Chapter Text
It was the first real party Clark had been to. By real party, one that involved alcohol in large quantities, a lot of dancing bodies in nearly bare clothes, and almost everyone was under the legal drinking age. How they even got the booze was questionable, as well as the contents of the red solo cup Clark was handed when she walked in. The cup which she hadn’t even taken a sip from.
She couldn’t get drunk anyways, she reasoned. The smell alone was enough to put her off trying it anyway. But, holding it allowed her to blend in with the other teens at the party, and prevented someone from trying to give her something else.
So, she held it protectively near her chest, and watched everyone dance. She didn’t have an urge to join the dancing girls on the table, which wobbled under their weight, nor did she want to try the chugging contest going on just outside the back French doors. She wished she had the forethought to invite Chloe, who had complained endlessly about how parties like this were a waste of time unless something weird showed up. Lois was off on vacation with her father and probably wouldn’t sulk in a corner like Clark was doing anyways.
She was confident.
Clark unthinkingly put the solo cup to her lips and nearly gagged as the liquid touched her tongue. It took a lot of self-control not to wipe her tongue off on her sleeve. She needed water, or just something else to wash away the taste.
Clark pushed away from her safe corner in search of bottled water. Even a glass with tap water would do. Anything to stop the feeling of alcohol vapors from invading her mouth. She awkwardly ducked around a few couples who were grinding against each other, keeping her eyes from seeing anything below the waist as she went.
Clark wasn’t a prude , but some things a seventeen-year-old girl raised on family values on a farm, just wasn’t ready to see. Even if she did have that wild summer high on Red Kryptonite lingering in memories, she wishes she could forget.
The kitchen had one guy puking in the corner as his friends laughed, and one girl rubbed his shoulder in sympathy. Clark's nose wrinkled at the scent, and she moved towards the cabinets. She opened the first one, only to have a hand slap it shut.
“Didn’t anyone tell you not to go snooping in the host’s house?” asked the guy who rudely invaded Clark's space.
Clark didn’t recognize him. In a small town like Smallville, it was easy to at least know everyone’s face, if not their name. The party drew in some of the Metropolis crowd and Clark wasn’t completely shocked to see someone she had no clue who they were.
“Sorry,” Clark answered, backing down. There were a few more guys joining, two of which were paying attention to their interaction.
The rude guy stepped closer, his beer breath not the most pleasant, and his arm still extended to box in Clark against the counter. He was broad shouldered, most likely on a sport’s team, and had enough rough patches to suggest he could grow a full beard if he wanted to. He was most likely one of the older guys in the party.
He could probably legally drink.
“I haven’t seen you at the last party,” he started, his eyes roaming over Clark, making her shift uncomfortably.
“These aren’t my things, really,” Clark answered, shrugging her shoulders. “Which reminds me, I need to get going. School night.”
Clark tried to duck his arm, only to have him grip her shoulder. Clark felt the drop in her stomach as she eyed the guy. She had the strength to launch him through the back wall if she wanted, however, there were too many people. His laugh had drawn eyes. She couldn’t play it off as him stumbling.
His smirk wasn’t pleasant as he stepped closer. Clark turned her head in disgust.
“School night?” He mocked. “I thought you were a little young. Probably still a virgin too, aren’t you?”
“That’s none of your business,” Clark said, feeling her face burning with embarrassment. She used just enough strength to knock his hand from her shoulder and moved towards the entry.
This whole party was a mistake. Just another adventure in Clark not being able to enjoy or do normal things like teens her age. She hadn’t worn makeup like all the other girls Clark had seen at the party either or dressed for a dance party. She was in her regular flannel shirt, jeans, and her short hair wasn’t combed from the trip over.
She fit in better with the farmer’s market than a party.
Clark jerked when her wrist was grabbed. A lifetime of being told to be gentle, to not show her power, stopped her from moving anymore. The restraint required took effort and usually caused her to pause while she worked out how to interact correctly. This time was no different.
