Commentary by hils: Without You by danceswithgary
This was one of the first fics I read when I joined the Smallville fandom and it still remains one of my favourites to this day
Title: Without You
Author: danceswithgary
Fandom: Smallville
Commentator: hils
Title: Without You
Author: danceswithgary (danceswithgary@yahoo.com)
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Rating: R to NC-17 (Maybe)
Warnings: m/m sex
Spoilers: Vague references to Seasons 1-4
Word Count: 17765
Archive: Fine, just let me know
Summary: 'Can't live without you' takes on a whole new meaning for Clark and Lex.
Notes: Please go and see the wonderful manip at http://lapetite-kiki.livejournal.com/94856.html. She kindly said I could play with her bunny, and it met my bunny and it was love at first sight. This is their offspring. Thanks, lapetite_kiki! *hugs* Warning: May be considered a spoiler for this story.
Standard Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters herein. The characters of Lex Luthor and Clark Kent as well as any supporting characters are the property of their creators and DC Comics. Gough/Millar Inc and the WB Network TV own Smallville. Any deviations (or deviant behavior) from the originals, however, is mine.
Feedback is both welcome and appreciated.
***
Without You
***
Prologue
"Jor-El, can you explain why this happened? There was no Kryptonite in the area that I could detect. It was a simple collapse of a building after a tremor." Clark stood just outside the healing matrix inside the Fortress and addressed the AI. He had finally managed to peel the damaged uniform off his body despite the excruciating pain from the shattered bones in his right forearm. The cuts and contusions scattered over the majority of his upper body were also quite painful, but more importantly, there was no immediate explanation for the loss of his invulnerability and his inability to heal himself.
"Enter the matrix, Kal-El. I will perform a scan while you are healing."
. . .
"You were correct Kal-El. Your injuries were not a result of Kryptonite exposure. You have entered your final bonding stage. Your powers are becoming unreliable. They will continue to deteriorate until you reach terminal state in approximately 23 days, 7 hours from now."
"After that I'll be the same as humans, no powers?"
"No, Kal-El, unless you complete the bonding, you will be dead."
Dun Dun DUN!! I love how you're smack straight into this. Grabs your attention immediately
***
Without You Part 2
***
"I don't understand. What exactly *is* this bonding I have to complete? Is it some sort of Kryptonian ritual?" Clark approached the center cluster of crystals. He had been so intent on the AI's answer that he had not taken time to retrieve any clothing, his powers still strong enough to protect him from the frigid air. His questions took on the formal speech patterns he found most effective for communicating with the AI in English, although he could resort to Kryptonian if needed.
I love the idea of Clark wandering around naked talking to Jor-El. We need more of that in the show!
"Kryptonians bond for life with their *telethnan* or 'soul's mirror'. A Kryptonian who passes through the time of the third and final stage of bonding without sharing *telethma* with their *telethnan* will cease to exist as they are incomplete."
"If I am, as you claim, the last son of Krypton, then how can I complete the bonding? Can you create a substitute?"
"No alternative is available. The only temporary solution would be to enter the healing matrix until such time as your telethnan is able to complete the final bonding with you, but when you exit the matrix Kal-El, your time would again continue to grow shorter.
"You speak as though I already have a *telethnan* somewhere, that I've completed the first two stages. How? Who?"
"The fragments of Krypton that accompanied your ship were sent to prepare possible *telethnan* candidates. This effort was successful and you bonded by *telethsa* or touch the day you arrived. That was the first stage. The second stage was completed when your secondary powers were ready to manifest themselves and you bonded by exchanging *telethha* or intimate breath. The third stage is exchanging *telethma* or intimate fluids, an exchange repeated often the rest of your life with your *telethnan*. It must be a true exchange, it cannot be one-sided because absorbing each other's *telethma* increases the effectiveness for the next exchange until equilibrium is reached and then maintained."
"The mutations caused by the meteors were supposed to create a mate for me? But, they're all either dead or insane, at least those I'm aware of; even Kyle Tippet wasn't able to avoid madness in the end. Are you telling me my *telethnan* is insane?"
"Kal-El, you know who your *telethnan* is, although you are strangely reluctant to admit it. You have been bound to him since you shared *telethha* and you pursue him to this day. You have been unable to bring yourself to completion with any other; he is the only one who can sustain your life."
"I will die a virgin then, because he hates me. Will he die too?"
"No Kal-El, he is still human enough to avoid death, but he will never be able to find another who will satisfy his need and he will suffer loneliness until his life ends."
"And if he completes the bonding, will he die if I die?"
"No, but he would eventually go mad without your *telethma*. He might find death preferable."
Clark sighed and began to walk away from the crystal cluster. "I need some time to think." He located clothing he kept at the Fortress and began to dress for the trip back to Metropolis. "I'll return soon."
"Do not delay too long, Kal-El. Your powers will continue to diminish and you have only 23 days and a few hours before you will cease."
Frustrated, Clark dropped his formal syntax. "I've got it, Jor-El! I have to fuck Lex Luthor in the next three weeks or die. To make things even more hopeless, he has to fuck me too and then we get to repeat the whole impossible fucking *telethma* exchange again on a regular basis when he can't stand the sight of me! I need some time to think and make some plans, damn it!"
"Yes, Kal-El. Remember that you do have the strength now to force the bonding, as you weaken it will become less possible. You cannot let the last of Krypton die because you are reluctant to be strong."
Clark straightened and his eyes took on a red glow. "Jor-El, I won't say this again. I will never rape anyone simply to save my life. You will not raise that option again." He left the Fortress without another word.
***
Part 3
***
"I don't know why you insisted on coming with me to the press conference, Smallville. You know he never calls on you. It's like you're invisible." Lois' whisper was anything but subtle and several of the surrounding reporters frowned at her in annoyance as they tried to concentrate on the latest Luthor announcement. Clark shrugged and pushed his glasses back up on his nose before returning to his intense scrutiny of the charismatic CEO of LexCorp.
Lex looked almost the same as he did before he left Smallville to take the reins of LuthorCorp after his father's death in prison. The years between had touched him no more than they had Clark, his face still unlined, body lithe and strong. Driven by his financial genius, LexCorp had absorbed LuthorCorp and he surpassed any of his father's achievements. Lex had prospered, and was now recognized as the most influential man in Metropolis and perhaps even the state of Kansas. There was talk of Lex running for governor in the next election, something that made Clark's blood run cold when he considered some of Lex's less savory connections.
"Smallville, pay attention!" hissed Lois, elbowing Clark as he stood staring blankly while everyone around him was vying loudly for Lex's attention. He shook himself back into the present and raised his hand along with the rest. "Mr. Luthor! Mr. Luthor!"
. . .
"I told you it was useless having you there," Lois grumbled into her coffee cup, "In fact, I think standing next to you made me invisible too. Now, Perry can be pissed off at both of us for wasting our time." Clark kept his head down and pretended to be working on another story, but Lois wasn't deterred. "Just what did you do to Luthor? Me, I write articles about his possibly illegal business practices and still get selected occasionally for a question. You, you're a different story. He's got something he's holding against you. Maybe I should be investigating that as my next expose. I can see the headline, 'Former Friends Now Enemies Over...', and fill in the juicy details." She put her empty coffee cup down and leaned forward, her eyes narrowed as she studied her partner. "Did you steal one of his girlfriends...or boyfriends?" She sat back and laughed at her own theory. "Nah, could never happen Smallville. Look at you. Not unless someone saw you minus those glasses and that discount store suit, say maybe wrapped in just a blanket..." One eyebrow cocked in speculation.
Clark hunched his shoulders and blushed, remembering how Lois and he first met, late at night in the center of a lightning strike crater. "I didn't do anything Lois, we just sort of reached a point where we weren't friends anymore. He had one way of doing things, I had another." He began typing again, hoping Lois would leave it alone. He didn't think he'd be that lucky. Lois didn't get to where she was by dropping an investigation before she had every bit of information she could pull out of her sources.
