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Chapter Text

Lex Luthor disappeared. Well, he was very much alive, only there was no evidence of his existence. His driver's license, passport, social security number, and bank account were erased. He stared in disbelief at the "top secret" folder he'd found on his father's desk, casually sunbathing in the early summer light coming in through the many windows. You'd think he'd be used to his father's shenanigans by now, but it still hurt. Every. Time.

With the folder pressed to his chest, he approached the large glass wall, looking at the vast city at his feet. The streets were busy, full of hustle and bustle. Although the people down there looked no bigger than ants, Lex couldn't help but feel that any of the individuals was more important than him - a damn billionaire son.

A single tear slid down his pale cheek. He wiped it off with the palm of his hand.

Lex Luthor didn't exist. Lex Luthor was a free man who answered to no one but himself.

Now, a smile crept up on his face. He could build himself anew. Even before he lost his legal identity, there were questions he had about himself that seemed impossible to answer, but maybe that was only because he searched in the wrong places (drugs, unprotected sex, starvation, and street fights may not have been the right choices). To get satisfactory results in his attempt at self-discovery, he had to get as far away from his father's influence as possible. Also, some cover identity would come in handy... For that, he needed money and a car.

Before he left the office, his eyes spotted a metal cup filled with expensive ink pens. He took one of them and started scribbling on the front page of the folder. Even with the pen's cap between his teeth, he managed to grin like a Cheshire cat. Once he was satisfied with the result, he arranged the papers on the nearby keyboard, making sure Lionel wouldn't miss the message.

His next stop was the vault. Luthor's family finances were scattered all over America, in all sorts of vaults with varying levels of security, however, Lex knew the right code only to the one hidden behind false books in the study. Like any other proud father, Lionel chose his son's birthday for a password. Before you start with all the awes it needs to be pointed out that it wasn't Lex's birthday. The date marked the birth of his brother Julien who died earlier before he could disappoint his father, and even that was more of a mocking gesture rather than an act of love. Lionel liked to challenge his son like that all the time, so Lex would forever try to be his equal, never reaching the goal.

When he left the building with his bag packed full of cash money stacks, clothes, and belongings (some photos, comic books, a lead box and a miniature of a Trojan horse) it was right on time to dodge his father who just returned from a small business trip. From his hiding place behind the corner, he could hear him talk to a secretary who kindly reminded him of a meeting that required his presence. God bless her soul for buying Lex enough time to get as far as possible before his vanishing was noticed.

Getting his Porsche wasn't an easy task, because he couldn't use his card to open the garage or drive it through the main gate. Stealing someone else's card eventually solved the first problem and driving through a hedge solved the other one. All that was left was to watch how the city in his rear-view mirror became gradually smaller and smaller until he couldn't see it anymore.

He drove at a scandalous speed, as fast as the vehicle allowed him to, occasionally screaming just for the fun of it. It made him feel more alive. This far from the city, the roads were mostly empty, except for some old party-poopers who dared to honk at him as he flew around their cheap slow cars.

The wheels screeched as he hit the brakes suddenly at almost full speed because he noticed a girl of roughly the same age as he was, standing by her broken-down car. She was jumping and waving at him. Lex understood that she was a damsel in distress. He was already quite far away from home and thought that a small, good deed to start his new life with wouldn't hurt.

"Hey," he greeted her after climbing out of his Porsche. "Can I help you?"

The girl looked him up and down, assessing his posh custom designer clothes paired with a rather unfashionable beanie covering his head and uncomfortable dress shoes. Surely, this guy, couldn't know how to repair a car. "Hi. I don't know. Could you like, call your personal mechanic or something?"

Lex assessed her outfit in return. She wore a tight white dress with blue blossoms that complimented her slim figure perfectly, emphasizing her extended chest in a manner that wasn't too provocative. Her black high heels prolonged her legs of a white-tailed deer. He also noted that her face wasn't unattractive, but otherwise, he paid that aspect no mind. "I see." He fished out his phone and fake-dialed a number. "Hey, man. Listen, I got a job for you. Uhm. Yep. Perfect. Thank you." Then he tossed the phone on the front of his car along with his dress jacket. "Hello. I'm your mechanic," he smiled at her while rolling down the sleeves of his indigo shirt.

"You're kidding, right?" she asked unimpressed.

"I'm dead serious. What's the emergency?"

Although she was still distrustful, she hardly had any other choice than to explain what happened and let him try to fix it. There was no need to be worried though. Lex has always been interested in technology of all sorts. Due to his near isolation early in life, he dedicated his lonely free time to the construction of engines, small remote-controlled cars, and chatty robots, and once even accidentally put together a weapon. He grew up in a company of his machines, and that was enough, because they, unlike other kids or people in general, couldn't judge him. Lex liked them also because he was in control of them. It had some negative consequences on his socializing skills, but he believed that talking to people could be easily learned if practiced.

"If you don't mind me asking, where are you heading?" he asked conversationally with his hands roaming around under the hood.

"What's it to you, 'Lex'?" She's read the name from his Porsche's car plate. Who even writes their name on their car?

Amused, Lex took a step back to look at hers in return. "Perhaps I'm just trying to be nice to you, UNO 803." It was this stupid joke that finally caused her annoyed shell to crack. The girl realized how rude she'd been to the stranger who tried to help her, so she corrected him by saying what her name was. "Nice to meet you, Kristen. I would shake your hand, but you know-" He shook his greasy limbs in front of himself to demonstrate the issue.

Kristen dismissed it with a wave. "I'm on my way to Smallville."

"Why going to such a hellhole?" The last time he's been to Smallville was with his father. He remembered it vividly. They were paying a visit to the LuthorCorp 'crap factory.' The flight there was full of his father's rants about the dos and don'ts of the Luthors. Not like Lex actually listened to any of that as he focused hard on keeping his eyes closed and breakfast in, too scared of being so high up in the air. Golden days, he thought bitterly with a good amount of sarcasm.

"Believe me, I know how dull it is there," the girl sighed, resigned. "It's just that my parents want me to stay at the freakin' Kent Farm with my boring cousin and his family. I haven't seen them since I was eight years old! It's gonna be so awkward. I would rather spend my summer holiday somewhere more fun! Closer to the beach and sea!" She folded her arms on her chest.

Although Lex sympathized with her and her family problems, he couldn't help but think of something entirely unrelated, crazy, foolish, daring, and, well, everything atypical for a Luthor.

"Does that mean that they don't know what you look like?"

"Ummm," Kristen gaped at him as if he just fell from the sky. "Yeah, I guess."

Before her look could turn even more suspicious, he slowly started to explain what he was hinting at. "What would you say, if you could go anywhere you want, without your parents knowing it?" Kristen was in the middle of pointing out that uncle Jonathan would surely notify her mom and dad if she failed to show up when Lex interrupted her. "I don't think you understand me. You would arrive at the Kent Farm, and at the same time would be carelessly sunbathing on the beach." Do I have to spell it out for you? "I will go there, pretending to be you."

Confusion was written all over her face until it turned into realization followed by a burst of laughter. "Didn't take you for a sweet transvestite! Why the fuck would you do that?"

"You're not the only one whose parents' expectations differ monumentally from your wishes," he confessed while closing the hood shut. Kristen pulled out a pack of tissues and handed a few of them to Lex so he could clean his hands, but it was too late. The boy already wiped them into his expensive pants. "My father is a very influential person and admired businessman. I could easily ruin that reputation and thus represent a threat to him. This morning, I found something unnerving in his office. A beginning of a scheme on how to take away my, let's say, leverage. So, I ran away and now am looking for a safe haven, where I could live without fear of being exposed by my father until I produce the best way to strike back. I'm sure no one would look for me in disguise as a girl."

