Seize the Day

by a campbell

Smallville, Clark Kent/Lex Luthor

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A cold breeze rustled and whipped Lex's Wall Street Journal, prompting him to pin it down quickly with one cashmere-clad elbow and glance up in the middle of a swallow of the Talon's special holiday blend, which he was taste-testing that afternoon. If it passed muster, it would go on the shop's menu next week.

Clark stood just inside the entry, cheeks flushed with the cold, clasping and unclasping mittened hands, grinning down at him as though he had the biggest secret in the world, or had just won the lottery. But Lex knew Clark was too sensible to waste his money that way.

Must be another date with Lana, he decided, setting his mug down on the paper to hold it in place. Keeping track of the status of that relationship from week to week, day to day, even hour to hour, was a challenge. But he supposed he could offer the limo again.

His friend's appearance was a welcome distraction, whatever the reason for it. Lex had found himself prey so far to a melancholy mood occasioned by too many issues involving Luthorcorp vs. Lexcorp.

Which isn't like me, he told himself. I don't usually waste this kind of time.

And thoughts of Clark.

Maybe I should go back on Prozac.

He hadn't seen much of Clark lately. Today was the first in about a week, and Lex was trying not to acknowledge that it bothered him. Clark's relationship with Lana seemed finally to be heating up. Besides, Clark had other friends his own age. The six years between them were a sizable gap, all told. No doubt Clark thought Lex occupied with his new girlfriend, Helen Bryce. Well, he was busy, but not too busy to want Clark. He did admit to himself that he missed his once regular visits. Early on, they'd managed to be together nearly every day.

Now, well...he certainly wasn't one to beg, but he might need to take advantage of any opportunity, whenever he could.

"Guess what," Clark's voice was breathless, and Lex regarded him for a minute and waited.

Well, so what if it was something to do with Lana. Clark had no idea that just seeing him always made Lex's day better. Made him not feel less alone, as though his involvement were important to someone. Like having friends, like having family, being part of something, and someone. Beautiful Clark. It was worth even having to share him. And he had been beyond generous, been supportive of the Lana crush over the past couple of years, even as he and Clark shared thoughts, friendship and, ultimately, sex. We each have lives of our own, Lex told himself, not for the first time. I know that, and so does Clark.

He deliberately kept his face expressionless. He looked up, said quietly, "What?"

"Come on outside," said Clark, laying a hand on his arm, giving it the gentlest, slightest of strokes.

Lex folded his newspaper. A glance outside showed snow flurries scattering about in the whipping wind and fading afternoon light. It looked almost dark through the Talon windows, which were framed by blinking holiday lights. "Okay. You've piqued my interest, Clark. What's up?"

Clark grinned, a slow grin that seemed to still the gusts outside and warm the winter afternoon. He held Lex's gaze and leaned over the table, lowering his voice. "Lex, I really love it when you talk dirty." Lex's cock threatened to twitch in spite of excellent self-control when Clark spoke that way, and even better, he could have sworn Clark pursed his lips and mouthed him a kiss. Wishful thinking, he told himself. He was rapidly giving up hope of achieving a more positive frame of mind today.

"Come on," Clark urged.

Lex obediently pushed back his chair and rose to his feet. "Lead the way."

Lana stood filling the display case with fat clairs and Danish bursting with fruit, and turned to smile as they walked by. Clark slowed to a stop, his eyes growing round as they fixed on the baked goods.

"Hi, guys." She looked from one to the other with curiosity, shifting the tray of pastries from one arm to the other as she asked the question of the afternoon. "What's up?"

Clark seemed to snap himself out of his food-induced trance. "Nothing much," he said. He nudged Lex with an elbow. "Come on, Lex." Lana's face fell, just a little, and she shrugged as Clark reached for the door handle. Lex felt his spirits lift, and didn't try to hide a broad smile as he glided outside. Clark let the door slide closed without so much as a glance behind them.