“I wasn’t finished,” the rude guy said, his fingers tight in his hold. His slightly red eyes, and breath told Clark he was drunk. It was, along with the witnesses, probably the only reason she hadn’t hit him yet.
“I was,” Clark responded with a hiss. “Let go.”
The rude guy laughed, his friends joining in. He then tugged Clark, who stumbled only by forced reflexes, and pinned her against his chest. Clark recoiled from the guy who made a terrible attempt at trying to kiss her. His lips touched her cheek, and it took all of Clark’s control not to launch him. She felt a hand go to her ass, and squeeze.
Due to her powers, Clark never contemplated someone sexually assaulting her. It was an odd, unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach at the realization that there was almost nothing she could do about it. Not without drawing attention. Not without putting her family at risk. She was barely aware of her own foot stomping on his toes.
Low attack. Hard to see. Don’t use too much force. Make it look like a normal girl could do it.
The hands released her as the guy cursed. Clark made a dash for the door.
Stay slow. Don’t go too fast.
Their drama had attracted attention though. This guy had friends. Lots of them. Two guys blocked the front door, and she would have to turn around to get to the back. There was no other option. Clark darted up the stairs, pushing past the couple making out, and the two girls walked down it with beer cans in their hands.
Clark’s mind was running on instinct. Her ears picked up the sounds of pursuit. The guy was promising to hurt Clark for that. It made something in her chest tighten.
She looked around upstairs for an instant. Her X-Ray vision came in handy as she spotted the bedroom near the back wall didn’t have anyone in it. She got to it, shut the door, and used her speed to barricade it. Two dressers, the bed itself, nightstand, and office desk pushed against the door. Just in time as the second she stopped the door rattled from someone trying to break it open.
Clark waited for a few seconds, staring at the door. It held against the assault on it even as the wood groaned at the abuse. Clark went to the window. While she hated heights there was no doubt in her mind she could jump if it got her away from the group.
She looked down and saw dozens of people on the yard, some chattering, some watching the window with interest as shouts from the guys could be heard. She had to make it believable that she could make it out without injury.
How did people do that in movies? Would it work?
Some idiot was chanting at her to jump. Now there was too much attention drawn. She shut the window and turned back towards the door. Both her exits were blocked. She had no where she could run to.
Panic swelled in as the adrenaline wore off. She blindly searched the room for rope, tore the sheets from the bed in hopes of making something believable she could use to climb down. Anything that allowed her to just leave. To get away.
Her eyes went to the window.
Maybe she could super speed out? That would leave her with the problem of how she got out without anyone seeing her.
The pounding at the door became worse.
Before she knew what she was doing, she took the phone that had fallen from the office desk, and started dialing.
Lex Luthor didn’t always achieve getting to bed at a reasonable time. His life demanded he work odd hours, usually longer than the standard eight as well. His days tended to bleed together, and it was a miracle if he went to bed before ten. Falling asleep without the aid of alcohol was a blessing he never overlooked. This night happened to merge the two of those seemingly impossible things together.
He had the right to be annoyed when his phone woke him up at eleven thirty. He even thought to not answer but doing so in the past cost him gravely when it was his father on the other end. His current contracts being what they were and attempting to stay off the radar made him reach for the phone before he had time to curse too loudly.
“Lex here,” he answered, his eyes shutting already.
His annoyance grew when the person didn’t respond right away. His tired brain barely picks up other sounds besides what he is supposed to hear when answering a phone. Namely, whoever had called, stating what they wanted.
Lex pulled his phone away to see the number, one eye still shut against the sudden brightness. He didn’t have it listed on his contacts. He thought about hanging up when he heard the caller finally respond.
“Lex?”
A single word, and yet, powerful enough to send a bolt of anger through him. He would know her voice anywhere. Clark Kent, the girl who lied. Her precious secret caused a rift between them when Lex tried to keep their friendship together. She turned her back on him after making accusation after accusation. Her very voice brought up all the memories of him struggling to meet her expectations. To see him as worthy.