"Not convincing me here, Smallville. I'm warning you now; I'm not going to let this one go. I *will* find out what is going on between you two." Lois' grin held a hint of menace.
Clark stood up and walked into Perry's office. He closed the door behind himself and leaned against it. "Perry, I'm taking a leave of absence, starting now. I've had some personal issues come up that I need to take care of, immediately. I don't know how long I'll need, but I should know better in about three weeks."
"What's going on, Kent?" Perry frowned at one-half of his best team. "Is there something you need help with?"
"It's personal, Chief, like I said." Clark folded his arms, his stance more aggressive than Perry was accustomed to from the mild-mannered reporter. "Is there a problem with my taking the time? I certainly have enough sick and vacation leave I haven't used."
Clark was right, he hadn't taken a vacation since he applied at the Planet, his freelance work in Europe, after graduating from Met U, impressing White and winning him his position as Lois' partner. Perry looked at Clark's stance and decided that if he pushed there was a chance he would lose one of his best reporters permanently. "OK Kent, take all the time you need. Let me know how long as soon as you can. And let me know if I can help."
Clark's posture relaxed. "Thanks Chief. I'll let you know. I'm leaving right now. Just so you know, I won't be talking to Lois." He opened the door and left.
Perry watched Clark head to the elevator and leave without another word to anyone in the office. He rolled his eyes and prepared to deliver the news to Clark's abandoned partner. He really didn't want to know what was going on there. He just hoped Clark's return from his leave of absence would find it resolved. "Lane, in here! Now!"
. . .
Clark looked around his small apartment trying to decide what else he wanted to take with him. A small suitcase was still open on his bed, his faithful backpack from his days in Europe beside it. He grabbed several picture frames and extracted the photos, dropping the frames on the bed. He tucked them away in a side pocket of the suitcase. Not seeing anything else he needed, he closed the suitcase and grabbed the backpack. Patting his pockets, he located his cell phone, turned it off and dropped it on the bed next to the empty picture frames.
Outside of the apartment, he stopped to listen before heading for the stairs. The stairwell door shut behind him as the elevator doors opened and Lois stepped out, headed for his abandoned apartment.
***
Part 4
***
Hitting the final key required for activating the command set, Superman pushed himself back from the console and rose to his feet. He scanned the perimeter of the room filled with complex monitoring equipment as if memorizing it and then exited. Making his way to the common area, he found several of his fellow League members there, chatting lazily and enjoying a rare break. He nodded to each as he greeted them informally. "Bruce, Princess, Hal."
"Clark, we weren't expecting you. Playing hooky from the Planet today?" Hal's good-natured question was ignored by Clark as he directed his attention to Bruce and jerked his head slightly, looking towards the door, indicating he wanted to see Bruce privately. They both left the room without a word. "I don't know what's crawled up his butt, Princess, but I hope it doesn't end up biting him too hard," muttered the disgruntled superhero.
"What is it, Clark?" Bruce grasped Clark's arm gently, concerned by Clark's uncharacteristic behavior. Clark and J'onn were always the most polite of the League members, as if the two non-humans strove to fit in by means of perfect human behavior. Ironically, in Bruce's opinion, no sane human could be that polite. "What's happened? Is it your mother?"
"Mom's fine, Bruce. I just needed to tell you I'm going to be unreachable for about a month." Clark's flat delivery did nothing to lessen Bruce's concern; neither did Clark's careless shrug shaking Bruce's hand loose.
"What's going on, Clark? This isn't like you. Do you need help?"
"Not like me? I'm the only one of my kind, Bruce. How can you possibly know what I'm supposed to be like, when even I keep getting surprised?" Clark turned on his heel and started walking away. "There's nothing you can do, Bruce. I'll let you know when I'll be back as soon as I'm sure."
Aww! I kind of feel bad for Bruce.
Bruce watched his teammate walk away, feeling impotent, knowing there was nothing he could do to stop the strongest being on Earth from leaving the Watchtower. He was already making plans, deciding who to contact about this problem. He wasn't going to accept Clark's statement that there was nothing the League could do to help him.
. . .
"Clark, I wasn't expecting you! You're lucky though, I just took a batch of cookies out of the oven." Martha hugged her giant son, happy to see him. Urging him to take a seat at the table, she bustled about, pouring a large glass of milk and placing a dozen cookies on a plate in front of him.
Clark stared at the plate a moment before scraping his chair back and standing. "Thanks Mom, but I'm not hungry. I just stopped by to let you know I'm not going to be around for about a month. I didn't want you to worry."
"Clark? What's wrong? Is it Jor-El again?" Martha had rarely seen her son refuse food. It was a sure sign he was upset and her mother's intuition was on alert. "Do you have to go away for more training?" The last time Clark disappeared, he was gone for almost six months, right after he graduated from Met U. The accepted story of backpacking across Europe was a convenient ruse; it was easy enough to slip into the role of wandering reporter on his return. In reality, he had been locked into extensive training sessions with the AI, learning Kryptonian history and culture, as well as how to use his many powers.
"You could call it that." Clark blushed, reluctant to conceal the truth from his mother, "I missed some information the first time around, some very important facts. I need to take care of a few things now. It'll be OK."
"All right then, if you're sure." She hugged him again before stepping back. "I love you. Be careful."
"I love you too, Mom." He picked up the suitcase and backpack he'd left outside the back door, and he was gone.
. . .
On the outskirts of Metropolis, the motel owner accepted Clark's cash without questioning Clark's arrival without a car. Taking the key, Clark walked down the row of squalid rooms until he reached his. Fumbling with the key, he finally managed to open the door and shuffled into the dimly lit room. Dropping the suitcase by the door, he carried the backpack to the bed that had a noticeable dip in the center. Pulling a disposable phone out of the backpack, he took a seat on the worn bedspread. He dialed a number he knew by heart, although he never used it. "Hello, Lex? This is Clark. Can I come by to see you? I have something important I need to talk to you about, as soon as possible."
***
Part 5
***
"Mr. Luthor, a Mr. Kent is here to see you." The chilled tones of Lex's personal assistant announced Clark as she held the office door open for him.
Lex failed to look up from the laptop he was working on. "Thank you, Faith. That will be all for now."
"Yes, sir." She nodded and left the office, closing the door behind her.
Clark stood by the door, waiting for Lex to say something, to indicate somehow that he was ready to *see* him. As he watched Lex typing rapidly, intent on his task, he felt a twinge from his memory. It had been a familiar sight in the early days of their friendship. He would drop off the produce delivery and then make his way through the halls of the castle to Lex's study, walking in without knocking; expecting a welcoming smile as Lex locked his screen and asked what he could do for Clark. It had changed over the years, his welcome not as evident and the offers of assistance rarer. Their friendship had essentially ended before he graduated from high school, Lex no longer willing to accept Clark's evasions and lies, Clark condemning Lex's continued experimentation with meteor rock and mutants.
Although they lived in the same city during his years at Met U, Clark only saw Lex at a distance or in the newspapers chronicling his rise to the top. It wasn't until Clark returned from Europe and began working at the Daily Planet with new partner that he came face-to-face again with the man he had saved from death more than once. Their enmity had not faded with time, instead it escalated as Clark and Lois raised questions about illegal procedures in the LexCorp laboratories and Lex's connections to the Metropolis underworld. The final bitter clash had come with the appearance of Superman, holding all of Clark's past lies up to Lex and making it clear he had never earned Clark's trust despite all of his efforts. Lex began wearing his Kryptonite ring as a declaration of intent, a pre-emptive notice to the alien vigilante that he would not be intimidated. Superman limited his warnings to public venues and Clark found he was persona non grata anywhere Lex had influence.
Beautiful description of The Rift here. Actually makes sense of it which is more than we seem to be getting on the show.
A noise from the vicinity of the desk interrupted Clark's reminiscing. Having established his indifference to Clark's presence, Lex closed his laptop and sat back in his chair, rudely surveying Clark from head to toe before speaking. "Clark, take a seat and tell me what was so important that you needed to see me immediately."
