Stigmatized
            by Nymph Du Pave

            CHAPTER TWO:
            As if You Really Matter

            "You're not worried?"

            Clark looked both ways for traffic, then crossed the street, heading towards his truck.  "Nope."  He didn't even bother to look back or sound interested.

            He heard feet jogging right behind him.  "You know how to fix pipes?"

            "Yup." Sometimes, he added to himself.  He unlocked and opened the car door, trying to forget the fiasco he caused at home when he had tried to fix a leaky shower head.  The Kent Farm had briefly become The Kent Water Park.

            "Wow."  A pause.  "So, I- uh, see you and Lana…"

            Clark still knew Lex well enough to detect the slight strain in his deep, casual voice.  He ignored it.

            "Yeah," he confirmed, still not looking at the older man.

            "When?"

            "About three years ago."  He didn't bother mentioning that he was talking about their friendship when he knew Lex was indicating a more romantic involvement.  It was none of Lex Luthor's business.

            "Right after I left?"

            There was hurt there, obvious and deep, and he was surprised that a) it was there in the first place and b) that Lex hadn't tried to hide it.

            He turned to find something in Lex's eyes, something like agony.  Clark almost felt sorry for the older man until he remembered the cardboard box at home with all of his 'return to sender' letters.  All of the phone calls and messages that went unanswered.

            Fuck you, Clark thought.

            "I'm kinda busy here.  What do you want?"  His heart was starting to hurt.  Never in his life had he been so openly cold to someone, so truly spiteful.  He wished that it would feel a little good, like Lex deserved this, but it didn't.  It just wasn't in Clark's nature to be vengeful.  And when Lex looked this out of it, this sad and depressed, his natural instinct was to want to help.  To want to wrap his arms around Lex and soothe him.

            He boycotted your presence in his life.

            That was all he needed as a reminder.

            "I was just wondering-"

            Clark got in the truck.

            "-if, you know, we could maybe talk, Clark."

            He closed the door and stuck the keys in the ignition.

            "I have a lot to say."

            "Do you?”  He made sure his voice was as condescending and uninterested as possible.

            “Yes, Clark.”

            He ignored the feelings that begged to be set free at Lex’s use of his name.  “Everything's still about you, huh, Luthor?" he snapped.

            Lex flinched and stepped back.  Clark saw Lana standing in the window and knew she would have approved if he'd just decked the wealthy man right there in the club in front of Kastin.  She hated Lex for the way he had wrecked Clark.

            "Well, not with me," he finished looking straight into Lex's eyes.  "Not anymore.  Nothing's about you anymore."

            He started the car and took off, heading towards his house.