Title: No Promise
Author: nancy
Author's Website: Nancy's Site
Feedback address: the_tenth_muse1@yahoo.com 
Rating: R
Summary: Lex thinks about the past and the future, and Clark makes a request.
Challenge reply: CLFF Fifth wave Challenge - Future fic where Clark is superman and Lex is the supervillain.
Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be, not making any money from this.

No Promises
by Nancy

Lex stared contemplatively at the roaring fire, the flames bequeathing the only light in the large and dusty study, hypnotic really. His thoughts were turned on one person, as they inevitably were in one fashion or another. For Lex Luthor was a man in love and had been, point in fact, for the better part of two decades, despite the lack of returned feelings. Despite the hatred that sizzled between him and his chosen on any given day.

It had been almost ridiculously easy for Lex to figure out who Superman really was. Aside from the fact that Clark was and always has been incredibly distinctive in his good looks, despite those idiotic black glasses, Superman didn't start flying the skies of Metropolis until after Clark took up residence in the city. It would take more than slicked back hair and a cape to distort Lex's very clear view of Clark Kent.

The first time that his surveillance photos had gotten an up-close capture of the Man of Steel, Lex had nearly choked on a glass of brandy in recognition. Warmth had settled in his stomach, Lex remembered quite clearly even ten years later, when he'd realized that there was a definitive way to get Clark back in his life.

Lex had modeled his life after whatever Clark needed since the day Clark had pulled him from that Kansas river, no matter what the other thought. He provided the foil that Clark needed, he was the darkness to Clark's light. Without Lex Luthor, could there really be a Superman? Granted, there were other villains out there, some of them even with a modicum of intelligence, but none of them gave Clark any really challenge. For the most part Clark showed up, deflected bullets and/or threw a bomb into the atmosphere and tied up the wrongdoers.

With Lex, at least there was thought involved. Clark always had to be sharply on his toes to figure out what Lex was going to do next. Most of the reason that he grew more devious by the year. Chuckling softly to himself, Lex mused, *And wouldn't that shock the hell out of Clark Kent to realize that he's the reason I am the way I am now?*

There wasn't much that Lex didn't know about Clark's life, either as Superman or the intrepid report and partner to Ms. Lois Lane. A smirk slowly etched across Lex's face as he thought about his relationship with Lois to get himself back into Clark's life. That had been a definite mistake, but a pleasurable one. And now it looked, to all intents and purposes, that Clark and Lois were going to wind up together. Talk about irony. He wondered briefly if they ever compared notes about him, then dismissed it as uncharitable towards Clark.

Lois would do anything for a story, but Clark wouldn't, no matter how estranged they were.

Sighing deeply, Lex contemplated the latest scheme that Clark had ruined, remembering the faint trace of muted despair on the younger man's face as he'd glared at Lex from across the room. The only time that Clark was ever close enough to touch was when he was dangling Lex over the edge of something in a rage. Perversely, it was at that time he always felt the safest. Clark would send him to jail in a heartbeat, and had, but he would never truly hurt Lex, that was something he knew as fact in his heart.

He snorted, thinking, *Anything goes so long as that last line of actual death isn't crossed. Permanently damaged isn't possible with me and broken bones might hurt, but they won't kill. Too bad Clark knows all about that.*

But then, Clark knew all of his strengths and weaknesses, as any good adversary should. Adversaries. It was too simple a word for what they were. Lex wasn't entirely sure what would adequately describe their relationship, he was just glad they still had one, even as twisted as it was. Hate and love were two sides of the same coin and Lex would be fine so long as it remained in his possession.

The day that Clark looked at him without emotion was the day that Lex would give up the super-villain life. He was only doing it to get a rise, after all. Chuckling again, Lex wondered if Clark remembered that little boys only pulled the hair of the little girls that they really liked. The metaphor was eminently appropriate in their case as well: Lex did whatever he could to provoke Clark and keep the other man in his life.

The chuckles turned to gasping sobs before Lex was able to still himself a few minutes later and stuff the emotion back into the tiny box that he'd created. He was not going to have an emotional breakdown in Smallville of all places. Although, considering that he was there at all, at the scene of the crime, so to speak, said a lot of bad things about his mental status.

Clutching his head, hating the rough rasp of fingers against the smooth skin of his head, Lex muttered, "God, Clark, what am I going to do? I can't do it anymore, can't take the way that you look at me another day."

It had been in this very room that Clark had given him that first wounded look of mixed disappointment and revulsion. This room that Clark had walked out on Lex and never looked back. Talk about being a closet masochist. Lex only came here when things were incredibly bad so that he could remember they could always get worse. That it was possible to sink even lower. Of course, back then he hadn't really realized that his behavior would drive Clark away. Clark had always forgiven him his excesses, especially when it came to his father.