Thankful that Lex had decided not to wear the ring for this meeting, Clark perched uneasily on the chair in front of Lex's desk. He removed his glasses knowing it would simply aggravate the situation, given Lex's instant penetration of Superman's disguise. "Lex, I want to thank you for taking the time to meet with me so quickly. I appreciate it." Rubbing his hands along his thighs in a nervous habit from his high school days, Clark continued, "It's been a long time, Lex. You look good."
Lex's lips quirked and he drawled, "Clark, I highly doubt you're here to exchange pleasantries. Get to the point. I'm a very busy man."
"Lex, have you ever wondered who we would be, how different our lives might be today if we'd stayed friends? If we'd been able to work out our differences back in Smallville?"
A disbelieving stare preceded Lex's response. "No Clark, I gave up on the idea of friendship many lies ago. I find my life is much simpler that way. I have business associates and I have people I fuck. I consider none of them friends and I prefer it that way. I've even decided marriage is a useless construct as far as I'm concerned. It finally sank in after my fourth one failed. I now believe I'm meant to make my way through life alone and I'm stronger for it. Does that answer your question?"
Lex's voice is perfect here. You can really feel the bitterness coming from him, and the hurt which he's trying to hide
"Lex, you know all the secrets I was keeping back then, I know you figured them out when I started wearing the uniform. Can't we get by the fights we had back then and try again? I miss you. I miss being your friend. I have for years."
"No Clark, I gave you too many chances to trust me back in Smallville, there are none left. I don't believe what you're looking for is friendship now. You have an agenda. You want something from me and to be honest, I don't see myself ever giving you another chance to take advantage of my generosity." He reached into his desk and pulled out a box. Opening it, he extracted a ring containing a large green stone and placed it on his finger. "I believe we're done here. You can see yourself out."
Flinching from the pain caused by his proximity to the ring, Clark rose from his chair and moved to the door. "I'm sorry I wasted your time, Lex." He replaced his glasses and with his hand on the doorknob, Clark paused and looked back at his former friend. "Lex, if you knew you had just a few days to live, what would you do? Where would you go?"
Lex half-rose from his chair, hands flat on his desk, eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Clark, what are you trying to say here?"
Clark's smile was bitter as he shook his head. "Nothing Lex, call it simple curiosity. It would make an interesting newspaper poll, wouldn't it?" He left the office without saying goodbye and Lex resumed his seat, his index finger absently tracing his upper lip as he stared blindly at the closed door.
. . .
He had watched the sunrise from the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and marveled over sound and fury of a stampeding herd of wildebeest in the veldt, a pink cloud of flamingoes rising as if to greet him as he passed overhead. Bright parrots mocked him in the Amazon, and then he swam with dolphins before hovering over a polar bear with two cubs as they trekked across an Alaskan glacier. He avoided humans and the works of humans, determined not to dwell on what he could no longer pretend to be. His day of farewell at an end, he stood before the matrix wearing nothing and carrying only his memories. He stepped inside and ordered the AI to place him in permanent stasis.
This is so beautiful. It actually brings tears to my eyes that knowing he doesn't have much time left to live, Clark is at least able to mavel at the truly wonderful things on Earth. This brought a tear to my eye
"You cannot choose this; it will be the same as death. There is no rescue waiting for you in the future, no alternative to the bonding."
"My *telethnan* has rejected me, I fail to see the honor in waiting for a slow and painful death. Place me in stasis as I ordered, Jor-El."
"You must take what you need from him so you may live, Kal-El. You are the last."
"I will not force my *telethnan* to bow to my need. Place me in stasis. Now!"
I love that Clark at least has the balls to stand up to Jor-El
The matrix closed and stasis initiated as Clark had directed.
"The last of Krypton can not be lost over an illogical interpretation of honorable behavior. You will complete the bonding, Kal-El, when it is time."
EEP! And Jor-El, as usual has his own agenda
***
Part 6
***
"He's on a leave of absence from the Planet, personal business. His apartment is empty and it looks like he's not coming back, no indication of injury or illness. There's no sign of him at the farm and Mrs. Kent claims no knowledge of his location. We have no leads at this time, sir." Mercy's report was crisp and concise. It was also frustratingly negative. Lex frowned as he considered the information. He'd thought about Clark's parting words for a day before sending Mercy out to check on his whereabouts. Now he wondered if that delay would prove costly in the end.
The number Clark had called from to make his appointment was not in service. Lex granted he'd actually been clever using a disposable phone and Lex could only assume he'd discarded or destroyed it afterwards. "Mercy, did he have a personal cell phone? Can we triangulate on its location?"
"We called that number first, sir. Lois Lane, his partner, answered it. Its location was the Planet offices. She informed us she found the cell phone turned off at his apartment and that she was attempting to locate him. She had no further information. We're checking all bus, train and air departures now, but if he used an alias..."
"You don't need to waste time on the departures, Mercy. If he left the city, it was not by conventional methods. Right now, we'll just have to watch and wait."
"Yes, sir. I'll continue the surveillance at his apartment, the Planet and the farm, all other searches will be suspended until further notice." Mercy left Lex's office to handle her assignment in her usual efficient manner.
Lex stood at his window overlooking the city he owned, hands in pockets, brow furrowed in thought. He didn't like not having all the answers; he resented the existence of yet another secret, courtesy of the alien.
"Clark, where are you and what the *hell* is going on?"
Typical Lex not realising what he has until it's gone, and then getting annoyed at Clark for disappearing with no explanation. LOL
. . .
A week after Superman's abrupt leave-taking, Batman had exhausted all avenues of investigation available to him with no success. He was outside of any of the surveillance mechanisms the League had in place to monitor activity around the world. There had been no sightings, not even during the last natural disaster, one that would have summoned him without fail in the past.
"Luthor."
Lex raised his tumbler of scotch, saluting the dark figure that had just entered his penthouse without invitation, via the previously locked balcony doors. "Batman, what a surprise, seeing you here. Can I offer you something to drink? I have a particularly fine..."
The black leather glove crushing Lex's windpipe cut off his mocking voice. "I'm not here for pleasantries, Luthor. Where is Clark Kent?" The bruising grip relaxed and the menacing tones prompted him, "You were the last person to talk with him a week ago. He's been missing since then. Where is he?"
Batman is one of the few people who won't take any shit from Lex. It's wonderful!
Rubbing his throat, Lex's face hardened and his eyes flashed at the unfounded accusation. "If you think I had anything to do with Kent's disappearance, you're badly mistaken. I've been trying to locate him myself. He left my office that day after a rather disturbing conversation. Based on your questions, I assume you've been just as unsuccessful as my people in determining his whereabouts." Returning to the bar, he refreshed the drink that had spilled when Batman decided to interrupt him. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"
"Yes. What are you hiding in a penthouse surrounded by Kryptonite barriers?"
"Hiding? Why nothing but myself. It's simply a deterrent for a particular...flying irritation that had a habit of dropping in unexpectedly to berate me for my evil ways. It became...tiresome."
"Then you don't mind if I search myself. After all, what keeps pests out may also serve to keep them in, correct?"
"Search away, Batman. Never let it be said I stood in the way of justice, even if it does conveniently forget to provide a search warrant." Lex stood back and let the frustrated superhero perform a cursory search before leaving the same way he arrived. Lex muttered under his breath as he closed the doors behind his uninvited visitor. "You've done a good job losing yourself, Clark. Thanks for leaving me under suspicion."
I absoutely love the snark in this scene. It's perfect!
. . .
Three weeks after Clark directed the AI to set the healing matrix to permanent stasis, it opened and Kal-El stepped out. He stood there silent, listening, before making his way to the entrance of the Fortress, still unclothed. There was no discernable hesitation in his manner as he launched himself into the atmosphere, headed for Metropolis.
OOOOOH!
