Fic!!

[ladydreamer]

Falling for You
Summary: On the night of the election for senate, Lana Lang forgot her cell phone. With no one else to call, Lex opens another bottle of scotch. Wackiness and head trauma ensues.
Pairing: Clexiness
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Drunk people doing dumb things. Death of a character we’ve not seen in three years. AU from Reckoning S5.


Lana Lang was having the best day of her life. That morning, Clark had told her his secret and proposed. Not only proposed, but proposed in the most spectacular way. There was an ice palace and a diamond ring and flying. She felt like a princess. And he would be her knight in shining armour… well, flannel. Life couldn’t get any better than this. She checked her make-up for the fourth, or was that fifth, time in her compact, and then slid it back into her purse, which she forgot to zip. She was thinking how amazing Clark would look on her arm at the party. How she would look next to him. How wonderful it would be to be married to the senator’s son. How they would move to Topeka and get away from Smallville forever.

She never noticed that her cell phone had slipped out of her purse and lay on the seat of her car.

Lex Luthor, on the other hand, was quite possibly having one of the worst days of his life. He couldn’t quite tell, as he’d had so many bad days and they happened so often lately. Also, he was fairly drunk by now, so making a decision like that was a bit pointless and beyond his mental capacity anyway. It had taken him awhile to get drunk because of his strong Scott-Irish drinking constitution and the natural tolerance he’d built up from exercising that constitution on a daily basis. He’d been hitting the scotch since eleven am that morning when he’d received the news.

Lex would never see his brother Lucas again. According to the man Lex had on Lucas in Edge City, there had been a bomb planted in his apartment complex that had taken out the entire floor. Randy told him there wasn’t much left. He probably wouldn’t be able to identify any remains. As he swirled his drink around in the small glass, Lex figured that Lucas had put some effort into getting away from Randal and gotten himself in trouble with a local mob faction. Gambling, dealing, living the edge in Edge City. When he managed to make himself stop drinking, he would have to do something about whoever had murdered his brother.

He and Lucas had kept in fairly close contact, as much as they could without alerting anyone. The two of them normally met clandestinely in an apartment in Metropolis for which only the two of them had the key. They would talk and joke and play video games, an activity that Lex found to be oddly addicting and stress relieving. It wasn’t often that he had a person in his life with whom he could simply fritter away hours. There was tension, of course, but the two of them had wanted real family so badly that certain past slights were overlooked in the face of watching a bad horror movie with microwave popcorn and a good wine. Sometimes Lex would drive out to Edge City to meet Luc, when it was feasible. Lucas never came to Smallville. Lucas didn’t like Smallville. Hated Clark. Despised Lana. And reviled his father to a point that caused Lex to almost look up to his younger brother. Lex wished he’d had that commitment to staying away from the bastard when he’d been that young.

So Lex was having a rather bad day because of this, and thinking of this, and not being able to stop thinking about this and whether he would have been able to stop it if he hadn’t been so busy with the election. Not to mention his attempts at discerning the truth about those meteor showers and Milton Fine had to this point, failed miserably. Or that his former best friend took every opportunity to hurt him, financially or physically when possible. Or his father’s constant meddling not only in his business and political decisions, but also in his love life. By now, the old man had flip-flopped on him so many times, Lex wasn’t sure his father would tell him the truth about what he’d had for breakfast, let along give advice with Lex’s best interests in mind. Lex knew he would have to suffer from several months more treatment on the electronic couch before he ever took romantic advice from a man who had cheated on his wife and slept with his son’s girlfriend.

There were other problems at hand. There always were, but his head was spinning too much from the scotch to think them all out. He was moping. He needed, just for a while, not to think about things. He had to stop.

Then he received a call from his campaign manager. He broke out another bottle and called Lana. She was the only person he could think to call. Clark hated him. Luc was dead.

He waited and leaned on the bar. There was no answer. She was screening him.

“FUCK.” He screamed, throwing his glass as hard as he could into the fireplace. The flames jumped up briefly. Lex grabbed the bottle and headed up to his bedroom, trying to think of someone to call.

***

“There’s nothin’ to discuss, Luthor. Nothin’, do you understand?” Jonathan tried to keep his voice low so that no one inside could hear him. He had half a mind to straighten that rat bastard Lionel Luthor out tonight.

“I think that perhaps we might… Senator. If we could get together for a bit of a political powwow, I think we might find that-“

“Hold on, Luthor, I have another call.” Jonathan hit the button before Lionel could respond and hoped it was the right one. He’d be damned if he could figure out that bizarre tiny piece of machinery, but Lois had declared he would need to be contactable at all times once he was senator. “Yeah.”

“Con-grad-du-fuckin-lations, Senator!!”

“…” Jonathan leaned back onto the outside wall of the Talon. “Who is this?”

“This? Who… is this??”

Clearly a very very drunk person. Jonathan sighed and thought that at least it was better than continuing his conversation with Lionel Luthor.

“I’ve… known you for five years… give or take uh… I knew you didn’t know me you hypocritical asshole. Ow!”

Jonathan heard a crash, and oddly, it was the cry of pain that he recognized. “Lex?”

“Yeah! You know, the spoiled rich kid that got his ass handed to him tonight by a fucking salt of the earth farmer who has no qualifications!” He roared into the phone. Lex struggled to get up and ignored the nightstand on the floor. He shrugged and added in a singsong voice. “Well, other than being a perfect fucking family man. ‘Cause, when I think politics, I think that milking cows the best thing to put on a resume.”

“You watch your mouth, Lex. I won’t hesitate to come over there and shut it for you.” Jonathan warned. He wasn’t sure what to think. He’d never actually seen the boy drunk before. Lex had a little more of an accent when he was intoxicated.

“Bring it on.”

“Y’know recently you’ve just proved more and more to me that I was right about you all along!”

“Well, I wish I had been as right about you and Clark. I could have, you know, I could have… your name would be ruined, ruined in this town.” Lex finished off the bottle and looked into it angrily.

“What? What are you talking about?” Jonathan felt his whole body tighten in panic.

“Wouldn’t you like to know. I could have. I uh…” He got up and headed toward the flask he kept in his dresser.

“What do you know?” Jonathan shouted.

“Your family man image is bullshit. Now I know where Clark learned how to lie. He’s the only reason I didn’t… didn’t have that spread around… faster’n…” Lex swaggered over to his window and opened it, looking out over the flat never ending stretch of Kansas. Why had he stayed here for so long?

