sides, Sky is waiting for you."

Lex turned to one side, not the stables, but angling out more towards the pasture. There was a pinto in the enclosure, standing there, head sticking over the rails and watching them. "Sky is... is Sky...?"

"Sky's doing fine. A little older and grayer, but aren't we all? Go. Go on to him. He's been fussing at me since after his bran this morning. I knew you were in town."

"I couldn't get here until now," Lex said softly. "I tried..."

"Oh, stop talking to me and just get!" Ted's words were punctuated by a sharp whinny and the pinto shook his head.

With a quick nod, Lex stopped trying and started walking, then speeded up to a run. He hit the enclosure and scrambled over the fence, the horse moving out of the way briefly, then returning to crowd Lex in. The horse dipped his head down to press against Lex's chest, and Lex flung his arms around the horse's neck. They stayed like that for awhile, then the horse danced backwards and then forwards again.

Laughing, Lex scrambled up bareback onto the horse, and then they were off, running out across the pasture. The horse's gait was smooth and Lex was pressed along his back, feet tucked in close, hands in the mane. They were quickly out of sight.

"Heh," Ted said, "been too long for both of them." He glanced at Clark, who hadn't said anything this whole time. "Going to be awhile now. Want to come in and have some bread? Fresh out of the oven."

It was a tradition on the farms, feed your guests, no matter what. "Sure, Mr. Moore. Will it be okay?" He paused a moment, thinking of how that might sound. Not the bread... "Lex. Will Lex and... Sky... be okay?"

"Better now than they've been apart," Ted responded cryptically. He lead the way inside the house.

The place was much like at the Kents. Instead of a barn, Ted had the stables, and his house was mostly decorated with a bachelor's sensibility, but the layout was similar. Clark wiped his feet and headed straight for the kitchen.

"Bread is still in the oven – oven's off, it's just to keep it warm. You like wheat bread, right?"

"Sure, Mr. Moore." Clark easily got the bread and cut a couple of slices for him and Ted. He hesitated at a third, but Ted told him to wait until Lex actually got there. Then they slathered their pieces with butter, watching it melt into the bread.

"How'd Lex end up with you?" Ted asked after they were on their third pieces each.

"He was riding at Lana's and heard a hurt cow on our side. He and my dad hit it off really well." Clark looked at Ted, wanting to ask about those twelve years ago, but wasn't quite sure if he had the right.

Ted grinned, recognizing the desire. "Back then, young Lex was brought by his dad to a meeting we were having to discuss the plant buy."

"Some things never change," Clark murmured, thinking of how Lex had said his dad had brought him out today too, to accompany him on the factory tour.

"We were out there by the plant, which at the time was surrounded by corn fields since we were a corn processing plant... seven adults, and then there was this kid. Anybody with eyes could tell that the kid didn't want to be there. Sullen, not interested, kept there only by his dad's hand on his shoulder. He kept eying the corn fields, and you just knew first chance he got, that kid would be gone, exploring them."

Clark shuddered. All of them had had experience at one point or another with the fields. They looked interesting, that was for sure, but get inside and you were lost. The original corn maze was simply just fields of corn. Everything looked the same, and you couldn't see out. There wasn't a single kid in Smallville, at least the rural parts of it, who hadn't gotten lost at one time or another in them. And some of them more than once. Clark had to admit, he'd been a slow learner. Plus, it was fun as much as scary.

"So Paul and I got him out of there." Ted grinned. "Ain't a kid I know who would rather be with a group of adults discussing boring stuff, then to get out of there and ride a horse. I had Sky Rider with me, and while Sky was young back then, he was really good with kids. Lex's dad wasn't thrilled about it, but with Paul's firm approval and Luthor needing Paul's handshake to buy the factory... well, Lex came with me."

Ted got up and poured a couple of glasses of milk, handing one to Clark. "Even that young, and on a full-sized horse in an adult's saddle, Lex had a good seat. I was holding the reins and walking beside them anyhow, but we were enjoying ourselves. Then... then the meteors came." Ted's face darkened.

"Flaming hail and sounds like air-raid sirens, rocks small and large, screams and destruction. Well, if I was a horse, I would have bolted too. Sky took off down the road, young Lex clinging to him. I followed, quick as I could, which isn't anywhere as quick as a horse.

