Work Text:
The sun began to dip low in the sky as Clark drove on an empty road. He was on his way to make the last delivery for today and he already dreaded being done with work.
His days were packed. Breakfast, school, homework, then helping out at the farm and afterwards dinner. Often the only thing he did after he was done in the bathroom was fall into bed, sleep and then repeat the same cycle. But no, it was not being near-constantly occupied that was the problem. It was those times when he wasn’t busy that got to him. That was when his thoughts wandered – and boy did they wander in a certain direction these days.
He looked outside across the fields of corn stretching as far as he could see and heaved a sigh. Even driving wasn’t safe from stray thoughts these days. His gaze softened as he thought about Lex. Every time they talked, the whole world around them just seemed to fade. And then there were these rare moments when he smiled. Not one of his smirks or condescending smiles, but those rare ones when he let his guard down and just allowed himself to be genuinely happy for a moment. So far Clark only witnessed it twice, but the picture of Lex smiling at him had burned itself into his skull and refused to leave.
Still on autopilot Clark parked the car. When he got out he shook his head, trying to force away the flush creeping up his neck. Inhaling a big breath of fresh air, he put on his friendliest smile, then took out the last box of produce from the back of the truck. Halfway towards the house, he realised he had forgotten something and went back, taking out a paper bag from the pharmacy from the backseat.
Thinking about Lex was really messing with his head. He’d been chided for being forgetful by his mother, but thankfully so far he had managed to find excuses that didn’t involve admitting that he had a crush on Lex Luthor.
Having heard the car Mrs. White had already come out on the porch, hobbling forward towards Clark with her cane. He rushed over to her at what he hoped was still normal human speed, then offered his arm to escort her back inside, insisting it would do no-one any good if she slipped on the muddy ground.
After putting down the produce in her kitchen, he handed her the paper bag.
“I picked up your order from the pharmacy”, he explained, then quickly added, “since I was in the area anyway.”
“The pharmacy is nowhere near your usually route and completely out of the way from the Kent farm”, she called him out on his lie.
Clark pressed his lips together, unable to back up his lie.
“Well I just thought since for years you secretly handed me money to buy sweets, whenever I was out with dad, bringing you produce… I thought it’s the least I can do!”
“Oh you always thought about how much you want to buy those … how were they called?”
“Twinkies”, Clark chuckled. “And my mum wasn’t too thrilled with me buying an entire box of those, then eating it all in one sitting.”
She took out a small container from her cabinet where she stashed amounts of money one should rather bring to the bank, taking out the bills to pay for the fresh vegetables and an extra five dollars for Clark. The boy sighed.
“That’s very kind of you, but I’m … uh … I’m over my Twinkies’ era.”
“Oh”, Mrs. White frowned, but then her expression turned into a gentle smile. “I guess you’re a big boy now, thinking about entirely other things.”
“Yes”, Clark admitted, returning her smile. These days almost the entirety of his thoughts were consumed by Lex and he remembered a moment when he had helped his friend and their hands had brushed accidentally.
I want to hold his hand again. Not as an accident, but on purpose. And then he’ll smile at me, one of his genuine smiles full of affection. We’ll sit outside, watching the sunset and when the moment is right, maybe he’d lean in, his hand cradling my head as his soft lips…
Clark stopped himself. This is why he didn’t want any moments to himself with his own thoughts! Especially not in front of strangers! He touched his own skin, hoping that he wasn’t too red in the face.
“I … uh … should be going!”, Clark announced, but the woman grasped his hand.
For a moment her gaze lingered on the boy in front of her and it seemed as if she could see right into his soul. Both of them held their breath until the short moment of tension was finally broken when she placed the money in his palm. And yes, he couldn’t escape the five dollars extra.
As he pocketed the money, there was a tingling in the hand that she had held and he flexed it, trying to figure out if after all these years he had one of those cramps that he had heard humans have on a regular basis.
“You should go to your friend”, she said ominously, “soon, within the next hour, before it’s too late.”
“W-which friend?”, he stuttered, feeling like he was definitely tomato red in the face at this point.
“The bald one”, Mrs. White answered with a knowing grin and Clark was out of the door and back in the truck before she could even say goodbye.