Lex buttoned his thin wool overcoat. It was frigid, and with the biting wind, much colder. Clark veered left and slowed to a stop by a grimy parked car, then turned to Lex with an expression both anxious and hopeful. "Well? What do you think?" Lex halted, too, and looked around, then at Clark.

"I wanted you to be the first to see her." Clark strolled around the car, gliding a hand along the fender closest to the sidewalk. "Mercury Sable. '91. Dad upped my allowance because of all the extra work this summer. And because I'm seventeen, now. I figured it was time I had a ride, so...I talked him into letting me buy it. What do you think?"

Ah, so that was it. Lex knew how ceaselessly and for how long his friend had yearned for wheels of his own. And, now...well, Clark was trying to be cool, but Lex could sense his anxious pride from where he stood.

"And I paid for it all myself."

"Nice," Memories of a brand-new loaded red F-150 with all the options flickered briefly through Lex's mind, and vanished. He smiled, knowing he could only imagine how it must feel to have to scrape together the money for a well-used car almost as old as he was, the combination of hardship and satisfaction that was the certain result. He wasn't going to spoil this for Clark.

"How much talking did it take?"

Clark chuckled. "Enough. Just think, Lex, now I don't have to bum rides with you all the time."

And I probably won't see you nearly as much, Lex thought. But that's all right. I wasn't expecting it to last forever.

As the thought crystalized, Lex brought himself up short, gave himself a sudden, mental kick. He was sick of this negative mood, damn it. He might not be able to do anything about the long-term status of their relationship, but he could do something about this afternoon. Carpe diem, he told himself. Lex took a quick breath of cold air, and decided to do this up right.

He let the breath out in a low whistle. "Nice," he breathed, strolling over to the car.

"Think so?" Clark's tense expression relaxed into a grin.

"This car will be great for you."

Clark turned to him, looking anxious and excited at once.

"How about a ride?"

"It's not your regular style," Clark hesitated. Lex thought he seemed to be wrestling with conflicting emotions: the desire to show off his new acquisition and fear that Lex would be less than impressed. "But, yeah, why not?" His face broke into a smile, for which Lex would probably have sold his entire fleet of sports cars.

"Have to be short. I head out to Metropolis in about an hour. Business dinner."

"Good enough. That's long enough to show you what this baby can do."

"Well, then. Show me."

"Sure, but just a minute. I need to check the oil, first. There's a leak. Just a small one," His voice sounded a little uneasy as he opened the trunk and pulled out a wooden rod.

"What do you need that for?" Lex was at Clark's elbow Clark as he popped the hood.

"This," said Clark. He propped the lid open with the stick, pulled out the dipstick, and frowned. Lex raised his eyebrows and couldn't resist a smirk. Clark straightened up with a sigh of relief.

"Looks fine," he said. "This time. Get in." Clark went to the passenger-side door and stepped back so Lex could enter, then strode around to the street side and slid into the driver's seat.

"Manual transmission," observed Lex as he buckled the frayed seat belt on the passenger side. "I don't own one, except for that Humvee I had restored."

"Better mileage. And I won't have a lot left for gas after I pay the insurance. You wouldn't think a car this old would cost over $100 a month to insure just for liability, would you? I guess my age is working against me, here."

"Yeah, you're such a kid."

Clark gave him a mock-scowl, and Lex thinned his lips and nodded, but said nothing further. He knew, and Clark knew, that he'd gladly have picked up the insurance, the cost of gas, maintenance...the cost of everything, what the hell--for Clark, but they didn't go there any more. It was enough that Lex had saved the farm from ruin. The Kents would never expect him to do more, or let him, and neither would Clark.

Clark flashed a grin that looked a little nervous to Lex, licked his lips, and cranked the engine. It rumbled to life with a whiny hum that continued as Clark pumped the gas pedal.

"Kind of noisy," Lex observed blandly, gazing straight ahead.

"Yeah," said Clark. "But, Dad says it's nothing to worry about." He shifted into first gear and touched the pedal as he released the clutch. The car jolted. "He says it's normal for a car this old." And lurched again.

