Partners by Jezebel the Temptress

Title: Partners

Author: Jezebel

Rating: PG-15

Summary: Jonathan doesn't accept the choices that Clark has made with his life, and it is up to Lex to make them both see sense.

Warnings: Future Fic.

Notes: Part of the CLFF at kardasi.com. This deals with a darker Clark than we are used to seeing but it stems from three years of bitterness at hiding his secret, so if the characterisation seems a little off to you then it was my intention, you could almost say this is AU.

Challenge Answered: Medium Level: 25,000 words (approx. 50 pages) in 20 days.

Word Count: approx 25,000.

PARTNERS

- Part 1 -

~Smallville June 2005~

Clark had completely forgotten that he had applied for the business school at Met U until the letter of acceptance came in. It had been so long since he had filled out the applications to get into college that he barely even remembered the essays he had written.

Clark had been sitting in Lex's study at the castle with a number of college prospectus' and application packs in front of him when Lex joined him fresh from a conversation with his father. It was clear that Lex needed something to distract him from whatever Lionel had wanted so Clark decided to break the silence. The first thing that came to mind was what he was doing.

"What should I study?" Clark had asked.

"You could study Business." Lex had said. "Then maybe you could tell me where it is that I am going wrong."

"Okay." Clark had agreed and added it to his list.

Lex had smirked, thinking that he was joking but a week later when it had come to essays for scholarships Clark had come around for advice, it had given him another excuse to spend time with Lex. At the time it had seemed like a great idea, especially if it got him a chance to be with Lex.

Now though he had the provisional offer in front of him. A full scholarship to Metropolis University for their Business programme, one of the best in the state and fully sponsored by LuthorCorp. Clark knew that Lex had not acted on his behalf to get him the scholarship and that meant that he had gotten it on his own merit. That itself was a reason to seriously consider the offer.

Clark had come to a decision half way through his Junior year of high school that Journalism was more Chloe's thing than his. Now this oppurtunity would give him a good way out of that choice. He still had places at Kansas State and Edge City to consider but both came with only an academic scholarship and they were less appealing to Clark as they were for Journalism.

Clark wondered what his Dad would say if he told him that he wanted to go to Metropolis University to study Business.

***

"I don't care if they pay you a million dollars just to go there, you're not going." Jonathan said angrily as Clark brought up the idea the next night over dinner.

"But Dad..." Clark attempted to interupt but his father was having none of it.

"Clark, what happened to wanting to study Journalism?" Martha Kent asked.

Clark shrugged.

He wasn't really sure that he could explain it to his parents that he didn't want to do that anymore and that he really thought this was the way to go. He had always dreamed of Journalism because he wanted to know the truth about the world. The problem was that over the last few years he had seen the world at its worst and he didn't want to see any more of it. Somehow he thought even if he could explain it his father would be too stubborn to listen to reason.

"I guess I just think it'd be more interesting." Clark said. "Dad, I don't see the problem, you studied business as part of your course. You always tell me about how you met Mom in that accounts class that you took..."

"That was different." Jonathan responded. "It was for the farm. This is different, you only want this because of Luthor's influence and I won't stand for it. Don't you think that he has taken enough from this family without taking you from us too?"

"I'm eighteen, Dad. You can't make my decisions for me anymore but neither can Lex. I want to do this for me, not anyone else. Besides, you can't tell me what to do."

"While you live under my roof you'll live under my rules." Jonathan said.

Clark wondered if his father would ever get bored of trotting out that cliched old chestnut. He decided within himself that there was really only one answer to this statement that his father would understand.

"Fine." Clark said as he stood, pushing his chair back from the dinner table. "I'll move out as soon as I have a place to go."

"Clark, honey, settle down..." His mother said trying to hide the alarm in her voice.

"No." Clark said firmly. "Dad isn't going to let up on this issue and I'm sick of him judging Lex. This has nothing to do with him and he's still pushing the anti-Luthor message. I can't live here anymore."

"Son, you're making a big mistake." Jonathan said gravely.

Clark didn't listen. Instead he turned on his heel and headed out of the Kent homestead and just carried on walking. It was only when he hit the city limits that he realised that he had most likely been walking for a long while and stopped.

Clark found a small hill that overlooked Metropolis and sat down, watching the lights of the city as he thought through his predicament. He had not expected his father to react favourably to the news that he wanted to study business but he had at least expected some discussion. Jonathan was just too stubborn on some issues and Clark knew this was one of them.

He hadn't meant to walk out but he had been so angry and now it seemed as if it really was the right thing to do. Maybe this way his Dad would see just how serious he was.

The only thing that Clark didn't know was what he was going to do next. After a few minutes he realised that there really was only one place to go. He couldn't go to the Ross' because they would call his parents to come and get him and he was pretty sure that Gabe would do the same. Lex was the only one that wouldn't judge him, he at least knew what it was like to have problems with an overbearing father, so that is where he decided to go.

After all, Lex was his best friend and he would never turn Clark away, he never could say no to Clark.

***

The castle was dark by the time Clark got there. Even with his super speed it was late by the time he reached Smallville again, and he had taken a detour around the city so that he could think over what he was going to tell Lex. Clark also took the chance to pick up a few things. That meant that it was nearly midnight when he even reached the fences and squeezed through the small gap that he had left there so that he wouldn't have to continually reshape the already weakened bars.