Jonathan took a breath. It wasn’t about Clark. “What did you find?”

“Does Martha know about Carol Ann?” Lex crawled into the window frame and took a swig. He looked down at the concrete courtyard. He remembered pool. He remembered nights in the library and having badly made coffee with a sweet young man at the Talon. He remembered Clark holding him tight and saying how glad he was to see him again.

Clark poked his head out the door. “You coming back to your party?”

“Yeah, in a minute.” Jonathan mouthed the words. “It’s Lex. He’s drunk.”

Clark raised his brows kind of high.

“Clark?” Lex perked up. “Hey, tell him, tell him that I said ahhhhh!”

Jonathan heard the scream and the phone cut out. “Oh, for goodness sake.”

“What happened?”

“I dunno, Clark, he called to ‘congratulate’ me and something happened. You could hear him yellin’. Could you check on him?”

Clark looked a bit put out, but straightened up immediately at the reproachful expression on his father’s face. “He’s got enough people waiting on him at his place, you’d think one of them could keep him of trouble.”

“Given the number of times you’ve had to save his ass in his own home, I doubt they can. They probably don’t even care.”

“Alright, I’ll check on him. Be back in a sec.” Clark shot off. Jonathan looked at his cell and tried to decide whether or not to swap back over to Lionel. He decided to “accidentally” hit the off button and go back inside to enjoy the party with his wife.

Clark arrived at the castle gates and slowed down for a normal approach. It didn’t take him long to see that something was out of place. For starters, there were no guards. None. And there were no bodies of guards on the ground either. Clark gave a quick x-ray sweep of the first floor and surmised that Lex had sent his staff home for some reason. If someone had started kidnapping people, they would have missed a few. The place was too large to check every possible hiding place, and they wouldn’t have had time to get away before Clark had arrived.

Clark checked Lex’s office first, since that was where he usually found him.

“Workaholic.” Clark muttered to himself, thinking back to days when he might find Lex pouring over some tome of quantum physics as it relates to the modern day tea cozy in the library or staring out a large window and probably thinking deep deep thoughts about destiny or aliens or destiny and aliens. He burst through the double doors to an empty room and a roaring fire. Lex’s shoes had been kicked off near the desk. On top of the bar there were several empty bottles of scotch and some half full bottles of other various drinks Clark couldn’t identify. “Or alcoholic.”

He sighed then took a moment to blow out the fire. It would take him forever to search the rooms by foot. So he walked out into the hallway and just hollered. “LEX!!! …LEEEEEX!!!!”

Clark was starting to get annoyed. He might have to go back to the party and get Chloe’s help, if it turned out that Lex wasn’t here at all, and he had no indication that he was. He’d taken for granted Lex would be there, waiting for him in his office like he always was. He started down the hallway, taking sweeping glances of the rooms, and thought how eerily quiet this place was when you were alone. Then it dawned on him to use his superhearing. He smacked his forehead. Listening for Lex’s heartbeat was the first thing he should have done. It was amazing how often he forgot he could do that.

He stood very still for a moment and listened closely. There were weird house-noises and whistling in parts of the castle where wind got trapped. Clark wondered if Lex had ever thought of doing a haunted house here. Probably not. Clark couldn’t imagine a bunch of children running around in Lex’s personal space. There… south side of the building, outside. One heartbeat. Very slow, but persistent.

With no one watching him he simply zipped around to that side of the building and began scanning for Lex. His eyes settled on a tangled form pressed against the stone courtyard.

Lex was laying belly down on the stone, his right arm twisted underneath his body. It was obviously broken, as well as several of his ribs. His legs didn’t appear to be broken, but he had landed somewhat awkwardly on his hipbone and there had to be at least a hairline fracture there. The worst part was looking at his face. A pool of blood had formed around where his head lay, one ear to the ground. His jaw was slackened, and his eyes were glassy and motionless.

For one horrifying moment, a shiver ran down Clark’s spine. Stop being such a sissy idiot. You know his heart is beating.

The uncanny moment ended when Lex blinked. His eyes flitted upward and looked at Clark blankly. Then he moved his mouth a little bit, although no sound came out at first.

“That’s… a hell of a fall, Lex.” Clark craned his neck to see the open bedroom window, high high above them on the top floor of the castle. “A hell of a fall.”

He knelt down to pick Lex up from where he was, then thought better of it and got out his cell phone, trying to decide whether to tap Lex on the head and take him to the hospital to call 911. He probably didn’t need any additional head trauma. Would superspeed make things worse?

“But I guess this is nothing compared to having your plane go tits up at 3500 feet, huh?” He offered Lex a smile, which he hoped would be reassuring and not look like he was laughing at him. If Lex lived through this, he would laugh at him. A lot. And maybe smack him and smash his bar. Right now he could barely hear from the thudding of his own heartbeat.

”Clark…” His voice was choked. Clark put a gentle hand on Lex’s shoulder and began to dial. To his surprise, Lex suddenly pulled away from him and attempted to stand.

“Whoa, stay still!”

“….z always… you…”

Clark boggled at how fast Lex could move, despite being completely smashed in more way than one. He staggered in place, looking at Clark with a sort of blind scrutiny, seeing but not seeing. His arm hung limply at his side, and the blood was now running down one side of his face and all over his expensive well-fitted sweater. As he stepped closer to Clark, his leg gave out underneath him, and he grabbed the front of Clark’s shirt. Clark quickly moved one arm around Lex’s waist to support him.

“Smallville 911. Do you need police, fire, or ambulance?”

“You have to stay still, Lex. There’s no way you aren’t bleeding inside.” Clark tried to concentrate on the phone while keeping the shaking man still. “An ambulance. I have a man here who just fell out of his window. Lex… stop it. He’s been drinking a lot and I know he cracked his head and broke an arm in the fall.”

“What’s your location?”

“Lex, stop. Just stay still.” Clark tried to think of the actual address for the castle but couldn’t. Not with Lex trying to climb on him. What the hell was he doing? “Do you know where the- mm!”

Lex had reached his head up and pressed his lips against Clark’s. Hard.

“Sir? Sir, stay on the line.”

