Song Fic - Strange and Beautiful
I first had this idea about a year ago and had even worked on it some, but never finished it. For some reason I've been in a dark mood lately, not really sure why, and decided to pick it back up about a week ago.
Song lyrics and download at the end.
Title: Strange and Beautiful
Author: DM Wyatt
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Warnings: R, post-rift, Future-fic, dark, one-shot
Spoilers: None
Length: 3,483
Summary: Lex sets out to claim what he thinks is rightfully his...
Author's Note: I've never written a song-fic before, and may never again, but when I heard Aqualung's song "Strange and Beautiful" it positively screamed obsessing-over-Clark Lex to me and even hinted at some plot-points, so this fic was born. Thanks to tragicllyhip and serenography for the handholding.
~:::~
After months of preparation and hundreds of thousands in costs, everything was finally ready for Lex to implement his plan.
He calmly sipped a drink sitting in the bar of a run down diner in an extremely bad part of town. The place catered to the poor paycheck-to-paycheck workers who lived in the ancient, shabby apartment buildings that surrounded it. While this place wasn't where he would have ever chosen to be, the establishment fit into his plan perfectly.
The waitress and the bartender were both in on his plan and only waited for the signal from Lex before they acted on his instructions. It had surprised Lex how easily they'd agreed to help Lex commit such a serious crime. All they had needed to be convinced was one look at his wallet filled with hundred dollar bills.
Probably the weakest part of the plan was the fact that Lex wanted to watch it unfold. The plan might fall apart if Lex was spotted in such an unlikely place, but he couldn't help himself. He wanted to watch his prey fall into the trap he'd so carefully constructed.
There was a bar literally on every corner in this part of Metropolis, but Lex had selected this one because the bar actually provided cover so he could watch what was going to happen in the dining area.
The lounge was separated from the diner by a low wall topped by a cheap garden lattice that ran up to the ceiling. With the bar being so dark, as such businesses often are, combined with the lattice Lex felt he could probably escape detection by most casual dining patrons. He sat at a table tucked into a very dark corner and his position allowed him to view the entire establishment.
He took another sip of his drink and glanced at his watch. It was almost time. He was impatient for all of the pieces to finally fall into place; anxious to see all his hard work and the money he'd spent finally bring his dream to fruition.
He set his glass back down just as Clark Kent walked in.
Lex's breath caught in his throat and his heart skipped a beat. Clark looked so beautiful...
He wore uncharacteristically casual attire. Gone was the usual rumpled and ill-fitted suit, baggy enough to conceal any signs of the cape he wore underneath it and the unreal amount of hard muscle that no journo would ever have....
No, for this dinner date he wore work boots, a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a flannel shirt as a jacket. The trademark glasses were still there, but they did little to hide the beauty of Clark's eyes.
Lex couldn't contain the joy he felt as he watched Clark walk to a table at the back of the restaurant. Except for the thick-framed glasses he wore, Clark looked like he'd stepped back in time; back to when Lex had first met him.
He certainly didn't look much older than he had then. He had filled out quite a bit and added a lot more muscle to his frame. However, despite his bulk, Clark was still pure perfection in motion and form. Lex could see past the dorky alter ego, but only because Lex had known Clark so well from before. They hadn't ever fooled Lex. However he wasn't surprised when others (even people in his employ) had no clue that the pesky reporter from the Daily Planet was also the annoying alien from Krypton. The glasses were a surprisingly effective disguise.
Lex had never scrunched down in his life before that day, but when Clark's eyes glanced quickly in his direction he slid down reflexively, shamelessly trying to hide. As if a wall made with sheetrock, 2x4's and a cheap garden lattice would hide him from a guy with x-ray vision, but Lex couldn't resist the urge. Luckily, or perhaps miraculously, it didn't look like Clark had noticed him.
Superman sat down facing the door as the hostess slapped a menu on the table in front of him. He faced away from Lex, his face in a partial profile to Lex's position. He could see the curve of Clark's cheek and his beautifully long eyelashes.
It was the perfect location. He could easily see Clark, even gauge his expression, but Clark would have to turn his head to see Lex. He felt that as long as he was quiet that he could relax a bit and watch the events unfold without drawing Clark's attention.
He looked to the waitress and bartender, both watched him in rapt attention, eager to earn the promised payoff. He nodded in signal and they moved into action. The waitress walked quickly to Clark's table and asked him if he wanted something to drink.
Clark smiled up at the waitress, charming and playing a bit shy. "I'm waiting for someone, but I don't drink..."