What a fucking joke.
“And what can I do for the great Clark Kent?” Lex asked, his grip tightened on his cell phone. “Need another car to destroy or are you calling to blame some cat stuck in a tree on me?”
He waited for whatever it was, ready to fire back at the demand she would make. He would hurt her. After over a year of walking out on their friendship, if he could even call it that, she had the gall to call him in the middle of the night.
“ Lex ,” came her voice, shaky. Her voice never shook. There was a sharp intake of breath, stuttering, as though holding back a sob. “Help.”
A cold calm washed over Lex putting out the fires of rage. Everything seemed to slow down as he listened to the sounds in the background with intent. Something was being hit. Wood scraping. Clark gasped.
“Where are you?” Lex demanded his voice as steady as it was in boardrooms. Clark started crying. He could practically feel her fear over the phone. But this wasn’t the time for that. He needed her to cooperate. “Clark. Shut up.”
The shocked gasp, a reminder to be outraged. Good. She needed it.
“Now tell me,” Lex pushed as he stood, already reaching for his clothes. “Where. Are. YOU.”
He could hear her breathing to calm herself. He took in the address as he slipped on a shirt and tugged on jeans. He slipped on shoes, not bothering with socks, grabbed keys to the fastest car he owned, and held the phone to his ear.
“I’m coming to get you,” Lex said, everything in his system thrumming. “Stay on the phone as long as you can. Talk to me.”
Lex could barely understand her as she stammered through explaining how she ended up at the party in the first place. Trying to fit in. Trying to be a normal teen. Lex was focused on getting there, he didn’t press for reasons why she felt she wasn’t normal. He only responded with assurances, letting her know where he was, and he was listening. He didn’t bother looking down at his speed, knowing he was breaking every speed limit in the state of Kansas already. Not to mention the stop signs he blew through.
They were both lucky the party was only down the straight road from the castle. The person who owned the house was less lucky when Lex drove up onto the lawn, making a few party goers scatter at the sudden car plowing near them. Lex didn’t bother turning off his lights, just ripped the key from the ignition, and practically launched himself out of the car to stalk into the house. Several people attempted to talk to him, to yell about the car, but he paid them no mind.
“I’m here,” Lex said, his eyes scanning for a scared girl near a phone. “First or second floor?”
“Second.”
Lex took the stairs two at a time, his eyes narrowing at the group of guys loitering around the door at the end of the hall. Two of them were taking turns trying to pry the door open. Another one was making rude, drunken comments, mocking the person inside.
“Clark,” Lex began, and he was almost proud how calm his voice sounded. “You wouldn’t happen to be hiding in a room because a group of guys are trying to assault you, would you?”
Her responding sob made her answer clear.
“Please hold,” Lex said, putting his phone in his pocket, letting the call continue. The guys had just noticed him as he approached. They all stopped, as they probably didn’t expect Lex Luthor to stroll into the hall. “You gentlemen want to explain to me why you’re trying to break down a door?”
“We need to get the girl inside,” one answered. “She locked herself in, the crazy bitch.”
“She attacked our friend here,” Another said, pointing to the guy who had been making the comments earlier.
Lex looked the guy over. There was no way Clark attacked him. She may not have told him her secret, but he knew enough. If she wanted to harm any of them, or did, they wouldn’t be drunken idiots attempting to break down a door. They’d be in the hospital, or dead.
“I’ll take it from here,” Lex said, already taking in their faces. He was going to have them all ruined. Their families were destroyed. The world didn’t need this brand of stupid in it, and Clark was most likely not the first girl they had done this to. No group was this determined on their first try.
“Like hell,” one of them responded, his cheeks red with anger, and alcohol. “We’re going to drag her out for what she did.”
“Why are you protecting her, Luthor?” asked the one supposedly attacked by Clark. “Can’t you buy any whore you want? What makes her so special?”