Lex could only speculate what the real plan was. So far, his favorites were: providing a new identity for his son - a drug dealer, thief, or some other scum - keeping him locked and watched in an abandoned family mansion or wiping him out of existence altogether. Whichever one it was, he didn't like it.

"Riiiight," Kristen chuckled. "I won't ever complain that my family is weird. Anyway, supposing I say yes, what would happen now?"

The billionaire son grinned. The curious spark that glittered in her eyes suggested that Lex was going to get what he wanted. He rounded his car, reaching for his bag, and pulling out several cherished items. "First of all, I will need you to lend me your car and all of your clothes. In turn-" He tossed the bag with the rest of his things to Kristen. She opened it, revealing the scandalous amount of cash with a gasp. Lex flashed her a nonchalant smile. "I'll leave you with this. The clothing there you can toss into the trash, burn it, sell it, I honestly don't care."

"Wow."

"Yeah, whatever." It's Lionel's money anyway, not mine. "Second of all, I need you to tell me everything about 'your stupid cousin and his parents.' Some childhood stories for me to memorize would help too. I need my cover to be unquestionable. That would be very much all." When you're in a middle of an identity crisis, it's surprisingly easy to suppress yourself and pretend to be someone else. Ironically, it should give him more room to express his true self as none of the Kents really know who the real Kristen is.

"I could do more than that," she smiled.

He thought the suggestion was ridiculous and shot her a challenging look. "Would you mind telling me how?"

"Do you, Mr. Smartass, know how to correctly apply make-up? Or nail polish? Oh, I could help you find a wig! I imagine your hair is too short to pass as girl's." Lex had to admit that she had a point - he knew nothing about that kind of thing and a little advice would be helpful - so he accepted the offer.

For many reasons, it was too dangerous for Kristen to use Lex's car on her journey, so they agreed to hide it together in the woods (having to part with the beloved Porsche was surprisingly saddening) and use her car instead to drive to Metropolis, do some shopping and the do-over. After that, they would part ways - Lex to Smallville, Kristen to the train station.

Kristen took her role of a "fashionista guru" rather seriously. Lex was grateful for his exceptional memory because otherwise there was no way he would remember all the advice she had to share with him. Although he let her choose the right color of his lipstick, eyeshadow pallet, and blush, there was one thing he insisted on choosing for himself, and that was the wig.

"The red one."

"Are you sure?"

He was absolutely sure. Right as they entered the wig store, he couldn't take his eyes off the long red hair with slight curls at the end put on display on a milky white mannequin. It reminded him of the hair he had lost to his alopecia. Trying the thing on nearly made him cry. Of course, he didn't let Kristen in during the process, so she wouldn't see his baldness, the source of everything bad that ever happened to him in his life. The girl was a good friend to him so far, and he didn't want her to hate him this soon.

Back in the privacy of Kristen's car, she began to instruct him how to use all the make-up products, how to paint his nails, and how to take proper care of his wig. She let him do it all by himself, only occasionally had to step in, and correct minor errors ("If you keep holding the eyeliner like that, you'll poke your eye out!", "It's called lipstick, stop putting it on your teeth."). Finally, he added the wig (Kristen rolled her eyes when he made her turn around for the moment. Little did he know that the girl could see him without the beanie. Having discovered how insecure Lex was despite the confidence his body emitted, made her smile sadly for herself.), and Lex was allowed to view himself in the car mirror.

"You were right. The red color is quite fitting. So, how do you like it, Lexie?"

"I-" This couldn't have been him. A stranger was staring back at him from the mirror. Don't get it wrong, he was fairly sure that the body he was born into was the right one. It was the fact that he felt more beautiful than ever before that stunned him to the point when he couldn't speak, so he had to nod that yes, he liked it a lot.

She laughed at that. "Damn! I don't know if I should let my poor cousin Clark see you looking like this! You're gonna make his calves burn!"

Lex jerked away from the mirror with a frown. "Yeah... Looking like this..."

It took only a fleeting moment for Kristen to guess what was going on inside the rich boy's head. "Hey," she smiled at him, hoping she could transfer some of her positivity to him. "What's with the sour face? If it helps, I honestly think that you don't need any of this-" She pointed at the make-up products neatly put into a box. "-to get any boy's attention."

"You meant any girl's attention." The comment made Kristen give him a knowing look. "Stop looking at me like that, this is not- I am not-"

"There's nothing wrong with it, you know? Besides, I have seen recent pictures of Clark, and I guarantee that you and Clark would look cute together. And I mean, you as the original you, not this 'Kristen' you." She nudged him. Immediately, Lex became less tense. He wasn't completely convinced, but it made him curious about her 'matchmaking' skills.

"I'm gonna get dressed in the backseat. Could you... tell me more about Clark, please?" Seeing her eyebrows rise and fall suggestively, he added: "About others too, of course." This time, Kristen knew better than to play a peeping Tom while he was dressing up.

Luckily, Lex has always been a bit too far on the skinny side, so he knew he should fit into most of Kristen's clothes as well as into those they bought in the women's section. He opted for a lavender dress, white jacket, and elegant white boots with a wide high heel. Due to his health condition, there was no hair on his chest or legs, which he could use to his advantage now. While he struggled to get everything on, he listened to Kristen. She described six-year-old Clark to be a friendly clumsy dork, deeming that not much could have changed over the 13 years they haven't seen each other. Funny stories were told as evidence of her cousin's inability to not drop things or trip and fall randomly. His parents - uncle Jonathan and aunt Martha Kent - sounded to be kind. Protective of their only son, too. He looked forward to meeting them all.

"Put more stuffing into the bra!"

"Quality over quantity," Lex lectured while adjusting his fake breasts. Kristen rolled her eyes at him. Only a businessperson could say that about a woman's chest. "More would look suspicious with my body type."

Outside the car, they exchanged a few more happy smiles. It was high time they parted ways as it had been arranged. Although they first met a couple of hours ago, for both it was a day in life to remember. In a short while, they formed a strong friendship. "I hope to see you again, so you can tell me all about your vacation," Lex smiled.

"I hope so too." Her smile faltered a bit. A hand landed on the boy's shoulder, squeezing gently. "Promise me you're gonna be all right. Please."

He took the hand into his, holding it gently. "Believe it or not, I'm a tough guy. I always survive." The charming wink he gave her unarmored her, making Kristen feel more at ease. The girl believed him, also because of the nagging feeling that Lex never had anyone to do it for him. He had to know that he wasn't alone no matter the distance (and the secret) that would keep them apart.

Once the car got into motion, she started waving goodbye and kept doing so until the car became a mere dot on the horizon. Her chest deflated with a sigh, as she worried her lower lip. Someone should look out for him...

Chapter Text

The closer he got to the Kent Farm, the more nervous Lex became. The edgy feeling competed with excitement, curiosity, and, last but not least, hopefulness. He's never been closer to experiencing what a true family life was like - surely, the Kents love Kristen, and if Lex plays his part well, they are going to love him the same.

It was already dark when he arrived. The Kents stood lined up in front of the farmhouse, smiling widely at the car that was currently casting a bright light on them. Uncle Jonathan and Aunt Martha looked exactly as Lex imagined. His eyes lingered on Clark. What were you thinking, Kristen? He's so out of my league... He took a deep breath and despite his previous thought, he climbed out of the car with confidence.

"Hey! How's everyone?" he called out casually to his new temporary family in a high-pitched voice. Efforts to make that sound hurt his throat, but otherwise, it sounded quite convincing to his ears.

"Kristen! It's been such a long time," Martha said cheerfully, moving towards him, and before Lex could read the situation, she pulled him into a hug. After the initial shock, he lifted his arms to embrace her back. When they pulled away, she beamed at him, and he beamed at her back happily. It was his first hug since his mother died.

