Honesty 12
One more chapter, and I'm up to the new stuff. Guess that means I'll have to give H14 the onceover again tomorrow . . .
Title: Honesty -- Chapter 12, Phlebotomy
Author: PepperjackCandy
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Category: Established Relationship
Spoilers for: Nothing
Disclaimer: I own nothing Smallville-related, or related in any other way to Clark Kent, Superman or any of the various creations of the wonderful folks at DC Comics.
A/N: Yes, Lex's little trick for warming one's hands really does work.
This chapter is dedicated to Ginger Rogers, whose grave
unfortunately does not say "She did everything Fred Astaire did, backwards and in high heels." Bette Davis's grave, on the other hand, *does* say "She did it the hard way."
Woo-hoo! Clark Kent as Doctor Who companion! "What is it, Lex?"
============
Sunday, after he'd finished his chores, Clark headed to Lex's house. As usual, the gate and door were open to him. As he walked into Lex's study, he found his boyfriend there, hands on top of his head, fingers laced together, like he was being held up, or arrested.
Clark looked around cautiously. "You all right, Lex?"
"Hm? Yeah. Fine." Lex said bemusedly. "Oh! You mean this." He waggled his elbows.
Clark nodded.
Lex chuckled. "My hands were cold. You know how they say that you lose more body heat through the top of your head? Well, this is a good way to put that body heat to work for you."
"I think I can come up with a better way to use your body heat." Clark grinned as he walked around the desk to kiss Lex softly.
"Actually, now that you mention it . . ."
"Oh?" Clark cocked an eyebrow at Lex, moving his hands to the top button of Lex's lavender dress shirt.
Lex regretfully removed Clark's hands from his shirt. "Actually, I was thinking we should get started on our dancing lessons today."
Clark grinned widely. "Really?" Then his grin faded. "But I don't think my folks'd let me go to the party, you know, since they know about . . . us and all."
"Don't worry about it." Lex smiled warmly. "It's being taken care of. You won't be going to Bruce's party as my date, but as part of the Kent family."
"Mr. -- Bruce is inviting my parents to the party?"
Lex nodded. "Just talked to him about it. They should be receiving the invitation tomorrow."
"They won't go."
Lex shrugged. "Well, your father certainly seemed to be a big fan of Bruce's, and your mother doesn't object to us being together at all, so I think I'll bet that they'll go."
Lex smiled. "And anyway, the dancing lessons were just an excuse anyhow."
"Oh? An excuse for what?"
Lex stood and walked over to Clark, taking Clark's left hand with his right hand, then guiding Clark's right hand to his waist. Lex raised his left hand to Clark's shoulder, trailing his fingertips along Clark's neck, raising goose bumps as he did so.
"That." Lex said simply, keeping a perfectly straight face.
Clark arched one eyebrow. He could still feel the hairs on his arms standing on end. "I could see the advantages of that."
"Now we just need music." Lex released Clark, much to Clark's disappointment, and headed into the media room. Clark heard Lex mumbling to himself and then the station ID for the local soft rock station.
The sound of some sappy love song from the 70s, or perhaps the 80s, came flowing
through the house and Clark looked around, finally noticing tiny speakers arranged
throughout the house.
Lex came out of his media room and moved close to Clark.
When Clark raised one hand towards his shoulder, Lex shook his head. "No. You're going to have to learn to lead."
Clark looked at Lex, panic-stricken. "Lead?" Was all he managed to croak out.
"If you decide to take Bruce's date out on the dance floor, I want all three of us to be certain that you're not going to back her into anything. Or anyone."
Clark put his right hand on Lex's waist and took Lex's right hand in his left hand.
Once they were in position, Lex said, "Now just walk slowly, in time with the music."
"Walk where?"
"Around. Remember, though, that you walk forward."
"So you walk backward?"
"That's why it's called 'leading,' Clark." Lex said with wry humor.
Clark stuck his tongue out at his lover, and began trying to walk in time with the music, as Lex coached him. "Right. Left. Right. Left. Good. Left. Don't look down. Left. Right. Left. Oof!"
"Sorry." Clark looked behind Lex to see that he'd backed his lover into the banister of the grand staircase.
Lex sighed. "At least you haven't stepped on my toes yet."
Clark looked hurt, so Lex kissed him quickly. "That's why we're practicing, Clark. So that these sorts of things don't happen at the party."