"When I caught up to them, they were on the ground. Looked like a meteor had struck right next to them. Young Lex was unconscious on the dirt. Sky was lying next to him, his head on Lex's chest, as if he was trying to protect him. Both of them had lost all their hair. Let me tell you, a horse looks really funny without any hair." Ted snorted. "Sky eventually grew his back – looks like Lex never did."

They were silent for a bit. Clark couldn't think of anything to say. He'd grown up on stories of the meteor shower, of Lana's parents and everything else. Everybody had something to say about it. Everybody but his parents. They said they'd been bringing Clark home from the orphanage that day, but they were tight-lipped on everything else. Clark knew something else had happened – something to give him powers. He was strong, and he was fast. The strength he'd always had. The speed had come in just a year before, surprising all of them. He wasn't the only one in town who was odd, but none of them talked about it and they all hid it. Well, mostly they all hid it. Sometimes somebody got a new power and got all weird about it and then everybody else would have to do something to protect others, but that didn't happen very often, just a few times a year or so. Lex was probably lucky that all that had happened was the hair.

After awhile, Ted asked about Clark's parents, Clark replied, and then they got onto an easy discussion about hay prices and the weather. Finally, Ted called the farm to let them know Clark was still there, and to talk about organic produce with his mom. Clark wandered off for the usual, and then lingered on the way back, squinting out to where he thought he could see a rider across the field.

It was another hour before Lex finally came back.

After a perfunctory knock at the door, Lex came in, and they could also hear a clatter of hooves on the porch outside.

"Sky stays outside," Ted said firmly. Then he picked up the basket of bread and nodded at them to get their drinks and they all went to the porch together.

Clark looked at the horse curiously. The stallion was a brown pinto, with patches of light and dark all over his body. One of the white patches over the back and neck looked remarkably like the area that would have been covered by a small child laying on top. He was a very striking horse, in obviously good condition, and he stared back at Clark as if he was evaluating him as well. Clark blinked and looked instead at Lex.

Sitting on the porch steps, Lex was relaxed and happy, pretty much glowing with happiness. Every now and then, he reached out to touch the horse he was leaning against, and the horse bent his head down to nuzzle his shoulder.

"Your dad sends people by sometimes," Ted said without any lead-in.

Lex lost some of his happiness, and most of his relaxation. He didn't say anything but waited.

Clark looked between the two of them. "Um..."

Lex quirked his mouth, not in humor. "Bet you thought I was being paranoid."

"Well, yes."

"Just because somebody is paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get him." Ted spat off the side of the porch. "I don't like Luthor. Paul doesn't like Luthor. We sold the plant under duress, because a lot of people were fooled by him and we weren't doing so well at the time. But we never trusted him. Ever since then, he's been sniffing around. He's got the plant, sure, but it's more than that. He's suspicious about Sky and has tried to buy him three times, and steal him twice."

Lex drew his breath in sharply.

Ted nodded at him, "We're good. I've got security here that's not so obvious, and Sky Rider himself is darn good at knowing when somebody is slinking around."

"I've tried not to bring any attention to you..." Lex said worriedly.

"Yeah, got your postcards." Ted shrugged. "Your dad is just an over-bearing asshole, what can I say."

"I can't come back here again." The sadness was evident in Lex's voice. Beside him, Sky nuzzled his shoulder so hard that Lex almost fell over on the porch.

Ted looked over at Clark with speculation in his eyes. "I've been thinking about that... How long are you in town for?"

"Not sure," Lex glanced between the two of them. "Dad's thing with the factory probably won't be more than a week or two, but I might be able to drag the thing with Lana out longer than that."

"Lana Lang?" Ned asked with his brows raised.

"Not like that," Lex sighed. "She's having boyfriend problems and using me to get around them. I'm using her to get some time to myself. Dad... I've never known quite why, but he really respects Nell and won't cross her. They have some spectacular arguments sometimes, but Dad's never pulled anything over on her, and if he thinks I'm hanging out there, he'll leave us alone."

"Your dad and Nell...?"

"Not like that," Lex said again with a roll of his eyes. "Actually, I think that might be the main thing. She's about the only woman who he's had his eye on that he's never slept with. She's good at saying 'no' and he's just misogynic enough that he probably respects that more than all the 'yeses' he gets."

Ned shook his head, getting away from that line of thought. "Okay. I'm thinking that Sky Rider can board at the Kent farm for a few weeks, maybe a month."

Clark opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, then decided he was actually okay with that. That would mean Lex would be over regularly, probably every day. "Sure!"

"Not if it means Dad will start looking there!" Lex said firmly, but with conflict in his eyes.