"Yeah. It's been too long," he breathed out. Still smiling, she put a hand on his shoulder and led him gently towards the rest of the family.

"How was the drive? You're here later than we expected," Jonathan asked.

"It was pleasant, Mr. Kent. I apologize for the delay. I met a friend on the way and we went shopping." It was the truth after all. Lex promised himself to lie as little as possible. Of course, his whole existence on the farm originated from one big lie, but that doesn't mean he should add more to it. They shook hands. Lex had to forget everything Lionel taught him about firm manly handshakes and squeezed back only lightly.

"Mr. Kent makes me feel old!" the man laughed. "Please, call me uncle Jonathan."

'Kristen' smiled and moved on to greet the youngest Kent. "Hello, Clark," he smiled. Only thanks to the high heels, were the boys more or less on eye level. "You've grown since last time." Oh boy, was that awkward. Clark didn't seem to notice, chuckled, thanked for the compliment, and shook Lex's clammy hand.

"I'll take your bags." And off he goes. It required a lot of self-restraint not to turn around and check out the boy's behind. He could hear Kristen in his head: 'Not gay, huh?' Well, no. He was Kristen now. It is totally normal for a girl to find herself a boyfriend. Nothing gay about that. It was liberating in its own way.

They ushered him inside.

"Are you hungry, dear? We waited for you with dinner," Martha inquired. He did feel hungry. Starving even. Lex hardly ever let himself be hungry or crave to eat something. Every day was an office day for him, and it showed in his eating habits. Food is a nuisance that stops us from being productive during those days. That's why he would always rely on dishes that are fast to prepare, so microwave or vending machine stuff while pouring liters of coffee into his system.

When his hosts all sat down at the table, he hesitated if he should join them or not. The only day he and his father regularly gathered to eat a proper meal together was Sunday, and it was far from pleasant. Lionel would either scold him for some business move Lex has done without notifying him or they would discuss vaugly personal topics full of hidden blame and critique.

Seeing his distant look and slumped posture, Clark moved a chair next to him and patted the wooden seat. "Come and sit, Kristen. We don't bite," he smiled. Lex already adored his goofy smile full of imperfect teeth. Without further delay, he sat down on the offered chair.

"I know, um... My friends in Metropolis call me Lexie." It was only half a lie. The only true friend who's ever called him that was the real Kristen. "It's a silly nickname-"

"I like it," Clark interrupted. "It suits you better."

"So, Lexie, I hope you like cauliflower," Martha said softly to him while pouring a steaming cauliflower soup into a deep plate. Although it wasn't his favorite food, he nodded in affirmation. Once served, he folded his hands in his lap, waiting for everybody else. As uncle Jonathan saw this, he encouraged him to start eating. Lex thought it would be rude not to listen and took a first spoonful of the soup. It was warm and delicious. He immediately voiced his delight, earning one of Martha's kind smiles.

Dinner at Kents' was something else compared to usual Luthors'. They talked, laughed, and joked. It felt so relaxed and safe. Nothing Lex said that evening earned him a glare or a dismissive scoff, everyone was so nice, making him feel accepted.

When they finished, Martha rose up to clear the table. "Let me help you," Lex stood up as well, ready to assist. Under everyone's approving look, he gathered some plates and empty glasses and took them to the sink. "Can I help you wash them too? It will take only a minute if we work together."

"It's okay, dear. You gotta be tired after such a long trip. Perhaps tomorrow," she winked. "Why don't you check out your new room now?"

"I'd like that."

"Clark?"

"I'm on it!"

Lex blushed profoundly as the strong hand squeezed his once again, and the boy led him through the house, pointing out other rooms until they stopped in front of the guest room. They went inside, closing the door behind them. Lex's borrowed luggage was already there, waiting to get unpacked. Clark let go of his hand and went to sit on the bed. Although normally he would consider it rude, Lex was willing to let it slide this time, and wordlessly sat down, leaving a respectful gap between them.

"So, welcome to Smallville, I guess," Clark chuckled, throwing his hands around as if this small room symbolized the whole town. Although, in a way, it did. For Lex, Smallville was like a small universe with a bright sun in the center - Clark Kent. It was ridiculous how fast he's fallen for the boy which made him think that it was just a crush and nothing more. Maybe he'll turn out to be a dick.

"It's good to be here," Lex reacted honestly.

"Won't you miss your life in Metropolis over the summer? Or your friends?"

'Kristen' bit her lower lip, eyes cast down to the floor. "When you're in a big city, you are surrounded by things that are much much greater than you are. I don't feel compelled to compete for my place, here, and that's a pleasant change. As for my friends... I don't think they only ever miss me when they need someone to do them a favor, so why should I?"

"I'm sorry to hear that. You can hang out with me and my friends Pete and Chloe if you'd like. I can guarantee you that none of us would ever use or take advantage of you." The idea of being introduced to Clark's friends was interesting and terrifying at the same time. He was curious about their teenage perspectives on life. As they were younger than him, they experienced different kinds of worries, which appealed to him. Hanging out with them represented a unique opportunity to feel like the teenager he was never allowed to be.

His thoughts were interrupted by his own yawn.

"Catch some zzzs. We can talk more tomorrow." Clark stopped at the doorframe, looking into the room one last time to add a soft: "Goodnight, Lexie."

Lex's breath hitched slightly. "Goodnight, Clark."

When the coast was clear, something snapped in the billionaire son. He jumped to his feet and started dancing around the room with a wide smile on his face, allowing himself this little moment of joy. Today was the best day of his life and he could imagine the next one being even better. Then he remembered Lionel, and at that moment he accidentally kicked the bedpost. He collapsed on the duvet with a yelp muffled by the palm of his hand, scolding himself internally.

Not until his toes stopped pulsating did he start to prepare himself to go to bed. Being a guy, he couldn't understand the big deal about bras and why it was such a relief for girls to get rid of them as soon as possible. Being a guy pretending to be a girl, he knew exactly why. The damn thing cut into his skin, making it red, irritated and itchy. Discomfort was something the young Luthor had yet to get used to.

In front of a mirror, he wiped away the makeup from his face and then carefully took off his wig. Absent-mindedly, he stroked the red hair, feeling it between his fingers, wishing it could somehow grow to his head one day.

Reviewing himself in the mirror only in his boxer briefs felt awkward. With his twig-like appearance and bald head, he looked like an ugly store mannequin. Any remnants of cheerfulness left him. Lex took a beach towel prepared for him on a writing table and tossed it over the reflection. How could anyone ever love me simply for being me when that reflection is what they see before getting to know me?

Shaking suddenly with the anxiety and coldness of the room, Lex crawled under the covers, curling into a pitiful ball. He imagined Clark seeing him like this - real and broken. Would he walk away? Would he attempt to comfort him? Pull him into a proper Martha Kent hug and hold him until everything feels right again? It couldn't be predicted, but he could at least imagine being handled with love for a change.

Lex woke up with a start, eying his Napoleon watch. It was 7 a.m. and he felt like an ass for oversleeping like that. Surely, everyone else was up already, doing farm work. He fixed his face with the make-up in a rush, choosing different clothes than he had the day before, putting a simple purple headband into his wig. Once again, he could uncover the mirror to see 'Kristen's' approving smirk.

Looking at his watch again reminded him why he should hurry, he bolted for the door, stumbling into the kitchen where Martha was. She turned around to see what was going on, smiling when she saw him. "Good morning, Lexie. Is everything okay?

"Good morning, aunt Martha. I'm so sorry for getting up this late. I want to assure you that it's not characteristic for me to-"

Martha watched him with wide eyes, then started to laugh. "Oh, dear, don't worry about that. It's the summer holiday, you can sleep as much as you want. Besides, it's usually only me who gets up this early." Clark and Jonathan must be still in bed then. He should have done more research about farm ethics. "Would you like to help me with breakfast, when you're already up?" Lex nodded enthusiastically.