He probably should have asked for details before driving off. He should especially have tried to subtly question her to figure out whether she had actual powers (not too rare around here), crazy-good intuition or she was just messing with him. All of these options were definitely better than her or anyone having noticed how Clark had occasionally followed the great Lex Luthor like a lovesick puppy.
Also what sort of danger was he even in? It didn’t help that someone like Lex Luthor collected enemies as a hobby and on top inherited a whole bunch of them from his father. The options for danger were basically limitless.
Clark stepped on the gas, determined to get to the other’s mansion as soon as possible, while driving as safe as possible. Sure, he could just run there, but he didn’t fancy his super-speed being picked up by the countless surveillance cameras around the man’s home. So the second fastest option was going by car.
Not even twenty minutes later, the truck screeched to a halt in front of the imposing gates of the Luthor mansion. At the intercom he urgently asked to be let inside, which he was. His heart beating up to his throat, he haphazardly parked the truck out front, his mind still racing with Mrs. White’s cryptic warning. He barely even shut the truck door behind him as he hurried to the front door.
Lex Luthor stood in the open doorway already, raising a questioning eyebrow. Clark didn’t waste a second with greeting and just burst inside, looking around frantically in the entryway before checking other rooms for intruders.
“Sure, just drag your muddy shoes all over my place!”, Lex shouted after him, mildly unamused, but very curious what got the other into such a frenzy.
Within five seconds Clark was back in the entryway, gingerly taking off his shoes and muttering under his breath that he’d mop afterwards.
“Clark, what’s going on?”, Lex inquired. “You look like someone’s chasing you!”
“Is everything okay?”, Clark asked urgently. “Are you in danger?”
“Everything’s fine…” At this point Lex was more confused than anything by the situation. “I was just working. In fact if you’re going to interrupt me, you could at least try to come up with a better reason than worrying about some imaginary danger.”
“What…?” Clark deflated, but his eyes still scanned the surroundings. Lex was visibly unhurt. He looked effortlessly calm and composed as usual and despite being in the comfort of his own home, he wore one of his tailored black suit pants and a perfectly-fitting white shirt on top, in which he always looked so incredibly handsome.
Clark shook those thoughts away. It was more difficult when Lex was standing right in his field of vision. But he had to focus on the danger. There must be a reason that Mrs. White told him to go here! What did she mean with her warning? Clark felt he was the only one out of the picture and it made him antsy.
“Well, if you can’t come up with a better reason why you’d storm into my home, I’m going back to work”, Lex announced, bored.
“Alright, I’ll just … look around everywhere, just to be sure…!”
Clark went through every room, making sure to regularly check in with Lex who was sitting at his desk in his office, turning his attention to work as he had announced.
I should just drag everyone outside and then shoot him in front of all the others. Maybe that will improve overall morale, ha!
Clark’s eyes went wide as he heard those words. Shoot him?! Who? Where? He rushed back to Lex, trying his damnest to run slower than an Olympic gold medallist.
But Lex was simply sitting at his desk. The only thing bothering him was Clark rushing into the office like a whirlwind and he let out an involuntary gasp at the boy’s sudden appearance.
“Jesus, would it kill you to announce yourself?” He leaned back in his desk chair. “What is it now?”
“Did you … say anything?”, Clark asked cautiously.
“No.” Lex looked up in confusion, then turned his attention back to the laptop and groaned.
“What’s wrong?”, Clark asked, alarmed.
“Oh, something unspeakably horrendous”, Lex started, sarcasm dripping from his words as he gestured to the screen. Not that Clark was too good with recognising sarcasm in any form, so he simply looked towards his friend with those big puppy-dog eyes full of care and concern. That made Lex’ breath hitch.
Fuck, he looks good. And that innocent look in his eyes! He doesn’t even know what he’s doing to me every time he…
“What?!”, Clark sputtered.
Lex sat upright in his chair, turning away from Clark and towards his laptop as he continued talking: “My accountant put together the list of expenses in an Excel sheet, then printed it, added handwritten notes and scanned the damn thing as a pdf before he sent it to me”, Lex hissed, his calm demeanour cracking for a moment. His gritted teeth changed back to his signature smirk within a moment. “I’m so done with that man. I think father purposefully planted this incompetent fool here to test the limits of my patience. I should…” His tone turned dangerously low before he caught himself. “I should fire him I think. Or better relocate him to a place where he can annoy my father instead of me.”