Lex looked at Clark. "Thought you knew how to drive a stick. All those trucks and tractors."

Clark glowered. "I do. It's not me. This car just doesn't have a lot of pickup."

"Oh," said Lex.

Clark turned the wheel to pull out of the parking space. The scraping noise seemed to be coming from around the right front wheel. He grimaced, and shot a worried glance at Lex. "It does that all the time."

"That might be your shocks, or your power-steering fluid pump." Lex kept his voice casual.

"It'll get better after the car's warmed up, trust me. Sometimes it quits altogether. Sometimes it's really quiet when I turn on the ignition, too. It's kind of unpredictable. When it rains, it doesn't seem that bad. So, maybe the snow will help. Watch, Lex." Clark put his foot down on the gas, almost all the way to the floor. "See? She does okay."

Soon they were well outside town, and the only vehicle on the road.

"Doesn't like hills much," observed Lex. Clark had the pedal pressed all the way to the floor and the speedometer still would move no higher than, "38."

"No, she doesn't," Clark admitted ruefully. "Lucky it's a small one. She has trouble going much faster than 55, even on a level surface. You'd never be able to drive her."

Lex punched one, then two buttons on the dash. "No heat, huh?" He could see his breath. "What about the defroster, at least?" He swatted at the glass before Clark with a gloved hand.

"They're broken. Heat's been bypassed. Sorry if you're cold. I might be able to get it fixed, sometime. After Christmas maybe, and after a few more allowances. If I get another job, somewhere besides the Talon, this time, I can probably get it repaired sooner."

"I can take the cold, but the window is fogging up. You won't be able to see the road."

"Don't worry, Lex. My vision's pretty good. Maybe better than you think." And Clark flashed him the trademark grin. Now, what the hell does THAT mean, Lex wondered. He chalked it up to Clark just trying to distract him from the car's host of troubles. Poor Clark, he thought, with a sigh he took care to conceal.

As Clark turned his attention back to the road with a small frown of concentration, Lex continued to study him, lips curving upward in the slightest of smiles. God, Clark seemed so eternally clueless as to how gorgeous he was. Which made it all the better. Lex swallowed, hard, which only seemed to increase the ache in his throat. Pesky winter cold, he thought.

Then Clark shifted into second gear and the ball from the shift came off in his hand.

"Oops. Damn it!" His face fell as he looked at Lex, blushing furiously.

Lex smothered a chuckle in his gloved hand. Only Clark could melt his heart this way. "Clark, pull over."

"Why? It's okay, I'm just..." Clark fought with the gear shift lever, trying to slide the ball back on. He rammed it in place and smacked it with the side of his hand. He shifted the lever, and the ball popped off again.

"Just do it."

Clark glared at him and steered the car off the road, gripping the lever to shift.

"Go further. Over there. Lex gestured to a clearing "Take us into that bank of pines."

Twigs and stones crunched under the tires. "I don't want to get stuck out here, Lex." Clark's voice was testy. "I don't have Triple A, and I--."

Lex touched Clark's protesting lips with a gloved finger, and the complaints died as their gazes locked. The car ground to a halt, and Clark turned off the engine. His eyes drooped closed as he turned to Lex, and...

"Why is it beeping? " Lex jabbed a thumb toward the dash and leveled a careless glance at his companion. They both scanned the interior to try to determine what was wrong.

Clark opened his mouth, then let it drop shut. Neither of them spoke for a moment. Clark shrugged.

"I have no clue. Maybe because it's getting hot in here?" He opened the door, then shut it, and the sound stopped.

Lex smiled, then chuckled. "That must be it. Come here." He reached up to run gloved fingers through Clark's coarse hair.

Clark licked his lips, and whispered something he couldn't hear.

"I've been missing you," Lex said, and pulled him in, cool lips and tongue coaxing Clark's mouth open.

Clark chuckled and squirmed, pulled Lex closer, fumbling with mittens behind Lex's back, tugging them off. "I'm glad. So have I," he gasped against Lex's demanding mouth. Lex inhaled his moist breath, felt the heat of Clark's body radiating out to warm his own.