Lex knew his father would do one of his regular disappointing visits for this, but Lex couldn’t find it in himself to care. Without another word, Lex broke the guy’s jaw with a haymaker swing, and for good measure, grabbed the back of his skull, and smashed his head into the wall. The drywall dented from the impact, and the guy fell to the hall, knocked out.
The three left stared at Lex. One of them attempted to defend his fallen friend, but Lex ducked the wild swing easily as he was not intoxicated and delivered his own punches.
Despite the ache already starting in his knuckles from choosing his hits to be at the face, Lex felt a deep satisfaction at watching them fall, one by one. He was pretty sure one of them landed a hit, but Lex barely registered it. His focus was on getting to the door. Whatever got in the way of him was removed with ruthless efficiency.
Lex stepped over the guy trying to crawl away and pulled the phone from his pocket.
“Sorry it took so long,” Lex said, resting his forehead on the door. “Are you still with me?”
“Are you alright?” she demanded.
“Fine,” he responded. “I’m at the door. I take it you barricaded it. Good plan, but now I’m here. I need you to remove enough of that so I can get in.”
Lex could hear items being moved faster than they should be. He didn’t comment on it, just waited for the door to open. When he could see her. Could hold her and make sure she was alright.
The door flung open suddenly and Lex found his arms full of Clark. Lex was stunned for a moment before his arms wrapped around her shivering form. The tightness in his chest, which began when Clark said his name on the call, eased as he rocked her gently.
He missed this. His chest ached with it, as his nose caught the scent of her hair as he buried his face into her. Her arms wrapped just a touch too tight around him, and the natural warmth she gave off. There was a comfort to her that he, despite trying and paying a lot of women, could never quite find. As though this belonged solely to Clark Kent.
Lex observed the party goers lingering at the stairs, watching them. The fight had drawn a crowd and their display of affection wasn't helping. Lex reluctantly pushed Clark back.
“Let's go,” Lex said, one arm still wrapped around Clark's waist.
He didn't wait for her to respond. He pushed through the crowds, ignoring the questions, and comments directed at them. He was aware of Clark stiffening at the rude remarks and her face tilted down in a poor attempt of hiding.
As though Clark could ever hide.
He opened the car door for Clark and helped her buckle up when he noticed her hands shaking. He wanted to stay there, let her know everything was alright, but he knew better than to linger. It would only encourage people to harass them and Lex was sure Clark just wanted to get out of there quickly.
With her safe in the passenger's seat, he got into the driver's side, and gladly took them away from the house party.
It took a lot in him not to keep asking Clark questions on why she was in that situation. She spoke the whole way as he drove to the party, but Lex was only paying enough attention to keep her going. She may have answered, more than she usually did anyway, during that conversation. Dragging it all up would cause problems as well.
Instead, Lex focused on what he could safely ask.
“Do your parents know you were at that party?” he asked.
“No,” she answered, and hugged herself tighter. “They thought I would get in trouble if I went… so I snuck out.”
“At least I know you lie to them too,” Lex said before he could stop himself. He didn’t need to look over to see the hurt. He almost took it back, but pride stopped him.
They weren’t friends anymore. He didn’t owe her anything. He didn’t have to drive all the way out here in the middle of the night to save her from making a stupid decision. From lying to her parents. It was her own fault anyways, since she had pushed all her friends away.
Lex worked himself up in justifying his anger, his words, when she spoke again.
“You’re right,” Clark said quietly. Her forehead was pressed against the car window. “I lie a lot.”
“You didn’t have to lie to me,” Lex replied, the hurt striking him through his chest as though the wound were still fresh.
“I know,” she hid her face, and it took strength for Lex not to pull the car over, to demand she face him. “I’m just… scared… all the time.”
“Of what?”
“Everything.”
Lex almost said he would protect her. That she didn’t have to be scared anymore. He was there and there wasn’t anything a Luthor couldn’t do when they put their mind to it. He proved himself over and over that he was capable. That he was worthy as her protector, so why didn’t she trust him to do it?