The gears in Clark’s brain turned. Perhaps that talk about shooting someone to improve morale was just something that Lex had muttered under his breath about this incompetent employee? And Clark had picked it up from three rooms away thanks to his super-hearing? Yes, that deduction was plausible enough, the boy decided, mentally adding that Lex would never shoot anyone and he was just making a joke in his desperation.
But then what was this comment about someone looking good and innocent? That certainly didn’t fit to the employee and Clark was so sure he hadn’t seen the other’s lips move…
Why is he just standing there? Didn’t he want to look for his imaginary intruder? Or was that actually just a pretence to barge in? If it is, then he better reveal his true intentions soon or else I’ll never get any work done today…
It was happening again! This time Clark made sure to watch Lex, but the other really wasn’t speaking. Clark blinked in confusion, moments away from reaching the conclusion that he was actually hearing Lex’s thoughts, but while he still connected the dots, Lex heaved a sigh and more thoughts rushed in.
I wish he’d just grab me with his strong arms, pin me to the wall and shove his tongue in my mouth. And then just push me onto the desk on my back, rip my clothes off and…
Taking three sudden steps backwards without looking, Clark slammed backwards into an empty clothes rack in the corner. He felt the sudden hollow thud before he even understood what he had hit and with a crack the wooden rack collapsed in on itself. While the bad news were obvious, the good news were that this event stopped Lex from thinking – because finally Clark had realised that after his encounter with Mrs. White the unexpected power to hear what the other was thinking had been temporarily bestowed upon him.
Clark’s face flushed deep red and he spun away from Lex, trying to hide his panic. Somehow with him having just broken the poor defenceless clothes rack, his reaction was plausible enough. At least he hoped it was!
“What are you doing, Clark?”, Lex demanded to know. Realising his question had come across a bit too harsh, he continued in a much lighter, joking tone as he got up to inspect the scene. “Is the intruder a ghost who hid in that thing? I was planning on throwing it out anyway, no need to feel bad for ruining it.”
Clark found himself suddenly unable to talk. Not by any higher power, but because of completely natural embarrassment. His mind raced trying to escape the image that Lex had planted there (why was there suddenly an image anyway? whose mind supplied the visualisation?) and his cheeks burned at the fantasy that felt way too real in his head.
Visibly Lex was completely unaware of his friend’s inner turmoil and he just studied his face, trying to understand what was going on.
Why is he flushed up and breathing hard? Did he have ulterior motives after all? No, not Clark. Anyone but Clark. Fuck, don’t look at me like this, all hot and bothered!
Clark stopped breathing altogether and for a moment he assumed Lex might just pull him close and make all of their fantasies a reality. And Clark would let him.
But then Lex turned on his heels, striding back to his desk, sitting down and pointedly turning his attention back to his laptop. Clark’s heart sank in a weird mixture of relief and disappointment.
No, I won’t be like my father, fucking around with minors. Especially not after I gave him such a hard time when he was with that seventeen-year-old girl. Just a few more years anyway, then Clark is fair game – and until then he can gain some experience with Lana. If the moron takes any of the countless chances I’m laying out for him that is.
“So, how are things between you and Lana anyway?”, Lex asked casually, looking up from his work.
“I … uh … I think I should … I should go!”, Clark forced out the words, panting heavily, then bolted for the door, practically tripping over his own feet in his haste.
Lex raised an eyebrow, not understanding what just happened, but he was very intrigued. With a smirk on his face he closed his laptop – he wouldn’t get any more work done anyway – and opened the window, breathing in some fresh air as he leaned outside.
After having slammed the front door probably a bit too hard, Clark rushed to the truck and jumped in with his heart still beating up to his throat. Lex’ thoughts were burned into his brain now and he felt like his own mind decided to add some details just for the fun of it, so now he didn’t just see himself push Lex down on his desk, but also heard him gasp and saw him throw back his head, the image of him so passionate and vulnerable…
Clark rubbed his face with his hands, desperate to shake the thoughts away. Then he started the engine and placed his shaky hands on the wheel, determined to make it out of here without causing an accident.
When he saw the gates starting to close before he could even step on the gas, he realised getting out of here without causing property damage wasn’t going to be very likely.
“Are you kidding me?!”, Clark muttered, exasperated, as he got out of the car in a hurry and ran towards the gate just in time to witness it closing completely, trapping him and his truck inside.
