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sinderella81Title: Perfect Petals
Author: ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
cinderella81
Beta: lexalicious70
Word Count: 16033
Rating: NC-17 (for sexual situations)
Pairing/Genre/: Clex, AU drama romance
Summary: Clark Kent thought he had the perfect life: married to his high school sweetheart, Lana Lang and running the flower shop in town. It wasn’t how he’d planned his life turning out, but he was happy … or so he thought. Then Lex Luthor drove into town and swept Clark off his feet; suddenly, Clark is questioning everything he thought he knew.
Author’s Notes/Warning/Disclaimer/ Spoilers: Slight spoilers for the whole series. Smallville and its characters do not belong to me, I just enjoy playing with them!
Come check out the awesome fanmix that ryuutchi did for me here!!!!!
The town had a bit of charm, but … Lex sighed as he pulled into an empty parking spot. He’d seen a coffee shop a few storefronts down and decided to grab a cup of coffee to go before heading to the factory. He climbed out of his Porsche and slipped his leather driving gloves off and into the pocket of his coat before walking down the sidewalk, taking in what he was sure the townsfolk called the ‘charm’ of their town.
Before he got to the coffee shop, a bright pink and white storefront caught his gaze. The sign above the door said ‘Perfect Petals’ in bright pink script. “A flower shop, obviously,” he muttered. “What kind of priss runs this place?”
Clark Kent sighed and nibbled on the end of a pen as he looked over the books. This wasn’t exactly the way he’d planned his life on turning out, but … he was married to the love of his life and whatever made her happy …
Clark looked over at the stairs, listening for his wife. He had gotten up before she’d even made a move to wake up, as usual. ‘When was the last time she got up and helped me open the shop?’ he thought to himself.
“Clark!” Lana Lang-Kent came hurrying down the stairs a few minutes later, all dark hair and wide eyes. “I’m going to the store, be back later!”
“The store?” Clark asked, looking up at his wife. “I just went grocery shopping yesterday.”
“No, not the grocery store,” Lana replied, giving her husband a mollifying smile. “Misty wants to go to that little boutique in Grandville, you know the one with the cute purses?”
“Right,” Clark replied, giving his wife of five years a small smile. They’d married right out of high school. Lana’s Aunt Nell had signed over the flower shop after Clark had gotten his Associates Degree, double majoring in Accounting and Business. That had been three years ago, and now he and Lana ran the shop all by themselves.
Or rather, he ran the shop. Lana had designed the shop, and his and the other staff’s uniforms, but left the running of the shop to Clark.
“Be good while I’m gone,” Lana said, buttoning up the pink polo Clark wore with the ‘Perfect Petals’ logo. She fixed the strap on his dark pink apron and smoothed his hair.
“I’m always good, Lana,” Clark said with a small smile.
“Of course you are,” Lana said, pressing a chaste kiss to Clark’s cheek before snatching the keys from behind the counter and heading out.
Clark shook his head and went back to the books, trying to reconcile the money coming in with the money his wife liked to spend.
Lex leaned against the mailbox just outside the flower shop and watched the interaction between the man behind the counter and the girl who was obviously his wife or girlfriend with interest. The man was cute in a dorky, stuffed shirt kind of way. Lex could tell that the girl had dressed him; no self-respecting man would wear that much pink.
“Something interesting in this town,” Lex muttered to himself as he slipped his sunglasses off and headed inside the flower shop to introduce himself.
Clark heard the bell above the door ring. “Welcome to Perfect Petals, how may I help you?” he said, head still bowed down over the books.
The voice made Lex stop. It was deep and … sensual, yet filled with a longing, a melancholy tone that left Lex … a bit speechless.
“Can I help you?” Clark asked again, lifting his head to see who’d entered the shop.
Lex cleared his throat and stepped further into the shop, giving the young man behind the counter a smile. The smell of roses was almost overwhelming; obviously the girlfriend’s doing … this man didn’t look like a roses kind of guy. “I was actually wondering if you carried tulips,” he said.
“We fly in tulips from all over,” Clark said with a smile. “How many did you need?”
“A couple dozen,” Lex said, biting back a chuckle when the young man’s eyes widen.