“Mm hmm.” Kissing Lana had never been like this. Lex’s lips were a little dry, probably from the drinking, and not covered in some sparkly goo. Strangely somehow making out with Lana sometimes felt like he was locking lips with a limp earthworm, kind of gross and weak. Lex had moved in on him instinctively, like a predator. Clark could take down a nuclear missile but Lex was in charge. His open mouth possessed Clark’s, and he felt himself kissing back, falling into motion with Lex’s hungry, sensual touch.

Lex is kissing me. Lex is kissing me. Lex is FRENCHING me.

Then suddenly, the kiss fell away and Lex was looking up at him with a plaintive, somewhat lost expression. “Need... you… Clark.”

“Sir? Sir, please stay on the line.”

Lex’s eyes rolled back in his head, and he went limp against Clark’s arm. Kneeling down with him gently, Clark pinned the phone between his ear and shoulder, and continued talking to the dispatcher as he cradled Lex in his arms and listened anxiously to his slow, stubborn heart.

***

The lights were too bright, and his head hurt too much. Noises buzzed around him, and he wanted to go back to sleep. He didn’t want to ever move again.

“Who can survive a drop like that?”

“I dunno, Mom. He’s been pummeled, shot, stabbed, drowned, choked, and set on fire. I apply different rules of survival when it comes to Lex.”

“Damn lucky.” Jonathan Kent’s brisk voice made it through, and he forced an eye open. He could barely see through the other. He thought about speaking. It seemed like a good idea, but for some reason he couldn’t form a thought to put into his mouth.

“That’s not lucky. That’s a miracle.” Lana was here? Why were all of these people in his bedroom? “It isn’t like him, though, Clark. Not to drink that much.”

“Maybe he took the news of the election hard?”

Not his bedroom. The hospital. Bright lights. That weird hospital smell. He had to get out of there. Assuming he could ever move again. On further reflection, almost everything hurt.

“Okay, you guys need to clear out. Oh?” The petite female doctor started and then moved to the side of the bed. “Lex? Hey, you’re awake. That was quick.”

Everyone’s eyes fixed on him. He didn’t really have the presence of mind to care, although he knew it would probably have bothered him if his head didn’t feel as though it were about to burst open like an overripe fruit. He tried to focus his eyes on the doctor. It seemed like they had been waiting awhile for an answer, and she was watching him as she checked his IV.

“…Un. Hi… Grace.”

She smiled widely, pleased that he recognized her. “Good to see you remember who I am. You had a pretty bad fall, there.”

“…I fell?”

Someone was laughing. He hadn’t meant to be funny.

“You sure did.” Grace took out a flashlight and shone it in his eyes. “Broke an arm. Six ribs altogether. You have a hairline fracture in your leg. Not to mention that hard head of yours. I don’t know how you manage to keep it together with all the head wounds you’ve come in here with.”

“I’m a… lucky guy.” Looking down on his body, on his right side, there was a brace on the upper arm, and he could feel both the top and bottom of that leg had a separate brace. The doctors here had finally learned not to waste the plaster on him. He could now feel the bandages binding his ribs as well.

“I’ll say. Add on to that a dozen or so strained muscles, mostly in your back and deep bruising over most of your right side, and you can still count yourself lucky you didn’t break your neck or rupture any vital organs. Hang tight, Lex. I’ll be right back.”

He continued to blink slowly, getting his bearings and watching the people in the room watching him. Grace came back for a moment. “Oh, Lex, if your father comes-“

“No. Please, don’t.” He managed to shake his head a little.

“Gotcha.” She gave him a thumps up. Everyone was watching him cautiously. Or suspiciously. He wondered what they thought he might do from this position.

Gingerly, he raised his left hand and felt the bandages on his head. He pressed against the right side of his face. The flesh was clearly swollen and bruised. He had no desire to see what he looked like. “I’m uh… going to take a guess and say that whatever happened, Clark saved me… yeah?”

“You don’t remember?” Lana asked. She and Clark were standing together. She was holding his arm. He was standing as much apart from her as he could without being noticeable. Interesting.

“No.”

Jonathan put his hands on his hips and began to explain in a stern but clearly amused voice. “Well, son. You got plastered, gave me a call after the election results were in, called me an asshole-“

Lex grimaced and closed his eyes. This is why he rarely went clubbing anymore. He hated for the situation to be so out of his control.

“Then, you fell out your window.”

“What?”

“Yep.”

“Riiight.” Lex wanted to smack himself, but he hurt enough as it was.

“You remember?”

“Noo.” His head continued to throb, but he was beginning to have less difficulty putting his thoughts together. “Well, thank you for getting me to the hospital regardless of my part as the drunken jackass.”

Lana smiled tightly and moved closer to the bed. “Are you alright Lex? You tried to call me last night.”

”I’m sorry. I don’t remember it.” He vaguely remembered her screening him, however. “Although, I’m kinda glad you didn’t get the call, considering.” He watched her with a small, curious frown as she sat by his bed and put her hand on his left arm. Clark looked ruffled. Martha was giving him a very concerned, motherly look, as though she wanted to fuss or hug someone but didn’t feel like that would be appropriate. Lex hated to wake up alone in the hospital, but this was so incredibly awkward that he would have almost preferred it. Why was Jonathan so amused? Why was Clark stealing glances at him whenever he looked up from his feet?

“This isn’t like you.”

“To end up in the hospital? I beg to differ. I know most of the regular doctors here by name.”

“The 911 dispatcher said they had a short cut for the castle on their computer.” Clark added, remembering his incredulousness when the dispatcher told him. Although, he knew he really shouldn’t have been surprised.

“Right next to the one for the Talon.” Lex shot back. Lana smiled and rubbed his arm. He noticed the glimmering jewel on her left hand and licked his lips slowly. “Well. I guess it’s a better day than I’d thought.”

“Oh!” Lana laughed and preened a bit showing off the ring. Lex’s face froze. “Yeah, you know it happened so fast we never really got a chance to tell anyone about it.”

“Interesting.” Lex forced the half of his face that didn’t hurt into a smile. “So who’s the lucky guy?”

That one definitely got some laughs and not just from Lana. Clark started to look irritated. He shifted his weight uncomfortably.

“I’m kidding, Clark. Congratulations… bring a parachute.”

More laughter. Lex planted his left palm on the bed and pushed. If he could sit up, perhaps…

“Whoa, whoa there.” Jonathan stepped forward and put a hand on his chest. Lex winced. “Slow down. Do you have any idea how high up you fell from? You could’ve died.”