If Lex had known that it would be the straw to break the camel's back, he'd never had arranged for Lionel's assassination. But he hadn't been able to lie to Clark about it, not that night, not ever when it came to things of import. He snorted and muttered, "Too bad you never ask the right questions Clark. You never think to ask me *why* I do all this."

Getting to his feet, brushing the dirt and dust from his slacks, Lex strode from the manor towards the car waiting outside. His brief bout of self-pity and pain was over and done with. It was time to get back to the life he'd chosen, even if it wasn't the life he wanted.

* * * *

"Too bad you never ask the right questions Clark. You never think to ask me *why* I do all this."

Clark hated introspection with a passion.

Things were usually very clear to him. He could tell if a person could be saved, either from themselves or circumstance, usually within a few minutes of knowing them. He knew whether the person would seriously take the second chance, or go right back to crime the first second that the opportunity presented itself.

That was the hell of his friendship with Lex. There was so much potential for goodness inside the other man, so much that most of the things he did made absolutely no sense from the context of knowing Lex as he did. The constant scheming and deviousness, the utter disregard for human life if it was in his way, the fact that Clark had to continually interfere and even send the man who'd been his best friend to jail, more than once, was driving him a little crazy.

Because sometimes, Lex did the most incredibly sweet and humanitarian things and made sure that no one found out. Like funding the new cancer wing of Metropolis General and making insanely large donations to social services, but not taking the credit for either. Or starting a `volunteer' corps for kids and teens who were at risk for turning to crime or drugs, whether in the city or the suburbs.

"God, Clark, what am I going to do? I can't do it anymore, can't take the way that you look at me another day."

The pained whisper had driven right through Clark's heart in a way that very few things could anymore. All he'd wanted to do was burst into the study and pull Lex close, to comfort him as he had when they were still best friends. When he'd heard the sobs, even as cut off as they'd been, it had taken all of his will to keep from doing just that.

"Too bad you never ask the right questions Clark. You never think to ask me *why* I do all this."

So all right. Why would Lex do this, live like this, if it was something that he didn't want to do? Lex could do anything that he wanted, usually did in fact. Nothing had ever stopped Lex from taking whatever it was that he wanted. Groaning to himself, feeling a headache coming on, Clark watched as Lex got into his car and drove away in a whirlwind of dust and leaves, heading back towards Metropolis.

With a sigh, Clark headed in the other direction towards his parents' farm.

* * * *

The first thing that hit him was the smell of fresh baked bread and his mouth watered automatically, putting a grin on his face and temporarily banishing his bad mood. "Mom? Dad?"

"Clark?" Martha called back from the kitchen, startled.

He was in the kitchen a second later and hugging her a second after that. "Hi! Thought I'd drop in for dinner."

Smiling broadly, Martha replied smartly, "Considering that you haven't called home in almost two weeks, I don't think you deserve any free meals."

"Clark?"

Clark turned towards his father with a smile and was engulfed in Jonathan's arms, no longer quite as strong as when he was growing up. There was more silver in the blond hair as well, leaving Clark vaguely disturbed as he pulled back, even though he smiled and greeted, "Hi, Dad."

Jonathan's hand lingered on his shoulder a moment longer before he pulled back and asked, "How's life in the big city?"

"Smoggy," Clark answered promptly with a grin, moving to help his mother set the table. "And dirty and hot and great."

Shaking his head, Jonathan poured milk for everyone and answered, "I don't know how you stand it, son. It's no way to live."

"Sure it is," Clark disagreed earnestly, barely winking at his mother. She hid a smile as he continued, "With all those people around, everything open all hours of the day and night, it never stops."

"Exactly! Too much of everything!" Jonathan exclaimed.

Clark grinned at his father, who snorted when he realized he was being teased.

They all sat down then, and Martha asked, "How's Lois doing?"

With a shrug, Clark answered, "She's off in Central America for the week on a hot story."

"And you didn't go?"

Shifting uncomfortably at the neutral tone to his mother's voice, Clark explained, "We thought it would be a good idea to take a break from each other."

"Oh, Clark," Jonathan sighed.

Clark grimaced. "Yeah, okay, she thought it would be a good idea. And it's not like I can help coming on so strong, it's just me!"

Martha half smiled and informed him, "Honey, women need to be independent, not assimilated."

"I don't...it's not like that!" Clark exclaimed. "I just get, you know, focused on someone."

"Overbearing?"

"Bull in a china shop?"

"Very funny."

Conversation turned more general after that as they realized from his sour tone that it was a touchy subject. It wasn't his fault that he wanted to be everything for Lois; that was just the way he was. What they had was great, so why not make it permanent? Why not be together as much as possible and let it grow into the kind of love that was in movies and books? But Lois had shied from that, and him, like a horse from a predator. Her flight had been booked the night he'd proposed marriage, probably within the hour after leaving him.