***
Part 7
***
Kal-El arrived at his destination only to be thwarted by the presence of Kryptonite imbedded in the concrete along balcony walls and around windows. Even walls, which should have been simple to break through, were protected by refined meteor rock placed at regular intervals around the perimeter and roof. He circled the building repeatedly, searching for a weakness, somehow aware that what he craved was inside those safeguards. The pain kept him at bay until he finally detected a slight difference outside a single window. He floated back a few yards before speeding towards the small flaw, intent on breaking through. His body curled in automatic reaction as he passed through the window, his shoulder striking the frame and imbedding several chunks of the Kryptonite deep in his vulnerable flesh. Stricken with excruciating pain, his uncontrolled roll was finally brought to a stop by the farthest wall of the room, the impact of his head against the wall announced by a sickening thud.
. . .
"Report." Lex's voice was curt as he spoke to the leader of the security team currently sweeping his penthouse after his bodyguards rushed him out of his study and into one of the three safe rooms located in the penthouse.
"We're approaching your bedroom now, sir. We believe that's where the bomb went off. We're opening the door now. The room has very little debris, sir, just the glass from the window and it looks like the frame is splintered. Hold on sir, we've found something...someone. Sir, there's a body here, against the wall."
"Are they armed?"
"No sir, in fact he has no clothes on, sir. I think he's still alive, sir, but he looks bad. Should we call an ambulance, sir?"
"If the rest of the penthouse is secure, I want to see him before I decide what to do next." Lex motioned to Mercy and Hope to accompany him back to the penthouse. Too many years dealing with meteor mutants left him reluctant to turn over anyone behaving oddly until he had completed his own investigations. Once the authorities had them in custody, he lost any chance of gathering valuable data.
Pushing through the cluster of guards, Lex approached the body lying curled in a fetal position, facing the wall. The large muscular frame shuddered continuously, a growing pool of blood spreading out from under his head, matting his dusty dark curls. "No." Lex fell to his knees beside the twitching body and carefully rolled him on his back, revealing a familiar countenance with several deep gashes. Even under the blood, the high cheekbones and noble forehead were unmistakable. "God, no. Clark!"
And there we have it. In that one moment Lex goes from hating Clark to not. Wonderful!
Lex passed his hands over Clark's head, searching for a depression or swelling indicating a possible head injury. As Clark's body rolled further onto his back, the source of the continuing tremors was revealed, the flesh around his shoulder literally writhing around the imbedded shards of meteor rock. "Mercy, Hope, I want everyone out of here, right now. The security team is to report to their posts. Disable all the Kryptonite defense systems immediately and bring me a first aid kit and the lead-lined box from my desk."
Concerned about Lex's safety, Mercy attempted to reason with her employer, "Sir, are you sure you want the defenses..."
"No arguments. Do it now!" While he waited for his orders to be carried out, Lex continued to catalog the injuries Clark had sustained as he entered his bedroom at high speed. Unfortunately, it looked as if his head and shoulder bore the brunt of the injuries and Clark's failure to rouse concerned Lex. The pain from the Kryptonite should have had him groaning in pain, but he was unresponsive. He could only hope removing the rock would return Clark's body to normal, healing as quickly as it had in the past.
. . .
"Here, take those away and put them in a containment box until I arrange for their disposal." Lex handed the box containing the fragments he had removed to Hope and returned his attention to Clark, hoping to see an improvement now that the Kryptonite was out of his system and removed from his immediate vicinity. The cuts were closing, but more slowly than he'd seen in the past and that concerned him. "Mercy, have one of the guest rooms prepared. We'll move him in there as soon as he wakes up. I want to give him a chance to finish healing a little more so we don't jar any internal injuries he might have." He found a patch of carpet not soaked in blood and sat, waiting for Clark to return to consciousness.
Lex had discarded his first impulse to send his bodyguards away while he tended to Clark himself, to try to preserve his identity. He soon realized he would need their help in caring for him and ensuring no one else penetrated his disguise. After all, he trusted them with his life, he was sure he could trust them with Clark's also. "When he's out of here, have a cleanup crew come in and strip the room and take up the carpet. I want one of you to supervise to make sure nothing with blood on it is left behind and all of it is incinerated completely."
You've got to say one thing about Lex, he knows how to keep those he loves safe. Even with Clark unconscious on the floor Lex is thinking about how to keep his secret safe. This is why Clark should have trusted him years ago!
Lex had been looking at his bodyguards while he issued his instructions. When he resumed his vigil, he was pleasantly surprised to see the brilliant green eyes open. "Clark, how do you feel?" When Clark failed to respond, Lex touched his face and moved it so that he could be sure Clark could see him speaking. "Clark, can you hear me?"
The only response was a slow blink and a single word in a low rumble. "Telethnan."
***
Part 8
***
"Clark, do you understand me?" Lex had never seen Clark so weak before. He'd certainly seen him encounter Kryptonite before and the agony that could entail; the sheer overall weakness he was seeing now was baffling. Maybe it accounted for the lack of Clark's failure to respond to his name beyond that single word, teleth-something or other. Lex decided that now that Clark was awake, he and Hope should try to get him cleaned up before tucking him in the guest room's bed.
Looking down at his bloodstained clothing, Lex realized all of it was marked for destruction, along with the room's furnishings. Sacrificing his modesty for the sake of expediency, he stripped to his skin before levering Clark up from the floor and attempting to get him to stand. Draping Clark's arm over his shoulder, he grunted as he lifted the larger man with no assistance from Clark. Signaling Hope to take the other arm, they dragged Clark down the hall and into the guest room bathroom, carefully lowering him into the bathtub so Lex could wash off the clotted blood and dust. Telling Hope he would call her when he was done, Lex closed the shower doors and looked down at his barely conscious houseguest.
Between the two of them, there were few places on their bodies not smeared with blood or dirt. Even so, Lex took a minute to allow his eyes to trace the magnificent lines of the body sprawled before him, then reached for the faucets to turn on the water and adjust it to a comfortable temperature. Taking the bath sponge and gel than Hope had handed him before leaving, he quickly washed himself before gently beginning to clean the golden skin that had always tempted him those summer days in Smallville. He carefully tended the raw-looking skin where the cuts had closed but the healing was incomplete. Kneeling down next to Clark, he was grateful that all of the penthouse baths were overlarge and could accommodate more than one person, even if they were larger than most ordinary people were. As he pulled Clark's head forward to rinse out the blood before shampooing it, he saw his eyes open again and could actually feel him trying to move.
"Easy Clark, I just want to get you cleaned up," soothed Lex, patting his chest as he lowered his head back down to the rim of the tub, "You made quite a mess of yourself." He poured some of the bath gel into his hand and rubbed it with the other to create a lather that he then applied to the dark hair he had ached to touch, pulling it through the curls. In order to work the lather through the thick hair to his scalp, he needed to lean over Clark, extending himself, barely balanced. Finishing, he began rinsing away the soap until the tenuous balance was broken. Warmth slid up his straining abdomen and circled a nipple before tugging gently. Gasping, Lex grabbed for the rim of the tub and looked down to find Clark suckling his nipple, only to release it in order to drag his warm tongue across Lex's chest to the other that was eagerly awaiting attention. His position precarious, Lex could only watch in shock as Clark's hot mouth sucked the beaded nipple in and tugged.
Large hands spanned Lex's waist, holding him steady as the mouth continued its heated journey up to Lex's collarbone, sliding along it to the dip at the base of his throat where the tongue reappeared and lapped the water droplets collecting there before they fell. "Telethnan, telethnan." rumbled softly in the dark voice that seemed to rise from deep within Clark's broad chest, the words kissed into each new region of pale smooth skin being worshipped. Lex, still suspended, caught by desire, watched with burning eyes as lips too soft to be human mapped the contours of his abdomen downwards, always downwards, until without preliminary, they closed over his rigid flesh. It had been too long for Lex, his desire sublimated for too many years for him to survive the furnace of Clark's mouth for more than a few deep thrusts down his welcoming throat. Head thrown back, his muscles clenched painfully and he came, groaning out the name that had possessed him for so long. Clark drank him down greedily, mouthing his softening member until he jerked away, oversensitive. The hands that had carried Lex to completion now lowered him to the broad body below, soothing his trembling muscles under the warm indoor rain. "Telethnan."
