Title: Field Research
Author: Keikokin
Rating/Pairing: PG/Clex
Written for the CLFF Wave # 36
Summary: Clark has a question burning inside of him.
Disclaimer: Smallville is the property of DC comics and the CW. No malicious
intent toward the lovely actors and actresses on the show. No profit is being
made.

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"Can two friends sleep together and still love each other in the morning?"

The question came straight out of the blue, leaving the world off-balance. Lex
had always considered himself able to handle most situations, but he had a
moment of floundering that left him feeling off balance, so he replied simply,
"I wouldn't know."

Large eyes blinked at him with a suddenly sad tone to them. Clark was looking at
him with something akin to pity. It left a bitter taste in Lex's stomach, time
to turn the tables, "Why do you ask?"

If the look on Clark's face was anything to go by, Lex had just hit proverbial
pay dirt. Fear, almost panic and something more suddenly shone through Clark's
deep eyes. Lex's confidence factor rose; once again feeling in complete control
of the situation. The world was righted once more. He leaned back against the
pool table and casually toyed with the tip of the stick.

His head was down, but he didn't have to see Clark to feel the waves of heat
coming off of him. Lex couldn't be positive that it was embarrassment and
couldn't help hoping it was sheer lust. Clark Jerome Kent had been the sole star
of hundreds of fantasies since that day on the river bank, when Clark not only
saved his life but stole his heart. He simply could not believe his dreams of
having Clark could ever happen. It would hurt too much when it never happened.

"I, um, just wondered that's all," Clark stammered out after realizing that Lex
was still waiting on a response.

Lex nodded and poured all of his focus into taking the next shot at the table
with cool finesse. He couldn't let Clark see how rattled and hurt he was.

"Are you okay?" Clark asked with sudden concern. A large warm, heavy hand
settled on Lex's shoulder. He did his best not to lean into it. But it was a
near thing.

Lex straightened and lay the stick down. He turned to face Clark, putting his
arms across his chest. "It would be nice to take my shot."

Clark reared back like he'd been slapped. Lex saw it happen, had heard the words
come out of his mouth and the waspish tone but he couldn't stop it. He wanted
nothing more than to pull Clark into his arms, but he simply couldn't allow
himself that. Clark didn't want him. Once again he'd proven that. Lex was simply
a big brother figure at best. Suddenly, Lex wanted air. "I think if we're not
going to play, you should go home."

A frown settled on Clark's face, making his brows furrow together. And god help
Lex, he thought it was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. He had to get Clark out
of there before he did something that ruined the tentative friendship they'd
managed to rebuild. "Um, okay Lex. Maybe tomorrow huh?"

Lex nodded and started to put away the stick. He wasn't surprised when he turned
back around and saw Clark was gone. The farm boy was naïve enough to think Lex
didn't know that Clark was super-fast. And there had been times previous to this
that Clark had let it slip like this. It usually happened when Clark was
emotional.

Perhaps they both were. Lex wanted to quick himself. He'd had the golden
opportunity land in his lap to try to seduce Clark, but he hadn't. Instead he
managed to hurt Clark and drive him away. And it had taken two weeks to set up
this little get-together. "DAMNIT!" Lex shouted and threw his weight against the
cues in the rack until they all fell down with a satisfying amount of noise and
destruction. He grabbed a bottle and a glass; slamming the door behind him he
allowed himself this small tantrum and headed for bed. The day was a loss
anyway.


"Clark, honey, is that you?" Martha called out from the living room of the Kent
farmhouse.

"Yeah, mom, who else was it going to be?" Clark snapped. He went to the
refrigerator and grabbed the jug of milk.

"You get a glass young man then get out here and tell me what's wrong!" Martha's
voice was an order, one that years of practice, told Clark it was best to obey.

With a sigh, Clark did as he was told. He sat down in his favorite chair,
knowing that this could be awhile. "I'll be fine mom. It was just a bad visit
that's all."

Martha frowned. Clark had been looking forward to this for some time. The two
young men had taken the long way around to saving their friendship and it was
definitely still on eggshells. "Maybe he just had a bad day at work?"

"No, it was me. I thought that things were back to normal. You know, I felt
comfortable and stuff." Clark shrugged.

Martha knew that her son was keeping something more to himself. She would be
damned if he left the room before she found out. "That sounds like progress."

"He kicked me out mom!" Clark was on his feet, milk glass forgotten on the
coffee table. "One minute we're playing pool and just talking, you know guy
stuff, and the next he's all mad! I thought he wanted to be friends!"