It sucked being a hopeless romantic.

"Do you know why Lex is reopening the plant?"

His father's comment snapped Clark's attention back to the present and he looked sharply at his father. "He is?"

Nodding, obviously surprised that Clark hadn't known, Jonathan said, "It was all Gabe could talk about. Apparently, Lex bought it back from the Hardwicks at an exorbitant price, with no explanation as to why. It's undergoing expansion and updating right now, scheduled to open in three months. He's going to create almost a thousand jobs, that's how big it's going to be."

Shock ran through Clark. Not only had he not heard, he'd had no idea that it was even in the works. And this wasn't going to be a humanitarian project, not if Lex was keeping his name attached to it. Conflict reared its butt-ugly head again and his appetite disappeared as he sifted through possible reasons that the plant might be an advantage to Lex right now. And how the hell did he possibly have any money to spare after Clark had destroyed his plant outside of DC? Were there accounts set aside under dummy names that he didn't know about?

"Clark?"

Blinking, Clark looked at his mother and stood with, "Sorry, Mom. I have to go."

Before either of them could protest, he was gone.

* * * *

"Mr. Luthor, Mr. Kent is here to see you."

Lex didn't even pause. He looked at the men facing him and ordered, "Get out."

They nodded and left, passing Clark on his way in. The dark haired man looked them over with a faint frown that disappeared when he stopped in front of Lex's desk.

"Good afternoon, Clark. What can I do for you?" Lex questioned softly. He couldn't help devouring Clark with his eyes, incredibly glad to get his visual fix in person this time instead of via photos.

"Why did you buy back the Smallville plant? Why are you reopening it?"

Smirking slightly, Lex leaned back in his chair and countered, "Visit your parents recently, or did they call you and let you know that they thought I was up to something nefarious again and you should investigate me?"

Clark flushed. "They're simple questions Lex. Just.would you answer them?"

Hearing the frustration in his former friend's voice, Lex stared at him a moment longer, enjoying the flush still clinging to the handsome features. Finally, he replied, "Because I had a sentimental moment. Is that all right with you?"

Clark's mouth dropped open a little at the answer. "You had...Lex, Superman just destroyed one of your most productive plants, costing you millions for the next two years at least, and you spent $3.6 million because of sentiment?"

Dry, Lex commented, "Just because I don't where my heart on my sleeve, blue or otherwise, doesn't mean that I don't have one, Clark."

The flush deepened and Clark muttered awkwardly, "I know that."

"Do you?" Lex questioned, soft and intent. "Do you, Clark? Because from where I'm sitting, it doesn't look like you give me even a moment's consideration these days. Of course, I'm sure that having Superman as a new best friend and Lois as a lover crowded me right out of your head altogether."

Taken aback by the verbal assault, Clark didn't reply at first. Hazel eyes dipped to the floor as the younger man struggled with how to answer. "I didn't mean to insult you, Lex."

Evenly, Lex refuted, "You didn't, Clark. You wounded me like no one ever has, or ever will again."

Shock ripped across Clark's face and his mouth dropped even further, but no sounds escaped.

"Get out, Clark, please. I have to find some way to keep LexCorp from drowning because, as you just pointed out, I spent a ridiculous amount of money on a foolish whim and have a severe deficit to make up," Lex said.

After another silent moment, Clark nodded and left.

Lex waited for several minutes to pass before allowing a slow smile to creep over his face. He hadn't seen Clark that affected by anything he'd done, good or bad, in a very long time. With anyone else, it would've been laying things on too thick, but with Clark, over the top was generally just right.

If it wasn't a 2x4 hitting Clark over the head, preferably made of metal, it didn't even register.

Touching the intercom, he said, "You can send them back in now."

* * * *

Lying in a sensual haze, the steam covering and sticking to his body, Lex sighed deeply in contentment. A week had passed since Clark's impromptu visit to his office and since then, the other man had officially visited the Smallville factory four times. Unofficially, as Superman, Clark had been there nine times, probably keeping an eye on the construction to make sure no new Level Three was being built for illegal experiments.

Unlike his father, however, Lex's only interest in the meteorites was to find a way to make Clark immune to them. He had all of it stashed in a facility that no one knew about. The scientists working there didn't even know where they were and the security people kept it that way. It was like an underground city, complete unto itself and lined in lead to prevent accidental viewing.

Every bit of the red meteors that he could find had been destroyed, because there was no way that Lex was going to risk another evil Clark. Once was more than enough, thank you very much.