Wow! Incredibly hot scene without needing to be overly graphic. Beautifully written!
Commentary Part 2
Title: Without You
Author: danceswithgary
Fandom: Smallville
Commentator: hils
Title: Without You
Author: danceswithgary (danceswithgary@yahoo.com)
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Rating: R to NC-17 (Maybe)
Warnings: m/m sex
Spoilers: Vague references to Seasons 1-4
Word Count: 17765
Archive: Fine, just let me know
Summary: 'Can't live without you' takes on a whole new meaning for Clark and Lex.
Notes: Please go and see the wonderful manip at http://lapetite-kiki.livejournal.com/94856.html. She kindly said I could play with her bunny, and it met my bunny and it was love at first sight. This is their offspring. Thanks, lapetite_kiki! *hugs* Warning: May be considered a spoiler for this story.
Standard Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters herein. The characters of Lex Luthor and Clark Kent as well as any supporting characters are the property of their creators and DC Comics. Gough/Millar Inc and the WB Network TV own Smallville. Any deviations (or deviant behavior) from the originals, however, is mine.
Feedback is both welcome and appreciated.
***
Without You
***
Prologue
"Jor-El, can you explain why this happened? There was no Kryptonite in the area that I could detect. It was a simple collapse of a building after a tremor." Clark stood just outside the healing matrix inside the Fortress and addressed the AI. He had finally managed to peel the damaged uniform off his body despite the excruciating pain from the shattered bones in his right forearm. The cuts and contusions scattered over the majority of his upper body were also quite painful, but more importantly, there was no immediate explanation for the loss of his invulnerability and his inability to heal himself.
"Enter the matrix, Kal-El. I will perform a scan while you are healing."
. . .
"You were correct Kal-El. Your injuries were not a result of Kryptonite exposure. You have entered your final bonding stage. Your powers are becoming unreliable. They will continue to deteriorate until you reach terminal state in approximately 23 days, 7 hours from now."
"After that I'll be the same as humans, no powers?"
"No, Kal-El, unless you complete the bonding, you will be dead."
Dun Dun DUN!! I love how you're smack straight into this. Grabs your attention immediately
***
Without You Part 2
***
"I don't understand. What exactly *is* this bonding I have to complete? Is it some sort of Kryptonian ritual?" Clark approached the center cluster of crystals. He had been so intent on the AI's answer that he had not taken time to retrieve any clothing, his powers still strong enough to protect him from the frigid air. His questions took on the formal speech patterns he found most effective for communicating with the AI in English, although he could resort to Kryptonian if needed.
I love the idea of Clark wandering around naked talking to Jor-El. We need more of that in the show!
"Kryptonians bond for life with their *telethnan* or 'soul's mirror'. A Kryptonian who passes through the time of the third and final stage of bonding without sharing *telethma* with their *telethnan* will cease to exist as they are incomplete."
"If I am, as you claim, the last son of Krypton, then how can I complete the bonding? Can you create a substitute?"
"No alternative is available. The only temporary solution would be to enter the healing matrix until such time as your telethnan is able to complete the final bonding with you, but when you exit the matrix Kal-El, your time would again continue to grow shorter.
"You speak as though I already have a *telethnan* somewhere, that I've completed the first two stages. How? Who?"
"The fragments of Krypton that accompanied your ship were sent to prepare possible *telethnan* candidates. This effort was successful and you bonded by *telethsa* or touch the day you arrived. That was the first stage. The second stage was completed when your secondary powers were ready to manifest themselves and you bonded by exchanging *telethha* or intimate breath. The third stage is exchanging *telethma* or intimate fluids, an exchange repeated often the rest of your life with your *telethnan*. It must be a true exchange, it cannot be one-sided because absorbing each other's *telethma* increases the effectiveness for the next exchange until equilibrium is reached and then maintained."
"The mutations caused by the meteors were supposed to create a mate for me? But, they're all either dead or insane, at least those I'm aware of; even Kyle Tippet wasn't able to avoid madness in the end. Are you telling me my *telethnan* is insane?"
"Kal-El, you know who your *telethnan* is, although you are strangely reluctant to admit it. You have been bound to him since you shared *telethha* and you pursue him to this day. You have been unable to bring yourself to completion with any other; he is the only one who can sustain your life."
"I will die a virgin then, because he hates me. Will he die too?"
"No Kal-El, he is still human enough to avoid death, but he will never be able to find another who will satisfy his need and he will suffer loneliness until his life ends."
"And if he completes the bonding, will he die if I die?"
"No, but he would eventually go mad without your *telethma*. He might find death preferable."
Clark sighed and began to walk away from the crystal cluster. "I need some time to think." He located clothing he kept at the Fortress and began to dress for the trip back to Metropolis. "I'll return soon."
"Do not delay too long, Kal-El. Your powers will continue to diminish and you have only 23 days and a few hours before you will cease."
Frustrated, Clark dropped his formal syntax. "I've got it, Jor-El! I have to fuck Lex Luthor in the next three weeks or die. To make things even more hopeless, he has to fuck me too and then we get to repeat the whole impossible fucking *telethma* exchange again on a regular basis when he can't stand the sight of me! I need some time to think and make some plans, damn it!"
"Yes, Kal-El. Remember that you do have the strength now to force the bonding, as you weaken it will become less possible. You cannot let the last of Krypton die because you are reluctant to be strong."
Clark straightened and his eyes took on a red glow. "Jor-El, I won't say this again. I will never rape anyone simply to save my life. You will not raise that option again." He left the Fortress without another word.
***
Part 3
***
"I don't know why you insisted on coming with me to the press conference, Smallville. You know he never calls on you. It's like you're invisible." Lois' whisper was anything but subtle and several of the surrounding reporters frowned at her in annoyance as they tried to concentrate on the latest Luthor announcement. Clark shrugged and pushed his glasses back up on his nose before returning to his intense scrutiny of the charismatic CEO of LexCorp.
Lex looked almost the same as he did before he left Smallville to take the reins of LuthorCorp after his father's death in prison. The years between had touched him no more than they had Clark, his face still unlined, body lithe and strong. Driven by his financial genius, LexCorp had absorbed LuthorCorp and he surpassed any of his father's achievements. Lex had prospered, and was now recognized as the most influential man in Metropolis and perhaps even the state of Kansas. There was talk of Lex running for governor in the next election, something that made Clark's blood run cold when he considered some of Lex's less savory connections.
"Smallville, pay attention!" hissed Lois, elbowing Clark as he stood staring blankly while everyone around him was vying loudly for Lex's attention. He shook himself back into the present and raised his hand along with the rest. "Mr. Luthor! Mr. Luthor!"
. . .
"I told you it was useless having you there," Lois grumbled into her coffee cup, "In fact, I think standing next to you made me invisible too. Now, Perry can be pissed off at both of us for wasting our time." Clark kept his head down and pretended to be working on another story, but Lois wasn't deterred. "Just what did you do to Luthor? Me, I write articles about his possibly illegal business practices and still get selected occasionally for a question. You, you're a different story. He's got something he's holding against you. Maybe I should be investigating that as my next expose. I can see the headline, 'Former Friends Now Enemies Over...', and fill in the juicy details." She put her empty coffee cup down and leaned forward, her eyes narrowed as she studied her partner. "Did you steal one of his girlfriends...or boyfriends?" She sat back and laughed at her own theory. "Nah, could never happen Smallville. Look at you. Not unless someone saw you minus those glasses and that discount store suit, say maybe wrapped in just a blanket..." One eyebrow cocked in speculation.
Clark hunched his shoulders and blushed, remembering how Lois and he first met, late at night in the center of a lightning strike crater. "I didn't do anything Lois, we just sort of reached a point where we weren't friends anymore. He had one way of doing things, I had another." He began typing again, hoping Lois would leave it alone. He didn't think he'd be that lucky. Lois didn't get to where she was by dropping an investigation before she had every bit of information she could pull out of her sources.
"Not convincing me here, Smallville. I'm warning you now; I'm not going to let this one go. I *will* find out what is going on between you two." Lois' grin held a hint of menace.