Her eyes darted over nervously to Lex's position to the bar and she didn't quite remember to act natural. She cleared her throat. "Well, can't I get you something else while you wait, sweetie? Maybe a soda?"
Clark had seemingly recognized something was up. Lex could tell because his eyes narrowed briefly before he cheerfully replied, "Sure, a coke would be great." He let his glasses slide down his nose and watched her for a moment as she moved over to the bar, but he turned his eyes back to the door before the waitress reached the bar.
Lex only barely restrained himself from sighing deeply in relief. He had to act cool and not make any unexpected sounds. He didn't want Clark, Superman, to hear his adversary so close by. The plan would fall apart if he were discovered before it was time.
It was probably pure luck that Clark's superhearing hadn't picked up on his presence as soon as he walked in the door. It would be best to not tempt fate with making any sound that might tip his hand.
Usually cool under stress, Lex was uncharacteristically nervous and sweaty. So much was riding on the next few minutes... He relaxed a bit as he watched the bartender drop a scoop of ice into a glass and use the soda gun to fill it with the dark cola.
Clark drinking a coke was actually perfect. The sweet drink would help mask the slightly bitter, magically enhanced sedatives that the bartender would slip into it.
Lex had decided on a magic sedative instead of a kryptonite based drug because using any kryptonite at all might be risky... He had no idea how much to use in order for the drug to affect Clark and yet still not have the meteor rock be detected by him. Any kryptonite, as far as Lex could tell, would be almost instantly felt, so he had to go magical. He just hoped that it worked, that it was strong enough... He worried it might not be effective, despite Clark's proven weakness to magic.
Lex turned to watch the bartender open up a small envelope and pour a white powder into Clark's coke. When the powder hit the fizzy drink, a small flash of purple light made the waitress gasp.
Lex felt his stomach drop about a foot.
Slightly panicked Superman might have heard, he looked over at Clark who was intently staring at the door. Lex was perplexed why, until he heard the sound of sirens off in the distance... Clark relaxed, seemingly somehow sure that the emergency, whatever it had been, was in good hands.
Thankfully, the nearby emergency had distracted Clark enough that he hadn't noticed the waitress's shocked gasp nor did he even look over as the bartender stirred the drink briefly. The oddly luminescent soda faded to a more normal dark color and the man, now pale and nervous, slowly handed the glass to the waitress.
She placed it on a tray, which she held too cautiously. Lex frowned and thought he really should hire a professional the next time he wanted to slip a magical Mickey Finn into someone's drink...
He barely held in the exasperated sigh he so badly wanted to exhale as he watched the waitress set the glass down too carefully in front of Clark.
Clark just thanked her, but didn't drink. Instead he absentmindedly leafed through the menu. He was just killing time until his "source" arrived, but Lex knew she never would.
She'd been part of the plan to get Clark to this unsavory part of town where no one would recognize the Big Blue Boy Scout in his civilian disguise.
She had called in anonymous tips, information on crimes committed by an elected official. The man had been frequenting gay bars and nightclubs, despite his very public anti-gay voting record. The lies and bribes he'd employed to cover the mess his lust had created would only compound the trouble the man had gotten himself into. It was a juicy story that almost no journalist would turn away from.
An ostensibly homophobic politician having gay sex in a club's bathroom? The story would almost write itself...
In the tapes it was easy to tell that Clark showed some initial skepticism, as any good journalist would, but the "source" had been telling the truth. Clark wasn't Superman for nothing and Lex had to get a source that was honest. The alleged lie-detecting abilities of Superman couldn't be discounted.
He had to have someone trustworthy who knew all about the councilman's crimes. Despite his public opposition against gay issues, he was as queer as they come and the crimes he'd committed to cover the fact were only just now coming to the surface...
The man would go down eventually, one way or another, because Lex would see to it. The fact that the man had torpedoed Lexcorp from getting several lucrative city contracts had only sealed his fate.
Lex found a disgruntled ex-employee, fired for pointing out the man's hypocrisy when he voted against a crucial gay rights bill, and she had been willing to talk. It was too bad that after all of this was done that she would have to take her inside information to another reporter. Clark wouldn’t be working for the Planet anymore by then. Well, he wouldn't be if the drugs and spells worked as well as the wizard he'd hired had promised they would.
Clark sat there for several minutes as Lex silently willed Superman to drink, just take a sip...