The porch light was the only one that was on, as if it welcomed any visitors that might wander in overnight. Clark was about to knock when the door opened and Enrique came out wearing a dressing gown over stripped, cotton pyjamas.

"Good Evening Master Clark." He said, not showing any signs of sleep deprivation from being called from his bed. "Master Lex is sleeping, however I could wake him for you if that is required."

"No." Clark said a little too quickly, realising after he had said it that he sounded too adamant that they not wake Lex. "I mean, I'll just..."

A light came on from upstairs and before Clark could finish his statement he was faced with a bare chested Lex leaning over the bannister from the upstairs and peering down at him.

"Clark?" Lex asked, the surprise clear in his voice. "What are you doing here so late?"

"I'm sorry. I'll go." Clark apologised and he realised that even though Lex was his best friends it was still impolite to show up in the middle of the night. Especially when Lex had to work the next morning.

"It's okay." Lex said as he made his way down the stairs.

Clark felt his guilt deepen as he realised that he had not only woken Lex but was now pulling him from his bed to deal with his meaningless problems.

"I'm sorry." Clark said when Lex came closer to him.

"Don't be stupid Clark, you know that you're always welcome here. Even at 2 am." Lex added the last part with a wry smile and Clark could see that his friend truly didn't mind his being here. "Enrique, you can go back to sleep. Clark and I will look after ourselves." Lex said more formally to the other man.

"Of course Sir. Master Clark." He said with a nod of deference and then turned to leave. Clark could almost see him sleeping with one eye open just in case his Master needed anything while he was asleep, he supposed that was what staff did.

"I'm sorry." Clark said again once they were alone. "I just...I didn't know where else to go."

Lex was worried, Clark's voice sounded hollow and empty as if someone had just taken the bottom out of his world and shattered everything that he knew to be true. Lex knew how that felt. He had been the same way when a raven-haired angel had saved him from his own self destruction and pulled him back from the jaws of death. He had continued to feel it every day since when that same angel had continued to destroy his illusions of a jaded and cynical world and put back some of the hope that Lex had presumed dead when they buried his mother.

Now he wondered if it was his turn to repay that favour and give Clark a little hope, help or advice that he might need. In truth he would do whatever it was that Clark needed and he would do it in an instant because that was what you did for the man you loved. Even if that love was not repaid Lex wanted to take that emptiness out of the beautiful Clark.

"It's okay." Lex said as he beckoned Clark to follow him. "Let's go into the kitchen. I'll make some warm milk and you can tell me all about it. Where have you been anyway? You look half frozen."

Clark smiled wanly. He didn't feel the cold and assumed that he had windburn from running back from the city, it always gave his cheeks a soft red glow.

"Do you even know where your kitchen is?" He asked dubiously, it was an old joke between them and felt comfortable for Clark to say it. "I'm surprised that you don't need a guide to get around this place. Especially to the areas that you don't go to often."

"I use the kitchen." Lex said. "How else would I order the servants around if I didn't know where they hide?"

Clark laughed as they entered the kitchen and pulled himself up so that he was sitting at the breakfast bar as he watched Lex make his way around the kitchen.

It was true, Lex did know what he was doing and Clark soon had a mug of warm milk in front of him with a drop of something alcoholic in it as well. It was just a touch but Clark could smell it. He knew that it was supposed to be medicinal, even his mother swore by a small amount of whisky or scotch to warm someone up, but Clark was underage and not used to alcohol.

As he looked up to question Lex giving him alcohol he realised that the other man was still naked from the waist up, his friend obviously felt the glance because a moment later he rubbed his arms as if he was cold from the stare. Clark looked away again and took a sip of his milk, it was not so bad as he had thought, the alcohol gave him a warm feeling inside. Maybe the medicinal effects were more than just an old wive's tale.

Lex had felt Clark's eyes on him as the younger man surveyed his body. It worried him. Lex had not meant to make Clark feel uncomfortable and really just wanted to know why the other man was here. It was not a regular occurrence for Clark to appear at the castle in the middle of the night. At least not the real Clark. Fantasy Clark often came by late at night while Lex was alone in his bed, but this was the real one and Lex wondered why he was here.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Lex asked after Clark had settled and seemed to have relaxed a little. Whether it was the small amount of cognac in his milk or the warmth of being inside that had settled him Lex didn't know but something made him think that maybe Clark would be ready to talk.

"Dad and I had an argument." Clark said sadly. "He said that he didn't want me to take the scholarship that I got for Metropolis University."

Lex was confused. Jonathan Kent was the last person that he would have thought would have discouraged Clark from going to college and that meant that there was something wrong with the scholarship that Clark had been offered.

"Clark, if it isn't enough or something you know that I'll give you whatever you need." Lex said. "The offer I made still stands, it was not a one time offer."

Clark smiled at that. Lex had offered at the beginning of all of this to give Clark whatever he needed to get through college. Of course he had turned him down because Clark had never accepted any of the gifts, small or large, that Lex had offered. Still, Clark knew that Lex would do anything for him that he could and that made Clark feel warm and happy inside.