“I could’ve died almost every week that I’ve know you.” When Mr. Kent removed his hand, Lex inched into a sitting position. He released a breath. “Thought I could do that.”

“Lex, you shouldn’t rush yourself.” Martha finally drew near. Lana nodded in support.

“I appreciate your concern.” Lex pulled the sheet aside with one hand and dropped a leg over the side of the bed and wondered if they were going to stop him. “I’m not sure that I understand it. Shouldn’t you… be planning a move? Hiring a staff?”

“Oh? I thought I was completely unqualified to do anything but milk cows?”

Lex shrugged as if to indicate he didn’t remember it. With some concentration he moved the other leg over the side. “I trust you aren’t such a backward hick that you can’t take advice from your wife, who could probably do a fair job herself. You’ll do better than Billings anyway. He was thinking of running, but with me in the race, he’d have looked like an older, fatter more-oft married version of myself.” He steeled himself for more pain and launched himself up and balanced on his good leg while holding onto his IV stand. Clark lurched forward, waiting for him to fall. He didn’t. “And Billings isn’t even qualified for auto-defenestration, so I think all things considered we didn’t do too badly.”

Lana’s eyes bulged under a disconcerted frown. “How are you managing to stand?”

“I have things to do today. I can’t lie around when there is business to be taken care of.” His voice had a sharp edge to it, but he had managed to keep most of his impatience under the surface. Putting of the investigation of Lucas’ death and his funeral arrangements wouldn’t make him feel any better.

Just then Grace walked back into the room, looked him with a knowing sigh, and held up a bottle of pills. She walked over to him, pressed her well-manicured nail to a line on the front. “Read it.”

Lex raised a brow at her.

“I’m not letting you leave until you read it.”

“Alright. Do not take… with alcohol. Happy?”

“No, but I know better than to try and keep you here. You’re coming back within the week for a psych evaluation and do not argue with me. People who come in from falls like that all have to take one. In accordance with the law and my own personal sanity. Do it or I’ll send the men in white coats to your doorstep.”

“You’re not going to keep him here for observation?” Martha asked, worriedly. Grace rolled her eyes.

“We can’t get him to stay for serious gunshot wounds.” She motioned with her head, as she removed his IV carefully. “Your clothes are over there. Gabe told me he called your driver.”

“Great.”

“And your father is outside. I don’t know whether you’re going to be able to skirt past him. He seems determined.” She headed out to go take care of the patients willing to stay in their beds.

“Great.”

“Are you really gonna to go back to business today?” Jonathan asked. Lex determined that there was something else that Jonathan Kent wanted to discuss with him, and in fact that was the reason he’d been waiting by his bedside. “That important to ya, huh?”

Clark, who had been very quiet, staring at Lex the entire time, moved closer as he began to struggle with the folded pair of black pants. “That’s going to be hard one-handed.”

“I’m ambidextrous.” Lex looked up. “Really, thank you for helping me here. I’ll be fine now. And…” Lex pressed his lips together in annoyance. “I’m sorry I insulted you, Mr. Kent.”

“Not the worst call I got last night by far. I remember having a few nights when I would’ve appreciated a friend taking away the phone.”

“I remember a few nights when I wish someone had taken away his phone, too.” Martha glanced mischievously up at her husband. Jonathan put his arm around her and pulled her into a hug.

“Well, I guess we’d better give you some privacy, if you aren’t gonna take my advice.”

Lex shook his head. The Kents nodded and left the room. Lana came over and gave him a very light hug. Lex stiffened at her touch. “Try to take it easy today, okay?”

Lex took a breath and said nothing.

“Well, yesterday was bad, but at least nobody died!” She smiled easily at him and kept her hand on his arm. He felt like she was admiring her ring in the bright lights.

“At least.”

Lana pulled back, and Clark nodded for her to go on and mouthed the words ‘I’ll help him get dressed.’ She mouthed back ‘be nice,’ before heading to the car. Clark closed the door. It was hard to look at Lex, his head wrapped tightly and his face half covered in deep purple bruises and red swelling. But it had been harder to see him lying there on the ground.

“I don’t care how tough you think you are. You could use some help with those pants.”

“How do you not know what you’re saying?”

“What?”

“Never mind. Fine, help me dress. I have to be in Edge City sometime this morning.” Lex began stripping off his hospital jammies. Clark watched his normally lithe body move stiffly as he pulled off the top. The bandages holding his ribcage stretched with him. Lex was much smaller than him, but his muscles were tight. It would have been a nice view if not for the long stretch of black bruises marring the right side of his body.

“Edge City?”

“On personal business.”

“What does that mean?”

“I suppose it means it’s personal.” He slid the pajama bottoms down. Clark’s eyebrows lifted as high as they would go. Lex was naked under the hospital jammies. “And that it’s none of your business.”

“I uh… um…” He made stupid noises as Lex rested one butt cheek against the bed and tried to shake the right leg of the pajamas off. He was in pain, and Clark could see that. He could also see it bouncing and feel himself turning embarrassingly red. Lex had admirable proportions given his size, and Clark didn’t want to admit to himself that he’d just noticed that. “Wait.”

Clark got on his knees and jerked the bottoms all the way off.

“Thanks.” Lex didn’t add that he was beginning to wonder if Clark had just stayed to watch him struggle naked. The younger man averted his eyes, however, and quickly shook out the pair of black dress pants Gabe had brought. He had that uncomfortable-with-sex look Lex had seen on his face often enough when a woman wearing something tight came in too close proximity to him. How he’d managed to get through a season of football and locker-room showers with that look, Lex would never know. Maybe the residents of Smallville were the outliers of the Kansas population in accepting same-sex interest. He doubted it.

“They, uh… there’s no underwear here.”

“I can manage without.”

“You go around without underwear?”

“I have clearly blown your mind.” Lex stated with a tinge of sarcasm and reached out with a hand. “Sometimes it can be expedient. Look inside the shirt. They may be folded in there. Give me my pants.”

“Yes, master.”

Lex rolled his eyes. Clark held the pair of black boxer briefs as though they would burn his skin, and Lex watched with amusement, lifting his feet when needed. Clark’s eyes remained straight forward, and he jumped a little when he realized that he’d brushed Lex in a tender spot in his attempt not to look at it. Lex took the waistband from Clark’s hands and wiggled into the boxer briefs, tucking himself in and regarding Clark with interest. “It’s alright. I put it away. You can stop shaking in fear now.”

