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M.F. Luder Written for the CLFF at kardasi.com. I felt that I could handle another challenge, besides my own. *g* Thanks to nortylaK, who totally rocks, and betad the story. And to astrea, for the second beta. "Luthor." "Hey, gorgeous." A small chuckle. "Hey there." Clark smiles, tightening his grip on the receiver. "So, what do you think about tonight? I was thinking wine, a warm bath, some candles..." Lex sighs. Clark can imagine him pinching the bridge of his nose, and Clark doesn't like that picture. "What? We agreed on tonight, remember? Wednesday night, after my class?" He pauses, and hears another sigh. Clark groan. "Lex--" "I'm sorry Clark, I really am, but there have been some troubles with a pharmaceutical company and it's the perfect--" "I know, I know." Clark shakes his head, glancing at his watch. Five PM. He had been certain he'd get to see Lex tonight. In Lex's defense, he did sound regretful. "It's okay." A pause. "I'm sorry." "Nah, don't worry. I can start on that paper for my editor." "What about next week? Friday. I'll be free at five." Clark nods. He can skip Language for once. "Great. I can't wait." Clark hears the smile on Lex's voice. "I know. Me too." "I love you." "Love you too." "Take care, okay? Have some dinner." "I will." Clark pauses. "I'll call you to remind you." Lex sighs, but smiles at the thoughtfulness. "Thanks." Clark hangs up, checks his watch and decides to call Lex around eight. Four hours to kill. Perfect. With an impatient sigh, he starts up the computer. ***** "I was thinking we could go out. You've been cramped up for so--" "Honey..." Clark purses his lips together. "Yes, dear?" Lex swallows, eyes glancing over at his screen, numbers not making sense in that moment. "The thing is..." "Work?" Lex nods. "Yeah, I'm sorry." "Lex, you promised. We haven't seen each other in three weeks!" Clark runs his hands through his hair. It just sucks that their schedules tend to cross. "I've got mid terms coming up." "I know." Clark snorts. "Oh, really?" "Clark, don't be like that. It's not like I'm doing this out of pleasure." "You could have fooled me." "I've got work to do." "And I've got classes, and papers, and meetings, and things to get done as well, but I make time for you." Lex places his hand over his eyes. "Clark, I love you--" "That's not the issue." "--but, really, work has been horrible. I've got buyouts to get ready and--" "I know, I know." He groans, closing his hand in a fist. His knuckles turn white in two seconds. "I've got a report to do anyway." "I'm sorry." "Yeah, yeah, yeah." "I love you," Lex whispers. Clark snorts. "You better." He sighs. "I love you too." Lex smiles. "Next week." "Yeah." "I promise." Clark lets out a long sigh. "Okay, next week." ***** "I've got the whole afternoon off. I asked Daniel to keep the plane ready. I was thinking we could go to New York. I made reservat--" "Lex..." Lex knows that tone. He pauses. "What happened?" "I met with my group, I had a report to finish, and it was awful. We ended up spending all day long arguing over pointers and books, and references..." There was more to it. "And?" "I didn't get to study for tomorrow's test." Clark shakes his head. He hates to be to the one to do this. "You have to study." "Yeah." Sorrow in his voice, and Lex isn't pleased, but it does feel good to know he's missed. "It's okay. School comes first." "Sucks, though." "I know." Lex nods, reassuring himself more than Clark. "Just, study, ace your exam tomorrow and that'd be enough." "Thanks." "Next week?" "I've got midterms." Lex groans. "Okay, then... We'll figure something out. Right?" Clark hopes. "Yeah, sure." A small smile. "I love you." "Me too." ***** "Okay Lex," Clark says, lying down on the bed, arm thrown over his forehead. "This is it. This weekend. Just the two of us..." "I can't." Clark groans, tightening the grip on the phone. He loosens his fingers when he hears the plastic giving under the pressure. "What? What do you mean? I thought we said--" He sighs, running his fingers over his eyes. "Lionel's here." "What? Where? There, at the penthouse?" "Here, in Metropolis." Lex stands up and makes his way to the decanter. He pours himself a glass of scotch. "He came to the office yesterday. Said there are some papers that need to be drawn up, but I have to meet with a Hong Kong executive first." "Where?" "His place." Clark frowns. "Your dad's place?" A soft laughter. "Mr. Mei's place." "What?" "Yes, I'm leaving for Hong Kong in four hours. I should be there around ten tomorrow morning. I'm meeting him for lunch." Clark shakes his head. This is just awful. Everything seems to get in way, forcing them to postpone and postpone. "When will you be back?" Lex empties half the glass in one gulp. I'm not sure. Monday morning, perhaps." "It's Wednesday." "I know." "But--" "I know." Lex finishes the glass, walking back to the desk. He picks up the files he needs before walking upstairs to his bedroom. He still has some things he needs to pack. "I'll call you when I get settled, and then tomorrow night." "My night or your night?" Lex chuckles, irony dripping from his voice. Perfect. "Your night." He pauses. "I'm sorry." "It's okay." "I'll make it up to you." Clark nods. "You better." "I love you." "I know, I love you too." When they hang up, Lex rubs his eyes with the palms of his hands. Things have been getting more strained by the minute, each day that they don't see each other. Lex groans, throwing the files onto the bed. He turns around and picks up a framed picture of Clark, sitting on the porch of his house, back when he was eighteen. Lex smiles. It's the first thing he puts in