Clark stood up and walked into Perry's office. He closed the door behind himself and leaned against it. "Perry, I'm taking a leave of absence, starting now. I've had some personal issues come up that I need to take care of, immediately. I don't know how long I'll need, but I should know better in about three weeks."
"What's going on, Kent?" Perry frowned at one-half of his best team. "Is there something you need help with?"
"It's personal, Chief, like I said." Clark folded his arms, his stance more aggressive than Perry was accustomed to from the mild-mannered reporter. "Is there a problem with my taking the time? I certainly have enough sick and vacation leave I haven't used."
Clark was right, he hadn't taken a vacation since he applied at the Planet, his freelance work in Europe, after graduating from Met U, impressing White and winning him his position as Lois' partner. Perry looked at Clark's stance and decided that if he pushed there was a chance he would lose one of his best reporters permanently. "OK Kent, take all the time you need. Let me know how long as soon as you can. And let me know if I can help."
Clark's posture relaxed. "Thanks Chief. I'll let you know. I'm leaving right now. Just so you know, I won't be talking to Lois." He opened the door and left.
Perry watched Clark head to the elevator and leave without another word to anyone in the office. He rolled his eyes and prepared to deliver the news to Clark's abandoned partner. He really didn't want to know what was going on there. He just hoped Clark's return from his leave of absence would find it resolved. "Lane, in here! Now!"
. . .
Clark looked around his small apartment trying to decide what else he wanted to take with him. A small suitcase was still open on his bed, his faithful backpack from his days in Europe beside it. He grabbed several picture frames and extracted the photos, dropping the frames on the bed. He tucked them away in a side pocket of the suitcase. Not seeing anything else he needed, he closed the suitcase and grabbed the backpack. Patting his pockets, he located his cell phone, turned it off and dropped it on the bed next to the empty picture frames.
Outside of the apartment, he stopped to listen before heading for the stairs. The stairwell door shut behind him as the elevator doors opened and Lois stepped out, headed for his abandoned apartment.
***
Part 4
***
Hitting the final key required for activating the command set, Superman pushed himself back from the console and rose to his feet. He scanned the perimeter of the room filled with complex monitoring equipment as if memorizing it and then exited. Making his way to the common area, he found several of his fellow League members there, chatting lazily and enjoying a rare break. He nodded to each as he greeted them informally. "Bruce, Princess, Hal."
"Clark, we weren't expecting you. Playing hooky from the Planet today?" Hal's good-natured question was ignored by Clark as he directed his attention to Bruce and jerked his head slightly, looking towards the door, indicating he wanted to see Bruce privately. They both left the room without a word. "I don't know what's crawled up his butt, Princess, but I hope it doesn't end up biting him too hard," muttered the disgruntled superhero.
"What is it, Clark?" Bruce grasped Clark's arm gently, concerned by Clark's uncharacteristic behavior. Clark and J'onn were always the most polite of the League members, as if the two non-humans strove to fit in by means of perfect human behavior. Ironically, in Bruce's opinion, no sane human could be that polite. "What's happened? Is it your mother?"
"Mom's fine, Bruce. I just needed to tell you I'm going to be unreachable for about a month." Clark's flat delivery did nothing to lessen Bruce's concern; neither did Clark's careless shrug shaking Bruce's hand loose.
"What's going on, Clark? This isn't like you. Do you need help?"
"Not like me? I'm the only one of my kind, Bruce. How can you possibly know what I'm supposed to be like, when even I keep getting surprised?" Clark turned on his heel and started walking away. "There's nothing you can do, Bruce. I'll let you know when I'll be back as soon as I'm sure."
Aww! I kind of feel bad for Bruce.
Bruce watched his teammate walk away, feeling impotent, knowing there was nothing he could do to stop the strongest being on Earth from leaving the Watchtower. He was already making plans, deciding who to contact about this problem. He wasn't going to accept Clark's statement that there was nothing the League could do to help him.
. . .
"Clark, I wasn't expecting you! You're lucky though, I just took a batch of cookies out of the oven." Martha hugged her giant son, happy to see him. Urging him to take a seat at the table, she bustled about, pouring a large glass of milk and placing a dozen cookies on a plate in front of him.
Clark stared at the plate a moment before scraping his chair back and standing. "Thanks Mom, but I'm not hungry. I just stopped by to let you know I'm not going to be around for about a month. I didn't want you to worry."
"Clark? What's wrong? Is it Jor-El again?" Martha had rarely seen her son refuse food. It was a sure sign he was upset and her mother's intuition was on alert. "Do you have to go away for more training?" The last time Clark disappeared, he was gone for almost six months, right after he graduated from Met U. The accepted story of backpacking across Europe was a convenient ruse; it was easy enough to slip into the role of wandering reporter on his return. In reality, he had been locked into extensive training sessions with the AI, learning Kryptonian history and culture, as well as how to use his many powers.
"You could call it that." Clark blushed, reluctant to conceal the truth from his mother, "I missed some information the first time around, some very important facts. I need to take care of a few things now. It'll be OK."
"All right then, if you're sure." She hugged him again before stepping back. "I love you. Be careful."
"I love you too, Mom." He picked up the suitcase and backpack he'd left outside the back door, and he was gone.
. . .
On the outskirts of Metropolis, the motel owner accepted Clark's cash without questioning Clark's arrival without a car. Taking the key, Clark walked down the row of squalid rooms until he reached his. Fumbling with the key, he finally managed to open the door and shuffled into the dimly lit room. Dropping the suitcase by the door, he carried the backpack to the bed that had a noticeable dip in the center. Pulling a disposable phone out of the backpack, he took a seat on the worn bedspread. He dialed a number he knew by heart, although he never used it. "Hello, Lex? This is Clark. Can I come by to see you? I have something important I need to talk to you about, as soon as possible."
***
Part 5
***
"Mr. Luthor, a Mr. Kent is here to see you." The chilled tones of Lex's personal assistant announced Clark as she held the office door open for him.
Lex failed to look up from the laptop he was working on. "Thank you, Faith. That will be all for now."
"Yes, sir." She nodded and left the office, closing the door behind her.
Clark stood by the door, waiting for Lex to say something, to indicate somehow that he was ready to *see* him. As he watched Lex typing rapidly, intent on his task, he felt a twinge from his memory. It had been a familiar sight in the early days of their friendship. He would drop off the produce delivery and then make his way through the halls of the castle to Lex's study, walking in without knocking; expecting a welcoming smile as Lex locked his screen and asked what he could do for Clark. It had changed over the years, his welcome not as evident and the offers of assistance rarer. Their friendship had essentially ended before he graduated from high school, Lex no longer willing to accept Clark's evasions and lies, Clark condemning Lex's continued experimentation with meteor rock and mutants.
Although they lived in the same city during his years at Met U, Clark only saw Lex at a distance or in the newspapers chronicling his rise to the top. It wasn't until Clark returned from Europe and began working at the Daily Planet with new partner that he came face-to-face again with the man he had saved from death more than once. Their enmity had not faded with time, instead it escalated as Clark and Lois raised questions about illegal procedures in the LexCorp laboratories and Lex's connections to the Metropolis underworld. The final bitter clash had come with the appearance of Superman, holding all of Clark's past lies up to Lex and making it clear he had never earned Clark's trust despite all of his efforts. Lex began wearing his Kryptonite ring as a declaration of intent, a pre-emptive notice to the alien vigilante that he would not be intimidated. Superman limited his warnings to public venues and Clark found he was persona non grata anywhere Lex had influence.
Beautiful description of The Rift here. Actually makes sense of it which is more than we seem to be getting on the show.
A noise from the vicinity of the desk interrupted Clark's reminiscing. Having established his indifference to Clark's presence, Lex closed his laptop and sat back in his chair, rudely surveying Clark from head to toe before speaking. "Clark, take a seat and tell me what was so important that you needed to see me immediately."