“Hey! I’m helping you here.”

“I know. It doesn’t make the situation any less hilarious.”

That won Lex a bashful grin. Clark slid the pants up Lex’s left leg then more slowly worked the right up around the brace. He then fetched the dress shirt and looked at Lex’s naked chest. “Let’s do the right first.”

Lex lifted his arm obediently, and Clark slipped the soft green shirt onto Lex’s battered body. Focused, he folded over Lex’s collar and began to tenderly do up his buttons. His big hands fumbled a little over the buttons, and his eyes had softened. He looked sweet… and attentive.

Now Lex found himself blushing. He hoped Clark wouldn’t notice.

“This is a good color on you. A nice break from all the black.” Clark commented.

Lex was struggling to think of something to say in response to the unexpected complement when the door opened. It was Lex’s father. “Your bodyguard is hard to get around.”

“He doesn’t like you. It’s a pity you aren’t a fan of knocking. You could have walked in on a very interesting scene just now.”

Clark watched Lex’s quirking lips and returned with a wide grin at the image of Lionel Luthor walking with Clark kneeling at Lex’s crotch. The image got to him, and he flushed pinkly and willed his own tender bits to behave.

“I have to say, Lex, you’ve certainly outdone yourself with this one. The press is going to have a field day with this.”

“I think they have better things to cover than some spoiled brat falling out his own window.”

“Like the new senator.” Clark added heatedly. He knelt to help Lex with his shoes.

“Lex, your behavior-“

“Is none of your business. We’ve had this conversation. Let’s have it again when I’m on stronger pain medication.” Lex concentrated on fixing his shirt cuffs. He wouldn’t tell him about Luc. Lucas wouldn’t have wanted him at the funeral. If his father hadn’t been there for him in life, he should not be there in death. Lex knew this from a discussion they’d had about his own funeral arrangements and a concern that his funeral would go unattended. Luc had assured him that no matter what, he could count on his brother to be there. Then he’d practiced some dances that he could do on his grave, and Lex had shown him a few steps. “Can we meet later? Clark and I were discussing something.”

“We have much to discuss.”

“Like how you’ve been calling Clark’s father? Or how you gave his campaign money and then badmouthed me around town?” Lex’s eyes fell on Clark’s hair. Clark looked up in defensive surprise. Their eyes met. Clark hadn’t known. He wasn’t happy when he saw in Lex’s eyes that it was true. He stood and walked back over to the night table.

“My feelings on your campaign were very clear.”

“Ah, but your real motives, Dad… opaque as ever.” Lex said over his shoulder.

They both turned to the crack of a belt. Clark held it up and walked towards the Luthors with a stern look. Lex was impressed by the sudden move.

“You stay away from my father.”

”Clark, I mean him no harm. He’s a senator now. He’s going to be running with a different crowd.” Lionel said with a laugh, as though this much were obvious. Clark hated how he dismissed concerns by treating them as ridiculous. He wasn’t so feeble-minded that such a tactic would distract him.

“Stay away from him.” Clark repeated, simply, but with an implied intonation that Lionel did not want to find out what he would do. “You don’t have the resources that you used to. That pretty much limits what you can get away with, and you’d better remember that.”

Lionel raised his hands. “As you like Clark. We’ll talk later, Lex.”

After his father left, Lex shook his head and picked the bottle of pills off the nightstand. “I wonder how well these work.”

“I don’t really want to see you doped up on painkillers. What are you going to do next? Run over yourself? Auto-autostration?”

“That is not a word. Don’t worry. I’ll be more careful. It’s been a long time since I got that out of control.”

“I’ve noticed.” Clark began pulling Lex’s belt through the loops.

“I can manage this much, I think.”

“I’m not going to stand here and watch you hopping around on one leg trying not to fall.”

“I’m not going to fall, Clark.” He started as Clark jerked the belt tight, pulling Lex close to him swiftly. Clark could hear a steady beating quicken.

“You did last night.”

“Yeah, well, I… got back up.”

Clark leaned his face closer to Lex’s. “You kissed me.”

“…kissed you?” Clark nodded, and Lex swallowed, thinking. “I get affectionate when I’m drunk.”

His face remained steady. His heart pumped faster. He was lying, and Clark could hear it, sense it as he breathed in Lex’s scent. There was something underneath what was happening that Lex would not say. “Oh.”

They stayed there, eyes locked intensely with no end in sight. Lex wondered if Clark felt like going to a funeral.

“Whoa, can I get a picture of that for my desk at work?” Chloe laughed as she skidded to a halt in the doorway. Clark dropped his hands to the side and began looking supremely uncomfortable again.

“As long as it doesn’t end up in the morning edition. The Kents have a reputation to uphold.” Lex volleyed back, fixing his belt buckle.

“Your master wants to know where the hell you are.” Chloe made a whipping motion and noise. Clark wrinkled his nose. “Oh, come on. You know I’m teasing you.”

“I appreciate the help.” Lex nodded to Clark and moved away from Clark slowly. He could manage a tottering walk if he didn’t put too much weight on his injured leg.

“Don’t fall.”

***

Lucas’ funeral had been cold and lonesome. It had snowed that morning, and Lex was the only person to attend, although he knew Luc had made a few friends. Before today, he hadn’t been sure if they were the sort you get in trouble with or the sort who would cry over you. The weather made Lex’s healing bones ache pitifully and his nose run in that disgusting way he couldn’t stand. Thankfully he tended to keep a handkerchief on him. He hadn’t hired someone inclined to spout ridiculous Bible verses. Neither he nor Lucas would have cared for that. They were finished rather quickly, but Lex stayed by the grave for several hours afterwards.

Two weeks after the election, Clark and Lana’s engagement had become well-known around Smallville, Jonathan Kent had made in-roads on his staff appointments, with a little help from Martha, and Lois Lane headed back to the Talon to serve coffee. Jonathan had paid him a visit to check on his health and thank him for not airing his dirty laundry. He told him that yes, Martha knew, but it had been a very long time ago, and they had moved past it together. Marriage itself was often a compromise of two personalities, taking in both the good and the bad and finding a way to make it work because that person is worth the effort and makes you a stronger person in return, or so he’d told Lex. Lex had replied that reducing the election to mudslinging wasn’t in his best interest anyway, considering former sex scandals and his very public childhood. Jonathan decided not to mention that Lex had already told him he’d done it out of concern for Clark. Lex decided not to ask how one was supposed to compromise when your consider yourself worthy of continued living and your wife disagrees.