He remembers the times before his mom was sick that he'd spent in the kitchen, helping her. Those times were very special. Once, when it was her birthday, Lionel pulled him out of bed rather early so he could participate in the preparation of the 'birthday breakfast in bed' to show how much they valued what she was doing for them every day without ever complaining. That was before the relationship with his father grew cold.

Martha sent him to pick up some eggs from the coop so they could make scrambled eggs. The smell of hens hit him hard the first time he stepped in, but after taking a few exploratory breaths, it wasn't that bad anymore. The creatures watched him as if he were an alien from a different planet. The less careful ones came to nibble at his shoes but left after being petted several times.

He got back into the kitchen, his first steps leading to the sink to wash the eggs. With little instructions from Martha, he made the scrambled eggs, only turning to her for help when he needed her to taste it. All the while, he listened to 'his aunt' talking about their first years at the farm, what difficulties they had to endure, and so on. Lex enjoyed every minute of it.

"What are your plans for today?" she asked him when they were done.

"I don't know yet," he replied honestly, playing with a loose strand of his hair. "I could water the flowers for you, help you cook again at lunchtime. I bet there is plenty to do to keep one busy."

"That's true. Although, that's not what I meant. I'm glad you want to help, but it would make me happy if you enjoyed it here too."

"I assure you that I am having a great time."

"Still," she took his hand into hers. "You should find something fun to do here. You could hang out with Clark and his friends, for example. Have you thought of that?" Lex looked a bit to the side with a shrug. "They would be glad to have you."

"That's what Clark said to me yesterday," he smiled fondly at the memory.

"See? We can't be both wrong, can we?" They chuckled together before the male part of the Kent ensemble appeared. Good mornings and smiles were exchanged. Lex made sure to be seated next to Clark, casually starting a conversation by asking him about his night, which resulted in a long storytelling about the farm boy's crazy dream.

Chapter Text

Between spending time with Martha and Jonathan and doing his chores - Lex was now in charge of watering sunflowers, getting rid of unwanted weeds, collecting eggs, and preparing breakfasts - the young Luthor tried his best to actively engage in activities that involved Clark. At the same time, he tried hard to avoid him. So, one minute he's trying to flirt with the boy a little bit, throwing innocent compliments here and there, the other he's too busy to accompany Clark on his trip to town with his friends.

Somehow, Lex couldn't find hanging out with total strangers comfortable. Or safe. No matter if Clark knows them or not.

On his fifth day on the Kent farm, he told Clark that he needed to get some work done in the barn, excusing himself once again, promising to go next time when it was more convenient. To support that lie with solid evidence, Lex went to the barn, but with intentions different from those he shared with Clark. He ended up sprawled on a couch there with his beloved comic books, that he could never get tired of re-reading.

Lex has always been on the 'team villains,' simply because they were easier for him to relate to. Also, they were cunning and powerful, which intrigued him. He believed that in real life, the bad guys would always win. The heroes rescuing the world in comic books are nothing more than a social construct, pushing people into believing in goodness so that they would vote for two-faced politicians who give empty promises of wealth and safety for everyone, while all they receive in the end is dictatorship, manipulation, and lies. You get the same thing if the villain wins, but that's to be expected, right? It's already in the package, stated loud and clear. That way, people get exactly what was advertised, spared of the painful twist of the knife.

A cloud obstructed the sun suddenly, casting a shadow over the colorful pages of his book. What could have caused such an abrupt change of weather? Looking up, he could see that it wasn't nature trying to ruin his fun. It was Clark. He rounded the couch to sit on the other end. Lex did bend his legs to make room for him but stretched them out over the boy's lap right after, making him squirm slightly. All they did was to blink at each other dumbly.

"Am I right to think that you're avoiding me?"

Putting the comic book aside, Lex folded his hands on his chest, keeping his breathing steady as if he weren’t caught with his hand in a cookie jar. "Did you ditch your friends just to come and see if I lied to you?"

"No, I wanted- Are we cool?"

"Why shouldn't we be cool?"

"I just know that I like you, and whenever I get the impression that you like me back, that we're becoming good friends, you cut me out. It bothers me." Lex's brain stopped working at the 'I like you' part. He knew it was meant in a non-romantic way, but the words still managed to knock the air out of his lungs. All he managed was a choked apology. Clark's anger seemed to melt under the broken sound. "Tell me what's wrong and I'll fix it. Please." His hands emitted warmth as they rested on Lex's legs. It washed away all the tension that's been building up deep inside of the billionaire.

The touch was intimate, and so was the conversation. Enough to break all of Lex's walls and defenses. He was desperate for Clark's attention, and affection, wanted to be seen by him, and only him. It was a lot to process. "This is all so new to me..." The confession rolled over his tongue and out of his mouth with much more ease than he anticipated. "You, aunt Martha, uncle Jonathan, are very nice to me, which makes me feel lucky, but even luck has to have limits. Here I can help with farm work, but there's nothing I could offer to your friends to keep them on my good side."

Clark stared at him, eyes widened in shock. If this weren’t a serious conversation, Lex would have laughed at how comical that expression looked. "You really think you have to do chores to earn your place in this family?" He said it as the most absurd thing he'd ever heard, which slightly offended the older boy.

"If it's not like that, then what's the point of me?" Clark couldn't possibly understand his point. Lex was an imposter. An alien. Once they find out, they might remember how useful he was to them and kick him out less hard.

Giving 'Kristen' a soft smile, the farm boy said: "The mood here wasn't the best before you came. You see, there's this guy named Lionel Luthor who wants to shut down LuthorCorp's fertilizer plant because he has no one to run it for him. The whole of Smallville is either employed there or dependent on its produce. Although we're scared of how much it can potentially affect us, your arrival raised our spirits."

The information about his father's whereabouts piqued his interest, but asking now wouldn't be appropriate, so instead he asked what was relevant: "It did?"

"Yes! It's because whenever any one of us looks at you, you have a bright smile on your face. And because we hear you hum songs while you work and because you let my mom treat you like a daughter, teach you songs, and how to cook. So that's why we like having you around. Not because you're useful. And as for Pete and Cloe, they don't need to take advantage of you to like you either."

It never occurred to Lex that he could be perceived this nicely by anyone. He wasn't even aware that he'd been humming while swinging the watering can. "Let's say I join you... Today. What would be happening?"

This change in attitude cheered Clark up, and the room lit up as his eyes shined like Christmas lights. "There's a trivia quiz at the Talon! We thought it would be fun to participate, but we still lack one team member. What do you say?"

How could he ever resist that overgrown puppy? "Count me in."

With the air clear between them, they settled next to each other to read the comic book together. Lex explained what happened before the page they were at, so it would be easier for Clark to catch up on the plot. What luck that his new friend was also a comic fan! Usually, no one cares about Lex's rants about fictional characters, but Clark was genuinely interested and even asked fascinating questions. More than once, they had to stop to have a serious conversation about something the main character has said or done. At the end of it, they just sat close in comfortable silence. Lex leaned his head on Clark's shoulder experimentally. He wasn't pushed away.

*

After finally meeting Chloe and Pete, Lex had to mentally slap himself across the head for ever fearing them. They were as geeky as Clark if not a little more! On their way to Talon, he's learned everything about the girl's work for the school magazine and the boy's efforts to get to the football team. Lex was happy for Clark to have such good friends and family in his life. Unlike the billionaire son, he lived in a safe world - so unaware.

They sat at a round table in the middle. Not until they received a paper to write their names on did he realize that he never asked for Kristen's last name. 'Fake it until you make it,' he told himself. Luckily, the situation resolved itself when Clark offered to write everyone's names.