Thankful that Lex had decided not to wear the ring for this meeting, Clark perched uneasily on the chair in front of Lex's desk. He removed his glasses knowing it would simply aggravate the situation, given Lex's instant penetration of Superman's disguise. "Lex, I want to thank you for taking the time to meet with me so quickly. I appreciate it." Rubbing his hands along his thighs in a nervous habit from his high school days, Clark continued, "It's been a long time, Lex. You look good."
Lex's lips quirked and he drawled, "Clark, I highly doubt you're here to exchange pleasantries. Get to the point. I'm a very busy man."
"Lex, have you ever wondered who we would be, how different our lives might be today if we'd stayed friends? If we'd been able to work out our differences back in Smallville?"
A disbelieving stare preceded Lex's response. "No Clark, I gave up on the idea of friendship many lies ago. I find my life is much simpler that way. I have business associates and I have people I fuck. I consider none of them friends and I prefer it that way. I've even decided marriage is a useless construct as far as I'm concerned. It finally sank in after my fourth one failed. I now believe I'm meant to make my way through life alone and I'm stronger for it. Does that answer your question?"
Lex's voice is perfect here. You can really feel the bitterness coming from him, and the hurt which he's trying to hide
"Lex, you know all the secrets I was keeping back then, I know you figured them out when I started wearing the uniform. Can't we get by the fights we had back then and try again? I miss you. I miss being your friend. I have for years."
"No Clark, I gave you too many chances to trust me back in Smallville, there are none left. I don't believe what you're looking for is friendship now. You have an agenda. You want something from me and to be honest, I don't see myself ever giving you another chance to take advantage of my generosity." He reached into his desk and pulled out a box. Opening it, he extracted a ring containing a large green stone and placed it on his finger. "I believe we're done here. You can see yourself out."
Flinching from the pain caused by his proximity to the ring, Clark rose from his chair and moved to the door. "I'm sorry I wasted your time, Lex." He replaced his glasses and with his hand on the doorknob, Clark paused and looked back at his former friend. "Lex, if you knew you had just a few days to live, what would you do? Where would you go?"
Lex half-rose from his chair, hands flat on his desk, eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Clark, what are you trying to say here?"
Clark's smile was bitter as he shook his head. "Nothing Lex, call it simple curiosity. It would make an interesting newspaper poll, wouldn't it?" He left the office without saying goodbye and Lex resumed his seat, his index finger absently tracing his upper lip as he stared blindly at the closed door.
. . .
He had watched the sunrise from the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and marveled over sound and fury of a stampeding herd of wildebeest in the veldt, a pink cloud of flamingoes rising as if to greet him as he passed overhead. Bright parrots mocked him in the Amazon, and then he swam with dolphins before hovering over a polar bear with two cubs as they trekked across an Alaskan glacier. He avoided humans and the works of humans, determined not to dwell on what he could no longer pretend to be. His day of farewell at an end, he stood before the matrix wearing nothing and carrying only his memories. He stepped inside and ordered the AI to place him in permanent stasis.
This is so beautiful. It actually brings tears to my eyes that knowing he doesn't have much time left to live, Clark is at least able to mavel at the truly wonderful things on Earth. This brought a tear to my eye
"You cannot choose this; it will be the same as death. There is no rescue waiting for you in the future, no alternative to the bonding."
"My *telethnan* has rejected me, I fail to see the honor in waiting for a slow and painful death. Place me in stasis as I ordered, Jor-El."
"You must take what you need from him so you may live, Kal-El. You are the last."
"I will not force my *telethnan* to bow to my need. Place me in stasis. Now!"
I love that Clark at least has the balls to stand up to Jor-El
The matrix closed and stasis initiated as Clark had directed.
"The last of Krypton can not be lost over an illogical interpretation of honorable behavior. You will complete the bonding, Kal-El, when it is time."
EEP! And Jor-El, as usual has his own agenda
***
Part 6
***
"He's on a leave of absence from the Planet, personal business. His apartment is empty and it looks like he's not coming back, no indication of injury or illness. There's no sign of him at the farm and Mrs. Kent claims no knowledge of his location. We have no leads at this time, sir." Mercy's report was crisp and concise. It was also frustratingly negative. Lex frowned as he considered the information. He'd thought about Clark's parting words for a day before sending Mercy out to check on his whereabouts. Now he wondered if that delay would prove costly in the end.
The number Clark had called from to make his appointment was not in service. Lex granted he'd actually been clever using a disposable phone and Lex could only assume he'd discarded or destroyed it afterwards. "Mercy, did he have a personal cell phone? Can we triangulate on its location?"
"We called that number first, sir. Lois Lane, his partner, answered it. Its location was the Planet offices. She informed us she found the cell phone turned off at his apartment and that she was attempting to locate him. She had no further information. We're checking all bus, train and air departures now, but if he used an alias..."
"You don't need to waste time on the departures, Mercy. If he left the city, it was not by conventional methods. Right now, we'll just have to watch and wait."
"Yes, sir. I'll continue the surveillance at his apartment, the Planet and the farm, all other searches will be suspended until further notice." Mercy left Lex's office to handle her assignment in her usual efficient manner.
Lex stood at his window overlooking the city he owned, hands in pockets, brow furrowed in thought. He didn't like not having all the answers; he resented the existence of yet another secret, courtesy of the alien.
"Clark, where are you and what the *hell* is going on?"
Typical Lex not realising what he has until it's gone, and then getting annoyed at Clark for disappearing with no explanation. LOL
. . .
A week after Superman's abrupt leave-taking, Batman had exhausted all avenues of investigation available to him with no success. He was outside of any of the surveillance mechanisms the League had in place to monitor activity around the world. There had been no sightings, not even during the last natural disaster, one that would have summoned him without fail in the past.
"Luthor."
Lex raised his tumbler of scotch, saluting the dark figure that had just entered his penthouse without invitation, via the previously locked balcony doors. "Batman, what a surprise, seeing you here. Can I offer you something to drink? I have a particularly fine..."
The black leather glove crushing Lex's windpipe cut off his mocking voice. "I'm not here for pleasantries, Luthor. Where is Clark Kent?" The bruising grip relaxed and the menacing tones prompted him, "You were the last person to talk with him a week ago. He's been missing since then. Where is he?"
Batman is one of the few people who won't take any shit from Lex. It's wonderful!
Rubbing his throat, Lex's face hardened and his eyes flashed at the unfounded accusation. "If you think I had anything to do with Kent's disappearance, you're badly mistaken. I've been trying to locate him myself. He left my office that day after a rather disturbing conversation. Based on your questions, I assume you've been just as unsuccessful as my people in determining his whereabouts." Returning to the bar, he refreshed the drink that had spilled when Batman decided to interrupt him. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"
"Yes. What are you hiding in a penthouse surrounded by Kryptonite barriers?"
"Hiding? Why nothing but myself. It's simply a deterrent for a particular...flying irritation that had a habit of dropping in unexpectedly to berate me for my evil ways. It became...tiresome."
"Then you don't mind if I search myself. After all, what keeps pests out may also serve to keep them in, correct?"
"Search away, Batman. Never let it be said I stood in the way of justice, even if it does conveniently forget to provide a search warrant." Lex stood back and let the frustrated superhero perform a cursory search before leaving the same way he arrived. Lex muttered under his breath as he closed the doors behind his uninvited visitor. "You've done a good job losing yourself, Clark. Thanks for leaving me under suspicion."
I absoutely love the snark in this scene. It's perfect!
. . .
Three weeks after Clark directed the AI to set the healing matrix to permanent stasis, it opened and Kal-El stepped out. He stood there silent, listening, before making his way to the entrance of the Fortress, still unclothed. There was no discernable hesitation in his manner as he launched himself into the atmosphere, headed for Metropolis.
OOOOOH!