He looked at Clark with worried eyes as the waitress and bartender continued to watch. Lex turned to scowl at them and they both paled and disappeared into the back room behind the bar.
He turned back to look at Clark just as he took a sip.
Superman frowned, apparently displeased with something about the drink. Despite that, he drained the rest of the drink in a single pull.
Lex smiled.
The wizard had earned his very expensive fee already and he hadn't even performed the final spell yet. The man had the forethought to anticipate that the drink would taste bad and had made allowances for it.
The wizard had added to the magic drug an irresistible desire to immediately down whatever drink it was mixed with. He had wanted to ensure that the entire dose was consumed. So after a single sip Clark's destiny changed, even though he hadn't yet realized it.
Lex was surprised to see how fast it was. Clark's eyes drooped even before he placed the empty glass back down on the table.
He held his head in one hand for moment as he looked at the glass. He shook his head, as if to clear it, and then comprehension dawned...
Confused, he looked around the room with an apparent growing sense of unease. Lex felt it was his time to move when Clark tried to stand, tried to leave, but only managed to fall heavily back onto his chair, his legs weak and uncoordinated.
Lex crossed over to him and played it as if he were a concerned friend. "Clark? Are you okay?" He leaned down to help steady his former friend as Clark's eyelids drooped and his balance, even seated, was unsteady.
When Clark looked up and saw Lex, he panicked. He tried again to get up, but he stumbled and fell against the table. It broke as he continued his fall to the floor. The bigger man was sprawled out on top of the table and he tried to get up, but his movements were sluggish and uncoordinated.
Lex knew that he wouldn't be able to get up, but Superman tried anyway. Clark realized the danger, even if he hadn't voiced it, but the drugs had already done their work. His movements became even weaker and less coordinated as a crowd of bar and dining patrons gathered around.
Lex knelt down and, with a firm pull on his shoulder, gently rolled Clark onto his back. He wasn't out cold, not yet. His eyes were wide and he looked scared. He spoke in hushed, slurred whisper. "Don', Lex..."
It had been a long time since Lex had seen Clark looked this scared.
It broke his heart.
Clark's glasses were crooked on his face and Lex gently removed them. "You won't need these anymore, Clark. You know they don't really suit you..." He put the thick frames into his jacket pocket and then he tenderly brushed the hair from Clark's eyes. "Once I get you home, you'll finally see how perfect we are together..."
Clark's panic increased at that and he tried to push Lex away but he was too weak. "No..."
Lex looked up to the crowd of onlookers, "He's just been drinking too much... He'll be okay once I get him home and he sleeps it off."
Clark shook his head and managed to slur, "...jus' had coke..." He tried again to push Lex away, but his hand fell, almost like it was too heavy to hold up anymore. He looked up in silent desperation at Lex as he realized how helpless he'd become. "...don't... Lex..."
He gently cupped Clark's cheek in one hand and said softly, "Clark, don't worry. I'll take care of you."
Lex felt the presence of Hope and Mercy on either side of him. He looked up at them, "Let's get him into the car."
Lex stood as his two assistants dragged the helpless Superman out to the car, Clark's protests reduced to inarticulate moans. He looked at a frowning man wearing a tie and dropped half a dozen hundreds onto the table top. "That should take care of any damages my drunken friend may have caused..."
Lex went out into the chill night and got into the back of the limo from one door as Hope and Mercy pushed the only partially conscious Clark onto the back seat from the other side... His eyes had a glassy, panicked look and his arms and legs twitched, like he was still trying to get them to move, trying to escape his destiny.
As Hope closed the doors and Mercy slid into the driver seat, Lex pulled Clark's head into his lap. He shushed him as he looked down into his fear-filled eyes. "Sshhh... It's okay. Hush, Clark... Hush..."
He gently brushed a curl out of his beautiful eyes and caressed his cheek lovingly. Clark's eyes looked up into his, desperate, scared... He fought the drugs and his body's muscles convulsed as he tried to get up, get away, but it was to no avail. The magically enhanced drugs were just too strong, not even Clark could shrug off its affects.
"Stop fighting, Clark... It'll be okay, I'll take care of you, you'll see. We'll finally be happy together." Clark's eyes welled up with tears, the frustration and fear getting the best of him, and Lex saw the moment he couldn't fight anymore.
He sighed and let his eyes droop and look away from Lex's face... His breathing deepened and slowed and his eyes drifted close for the last time as he mumbled something Lex couldn't quite understand. He held him as Mercy drove them home.
