Work Text:
Look the Other Way
by Giselle Mossant
*~*~*~*~*~*
With a blue ballpoint pen, Lana Lang carefully entered in the column indicating dollar bills a short stroke -- up and down, no nonsense -- followed by two whimsical ovals, one sitting on top of the other like the body of a snowman. Eighteen $1 bills in the register. The bills done, she gathered a handful of quarters into one hand and began separating them into groups of four.
This is the last time I'll balance the register, she thought. This had only occurred to her, oh, about once a minute since she began the task, and she didn't know why she was so hung up on the fact. It wasn't as though she'd ever particularly enjoyed it.
But the last time you do anything is special, she reasoned.
Earlier, the closing shift had mopped the floors, cleaned the coffee machines, emptied the trash, and wiped the tables and countertops. She was alone, but as always, between these particular four walls she never felt lonely. It was, after all, a place near and dear to her heart; a place she'd helped save.
Lana's parents would be proud of what she had accomplished; she knew that. But she could see now that keeping Lex from turning the old theater into a parking garage hadn't really been for them; it had been for her. To remember them by. But now a new chapter of her life was beginning; a chapter that had no clear directions and no ghosts. Though she knew it was irrational, she felt slightly guilty for looking forward to that new life.
Lex would be the first to wave her guilt aside and encourage her excitement for the future. "Life's a journey -- you don't want to go through it holding a roadmap," he had said, on more than one occasion. By now, she could tell when it was coming, and quote him even as he was saying it.
Lana wondered idly if he would be by tonight. Sometimes he would drop in if he was in the area and he knew she was closing. He knew that tonight she'd close The Talon for the last time in a long time -- maybe ever. She knew he knew, and she knew that he knew she knew. It didn't guarantee he'd show up.
Well, why would that matter in any case? They were good friends, yes. They'd worked together for four years, and occasionally spent time with one another outside of work because they enjoyed one another's company and felt comfortable around each other. She had once dated his best friend ... which could have made things awkward between them, but instead, had turned out to be another piece of shared history. She felt at ease with him and felt certain the feeling was mutual. And yes, she thought they probably knew each other well enough that he'd put in a special appearance tonight to ... wish her well. Send her off to his alma mater with his regards. Lex was her friend; surely it wasn't out of line to wonder whether she would see him again before she left.
The truth was, it didn't concern her that it should cross her mind. But it did unsettle her that she felt the need to justify to herself why that was okay.
If they really were good friends, would it be so unusual if they had dinner or something together before she left? She'd spent time with Angelica, and Phoebe, and Chloe and Pete, and many other people besides who were also attending Metropolis University in the fall. She'd made it a point to spend time with her friends who had started school a few weeks earlier. She'd even had dinner with Clark, though they weren't entirely comfortable with one another yet even six months after they'd broken up. But she still considered him a friend. And yet she had to admit that while she considered Lex Luthor her friend, he was an entirely different animal from those others.
He wasn't just her friend; he was her boss. He wasn't just her boss; he was Lex Luthor, sole heir to a multibillion-dollar corporation and a powerful man in his own right. He was feared, loathed, admired and envied. He was also brilliant, good-humored, self-assured, compassionate, and decent. Lex was probably the most under-appreciated man Lana had ever known -- and the most enigmatic. Sometimes she felt she knew him better than anyone else; other times, she had the distinct feeling she didn't know him at all.
Slowly, with more care than usual, she placed the money and the evening's receipts in the red leather pouch used expressly for this purpose. The morning crew would take it to the bank, and that wouldn't include her. She'd had her last morning shift the week before. She glanced at the clock, which stared balefully back at her. It was after midnight; he probably wasn't going to show. She was annoyed with herself for taking as long as she could in putting the pouch into the safe, to give him a few minutes more.
No one thought she should have worked tonight. Even Lex, who normally wouldn't stick his nose in matters not directly concerning him, had suggested that she might want to spend her last night hanging out with her friends. But Lana had been firm in her decision to close The Talon one last time, and he hadn't pressed the issue. Lex Luthor made a suggestion only once; if you didn't have the sense to take his advice when he first offered it, he wouldn't waste his breath.