Grace had made good on her word and sent an intern over to his house to administer his psychological evaluation. The sweet young man had been quite charmed, determined that Lex hadn’t been trying to kill himself, and stayed for a game or two of chess and dinner. Lex had forgotten his name before going to bed that night. He had not called Lana in during that time, and she had not thought to call him either. He’d managed to stay away from the alcohol as well, although he had no doubt that would be as temporary as any other time he’d quit drinking.

“If it isn’t the Demonstration King!” Lois crowed as Lex limped into the Talon. He no longer needed the brace for his leg, but it still hurt a little to put too much weight on it. She put in an order for his signature brew and walked out to meet him with a strangely triumphant smirk.

“Demonstration? What?”

“You know, the falling out the window bit. Chloe came up with it; it’s brilliant.”

“…” Lex narrowed his eyes at her and put his hands in his pockets. “… the word is defenestration.”

“Oh.” Lois looked like she felt stupid for a moment then shrugged it off. “Well, whatever. I always sucked at spelling anyway.”

“So I see.” He angled his chin toward the chalkboard. Lois turned.

“Ah. Well maybe the mocha is late.”

“Anything is possible. We live in a complex and strange universe.” Lex moved to the counter to pick up his drink.

Lois punched his arm. “So how are you feeling?”

“I’d feel better if you weren’t pummeling my bruise.”

“Uh, sorry. You seem okay though, for a guy who should have been courtyard pizza not long ago.” Lois checked out the bruises on his bald head and on the side of his face. “You heal really fast.”

He sipped his coffee, disinterestedly. “I do at that. How are the future prince and princess of Topeka?”

“Kvetching.”

”Oh?”

“Same shit, different day.” Lois motioned to her right and heightened the pitch of her voice. “Clark is keeping a secret.” Then she motioned to the left and lowered her voice. “And Lana wants him to tell her.”

“Figured. That engagement ring is like putting a Band-Aid on an arterial hemorrhage. Are they going to move with the Kents?” If Clark were going to leave, it would be nice if he were really gone.

“I dunno. Clark wants to stay, and she wants to go. Ma and Pa don’t really want to go either because they’d have to leave the farm.”

”Maybe they should’ve thought of that before running for Senate.”

“I dunno. I just get ‘em elected. Now they’re on their own.”

“Hn. Maybe I should hire you next time.”

“I don’t work for fascists.”

“I’m more of a libertarian or independent, if anything. I don’t really adhere to current political parties. Their scope is too narrow to be of any practical use anymore.”

“What?”

“Never mind. Perhaps your next political move should be to go back to college. It looks good on one’s resume when you aren’t working for your friends.” Lex wished her a good afternoon and headed back to his car. The morning paper covered the new masked hero who appeared to be leaping about the city and generally causing property damage and making a nuisance of herself. It reminded him of the last time he’d visited Gotham City.

A few days later he was finishing up some paperwork with a throbbing headache when his office doors burst open. He had been trying to manage the pain from his injuries without relying too heavily on painkillers. There were so many separate injuries, from the fractured bones to the bruised and twisted muscles in his side and back that he was healing more slowly than he was accustomed to, which left him irritable. Knowing that the situation was his own damn fault for getting so stupidly drunk made it even worse. His mood had frightened one of his directors into obedience this morning, however, which would probably result in less projects gone wrong, so he reckoned the pain was worth it.

“Lex.” Lana clipped in wearing a pair of pretty but less than sensible for the weather heeled sandals and an outfit he knew she’d picked up in Paris. Lex was curious to know if she dressed that way on a midnight run to the campus store or if she occasionally went outside without makeup and dangly earrings. It would have been refreshing to see her in sweatpants. “It’s been awhile.”

“That’s true. How’s life in paradise?”

”Clark and I had a fight.” She said fretfully, as she made herself at home on his sofa.

Lex reached for a Vicodin. He didn’t want to lose his temper and defenestrate Lana.

***

As Clark approached the castle, he could not pinpoint why he’d come or what he planned to do. Well, he knew a bit of the why, but not all of it. He’d thought that telling Lana his secret would make her happy, and once that was done, things would be perfect between them, like they always should have been. Nothing had changed through. She would get angry with him when he disagreed with her about moving to Topeka and suggest that he didn’t care about how she felt or about her career. If he was distracted and didn’t want to have sex right then, she would imply that there was something wrong with him or that he didn’t find her attractive.

And ever since the day he’d proposed, he would have uncomfortable moments, comparing her to Lex. When they kissed, certainly, but on other occasions too. When they tried to have conversations, he was reminded how he and Lex could talk for hours, and sometimes he tried to joke with her and it all fell flat. It reminded him of what a good, if dark, sense of humour Lex had. Lana noticed. She was sharp in that way and prone to noticing small details and slights. Lana simply didn’t know what he was thinking at times and that bothered her more than Clark could describe. It was like she wanted to own everything he did and was. All of his actions and thoughts. Clark wondered how Jason had managed. Well, he thought, zipping past the guard when he wasn’t looking, Jason probably didn’t have any thoughts to own. Clark was beginning to think more and more that he shouldn’t have told Lana his secret.

Once inside, he listened for Lex’s heartbeat. To his annoyance, there were many heartbeats, and more than one in his office. He’d taken for granted that Lex would be alone.

Lana was talking about their break-up and hinting about Clark’s never ending supply of secrets. He could hear Lex sigh, get up, and start pouring a drink. Clark clenched his jaw in annoyance that Lex would be drinking anything after almost killing himself. He had half a mind to storm in there and smack it out of his hand. Lex’s breathing seemed a little off, too. Heartbeat seemed okay. Another person was walking towards his office.

“Um, am I interrupting something?” He was a young man, not a Smallville native, but not from too far away. Clark could hear Lana’s pointed huffing.

“We were only talking about something.”

“Oh, good.” He walked inside, apparently oblivious. He had a quick, somewhat uptight step. Lex moved in his direction leisurely.