~:::~
The preparations for the spell had taken days to prepare before Lex had taken Clark home and everything had been ready as soon as they'd arrived.
He had his men drag the out-cold Clark out of the car and up to the penthouse. They pulled his clothes from him, taking away the dreaded costume that Clark had worn underneath his clothes. They had been surprised when they'd seen it. They knew who Clark was and they were shocked to realize that he was Superman.
No: they were shocked that he had been Superman. Of course, Clark wasn't going to be Superman anymore once the wizard performed the final spell that would make him Lex's forever.
Lex smiled at the thought as he watched the men lift Clark into the bathtub. They left him there and exited. Lex stripped and got into the large tub with Clark. He bathed him and washed his hair. He lovingly rinsed Clark's skin and hair clean.
The wizard had said it was important to get Clark completely clean. So Lex, unsatisfied that the job was complete, drained the water. He watched Clark sleep soundly, not bothered at all by the relative chill of the air compared to how warm the water had been. Lex filled the tub again and again thoroughly washed Clark's hair and skin as he peacefully slept on.
Later, after Lex had dressed in all white, as instructed, Clark had been dried and placed onto Lex's bed by his men. The Wizard gave him oil to rub into Clark's skin. The wizard had told him that it was a special ointment that had specific magical properties which would help him form the final spell.
He didn't know the details, and didn't want to know. Lex didn't care about that part of it. Getting to touch Clark's skin, caress it, worship him with his body, was a dream come true.
The oil smelled crisp, like the scent of thyme. The feel of it tingled and energized him. He was becoming more and more aroused the longer he caressed Clark's perfect body, as he smoothed the oil into every crease, every crevice, every perfect inch of his flawless, unblemished skin.
As he worked, it struck Lex as odd how perfect Clark was. Even the most beautiful celebrities still needed their portraits for the magazines to be retouched, blemishes and scars and moles either diminished or completely erased. If Clark were a model or an A-List actor, and he was certainly handsome enough to be one, the people who retouched photos of the flawed humans that filled the magazines would have nothing to do when it came to images of Clark.
He regretted when he was done and everything was prepared. Lex sadly stepped back and fell even more in love with Clark. His body, perfect and smooth, shone in the warm candlelight like Superman had been made of marble.
He was perfection and Lex was in awe of him. His skin and hair and eyes were all perfect. He came close to weeping when he realized he would finally have it all to touch and taste forever.
He felt excited when the wizard approached. Normally an impatient man, Lex was patient as the man intoned chants that may not have meant a single thing, at least it sounded like no language he had ever heard spoken (ancient or modern). It took hours, all night. The dawn was just breaking on the horizon as the man yelled one last time and Clark's body shuddered in response.
The man stepped back, exhausted by his work, and bowed to Lex.
"Wait with him until he wakes. It'll be then, that he'll be yours..."
The worn out man all but staggered out of the room and Lex locked it behind him, not wanting anyone to enter, and he waited. The morning sun came in through the picture windows and it was almost if Clark could feel it. As the golden light approached where he lay, he started to stir, one arm reached out toward the sun...
It wasn't until the warm morning light touched Clark's skin that he finally opened his eyes. He looked confused for a moment, maybe angry.
Lex was alarmed, he leaned forward into Clark's view. It was startling how beautiful Clark's eyes were in the golden light of Earth's yellow sun, the source of his power and strangeness and beauty...
It was only when Clark saw Lex that his face softened. He smiled, his face full of a profound adoration for Lex.
When Clark finally spoke, his voice hushed, it was with all the passionate love that Lex had known that this man would have for him.
"Lex..."
~:::~
Sequel HERE...
~:::~
Strange and Beautiful (I'll put a Spell on You)
By Aqualung
I've been watching your world from afar,
I've been trying to be where you are,
And I've been secretly falling apart,
Unseen.
To me, you're strange and you're beautiful,
You'd be so perfect with me, but you just can't see,
You turn every head, but you don't see me.
I'll put a spell on you,
You'll fall asleep and I'll put a spell on you.
And when I wake you, I'll be the first thing you see,
And you'll realize that you love me.
Sometimes, the last thing you want comes in first,
Sometimes, the first thing you want never comes,
But I know that waiting is all you can do,
Sometimes...
I'll put a spell on you,
You'll fall asleep, I'll put a spell on you,
And when I wake you, I'll be the first thing you see,
And you'll realize that you love me.