"Why would you want to work on your last night? I don't get it," Phoebe had said, sipping a giant-sized Coke from McDonald's that could have housed a garden gnome. Phoebe got that sly, knowing look in her eyes that made Lana flush red with embarrassment, knowing what Phoebe was thinking but unable, as always, to convince her it wasn't true. "Is it because of ... yummy you know who?"
"No!" Lana always rose to the bait. She knew the best way to shut Phoebe down was to simply not react, but she couldn't help it.
"Oh, leave her alone," Angelica admonished Phoebe around a mouthful of Big Mac sans special sauce.
"Thank you," Lana said, grateful.
Angelica continued. "It's not Lana's fault her boss is hunky and sexy and rich and that her wanting to work on her last night in town looks suspicious."
Of course Lana had spluttered and denied some more until they were convinced Lex had nothing to do with her decision to work the night before she was leaving for college. Or at least, until they pretended to be convinced. She had argued this with them too many times to feel any true heat, but she had been frustrated because she honestly did not have those feelings about Lex. The idea that her friends should think she felt that way about him was embarrassing for the simple reason that it seemed ... beneath Lex Luthor for anyone to harbor a schoolgirl crush on him. He wasn't some flash-in-the-pan heartthrob designed by a studio; he was a real person, a man who ran part of a huge corporate empire, a man who worked and lived and breathed business. A man who didn't have to care what people thought, but did anyway; a man who could warm your entire being with a small gesture or smile and leave you raw and bleeding on the street with a few carefully chosen words.
Lana admired Lex. She'd never made any secret of that. But unrequited romantic feelings? No. The very idea of it would probably amuse, disgust, or concern him, depending on how he felt about her at any given moment.
She already missed Angelica and Phoebe, but she knew they'd be in touch. Most of her goodbyes had been said; The Talon would be the last one. There was, of course, Lex, but she had to admit that she was probably making a bigger deal than the situation warranted. Lex wasn't the type to indulge in mushy farewells; he'd more likely cuff her lightly on the shoulder and tell her not to get into too much trouble. Sometimes he treated her like a friend; sometimes like a business partner; sometimes like an employee. The latter was rare, but when it happened she didn't mind too much -- she was, after all, his employee. But he also sometimes behaved as if she were a younger sister, and that irked her. She always felt her hackles rise when he got that look in his eyes that told her she was innocent and naive and needed protection.
Lana could almost tolerate that look now if only he were here to give it.
There was nothing for her to do now but turn off all the lights and head home. She couldn't resist standing in the middle of the room for a moment to take a slow turn, taking in everything the renovated theater represented. Four years of hard work. Personal accomplishment. Determination. Independence, of a kind. When she'd first made her business proposal to Lex, her objective had been to preserve the memory of her parents -- the unrealistic hope of a young girl. Lana now understood that the memory of her parents could have no securer place than her own heart.
She switched off the lights one by one, trying not to feel disappointed. It wasn't as though she'd never see Lex or The Talon again. She would be returning to Smallville, likely as soon as Thanksgiving.
Lana backed out, feeling behind her for the door. She could still make out the shapes of the chairs and tables in the semi-darkness, and felt a swell of emotion catch in her throat. Once outside, she pulled the door shut in front of her and searched for her keys. She found them in her jacket pocket along with a stick of gum, thinking she'd have to remember to put her keys to The Talon in the mail.
She turned, her chest still feeling tight. She'd parked her little Corolla right outside the cafe, and she was dumbfounded to find Lex Luthor lounging against it in clothes that probably cost more than the value of her car.
She stopped short, feeling a bit like Charlie after he'd gotten the Golden Ticket. Was Lex was really there, or was her sentimental imagination conjuring him?
"Hey," he said, smiling slightly, and now she fought to keep at bay the ridiculous joy she felt blooming in her chest. She was glad to be able to say goodbye after all, she told herself. And when Phoebe was right, she was right -- Lex was extremely good-looking, and Lana had always secretly thought so. Tonight he wore dark trousers and an azure dress shirt that was unbuttoned at the collar. Never jeans or t-shirts for Lex, but also, rarely ties. He preferred to dress as if he were perpetually on his way to a nightclub for the chic and privileged.