“A couple dozen?” Clark said.
Lex nodded. “I’m going to be taking up residence in the mansion just outside town,” he explained. “And as tulips are my favorite, I’d like to have them at my home. And seeing as I’m not sure how long I’ll be here, I’d like to set up weekly deliveries.”
“Weekly deliveries,” Clark said. “Of course. Um … can I just … “ Clark reached for an order form and uncapped his pen. “Just get your name and address … “
Lex took the pen and the order form with a grin, quickly filling out the appropriate information. “Perhaps you could arrange for deliveries on Mondays?”
“Mondays should be fine,” Clark said, looking at the calendar. “We don’t have many deliveries that day so it should be fine … “
“I’ll pay in advance of course,” Lex said, pulling out his pocketbook. “How about four deliveries for now and then we’ll negotiate for more?”
“That sounds doable,” Clark said, trying to sound nonchalant as he finished filling out the paperwork for the man‘s order and giving the total.
“Good,” Lex said as he wrote out the check. “Who do I make the check out to?”
“Um … Perfect Petals,” Clark said. “Or Clark Kent … either is fine.”
Lex noted the man’s name … Clark, as he wrote the check. “It was nice to meet you, and I look forward to receiving my first delivery,” he said.
Clark smiled and took the check, printing out a receipt and handing it over. “Our delivery boy, Bart, should be there before 10 a.m. on Monday,” he said.
“I’ll let my staff know,” Lex replied. “Thank you.”
“Thank you,” Clark said.
Lex pocketed the receipt and left the shop. He decided against coffee and headed straight for the mansion. Maybe this town wasn’t so bad after all.
***
Clark set the table and put dinner out, sneaking glances at the clock in the small kitchen. Lana had been gone most of the day, and Clark had held off dinner as long as possible. The rest of the day hadn’t been that busy in the shop, giving Clark a chance to finish the books. Thankfully, business had been booming; everyone needed flowers, apparently. They’d even branched out a bit and had begun doing weddings, something Nell apparently hadn’t done.
Clark sighed as he sat down at the table. His life wasn’t perfect - he hadn’t really planned on running a flower shop. He’d actually wanted to study history in college, but that hadn’t been in the stars. He knew that he would have to take the right classes to keep the shop running, as his new bride only wanted to take ‘easy’ classes.
He loved Lana, he really did. She was sweet and kind, and yeah, a little scatterbrained, but … she was his wife. They’d been together ever since they were freshman. Puppy love had turned into real love.
He heard the front door open and smiled a bit. “In here, Lana,” he called.
He smelled the rose oil before he saw his wife. “Oh, honey, did you keep dinner for me?” Lana asked, pressing a kiss to Clark’s forehead. “Thank you, I’m famished.” She sat down at the table and demurely put her napkin in her lap before beginning to eat.
“Did you have a good day? I didn’t hear the heavy steps of a woman who was carrying bags full of new purchases up the stairs,” Clark teased with a smile.
“What? Oh, I had a great day,” Lana replied. “I didn’t find anything that struck my fancy.”
Clark nodded and ate his own dinner. “We got a new client in today,” he said.
“Really? Who?” Lana asked.
“Lex Luthor?” Clark said. “He’s staying in that big mansion outside of town for a bit and put in an order for weekly deliveries of tulips, a couple dozen.”
“A couple dozen tulips every week?” Lana said. “That’s great.”
“I know,” Clark said. “We’ll definitely be in the black this month.”
“That’s wonderful, sweetheart,” Lana said, going back to her meal.
Clark sighed softly and, when his wife was done with dinner, cleared the table and washed the dishes.
“I’m glad you had a good day,” Clark said, kissing Lana gently.
“I did,” Lana said, fixing Clark’s hair.
“I thought we could have some cheesecake in bed,” Clark said with a smile.
“Oh honey, I’m so pooped,” Lana said, kissing Clark’s cheek. “I’m just going to take a shower and go to bed.”
Clark bit back his sigh and nodded. “I’ll join you in a little bit,” he said, watching as his wife headed for the bedroom.