I'll put a spell on you,
You'll fall asleep 'cause I'll put a spell on you,
And when I wake you, I'll be the first thing you see,
And you'll realize that you love me, yeah...
http://www.box.net/shared/hn25pts89r
Song lyrics and download at the end.
Title: Strange and Beautiful
Author: DM Wyatt
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Warnings: R, post-rift, Future-fic, dark, one-shot
Spoilers: None
Length: 3,483
Summary: Lex sets out to claim what he thinks is rightfully his...
Author's Note: I've never written a song-fic before, and may never again, but when I heard Aqualung's song "Strange and Beautiful" it positively screamed obsessing-over-Clark Lex to me and even hinted at some plot-points, so this fic was born. Thanks to tragicllyhip and serenography for the handholding.
~:::~
After months of preparation and hundreds of thousands in costs, everything was finally ready for Lex to implement his plan.
He calmly sipped a drink sitting in the bar of a run down diner in an extremely bad part of town. The place catered to the poor paycheck-to-paycheck workers who lived in the ancient, shabby apartment buildings that surrounded it. While this place wasn't where he would have ever chosen to be, the establishment fit into his plan perfectly.
The waitress and the bartender were both in on his plan and only waited for the signal from Lex before they acted on his instructions. It had surprised Lex how easily they'd agreed to help Lex commit such a serious crime. All they had needed to be convinced was one look at his wallet filled with hundred dollar bills.
Probably the weakest part of the plan was the fact that Lex wanted to watch it unfold. The plan might fall apart if Lex was spotted in such an unlikely place, but he couldn't help himself. He wanted to watch his prey fall into the trap he'd so carefully constructed.
There was a bar literally on every corner in this part of Metropolis, but Lex had selected this one because the bar actually provided cover so he could watch what was going to happen in the dining area.
The lounge was separated from the diner by a low wall topped by a cheap garden lattice that ran up to the ceiling. With the bar being so dark, as such businesses often are, combined with the lattice Lex felt he could probably escape detection by most casual dining patrons. He sat at a table tucked into a very dark corner and his position allowed him to view the entire establishment.
He took another sip of his drink and glanced at his watch. It was almost time. He was impatient for all of the pieces to finally fall into place; anxious to see all his hard work and the money he'd spent finally bring his dream to fruition.
He set his glass back down just as Clark Kent walked in.
Lex's breath caught in his throat and his heart skipped a beat. Clark looked so beautiful...
He wore uncharacteristically casual attire. Gone was the usual rumpled and ill-fitted suit, baggy enough to conceal any signs of the cape he wore underneath it and the unreal amount of hard muscle that no journo would ever have....
No, for this dinner date he wore work boots, a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a flannel shirt as a jacket. The trademark glasses were still there, but they did little to hide the beauty of Clark's eyes.
Lex couldn't contain the joy he felt as he watched Clark walk to a table at the back of the restaurant. Except for the thick-framed glasses he wore, Clark looked like he'd stepped back in time; back to when Lex had first met him.
He certainly didn't look much older than he had then. He had filled out quite a bit and added a lot more muscle to his frame. However, despite his bulk, Clark was still pure perfection in motion and form. Lex could see past the dorky alter ego, but only because Lex had known Clark so well from before. They hadn't ever fooled Lex. However he wasn't surprised when others (even people in his employ) had no clue that the pesky reporter from the Daily Planet was also the annoying alien from Krypton. The glasses were a surprisingly effective disguise.
Lex had never scrunched down in his life before that day, but when Clark's eyes glanced quickly in his direction he slid down reflexively, shamelessly trying to hide. As if a wall made with sheetrock, 2x4's and a cheap garden lattice would hide him from a guy with x-ray vision, but Lex couldn't resist the urge. Luckily, or perhaps miraculously, it didn't look like Clark had noticed him.
Superman sat down facing the door as the hostess slapped a menu on the table in front of him. He faced away from Lex, his face in a partial profile to Lex's position. He could see the curve of Clark's cheek and his beautifully long eyelashes.
It was the perfect location. He could easily see Clark, even gauge his expression, but Clark would have to turn his head to see Lex. He felt that as long as he was quiet that he could relax a bit and watch the events unfold without drawing Clark's attention.
He looked to the waitress and bartender, both watched him in rapt attention, eager to earn the promised payoff. He nodded in signal and they moved into action. The waitress walked quickly to Clark's table and asked him if he wanted something to drink.
Clark smiled up at the waitress, charming and playing a bit shy. "I'm waiting for someone, but I don't drink..."