"He'll never figure it out," Ned snorted. "I've got a dozen pintos here, some of them Sky's kids, and while no pinto has exactly the same pattern, the sneaks aren't around often enough or get close enough to really figure it out. The Kents have Fashioned Fly and Monk, who are close enough. Just don't keep Sky out where strangers can wander by and see, and there'll be no reason at all for anybody to come poking. If you're visiting Lana, it's a quick trip over the pasture lines out to their place, as you've already found out."

"I can't just say yes, not knowing what might happen." Lex dropped his gaze down to the wood he was sitting on.

"Good thing it's not up to you, then," Ned laughed. "I already got Jonathan's okay for it. Sky will be there by tomorrow morning."

"Um..." Lex floundered, unsure with his main argument pulled right out from under him. "Did you tell him...?"

"Aye, he knows," Ned said grimly. "And he promised he'd watch out."

"Then, then..." Lex looked over to Clark, his blue eyes lightening with the hope.

"Just say 'yes'," Clark suggested, a grin on his face.

"Yes," Lex obeyed. "Thank you." Then he buried his face in Sky's mane and didn't look at either of them for awhile.

That started the best month of his life that Clark had ever had.

Lex was there in the mornings when they started their chores, often joining them for breakfast as well. He then went to join his father briefly at the factory when it started, but quickly cut out of that and returned to be with Clark's dad while Clark went to school. Jonathan and Lex roamed over the farm, inventorying the cattle and seeing to their health, Lex learning all the normal tricks folks used when they didn't have regular access to vets. Then Lex was at school in the afternoon to pick Lana up. He never talked to Clark there, but an hour later or so, he'd be back at the farm again, this time to help Clark with his chores. When they were done, the two of them would go up to the loft and hang out. Sometimes they'd play games, but most of the time they just talked. About anything and everything, it seemed. Sometimes serious, sometimes silly, sometimes both. Lex might be older, but there was something about he and Clark that just clicked, and their friendship grew from the first day on, as if they'd been together their whole lives.

The worst part, in Clark's mind, was that he couldn't tell his other friends. Lex was supposed to be spending his time with Lana, not Clark, and as far as anybody else was concerned, they didn't know each other. But in another way, that was okay too. Because Lex was special, and Lex was his alone. The world thought he was Lana's... but really, he was Clark's. And that was fine.

Lana and Whitney continued to fight, thought they were also still together. Lana kept insisting that Lex was just a friend, while at the same time Lex got his little barbs in at Whitney. The school wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

As Lex predicted, his dad stayed at the factory for a couple of weeks and then left. Those two weeks were full of rumors running around about massive Luthor fights, usually about Lionel wanting Lex to do something and Lex not doing it. Lex usually got the brunt of the criticism for being young and not doing the very reasonable things his father wanted from him, which was mostly to work at the factory. However there were enough people who didn't like Lionel that Lex had his own supporters, and the younger crowd was behind him all the way, except for Whitney's friends. Not that Lex knew about any of that or cared. He was happy by himself and away from the people and when Clark mentioned some of the rumors, he just shrugged.

"Better those sorts of rumors than others," Lex said simply, and went back to whatever they were doing at the time.

As they got more and more comfortable with each other, strange things started happening around them. It was little things at first, the way Lex would be distracted in odd moments, then go back to Clark, the way the birds would fly closer to them, and the cows come in close. All the horses adored Lex, and Sky Rider tolerated the other horses with proprietary amusement. The cats in the barn did as well, and Lex's clothes were constantly covered with fur.

Clark figured that was why Lex liked wearing tweeds – the extra hair didn't show nearly as much on it. While they were working, Lex mostly jeans, work shirts, and cowboy hats – things that would fit in at a farm and wouldn't be noticed if somebody was watching them at a distance. When it was just them up in the loft, Lex was usually back in his tweeds and flat hats.

The cows and horses and barn cats coming up to them was a little strange, but not unduly – they were used to humans, after all. More odd were the times they would be out and a fox would trot out of the tree line and over to Lex, then back again. Or a hawk stoop down and rest on a fence post next to them. Or the mice that would come out in the loft and sit on Lex's shoes.

Early on, during one of the loft sessions, Lex let a little more out.

A cat howled from across the barn, the sound of a pounce missed, and Lex turned his head sharply. "Not while I'm here!" he called out. The cat meowed a protest, and Lex repeated it. "No hunting while I'm here. You know that perfectly well. Everybody can go back to their normal routines when I'm not here, but I won't let anybody take advantage of my presence."