"It's not that." Clark insisted. "Dad wants me to study Journalism or something, but I was offered a scholarship for the Business school."

Lex shook his head as he realised what the real problem was.

"And Jonathan doesn't want you to have anything to do with the Luthor family." Lex replied knowingly. "And studying business alludes to some sinister connection with Satan and his son."

"I know." Clark said with a shake of his head. "It's stupid. He never seems to understand me."

"When did you get interested in business, Clark?" Lex asked. Clark was taken aback, he had not expected the question.

"Well, I guess after my work placement." He answered after a moment's thought. "I'd mever really thought about it much before that."

Clark had spent a week of his Junior year working with Lex at the fertiliser plant and while a lot of it had been quite mundane and menial he had learned enough about the business side of things to see that there was a lot more to this work than there was to the every day ins and outs of farm work. Clark had wanted to get off the farm for a while and he could see that the business world was a way of doing that. He had always thought that if he made enough money he would be able to do something that he wanted to do as well as helping his parents on the farm. He supposed that his work placement was the first time that he had even considered that there was a life beyond the farm.

"So in other words it was being around me that made you want to take this course of action?" Lex asked.

"No." Clark replied. "Lex, you didn't force this on me, you just opened my eyes to a whole lot of possibilities that I hadn't thought possible before. Before I met you my life was always going to be in Smallville but you showed me that there is a whole world out there and that I could be a part of it."

"It's not all good out there in the big wide world." Lex countered warningly. He didn't want to focus on just what else he would like to open Clark's eyes to and what other possibilities lay out there for a young man like Clark. "Maybe you should listen to your father on some things. He probably only wants what is best for you."

"I'm not a kid. I can look after myself" Clark huffed and in doing so he showed just how immature he still was.

Lex didn't mind, not really, not when it showed some of the innocence that Clark still held inside him. Lex would do anything to preserve that so his friend didn't have to lose any more of the humanity that made him so beautiful as a person. Lex knew what it was like to be bitter and cynical, he didn't know if Clark could survive living like that and nor should he have to.

"I know that Clark." Lex said. "What are you going to do about your father?"

"He told me that I had to live by his rules as long as I was living under his roof." Clark said. There was a wicked smile on his face and Lex knew that there was something wrong.

"Clark, you didn't..." Lex said as he realised what it was that Clark was going to say.

"I did." Clark said. "I told him that he couldn't tell me what to do and that I would move out as soon as I had some place else to go."

Lex leaned against the kitchen counter, not sure if he could trust the feet that were holding him up as he realised the enormity of what it was that Clark was telling him.

"Clark, you can't do that." Lex said softly. "Your parents love you, they are only trying to do what's right. Your dad just wants to protect you."

"I don't think that staying away from you is what's right for me." Clark said. "and I know I don't need to be protected from you."

Lex had to admit that hearing those words from Clark made him feel something inside that was akin to the warmth of love. The fact that Clark could trust him at all after some of the lies that had passed between them was a testament to just how great their friendship was. Of course, if Lex had his wish then they would be so much more than friends.

"Lex, I know that it's a lot to ask but can I stay here?" Clark asked. The question seemed sudden, sudden enough that Lex was dumbfounded when Clark asked it. Clark took his stunned silence as a bad thing and continued to put forward his case. "I swear, you won't even notice I'm here. I can help out around the house or whatever and it's not forever, just until I can find somewhere else."

"Clark, your father hates me as it is." Lex said. "How do you think he'd feel if I took you away from your family?"

"Please Lex." Clark begged. "If I don't stay here I don't know where I'll go. I can't go back there, not yet at least."

Clark had batted the long eyelashes and given him a slight pout. It was enough to melt Lex's heart. Deep inside him Lex knew that he could deny this boy nothing and would use every tool in his impressive arsenal to make Clark's life easier, but he also wanted to at least try and keep Jonathan onside. Finally he answered.

"You can stay." Lex said calmly. "But I want you to go home and make peace with your dad tommorow, after school."

It was a compromise and one that Lex saw as a concession that even Jonathan would agree to. It was late, there was nothing wrong with letting Clark stay for just one night. After all, it was not as if it was going to be permanent. Clark would miss his mother's cooking or some other thing about home and within days Lex knew that he would be alone in the Luthor family home once again.

"Thanks." Clark said, his face breaking into that gorgeous smile that made Lex want to melt.

"Let's get you settled in one of the guest suites." Lex said, not feeling comfortable with the way that Clark was suddenly looking at him as if he were a grateful puppy.

Clark followed Lex up the stairs and into the room across from Lex's. Clark tried to hide his disappointment when Lex closed his own bedroom door with a simple goodnight. Clark had not expected an invitation to bed down with Lex but there was a part of him that wanted to do just that.

Finally Clark settled on his bed and tried to concentrate on sleeping but just knowing that Lex was across the hall made it harder to think. Lex was his friend but Clark had other feelings that didn't feel very friendly, at least not when you were thinking about your best friend in that way.

Little did he know that across the hall Lex was feeling just as guilty about his own impure thoughts.

***

The next day passed slowly for Clark and the threat of his angry father seemed even worse as the day progressed. Earlier in the day he had gone home to change and grab stuff for school. He was careful to do so while both his parents were busy so that they would not see him and with the help of super speed he knew that he had not been noticed.