Her eyes darted over nervously to Lex's position to the bar and she didn't quite remember to act natural. She cleared her throat. "Well, can't I get you something else while you wait, sweetie? Maybe a soda?"
Clark had seemingly recognized something was up. Lex could tell because his eyes narrowed briefly before he cheerfully replied, "Sure, a coke would be great." He let his glasses slide down his nose and watched her for a moment as she moved over to the bar, but he turned his eyes back to the door before the waitress reached the bar.
Lex only barely restrained himself from sighing deeply in relief. He had to act cool and not make any unexpected sounds. He didn't want Clark, Superman, to hear his adversary so close by. The plan would fall apart if he were discovered before it was time.
It was probably pure luck that Clark's superhearing hadn't picked up on his presence as soon as he walked in the door. It would be best to not tempt fate with making any sound that might tip his hand.
Usually cool under stress, Lex was uncharacteristically nervous and sweaty. So much was riding on the next few minutes... He relaxed a bit as he watched the bartender drop a scoop of ice into a glass and use the soda gun to fill it with the dark cola.
Clark drinking a coke was actually perfect. The sweet drink would help mask the slightly bitter, magically enhanced sedatives that the bartender would slip into it.
Lex had decided on a magic sedative instead of a kryptonite based drug because using any kryptonite at all might be risky... He had no idea how much to use in order for the drug to affect Clark and yet still not have the meteor rock be detected by him. Any kryptonite, as far as Lex could tell, would be almost instantly felt, so he had to go magical. He just hoped that it worked, that it was strong enough... He worried it might not be effective, despite Clark's proven weakness to magic.
Lex turned to watch the bartender open up a small envelope and pour a white powder into Clark's coke. When the powder hit the fizzy drink, a small flash of purple light made the waitress gasp.
Lex felt his stomach drop about a foot.
Slightly panicked Superman might have heard, he looked over at Clark who was intently staring at the door. Lex was perplexed why, until he heard the sound of sirens off in the distance... Clark relaxed, seemingly somehow sure that the emergency, whatever it had been, was in good hands.
Thankfully, the nearby emergency had distracted Clark enough that he hadn't noticed the waitress's shocked gasp nor did he even look over as the bartender stirred the drink briefly. The oddly luminescent soda faded to a more normal dark color and the man, now pale and nervous, slowly handed the glass to the waitress.
She placed it on a tray, which she held too cautiously. Lex frowned and thought he really should hire a professional the next time he wanted to slip a magical Mickey Finn into someone's drink...
He barely held in the exasperated sigh he so badly wanted to exhale as he watched the waitress set the glass down too carefully in front of Clark.
Clark just thanked her, but didn't drink. Instead he absentmindedly leafed through the menu. He was just killing time until his "source" arrived, but Lex knew she never would.
She'd been part of the plan to get Clark to this unsavory part of town where no one would recognize the Big Blue Boy Scout in his civilian disguise.
She had called in anonymous tips, information on crimes committed by an elected official. The man had been frequenting gay bars and nightclubs, despite his very public anti-gay voting record. The lies and bribes he'd employed to cover the mess his lust had created would only compound the trouble the man had gotten himself into. It was a juicy story that almost no journalist would turn away from.
An ostensibly homophobic politician having gay sex in a club's bathroom? The story would almost write itself...
In the tapes it was easy to tell that Clark showed some initial skepticism, as any good journalist would, but the "source" had been telling the truth. Clark wasn't Superman for nothing and Lex had to get a source that was honest. The alleged lie-detecting abilities of Superman couldn't be discounted.
He had to have someone trustworthy who knew all about the councilman's crimes. Despite his public opposition against gay issues, he was as queer as they come and the crimes he'd committed to cover the fact were only just now coming to the surface...
The man would go down eventually, one way or another, because Lex would see to it. The fact that the man had torpedoed Lexcorp from getting several lucrative city contracts had only sealed his fate.
Lex found a disgruntled ex-employee, fired for pointing out the man's hypocrisy when he voted against a crucial gay rights bill, and she had been willing to talk. It was too bad that after all of this was done that she would have to take her inside information to another reporter. Clark wouldn’t be working for the Planet anymore by then. Well, he wouldn't be if the drugs and spells worked as well as the wizard he'd hired had promised they would.
Clark sat there for several minutes as Lex silently willed Superman to drink, just take a sip...
He looked at Clark with worried eyes as the waitress and bartender continued to watch. Lex turned to scowl at them and they both paled and disappeared into the back room behind the bar.