Martha took a deep breath. "Now Clark, calm down-"

Before she could finish the sentence there was a gasp, a rush of air, the
slamming of the back door and Clark was gone. All Martha could hear was a hoot
owl out back and crickets. Damned again, Martha thought. She stood and went to
the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. As she watched the sunset over the Kansas
flatlands, she thought she saw dust being kicked up and fancied it was Clark.

Little did she know, it was Clark, who had doubled back to head to the Mansion
instead. He didn't know what was going on with Lex, but it bothered him too much
to let it go overnight. Clark knew he was being reckless but didn't care. He
pounded on Lex's door.


Lex heard the thundering knock and knew it was Clark. Part of him was upset that
he was back. Couldn't he leave well enough alone? But another part, and one he
feared was the larger of the two, was happy to see Clark again and hoped to make
up. So when he opened the door, he opted to let Clark speak first. But the sight
that greeted him had effectively rendered him speechless and his well-thought
plan went out the window.

Clark's boots were smoking. He had corn stalks sticking out of his clothing as
if he'd been rolling in it. Lex had to believe what his eyes were telling his
brain, not only was Clark fast, but he had apparently RUN from the Kent farm to
his house -and had done it very, very quickly.

But deep in his brain an alarm bell was ringing frantically. A Clark that didn't
care whether or not he was exhibiting powers was an emotional Clark. He was
definitely not thinking straight and was running on sheer instinct – literally.
Lex was brought back to present by the sound of a distant owl. "Clark?"

"I asked because I didn't want you mad at me. See, I figured it out when I was
talking to my mom about it. But if you'd gotten mad at me then I didn't know if
we'd stay friends. And no matter what I want to stay friends. I had to ask you
`cause only you would know." Lex blinked. Had Clark even breathed during that
rant? He'd only caught half of it.

"You aren't making any sense Clark. Come inside and try to calm down," Lex
ushered Clark inside, trying not to smile at Clark muttering on about people
always trying to get him to calm down. It was horribly adolescent and Lex
thought it was cute as hell. Maybe someday he'd get a chance to let farm boy
know all that. He followed Clark into the office, hoping that this would end
better than last time.

Lex sat down behind the glass desk and put on his best professional demeanor.
"Now Clark, please explain to me why you had to come back over here so –
unexpectedly." He looked down meaningfully at Clark's ruined boots and wondered
momentarily exactly how much the Kent's spent on keeping him shod.

"Do you remember what I asked you?"

Lex wondered if he'd ever forget. Was that a knife twisting in his heart? But
this was how much he loved Clark. He would do anything for him, even if it hurt.
It was nothing new after all. "Yes, I do."

"I don't love any of my other friends Lex." A large megawatt smile lit up
Clark's face, clearly framed with a hefty dose of hope.

The world had tilted again, Lex was sure of it. Clark had basically said he
loved him! Was he hearing that right? "The question was about me?"

"Us, but yeah," Clark's face had moved into that gentle, shy look that was
making Lex's tailored pants feel two sizes too tight. For the first time, he was
scared of what to say next. He didn't want to chase Clark off, but he was so
much older, it wasn't up to him to make the first move. It wasn't right. And
Clark had only ever had eyes for girls. There was no way he was feeling the same
lust and love he was.

He shot to his feet and turned to stare out the window. It was something he was
fond of doing when he faced an uncertain situation. "I see."

Heavy hands turned him around. "No Lex, I don't think you do. All those women
you were with…well, I hated it." His voice became soft and gentle as if talking
to a scared filly, "They didn't understand you." Clark's eyes seemed to bore
into him. Lex suddenly felt like a specimen under glass in the field. He'd
always hated field research, he recalled with a grin.

"And you know what I want Clark?" Lex knew he was leading them down a dangerous
road, but it had to be done. As far as Lex was concerned Clark was taking too
damn long to make a move. If their friendship was ever to develop to something
more serious than that and weather what they would face, Clark had to make the
change.

"For you and I to be the subject of my question?" Clark smirked and Lex wanted
to hit him, except for the tiny fact that Clark had pulled Lex into his personal
space. His fingers were resting on his hips, dancing and teasing the skin.
Clark's beautiful face was only inches away and Lex tried not to stare at the
full lips that had filled nights with fantasy. He almost startled when they
started to move in speech, "…because that's why I had to ask. I didn't want you
to hate me or for it to ruin things."

Lex blinked. Something Clark said was lost in translation. Literally, it had
sounded like a mix of Classic Greek and Russian, nothing he'd heard of before
but definitely beautiful – like Clark. And even though his scientific mind was
trying to remember it for later, it wasn't working, because of Clark.
Because Clark Kent was kissing him, deeply, passionately and eagerly.

Clark Kent was going to get his question answered.

Lex will do anything for Clark – even field research.