Lex was about to start again when the radio station went to a commercial. Lex pulled Clark's head down for a kiss. First came a spot for the local tire store, then another one for Fordman's. After the announcer gave the time and weather, the music continued.
"What was that for?" Clark asked as he straightened up.
"Just thought we could use a short break."
"I do like the way you think."
By then, the next song was in full swing, so they began to move again.
***
Half an hour later, Clark had just successfully navigated Lex all around the study and back out into the foyer. Lex ducked into the media room and turned off the radio.
"Now we start putting some actual coordination behind this." Lex said. "Let's start with the basic box step."
Clark sighed heavily. "Am I leading or following this time?"
"Still leading." When Clark threw him an exasperated look, he added. "Hey. I already know how to lead. I don't need the practice.
"There's no guarantee that there'll be music in 3/4 time on the radio, so we'll just practice without it at first." Lex raised his arms and Clark got into position.
"Step forward with your left foot."
As Clark followed Lex's instructions, Lex stepped backwards with his right foot.
"Now step forward with your right foot."
The two men took the next step together.
"And slide your left foot in towards your right foot."
Lex mirrored Clark's action.
"Whew. Now, step backwards with your right foot. Good. And back with your left. Right. And slide your right foot to your left. You're looking at your feet again, Clark."
"Sorry."
"You shouldn't need to do that. Close your eyes."
"How am I supposed to lead with my eyes closed?"
Lex growled. "Fine. I'll go backwards and drag you with me. You just follow my instructions."
Clark closed his eyes.
"Forward with your left. Forward with your right. Slide. Back with your right. Back with your left. Slide. Good."
Clark grinned.
"Left. Right. Slide. Right. Left. Slide."
Knock, knock, knock.
Lex let go of Clark, who reluctantly opened his eyes. "Who could that be? I'm not expecting anyone."
Lex walked to the door, opening it. "Yes?"
"Delivery for Alexander Luthor."
"I'll sign for it." Lex said, not letting on that he was the intended recipient.
The delivery man handed Lex the electronic pad for him to sign. After Lex handed it back, the delivery man squinted at the illegible scrawl. "Here you go."
"Thanks." Lex took the package and closed the door.
"What is it?" Clark asked.
Lex glanced down at the address label and grinned. "I didn't expect this to be hand delivered today. Looks like our dancing lessons are over."
"Do I have to go home?" Clark pouted.
"Oh, no. I need you here for this." Lex led Clark into the study, where they sat down on the sofa.
Lex unsealed and opened the box. "Ingenious." He whispered to himself as his eyes roved over the parts in the box.
"Lex?"
Lex came back to himself. "I've been . . . investigating certain investment opportunities. One of them is a medical equipment company that has a new product that they're just beginning to market. I asked that before I invest any money, they send me one to examine." He grinned wickedly. "This little baby may give us some of the answers we need about your physiology without having to resort to things like the meteors."
"Oh?" Clark was intrigued. "How does it work?"
"This is a very small-scale version - they're working on additional applications for the technology, but you know that things aren't really . . . solid as such."
"You've lost me."
"Ultimately, everything is particles - protons, electrons, atoms, molecules, cells,
all kind of stuck together by gravity."
"All right . . ."
"Well, this thing here, if it works, sort of . . . goes between the cells of the
human body. It worms its way between the cells, until it finds what it's looking
for, in this case, a blood vessel. If the gravitational pull between your cells
isn't too great . . ."
"Wouldn't it be, though? I mean, bullets bounce off of me, Lex."
"Perhaps not. You say that you haven't always been this invulnerable. So maybe your cells are getting stronger, but not the gravitational pull. It's worth a shot, right?"
Clark looked dubious, but he finally nodded. "Yeah. It's worth a try. How long will this take?"
Lex shrugged. "On the human test subjects they've tried it on, it's taken anywhere from five to fifteen minutes. We'll have to try it and see. You'll have to stay relatively still, though. Wanna play Monopoly while we wait?"
***
"You obviously don't know how to play Monopoly." Lex grumbled.
"Really?" Clark grinned as he handed Lex $350. Lex had insisted on being banker.
"Yes." Lex said dryly as he handed Clark the card for Park Place. "The point is to get as many of the same color as you can. And you can't possibly collect both of the dark blue properties, because I already own Boardwalk."
Clark grinned. "I love it when you spin things. Do it again."
Lex pursed his lips disapprovingly.