The quiz that followed was ridiculously easy. Frankly, he knew the answer to every single question but held back for the sake of fun. Whenever his team was in doubt, he would throw 'off-hand' tips that would - surprise, surprise - turn out to be the exact right answer. Sometimes, he kept quiet, letting other teams get the points, but at the same time made thorough calculations so that his friends would win. It was enjoyable.

"That one answer you went with was insane! I would never guess that someone was famous for having the sea whipped. What was his name..." Chloe cocked her head to the side, trying to recall the strange-sounding name while sipping her first-prize drink loudly through a straw.

"Suckzees?" Pete offered unhelpfully.

Lex had to laugh at the mispronunciation. "It was Xerxes. He was an overly ambitious Persian ruler who thought he could conquer the whole of Greece," he lectured the younger kids. They devoured his every word. He guessed it was quite impressive.

"Was he successful?" Clark asked, getting his attention. Lex tried hard not to blush while seeing him lick his milkshake-covered spoon.

"Unfortunately no. His navy was defeated at the Battle of Salamis as well as his army was a year later at the Battle of Plataea."

Chloe threw her hands in the air with exasperation. "How do you know so much? I've never even heard of the guy!"

"My father is obsessed with historical empires and their famous conquerors, so I like to remind him of some cringy events in history, such as the punishment of water, to show that even the brightest minds have flaws," he shrugged, suddenly losing interest in his drink. The thought of his father made his stomach twist and turn. No one suspicious had been lurking around the Kent estate, meaning that Lionel either didn't look for him or he knew exactly where his son was hiding. Both options were unsettling in their own unique ways.

Clark's attention was stolen from Lex by a young girl with long brown hair. The air was immediately filled with the stench of jealousy and insecurity. Chloe's comment about 'lovebirds' only added fuel to the fire.

"Who's that?"

"That's Lana Lang, a Juliet to our Romeo. She's dating Whitney Fordman, but has eyes only for Clark," she explained, eyeing the other girl with a sour smile - Lex knew fake amusement when he saw one. Just now he realized how strong was his competition. The feeling of being endangered by 'another woman' took over his brain and soon he found himself stomping towards the two.

Throwing a hand around Clark's waist, Lex was about to embarrass himself horribly. "Hey, Clark! Why don't you introduce me to your pretty friend over here?" The word 'pretty' slipped past his lips without Lex's conscious consent. At least he was in control enough to keep using his high-pitched voice - he didn't need to get exposed because of the emotional fog in his brain.

The farm boy looked taken aback at first, but the surprise soon evaporated and was replaced with smugness. "Alright. Lana, this is Lexie, my cousin from Metropolis."

"Actually, my name is Kristen, so you can call me that." She wasn't his friend, after all.

"Hi. Nice to meet you," she said with a polite smile, offering her hand for a handshake, which Lex refused impolitely by sticking his hands into the pockets of his jeans, muttering a half-annoyed: "Same."

Lana frowned at him, then turned to smile at Clark. "As I was saying, I think you would enjoy the book. Should I come by this weekend to drop it at your house?" Lex didn't want her in the house or anywhere near his crush. He hoped that the boy would offer a different alternative, but how could he ever be so lucky?

"Sure," Clark nodded without any sign of hesitation. It made Lex's blood boil and eyes roll.

"What about the comic book I lent to you? Shouldn't you finish that first before taking on another reading?"

"But you didn't-"

"I was about to lend it to you once we got home," Lex added quickly, puffing his chest a bit, showing off his fake breasts like a peacock would show his colorful feathers.

"What a shame I beat you to it then," Lana said sympathetically, batting her eyelashes at him. It was a provocation, of course. That was the only interpretation, right? Judging by Clark's relaxed posture and smile, her charming spell was working on him. "Comic books are not very intellectual reading. However, I don't see a problem in Clark borrowing both at one time. How long can it take to read the picture junk? Like an hour or two? It's little text compared to real books. So, once he's finished that, he can start reading what I give him." Admittedly, she had a certain point.

Lex crossed his arms on his chest. "How could you know the intellectual value of anything?"

"Excuse me?"

Before they could start fighting, Clark decided it was the best time for his intervention. "Hey, hey, hey." He grabbed Lex by his shoulders, slowly turning him around. "This has been a tiring evening, I think we should be going now. I hope there will be more trivia quizzes in the future here in Talon. Bye, Lana." And then he dragged him out the door, collecting his two other friends on the way. Pete complained that he hadn't finished his drinking yet. Chloe punched him in the shoulder, jerking her head discreetly towards the uncharacteristically quiet 'Kristen.'

Soon, their little group dissolved, leaving only Lex and Clark. This was the decisive moment. "How long do you know Lana?"

"Well, certainly not for long. She lives in the neighborhood, but we became friends only a year ago."

"Who was the first to talk?"

"Me. I used to have a crush on her and talking seemed like the only option to get her attention."

"Used to?" Lex tried to look casually curious, but in reality, his heart was beating like a hammer in his chest. When he didn't speak, he was gritting his teeth.

"Well, I guess there was no point in competing with her boyfriend all the time." That was also a valid point. But what if the boyfriend was out of the way one day? Lana obviously loves Clark, and the boy certainly wouldn't say no to his former love. They would most likely be together in less than a week after her break-up with the Whitney guy. Hopefully, Lex will get through to Clark by that time. Although... What if Clark loved 'Kristen' but hated Lex? Would Lex be even able to genuinely love Clark? Be with him? Because this was something serious, not just searching for a harder touch or better fuck.

His head was spinning. "Look," he sighed. "She doesn't know your true worth, Clark, because otherwise she wouldn't keep you guessing and waiting. If she meant to ever take you in, she would stop playing around and putting obstacles in your path. It's dishonest." Then he couldn't stop himself. Lex wasn't like Lana. He could be true to Clark, and if the boy understood his point, he wouldn't turn his back on him. "I- I would treat you better, babes. Love you like no one else. Never choosing anyone over you."

"I know," Clark smiled, and, sadly, it was all too good to be true. "If we weren't blood-related, I would choose you too, Lexie." Then he leaned in, kissing his 'cousin Kristen' on the cheek. Their hands were touching during the moment of silence that followed until the contact was broken. "Come, the dinner must be ready by now!" he waved, going in through the front door, leaving them open as an invitation.

This... was not what Lex had expected at all. He could have revealed his identity to the farm boy, maybe even win him over, but didn't, and it was the kiss that caused this sudden change of heart.

He wasn't ready for anything good, bad, or dirty that would follow if he confessed everything.

He also realized that from the viewpoint of strategy, telling him so spontaneously wasn't smart. If the Kents threw him out of their house for who he was, where would he go now when the night was approaching?

What happened was both eye-opening and hope-offering. Lex only needed more thorough planning and thinking ahead. He still had one and a half months to figure everything out. Right? What could go wrong?

*

"We've found the location, sir," an assistant announced after being let into the head office. The man sitting at the desk seemingly paid all his attention to a newspaper. She walked up to the desk - the taps of her heels echoed through the quiet room - and put a few printed pictures at his desk, which piqued his interest. "I think you should see these."

A bony long-fingered hand took the photos, replacing the newspaper with them. At first, he stared in disbelief, then his lips curled into a grin and finally, a loud sarcastic laugh could have been heard. "This is truly interesting!"

"What will happen now, sir?"

"Now?" The man looked at a folder that had been on his desk for two weeks now. It had a quickly sketched drawing of a raised middle finger on the cover, complemented by a message under it that said: 'Fuck you, dad.' He smirked and got up to his feet. "Get the jet ready. I wish to make a quick trip to Smallville."