***
Part 7
***
Kal-El arrived at his destination only to be thwarted by the presence of Kryptonite imbedded in the concrete along balcony walls and around windows. Even walls, which should have been simple to break through, were protected by refined meteor rock placed at regular intervals around the perimeter and roof. He circled the building repeatedly, searching for a weakness, somehow aware that what he craved was inside those safeguards. The pain kept him at bay until he finally detected a slight difference outside a single window. He floated back a few yards before speeding towards the small flaw, intent on breaking through. His body curled in automatic reaction as he passed through the window, his shoulder striking the frame and imbedding several chunks of the Kryptonite deep in his vulnerable flesh. Stricken with excruciating pain, his uncontrolled roll was finally brought to a stop by the farthest wall of the room, the impact of his head against the wall announced by a sickening thud.
. . .
"Report." Lex's voice was curt as he spoke to the leader of the security team currently sweeping his penthouse after his bodyguards rushed him out of his study and into one of the three safe rooms located in the penthouse.
"We're approaching your bedroom now, sir. We believe that's where the bomb went off. We're opening the door now. The room has very little debris, sir, just the glass from the window and it looks like the frame is splintered. Hold on sir, we've found something...someone. Sir, there's a body here, against the wall."
"Are they armed?"
"No sir, in fact he has no clothes on, sir. I think he's still alive, sir, but he looks bad. Should we call an ambulance, sir?"
"If the rest of the penthouse is secure, I want to see him before I decide what to do next." Lex motioned to Mercy and Hope to accompany him back to the penthouse. Too many years dealing with meteor mutants left him reluctant to turn over anyone behaving oddly until he had completed his own investigations. Once the authorities had them in custody, he lost any chance of gathering valuable data.
Pushing through the cluster of guards, Lex approached the body lying curled in a fetal position, facing the wall. The large muscular frame shuddered continuously, a growing pool of blood spreading out from under his head, matting his dusty dark curls. "No." Lex fell to his knees beside the twitching body and carefully rolled him on his back, revealing a familiar countenance with several deep gashes. Even under the blood, the high cheekbones and noble forehead were unmistakable. "God, no. Clark!"
And there we have it. In that one moment Lex goes from hating Clark to not. Wonderful!
Lex passed his hands over Clark's head, searching for a depression or swelling indicating a possible head injury. As Clark's body rolled further onto his back, the source of the continuing tremors was revealed, the flesh around his shoulder literally writhing around the imbedded shards of meteor rock. "Mercy, Hope, I want everyone out of here, right now. The security team is to report to their posts. Disable all the Kryptonite defense systems immediately and bring me a first aid kit and the lead-lined box from my desk."
Concerned about Lex's safety, Mercy attempted to reason with her employer, "Sir, are you sure you want the defenses..."
"No arguments. Do it now!" While he waited for his orders to be carried out, Lex continued to catalog the injuries Clark had sustained as he entered his bedroom at high speed. Unfortunately, it looked as if his head and shoulder bore the brunt of the injuries and Clark's failure to rouse concerned Lex. The pain from the Kryptonite should have had him groaning in pain, but he was unresponsive. He could only hope removing the rock would return Clark's body to normal, healing as quickly as it had in the past.
. . .
"Here, take those away and put them in a containment box until I arrange for their disposal." Lex handed the box containing the fragments he had removed to Hope and returned his attention to Clark, hoping to see an improvement now that the Kryptonite was out of his system and removed from his immediate vicinity. The cuts were closing, but more slowly than he'd seen in the past and that concerned him. "Mercy, have one of the guest rooms prepared. We'll move him in there as soon as he wakes up. I want to give him a chance to finish healing a little more so we don't jar any internal injuries he might have." He found a patch of carpet not soaked in blood and sat, waiting for Clark to return to consciousness.
Lex had discarded his first impulse to send his bodyguards away while he tended to Clark himself, to try to preserve his identity. He soon realized he would need their help in caring for him and ensuring no one else penetrated his disguise. After all, he trusted them with his life, he was sure he could trust them with Clark's also. "When he's out of here, have a cleanup crew come in and strip the room and take up the carpet. I want one of you to supervise to make sure nothing with blood on it is left behind and all of it is incinerated completely."
You've got to say one thing about Lex, he knows how to keep those he loves safe. Even with Clark unconscious on the floor Lex is thinking about how to keep his secret safe. This is why Clark should have trusted him years ago!
Lex had been looking at his bodyguards while he issued his instructions. When he resumed his vigil, he was pleasantly surprised to see the brilliant green eyes open. "Clark, how do you feel?" When Clark failed to respond, Lex touched his face and moved it so that he could be sure Clark could see him speaking. "Clark, can you hear me?"
The only response was a slow blink and a single word in a low rumble. "Telethnan."
***
Part 8
***
"Clark, do you understand me?" Lex had never seen Clark so weak before. He'd certainly seen him encounter Kryptonite before and the agony that could entail; the sheer overall weakness he was seeing now was baffling. Maybe it accounted for the lack of Clark's failure to respond to his name beyond that single word, teleth-something or other. Lex decided that now that Clark was awake, he and Hope should try to get him cleaned up before tucking him in the guest room's bed.
Looking down at his bloodstained clothing, Lex realized all of it was marked for destruction, along with the room's furnishings. Sacrificing his modesty for the sake of expediency, he stripped to his skin before levering Clark up from the floor and attempting to get him to stand. Draping Clark's arm over his shoulder, he grunted as he lifted the larger man with no assistance from Clark. Signaling Hope to take the other arm, they dragged Clark down the hall and into the guest room bathroom, carefully lowering him into the bathtub so Lex could wash off the clotted blood and dust. Telling Hope he would call her when he was done, Lex closed the shower doors and looked down at his barely conscious houseguest.
Between the two of them, there were few places on their bodies not smeared with blood or dirt. Even so, Lex took a minute to allow his eyes to trace the magnificent lines of the body sprawled before him, then reached for the faucets to turn on the water and adjust it to a comfortable temperature. Taking the bath sponge and gel than Hope had handed him before leaving, he quickly washed himself before gently beginning to clean the golden skin that had always tempted him those summer days in Smallville. He carefully tended the raw-looking skin where the cuts had closed but the healing was incomplete. Kneeling down next to Clark, he was grateful that all of the penthouse baths were overlarge and could accommodate more than one person, even if they were larger than most ordinary people were. As he pulled Clark's head forward to rinse out the blood before shampooing it, he saw his eyes open again and could actually feel him trying to move.
"Easy Clark, I just want to get you cleaned up," soothed Lex, patting his chest as he lowered his head back down to the rim of the tub, "You made quite a mess of yourself." He poured some of the bath gel into his hand and rubbed it with the other to create a lather that he then applied to the dark hair he had ached to touch, pulling it through the curls. In order to work the lather through the thick hair to his scalp, he needed to lean over Clark, extending himself, barely balanced. Finishing, he began rinsing away the soap until the tenuous balance was broken. Warmth slid up his straining abdomen and circled a nipple before tugging gently. Gasping, Lex grabbed for the rim of the tub and looked down to find Clark suckling his nipple, only to release it in order to drag his warm tongue across Lex's chest to the other that was eagerly awaiting attention. His position precarious, Lex could only watch in shock as Clark's hot mouth sucked the beaded nipple in and tugged.
Large hands spanned Lex's waist, holding him steady as the mouth continued its heated journey up to Lex's collarbone, sliding along it to the dip at the base of his throat where the tongue reappeared and lapped the water droplets collecting there before they fell. "Telethnan, telethnan." rumbled softly in the dark voice that seemed to rise from deep within Clark's broad chest, the words kissed into each new region of pale smooth skin being worshipped. Lex, still suspended, caught by desire, watched with burning eyes as lips too soft to be human mapped the contours of his abdomen downwards, always downwards, until without preliminary, they closed over his rigid flesh. It had been too long for Lex, his desire sublimated for too many years for him to survive the furnace of Clark's mouth for more than a few deep thrusts down his welcoming throat. Head thrown back, his muscles clenched painfully and he came, groaning out the name that had possessed him for so long. Clark drank him down greedily, mouthing his softening member until he jerked away, oversensitive. The hands that had carried Lex to completion now lowered him to the broad body below, soothing his trembling muscles under the warm indoor rain. "Telethnan."
Wow! Incredibly hot scene without needing to be overly graphic. Beautifully written!
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