Clark wanted nothing more than to go back to the haven that he had built for himself at the castle and hide away. Unfortunately he had promised Lex the night before and agreed again at breakfast to go and see his father that afternoon and so here he was. But as he slowed from his inhumanly fast run to a slow jog just outside the Kent family farm, Clark couldn't help but feel that something bad was going to happen and that the day was about to get a whole lot worse.

"Clark? Is that you?" His mother called as he continued his walk down the dirt drive that led to their house. "Have you been at school?"

Clark realised that having not seen his parents in nearly 24 hours that they might have wondered where he was gone. It was only now that he realised that he had probably worried his mother. He hadn't meant to hurt her.

"I'm sorry." Clark said softly. "I should have thought to call but Lex insisted that I go to school and it was real late when I got there last night." He said.

"It's okay Clark, we just worried about where you were." Martha replied. "I'm glad that Lex allowed you to stay."

The outer door banged shut and Clark jumped around to see his father. He had obviously seen his son walk up to the house and had headed in from whatever chore it was that he was doing. Clark began to wish that his Dad hadn't seen him, at least that way he would not have to deal with his father's ire.

"Where have you been?" Jonathan yelled. "No, don't answer that. I know where you've been. With that bastard Luthor I've no doubt. Did you even stop to think about how worried your mother would be?"

"I'm sorry." Clark said softly with down turned eyes. He had his own guilt about hurting his mother, he had not meant to, but he didn't need an additional guilt trip from his Dad.

"Sorry doesn't cut it this time, son." Jonathan said. "You can't just treat this house like a hotel - I don't care if Luthor has servants to do his bidding, your mother and I are more than paid help and we deserve respect too. I want you to go upstairs and think about what you've done and I want you to stay away from Lex Luthor."

"Jonathan..." Martha chided, she knew that they would not be able to enforce these rules and she also thought that he was being too hard on Clark.

"No, Martha. He needs to learn. Lex Luthor may be an amoral son of a bitch but I won't let Clark turn into one. We taught him better than that."

"You can't stop me from seeing Lex." Clark said. "He's my best friend."

"And I'm your father. You will obey me." Jonathan said as he took a step towards his son.

"I'll do whatever the fuck I like, you can't stop me." Clark shouted.

Jonathan slapped him hard, one single stroke across his face as he saw red.

Clark was dumbfounded, the blow couldn't harm him physically but it was a force hard enough to break his heart. Super speed carried him straight out of the home that he had grown up in and away from that house.

It wasn't until he looked up that he was already on the grounds of Luthor Manor and that he felt as if he was home. Clark prayed that Lex would let him stay because if not he didn't know where else he could go. There was only one thing that was certain and that was that he could never go back.

***

"Jonathan, how could you?" Martha asked as tears bristled in her eyes and threatened to fall. She had fallen into one of the kitchen chairs in disbelief and was still reeling from the shock of her husband striking their only son. Jonathan had never raised a hand to Clark, even when the boy had gone through a period of temper tantrums and throwing things, she couldn't believe that he had changed that now.

"I didn't mean it." Jonathan said softly, his voice waivering. "I was just so angry. I never meant to lash out but you know how angry I get whenever he mentions Luthor. I feel as if one day we're going to lose him to that... to Lex and I couldn't bear it."

"I only hope that you haven't already driven him away." Martha said. "You know how Clark always takes things to heart."

Jonathan prayed too that he was not too late but something was already telling him that his son was at the castle with Lex and that he had lost a battle that he had not really even been aware of fighting. He didn't know that he had also lost the war.

***

Lex was working in his office at the castle when he heard the tentative knock on the door. He knew that Enrique would answer it, that was what he was paid for after all, but Lex wondered who it was that was knocking so softly. Most people that he knew would either ring the bell loudly as if to annouce their arrival to the entire house or would just barge in. It made him curious enough to go down to see who it was.

Clark stood on the doorstep, shoulders hunched and head hung as if he was a condemned man awaiting extradition to a certain death, and Lex felt his heart go out to the boy.

"Clark?" He asked concerned when there was no attempt to come in. "What's the matter?"

Clark looked up and Lex saw the red rimmed eyes that were irritated from so many tears and a cheek that burned a little too red.

"I went home." Clark said. His voice was empty and hollow, as if his whole persona could break in an instant. "Dad got angry."

"Clark..." Lex said softly, feeling empathy with that and reaching out for the boy. Clark went to him and sought refuge in those arms. Lex found himself engulfed in a hug that he had not meant to initiate and did the only thing he could and held on tight.

"He hit me, Lex." Clark said as the tears began to fall. He made no attempt to stop them. "He's never hit me before. Not even when I was small and I did something wrong."

"Oh Clark." Lex said softly, reaching up to stroke a comforting hand through the raven hair and noticing that they were now alone in the hall which meant that at some point Enrique had left them to it. He would have to remember to give the man a raise. "Come on." Lex coaxed, wanting to get them out of the hall and somewhere more private.

Clark followed Lex without argument as Lex took him to the study and sat him on the couch. Clark curled into a tight ball in the corner of the sofa. He looked like a small child that was tired and irritable, Lex wondered what had caused the boy so much pain. He knew that Jonathan hitting him must have been a shock but surely things were not so bad that Clark was broken by it. Lex never thought he would see the day that he would find someone that could break Clark's indomitable spirit.