Lex tuned out everything else, let one hand wandering down to Clark's crotch to massage up, then down, through the denim of his jeans. "You're warm," He made sure to let his voice go low and husky. "Come on, get hard for me, Clark. I want you in my mouth. Now." He could already feel saliva gathering, as though he'd been programmed by Pavlov.

He spoke with confidence, because Clark was always so obliging. Sure enough, he got hard right away, sinking back in the seat, slipping a warm palm over Lex's to help him stroke. Lex cuddled in a little closer, because it was cold in the car, near enough to whisper in Clark's ear, which he did, something hot, though he wasn't sure what. And, Clark, even while the color rose to his face and his eyes darkened, still looked at him with such innocence, despite all they'd shared. Lex leaned in, eyes falling shut, and tugged at Clark's collar to bestow a slow lick on the exposed skin of his neck.

Clark voiced something between a mutter and a yelp as Lex unzipped him and slipped off a glove to grasp his cock with cool fingers. He kept the other glove on, let one finger trail down the crease between Clark's groin and leg to touch a patch of bare thigh. Lex slid down so he was half on the floor and could maneuver around the steering wheel and the gear shift, then paused.

He could sense Clark holding his breath in suspense, waiting for whatever Lex had in mind. For Lex to do something. "Lex?" Clark shifted impatiently in his seat, letting his cock nudge Lex's lower lip. His voice was faint, not much more than a breathy pant. "Sure you've got you got time for this? What about Metrop-"

Lex didn't answer, just swallowed him down, and Clark slid down the worn vinyl with a moan, eyes sliding shut.

____________________

Lex had no doubt his warm mouth was a welcome contrast to the dead, cold air inside the car. Clark bucked up to bury himself deeper, and grasped Lex's bare scalp with his fingers, softening his grip when Lex flinched. Fighting the impulse to cough, Lex cleared his throat. He knew he should avoid pulling off, for the temperature in the car would be near painful on the wet, warm flesh of Clark's cock.

"Yeah, okay," Clark muttered. "Yeah, Lex. That's great. That's so good." He grimaced as though in pain, and groaned again, and if he hadn't been so busy, Lex would have smiled in amusement at Clark, the babbler. He applied himself with increased diligence, enjoying the satin flesh and musky scent, relaxing the pressure of his suction to trail the tip, then the flat of his tongue down the pulsing vein on the front. Clark shuddered in appreciation, and pushed his head down, just a little. When the tip of his cock hit the back of Lex's throat, he exhaled a husky sigh.

Someday, Lex thought he'd like to do a scientific analysis of why Clark's cock felt so good in his mouth. Giving head had always been a task he enjoyed, anyway, but when Clark was the receiver, it was more satisfying than normal. Better than most, at least. He found himself craving it regularly, the way he'd craved it this afternoon. Part of it could be the appealing contrast between homespun Clark, all in coarse denim and flannel, and the tender softness of the skin beneath the clothes.

Or maybe it was the foreskin, which made everything better, more complex, for both giver and receiver. Lex made a point of fastening on the delicate sheath, tugging it up, then back, as he glided his mouth up and down the shaft. He didn't have one himself, but knew from reading, and from they way Clark reacted to the motion, that it did make a difference. He fought the urge to nip harder at it, to tease just a little. This time. Sometimes, he indulged it.

Sucking, coaxing out, savoring the sticky drops of precome as though they were nectar, nipping at the foreskin and then gliding the tip of his tongue slightly under it, worrying it, then circling the head. The sensation drew something between a squeak and a moan from Clark, caused him to grip Lex's scalp with trembling fingers.

"Fuck, Lex." He tried to push further into Lex's mouth, easing his grasp only a fraction when Lex responded with a hum of complaint. Lex clucked, and pulled off ever so slightly to murmur, "Impatient." He made it a special point to breathe on the tip of Clark's cock as he spoke, to blow a light stream of air on the slit before tonguing it. No reason in the world why he should be enjoying this as much as Clark, be so gratified at the hoarse gasp that was Clark's response.