"I do, too, understand the game. If I buy Park Place, you can't have it." He explained unnecessarily. "Consider it payback for the Reading Railroad."
"Why Clark. I never knew you wanted to be a railroad magnate. I can buy you a railroad, you know. A real one."
"I don't want a real railroad. I wanted that card. Third from the top." Clark pointed at Lex's stack of cards with his free, right, hand.
Lex, curious, leafed through the cards. "You're right. It is third from the top.
You're getting more control with your x-ray vision."
Clark grinned, then looked at the apparatus that stood above his left arm, humming softly to itself. "Looks like an oil derrick or something. I wonder how much longer this will take."
"Well," Lex glanced at his watch, "it's been forty-five minutes. What do you say we give it another fifteen minutes?"
Clark nodded and turned his attention back to the game board just as the humming of the pump changed. "Lex?" Clark asked apprehensively as the tube that rested against the inside of his elbow darkened with blood.
The blood flowed upwards through the tubing and into a vial stuck into the top of the derrick. When it was full, Lex popped it off, the rubber stopper at the top of the tube keeping the blood sealed inside. He replaced that tube with another.
"How . . . how many of those are you going to fill?"
"Just. One. More." Lex removed this vial and put on a third.
Once the third was full, Lex turned off the machine and removed the third vial. Then he detached the tube and squeezed the blood in it into a fourth collection tube.
"Why so much?"
"This may be our only chance to get some of your blood. I intend to make the most of it. Wanna come down to the lab with me while I put these in liquid nitrogen?"
"Sure."
"Then when we come back upstairs, we can grab a hamburger or something. Your body chemistry seems on the surface at least to be similar enough to ours that you probably lost some protein and iron with all of that blood. A little red meat will make that better."
Lex headed for the door of the study. "Oh, and Clark?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm still going to kick your butt in Monopoly when we get back upstairs."
"No you won't." Clark grinned. "But I'll make it up to you later."
Lex returned the grin, slowly, seductively. "A forfeit if you win?"
"I'll perform a forfeit if I lose."
Lex's and Clark's gazes met, and the air fairly crackled with electricity.
"Well, then," Lex cleared his throat, "I guess we'd better get these down to the lab so we can get back upstairs and finish this game. Don't suppose you'd be up for upgrading to strip Monopoly, would you?"
Title: Honesty -- Chapter 12, Phlebotomy
Author: PepperjackCandy
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Category: Established Relationship
Spoilers for: Nothing
Disclaimer: I own nothing Smallville-related, or related in any other way to Clark Kent, Superman or any of the various creations of the wonderful folks at DC Comics.
A/N: Yes, Lex's little trick for warming one's hands really does work.
This chapter is dedicated to Ginger Rogers, whose grave
unfortunately does not say "She did everything Fred Astaire did, backwards and in high heels." Bette Davis's grave, on the other hand, *does* say "She did it the hard way."
Woo-hoo! Clark Kent as Doctor Who companion! "What is it, Lex?"
============
Sunday, after he'd finished his chores, Clark headed to Lex's house. As usual, the gate and door were open to him. As he walked into Lex's study, he found his boyfriend there, hands on top of his head, fingers laced together, like he was being held up, or arrested.
Clark looked around cautiously. "You all right, Lex?"
"Hm? Yeah. Fine." Lex said bemusedly. "Oh! You mean this." He waggled his elbows.
Clark nodded.
Lex chuckled. "My hands were cold. You know how they say that you lose more body heat through the top of your head? Well, this is a good way to put that body heat to work for you."
"I think I can come up with a better way to use your body heat." Clark grinned as he walked around the desk to kiss Lex softly.
"Actually, now that you mention it . . ."
"Oh?" Clark cocked an eyebrow at Lex, moving his hands to the top button of Lex's lavender dress shirt.
Lex regretfully removed Clark's hands from his shirt. "Actually, I was thinking we should get started on our dancing lessons today."
Clark grinned widely. "Really?" Then his grin faded. "But I don't think my folks'd let me go to the party, you know, since they know about . . . us and all."
"Don't worry about it." Lex smiled warmly. "It's being taken care of. You won't be going to Bruce's party as my date, but as part of the Kent family."
"Mr. -- Bruce is inviting my parents to the party?"
Lex nodded. "Just talked to him about it. They should be receiving the invitation tomorrow."
"They won't go."