“This is my… friend Lana Lang. Lana… this is…”

The man went over to Lana to shake her hand. “I’m Hector.” He didn’t seem put out at all that Lex had forgotten his name. He paused and shuffled his feet. “I should have called.”

”Not at all. I told you to come by any time.”

“Oh, excellent then.” Incredibly flattered that he had been remembered at all.

Clark decided to join whatever party Lex seemed to be having. He made sure his boots were noisy enough to make his presence known. Lana frowned and crossed her arms when he walked into the room. Hector looked a little bewildered, and Clark couldn’t help but notice the dark brown hair and sweet hazel eyes. Lex himself didn’t seem surprised in the least at Clark’s entrance.

“What have I done now, Clark?”

“What? No, I uh… my dad asked me to see how you were doing.” Clark looked over the bruises still covering Lex’s face, which had now begun to fade to a lighter blue and yellow in spots.

Lex cocked a brow. Clark read the look on his face quite easily: You are a horrendous liar, Clark Kent. “You can tell him I’m managing. Give him my regards.”

Clark was a little abashed by the clear and abrupt dismissal.

“Uh, I should go.” Hector hand his hands in his pockets and looked around, young and awkward.

“Hector is an intern at Smallville Medical.” Lex informed them, sheathing his own hands. “I rarely have this much company, Hector, but if you would like to come back another time, that is fine, too.”

“I uh, think so.” Hector was noticing the daggers between Lana and Clark and backed out of the room with a friendly nod to Lex.

“What are you doing here, Clark?” Lana demanded, standing to glare at him.

“I could ask you the same thing. Is this how it goes? The minute we have a fight, you come running over here?”

For the last three fucking years. Lex thought to himself, leaning onto the back of the sofa and rubbing his temples. He drained his glass and set it aside.

“I can see who I want, Clark. He’s my friend.”

Lex closed his eyes and tried to ignore the two adults fighting like a couple of bratty, jealous teenagers. He no longer had any doubt that Lana’s “friendship” consisted of what Lex could give her and how much being near him pissed off Clark. He’d suspected it before, given her hot then cold attitude towards him, but he never realized that it bothered him until now.

“Lex?”

Lex looked up to see Clark looking at him with concern, his hands raised like he might need to catch him. “What?”

“I dunno. You’ve just not been moving. Are you okay?” Clark put a hand on his shoulder.

Lex shrugged it off. “I’m not used to taking pain medication. They make me dizzy.”

“Look, this isn’t the place to have this conversation. We can talk about this at home, Clark. I’ll see you later, Lex.” She headed out the door before Lex said a word.

Clark did not miss the derisive eye roll in response to Lana’s goodbye. And that meant everything to him. “Is it painkillers that make you dizzy? Or maybe the company? Or the alcohol that you aren’t supposed to be drinking?”

”You need to start calling ahead.” Lex replied sharply as he turned away from him.

Clark’s face fell. This isn’t where he’d wanted to start the conversation.

“What do you want from me, Clark?” Lex moved to the other side the couch and practically fell into the seat. Clark walked over and joined him.

“I wanted to, um. Talk to you about the uh…”

Lex’s face grew ever more closed and severe. Clark looked down at his hands. It was hard to talk to him when he was so clearly in a bad mood.

Noticing the gesture, Lex softened his voice. “I have a headache.”

“… I’m uh. Sorry?”

“How many years is it going to take you and Lana to break up for good? Do I have to sweep her off her feet to get you two to call it quits and move on to something healthier for the both of you?”

“I thought we could make it work now.”

“It is never going to work, Clark. She doesn’t have the sense of gravity that you do, and that isn’t something you can give to her. She doesn’t have the scope. She sees the world in small terms. She’s a Smallville girl that wants to be more, but can’t. That’s why she focuses in on the unimportant details of your relationship and makes herself miserable. The two of you will never see eye to eye.”

“You’re right. Don’t look at me like that.” Lex had a bizarre way of making Clark feel like he was always falling behind the situation, and his shifting eyebrows weren’t helping the conversation. “I’ve been thinking this for a while now. At first I thought I was pushing her away, like I was doing something wrong or something, but… now I’m thinking she’s just not the one.”

“She’s been your ideal since you were seven. Certainly, Lana idealizes you as well because you save her life. But… you can’t make a relationship out of what you want the other person to be. You have to take them as they are.”

Clark nodded. “I’ve been, well…”

“What are you going to do?” Lex draped an arm over the back of the couch and attempted to look casual, although at the moment he would rather be lying on his back and not discussing Lana-drama. Sometimes, though, Clark just needed to talk out his problems. He was smart enough to see the answers when he tried.

“Call it off. Let her keep the ring. She’s going to hate me.”

“I know someone who could convince her otherwise.”

“Convince her? How? Lana lives off her injuries.”

“Hypnotize her. Convince her that your break up isn’t a slight, but what had to be done.”

“I’m not going to hypnotize her.” Clark scoffed. He put his feet on Lex’s coffee table and ignored the reproachful expression at the ill-treatment of his furniture. “It’s my job to let her down easy. And uh, she has to see that this isn’t working.”

Lex nodded. He wanted to stretch out his leg, so he lifted it onto the coffee table beside Clark’s. They exchanged a look of mutual mirth at their delinquent behavior.

“I missed this.” Clark said very softly. Lex remained quiet. Clark turned his head and looked over the healing bruises. “I think you have too. I mean, you are far too nice to me when I come in here. Especially considering some of the things I’ve said.”

“And the punching in the face.”

Clark almost winced. He was guilty of trying to bully Lex. First of all, that wasn’t way his dad had raised him to deal with conflicts, no matter what Lex had done. Secondly, he should have known better than to try it with Lex of all people.

“I still like you, Clark. I just haven’t been all that impressed with how you’ve been dealing with the obstacles in your life lately.”

”I can’t say I’m impressed with how you’re dealing either.” Clark shot back. “You drink too much. And you’re doing business they way your father did.”

“My father, on the whole, had a very limited view of things in running Luthorcorp. What I’m doing goes beyond business. You may not like it, but what I’m doing has to get done no matter what the cost.”

“What’s so important, Lex? That you have to get it done by any means necessary?” Clark demanded.

Lex wet his lips. “It’s coming, and I know it. We all should.”

“What’s coming?”

“One ship? The likelihood is extremely slim.” Lex shook his head and looked away. “If there’s one, there will be others, and we have to be prepared.”