He turned back to look at Clark just as he took a sip.
Superman frowned, apparently displeased with something about the drink. Despite that, he drained the rest of the drink in a single pull.
Lex smiled.
The wizard had earned his very expensive fee already and he hadn't even performed the final spell yet. The man had the forethought to anticipate that the drink would taste bad and had made allowances for it.
The wizard had added to the magic drug an irresistible desire to immediately down whatever drink it was mixed with. He had wanted to ensure that the entire dose was consumed. So after a single sip Clark's destiny changed, even though he hadn't yet realized it.
Lex was surprised to see how fast it was. Clark's eyes drooped even before he placed the empty glass back down on the table.
He held his head in one hand for moment as he looked at the glass. He shook his head, as if to clear it, and then comprehension dawned...
Confused, he looked around the room with an apparent growing sense of unease. Lex felt it was his time to move when Clark tried to stand, tried to leave, but only managed to fall heavily back onto his chair, his legs weak and uncoordinated.
Lex crossed over to him and played it as if he were a concerned friend. "Clark? Are you okay?" He leaned down to help steady his former friend as Clark's eyelids drooped and his balance, even seated, was unsteady.
When Clark looked up and saw Lex, he panicked. He tried again to get up, but he stumbled and fell against the table. It broke as he continued his fall to the floor. The bigger man was sprawled out on top of the table and he tried to get up, but his movements were sluggish and uncoordinated.
Lex knew that he wouldn't be able to get up, but Superman tried anyway. Clark realized the danger, even if he hadn't voiced it, but the drugs had already done their work. His movements became even weaker and less coordinated as a crowd of bar and dining patrons gathered around.
Lex knelt down and, with a firm pull on his shoulder, gently rolled Clark onto his back. He wasn't out cold, not yet. His eyes were wide and he looked scared. He spoke in hushed, slurred whisper. "Don', Lex..."
It had been a long time since Lex had seen Clark looked this scared.
It broke his heart.
Clark's glasses were crooked on his face and Lex gently removed them. "You won't need these anymore, Clark. You know they don't really suit you..." He put the thick frames into his jacket pocket and then he tenderly brushed the hair from Clark's eyes. "Once I get you home, you'll finally see how perfect we are together..."
Clark's panic increased at that and he tried to push Lex away but he was too weak. "No..."
Lex looked up to the crowd of onlookers, "He's just been drinking too much... He'll be okay once I get him home and he sleeps it off."
Clark shook his head and managed to slur, "...jus' had coke..." He tried again to push Lex away, but his hand fell, almost like it was too heavy to hold up anymore. He looked up in silent desperation at Lex as he realized how helpless he'd become. "...don't... Lex..."
He gently cupped Clark's cheek in one hand and said softly, "Clark, don't worry. I'll take care of you."
Lex felt the presence of Hope and Mercy on either side of him. He looked up at them, "Let's get him into the car."
Lex stood as his two assistants dragged the helpless Superman out to the car, Clark's protests reduced to inarticulate moans. He looked at a frowning man wearing a tie and dropped half a dozen hundreds onto the table top. "That should take care of any damages my drunken friend may have caused..."
Lex went out into the chill night and got into the back of the limo from one door as Hope and Mercy pushed the only partially conscious Clark onto the back seat from the other side... His eyes had a glassy, panicked look and his arms and legs twitched, like he was still trying to get them to move, trying to escape his destiny.
As Hope closed the doors and Mercy slid into the driver seat, Lex pulled Clark's head into his lap. He shushed him as he looked down into his fear-filled eyes. "Sshhh... It's okay. Hush, Clark... Hush..."
He gently brushed a curl out of his beautiful eyes and caressed his cheek lovingly. Clark's eyes looked up into his, desperate, scared... He fought the drugs and his body's muscles convulsed as he tried to get up, get away, but it was to no avail. The magically enhanced drugs were just too strong, not even Clark could shrug off its affects.
"Stop fighting, Clark... It'll be okay, I'll take care of you, you'll see. We'll finally be happy together." Clark's eyes welled up with tears, the frustration and fear getting the best of him, and Lex saw the moment he couldn't fight anymore.
He sighed and let his eyes droop and look away from Lex's face... His breathing deepened and slowed and his eyes drifted close for the last time as he mumbled something Lex couldn't quite understand. He held him as Mercy drove them home.
~:::~
The preparations for the spell had taken days to prepare before Lex had taken Clark home and everything had been ready as soon as they'd arrived.