Because they weren’t friends anymore. He didn’t have the right to ask for her faith. Not when he had cut the ties the moment Clark discovered the hidden room, the one filled with everything associated with Clark. The obsession that had consumed Lex for years, was laid bare, and Clark did the logical thing. She stormed out and it broke the dark abyss Lex was spiraling down. Their break was for a good cause, and it was needed.
But that didn’t mean it hurt any less.
Instead, they stayed quiet on the ride to the farm. Lex pulled up to the end of the lane to prevent his car from being heard. They looked at each other, Clark staring somewhere at his chest, and Lex wishing they could at least meet eyes.
Without any words, Clark got out and Lex drove off. He refused to investigate the rear view mirror on his way out. A small grace since he would have seen her standing at the end of the driveway, watching him as his car disappeared into the night.
It was a long week for Clark after the night of the party. She had gotten into her room without either of her parents waking up. The issue was, she forgot to replace her shoes, since she was distracted, and ended up with muddy prints all the way to her room.
She woke up that morning, temporarily forgetting what had happened, and when she made it downstairs to see her mother holding up a shoe covered in the mud, she started crying. It was a shock to her system. To suddenly be reminded that something bad almost happened.
Clark kept trying to get a hold of herself, arguing in her mind that nothing had happened. Not really. And she had other bad experiences of people trying to murder her. This shouldn’t be a big deal. But the tears kept coming anyway.
Her mother started hugging her, which only made it worse, while her dad looked torn between wanting to comfort her or grab his gun to take care of whatever upset her. They spent time around the kitchen table while her mother’s cooking went cold, as Clark gave a brief summary of the night before. She even winced at the mention of Lex but failed to mention their conversation in the car.
There wasn’t a need to bring up things she couldn’t change. Especially with her dad’s dislike of any Luthor.
After it was said and done, her parents still grounded her for lying to them in the first place. It was only for the day, but Clark was glad for it as she didn’t feel up to talking with anyone in town. She didn’t need that conversation to happen.
She also didn’t go out the next day. Or the next.
By the time four days rolled around of Clark either doing chores, or staying up in her loft, her mother started trying to get her to run errands to the store in town. Clark just asked for more time to deal with what happened, and her mother didn’t push.
Well, until the next day. When her mother brought Chloe over. Which only made Clark want to hide more. Chloe wouldn’t have been at the party to begin with and told Clark it was a bad idea. She didn’t want to hear it from her best friend.
So, Clark started avoiding her parents as well. Which wasn’t hard since she had super hearing.
She also stared at the road a lot. Whenever she paused for longer than a few seconds, her head would naturally turn towards the place she saw Lex drive off. And she was doing something she hadn’t done in a long time. She listened to Lex’s heart.
When she was first discovered she had super hearing, her mother told her to find something she could focus on. She started by listening to her mother’s heart. It was slow, steady, and even. There was a lot of comfort in that. But as soon as she was around Lex, her ears naturally turned to his heartbeat. His rhythm was distinct and would always beat a little faster with her around.
That became a slight obsession for her. To listen in and try to guess what he was doing. Steady was boardroom, fast was exercise, a forced slow was speaking to his father. It didn’t occur to her until months later that it could be a massive evasion of Lex’s privacy.
She stopped. Or tried to. But there would be moments… when she was stressed, or worried she was about to die, and she would hear him.
Maybe that was why she called? It never occurred to her that even when they stopped being friends that somewhere in her mind, she used Lex as a security blanket. He was her hero. He saved her more than a few times and would drop everything to help.
And she lied to him. All the time.
Because the truth was harder.
Clark heard her mother getting close to her hiding spot, and quickly moved to the next. If she had it her way, she may never have to face another person. Not after the party. Not after running to Lex again.
Not after confessing she lied to him and that she’s scared.