Turning around, he spotted Lex casually leaning out of the open window, presenting what was obviously the remote control for the gates in his hand.
“You’re coming back inside, Clark”, Lex’ voice floated through the front yard, the smirk on his face being audible in his demand. “You’re not going anywhere until you explain why you tried to make a run for it!” Mockingly casual Lex suggested: “Unless you can jump over the gate, but that’s impossible, right?”
Well, Clark could easily vault over the fence or bend the bars and go right through, so he was technically not trapped at all, and for one moment he considered using his powers just to get out of this embarrassing situation, but ultimately common sense won. Determined to keep his superpowers a secret, Clark turned around, looking up to Lex for a moment who simply grinned at him, then with a bad feeling in his gut he made his way back inside.
Clark closed the door, gently this time, but quickly he realised that it didn’t properly close anymore – most likely because someone had damaged the lock. Sucking in a nervous breath Clark tried it another time as if that would magically undo the damage, but Lex’ voice tore his attention away and he whirled around, remembering that he had in fact other things to worry about.
“That was quite the dramatic exit”, Lex smiled as he approached. He crossed his arms, watching Clark with that all-knowing look that always made the boy feel like he had been caught doing something that he shouldn’t.
Clark sucked in a breath when Lex stepped even closer, getting into his personal space. Lex made a show of looking over the other’s body, then with a raised eyebrow, he continued: “What’s going on, Clark? Why are you acting so … weird?”
It probably wasn’t my best idea to force him to come back inside. If I had just let him run away, we could still pretend it never happened and go back to just being friends. I can see what he wants and if he’s half the horny teenager that I was when I was sixteen, in a matter of minutes we’ll be in my bed and … wait, what … what is with his feet? Did he run out into the muddy ground with socks?!
Clark immediately looked down towards his feet and only now noticed that he did in fact run outside without putting his shoes back on and as a result his socks were full of mud. He quickly took them off, apologising.
“Clark, stop apologising and tell me what is going on!”, Lex demanded, losing patience.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t … I mean … I just needed some air and I … uh … didn’t mean to just run out like that.”
Why is he so infuriating?! This is taking too long. Should I just pull him towards me? If I just kissed him right now, would he pull away? Would he melt into it? I want to feel his breath on my lips, his body against mine…
Clark whined as the other’s thoughts hit him with full force once again. He could barely keep it together anymore. Trying to get some distance between them, Clark stepped to the side, running further inside. He stopped in the huge salon, touching his burning face.
“Please, make it stop”, he whispered, unsure how to stop reading Lex’ thoughts.
“Clark”, Lex had caught up to him, simply strolling leisurely after him. With his hands in his pockets, he approached Clark who reacted by stepping backwards, maintaining the distance between them.
He’s really not making this easy…
“Clark”, Lex sighed, noticing the other’s obvious discomfort. “You’re really not making this easy…”
Clark couldn’t even look the other in the eye anymore. He studied the floor, then contemplated if jumping out of the window was a viable option, then looked around helplessly, hoping that Lex would not start thinking again.
“Clark!”, Lex raised his voice, his tone commanding. Never had he used this tone of voice with his friend – his eyes were sharp and strict and Clark instinctively looked directly at him, holding his breath.
“Sit down!”, Lex demanded, pointing to the sofa and without hesitation Clark flopped down on it, his heart pounding in his chest.
Fuck, he’s so obedient! I can’t with this boy!
“Good”, Lex commented, the word a bit more shakily coming over his lips than he had intended. With slow, deliberate steps Lex made his way over to the sofa, standing in front of the other. His presence filled the space and he wasn’t asking anymore, he was commanding: “Clark, you will tell me right now what is going on!”
Fuck, just admit it! Admit you came here because you want me as much as I want you! God-fucking-dammit I can’t wait anymore, I need him! If he only knew what I’m thinking…
“But I do know what you’re thinking!”, Clark blurted out desperately. “You thought about kissing me and … other things … and that you want to wait until I’m an adult, but then you thought that you can’t wait and … and… Please stop thinking!”
There was a long awkward silence as Lex stared at Clark, his eyes widening. For some moments his usual composure slipped away completely and when he regained it, his let out a hollow laugh and shook his head.
