Title: Title Analysis
Rating: pg-13
Challenge: #13 An iPOD mixup has interesting results – Song: Anything For You by Evanescence
Notes: Beta’d by E.
Summary: Clark gets a clue.

Clark plugged his iPod into Lex's computer and went clicking through the music folders until he found what he was looking for. His friend had an astronomical amount of music and never minded when Clark 'borrowed' tracks. The player was a gift from Lex, with a bit of artful maneuvering.

When his dad had protested the expense of the iPod Lex told him it was his old one, and that he'd up graded to one with more memory and if Clark didn't make use of this one then it would just sit in a drawer gathering dust. Lex omitted the fact that he'd owned the iPod for all of a week. He had confessed to Clark the slight obfuscation later that night. Commenting, rather smugly, that he'd finally found away around Jonathan's 'no expensive gifts' rule.

After he'd updated his songlists, Clark goof around playing Solitaire while he waited for Lex to finish his call. The older man absently rolled the cue ball down the pool table while he paid minimum attention to whatever his father was bitching about. “Of course Dad. I'll make sure to show up with a 'proper' date.” Lex snapped his phone closed and looked like he would have preferred to throw it against the nearest stone wall but resisted.

Instead he rolled his neck and slipped it into his pocket. “Ready to go?” Lex asked.

“Sure.” Clark snagged his player quickly and loped across the room. He squeezed Lex's shoulder briefly as he passed.

Clark hit the play button on his iPod and flipped his history text open to the chapter questions. He was distracted from looking for the next answer when a song he came on that he knew he hadn't picked. Puzzled, Clark picked up the player and looked at the display. The name a vaguely familiar Japanese band, in the songlist titled 'Lunge' had him raising an eyebrow. Now he was certain that this wasn't his iPod, he must have grabbed Lex's by mistake yesterday.

Clark scrolled back to the menu curious about what other lists Lex had. 'Lunge' was obviously fencing practice music. Clark remembered Lex complaining about Hilde forcing him to maintain the starting lunge position until his thigh muscles started to twitch, because she deemed he wasn't practicing enough, and bemoaning the lack of a good masseuse in Smallville.

Torment? “Probably spread sheets.” Clark mumbled to himself. “Beelzebub? Hmm... Lionel.” He decided after seeing the music. They'd talked about how a few 'angry German' songs could totally cheer you up after having to deal with a particularly annoying person. 'NonChime' was probably meditation music. That was a practice Lex had taken up after reading a report on how many young businessmen ended up with high blood pressure by thirty. A lot of the meditation compilations were 'chime-y', which Lex hated.

“Blessed Protector.” That one had Clark stumped, he was sure he'd heard the term before but he couldn't remember where. There were only a few songs on the list and he didn't recognize, or remember the lyrics to most of them. The first song was 'Anything For You' by Evanescence, he at least recognized the band if not the song itself. Clark hit play, taping the pen in his other hand against the table while he listened closely, trying to see who or what the song might connect to in Lex's life.

Clark stilled as the chorus repeated. This... Was Lex in love? Surely if the older man was involved with someone Clark would know, besides they had been spending a lot of time together the last few months so it was doubtful Lex would have had the opportunity to romance someone. And the lyrics spoke more of an unrequited love. He shook his head, the lies part could easily be describing him but-

Clark's train of thought was interrupted by his mother calling him to dinner. He turned the iPod off and tried to will away the curl of unease that settled in his chest at the thought of Lex being in love with some faceless woman.

After dinner Clark fired up his computer and searched 'blessed protector'. There was something about that title that was making his mind kick into overdrive. He needed to figure it out or he'd never be able to concentrate on his homework, let alone sleep that night.

Clark was frustrated after a fruitless hour had passed while searching. He was just about to give up when his eye was caught by a site description. It was a synopsis of some old television show but there in a blurb to the side was Blessed Protector. Weeding out the show references left the main idea; it was someone who cared for you, watched out for you and saved you from danger or death, continuing to do so long after the initial threat was over.

If that didn't describe Clark's relationship to Lex, little else would. He scrubbed his hands over his face and slouched down in the desk-chair.

This was confusing. Clark sighed and shut off the computer, resolving to think about what this might mean later when he wasn't distracted with school work and the list of extra chores he needed to do before the weekend.

His “guy's weekend” with Lex in Vegas.

No, no. He was thinking about that later. History, chores. History, chores. History, chores. Clark repeated the list under his breath like a mantra, warding off attention-stealing thoughts.

Clark had had two days to brood and flail mentally. He had listen to the 'Blessed Protector' songs nearly a dozen times and he was almost certain that Lex had been thinking of him when he made it. He wasn't as certain that Lex was in love with in but that was only because Clark had never seen him with a man, or heard about him dating one. There had been whispers, of course, back when Lex had first moved to Smallville but rumors were often wrong.

One thing Clark didn't spend much time contemplating was his feelings for Lex. He recognized possessiveness when he felt it, and it was only a small leap from there to love. A love that wasn't remotely 'brotherly'... unless you know, you were in a Greek tragedy or Star Wars or something.

Friday classes were half over and Lex would be picking him up from school in just a few hours. Clark hadn't figured out what he was going to do. A part of him wanted to just pounce the older man, but Clark doubted he had the courage to follow through- at least not until he was certain Lex wouldn't reject him. There was a tiny voice urging him to just talk to Lex; but he was a guy and while talking about their feelings might be sensible it also seemed like torture. But the biggest part had another idea: get Lex to come to him.

Daunting didn't even cover it. Every time Clark put his mind to planning it flailed and filled itself with visions of what came after the seduction. Which didn't leave him with a plan, more like a goal really.

Oh well. He'd just have to wing it and hope for the best.