Lex had trouble sleeping. There were times he would start to drift off and Clark’s forlorn expression would appear in his mind. He hated her for jumping back into his life so quickly, but he hated himself more for letting her.
He could have ignored that call. Or just called the police. It would have solved the problem and it would have gotten Clark in trouble. It was a perfect winning situation for Lex, but he chose to come to her aid in person. Like a complete sap.
The visit from his father was a proper lashing that he needed. It wasn’t any worse than the things Lex had been saying to himself for the past few days. But it was almost reassuring that his father saw the situation for what it was. Lex being weak when it came to the Kent girl.
Blissfully though, his father did return to the city the very next day after his visit, and he did follow up to see about the men who decided to try to assault a girl. There wasn’t much Lex and Lionel had in common, but those who could threaten the Luthor name would be taken care of. And with his father doing the dirty work for him, Lex could concentrate on more pressing matters.
Like why he would look up at his office door as though waiting for Clark to burst through it. As though it were two years ago, and Clark would come running with her problems to him. For Lex to fix it for her, and she would praise him. Tell him he was smart and look at him with those big blue eyes. As though she were just waiting to repay him if he only asked.
This wasn’t the first time Lex came to realize his thoughts lingered in a less than savory way towards his younger friend. His friend who would land him in jail if he touched her in the way the darker parts of his mind wanted him to.
If Lex hadn’t spent years of his youth making all sorts of mistakes, he might have hinted at Clark his desires. But she was too precious for him. She was bright, kind, and inspired him to be a better person. That if only he believed the version she saw in him hard enough, he could become that person. He even convinced himself for a time that he was. That he was more than what his father tried to create.
But Lex was a Luthor.
Lex tipped back his glass, hoping the alcohol would finally give him some rest. He had spent the whole week just getting by. As though he had to purge Clark from his system before he could reset his equilibrium. He was close to the end of his withdrawal period. He would start by not checking the door every few minutes or at every sound. Then he could sleep.
His phone rang, and his heart nearly skipped a beat when he saw it was the Kent’s residence. He steeled himself to hear Clark’s voice, to be able to tell her to fuck off. That he was done helping her, that last week was a fluke. There was nothing that could drag him back into her life. He was done.
“Clark if you’re calling to-“
“Lex, it’s Martha.”
Lex’s mouth shut as his brain stuttered for a moment to retract his firm statement. He may be angry at Clark, but Martha Kent earned his respect.
“Martha, it’s a pleasure,” Lex said as he recovered. Barely a second passed.
“I know this isn’t something I should ask you for, since you and Clark had the fallout,” Martha continued, her voice as nervous as Lex felt. “But I need your help with Clark.”
“What happened?” Lex demanded, his former thoughts flying out the window. “Is she alright?”
“I don’t know,” Martha confessed. “Ever since the night she came from the party she’s been upset. She won’t let Jonathan or me near her. She refused to talk to Chloe, and she won’t leave the farm. I know you two had your differences,” Lex thought that was one way of putting it. “But when she was in trouble, she came to you for help. I’m hoping she’ll do it again if you’re willing to try.”
“I’m not a licensed therapist,” Lex began even as his mind raced over what car he could use to get there as fast as possible. As though there was only one outcome to this conversation. That he would drop everything to help Clark.
“I know,” Martha answered. “But she will talk to you.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“I know my daughter Lex,” Martha said with conviction.
Lex was already halfway out of the room and down the stairs while him and Martha worked out logistics. Lex was nothing if not an information gatherer. This time he was going to be prepared to deal with the fallout. He was going to keep this interaction clinical and get Clark to come out long enough for her parents to talk some sense into her.
Then Lex would be owed a favor from the Kent family, and he would move on.
He had to.
Clark was in the middle of the corn stalks when she realized Lex’s heartbeat was louder because he was getting closer to the farm. He hadn’t taken any trips into town or left the mansion since Clark had started listening again. She wondered where he was going, and if he was heading into the city.
When he stopped at the farm Clark started to panic.
