Fanfiction by JoyfulGirl

Strange but it seems
like there's a mutiny brewing inside me But I don't want your pity
only the promise that you'll stay with me tonight -Dave Matthews

Clark was jogging down the stairs when a knock sounded at the door. "I'll get it," he called out.

Jonathan barely looked up from his book. It was probably Pete or Chloe with some random teenage crisis. He idly wondered when the Kent household had become home base for all their operations. It probably had something to do with the barn.

"Hey, Lex." Clark sounded a little surprised, cautious. Jonathan knew that Clark and Lex had some sort of falling out a few days ago, although Clark refused to talk about it. All Jonathan knew was that the boys had formed an uneasy truce, made all the more awkward by the arrival of Lex's long lost brother.

"Clark, I'm sorry to bother you." Lex sounded...odd.

Jonathan looked up from his reading again, toward the door.

"No problem. Is everything all right?" Clark asked and now Jonathan was worried. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. It rarely was when Lex was involved.

Martha gave Jonathan a look that indicated her thoughts were running along the same lines his were as they both stood up.

"No, it's not." Lex's words were clipped.

"Lex, what is it?" Martha asked as she walked toward the door, concern evident in her voice. Jonathan wasn't so sure anything was actually wrong as he set down his book, but the look on Lex's face was enough to make him listen.

Lex paused for a moment, looking at Jonathan and Martha before turning back to Clark. "According to my father, I'm, uh, no longer a Luthor." He spoke with a mix of irony and embarrassment, resigned and oddly humble. "He's left me with nothing, not even a place to live. So I, uh, was wondering if, um, I could stay with you for awhile?" Lex finished, his question directed at Jonathan, asked with a touch of defiance, as if he was waiting for Jonathan to say something derisive about the Luthors, or about it being a fitting end.

Jonathan considered the question for a moment, his eyes never leaving Lex's face, searching for some sign of deceit. As far as he could tell, the speech had been genuine, it was the first time he had ever heard Lex sound anything less than completely confident. He was fully aware of the weight of the gazes of his son and wife as well as Lex's scrutiny. Lex smirked and nodded a little as he looked away, like he was expecting to be turned down.

"Of course you can stay here, Lex," Jonathan answered when it looked as though Lex was about to walk away and then smiled when three surprised sets of eyes turned on him. "Luckily, we have a free guestroom."

Lex smiled and Jonathan was a little taken aback. He hadn't witnessed a genuine smile from Lex too often and he couldn't help but feel a little sorry for a young man who had so little to smile about.

"I really appreciate this," Lex said.

"Do you have, um, bags or anything?" Clark asked awkwardly.

Lex smirked. "One. I'm surprised he gave me that. Time to pack and all. It was rather generous of him."

"Why don't you guys go get that and I'll make up the guest room," Martha suggested.

"Sure, Mom." Clark said, grabbing Lex and leading him back toward the car.

"That was a good thing you just did, Jonathan," said softly, her touch light on his arm.

"Yeah, well." Jonathan shrugged. He wasn't sure that allowing Lex to stay with them was the wisest decision that he had ever made. Lex was too suspicious by nature, there were too many secrets hidden on the farm. "Where else is he going to go?"

Clark finally gave up trying to sleep and walked down the hall to the guestroom, his bare feet making quiet slapping noises against the hardwood floor. He looked through the door to see Lex sitting on the bed, looking out the window. His legs were pulled up against his bare chest, his arms crossed over his knees, chin resting on his arms. He looked so young bathed in the moonlight streaming through the window, so lost in a way that Clark had never seen him. Lex was never lost.

Clark knocked softly.

"Come in," Lex called out, his voice muffled through the door.

Clark poked his head in the room before entering it completely. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No." Lex shook his head. "I couldn't really sleep." He turned back to the window but his gaze was dark, unfocused.

"Yeah, me neither." Clark stood there awkwardly, wishing his flannel pajama pants had pockets, wishing he had thought to put a T-shirt on. "Do you...do you want to talk?" he asked.

"When Julian was born," Lex started, startling Clark. Julian, Lex's other little brother. "I was so excited. I had always wanted a younger brother, someone I could protect, the way I had always wanted to be--"

Lex stopped abruptly and Clark pretended not to understand what Lex had been saying. Because Lex would never admit to wishing for protection. And really, that explained so much about the way Lex's mind worked, how he always needed to be in control. Lex pushed off the bed, walking over to stand directly in front of the window, his arms crossed over his chest.

"I had this idea of someone I could love, someone I could confide in." Lex closed his eyes. "Someone who would have to love me, because we were brothers." The last statement was choked out, as if the words slipping past his throat pained him. "When I found out Lucas existed, that he was alive..." Lex laughed, presumably at the folly of his assumptions. "I should have known. He's my half-brother on my father's side, after all."

"Lex." Clark walked over to him, unsure of what to say. "You deserve to have people who love you for who you are, not because they have to."

Lex snorted softly at the statement.