Lex shrugged. "Well, your father certainly seemed to be a big fan of Bruce's, and your mother doesn't object to us being together at all, so I think I'll bet that they'll go."
Lex smiled. "And anyway, the dancing lessons were just an excuse anyhow."
"Oh? An excuse for what?"
Lex stood and walked over to Clark, taking Clark's left hand with his right hand, then guiding Clark's right hand to his waist. Lex raised his left hand to Clark's shoulder, trailing his fingertips along Clark's neck, raising goose bumps as he did so.
"That." Lex said simply, keeping a perfectly straight face.
Clark arched one eyebrow. He could still feel the hairs on his arms standing on end. "I could see the advantages of that."
"Now we just need music." Lex released Clark, much to Clark's disappointment, and headed into the media room. Clark heard Lex mumbling to himself and then the station ID for the local soft rock station.
The sound of some sappy love song from the 70s, or perhaps the 80s, came flowing
through the house and Clark looked around, finally noticing tiny speakers arranged
throughout the house.
Lex came out of his media room and moved close to Clark.
When Clark raised one hand towards his shoulder, Lex shook his head. "No. You're going to have to learn to lead."
Clark looked at Lex, panic-stricken. "Lead?" Was all he managed to croak out.
"If you decide to take Bruce's date out on the dance floor, I want all three of us to be certain that you're not going to back her into anything. Or anyone."
Clark put his right hand on Lex's waist and took Lex's right hand in his left hand.
Once they were in position, Lex said, "Now just walk slowly, in time with the music."
"Walk where?"
"Around. Remember, though, that you walk forward."
"So you walk backward?"
"That's why it's called 'leading,' Clark." Lex said with wry humor.
Clark stuck his tongue out at his lover, and began trying to walk in time with the music, as Lex coached him. "Right. Left. Right. Left. Good. Left. Don't look down. Left. Right. Left. Oof!"
"Sorry." Clark looked behind Lex to see that he'd backed his lover into the banister of the grand staircase.
Lex sighed. "At least you haven't stepped on my toes yet."
Clark looked hurt, so Lex kissed him quickly. "That's why we're practicing, Clark. So that these sorts of things don't happen at the party."
Lex was about to start again when the radio station went to a commercial. Lex pulled Clark's head down for a kiss. First came a spot for the local tire store, then another one for Fordman's. After the announcer gave the time and weather, the music continued.
"What was that for?" Clark asked as he straightened up.
"Just thought we could use a short break."
"I do like the way you think."
By then, the next song was in full swing, so they began to move again.
***
Half an hour later, Clark had just successfully navigated Lex all around the study and back out into the foyer. Lex ducked into the media room and turned off the radio.
"Now we start putting some actual coordination behind this." Lex said. "Let's start with the basic box step."
Clark sighed heavily. "Am I leading or following this time?"
"Still leading." When Clark threw him an exasperated look, he added. "Hey. I already know how to lead. I don't need the practice.
"There's no guarantee that there'll be music in 3/4 time on the radio, so we'll just practice without it at first." Lex raised his arms and Clark got into position.
"Step forward with your left foot."
As Clark followed Lex's instructions, Lex stepped backwards with his right foot.
"Now step forward with your right foot."
The two men took the next step together.
"And slide your left foot in towards your right foot."
Lex mirrored Clark's action.
"Whew. Now, step backwards with your right foot. Good. And back with your left. Right. And slide your right foot to your left. You're looking at your feet again, Clark."
"Sorry."
"You shouldn't need to do that. Close your eyes."
"How am I supposed to lead with my eyes closed?"
Lex growled. "Fine. I'll go backwards and drag you with me. You just follow my instructions."
Clark closed his eyes.
"Forward with your left. Forward with your right. Slide. Back with your right. Back with your left. Slide. Good."
Clark grinned.
"Left. Right. Slide. Right. Left. Slide."
Knock, knock, knock.
Lex let go of Clark, who reluctantly opened his eyes. "Who could that be? I'm not expecting anyone."
Lex walked to the door, opening it. "Yes?"
"Delivery for Alexander Luthor."
"I'll sign for it." Lex said, not letting on that he was the intended recipient.
The delivery man handed Lex the electronic pad for him to sign. After Lex handed it back, the delivery man squinted at the illegible scrawl. "Here you go."
"Thanks." Lex took the package and closed the door.
"What is it?" Clark asked.
Lex glanced down at the address label and grinned. "I didn't expect this to be hand delivered today. Looks like our dancing lessons are over."