his suitcase. ***** Clark checks his watch. Four PM. His eyes shift towards the screen computer. He still has two reports to finish, but his mind isn't in it. He can barely think properly. He stands up, walking towards the small cupboard in the corner of his dorm. It's not that he's mad at Lex. Clark understands, he tells himself he understands. Work comes first, as do Clark's studies, but there's a limit to everything, and Clark is certain they've reached theirs. They've been dating for over two years, months before Clark finished school. They've been seeing each other as much as possible, considering Clark still lives at the dorms, and Lex in the penthouse. Clark had wanted to move in with Lex, but Lex had convinced Clark to live in the dorms the first two years. Then, if they were still dating, they'd move in together. Clark opens a can of Coke. Only two more months, and Clark would be living with Lex, in the penthouse. Finally. Not living together, and their tight schedule, had kept them apart at times. But this was just ridiculous. Two months of not seeing each other. Taking a long sip, Clark frowns. Maybe they can do something about it. He grins, picking up the phone. He dials a familiar number, the smirk still present on his lips. "Lex Luthor's office." "Vanessa? Hi, I wanted to ask you something." ***** Clark turns off the engine of the truck. He jumps out, eyes glancing at the basket on the back seat for a moment before closing the door. He walks into Luthor Tower with a smile. Reaching the fifty-sixth floor, he smiles at Vanessa, who nods. Clark's grin becomes wider. "Thanks," Clark says. "My pleasure. Enjoy yourselves." "Can I--?" Vanessa nods. "Sure, go ahead." With one last grin, Clark walks into Lex's office. Lex's sitting at the desk, going over Morton Pharmaceuticals' acquisition report. He looks up. He can't help but smile at the sight of Clark. "Clark, what are you doing here?" Clark shrugs nonchalantly, kissing Lex on the lips. "I figured we could do something." "Clark, I'd love to, but I've got--" "You've got nothing to do for the rest of the afternoon," Clark says with a grin. "What? No, I had to call--" "Lex, honey," Clark says slowly, patiently, earning himself a glare from Lex. "Vanessa set it all up. You're free." "You're kidding." Clark shakes his head. "I would never kid about us getting time together." He grins. "I'm a genius." Lex pauses, wondering if he should be mad at Clark for rearranging his agenda without his knowledge. Then, he considers that they'll be able to have the whole afternoon for themselves, and Lex can't be mad at Clark for that. "Yes, you are." Clark nods, rather enthusiastically, and Lex stands up to kiss him. "Well," Clark says as they pull away. "Let's go. We only have ten hours for ourselves." Lex chuckles, shaking his head, and lets Clark lead him by the hand out of the office. He smiles at Vanessa, who only nods. He'll have to give her another raise, he thinks as they head towards the car. Clark kisses Lex once more before starting the car. "So, where are we going?" Clark shakes his head, laughing. "I'm not telling." "Clark--" "It's a surprise." Lex frowns. He's learned to be afraid of Clark's surprises. ***** "You have got to be kidding." Clark shakes his head, placing the picnic basket on the ground as he opens the red and blue checkered tablecloth. He lifts it, waving on the air, and places it down on the grass with a grin. "There," he says, turning around and extending his hand to Lex. Lex looks at it warily. "A picnic?" Clark nods, proudly. "Yeah, a picnic." "Why?" "Because I haven't seen you in two months, and I've missed you." He shrugs. "I thought we could do something nice, something sweet." "A picnic?" "Yeah." Clark frowns, ducking his head. "If you don't like it..." Lex sighs. He still has his idiotic moments, moments like right now, when he makes Clark feel stupid for plotting a romantic picnic in a public park with the help of Lex's secretary. With a smile, Lex kisses Clark, caressing the young man's cheek. "I love it." Grin plastered on his face, Clark's eyes shine. "Really?" "Yeah. I love it." "Great." He sits down, extending his hand and Lex complies, sitting down by Clark's side. Lex tells himself no one is looking at them, a college boy in jeans and t-shirt and a businessman in an Italian silk suit, sitting on a tablecloth in the middle of the afternoon. Clark reaches for the basket, getting out the plastic containers. "Well, what have we got here?" Lex leans over, trying to recognize the food. "I'm starving." Clark turns around, not really surprised. "Really?" Lex chuckles. "Yeah, it's after two and I didn't have lunch." "I knew that. I told Vanessa not to let you go out to lunch." Lex rolls his eyes. Apparently, Clark did have a calculating bone in him, and it was regarding Lex himself. Well, he could live with that. Clark smiles, happiness in his eyes, and there's love shinning in them as well. Lex remembers that smile. It's the same smile Clark would give him every time Lex would help the boy with his homework. It's the same smile Clark saved for their quiet talks in the study, fireplace shimmering light. It's the same smile Lex fell in love with. And Lex knows he'd do anything for that smile. He leans over, caressing the boy's cheek, and Lex wonders if he'll ever see a man in those gentle and innocent eyes. Lex hopes he doesn't, for he needs the boy in Clark's heart. Clark tilts his head, lips curled upwards. "I thought you were hungry." Lex shakes his head. Leaning back against the tree, his hand reaches for Clark's, intertwining their fingers. "When it comes to picnics, the only thing that really matters is the company." << |