So where’d you get mind-reading powers from, Clark?
“Mrs. White – those are her powers and I think she … lent them to me or something? I think it’s temporary, she said something about an hour…”
Lex flopped down on the sofa next to Clark who looked like he might die on the spot from sheer embarrassment. His hands were shaking and his breaths were laboured as he talked. It was like every part of him was in full-on meltdown mode.
Leaning back, casually crossing his legs, Lex allowed a smirk to spread across his face. “You know most people would purposefully use mind-reading powers to pry secrets from others.”
“What…?”
“I’m saying that you’re one of the few people who wouldn’t abuse such powers and I’m grateful for it. Now take some deep breaths, alright? And we talk when you’re ready.”
Clark decided to follow his friend’s advice and took a deep breath, then another. He also glanced at Lex who was just lounging next to him right now, mercifully thinking about nothing in particular. The tension in the air was still palpable, but definitely less suffocating than before.
Still a bit shaken, Clark inhaled deeply once more and then decided to clear the air.
“I owe you an apology, Lex”, he started, softly and sincerely. “What happened today – hearing your thoughts I mean – I shouldn’t have let it go on. I should have been honest with you from the moment I figured out what was going on.”
Lex just shrugged at the heartfelt apology, but when he saw the other shifting around nervously, he decided to elaborate: “Apology accepted, Clark. I’m not upset or anything.” He chuckled. “You were the one in the hot seat after all.”
“Yes, but … still”, Clark frowned, still embarrassed. “It wasn’t my place to hear all that. Your thoughts, I mean. They’re private!”
“That might be true, but what’s done is done”, Lex dismissed the argument, “you don’t get to apologise for hearing my not-so-subtle daydreams about you and I’m frankly disappointed that you didn’t even let me finish any of my fantasies and instead got red as a tomato from the beginning alone!” His voice took on a teasing tone and he leaned in with a playful grin, enjoying watching Clark flush up for the umpteenth time.
“And here I thought I’d have to find some clever way to let you know of my desires”, Lex purred. “But I guess my mind did all the heavy lifting for me. So much for subtlety, am I right?”
Clark pulled up his shoulders. Part of him still wanted to sink into a hole in the ground and just die, but another part of him wanted to open up. It was the least he could do and Lex deserved honestly, especially after this, after having his own thoughts laid bare without his consent. There was a quiet sincerity in Clark’s voice when he finally spoke.
“Your feelings are valid, Lex, and you don’t have to hide them”, he replied softly, changing the playful tone that the other had set up to something much more serious. “Because I feel the same way.”
For a moment Lex froze. He had expected a lot of things, but not a confession. His confident smile faltered, the playful glint in his eyes dulled – when he stared into Clark’s eyes who looked up at him with an expression full of vulnerability and honesty, his chest tightened uncomfortably. He was good with fun, but not so good with feelings.
Lex blinked, his lips parting slightly, unsure how to respond.
Then, in a small, hesitant movement, Clark reached out and before he could second-guess himself, he leaned in, closing the gap between them. The kiss was soft and gentle, barely anything more than a peck on the lips, but full of unspoken feelings. Lex barely even comprehended what happened – Clark was the one who initiated the kiss, CLARK?! – when the chaste brushing of their lips was already over again.
Pulling away slowly, Clark’s face was flushed as seemed to be its natural state at this point with a little extra helping of breathlessness.
“What was that?”, Lex huffed.
“Oh … oh, did I overstep?” Panic rose up in Clark. He had assumed from the other’s thoughts that this would be okay, but of course he should have asked regardless. An apology already on his lips, he opened his mouth, but before he could get any words out, Lex clarified.
“If anything, you under-stepped! What sort of kiss was that supposed to be?”
Suddenly Clark felt very self-conscious.
“Don’t get me wrong, it was sweet. A little too innocent for my tastes though. Maybe I should show you how it’s really done!” As Lex spoke, his hands came up, cupping Clark’s face, thumb brushing against his jaw.
He waited for a sign of consent, a little confirmation and he received it immediately with Clark nodding eagerly.
Not wasting a second, Lex pulled Clark close and leaned in, capturing the other’s lips with his own. For a heartbeat Clark froze, then melted. He didn’t know what to do with his hands, so he simply let them rest in his lap and just … enjoyed the experience. Part of him had assumed that Lex would overwhelm him with kisses as passionate as his thoughts suggested, but instead he got something else.