"Do I have to go home?" Clark pouted.
"Oh, no. I need you here for this." Lex led Clark into the study, where they sat down on the sofa.
Lex unsealed and opened the box. "Ingenious." He whispered to himself as his eyes roved over the parts in the box.
"Lex?"
Lex came back to himself. "I've been . . . investigating certain investment opportunities. One of them is a medical equipment company that has a new product that they're just beginning to market. I asked that before I invest any money, they send me one to examine." He grinned wickedly. "This little baby may give us some of the answers we need about your physiology without having to resort to things like the meteors."
"Oh?" Clark was intrigued. "How does it work?"
"This is a very small-scale version - they're working on additional applications for the technology, but you know that things aren't really . . . solid as such."
"You've lost me."
"Ultimately, everything is particles - protons, electrons, atoms, molecules, cells,
all kind of stuck together by gravity."
"All right . . ."
"Well, this thing here, if it works, sort of . . . goes between the cells of the
human body. It worms its way between the cells, until it finds what it's looking
for, in this case, a blood vessel. If the gravitational pull between your cells
isn't too great . . ."
"Wouldn't it be, though? I mean, bullets bounce off of me, Lex."
"Perhaps not. You say that you haven't always been this invulnerable. So maybe your cells are getting stronger, but not the gravitational pull. It's worth a shot, right?"
Clark looked dubious, but he finally nodded. "Yeah. It's worth a try. How long will this take?"
Lex shrugged. "On the human test subjects they've tried it on, it's taken anywhere from five to fifteen minutes. We'll have to try it and see. You'll have to stay relatively still, though. Wanna play Monopoly while we wait?"
***
"You obviously don't know how to play Monopoly." Lex grumbled.
"Really?" Clark grinned as he handed Lex $350. Lex had insisted on being banker.
"Yes." Lex said dryly as he handed Clark the card for Park Place. "The point is to get as many of the same color as you can. And you can't possibly collect both of the dark blue properties, because I already own Boardwalk."
Clark grinned. "I love it when you spin things. Do it again."
Lex pursed his lips disapprovingly.
"I do, too, understand the game. If I buy Park Place, you can't have it." He explained unnecessarily. "Consider it payback for the Reading Railroad."
"Why Clark. I never knew you wanted to be a railroad magnate. I can buy you a railroad, you know. A real one."
"I don't want a real railroad. I wanted that card. Third from the top." Clark pointed at Lex's stack of cards with his free, right, hand.
Lex, curious, leafed through the cards. "You're right. It is third from the top.
You're getting more control with your x-ray vision."
Clark grinned, then looked at the apparatus that stood above his left arm, humming softly to itself. "Looks like an oil derrick or something. I wonder how much longer this will take."
"Well," Lex glanced at his watch, "it's been forty-five minutes. What do you say we give it another fifteen minutes?"
Clark nodded and turned his attention back to the game board just as the humming of the pump changed. "Lex?" Clark asked apprehensively as the tube that rested against the inside of his elbow darkened with blood.
The blood flowed upwards through the tubing and into a vial stuck into the top of the derrick. When it was full, Lex popped it off, the rubber stopper at the top of the tube keeping the blood sealed inside. He replaced that tube with another.
"How . . . how many of those are you going to fill?"
"Just. One. More." Lex removed this vial and put on a third.
Once the third was full, Lex turned off the machine and removed the third vial. Then he detached the tube and squeezed the blood in it into a fourth collection tube.
"Why so much?"
"This may be our only chance to get some of your blood. I intend to make the most of it. Wanna come down to the lab with me while I put these in liquid nitrogen?"
"Sure."
"Then when we come back upstairs, we can grab a hamburger or something. Your body chemistry seems on the surface at least to be similar enough to ours that you probably lost some protein and iron with all of that blood. A little red meat will make that better."
Lex headed for the door of the study. "Oh, and Clark?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm still going to kick your butt in Monopoly when we get back upstairs."
"No you won't." Clark grinned. "But I'll make it up to you later."
Lex returned the grin, slowly, seductively. "A forfeit if you win?"
"I'll perform a forfeit if I lose."
Lex's and Clark's gazes met, and the air fairly crackled with electricity.
"Well, then," Lex cleared his throat, "I guess we'd better get these down to the lab so we can get back upstairs and finish this game. Don't suppose you'd be up for upgrading to strip Monopoly, would you?"