Chapter Text

The second week into Lex's stay at the Kent Farm, he and Clark fell into a comfortable routine. Every day, they would help each other with the chores, then go out with Chloe and Pete, and at the end of it all, the 'cousins' would settle down in their fortress of solitude to discuss comic books.

Right now, they were tending to the flowers. Lex hummed his usual song - the usual lullaby. Clark, who already knew the melody by heart, hummed along. It was calming. The air buzzed with something familiar, but the billionaire son couldn't put a name on it. At least not until a shadow was cast over the field. It had the shape of a helicopter. He didn't even have to look up to see the LuthorCorp logo imprinted on the side of the aircraft.

Lionel was coming to retrieve what was rightfully his.

"Lexie? Lexie!" A firm hand shook him from his panic-induced trance. He followed Clark's gaze to the spilled watering can lying at his feet and to his own trembling hands. "Are you okay?" Lex attempted a smile. Judging by Clark's growing concern, he wasn't very successful. His expression was broken - torn between fear and faked calm.

"Look at that, I'm so clumsy!" Lex performed the best chuckle he could muster. Before his eyes could get red and watery, he grabbed the can and without giving his friend another look, he jogged towards the house. "I'll get the water," he said quickly, not giving any time for Clark to stop or question him.

It took Clark only a moment to connect the dots. He knew that 'Kristen' wasn't going to get water - she ran away to hide. He might as well buy 'her' some time. That’s why the boy went to inspect the source of 'Lexie's fears.

When he came to the helicopter, his parents were already there, talking to a man in a long black coat. Clark knew their visitor from a newspaper - it was Lionel Luthor. That explains a lot... Jonathan and Martha Kent were kindly explaining to him that there was no one else at the farm except them and Clark.

Lionel scoffed. Shaking his head, he said: "I am sure my son has been living here at least for a week. You should know by now that he doesn't deserve your protection."

"What has your son done so bad that you hate him this much?" Clark couldn't help but ask. His mother pulled him closer, trying to tell him not to talk much.

"He has a history with hard drugs, caused several car accidents, has been stealing money from me repeatedly and the list goes on and on. If he somehow managed to play an innocent angel here, trust me, it was only for show. You better check on your valuables later." Lies. These must be lies.

Jonathan hesitated but then continued to play the game of knowing-nothing and presumed innocence. "We're sorry, but he's not here, Mr Luthor. Try searching elsewhere."

"Oh, no, no, no. This is the right place. Bring me my son, or I'll burn this place to the ground."

Hearing the thread, Martha shivered, gripping her son even tighter. She looked up at her husband. "Jonathan." He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by a young man's voice coming from behind them: "It's okay, Ms Kent. He's looking for me."

It wasn't Kristen anymore. Her make-up was gone, breasts and high-heels as well. The only thing that remained from the girl was her beautiful red hair. This was Luthor's son, marching towards his father with shoulders tense and hands balled in fists. Despite the fear, the boy was smirking. "The king has ascended into the realm of his subjects. What an honor," he said nonchalantly, becoming fully relaxed in his posture.

Lionel's smile matched Lex's. "Was this meant to be another one of your infamous rebellions against me? It seems to me that you are running out of creative ideas. You look ridiculous." Clark has never seen so much authority gathered in one place. Both Luthors carried something intimidating about them - something you don’t want to stand face to face with.

"I merely recognized an opportunity and took it, precisely as you taught me." Lex made sure not to break eye contact with his father because that would indicate weakness, which he couldn't afford.

"Oh, Lex. You only ever take what's convenient to you from my lessons. Have I ever taught you to deceive innocent people?" All the time, Lex thought. Lionel said it to maintain his carefully constructed image of a good father in front of the Kents, and to persuade them that Lex was the villain of the story.

"I wouldn't dare!" Lex gasped, putting his hand on his chest with mocked offense. "Deceiving is your forte. This conversation is the proof of it."

"Enough! These people don't have to listen to your pathetic talk-back anymore, lad. We'll settle this at home in private." Lex was the only one who could hear the hidden message behind his father's words. In Lionel's case, 'settling' a certain dispute translated to 'persuading the other of my truth by landing some well-aimed hits.' Judging by the anger in the old man's eyes, Lex was in for a rather thorough persuasion...

"Fine by me," the boy shrugged, turning on his heel. "Let's head out. We'll meet at the office."

Before he could make a single step towards the barn where real Kristen's car was stashed, Lionel grabbed him by the arm, his grip was forceful enough to bruise, but Lex refused to satisfy him by wincing from the pain. "Where do you think you're going?" Lionel hissed.

Jonathan stepped towards them, no longer willing to tolerate Lionel's behavior towards his son. "He doesn't want to go with you!"

"He has no choice. Trust me, Mr Kent, it's for the good of all of us that he leaves with me. I'm deeply sorry for any trouble he's caused you. Expect a check in your mailbox sooner or later as compensation."

Lex struggled to wiggle his way out. He knew from experience how futile such efforts were - his father was a lot stronger than he was - but that didn't stop him from putting up the fight. His eyes were now fixed on the helicopter. There's no way he's getting me into one of these again. "Let go of me!" he shouted.

"Silence!" Lionel shouted back, dragging him into the aircraft. Martha was clutching Clark's hand by then not only for her comfort but also to stop the boy from charging up at the billionaire. This wasn't a good time for them to have to deal with lawsuits. They would have to figure something out later, no matter how helpless it made them feel.

"You can't do this! Please-" One last attempt to jerk away, before he stopped altogether, frozen.

Lex had no idea what was more humiliating. His begging...

...or the wig being ripped away from his head.

He stood there completely paralyzed with his baldness uncovered for all to see. His usually pale cheeks turned dark red as shame took over him. If he ever had even the slightest chance at being forgiven and taken back by the Kents, it was gone now. No one said another thing in his defense. The boy closed his eyes, allowing his father to drag him into the flying monstrosity. It suddenly seemed much more bearable than staying and watching the faces of those he learned to call his family screw into disgusted grimaces after they realized what a disgrace he truly was. Lex wanted to remember them smiling happily whenever he came into a room. He would miss it all - Martha's warm hugs, Jonathan's kindness, and Clark's friendship.

The helicopter started to rise, and Lex's anxiety grew exponentially with it. It's been a long time since he had to do this. He sat with his arms wrapped around himself, rocking back and forth. His father's voice echoed in his ears - it sounded so surreal that it may have been only in his head. Like a recalled memory from when he was a kid. ‘Open your eyes, Lex.’ The boy took several rapid breaths, but the air in his lungs wasn't sufficient no matter how much he tried. He wanted to scream through the coughs, but it came out as wheezing. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and there was no one willing to help him.

This was the worst day of his life since Julian.

*

The next afternoon, Martha found her son in the barn loft, looking utterly miserable. He was surrounded by comic books that lay scattered around untouched in the past two nights when the two of them were snuggled under a blanket, reading and laughing until they fell asleep. No one at the farm had the heart to put them away just yet. They figured that Mr Luthor would send a car for all Lex's things sooner or later, so they could tackle the problem when they got to it.

"Clark?" Big shiny eyes looked up to her. A memory popped up at that in her head - little Clark, grieving the death of his favorite cow. Although he wasn't dead, Lex's departure from the farm stirred the same feelings in the boy. They haven't talked about it yet, but the silence had to be broken eventually. She sat down next to him. "Are you okay, honey?"

Instead of voicing his sadness, Clark leaned against his mother's shoulder, letting her embrace him. He shook his head with a sigh. "Did you see how scared he was?"

Martha had to smile. That was her Clark - caring about the whole world more than about himself. She stroked his hair lightly. "I did, and I still feel sorry for Lex, but regardless of what happened, you shouldn't stop living your life because of it."

"But mom, he was-" It was too early to put a name on what they had going on between them, so he settled on: "a really good friend to me. And I know he needs to be assured that we don't hate him. He needs us."