Why was Lex here? There wasn’t any reason for him to come back to the farm. She hadn’t told him she told her parents what happened. Unless he was there to tell about the party? Or, maybe he wanted to check up on her?
Why would Lex want to check up on his lying ex-friend?
Clark had to force herself to breathe slower as it was making the blood in her body too loud to hear anything. She listened to her mother greeting Lex out front of the house, and Lex asking where Clark was. When her mother said she didn’t know, Lex asked if he could wait in the loft for Clark’s return.
Clark listened as Lex walked up the steps, he hadn’t been up in nearly a year. He seemed so calm. His heartbeat was steady even as he wandered the barn, most likely looking at her gathered items since the last time they met. A few new pictures added, a new pillow for the hammock since Lois accidentally ripped a hole in the old one. It was her space and Lex stood in it again.
Before she realized what she was doing Clark found herself at the foot of the stairs. Her mother was inside the house, far enough away that she shouldn’t bother them. And her dad was in town at the market. That left her alone with Lex.
She took a step away, ready to run, when Lex seemed to sense her. He turned and their eyes met.
There wasn’t a smile to greet her, but the sudden jump in Lex’s heartbeat did. Just like when they were friends. When everything seemed simpler and somehow more complicated at once.
“I heard you pulled a disappearing act,” Lex said, his hands tucked away in his pockets. He was wearing his business suit, and face.
It always made Clark feel young when he did that.
“Didn’t feel like talking,” Clark answered.
“That’s one way to go about it.”
“Well, it’s better than lying anyways,” Clark snarked, and felt regret immediately. She didn’t want to touch on that subject. Not now. Probably not ever.
“Maybe,” Lex offered. He walked towards the stairs, looking down at her from the perch. “Why do you feel the need to lie to your parents, Clark? I thought you were usually honest with them.”
“I am!” Clark defended. “That doesn’t mean I want to tell them everything all the time.”
Lex took a step down.
“Not everything?” Lex inquired. “What could you possibly be hiding from them? That you didn’t fold your clothes first thing in the morning?”
Clark took a step up to match.
“Personal stuff,” Clark said, frowning up at Lex. “I’m sure there’s a lot you don’t share with your dad.”
“Low blow,” Lex responded, taking another step. “I thought Kents were above hits below the belt.”
“And I thought Luthors would know all about keeping things from each other,” Clark stepped up and soon they were only a step apart. Lex was looming over Clark but that wasn’t going to stop her from glaring at him for trying to butt into her business.
“Why are you hiding Clark?” Lex asked, ignoring her jabs.
“Why are you here Lex?” She countered.
“Do you want me to leave?”
Clark opened her mouth, but the words wouldn’t leave her. She didn’t want Lex to leave. She wanted Lex to stay, and to hold her like he did the night at the party. When she could finally stop her panic and start thinking again. Let him take over for her.
Lex’s eyes were practically boring holes into her skull as he waited. She was the first to break eye contact, and she felt that loss. Though Lex wasn’t done surprising her it seemed, as his hand gently came up under chin and lifted it.
“Let’s talk, Clark.”
“Alright.”
Clark felt the warmth of his hand fall from her face as he led her into the loft. As though no time had passed since they last had a long conversation in here, they sat side by side as Clark started retelling the night in her own words to Lex. How the stress was building, her worry of seeing anyone from the party, and how Chloe would make fun of her for going in the first place. That her parents didn’t understand her need to feel like a normal teenager.
“The worst is my dad,” Clark admitted. “He sees me as both this amazing hero who could do anything, infallible, but also as a small child that needs to be told how to do anything. I love him, and I know he means well… his advice is usually right but…”
“But sometimes you want to make your own mistakes,” Lex said with a nod. “Learn your own limitations.”
“Be trusted to know what is right for me,” Clark stressed. “He’s so worried all the time because of me. I feel like I owe him to just go along with what he wants.”
“And then his fears become your fears.”