A knock at the door jarred Lex out of his thoughts and sped his heart too suddenly. He inhaled in shock, adrenaline triggering an asthma attack. He struggled to draw in a breath, but the thick steam hindered his attempts. The door burst open and strong arms lifted him, pulling him swiftly from the small room and into the outer changing area. Into blessed coolness, though that didn't help his breathing any.

"Lex? Lex, relax, it's okay, just breathe!" Clark ordered, sounding very close to panicking. "You're assistant's getting the inhaler, come on, slow it down!"

Lex looked up into the wide greenish eyes and his body automatically started to relax, his breathing growing easier until he could at last take a normal breath. His assistant arrived just then and he waved her away with, "I'm fine now, thank you."

"Are you sure, Mr. Luthor?"

Smiling briefly at the young woman, Lex nodded and she left. That was when he realized that his hands clutched Clark's shirt and the other's arms were still wrapped around him, holding him up. Most importantly, it was when he remembered that he was nude.

Clark blushed suddenly as though realizing the same thing and stammered, "Are you okay now?"

Lex nodded and started to get up, accepting Clark's help on the way.

"When did you start getting asthma again?" Clark questioned, eyes averted.

Grinning to himself, Lex moved towards the towel rack and put one around his waist. "Last year, actually. The earthquake."

"Oh," Clark murmured.

*Yeah, oh,* Lex thought with amusement. He still didn't know what had happened, but somehow Clark had rescued him and several of his staff on the west coast after a terrible earthquake. He was positive that he remembered the oxygen running out, absolutely sure about it, knowing how it felt how to not have enough air to breathe. But he'd woken up in the hospital with no explanation of how he and the others had been saved, well, aside from Superman. "So, Clark, what brings you to my timely rescue and you've been working out, haven't you?"

Clark flushed and shook his head. "I wanted to apologize."

Grinning at the pointed lack of response to his working out comment, Lex moved towards his clothes hanging at the side and, keeping his back to Clark, let the towel drop. As he dressed, Lex repeated, "Apologize?"

There was a moment of silence where Lex imagined Clark unable to reply because his attention was glued to all the bare skin, but it was just his imagination.

"Ah, yeah. About last week. Accusing you about the Smallville plant," Clark replied at last.

Bending over to pull on his boxers provoked a barely stifled gasp from Clark and Lex froze for a split second before tugging the silk up his legs and over his ass...slowly. That done, he stepped into his pants at a normal speed and faced Clark who looked like he was about to have a heart attack, though he was trying to hide it.

Well. That was...interesting. "As I recall, no actual accusations were made, Clark."

"No, but I implied them," Clark said, dogged. "I shouldn't have automatically assumed you were up to something."

"What's a few insults between friends?" Lex offered carelessly.

Shaking his head, Clark insisted, "I hurt you, and I'm sorry."

Half-smiling, Lex admitted, "You did, but I'm used to it. Don't worry about it Clark. I promise, next time I do something, I'll give you the opportunity to say `I told you so,' before they cart me off to jail."

"Why does there have to be a next time?"

Another almost pause before Lex said, "Because there always is, Clark, you know that."

"Yeah, but why?" Clark exclaimed, clearly frustrated. "I mean, I understand now about your father. I didn't back then. But.I did some serious research in the last week and found out. I didn't know he was behind Helen, and the crash and, and everything that happened to you. I know why you had him killed now. If I'd known that it was all his fault..."

Eyebrow arching, somewhat disdainful, Lex prompted, "If you'd known. what, Clark?"

Meeting Lex's eyes, Clark stated, "I'd have killed him myself. For you. For all the pain and all the suffering that you went through. And I hope that he's burning in hell right now, for the rest of eternity."

Rocked to the core by the implacable certainty and bloodthirsty vengefulness in Clark's eyes, Lex actually took a step backwards in shock. "You, no, Clark, you wouldn't have. That's not you."

"I would have," Clark said softly, not releasing his eyes. "And I wouldn't have been sorry."

And what the hell could Lex say to that? He just stared at Clark for several long, silent minutes, unable to form a complete thought, let alone elucidate something from the chaos.

"Please, Lex, please let someone else be the bad guy for a change."

There was actual pleading in Clark's tone and eyes, pleading and something else. Lex had seen it before, but not for many years. Not since Clark had walked out of the manor study that night. Swallowing heavily, Lex murmured, "Clark, I don't think..."

Not letting Lex finish, Clark closed the distance between them and gripped his arm gently. "Please, Lex, just give it a try? For me?"

"I..." Lex's voice drifted off. He'd never been able to deny that look, never. It had gotten him in more trouble than anything else in his life, because it had been the start to the rumors about him and an underaged Clark. Rumors that hadn't been true, no matter how much he'd wanted them to be. Clearing his throat, Lex gave in with a cautionary, "I'll try, but no promises, Clark."

Clark's brilliant smile was more than Lex could ever have hoped for.