"I know, but right now, we don't know where Lionel took him. Chloe and Pete are also your friends, right? And you can't just neglect them until we find Lex."

Clark knew she was right. He sat up, once again looking over the ever-present comic books. "I'll do my chores and then-"

"You've done more than enough work during the last two days. Go have fun."

"Thanks, mom," he smiled at her, getting up and heading to the stairs. Before he left, he turned to look at her once more to tell his mom that he loved her.

"Love you too." Her son really had a big heart.

*

Usually, the prospect of seeing his friends would make Clark cheerful, but he couldn't bring himself to it now. He was a bit worried that they would notice his sudden lack of enthusiasm. As it turned out, his gut feeling was right. Chloe immediately picked up on his sadness. He was ready to face any questions she might throw at him with a steely expression, repeating the magical phrase: "I'm fine," until even he himself would start to believe it. However, he didn't expect her to mention the LuthorCorp helicopter. "What did you just say?"

"Did you hit your head? I said that I interviewed a witness who saw the helicopter land here in Smallville. The guy is no expert, but according to him it was an emergency landing," Chloe explained patiently.

"That means-"

"Yes. Lex is still here, not in Metropolis."

What could have happened on board of the aircraft that they couldn't make it to the city? Lex indeed looked panicked once they took off. Maybe he freaked out once he was out of Clark's sight. "Where?"

"Far. On the outskirts. Do you remember the old castle that one day just sort of appeared in Lowell County? Turns out, it was Lionel Luthor who brought it there stone by stone from Scotland, but it was abandoned from then on."

"So, first a castle appears almost out of nowhere, and then his son no one knew about suddenly comes here too, dressed as cousin Kristen?" Pete asked no one in particular. Truth be told, the Luthors had a strange way of doing things, which fascinated Clark as much as it made him worried.

He had a theory. Pacing, he decided to share his thoughts with the others: "Let's say that the castle is isolated from the rest of the town on purpose. I don't know what to believe about Lex's past as Lionel described it, but I do think he can be quite unpredictable, which scares Lionel probably because he's never in control of his son's actions. It would only make sense to have such a place here, to keep him there locked away from the rest of the world. Lex must have known about this, that's why he opted to alter his looks as he did in his hiding... He just wanted to be free."

Chloe stopped him from pacing. There might have been something on that story. It was moving, sure. A bit psycho too. However, speculating about it got them nowhere. "You know he needs you, right?"

"Yeah, but what can I do?"

"I refuse to believe that a smart guy like you would be so oblivious!" she chuckled, shaking his frame as if it should wake some sense in him. "Come on, Clark! Lex had no friends before he met you. Whenever he looked at you, there was a spark in his eyes even Pete had to notice-"

"Hey!" Pete said, offended, but they paid him no mind.

"- He was ready to fight with Lana over you, would fight the whole world if it stood between him and you. You could never shut up about him once you started telling us what you two were up to. Do you see what you should do now?"

Clark blinked a few times. She quirked an eyebrow at him.

"I gotta go."

"Yes!"

He smiled widely at his friends before he started jogging in the general direction of the castle. Once he was further away, he switched to his full-speed run. Chloe and Pete couldn't see him use his powers, as they were already too engaged in an argument after Pete demanded Chloe's apology, to which she said she only used him as an illustration, chuckling amused by her friend's bewilderment.

Clark stopped once his feet reached the dark shadow cast by the large castle-like mansion. He wondered how many rooms it had, but more importantly how many people was it occupied by. The number of security and staff would determine how careful he had to be while breaking in. When he ran around the perimeter to check the positioning of guards, he was surprised to find the building unprotected. Was Lionel not concerned about Lex's escape anymore? He would have expected there to be cameras at least, but even the inside seemed to be without any kind of surveillance.

Using his X-ray vision, Clark checked every hall and room before entering it, finding no one on his way. The only skeleton he encountered was Lex's. He knew immediately it was him. The boy sat hunched at the foot of his bed, face buried in the palms of his hands.

He knocked twice, no answer, so he entered without invitation. You're not going to get rid of me this easy. There he was - the son of a billionaire, looking so young, almost child-like, his spirits broken under the firm reign of a tyrant.

Lex folded his slender hands in his lap, avoiding eye contact with his guest, yet he somehow knew who he was dealing with. "Why did you come all the way here?" the Luthor boy asked, brows furrowed in concentration so his voice wouldn't crack. "If you want money, I shall inform you that there's no wealth in my possession. Father will send you the check as he promised he would." Lex, remembering a particular promise Lionel gave him hours ago, felt a bone-chilling shiver run down his spine.

"No. I came to help."

The boy on the bed straightened up, then leaned back until his back hit the soft surface of the bed. His body was tense and jaw set. "Did you make a deal with my father? I don't suppose he sent you to kill me, he has far more skilled contacts for that kind of dirty job." It was ridiculous, right? Lionel wouldn't have his son killed or at least that's what Clark hoped for. What the man has already done to his sweet Lex was enough...

"Your father I would rather avoid," Clark replied honestly while sitting on the bed next to the spot where Lex was lying. "Do you really think I would do that to you?" As he reached out his hand to touch Lex's cheek gently, the other boy's eyes widened and then he rolled to the side, swinging himself off the bed fast. Now he stood at the window with arms wrapped around his visibly dropping and rising chest. He felt like a ticking bomb and knew that Clark should better leave before the countdown hit zero.

"What was that?" Lex tried hard to keep his voice even, but a small voice in his head was telling him nasty things about Clark's intentions and about everything bad that movement of his hand could have meant.

"I just wanted to comfort you." How dare you to sound so innocent? Lex thought bitterly and scoffed. "You sure it wasn't to make fun of me? And bully me like others used to?" He adjusted the beanie on his head, making sure it was still covering his bald head.

"Of course not, I-"

"Then stop lying and tell me what the fuck you want!!!" he shouted as the wave of frustration finally hit him and his self-control went flying out the window. Why of all people it had to be Clark to come to his 'prison cell' and be so cruel? "I know you hate me now, but I'm begging you as someone who once was your friend, leave me the fuck alone! I got a fair share of what I deserve for using you."

Clark was stunned for a moment, then he took a careful step towards shaking Lex. "Do you want to know the truth? Here it is." He made a pause, making sure the other boy was focused enough to understand what was being said. "You had never used us. We knew from the start who you were. I mean, we had no idea you might be Luthor's son, so for us, you were just a boy who had to get away from his father, but it was enough to want to shelter you and to care for you. We've been happy to provide anything you should need."

It means that the day he arrived at the Kent farm, Martha knew he wasn't who he claimed to be, and yet she hugged him lovingly like a mother would. Lex blinked at him. "Who told you tha-" The moment he realized it, he hung his head hopelessly. "Kristen. And here I was, thinking she was a friend."

"You don't understand it. She did it because she didn't want you to get hurt! Kristen wanted to make sure we would be good to you. I don't hate you. Neither do my parents. We all want you back. But this time as Lex Luthor, not Kristen." He was now standing so close that he could feel the warm puffs of Lex's breath on his neck. "Come with me?"

"I c-can't Clark. My father, he..." His eyes darted about the room as if expecting Lionel to materialize there at any given second.

"Look at me." Clark palmed his jaw, moving his head gently so that they would be facing each other. The other hand squeezed Lex's elbow the way Clark had seen his mom do with dad. "You don't need to be scared of him. We'll protect you." But it wasn't all. There was yet another thing that left the billionaire son hesitant. Something he was insecure about for years. As Clark's fingers traveled closer to the covered scalp, Lex became redder in the face. "May I?"