“Exactly!” Clark threw her hands up. “It’s every time I tell him something new has happened, and then I have to listen to a twenty-minute lecture on the subject.”
“I can’t imagine the talks around the dinner table about me.”
“Oh,” Clark said, feeling her ears burn. “Yeah… the whole worrying part… it really came up when you were around. I didn’t want you to feel like my dad hated you but…”
“He did,” Lex said with a shrug. “Everyone does.”
“I don’t.”
“You mean, you didn’t,” Lex corrected.
“No,” Clark said firmly. “I mean, I don’t . I don’t hate you Lex. How could I?” And with a smile, and flutter in her stomach she joked, “You were my first kiss.”
“Hmm,” Lex lifted a brow. “If you can even count that as one.”
“You were sort of dying at the time,” Clark said, trying hard not to let her feelings show, to keep her tone light even if her voice sounded a little forced even to her ears. “I’m sure you’re better than that when you’re conscious.”
“Such confidence,” Lex half turned towards her, his thigh resting against her’s. “They say you’ll always remember the first. Not sure if another one could measure up.”
“Well, if I ever… I mean when I do get my next kiss, I’ll let you know how it compares,” she responded, wincing at her mistake.
She went from not wanting to ever see Lex again, to calling him for help, to hiding from everyone, and now she was embarrassing herself in front of Lex. It was as though they were friends again, and all those feelings for Lex came roaring back with a vengeance. The comfort when speaking with him, the spicy smell of his cologne in the air, and his intense eyes focused on her as though she were the most interesting thing in the world. It was tripping her up and making the fluttering in her stomach worse with each second. Not to mention how hyper aware she was of every point of contact her body had with Lex. And how badly she wanted him back in her life.
God, she missed him.
“You know…” Lex said with a softer tone. Something that made Clark want to squirm. “I never asked to kiss you because I didn’t want to ruin our friendship.”
“We’re not friends,” Clark said as she had many times before when they crossed paths after their break. But this context was far different from the heated arguments, the accusations, and made Clark’s breath hitch when Lex’s eyes darkened.
“I guess there’s nothing to ruin then,” he said, then leaned forward. Clark could feel his breath fan over her lips. “May I kiss you Clark?”
“Yes.”
Clark’s eyes fluttered shut at the first contact of their lips. It was simple at first, sweet, and pleasant. A gentle pressure made each of their hearts speed up. Then Lex pulled back slightly to adjust. Clark barely had time to think when Lex was kissing her again, but this time his hand cupped her cheek, drawing her in. His tongue swiped her lips expertly, and she parted them to let him in. Then she could taste him. Lex, on her tongue as he tasted her. She was barely aware that his other hand rested on her hip, pulling her closer.
She felt as though Lex were drowning all over again, and she was the oxygen he needed. And she found herself wanting to give it to him. Wanting to give herself to Lex, to hold onto this feeling. How wonderful he felt against her, his hands soothing and raging the fire within her as the space between her legs heated up.
When they parted, their foreheads pressed together, and breathed in sync. Lex squeezed her hip, in an effort to calm her or urge her to action she couldn’t tell. It did make her want to lean in and kiss Lex again though. So maybe it was having the effect he wanted.
“I’m going to kiss you again,” Lex warned as he tucked a bit of her hair away from her face.
“Please.”
And he did. He did until they had to settle down unless they wanted to try to explain why Lex was wearing crumbled clothing, and Clark would never stop blushing while in the loft ever again. It was good they stopped when they did as Clark could hear her dad’s truck coming down the lane. She didn’t want to be spotted in such a state by either of her parents. But she didn’t want to stop.
She looked at Lex’s kiss swollen lips.
He was the one she wanted. The one she wanted to share herself with. The one she wanted by her side for the rest of her life. And as Lex had said, she needed to make her own mistakes. If this was one, she would gladly make it, if only to have Lex with her for a bit longer.
“Lex…” She asked, her eyes going to his. “Can you keep a secret?”