"And not everybody is out to get you." Clark placed a hand on Lex's shoulder, turning him until they were standing face to face before pulling him into a hug. And immediately realized that that might not have been the best idea as Lex's arms uncrossed and wrapped around Clark's waist and Lex's chest pressed against his.

Clark was hyperaware of every inch of Lex's skin, of the hard nipples pressed against his chest. His fingers caressed Lex's back, softly tracing the lines of hard muscles, up Lex's spine and then back down to the small of his back, running into the waistband of Lex's pajama pants. Clark knew he should stop, pull away, but he couldn't. The feel of Lex's skin was intoxicating.

Lex pulled back just enough to see Clark's expression, not out of the embrace. "Clark?" he questioned softly.

Clark couldn't say anything, he just continued to stare at Lex as his hands mapped out the contours of Lex's back. He searched Lex's gaze, eyes so startlingly blue, even in the dark. Unsure of what he was looking for, but knew it was something because Lex was searching too. Clark wondered if Lex had more of an idea than he did, probably, because Lex nodded a little.

Clark mimicked the motion as he leaned in, and then they were kissing. Slow and wet, tongues and lips and arms tangling, twisting until Clark wasn't sure where he ended and Lex began. Lex's fingers carded through Clark's hair, tightening as the kiss got deeper. Clark felt possessive, possessed and his feelings of protectiveness for Lex only increased with every whimper that sounded from Lex's throat.

The kiss ended, slow as everything else, like the whole world was under water. Clark moved only far enough away that they could breathe, their foreheads pressed together. Even when he had lost his powers, Clark hadn't ever been this breathless. Lex was too, panting, their breath mingling and Lex was hard against Clark's hip. Hard everywhere, smooth curves and sharp edges and with Lex, Clark never knew which to expect.

"I'm so glad we're not brothers," Lex whispered and Clark had to laugh. "But we can't, tonight. Not like this."

Clark frowned. "Not like what?"

"Not when I'm..." Lex closed his eyes as he trailed off, but Clark heard the rest of his statement.

//Not when I'm so vulnerable.//

"Then let me stay at least," Clark requested. "To sleep." He hoped that Lex could hear the rest of his statement. //To protect you while you sleep.//

Lex nodded after a moment, lacing his fingers through Clark's and pulling him toward the bed.

Clark crawled in first and waited for several minutes as Lex flopped around before he wrapped an arm around Lex's waist and hauled him up against his side. "Go to sleep," he whispered.

"Okay," Lex murmured against Clark's shoulder and was asleep between one breath and the next.

Clark didn't fall asleep quite as easily. He closed his eyes, soaking up Lex's presence with his other senses. Listened to the reassuring rhythm of Lex's heart, the steady sound of his breathing. Felt Lex's chest rise and fall against him and eventually fell asleep marveling at the heat of Lex's skin.

Usually when Lex woke up, it was immediate, never had he been the type to linger in bed. He was either asleep or awake, rarely was he aware of the space between the two states.

Such was not the case this morning. He knew that he wasn't sleeping anymore, but a pleasant lethargy weighed him down. Warmth seeped into his skin, cocooned him, lulling him away from wakefulness. Which is why he didn't, at first, realize that he wasn't alone. It wasn't until the bed moved under him that he realized he wasn't resting on the bed.

His mind began to register his surroundings, the rise and fall of the chest he was draped over, the strong arm wrapped around his waist. And this was...different. Lex refused to panic. Nothing had really happened last night, nothing that couldn't be explained away in the glaring reality of daylight, if Clark so chose.

He carefully untangled himself from Clark's embrace, giving a relieved sigh when Clark stirred but didn't wake up. He glanced at the clock. It was a little after 4 a.m. The sky was getting lighter and part of Lex didn't really want the night to end. He stood over Clark, studying him as he slept. He was so young, but he wasn't really. Adult in so many ways that Lex had yet to understand, but there were so many things wrong with pursuing a relationship with Clark.

The sense memory of last night's kiss assaulted him and he had to stifle a groan. He bent over, brushing Clark's bangs away from his forehead, enjoying the feeling of Clark's hair, silky soft against his fingertips. Lex needed a distraction.

Going over to his bag, he pulled out the most casual outfit he had brought with him. He figured that if Jonathan wasn't up yet, he would be soon. Lex walked to the bathroom to brush his teeth and get dressed. If he was going to take advantage of the Kent's hospitality, not to mention their son, he was damn well going to earn his keep.

Clark woke up alone, knew almost immediately that there was something wrong about that and indulged in a tiny panic attack. He could almost convince himself that last night had been a dream, except that he was in the guestroom and Lex's bag was lying in the corner of the room, open, clothes spilling over the sides. That meant that at least Lex was still here, or that he would be back. He wouldn't just leave his stuff here.

He repeated that to himself as he hopped out of bed and walked toward the door, pausing to locate his parents before he made a dash for his room. His dad was in the kitchen, standing at the window and his mom was in the basement, putting in a load of laundry.