"Hey," Lana replied, hoping she sounded as casual as he did. It came out a little too breathless, but otherwise she thought she pulled it off. The breathlessness could be chalked up to surprise at seeing him. "What are you doing here?"
He blinked lazily, the smile still hovering on his lips. "It's your last night, Lana." He stated this as if the momentous nature of the occasion were obvious and he was offended she thought he wouldn't remember.
Just when she was about to say something extremely witty, like "Oh," he gave her a full-wattage smile and threw her off again. "What kind of boss would I be if I let my best employee leave without some show of appreciation?"
"Oh." And there it was. "Well, why didn't you come in?"
Lex lifted his shoulders guiltily. "Actually, I just got here," he confessed. "I saw the lights going off, knew you'd be out soon. I was afraid I'd missed you. Damn dinner party of my father's. I--" He stopped. He must have realized what he was doing, and Lex Luthor didn't explain his actions to anyone. It made Lana smile anyway. "It's late; you probably want to get home, finish packing, get an early night's rest." He said this very matter-of-factly.
His unspoken invitation lay gently in the air between them. Clearly, the choice was hers. There would be no hard feelings if she refused.
"I'm getting a second wind," Lana replied. Suddenly it felt awkward to be having a conversation with him from 20 feet away. She moved closer and at the same time, he straightened from his position against the car. She stopped when she was close enough to be able to reach out and grab a handful of his shirt. Which, of course, she didn't.
His voice was softer now. "So what do you want to do?"
What she thought: Park, blanket, stars. Car, wind, road. Music, silence, dancing. What she said: "Anything."
Any other guy would have given her a friendly or not-so-friendly leer and suggestively parroted, "ANYthing?" Lex, of course, wouldn't even think of responding that way to a little girl like her. She mentally made a face. He said, "How about bowling? You want to go bowling?"
Lana was baffled by this. Somehow, she couldn't see Lex Luthor in a bowling alley. Even the word sounded strange coming from his mouth. She considered this. He'd probably take another girl to a dance club. Or maybe use his influence to get them into a museum for a private tour. Or maybe even suggest a cozy chat by his fireplace. Why didn't he just come out and suggest that maybe she'd like to play with her Easy Bake Oven?
But if bowling was what he was offering, then she was game. She couldn't say exactly why she wanted to stretch out this time with him, when she still had so much to pack. When butterflies had taken up permanent residence in her stomach at the thought of leaving home and she could use the time to do a little soul-searching. When seeing him made her confused and flustered, made the butterflies flap their wings more rapidly.
"I'd love to," she said, and smiled.
They took his car, of course, Lex promising to drop her back off to pick hers up later.
The alley was bright, noisy, and cozy in its own way. It smelled like stale popcorn and long red licorice -- not at all unpleasant.
He let her arrange the lane and their shoes (though he did contribute his shoe size) -- then paid for it all. Long ago she had tried to explain to Lex that his personal wealth didn't matter -- if they shared in experience then they shared in expense. He would listen to her arguments with a serious expression, nodding without saying anything. Then when it came time to settle, he would hand the server (or whoever) a credit card without looking at the bill, grinning innocently at Lana. After this happened several times, she mentally threw her hands up in the air and didn't try anymore.
They made their way to Lane 18, and Lana was surprised by how busy the alley was. There wasn't much to do in Smallville generally, and even less to do after a certain hour. She saw a few people she recognized, but didn't know them well enough to call attention to herself. A few people did a double-take when they saw Lex, but for the most part, people in Smallville were used to seeing him and didn't behave out of the ordinary. For better or worse, he was one of its citizens. The double-takes were probably due to the fact that Lex was dressed considerably better than everyone else, blue jeans being the standard uniform.