He had his men drag the out-cold Clark out of the car and up to the penthouse. They pulled his clothes from him, taking away the dreaded costume that Clark had worn underneath his clothes. They had been surprised when they'd seen it. They knew who Clark was and they were shocked to realize that he was Superman.
No: they were shocked that he had been Superman. Of course, Clark wasn't going to be Superman anymore once the wizard performed the final spell that would make him Lex's forever.
Lex smiled at the thought as he watched the men lift Clark into the bathtub. They left him there and exited. Lex stripped and got into the large tub with Clark. He bathed him and washed his hair. He lovingly rinsed Clark's skin and hair clean.
The wizard had said it was important to get Clark completely clean. So Lex, unsatisfied that the job was complete, drained the water. He watched Clark sleep soundly, not bothered at all by the relative chill of the air compared to how warm the water had been. Lex filled the tub again and again thoroughly washed Clark's hair and skin as he peacefully slept on.
Later, after Lex had dressed in all white, as instructed, Clark had been dried and placed onto Lex's bed by his men. The Wizard gave him oil to rub into Clark's skin. The wizard had told him that it was a special ointment that had specific magical properties which would help him form the final spell.
He didn't know the details, and didn't want to know. Lex didn't care about that part of it. Getting to touch Clark's skin, caress it, worship him with his body, was a dream come true.
The oil smelled crisp, like the scent of thyme. The feel of it tingled and energized him. He was becoming more and more aroused the longer he caressed Clark's perfect body, as he smoothed the oil into every crease, every crevice, every perfect inch of his flawless, unblemished skin.
As he worked, it struck Lex as odd how perfect Clark was. Even the most beautiful celebrities still needed their portraits for the magazines to be retouched, blemishes and scars and moles either diminished or completely erased. If Clark were a model or an A-List actor, and he was certainly handsome enough to be one, the people who retouched photos of the flawed humans that filled the magazines would have nothing to do when it came to images of Clark.
He regretted when he was done and everything was prepared. Lex sadly stepped back and fell even more in love with Clark. His body, perfect and smooth, shone in the warm candlelight like Superman had been made of marble.
He was perfection and Lex was in awe of him. His skin and hair and eyes were all perfect. He came close to weeping when he realized he would finally have it all to touch and taste forever.
He felt excited when the wizard approached. Normally an impatient man, Lex was patient as the man intoned chants that may not have meant a single thing, at least it sounded like no language he had ever heard spoken (ancient or modern). It took hours, all night. The dawn was just breaking on the horizon as the man yelled one last time and Clark's body shuddered in response.
The man stepped back, exhausted by his work, and bowed to Lex.
"Wait with him until he wakes. It'll be then, that he'll be yours..."
The worn out man all but staggered out of the room and Lex locked it behind him, not wanting anyone to enter, and he waited. The morning sun came in through the picture windows and it was almost if Clark could feel it. As the golden light approached where he lay, he started to stir, one arm reached out toward the sun...
It wasn't until the warm morning light touched Clark's skin that he finally opened his eyes. He looked confused for a moment, maybe angry.
Lex was alarmed, he leaned forward into Clark's view. It was startling how beautiful Clark's eyes were in the golden light of Earth's yellow sun, the source of his power and strangeness and beauty...
It was only when Clark saw Lex that his face softened. He smiled, his face full of a profound adoration for Lex.
When Clark finally spoke, his voice hushed, it was with all the passionate love that Lex had known that this man would have for him.
"Lex..."
~:::~
Sequel HERE...
~:::~
Strange and Beautiful (I'll put a Spell on You)
By Aqualung
I've been watching your world from afar,
I've been trying to be where you are,
And I've been secretly falling apart,
Unseen.
To me, you're strange and you're beautiful,
You'd be so perfect with me, but you just can't see,
You turn every head, but you don't see me.
I'll put a spell on you,
You'll fall asleep and I'll put a spell on you.
And when I wake you, I'll be the first thing you see,
And you'll realize that you love me.
Sometimes, the last thing you want comes in first,
Sometimes, the first thing you want never comes,
But I know that waiting is all you can do,
Sometimes...
I'll put a spell on you,
You'll fall asleep, I'll put a spell on you,
And when I wake you, I'll be the first thing you see,
And you'll realize that you love me.
I'll put a spell on you,
You'll fall asleep 'cause I'll put a spell on you,
And when I wake you, I'll be the first thing you see,
And you'll realize that you love me, yeah...
http://www.box.net/shared/hn25pts89r