Clark raised his eyebrows. When Lex turned back and saw Clark's expression, he blushed. "The mice come out when I'm near. I don't want anybody dying just because I'm here." He put a hand out and as if in response, a mouse darted out and hopped up on Lex's hand, little whiskers twitching.

"Yes, I know," Lex spoke to the mouse. "I'm sorry." He stroked a finger down the mouse's back and then let him down. Instead of going away, the mouse ran up Lex's clothes and then perched on his hat. Lex rolled his eyes but left him there.

Clark bit his lip and didn't say a word. He had more than enough experience with Chloe constantly questioning everything around them, and he wasn't all that thrilled with it. If Lex wasn't saying anything, Clark wasn't either. He turned the conversation back to the discussion they'd been having on the rainforests.

After that, Lex stopped hiding his abilities. They would stop randomly while out riding so that Lex could go help a stuck badger, or talk with a sick deer, or assist an owl with a hurt wing. Even the butterflies and flies would gather near him, though Lex said they couldn't really speak as such. Clark preferred the butterflies to the flies, though he admitted it was handy when Lex could get them to go away more than when they came.

Lex tried to help the animals as much as he could. Sadly, a lot of the problems were things he couldn't do anything about – an internal sickness, or something that needed medicine or surgery. He helped where he could and the animals that he couldn't help thanked him and went on their way. Lex said that animals took that sort of thing much more philosophically than humans. There was no 'fair' or 'not fair' in their book – there was just the day to day what was, and sickness and pain were part of that. They would survive or they wouldn't, but that was the future, not now.

Clark thought it was nice... but also didn't allow for planning or resources or figuring out ways to do what they could. Lex said they did, but on things that counted for them – like food for the winter or finding a new path away from the humans. That they did what they could for themselves, but there was no point to blaming Lex for what he couldn't do either. Lex did that enough on his own, and Clark tried to support the animals in that, at least.

With Lex not hiding what he could do, Clark gradually stopped hiding his own. First it was a few displays of strength here and there, and then it was some speed. Not anything just on its own, but things where he would have normally used it and he just didn't bother to hide it. Lex simply nodded a little when he saw, and they kept on as they were.

Not all mutants were as nice as Clark or Lex. There were the usual problems with people suddenly coming into powers and going all crazy with it, or the more subtle ones who had been doing bad things with their powers and just suddenly being caught at it. There was a guy who tried to electrocute the school at homecoming – Clark stopped him, and then afterwards went to his parents and complained. He might have been a mutant... but nobody else he knew had more than one ability, and not only did he have strength and speed, but it looked like he was also not able to be hurt anymore. That one was new.

Clark had also rescued that year's scarecrow, the sacrificial freshmen hung up by the football jocks, and while he was complaining to his parents, he also asked his dad flat out if he'd ever participated in that sad ritual. Up until that day, he'd been worried it might be him, but Clark wasn't watching Lana anymore and Whitney's rage had other directions at the moment. It had been one of the chess geeks, probably picked for an easy target rather than anything in particular. Rescuing him had made Clark realize how short-sighted he'd been in worrying only about himself up to that point.

His dad shame-faced replied that yes, he had done it himself back then, and turned it into a lecture on peer pressure and how easy it was to get caught up in the flow of things. Then they told Clark he was an alien.

Well.

That changed a few things. At least in his mind.

The next day, hanging out with Lex, Clark was quiet, his thoughts anywhere but where he was right then. A million miles off, somewhere in the stars.

Lex let him have the quiet, and gave back the peacefulness that he radiated when he was relaxed in Clark's presence. Clark appreciated it.

When they were up in the loft, and the stars were out, Clark used his telescope to look at them. They looked mostly like larger points of light, but there were a few that stood out. Lex stood next to him, looked at them, and then talked about the stars. He'd taken an astronomy class at college as a supplemental course.

"What did you major in?" Clark asked, curious.

Lex grimaced. "Business Administration."

Clark's eyebrows shot up into his hairline.

Lex sighed. "It was the deal I made with my dad for being able to continue with the dressage. That I could keep doing it up until the youth divisions were done at 21, but I had to major in business, not draw the college years out, and then work with him." Lex grimaced. "I did the first two... but I'm having a really hard time resigning myself to the third. I just don't want to. It's not interesting, and I hate it. It reminds me of my childhood and all my so-called peers, and I don't ever want anything to do with any of that at all."