Clark cried softly and Lex sat with him, petting him carefully to let him know that he was there for him and making sure that the other boy knew that he was not alone. Lex was at a loss, he didn't know how he was supposed to fix this because the one thing that he had very little experience of was family. His own was more dysfunctional than the British royal family and that was saying something, how on earth was he supposed to cure the ills of a family more like the Brady Bunch?

***

An hour later Clark finally quieted and sniffled his last. He looked up and saw that Lex was still sitting at his side, eyes trained on Clark as if he was waiting for him to do something. Clark knew that Lex had not left his side during the entire outburst and he wondered if Lex would think any the less of him for the show of emotion. He knew that Lex was never really one for emotional displays.

"Sorry." Clark said, as he felt the pain subside and get taken over with embarassment. "I just...I didn't know where else to come."

"We had this conversation last night Clark." Lex said patiently. "You don't have to ask me, you are welcome to stay as long as you need to."

"I can't go back there." Clark said. "Not after this."

"Clark, your father loves you and your mother will be worried sick." Lex argued. "I'm sure that this will all blow over soon enough."

"I'm not a kid Lex." Clark countered. "And this is more than me getting grounded for having a party while my parents are out of town. Dad wants to dictate my future and I can't let him do that."

"There must be some compromise. Maybe if you minored in business and majored in journalism." Lex offered.

Clark shook his head. Lex obviously didn't get it.

"This isn't about college, this is about you. Dad wants me to stop seeing you, but I can't. You're my future Lex, 'the stuff of legends' you said, and he can't keep me from my future. He can't keep me from you."

Lex froze, not entirely sure what it was that Clark was saying.

Clark felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders having admitted that he wanted Lex. He decided that this was the time for his confession. Reaching out hesitantly he grazed his knuckles across Lex's cheek and then leaned in to brush his lips just as lightly across Lex's own.

Lex felt the ghost of lips and let out a soft moan. He had wanted this for so long and now he was certain that he was dreaming this. Clark had spoken of their friendship, nothing more.

Lex pulled away for a moment, wanting to make sure that Clark was sure about this.

"Clark, is this what you want?" Lex asked as he tried to fight the urge to go back to the kiss.

Clark's answer was to continue the kiss. Lex wasn't sure if this was enough of an answer, but as the kiss deepened, he could not help but feel that this was right and he wrapped his arms around Clark and gave in to the caress.

They were kissing, sweet and soft as all first kisses should be, and Clark felt that familiar feeling that he had felt as he stood outside the castle earlier.

This was home, this was where he was supposed to be, with Lex. He had been right. Lex was his future and no one could come between them. Not anymore.

***

Jonathan was out doing the deliveries late the next afternoon and Martha was busy in the kitchen making more apple pies for the talon when the knock came. Usually they didn't get that many visitors, Martha rarely saw anyone other than her boys unless she was in town and it was unexpected for people to make the trip to the farm, but with Clark still missing after the argument with his father she wondered if it was news. Wiping her hands on her apron Martha went out to see who it was. She was surprised to see Lex standing on her porch.

"Mrs. Kent." Lex greeted politely, with a small smile. Martha opened the door wider and ushered him in.

"Come in Lex. Can I get you a drink? Clark isn't here at the moment..." She said lightly, she didn't want to advertise the fact that there was a problem with the family and it was always nice to have guests.

"I'm not here to see Clark." Lex said patiently. "I actually came by to see you and Mr. Kent."

"Oh, Jonathan is out at the moment. What can I do for you?" She asked as she hovered, not exactly sure what to do. Lex walked to the counter that was covered in flour and taking his lead Martha went back to her baking.

"I know that Clark didn't come home last night." Lex started, Martha tried her hardest not to react. "I know that because he was at the castle. I didn't want you to have to worry."

"He's a stubborn boy, just like his father." Martha said as she went back to slicing her apples. "Did he tell you why he wouldn't come home?"

Martha wondered just how much influence Lex did have on her boy and decided that this was a good time to ask. Lex had come to them and she had a good idea that him not wanting them to worry was not the only reason that he was there.

"Clark mentioned that Mr. Kent believes that I am a bad influence on him, but I knew it had to be more than that. Clark and I have been friends for over 3 years and he knows that his father didn't like it all of that time." Lex said. "I think it has more to do with Clark wanting to assert his independence than anything else."

"Jonathan thinks that you've put undue pressure on Clark to follow in your footsteps and study business." Martha said.

"Then Mr. Kent would be incorrect in his assumption. I never studied business. I was a science geek in college and the only reason that I have any knowledge at all in the area is that Dad insisted that I learn it all from an early age." Lex said. "I certainly wouldn't ask Clark to give up his dreams in order to please me."

"Do you think that Clark will be home for dinner?" Martha asked. It was her way of asking just how long Lex expected Clark to stay at the castle. "I don't want him to be a bother."

"Mrs. Kent, Clark is welcome to stay with me as long as he likes, he knows that." Lex said. "And I'm not sure when he'll be home. I've tried talking to him but as you've said he is obstinate when he wants to be."