They sat down to put their bowling shoes on, and Lana watched Lex carefully, not fully believing that he would actually put on shoes that other people had worn. But he did it without hesitation, not noticing her scrutiny. The shoes, with their scuffed garishness, were ridiculous. He was so put-together and the shoes were ... all wrong. It was good that Fate had landed Lex in a position where he would rarely have to wear shoes like these, because it would never look right, she thought inanely.
Lex looked up, a smile hovering on his lips. "Okay, now what?"
She was confused. "What?"
The smile split his face at her expression. "Lana, this is about as close to bowling as I've ever come." He indicated his shoes.
"You've ... never bowled?" Though this was actually rather appropriate, she was still struck.
"Never really had the chance before," he explained.
But how can that be? she almost blurted, then remembered how different his life was from her own. His childhood might as well have occurred on another planet as far as she could relate to it.
"'It's okay, Lex, anyone can do it,'" he said dryly when she still hadn't said anything.
"It's just ... I can't believe it," she said finally. What else hadn't he been able to do?
"You think I'm lying?" That smile of his would be her undoing.
"Noooo," she denied. "It's just ... well, here." She led him over to the bowling ball rack. "It's been ages since I've bowled, so we'll just learn together. Pick out a ball. Nothing too light or heavy; something you can heft." They both picked one to their liking. "Now, I'm sure you pretty much know what you're supposed to do with that."
"Chuck it down to the other end and knock down all those spindly things?"
Lana smiled. "And you say you've never bowled before." She led him over to the scoring table, bending over to punch in a few keys. "Here's where we keep score. You just--" She lost her concentration as he leaned down next to her to look at the screen she was indicating. She could smell a faint trace of his cologne, and in her peripheral vision she could see that he was completely focused on the screen. "But we don't have to keep score," she finished, licking her suddenly dry lips.
Lex straightened and Lana's heart started again. "Don't you know me at all? We're keeping score," he asserted arrogantly. "And no handicaps. I don't accept pity."
"Lex, you've never played before," she countered. "What would that say about my skills if you beat me?"
"What's the matter, Lana? Can't take a little friendly competition?" His eyes gleamed.
He was appallingly infuriating sometimes. "I just don't want to see a Luthor cry."
Lex gave her a sideways glance. "I'm a fast learner, honey."
Oh, she absolutely hated it when he called her by endearments he didn't mean. They started to play, and it didn't take them long to realize that Lana was going to soundly kick Lex's ass. At one point he looked at the scoreboard and groaned, claiming the entire game rigged.
"And my fingers hurt," he grouched, flexing his hand.
"I broke two nails, but you don't see me whining," she answered, entering her latest strike into the computer.
"That's because you're WINNING."
"You can always give up," she said sweetly.
He shot her a look that told her exactly what he thought of that idea.
They continued their lopsided play, Lex getting in a couple strikes of his own, making her laugh with his exaggerated displays of smugness. She was normally only an average player herself, but Lex trying to ruin her play with a series of antics -- nothing too overt, of course, as that wasn't Lex's style -- only made her better. The only time he managed to get Lana to gutterball was when he blew softly into her ear as she was setting up, completely unnerving her and causing her to lose focus on the roll. Luckily, he didn't do it again.
"That wasn't bad for your first time," she said magnanimously as they walked out, pushing his buttons. The cool September night was refreshing after the heat of the alley and their competitive spirit.
Lex shot her a look. "Don't patronize me."
Lana giggled as Lex opened the car door and she slid into her seat. She felt happy ... alive ... awake. It was nearly three in the morning and she had to get up early the next day to make the drive into Metropolis with Nell, but she would gladly forego sleep entirely if it meant she could continue to feel like this.
It was only when they were on their way back to The Talon, music playing softly on the stereo, that some of her high began to fade. Lana sneaked looks at Lex, liking the easy way he maneuvered his powerful car, the way the street lamps accented his profile. She didn't want him to drop her off to pick up her car; she didn't want to get in her car alone and drive home; she didn't want to enter her quiet house and finish packing with nothing to keep her company but the tick of the clock in her room.
"So are you excited?" Lex asked, turning for a second to look at her.
"About what? Oh, school. Yeah, I guess."