That reminded Clark of his dad's lecture on peer pressure and he hesitantly told Lex about it, without getting into specifics. Lex simply nodded.

"It's all that, and more. It's a disguised form of bullying... sometimes not so disguised... and we all want to be accepted and liked. I've seen some pretty horrible things done in the name of peer pressure and going along with the crowd. Some pretty disgusting things as well." He was silent for a bit. "When I was a teenager---"

Clark interrupted him, "All those long years ago!"

Lex mock-glowered, "Knock it off, young-in'! Or I'll break out the 'back in my day' tales."

Clark laughed, Lex laughed with him, and things were alright for awhile. When Lex picked up his tale again, it was with the strength of their friendship behind it.

"My peers were the rich, spoiled kids who had all the money and material goods we wanted, but rarely had our parents or their affection. We grew up on learning how to manipulate and work the social scene and knowing that who were where didn't count nearly as much as who we knew and who our parents were. We hung out together... but it was artificial. Everybody was always looking for the advantage they could hold over the next. When as teenagers, they discovered sex... well, that was just another commodity to add to the table. And as teenagers, rebellion and drugs were the preferred route for about all of them. I've seen several of my peers overdose, get knifed, beaten... worse."

The mice and cats came out from their corners in the loft to pile around Lex. So did the night birds, and some of the insects as well, though Lex shooed the mosquitoes out with a quiet word. Below, the horses whinnied, restless in their stalls. Lex soothed them as well.

He smiled a little at the animals around him, and he petted the cat that had claimed his lap.

"You said 'them'," Clark remarked quietly, not wanting to break the stillness, but wanting to know. "How about you?"

Lex gestured around him. "These are my friends. Not my peers. Very rarely any human. Not until I met you, really. I just... don't trust humans. Not very much. The animals don't lie, and they all trust me. They saved me from going the same route as the others. I just don't care about those things, not like the others did. Not when I could sneak off and be with the animals."

He tilted his head, listening to what only he could hear. "Since I was nine and woke up in the Metropolis hospital, I knew I was different. I couldn't talk with them, not like I can now, and it wasn't all of them, not like now. But it was some of them. The horses at mom's ranch, where we went while I was recovering. Then the dogs there too. When we went back to the city, the mice would come out when everybody else was gone. I already knew not to tell anybody, but they were there for me."

"Mom got me into the dressage, even though her ranch was a typical western one – more of a dude ranch than a functional one. But dressage was prestigious and costs a lot of money and was something she could use to elevate her child and show me off to her own peers."

Clark looked over at him, startled. He'd known Lex's mom had died when he was young, but this...

Lex quirked his mouth sadly. "She was my father's wife. What, you thought she'd be as good as your own mom? People usually marry people like themselves." He shrugged. "She did love me, but I have no illusions about what else she was. She did, though, before she died, get my father's promise that he'd let me keep going in the dressage. And by that time, I'd already proved my worth there by making contacts with a few kids whose parents dad had been trying to get close to for ages. Dressage is more of an old-school money sport – a lot of the new-school money people like my dad just don't see the point of it. So there were a lot of new connections and advantages that made it worth keeping up even after my mom died."

With a sigh, Lex shifted the animals around him, then drew his knees up to his chin. "I don't want to. I don't want to go into business. Any business, but particularly Dad's. It's... it's not me. I know I'll be breaking a promise to my dad, and going back on my sworn word, but I just can't. I think I'd lose part of my soul if I did."

Clark moved a few of the animals himself, scooting next to Lex, then put his arms around his friend and held him.

After a few minutes of them sitting together like that, Clark hesitantly let out the other part of his most recent revelations. "I'm not human."

Lex looked up at that, and with Clark's arms around him, their faces were no more than a few inches apart. Lex didn't look disbelieving, or even surprised. Instead, he gave Clark a long, searching look, then reached up to touch his face.

"You feel human. You talk human. You love human. You're more human than my dad or any of my peers we were just talking about. Or, if they're human, it's good that you're not. I like you the way you are. Just exactly that way. " Lex smiled, a wry quirk, "I've never really had a human friend before. I guess I still don't. And that's fine by me."

Clark had been so worried about it. He already had his mutant secret, only his mutant secret wasn't a mutant secret but an alien secret instead. He'd thought it made a difference. To know that it didn't, at least in Lex's eyes... a dam he hadn't known he was building up inside of himself tore open and his relief poured out. He could still be himself. Being an alien... well, it was just something a little different, not a lot different. Or it was a lot different... but Lex still believed in him.

