Furious Angels
            by Nymph Du Pave
 

            CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE:  Pipeline

            The blood was still trailing down his stomach, warm and greasy and disgusting.  He suddenly had to pee.

            Jesus.  Am I going to die?

            "Lex?"

            That's what happens when you die, isn't?  Your bowels release.

            "Oh God oh Lex oh God."

            Clark pulled him backwards and Lex just let him, letting go of the pipe.  He didn't even bother to move his feet, just allowed himself to be dragged away from Shawn who subsequently fell to his knees.

            Clark ran his fingers down to where Lex was cut and pressed down.  "Try to take calm, even breaths."

            Lex nodded slowly but his attention was focused on Shawn.  "Yeah," he breathed.

            Why...

            "I should lie you down."  Clark's voice revealed his distress, bordering on hysterical.  "Oh God Lex oh God oh God.  I'm so sorry."

            No pain.  I've died twice and it wasn't like this.

            "Lex, baby-"

            Now that's nice.  A little weird but...  I'm his baby.  Not at all feminine.

            Clark's hands were pushing on him.  He refused to let Clark put him on the ground, turning around to face the boy.  Clark struggled to keep his hand pressed tightly to Lex's abs.  "Lex, stop moving, you need to-"

            "Clark, I think I'm fine."

            Clark shut his eyes pulling Lex to him.  "Tell me the numbness hasn't stepped in," he whispered.

            "Clark, it's not-"

            "How could you be fine?  Do you see all that blood?"

            "I don't think it's mine," he mumbled quietly and looked over to Shawn again.  The boy was just sitting there.  Looking at the pipe.

            I don't think it's mine at all.  But I thought he was frozen.

            "It's a lot of blood, Lex."  Clark hugged him tighter.  "Lemme pick you up.  We're going to the hospital."

            "I don't think-"

            Clark bent down to lift him.  "It'll just be about four or five minutes.  Try and stay awa-"

            "It's not mine," he protested and pushed away from Clark, being gentle but firm.  "See?"

            He wiped away the smear on his stomach, the apprehension on his lover's face taking away the revulsion on his own.  He couldn't be sick, couldn't throw up when Clark was so worried.  He fucking hated blood, and having someone elses on hims was, Christ, it was the most disgusting-

            Not now.

            The cut on his stomach was easier to see now that most of the blood had been wiped away.  Clark worried his lip with sharp, white teeth and ran a trembling finger over Lex’s abdomen.  The place where Shawn had mashed the pipe into the muscles was ripped a little further and bleeding a bit, thick and gooey, but it wasn’t…  It wasn't gushing.

            Their eyes met and Lex felt the same thought going through both minds.

            Shawn?

            In unison their heads turned to stare at the boy.  On the ground.  Pipe sticking out of his stomach and pointing upwards, towards the glittering, cloud dusted heavens.  Eyes still on the metal cylinder protruding from his body.

            Is he-

            Lex took a few steps towards the boy, hearing Clark’s breathing become more rapid and he could see in his mind’s eye, Clark stiffening and posing himself to remove Lex from any danger should the slightest sign be shown.

            Lex’s steps became braver, knowing that his angel was twice scorned-

            Death once tonight, thought I was bleeding; would have been twice.

            -and that it would not happen again.  Clark would not let Lex fall from life a third time.  After all, third time's a charm.

            Is the icicle... bleeding?

            He closed the distance between him and Shawn and the boy’s eyes slowly traveled from the pipe, up Lex’s bare chest, then finally, landing on his eyes.

            Lex’s breath caught in his chest.  This wasn’t right.  There wasn’t supposed to be sadness there.  There wasn’t supposed to be-

            Dear God.

            -grief and sorrow.

            Lex couldn’t help himself.  He had to know.  He pulled the bloody sweater and shirt off of the end and pressed down.  He jumped back as Shawn lost his balance and fell forward.  The boy caught himself with one palm flat on the ground just before the pipe could hit the dirt and impale him further.

            Blood poured from the end of the pipe.

            Lex watched in horror, nausea producing quakes within his stomach.

            It’s too human…  Too real…

            The boy’s skin was still black as midnight during Alaska’s Winter Equinox, but his blood…

            He bleeds like anyone else.

            “God, Shawn,” cried Clark, soft and forgiving.

            Shawn looked up at Clark, emotion in his eyes burning Lex’s soul, and reached out his hand.  “Please,” he croaked.

            Lex could hear Clark’s heart breaking.  He no doubt felt responsible for all of it.

            Clark, don’t you dare blame yourself for me…  For him…  Our actions were our own.

            He was suddenly so thankful that he stopped Clark from killing Kelvin.  It would have Changed Clark permanently.  There wouldn't be the light, the grins.  It would have been tainted.

            Clark stepped beside Lex and extended his hand for Shawn’s.  “Let’s get you somewhere.”

           There’s nowhere, Clark.

            “I’m sure someone can help you somehow.”

            “Only you,” whispered Shawn and the skin on the back of Lex’s neck prickled.

            He opened his mouth to protest Clark taking Shawn’s hand, but it was too late.

            At the same time that Shawn clamped down on Clark, he kicked out with one previously supporting leg, swinging it from under him and hooking it under Lex’s legs, performing a weak and incomplete roundhouse, but nonetheless sending Lex sprawling to his ass on the ground.
 
 
 
 
 
 

            TBC Tomorrow...