The kiss wasn’t rushed. It was deep and intentional. Lex kissed him like he was precious, like he was chosen, like he was the only one in this world that mattered. It made Clark’s head spin and with closed eyes he savoured every moment.
When Lex pulled away, an involuntary gasp escaped Clark. Lex chuckled at that.
He’s so adorable…
“I can still hear you”, Clark clarified.
“Hm, good to know”, Lex replied smugly – a little too smug, almost as if he had ulterior motives.
A second later further thoughts of Lex hit Clark like a wave – very indecent and explicit thoughts. It made his previous daydreams seem innocent in comparison. While Clark had previously assumed that he couldn’t get any more flustered, he felt his entire body flush up with embarrassment and some other bodily reactions as well.
“L-Lex! I… You … stop thinking that!”, Clark stammered, his hands still in his lap, pulling his shirt downwards, desperate to hide how much those thoughts got to him.
“What? I can think what I want. It’s a free country, Clark!”, Lex reacted, watching him with an infuriatingly smug grin, utterly enjoying Clark’s reaction. “I’m not even doing anything”, he insisted, leaning back, arms behind his head to prove his point, as if he wasn’t completely aware that he had just torched Clark’s nerves.
“You’re insufferable!”, Clark whispered, turning his gaze to the side as if that would help.
“And you love it”, Lex insisted, then stretched and stood up. He took two steps before turning around, meeting Clark’s gaze again. “If you’re up for putting some of those thoughts to reality…” He winked. “…follow me to my bedroom.”
He didn’t wait for an answer. That was the point. To give Clark time alone to consider whether he was ready. Unhurriedly Lex walked down the hallway, leaving the choice exactly where it belonged.
In his bedroom he shrugged off his shirt, kicked off his shoes and removed his socks, then lied back on the bed, draping himself on his covers, looking effortlessly enticing. As if he was just naturally this sexy and confident, as if it was certain that Clark would step into his bedroom any moment now … as if his own heart wasn’t thudding just a little too fast at the thought what if he had pushed things too far.
Minutes passed. Five. Then ten.
“Fuck…”, Lex hissed into the silence that had grown too loud. “Fuck, fuck, FUCK!”
Doubt crept in uninvited. He replayed their interactions in his head over and over again – searching for something he might have missed, a line he might have crossed. No, no, Clark’s expression and his body language was clear and also Lex never miscalculated, it was impossible! Impossible!
Except maybe this time…
Lex exhaled slowly. If Clark wasn’t ready, that was okay. Disappointing, sure – but okay.
He started to get up from bed, a frown on his lips, when the door creaked. Lex’ head snapped towards it.
Clark stood there in a bathrobe, skin still slightly damp, his cheeks pink like he’d rushed. He looked nervous and earnest. And very Clark.
“I … uh …”, Clark started, taking in the image of an obviously dissatisfied Lex sitting half-naked on the edge of his bed. “I was sweaty from work and I figured I should shower first because I assume that’s what you do before having sex? And then I started thinking that maybe I was taking too long and then I thought that maybe I should have actually told you beforehand that I’d go shower, but by that time I was already under the water and…” He stopped his spiralling. “You get the idea.”
For a moment Lex just stared. The he threw back his head and laughed, the sound bubbling out of him full of relief. He sat up again, eyes bright.
“You absolute menace”, he huffed, shaking his head.
I love you.
The thought was out before he could stop himself and for a moment Lex just froze, studying the other’s reaction.
“I’m not a menace”, Clark simply pouted. “…but if you changed your mind or something, I can just … go.”
Lex breathed a sigh of relief. Apparently the other’s mind-reading powers had worn off. Just perfectly in time.
“Don’t worry, my mind is still in the gutter even if you can’t hear my thoughts anymore”, Lex smiled, patting the empty space next to him. “Now come here, you handsome menace and let me show you the best time you’ve ever had!”
“It’s actually also my first time, so technically it will definitely be the best time…”, Clark voiced nervously as he carefully climbed into the bed, settling down next to Lex.
Lex groaned, then stopped the other’s rambling by throwing open his bathrobe and climbing on top of him.
“Just shut up, Clark!”
Pressing his lips together, Clark nodded. And then he smiled, full of trust.