He put his head down on Lex's, and the two of them stayed there like that until Clark's mom came out, calling up that it was Clark's bedtime.

...

Things moved quickly after that. The next week after the homecoming, Lana and Whitney had a huge fight right in the middle of the school hallway, with kids all around.

"I was joking about the barrel racing!" Whitney roared. "For God's sake, Lana..."

"You never come to my competitions! I was at your football game last week!"

"The football game was here! Your thing was in California! For a whole week! And you wanted to stay for another one. Do you even know how much that costs? Not for you, but for the likes of me? Plane fare was 600 bucks, average. Hotel would have been another 500, at least. More if I stayed as long as you wanted. Then there's taking the time off at the end of summer when the store is the busiest ever, all the back to school sales." Whitney's voice got quieter and quieter the longer he spoke and he ended in almost normal speech. "I tried. I really did try, Lana. But my folks just couldn't do it. The little savings we've got... well, we're still hoping for something on the football. We just couldn't."

The silence stretched out the entire hall at least 10 feet deep. The only noise came from the groups of students too far away to have noticed the fight.

"Why didn't you say something?" Lana finally asked, bafflement in her tone. "I could have---"

Whitney cut her off. "I'll take no charity! Not from anybody. Especially not from my girlfriend!"

With a sudden movement, he turned away from Lana and then strode through the crowd to make for the exit. The crowd parted for him, making a path, then closing up again after he'd left.

Lana stood there, watching after him, her face reflecting the same bafflement that her voice had expressed.

The noise in the hallway started to swell again as everybody started discussing it.

"Wow," Pete said, his eyes wide. "That's harsh, man. Harsh. No guy should ever have to admit he's broke. Not to his girl!"

Even Chloe couldn't say otherwise, though she did have a few pointed remarks about too much pride.

That afternoon, Lana turned down the ride from Lex and silently got on the bus with the others. Her friends surrounded her, not letting anybody else near.

When Clark got home, Lex was waiting.

"What was that all about?" Lex asked, amused. He knew how the school gossip ran.

"Whitney totally told Lana off!" Clark eagerly filled Lex in on what had happened.

Afterwards, Lex looked more pensive than amused. "Well, that'll teach me."

"Huh?" Clark rather thought the teaching side was all on Whitney and Lana's end.

Lex sighed. "This whole time, I've believed completely in Lana's side of the story, mostly because she believed completely in it. But this whole time, there was another side, Whitney's side. I'd never thought about his side. Lana's side made sense, and that's what it was. But she and I... Whitney's right. I even said it myself – dressage is a rich person's sport. I was mostly talking about the horses themselves... but there's all the travel and the time involved as well. A rich person's blind spot... never even thought of that, and I bet she hadn't either.

"It's lesson for you, and that reporter-in-training friend of yours too," Lex added after a moment of thought. He knew about Chloe as she'd tried to corner Lex more than once during his time in Smallville, also from Clark's tales. "As credible and truthful as a source might be... theirs may not be the only version out there."

Clark nodded, struck by the truth of it. They'd all believed Lana... but nobody had known Whitney's side because Whitney hadn't said anything. If Chloe had been writing a story, it would have been all about possessive older boyfriends who were too caught up in themselves to see their younger, ornamental girlfriends. Now, though... now, the story she would write would be about rich people's assumptions and poor people's pride. Not that Whitney was poor – the store he and his folks owned made pretty good money. But not on the scale of two week trips to California, obviously. Clark would remember this lesson, because it was true. Even when he fought the crazy mutants, with the help of the saner mutants, there were always different points of view.

With a sideways glance, Lex turned his talk to them. "This also means my time here is now limited."

"Huh?" Clark asked intelligently.

"Lana was my apparent reason for sticking around," Lex explained patiently. "If she and Whitney are going to get back together... or at least if they're no longer fighting, Dad's going to start wondering what I'm still doing here."

"How's he going to know?"

"He'll know," Lex said glumly. "He always knows."

"You can't go," Clark said numbly.

"Well, not this instant, at least." Lex took a step closer to Clark, almost in his shadow. "But I was always on borrowed time. You knew that. We knew that."

Knowing it and believing it were two different things. Clark had managed to completely put it out of his mind until now.

"What... what will you do?" Clark couldn't even think of Lex doing anything but this, being here with him, in the loft, at their home, where he fit in so completely naturally with them.