Clark was thankful he had closed his bedroom door behind him when he left last night. He grabbed a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt and went into the bathroom to get dressed. He hadn't seen Lex in the house.

Once he was dressed he grabbed a jacket and had to prevent himself from running down the stairs. He caught the end of his parents' conversation.

"Believe me, I have no intention of turning my back on Lex now," his dad was saying.

"Morning," he said, smiling for their benefit.

"Morning," his mom replied as she carried her coffee out into the living room.

Which left him with his father. "Anyone seen Lex?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

"Yeah, he's out in the barn."

Clark gave his father a look, not quite believing that statement.

"Well, he got up at the crack of dawn and insisted on doing some chores to earn his keep while he's here," his dad answered the look defensively, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Oh, you got him mucking out the stalls already, huh?" Clark teased, relieved that Lex was still there.

His dad laughed, looking far too pleased with himself. "Yes." And Clark hadn't ever seen him so happy in regards to anything Luthor that he couldn't help but smile in return.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Clark asked, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"Yeah, hey. Son. All kidding aside, I don't want you to forget that he did investigate you for a year. And remember what's in the storm cellar?" His dad's tone was slightly chiding.

Clark had hoped that his dad letting Lex stay with them had been a sign that he realized Lex wasn't like Lionel. Evidently he had been wrong. "Dad, I trust Lex," he said assuredly. He didn't want to fight.

"Clark, I don't want him left alone on this farm." All hints of teasing had left his dad's face.

Clark studied him sadly for a moment. How could he defend Lex to his father, explain how lost Lex had looked in the middle of the night? His dad would never see the Lex who had wished so desperately for a little brother, for someone in his life who had to love him, the Lex who was so desperately alone. He turned toward the door, one last look at his father before he went to look for Lex.

Lex continued to shovel out the stalls as he heard Clark walk into the barn, only turning to look at him when Clark spoke.

"Well, I was gonna give you some tips, but it looks like you have everything under control."

He couldn't quite make out the emotion behind Clark's statement, so he continued to work as he gave Clark another little piece of himself. His memory of the time he spent in Montana with his mother.

Lex wasn't sure what it was about Clark that made him want to share all his memories, stories that Lex usually hoarded for fear that they would be lost if he spoke them aloud. But when he told Clark about his mother, he could feel the warmth of her smile and when he told Clark about how his father had sold the ranch, the memory seemed less bitter.

"Let me give you a hand with that," Clark offered as Lex lifted another bale of hay.

"Thanks, Clark, but I'd like to prove to your father once and for all that some Luthors pull their own weight." He stopped to smile at Clark, more genuinely happy than he had been in so long.

Clark was looking at him, a smile in his eyes though only a small one had formed on his lips and Lex knew that he was still grinning, his face stretched into so unfamiliar an expression that it only made him want to smile more.

"So, is that why you got up so early this morning?" Clark asked finally, his worry evident in the question.

Lex shrugged, his smile fading a little. "I wasn't sure..."

"How I'd react?" Clark finished, walking toward him.

"Yeah," Lex said. He could feel his smile growing, stretching his face again as Clark got closer.

"I'm the one who asked to stay, remember?" Clark's smile was wider now.

"Well, things that seem like a good idea in the middle of the night rarely look so promising in the light of day," Lex said.

"If you ask me, you look much more promising in the light of day," Clark said, his voice low. He was now only inches away from Lex. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone look so sexy mucking out stalls." Clark's touch was confident as he wrapped his arms around Lex's waist.

"Sexy?" Lex raised an eyebrow. "I knew you would have some sort of barn fetish," he teased.

Clark laughed. "If I do, it's your fault."

"Oh sure, blame it on the Luthor." Lex could have kicked himself as soon as the words left his mouth.

Clark frowned. "Yeah, I do that a lot, don't I?"

"Clark," Lex floundered. "I didn't mean it like that. I was joking."

"Many a truth was said in jest," Clark whispered.

"And sometimes a joke is just a joke," Lex retorted.

Clark nodded, pulling Lex in closer. "Either way, I'll try and work on that." He sighed. "I know you're going through a lot right now with your family and all and now probably isn't the best time to start something. But when you're ready?"

"You'll be the first to know," Lex assured him.

Clark moved away, reluctance written all over his face and Lex felt, for the first time in a long while, like he was important to somebody. Like Clark cared for him because of who he was, not because he had to.

As Lex started to clear out the next stall, he thought that, in this moment, he wouldn't mind ending up here. Spending his time with Clark, farming. Away from the business world, the media, his youthful transgressions and the dark influence of his father Lex thought he might have a shot at happiness. He knew it wouldn't last, that he would get sucked back into the whirlwind of the Luthor lifestyle, but that didn't mean he had to go without a fight.

"Clark," he called out as Clark was walking out of the barn. "I think I may have trouble sleeping tonight."

"After all this work, you won't have any--" Clark stopped, blushing. "I mean..." He shook his head. "Tonight." It was a promise. Clark turned and left the barn.

Lex would never admit to whistling as he happily cleaned out the rest of the stalls.

THE END