"Would you mind taking a few things with you?" Martha asked as she wiped her hands again and made her way into the lounge. "If he's going to stay he should at least have some clean clothes and the things he'll need for school."

Lex accepted the bag that she sorted out and then made his excuses as he made to leave. He couldn't help but think that Martha seemed to be very calm about the whole incident and wondered if this was where Clark got his own level-headedness from.

***

On reflection it was probably not the best thing that they could have done to bring some of Clark's things to the castle. The boy seemed to take it as a sign that his parents didn't want him home and not that Martha wanted him to be comfortable wherever it was that he chose to stay.

Lex found that evening that he had a mournful Clark telling him that his parents didn't love him anymore. He tried his best to console his lover, telling him that he was overreacting and that his mother had just been thinking what was best for him but Clark would not believe it. Instead he ended up cuddling close to Lex and being more clingy than Lex ever remembered him being.

Lex was not a normally tactile person but he had to admit that it was nice to have Clark treat him as his own personal security blanket. It was almost as if Clark thought that Lex was the only one that cared for him and so he clung on for dear life. Rather than being sickening Lex actually liked the idea of Clark relying on him for once.

They spent a lot of the evening in Lex's study, eventually Clark settled enough to do his homework and Lex took out a book with every intention of reading, but he spent a lot of the evening watching Clark.

When it got late enough Lex yawned slightly and then stood.

"I think it's time for bed." Lex said decisively.

Clark looked up at Lex, his doe eyes making the other man's heart melt and wondering if there was something wrong.

"Lex, can I stay with you tonight?" Clark asked.

"Clark..." Lex warned.

"I know that we haven't said anything about our relationship and we've only just kissed but I just really don't want to be alone."

And seeing the look on Clark's face Lex knew he would not say no. Clark already resided in his house and in his heart, why not let the boy take up residence in his bed as well?

***

Chloe was the first one to notice that there was something wrong with Clark. She prided herself on knowing everything that there was to know about Clark's life and yet even she didn't know why he was walking around as if someone had killed his puppy. She tried talking to him at school but he brushed her aside, telling her that it was nothing and that he was fine. Even Pete couldn't get through to his best friend, despite the fact that that the pair of them had been closer recently.

Chloe knew that it couldn't be Lana that was getting Clark down, she might be oblivious to his attraction for her but without Whitney around she was at least a good friend and Clark seemed happy with that. No, there had to be something else that was causing a problem.

Chloe didn't catch Clark on the way home, she was going to offer him a ride but it appeared that he had already left by the time she got out of the Torch office a few minutes after school, so she drove to the Kent farm to see what was up.

"Hello, Mrs. Kent." Chloe called as she entered the house. She found Martha at the table, but surprisingly the Kent woman was not cooking but crying, Chloe pretended not to notice as Martha rapidly wiped her eyes and put on her poker face.

"Chloe, it's good to see you." Martha said brightly, with no evidence that she had been crying just moments before. "I'm afraid that Clark isn't home from school yet. You must have missed him."

Chloe knew that she had not. Clark had left before her and he always seemed to get wherever they were going faster than she could, perhaps because he had not only been taught to drive by Jonathan but by Lex.

"Well, could you tell him I called by?" Chloe asked. "We need to go over the report for the Torch. I know he's not as interested as he was in Journalism but he made a commitment to the paper and he's not pulling his weight."

She hadn't meant anything by it, but she knew that Martha would give him a gentle prodding about his responsibilities and maybe that would have more effect than Chloe giving him another lecture. Chloe didn't know that the words would spark another bout of tears from Martha. Martha Kent was a strong woman, she had the power to stand up to some of the scarier monsters on Chloe's wall of weird and the strength of an ox when it came to work around the farm, but something made her cry twice in one day. The investigator in Chloe needed to know what it was and the friend in her worried for Clark. Was there something that she didn't know?

"Oh, Chloe..." Martha said as she let the tears fall. "Clark isn't here." She said. "He hasn't been here all week. The truth is, I don't know when he's coming home..."

"But he was in school." Chloe reasoned, cringing when she realised she had spoken the words out loud.

"He's staying with Lex." Martha admitted finally.

And as Chloe heard the details of the fight that had led to Clark leaving home she wondered if Lex Luthor would be happy now. He had always wanted Clark, Chloe could see it even if Clark was blind to his advances, and now he had the other man living in his house and no doubt residing in his bed. Everything had worked out very well indeed for Lex Luthor and she wondered how much of this he had manipulated. When she left the farm she headed straight for the castle. She needed to speak to Clark, and not just about the school newspaper but about what a mistake he was making with his life.

It was about time that Clark Kent heard a few home truths about Lex Luthor and she would delight in being the one that burst Lex's bubble too.

***

Clark had returned to the castle immediately after school as he had done every night since he had been staying there. There was something exciting about returning to the castle, even when he knew that Lex was not going to be there.

Clark walked into the castle, straight past Enrique and headed into Lex's study. Lex wasn't there yet, he was still at the fertiliser plant as he had a meeting with Gabe Sullivan, Clark sat down and took out his homework. He wanted to get it done before Lex came home so that they could spend more time together. Maybe knowing that Lex was coming home to him was part of the excitement of being home on time.