Lex stayed silent for long enough that Clark thought he wasn't going to answer. When it did, it was a non sequitur. "Let's go riding."

They went down to the stalls and got Sky Rider and Monk, their typical rides for jaunts about the farm. Lex wasn't in a talking mood, and Clark didn't press him. They just rode easily over the pastures, dodging the stray cow here and there, until they got to the water tower.

Reining in, Lex looked up at it. "Wanna go up top?" He flashed a quick grin at Clark.

Clark smiled back with resignation. Both he and Lex were afraid of heights – the difference between them was that Lex liked to push his limits on it, and Clark would have been happier just staying on the ground. But if Lex was going, Clark wasn't going to stay behind. At least not for this. It apparently would happen soon enough, that Clark couldn't follow.

The horses were no problem. Neither of them would stray, so they simply slipped off the halters so they could gaze, and then let them be. Sky eyed the tower and shook his mane, but didn't make any further comment on where Lex planned to go.

Up top, they unfolded the tarp they routinely left up there, then lay down to squint up at the clouds.

"Lizard."

"Hat."

"Dolphin."

"Lamp."

They traded shapes among the clouds, altering them as often as the wind reshaped them, stretching their imaginations and worlds. Eventually, they stopped and just enjoyed the quiet for some time.

"Have you ever heard whale songs?" Lex asked.

Clark blinked, turning his head to look at Lex. Lex was still staring up at the clouds. "Well, in recordings and such. Nature shows. Not in person."

Lex nodded. "Even in a recording, the sound is visceral, evocative, calling out to us for something. In person..." There was a pause. "I've been to Hawaii when the sperm whales are calving, when there are pods of them in the shallow waters, protected yet deep enough for them. When you're under the water with their song... it's a whole body experience, not just your ears. You stay down as long as you possibly can just to absorb the song."

"What are they saying?" Clark asked curiously.

Lex smiled at the clouds. "Nothing so mysterious. It's everything and anything. Singing is what they do, and they sing about everything. They sing directions to the pod, to their new calves, they sing their hellos, the bulls sing their defiance to each other and their protection to the females, they sing histories, they sing about the fish, they sing about the water. The meaning isn't what makes it so remarkable to us humans, it's simply the sound of their songs."

Lex turned his head to look at Clark. "You sound a lot like that, only different."

Clark blinked. "Huh?"

"You know how I wasn't all that surprised when you told me you weren't human? Well, it's because I've been hearing your song since the first time we met, when you handed Lana her books."

Clark paused a little to reflect on that. "I can't hold a tune worth anything," he joked a little weakly.

Lex smiled in acknowledgement of the joke. "It's the sound of your song, not the tune, that is so beautiful. And you so completely unaware of it too."

Clark blushed a bit. He wasn't used to being called beautiful, even if it was his supposed song that was. "Is that..." he hesitated, then went through with it, "is that why you like me? Because of the song?"

With a snort, Lex sat up, sitting cross-legged and looking down at Clark. "Of course not, silly. I like you for you." The grin he gave Clark was one of the ones that tended to turn Clark's mood to join it, a warmth that spread the more Clark basked in it. He leaned down and tweeked Clark's nose, still grinning.

Then Lex sobered and looked away, gazing over the landscape and beyond. "It was the first thing that caught my attention, and it made me look twice at you, and think about you more. As with anything about a person, there's always something first. For a lot of people, that's looks – the beautiful people get noticed first, unless they're actually doing something to hide it, like wearing ill-fitting clothes or bad haircuts. Though spectacularly bad will also get noticed. It's the noticing, though, that starts something more.

"You... you got my attention through a few different ways, and it was your kindness that made me stay. Hanging out with you became worth more than learning from your Dad. I grew to enjoy your humor, your sense of honor, your intelligence, your kindness, your zest for learning, your love of life, your compassion, your smiles, your thoughtfulness... everything about you. It's you that I care about now, not the song.

"But it was the song that first introduced me to you, and I do like listening to it, so I hope you won't regret it."

There was a long pause. Lex finally turned to look back at Clark.

"Actually, you had me convinced at "Of course not,"," Clark said with a glint of amusement in his eyes.

Lex's mouth dropped open. "Then why did you let me go on and on like that?!"

"You were on a roll, and I like the sound of your voice – it's your song. Plus, flattery will get you everywhere." Clark laughed.

