Lights, Chapter 2

Clark/Lex
Season 3, sometime after "Phoenix"
Rating: Adult. If you're under eighteen, please go elsewhere now.
Disclaimer: These characters belong to the CW and DC Comics, not to me.
Read Chapter 1 here.

Clark stretched out his legs as much as he could. He loved Lex's Porsche, loved the soft purr of its engine and its sleek silvery body and its buttery leather upholstery. But sports cars and six foot three guys didn't mix well. He seriously needed more leg room.

Still, it was only a two-hour drive to Metropolis. And considering the way Lex took the winding country roads at hair-raising speeds, he might easily shave thirty minutes off that. Clark had read that there was a new big road going in that would cut the trip from Smallville to Metropolis down to an hour, but it wasn't quite completed yet. And that was fine with him. He enjoyed the sensation of the Porsche swerving around corners, enjoyed the sensation of speed, even though he himself was capable of leaving the car in his dust if he wanted to run.

Still, there was no substitute for fast cars. Sports cars had a certain aura around them, a hint of illicit speed, a hint of sex, that a seventeen-year-old boy couldn't help but find intriguing. He closed his eyes, remembering the bright yellow Lamborghini he'd stolen in Metropolis...

No. He wasn't going to think about that.

He knew his parents had thought of it, the moment he'd gone into the house and asked if he could go to Metropolis with Lex. He'd seen then glance at Lex, had seen the anxiety in their eyes. He knew they were worried that he might run into a detective or a witness who recognized him from all the crimes he'd committed, or that somehow, his summer of sin might rear its ugly head. And realistically, he knew it was a possibility. If he had any sense, he'd stay as far away from the city as possible.

But the desire to see Metropolis again had been gnawing at him for weeks now, and he really wanted to take advantage of this unexpected opportunity. Besides, he'd been so busy on the farm he'd hardly gotten to see Lex, and considering everything Lex had done for him and his family, that seemed wrong. Lex was his best friend, after all.

"Please," he'd said, fixing his parents with his best puppy-dog expression. "I really want to go, Mom."

He'd appealed to his mother because she tended to be a little more flexible about stuff than his dad. Sure enough, she'd shrugged. "Well..."

"Martha," Jonathan Kent had protested. A look had passed between them, a look Clark had no trouble interpreting. They were more than just worried by the idea. They were scared. And Clark wasn't sure if the issue was his possible exposure as a criminal, or just Lex.

It had always bugged them when he spent too much time with Lex. Clark had a feeling they thought his friendship with the much older, richer Lex was a little weird, and that maybe they had the crazy idea that Lex wanted to make Clark his boy toy or something. Which was stupid, because Lex was clearly and totally heterosexual. All anyone had to do to find that out was look in the gossip pages of the Daily Planet, where Lex was featured with a different beautiful woman on his arm several times a week. And Lex had never made a pass at him, besides. But he could tell his parents worried about it anyway.

The problem was, right now they owed Lex their whole world, and they knew it.

Lex stepped up beside him. "I have a business meeting in the city," he said, his voice calm and even as always. "It's a tedious drive, and I'd appreciate having Clark along for company. I promise, I'll keep an eye on him while we're in Metropolis."

Clark's parents looked at each other for a moment, then shrugged in unison.

"Okay, son," Jonathan had said. "Have fun."

Clark had felt his biggest, brightest grin crease his face. He'd hugged them both exuberantly, then headed upstairs and shoved some clothes (most of them fairly clean) carelessly into a suitcase.

And then he and Lex had taken off.

So here he was, halfway to Metropolis, riding in an awesome sports car with his best friend by his side. The Porsche zoomed down the curving road at something approaching warp speed, the Calling poured out of the amazing stereo system, and fields and woods whipped by in a blur. Clark felt really happy for the first time in weeks.

"So," Lex said. It was the first time he'd said anything in a while. "Do you have anything you particuarly want to see in Metropolis, Clark?"

Clark rolled his head lazily on the headrest and looked at his friend. "Don't you have plans? A business meeting?"

Lex's white teeth flashed in a grin. "I figured your parents would be more comfortable if I told them that. But the truth is, Clark, I just wanted to hang out with you. We've both been busy since I got back, and I thought maybe we could just spend some time together. Like old times."

"Like old times," Clark echoed, liking the sound of that.

"So. Want to go to the zoo, or the art museum?"

"The zoo, maybe." Clark let his eyelids drift shut, remembering how he'd loved to look at the tigers as a little kid, the few times his dad took him to the city. He must have spent hours hanging out around the tiger enclosure, just watching the big cats as they stalked around and swam and sprawled in the sun. "But you know the very first thing I want? I want a brat for dinner."

"A what?"

"A brat. You know, bratwurst. There's this cart on Third and Church. Whenever we went to Metropolis, my dad would stop there..."

"Are you serious?" Lex sounded mildly indignant, and Clark opened his eyes and looked at him. "I'm taking you to the world's greatest city, and you want a hot dog for dinner?"

"Not a hot dog. A bratwurst."

"Still. I was planning on taking you somewhere really nice, Clark. Five stars."

Clark thought vaguely that Lex sounded like he'd been planning a romantic date, and was disappointed by Clark's lack of appreciation. Which was stupid, he reminded himself, remembering the latest picture of Lex with some society bimbo or other that had run in the paper just last week. Lex wasn't gay, and this wasn't about romance. It was about two guys hanging out.

Still, he wanted Lex to feel appreciated.

"That's fine," he said. "I can always get a brat for breakfast tomorrow."

"For breakfast? Are you serious?"

Clark frowned. "Are you turning into my mom or something?"

"All that fat, Clark. You'll have atherosclerosis before you're thirty."

"Yes, Mother."

At Clark's sarcastic drawl, Lex drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. A muscle jumped in his jaw. "Look, Clark, I'm just trying to have fun. It was a horrible summer, and after that I jumped back into working at LuthorCorp, and... well, I could use some fun. I think you could, too. If you want hot dogs for dinner, then we'll have hot dogs for dinner."

"No." Clark relented. "Whatever you want, Lex. You're right. After everything you've been through, you've totally earned the right to some fun."

Lex looked at him, a quick, sidelong glance. Behind the dark glasses, there was an odd glint in his gray eyes.

"I definitely intend to have fun," he answered.

Read Chapter 3 here.