Lex gave up on trying to figure it out. Maybe it was just love, and even he wouldn't begin to know how to analyze that.

The thought was bittersweet. What he wouldn't give to have Clark always at his command. Oh, well, fuck. The scarcity of time together just made occasions like this all the more precious. Clark whimpered, and Lex felt his heart twist again. He couldn't resist a glance up at Clark's face; the sight of him in the throes of passion was worth any delay.

And, Lex was trying his damnedest not to drool, but saliva still pooled in the thatch of dark hair around Clark's balls, seeped into the denim of his open jeans. Lex nuzzled down far enough so that his nose brushed against the damp nest of curls, with Clark's cock buried as far down his throat as possible without it choking him. Lex sucked harder, tightening his mouth, picking up the pace, and Clark bit off a muttered curse that trailed into a desperate gasp. And Lex moaned, too, trembling, concentration deep, as though he were taking part in a solemn ritual. Canon Smith, a divinity student he'd known in school, had often said that every task a person undertakes should be performed as though it were a sacrament, and, as far as Lex was concerned, Clark was more deserving of sacraments than most mortals. Though he doubted that this was the sort of task Smith had had in mind.

And, it was time for this one to be brought to its conclusion. He felt Clark tensing, the tightening in his groin, felt him start to go rigid. Lex made sure Clark wasn't so deep in his mouth that he couldn't taste it when he came. He pulled back enough to catch the first drops on the flat of his tongue, then slipped his mouth back down around the pulsing member, only half-noticing a slam and a thud beside him, losing himself in the certainty of Clark's pleasure, and his own. He tasted the tang of semen, letting it swirl around in his mouth as aftershocks quivered through Clark's body.

The clutch of fingers on his scalp gradually relaxed, and Clark's groan of satisfaction roused him from his trance. Lex pulled off slowly, reluctantly, with one last touch of his tongue to the sheath. He started to pull back, then thought better of it and cuddled in, swiped his tongue over the bare strip of stomach, earning a flinch and a chuckle from Clark. Lex sat up just as Clark's eyelids were lifting to reveal dilated pupils, eyes glazed with a pleasure that gradually faded, to be replaced by chagrin.

"Damn, Lex," Clark sighed. "Look what you made me do!" The armrest next to him was hanging by a thread.

"Mmm," Lex couldn't suppress a hearty laugh. "Good for you?"

Clark just looked at him, dazed, as though he couldn't believe the stupidity of the question, and Lex nudged his cheek with the gloved forefinger.

"Had to christen your ride properly, after all. It should drive better, now. Except for the broken armrest."

"What the hell." Clark shifted and sighed, and in a moment his laughter coaxed an answering grin from Lex.

"Warmed up, now?" He brushed a stray curl from Clark's brow with the side of his hand.

Clark `s eyes fell shut as he nodded, sleek and satisfied . Lex moved in for one more embrace.

"Mmhmm. You, too?" His palm glided over Lex's scalp. "You still feel cold." He bent to touch his lips to the bare skin, and Lex smiled.

"No," said Lex, pulling his jacket collar up higher.. "I'm warm enough now to get to Metropolis in comfort, even if the heat goes out in the Aston Martin. This," he said, "got my blood moving. Yours, too, I hope."

Clark let his eyes drop shut again. "Yeah." He thinned his lips with a deep, satisfied sigh. "Lex, you're amazing."

Amazing? Thought Lex. Not really. But, with the proper inspiration...

He cleared his throat, surprised by the unaccustomed thickness."Had to show my appreciation for being your first passenger. And, I wanted to practice my technique. Remind you how good it can be. Because I've missed you. And, by the way, you're pretty special, yourself. Now, we'd better get going, if I'm going to get to dinner on time."

"Wait." Clark's palm glided over the front of Lex's trousers. "What about you? You haven't come yet."

"There's no time," Lex replied.

"We have time," said Clark. "I work really fast."

Lex wasn't about to argue with that.