Never. No. Absolutely not. "Yes," he whispered and closed his eyes. Clark slowly ran his fingers along the edge of the beanie, then slipped one, two, three, and eventually four fingers under it. Lex tensed up at the unusual contact but didn't pull away. He then risked opening his eyes and saw... a smile. The billionaire knew he should tell him to stop or push him away. It was irrational to lean into the touch needily instead. It's a weakness.

"It's okay, Lex," Clark assured him, caressing his head under the beanie - he was not going to take it away from him, because it wasn't for him to decide when Lex was comfortable enough to put it away for good.

"It's hideous." There was vicious poison in his voice. Clark never thought of Lex any other way than charming and confident. Seeing him like this was new, but he didn't complain. If nothing else, it helped him understand the boy better. He kissed the beanie. "May I ask what happened?"

Lex shrugged, letting himself lean fully into Clark's shoulder. He suddenly felt so exhausted. "Alopecia. It affected only my hair; I gradually lost them all."

"Did you used to be a redhead?" Clark guessed, making Lex smile. I hoped you would figure it out. The corners of his mouth fell right after though: "I was told to always wear a hat, because... it would be a disgrace not to wear one."

"Oh, Lex. If you give me enough time, I promise to make you see yourself the way I do."

"And that is?"

"Beautiful."

Chapter Text

"You sure you're not nervous?"

"No. Why would you ask that?"

Clark raised his eyebrows high, then he pointed at the speedometer. The Porsche was moving at a snail's pace. Lex's palms were sweating, and he wiped them in his trousers often - he should stop ruining his clothes like that, especially now when he was about to try to make a good impression. On the remark about their speed, he simply replied: "I don't want to drive off a bridge, do I?" But they both knew the truth.

"There's nothing about which you should worry. You know my parents well. They are still the same as when you met them."

"Yeah, but I'm different," he chuckled through the heaviness that suddenly settled on his chest. As 'Kristen' he would always try his best to impress Mr Kent and make him proud because he represented the father figure Lex wished he had. Mrs Kent has always been only nice to him, affectionate towards him even though he was lying through his teeth right in her face. He was scared to hear them say things like that he disappointed them or worse. The mere thought of them changing their attitude towards him made him panic.

"Stop the car," Clark ordered.

Only then did Lex realize how hard it was for him to breathe. He stopped the car as told. Clark immediately moved to unbuckle him, cupping Lex's face gently. The tips of his fingers brushed against the soft fabric of the beanie. "Asthma?" he asked calmly, although inside he was worried sick.

Lex shook his head and smiled stiffly. "No, Clark. I just might be a bit nervous after all." Ever since he mentioned having an asthma attack in the helicopter, Clark became more attentive towards his breathing. He even carried an inhalator in the inner pocket of his jacket but kept that a secret so it wouldn't make Lex feel too fragile. Little did he know that the boy understood he had it, and thought it was a rather sweet gesture.

"Do you trust me?" Clark's fingers disappeared under the hat.

"Of course I do," Lex said, resisting the urge to close his eyes. He always thought that he would hate if someone who got intimate with him would touch his head. Well, it couldn't have been further from the truth. He reveled in the attention he was repeatedly receiving.

"Then stop worrying. I'm telling you it's gonna be okay."

"Future can't be predicted. You don't know what might happen..."

"Maybe. But I know you." Clark leaned in, connecting their heads together, whispering into his friend's ear: "I've seen how confident you can be. And intimidating too. The way you talk to your dad? I wouldn't even dare to look at him wrong. You're a lot stronger than you think." Lex himself was indeed surprised at his boldness at that moment. There has always been a difference between pulling stunts like he did and facing the consequences after. Usually, he just silently took the beating without more protest than occasional badly suppressed whimpers or pleas.

Half an hour later, the Porshe pulled out at the Kent Farm's estate. Contrary to Lex's fear, everything was the same as the first time he arrived. Mr and Mrs Kent came to welcome him at the cue of hearing the engine roar on their lawn. Mrs Kent pulled him into a hug, and this time, he hugged back instantly. "Good to have you back, Lex," she smiled, rubbing his back gently, then she subtly 'passed him over' to her husband, who offered his hand to be shaken. As he could act like himself now, he performed a proper firm handshake worthy of a real man that his father taught him to be. Jonathan looked a bit taken aback by that but didn't comment. "Now that you turned out to be a billionaire, I don't suppose you will have any more interest in helping out at the farm, am I right?"

He hasn't thought of that. "That's actually a very interesting thing I should contemplate, Mr Kent." The man frowned at that, which made Lex worried that he screw up already this early. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Yeah." Soon the frown turned into a smile. "What did I tell you to call me?"

"Uncle Jonathan." Lex had to fight back tears of joy. He thought he lost that privilege when he transformed from loved-by-all Kristen to a hate-magnet Luthor. Apparently, he was wrong, for which he was very happy.

Aunt Martha ushered them inside, saying that the dinner was ready. They gathered around the table. Lex no longer felt like an alien or strange guest but like a part of a family. However, when Mrs Kent wanted to fill his plate, she was stopped by her husband's disapproving look and a raised palm. "Wait, honey." Then he redirected the target of his scrutiny. "It's rude to wear hats inside, son."

"Leave the boy alone," aunt Martha scolded him, then turned to Lex who became incredibly red in the face. "If you don't feel comfortable, you can keep it." She thought of the comment as a rude remark, but Lex recognized it for what it was - uncle Jonathan was offering him an opportunity, and he knew he should take it.

Lex looked into Clark's encouraging eyes. "Uncle Jonathan is right. I don't mean to offend." And so, for the first time, he exposed his smooth bald head in front of someone other than his father. Martha served him, then gave his back another quick stroke, while Jonathan winked at him proudly. At once, he felt accepted and free.

Once they were all finished eating, Clark squeezed Lex's hand under the table, whispering something in the other boy's ear. "Oh, right! There's something I wanted to share with you." He expected Clark to let go right after, but no, he was holding it the entire time Lex spoke, for which he was glad because this wasn't easy for him to say. "When my father was here, he said a few disparaging things about me. I want to confess that I... I used to take drugs, which, several times, caused others to get hurt very badly. Whenever I was broke, I would take money from my father, so I could afford drugs, alcohol, or prostitutes... Dad tried to pull me out of this by isolating me. Looking back, I understand why he wanted to erase me from existence when I kept being a trouble. My past life is nothing I'm proud of, so I decided to turn my life around and be the man I was born to be."

"How do you want to achieve that?" Jonathan asked him with curiosity.

"I spoke with my dad and he's willing to give me another chance. Although I wasn't in a position to dictate my conditions, I had a request to which he surprisingly agreed." Lex straightened up. He could have this moment. For the first time, it felt like the right thing. "I'm going to take over the LuthorCorp's fertilizer plant here in Smallville. Clark once told me how you and other farmers relied on it, so I'll do everything I can to keep it running and profitable. I will probably be rather busy from now on, but I would love to visit you as much as possible and help out whenever you need another set of hands."

"We would love to have you here, of course. I'm just thinking," aunt Martha said softly. "It's a big life change. Sweetheart, are you sure you can handle it?" She saw all the insecurities in Lex and was worried that the dangerous world he was throwing himself into could destroy him.

"I learned not to try and predict the future. For instance, this," he gestured around the table. "I never thought I could have. The crazy thing I had to do to get this also had uncertain results, and it worked in the end. I know I can't be that lucky every time, but if there's even the slightest possibility of a great result, the risk is worth taking."

"Besides," Clark joined the conversation. "He has me to be at his side if things get out of hand."

Lex had to chuckle at that. He would never throw such responsibility on the boy, not even just a small part of it, so, if he were to sink, he wouldn't drag Clark with himself. But for now, he kept that to himself and instead reminded himself to kiss the boy for it later.

The End