Mock-incensed, Lex dove down upon Clark and Clark brought his hands up to defend himself, still laughing. Together, they wrestled for a few minutes, being mindful of where they were and careful not to roll too close to the edge.

It ended when Lex abruptly rolled off of Clark with a gasp and then laid on his stomach still upon the water tank, looking out over the edge.

"You okay?" Clark sat up, worried that he'd somehow over-used his strength.

"Fine," Lex said in a strangled voice. There was a pause, then Lex spoke again more normally. "Fine. It's okay. I just... this might be the last time we do this. It hit me all at once, and I didn't want to let go." He didn't, though, move from his position.

From the upper heights to the lower depths, Clark's spirits plummeted as fast as they'd risen. "I don't want you to go either," he said softly, putting his hand on the back on Lex's neck. His hat had come off sometime during the wrestling, and was nowhere to be seen. Probably down on the ground somewhere.

Lex shuddered, a trembling that Clark could feel through his hand.

"You know," Clark said tentatively, "If you took that job at the factory, you could stay."

Lex rolled over and sat up. He fussed with his clothes a little, not looking at Clark, and finally taking his coat off and draping it over his lap. "It's too hot," he said carefully. Then he looked at Clark.

The intensity in those blue-grey eyes took Clark's breath away. The pupils were dark and wide, and there was a focus of attention that made Clark sit up even straighter. He swallowed, not knowing what to do.

"You don't even know how tempting that is," Lex softly spoke, his voice dark and low. Then he closed his eyes. "It's still a bad idea. Dad would be able to find you through me, if we stayed like we are now, and..." He hesitated and when he spoke again Clark rather thought he'd changed his intended words. "And I do think I'd lose my soul if I worked for my dad. The factory, the main company... anywhere. My dad won't stop until he makes me into him, and I don't want that. I wouldn't be able to be me, to be somebody the animals like, not if he does that."

It was Lex's truth, and Lex believed it, and in this case, Clark was willing to leave it at that. There might be another side to the story, Lex's dad's side... but it wasn't one he wanted to explore, and it would probably hurt Lex even more to try.

He would have to give Lex up.

It hurt. Clark didn't think anything could possibly hurt any worse. It was almost physical, which was ironic since physical things couldn't hurt him anymore. Except for the meteor rocks. That did feel pretty similar. Only with meteor rocks, he wanted to get away, and with Lex, he wanted to be nearer.

But this wasn't about him. "So what are you going to do?" Clark asked again.

Lex sighed and then moved over so they were sitting next to each other, shoulder to shoulder, looking out across the fields.

Later, after they were back and at the dinner table, Clark's parents repeated the question over the home-made macaroni and cheese, with the steaks already on the plates.

This time, Lex finally answered. "I'm going to move to Europe and train as a veterinarian. I have people I know out there from the horse competitions, and their families can't be intimidated or ruined by my father. Europe will be far enough away that if he does try something, it'll be hideously expensive for him, and he won't be in his element. I'm hoping he'll just give up and let me be. I really want to go to vet school, though, and learn everything."

He looked at Jonathan, "You've taught me so much... so very much. And it's just been a short time, and there's so much more to learn. Everything that we have to wait for a vet for... if I become a vet, I could do those things myself. I could help them – all of them. Not just the ones that can afford it."

Clark knew that Lex was talking about the wild animals that came to him, not the people and their pets. He didn't actually know if his parents knew or not. He hadn't said anything, but Lex did spend a lot of time with his dad. His dad, though, was discrete enough to tactfully not notice anything odd that Lex did, and he wouldn't say anything without Lex saying something. A family used to keeping secrets.

They finished up dinner with conversations about Europe and veterinarians, not again directly referring to Lex's upcoming leaving, but with a focus that meant they were all aware of it.

It was only a few days after that when Nell's dog, Gladiola, came running into the barn and stood at the bottom of the stairs barking up at Clark.

Clark came down, his heart already heavy. There was a note tied around Gladiola's collar. Just a single piece of paper, the writing scrawled and tearing through the paper in some spots.

Sorry, it's come to a head faster than I thought. Can't stay, must go. Don't want to. Have to. Don't want to leave you. Take care. Take care of yourself and family and friends. Stay true. Let your song be clear and bright. Bye.

As final notes went, it wasn't much. But it was something, and it was Lex's. Clark carefully smoothed it out. He read it again. Then he put it in a little box where he had other small mementos of Lex and he put it away. He wouldn't forget Lex, and they would meet again someday. He knew they would.

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END