"Oh, it really sounds like it."
She smiled faintly. Don't think about how in a few minutes, you won't be warm and content, she thought. "I don't know. I mean, sometimes I'm really excited. Other times, like now, I just think of all that I'm leaving behind." Lana stared at the darkened shops that sped by her line of vision.
"You're going to Metropolis, not Zimbabwe." He sounded amused.
"I know," she sighed. "I've never lived anywhere but here." She knew she must sound like the unworldly, greenhorn girl she always tried to resist being around him, but what did it matter? She was that girl, and he knew it.
He didn't respond, and she thought he must not have heard her. The rest of the ride passed in comfortable silence, and before she knew it they were parked behind her car, then standing next to it.
Lana was already starting to feel the chill of loneliness creeping in. She forced a smile on her face and tried to sound cheerful. "Thanks for a fun night, Lex, I really enjoyed it." She smiled up at him as a small gust of wind blew her hair up into her face, but he didn't return the smile. It didn't even seem as though he had heard her, the look on his face was so intent and serious.
She caught her breath as he used one hand to slowly smooth the unruly strands of hair away from her face. His touch was as light as a butterfly's wings, but far more gentle than the ones that had come back to life in her stomach.
Lex lowered his head, and for one crazy, heart-stopping moment she thought he was going to kiss her. But he angled away, and she realized he was just going to kiss her cheek. She felt a curious sense of disappointment, though surely she didn't want him to touch his lips to hers ...
Her heart began beating double-time as he pressed a soft, lingering kiss to a spot near her ear. She supposed it was still cheek territory, but she could feel his breath, making her shiver. Had he simply misjudged his kissing area? Did he know what this was doing to her?
If she turned her head she could kiss him in the same spot. Did she dare? She closed her eyes and hoped her legs would keep her upright without any conscious decision-making on her part.
"Take care, Lana," he said, not in a whisper but using a low, gentle tone. His voice slid like the rich notes of clarinet into her ear, caressing the delicate nerves there, making her tremble. She hoped he couldn't feel it. "Don't change."
Lex finally lifted his head away to look into her eyes, relieving and dismaying her. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know what he expected. Then, throwing her off more, he treated her to the same confident grin she was used to seeing on him and said in a normal voice, "Good night. Have a good drive tomorrow." He sounded so friendly she half-expected him to give her a punch on the arm. Had she just imagined the kiss, his words, the intimate way he'd imparted them to her? But no, it was real -- the spot near her ear burned as if he'd branded it.
"Thanks," she croaked. Lex slid his hands into his pockets and stepped back, his smile still in place. She realized he was waiting for her to get into her car, so she did. In the quietness of her Corolla she could hear her heart thumping in her ears. She fired the engine to introduce some noise, and Lex stepped forward again to knock gently on the window. She fumbled with the controls, finally finding the right one.
As the window lowered Lex leaned down, and she was mesmerized by his eyes, unable to look away. "I'll see you soon," he said, and his quiet confidence filled her with an indefinable emotion. He flashed one more smile, then made his way back to his own car. She followed his movements in the rearview mirror as he started his engine and pulled out to the road. He waved as he drove past, a lift of his arm, the simple crook of a few fingers. She replied in kind.
Far from being cold, Lana felt too warm the entire drive home. It seemed to pool in her eyes, making it difficult to see as she unlocked the door. She felt slightly feverish as she finished packing, and kept feeling her neck and cheeks with hands that burned. Heat radiated from her toes and fingers as she brushed her teeth. Her flannel pajamas felt too hot and she replaced them with shorts and a tank top before climbing into bed. The coolness of her sheets brought some blessed relief, but only temporarily. She wondered what was wrong with her, if she had caught something out there in the night air with Lex.
As she lay in bed, tossing and turning, finally having some quiet time to think without distractions, she touched her cheek and realized what it was. The spot near her ear had spread its heat all over her body, generating warmth where none was previously. And when it seemed that it might falter, grow weak, more kindling came in the form of four small words, linked together and made strong in unfailing promise.
I'll see you soon.