Clark was half way through his Math homework, learning about simultaneous equations, when the door opened. He was surprised that Lex was so early, but also excited that his friend had returned, at least he was until he saw that it was not Lex at the door at all.

"Master Clark?" Enrique asked politely.

Clark looked at him and wondered when he had gained a title, he had not really spoken to any of the staff since moving in but it appeared that Lex had. Suddenly Clark was a 'Master' and was treated with the same deferential respect as all other people that might visit Lex.

"Yes." Clark said, realising that Enrique was waiting for an answer.

"There is a Miss Chloe Sullivan here to see you, sir." He said. "Should I show her in?"

Clark was speechless, he hadn't expected anyone to know that he was here. There was no real secret that he was there but he worried that the townspeople would find some way to turn it against Lex. A lot of them thought like his father did and Clark hated that. Lex was worth so much more than Lionel, he didn't know why the rest of the town could not see that.

"Sure." Clark answered and then waited.

Enrique nodded and left, when he returned a moment later Chloe was behind him. Clark could tell by the look on her face that she was not happy. Then it hit him, he was supposed to have met her that afternoon to discuss the next issue of the Torch. He didn't know that this was not the only reason that she had a stormy look on her face.

"Hi, Chlo'." He said with a small smile. "Sorry about the meeting, I completely forgot."

"Don't you turn the charm on with me, Clark Kent." Chloe said in her characteristic no-nonsense tone. "I want to know what you are doing here and why you aren't at home where you should be..."

"Chloe..." Clark began warninly, he wanted to explain that it was none of her business but he didn't know how to phrase it. Technically she was his best friend, but she really didn't know what she was talking about.

"No, Clark. I know that you argued with your father but this is hardly the answer." Chloe stated.

"You don't understand." Clark said. "Dad doesn't understand. No one understands."

"Then tell me." Chloe countered. "Tell me what is so bad that you left everything behind and came to live with a virtual stranger."

"Dad thinks that it's Lex that made me change my mind, that he has somehow made me want to move away from studying Journalism, but it's not. At least not directly." Clark said as he remembered the conversation that he had with Lex earlier that week. It was Lex that had opened his eyes to the rest of the world but it was not Lex that had talked him into wanting to explore it, or the method by which he had chosen to do so. "I'm doing this because I want to, not because Lex is forcing me to."

"Clark, why are you doing this?" Chloe asked. "You were never this heartless before."

"Before what?" Clark asked. "Before Lex walked into my life and corrupted me?"

Chloe didn't believe what she was hearing, Clark was never like this. She could not remember him ever sounding this bitter. Maybe she had not watched him as closely as she had thought. This was not the man that she had come to know.

Chloe was about to say something else when the doors opened and Lex walked in. He paused a moment in the doorway when he saw Chloe.

"Hello Miss Sullivan." He said suspiciously. "Were you here to see Clark or did you come to see me?"

"Actually, I was just leaving." Chloe said without meeting Lex's eye.

Chloe could see that this was one argument that she was not going to win. Clark clearly had his mind made up about staying here and there was no making him see that Lex was not the man that he thought. She only hoped that in siding with Lex on this matter Clark would not lose the innocence that she had loved within him, she hoped that this was part of the man that Lex loved too and that he would try to preserve it. Otherwise then Clark was lost to her as both a lover and a friend.

"I'll see you at school tommorow." Chloe said to Clark and then turned to leave. She had ignored Lex because she didn't want to push Clark any closer to Lex than he already was.

"What was that about?" Lex asked, mildly amused and not quite understanding. Clark stood, his homework forgotten as he moved to Lex.

"I have no idea." He said as he leaned in for a kiss. Lips met briefly, merely a touch before he had pulled away. "And I really don't want to talk about Chloe right now."

Lex smiled and leaned forward, moving Clark back to the couch. He knew that there was more to this story than met the eye but he would let Clark tell him in his own time. For now he was satisfied to let Clark take the lead, especially when it meant more kissing.

Clark knew that there were issues but for now this was enough. Just him and Lex, they didn't need anyone else, and everything else would sort itself out.

The pair of them settled into a warm kiss, enjoying the sensation of warm lips melding together and tongues intertwining until they could not work out where one mouth started and the other ended. They relaxed into the kiss and for the moment they could forget the problems that existed in the outside world. For now there was nothing outside of them.

***

Clark stared at the reflection in the mirror and wondered when he had turned into this young man that he saw before him, it seemed like such a long time since that first dance he had gone to when Lex had fixed his tie in the barn, and yet here he was again getting ready to go to his final, senior prom.

The suit was new, along with a lot of things in his life, but at least he knew how to tie the tie this time. Still, Lex was there at his side so it didn't matter if he hadn't known how, something told Clark that Lex would always be at his side. It made him feel warm inside to know that.

"What are you thinking about?" Lex asked playfully as he stood and wrapped loose arms around Clark's waist.

Clark let out a sigh and leaned back against Lex's chest. Lex reached up and adjusted his shirt and tie slightly, making sure that he hung straight and that everything fit properly. Clark smiled weakly and wondered if this was what life was going to be.

It had been a month since he had left home, only returning once more and after a third run in with his father, again on the subject of Lex, Clark had refused to go back again.