“You’re rationalizing. You wouldn’t be lying to me about the stuff you do if you didn’t think it was wrong.”

”I can’t tell you about what’s going on because I don’t know that you-“ Lex stopped himself and made as if to leave the sofa. Clark grabbed his arm.

“You don’t know that I what?”

Lex met his eyes intensely.

That I’m not one of them. Clark’s eyes widened with realization, and he sat back, looking injured. “I’m not one of them, Lex. Why do you keep asking me that?”

“You are insulting my intelligence. I’d present you with evidence, but that generally leads to accusations and more aggressive posturing.”

“Well, maybe it’s none of your business.”

“Maybe it’s not. Maybe I have no right to ask you to share yourself with me. Maybe I never have.” Lex squirmed uncomfortably.

“I’ve never had any good reactions when share who I am.”

“How much worse could it get?” Lex replied dryly.

“I don’t think it could get much worse than you and me hating each other. Except maybe, you could die.”

“I thought you would know by now that I am well nigh indestructible. I don’t know how you feel, Clark, but I certainly don’t hate you. I told you that. It’s what makes this so difficult for me.”

He grimaced watching Lex twisting. “Well, that and you look like you want to flee the scene from the alien monster.”

“As long as you aren’t disgusted by the insane mutant freak.” Lex almost laughed at the puppy-like expression on Clark’s face. “I’m not trying to get away from you. I told you, I hurt. These meds are kicking my ass but not really killing any pain, and I feel kind of strange.”

“This is all kind of strange.” Clark felt himself smiling and wondered if they had really just done it. Just disclosed to one another, just like that. He decided to ease off, not mention that his drink probably had something to do with how he was feeling, and reached tentatively for Lex’s shoulder again. “I didn’t really come here to fight with you.”

Lex did not fail to notice Clark trying to get closer to him on the sofa. “Amazing.”

“I uh, wanted to talk to you about the night of the election.” His hand snaked around behind Lex’s neck and began feeling for tight spots.

“Didn’t I already apologize for that?” Lex’s expression was guarded.

Clark moved quickly to cup Lex’s marred face in his hand. “That’s not what I wanted to talk about. You… I uh…”

“Is that what brought on this sudden clarity with Lana?”

Clark was afraid that Lex was about to shoot him down, so he just leaned in and kissed him.

Kiss me back. Kiss me back. Kiss me back.

Lex pushed forward into the kiss then immediately pulled away. “No, Clark.”

”Oh.” Clark said dejectedly. Lex shook his head.

“I don’t mean, no. I mean, not so fast.” He licked his lips.

“How come you can go fast with random strangers and not with me?”

“Because I don’t care about random strangers.” Lex snapped. “I can’t disappoint them or fail them. They aren’t waiting for me to fuck everything up! They only want one thing from me, and it’s the one thing I know I can give.”

“I’m not waiting for you to mess things up.” Clark leaned over to Lex again and, ignoring the flinch, kissed him gently on the head.

“More the fool you.”

Clark broke out in a cheeky grin and bumped his shoulder. “You care about meeee.”

“Of course I do.”

Clark noticed Lex wetting his lips again. “Let me get you some water.”

“Wh-“

Clark was back with the glass before the word left his mouth. He offered Lex the glass and hoped his eyes would stop bulging soon. “Too much?”

“No.” It was clearly a lie. His voice had jumped about an octave. Clark sat down farther away from him. Lex drank the water slowly.

“I should go.”

“Don’t go. I’m fine.” Lex took a deep breath and reached over to put a hand on Clark’s leg. “You just startled me.”

“Um…”

“Get back over here.” Lex ordered. Clark didn’t have to be told twice. He scooted right next to Lex and slid his arm around his back. Lex kissed his lips softly. “We’re going to have to communicate better. You do want me for more than sex, right?”

“God, Lex. Of course I do. Would I throw my relationship with Lana out the window for a one-nighter?”

“I would throw a relationship with Lana out the window for a decent parking spot.”

Clark pressed his head into Lex’s shoulder and gave himself up to laughter. Lex didn’t laugh, but he was definitely fighting a smile.

“Hold on.” He placed a hand on the back of Clark’s shoulder and wiggled until he’d managed a lying down position. He laid his head atop a pillow on the armrest. Clark held himself up over Lex and gave him a skeptical expression.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

”What do you think we’re going to be doing?”

“I mean I’m heavier than you.” Clark took a pillow and gave Lex a mock-whack with it.

“I’ve been with women heavier than you. She was an Amazon. Hell of a woman.” Lex explained to Clark’s silent question. He reached up to Clark and started to run his fingers through the thick, dark hair. Clark stroked his fingers over the soft, smooth skin of Lex’s head. This was not something women often did with him. “Is it strange?”

“Am I?”

“You have really great hair. It’s… beautiful.”

“So are you.” Clark leaned down and gave Lex another gentle kiss before he could say anything. “It’s your eyes, y’know. I could stare at them for like…” He shrugged and looked boyishly happy. “Hours.”

“Relax.”

Clark eased himself over to Lex’s side, so he was only half leaning on the left and sinking somewhat into the couch. “You good?”

“Yeah.” He continued to caress Clark’s hair. Clark felt like he might get used to being petted on. “If Lana is your ideal, what am I?”

“You’re my… Lex. The one I have to figure out how to live with somehow. Like my opposite that makes me… all there?” Clark curled an arm around him. “You’re my nothing is right when you aren’t here.”

Lex’s puckered smile was so adorable, Clark had to kiss him again.

“Without you… I’m gone. Clark, it’s always been you. Always.” Lex assured him, stroking his hair gently and holding onto him as though he didn’t want to let go. Clark’s left arm cradled Lex’s shoulders, and they curled together and kissed, slowly and gently, until the mix of scotch and Vicodin put Lex to sleep. Clark stayed awake for a few more hours, head on Lex’s chest, listening to their hearts beating.

AN: Defenestration: the act of throwing someone out a window (if you hadn’t picked up our word of the day)

There will be a sequel eventually, probably. With running defenestration jokes because I’m a geek. I have a “telling the parents” scene and some ideas about working out their relationships and adventures and such, but I need to work out plot and how to write Disapproving Dad from the Midwest realistically without making him seem like an asshole. I just have to stop for now because this part feels complete and other fics are demanding my attention with a vengeance.