____________________

Clark jumped out so he could brush the accumulated snow off the windshield. Because the windshield wipers didn't work, either. Lex leaned on his elbow to stretch over the driver's seat and continue talking to Clark.

"That was great, Clark," said Lex, looking up and out just in time to get a faceful of snow.

"God, I'm sorry," said Clark, glancing down with an apologetic grin. "Don't mention it."

Lex spat flakes from his mouth, brushed the snow from his cheeks and brow with a gloved hand, chuckling. "I'm honored to have been your first passenger, Clark. I would have expected it to be Lana."

Clark looked vaguely troubled, his hand slowing to a stop. "Yeah, but she has that fancy, new ride. The van Nell gave her. She probably wouldn't have been interested."

"Even in the driver? The entertainment?"

Clark blushed, swatted clumps of snow off the side of his car with a mittened hand, and hesitated for a moment before continuing. "She might be, but I wouldn't have been. You should know where my priorities really are. So, you don't need to keep mentioning her."

Clark bit his lips, and seemed to be debating whether to continue. After a moment, he spoke again. "Maybe one of these days, you'll accept us for what we are. Great together. Whatever we do the rest of the time, whoever we do it with: Lana, Helen..." He came to stand before the open, driver's side door. He placed his hands on both sides of Lex's head and bent to give him a slow kiss. Lex tried to pull back in a moment so he could continue talking, but Clark seemed reluctant to let him go. He held Lex steady, opened his lips, and gave him another kiss that was twice as long as the first.

"Only trouble is," Lex was a little breathless when he finally broke away. "We're almost all the way to the farm, and my car's back at the Talon."

"I don't mind dropping you off," Clark got back in the driver's seat and started the engine. "I'm going back for dessert, anyway."

Going back?

"You do the eyebrow thing really well, but I read you like a book. Not to see Lana, Lex. Real dessert. One, at least, of those Danish she was putting in the case. Maybe two. I don't want Lana, Lex. I just want food. I'm hungry!"

Clark pulled a stocking cap from the glove compartment. "Here. I know you'd never complain about it, but your head's cold. Put this on."

____________________

It was 5:30, and dark, by the time they pulled up in front of the coffee shop.

"It's a good car, Clark."

"You're just saying that," Clark muttered. "I know it's crap, compared to one of yours."

"No, I mean it. It's a fine car, Clark. I wish I'd ever been half as excited about any of mine. Don't lose that."

"I'm sorry. I know it's a rattletrap. But, I did buy it myself. And, I'm proud of that. If I could have afforded a better one, I would have. At least now...I can get to your place faster."

"Definitely a plus. Just do me one favor. Let Hans tune up the car for you, and fix a few cosmetics. The armrest, the heat, shocks, things like that. Call it my Christmas present to you."

"So, didn't I just have my Christmas present, Lex?" Clark seemed to reconsider his naughty grin almost immediately, and went round-eyed and serious at once, nodding in agreement. "Okay. Just some of the most important stuff. Dad and I can do the rest."

"Don't worry. It won't really be a gift. You'll pay me back. You know you will."

"Okay. Deal. So. Pick you up on Sunday?"

"Yeah," Lex agreed.

"Lex, thanks for coming riding with me. I know it isn't what you're used to."

"Believe me, I'll remember my first trip with pleasure, Clark."

"I'm pretty sure I will, too, Lex."

Should I say it? Lex wondered. What the hell. What's to lose?

"I love you," he said simply, stalling a moment before turning to see how his remark was received.

Worth it, because Clark's answering smile was slow, warm and a joy to behold. "I love you, too."

Lex smiled, too. It was fully dark now, and the snow had ceased. They both looked around at the deserted street, then leaned in simultaneously for one more kiss.

"Fuck Sunday," Clark declared, reluctantly releasing Lex from his arms. "I'm coming over tomorrow night."

"Anytime, Clark," Lex said. And, suddenly, he felt happy. It had wound up by being a pretty great afternoon, and now he had Saturday to look forward to, too.

____________________

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