Lex had agreed, at least on this occasion, and so Clark had been living with him since. Clark didn't know if Lex had spoken to a lawyer or anything, he was 18, technically he was his own man, but there were some issues about his continued education and such that his parents could have contended. Lex hadn't told him if there had been any issues like that and Clark hadn't asked. He had enough to deal with.

Chloe had not dropped the issue of him living with Lex, and the small amount of respect that Lex had earned with his friends seemed to have disappeared overnight. Pete had said that his parents didn't understand why Clark had gone to Lex either, which was pretty much the kiss of death from a mother's boy like Pete. Eventually they had agreed to disagree on the subject and gone on from there, albeit with a slightly tarnished friendship that might not be the same again. Clark had reasoned that they were off to college and likely to grow apart soon anyway.

Lana, his date for this evening's formal, was the only one that seemed to take his decision with the same cheerful nature that she accepted everything that happened to her. It was as if whatever life threw at her Lana met with a smile and sense of false bravado. Sometimes the sweetness was cloying but Clark was thankful that at least one of his friends pretended to understand.

Lex didn't mind Clark and Lana's friendship now either. He had Clark's heart so he could lend him out as long as he knew that he would get him back that evening. He had said as much to Ms. Lang.

"Well, how do I look?" Clark asked eventually as he pulled out of the embrace and moved to finish getting ready.

"Good enough to undress." Lex said lascivously. Clark blushed and Lex's grin deepened.

It was refreshing that he could still make Clark blush this way. They were not yet intimate, at least not more than kissing and making out, but Lex hoped that Clark never lost this final innocence, he had lost so much already in his attempt to become worldly wise that Lex would miss his innocence once it was gone. That was part of the reason that Lex had made Clark wait. Knowing that he had forever with this man meant that he could wait and he had asked Clark to leave it until after graduation for them to make any firm commitments, he wanted Clark to be sure and he wanted some time to enjoy this part of their relationship. If nothing else it was like elaborate foreplay, teasing him with a taste of what (or perhaps who) was yet to come.

"And you don't mind me taking the Limo?" Clark asked uncertainly.

Despite the fact that Lex had bought him a great many things since he had moved in, as well as allowing him use of the cherry red truck he had bought him three years before, Clark still felt that he had to ask before borrowing things that were Lex's. There were a lot of things that his father had taught him and some of them were less easily unlearned than others.

"I don't mind at all. Just as long as you and Lana have a good time." Lex said, leaning in for a soft kiss. "Oh, and make sure you're back before midnight, or it'll turn into a pumpkin and your suit will turn back into your old denim and flannel rags."

"You like me in denim and flannel." Clark said with a small smile. "Who are you anyway, my fairy godmother?"

"Please Clark, we don't use the word fairy." Lex feigned with a camp lisp added for effect. "It's not politically correct."

Clark laughed at the joke and swatted Lex on the ass before leaning in for another kiss. It was brief and gentle, not really an initiation of sex so much as a gesture of love. After that he pulled away and moved back.

"I should get going if I'm going to pick Lana up on time." Clark said with a sigh. He didn't really want to leave his lover but he knew that he would have a good time once he was there. "Are you really sure that this is alright? I can still cancel if you want, we could stay in and watch a movie or something. I don't have to go."

"Go out Clark, have fun." Lex said with a genuine smile. "And don't forget to tell Lana that she looks ravishing in her dress."

Lex didn't ever want to be accused of keeping Clark away from the rites of passage that every young man should go through, even if the young man was living with him he was only his lover and not his keeper. Lex could not bear Clark ever resenting him because he felt as if he had missed out on something.

Besides, he had a conference call with Lionel over the quarterly figures for LuthorCorp and it was always better for him to have the arguments with his father when Clark was not around. That way he could throw things without worrying his lover.

There was time enough for everything else.

***

Going to the prom had been a mistake. It reminded Clark that he was different from these people and that in the last month he had grown even further from them as he got more and more comfortable in Lex's world. He hadn't really meant to cut himself off from these people but it just felt wrong to be stuck in this small town mentality, to say that it was alien to him was a little too bad a pun for him to use but it seemed to fit.

Clark was sure now that he was going to move away and that he needed to find out about the world outside this small one. The town that had once been his home now felt like a prison and he knew that he had to escape. Otherwise he would end up like any one of the irate farmers that he knew, close minded and set in his ways, in short he would become his father and the last thing that he wanted was to be cast in the same mould as Jonathan Kent.

"Are you okay?" Lana asked sweetly as she saw that her date was clearly miles away. "Did you want to leave?"

"No." Clark said. This was his way of saying goodbye to Smallville and the party atmosphere gave it the real sense that this was a send off. He wasn't quite ready to leave just yet. "They haven't even crowned the king and queen yet."

"I don't mind." Lana said. "It's not like I'll win it this year."

Clark loved her modesty, especially when it was obvious that she would walk away with the title, and that she would put this crown in the drawer with all of the others when the night was over. A lot of people saw Lana as vapid and hollow but he saw that as refreshing, at least she wasn't pressuring him into dealing with the issue of his parents and she hadn't condemned him for staying with Lex. Right now he wanted acceptance and he got that with Lana.

"You had better win." Clark said softly. "You're the most beautiful girl in here."