***
Lex was going over some preliminary reports in his office early Monday morning. He was pleased with the results—it looked like putting a factory in Smallville would only increase the value of LexCorp.
“Master Lex.”
Lex looked up to see Enrique standing in the doorway. “Yes?” he replied.
“There is a young man in the foyer with a large supply of tulips,” Enrique said with a small smile.
Lex smiled and closed his laptop, following the older man through the mansion to the foyer. A slight young man stood in the entryway with four dozen tulips on the large table. He was almost jittery, bouncing around from foot to foot, his dark honey colored curls bouncing as he moved.
“Hiya!” the kid said, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “I’m Bart, the delivery boy for Perfect Petals.”
Lex had to smile at the young kid’s exuberance. He was dressed the requisite khaki pants and pink polo with the ‘Perfect Petals’ logo, but he was not as … stiff as Clark had been. The shirt wasn’t tucked in, and the top three buttons were undone.
“Nice to meet you, Bart,” Lex said. “I’m Lex and I own this monstrosity.”
“Dude, this place is sweet,” Bart said. “So, do you want me to leave all the flowers here?”
Lex smiled and nodded. “That’s fine,” he said. “Just leave them here and I’ll leave instructions for the maids to disperse the flowers throughout the mansion.”
“Cool,” Bart said with a bounce. “So, I’ll see you next Monday, then?”
Lex chuckled a bit. “You might not see me. But Enrique will always let you in,” he said. “Just leave them here in the foyer.”
“Cool, cool,” Bart replied. “I’ll catch ya later!” He gave Lex and Enrique a cocky grin before almost bouncing out of the mansion.
“Well, he’s a character,” Enrique said. “Certainly not who I was expecting.”
“He doesn’t seem like the kind to work in a flower shop, that’s for sure,” Lex agreed, pulling out a single tulip and inhaling the subtle scent. “Please see that the maids distribute these around the mansion.”
***
“Go into town,” Lex muttered as he walked through the various stalls at the Farmer’s Market. “Meet the people.” He’d been Smallville for about three weeks and had yet to meet anyone other than Mr. Kent and Bart. Enrique had mentioned that there was a Farmer’s Market and perhaps Lex should attend.
It apparently was a monthly event and everyone from town showed up. Lex figured it would be a good way to get to know the people in the town and let everyone know that he wasn’t like his father, hell bent on ruining anything in his path to get his way. No, Lex was out to prove that he was the exact opposite of his father - there to help revive the town and make it thrive.
He’d even dressed the part, unearthing an old pair of jeans and pairing it with a simple blue sweater. He’d made sure to use sunscreen and was wearing a pair of aviator sunglasses as he perused the various stalls. He was impressed by some of the craftsmanship of the things he saw—the various wood carvings and quilts were impeccably made, and Lex made a mental note to purchase a few items before he left.
He bought a cup of coffee from the booth the Talon was running, trying not to stick out too much. His eyes roamed over the crowd, and he spotted a familiar dark head floating above the rest of the townsfolk and chuckled to himself. Even with his slight hunching, Clark Kent still stood a good head taller than the rest of the town, and it was hard to miss him. Lex saw him smile down at someone - his wife presumably, but she was blocked by a group of people.
Clark smiled down at Lana as they walked through the stalls. Lana was looking over at some of the stalls, admiring the wares everyone was selling. ‘This is the first time we’ve been out together in so long,‘ Clark thought to himself. ‘I miss going out with her, just being with her like this. Maybe we can use today to start to again, to reconnect.‘
“And Rhonda wants to start selling some of her homemade perfume in the flower shop and maybe we should, I mean every girl loves perfume and hers smell really good,” Lana rambled.
“I think that’s a good idea,” Clark said. “We can buy some from her and then perhaps sell them for a bit more to make a profit.”
“That’s a great idea, Clark,” Lana said, batting her eyelashes up at him.
Clark smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He looked back up, trying to make sure that they didn’t run into anyone and caught sight of Mr. Luthor in the distance. “Oh, there’s Mr. Luthor,” he said.
“Who?” Lana asked distractedly.
“Mr. Luthor?” Clark said. “The man who is ordering four dozen tulips from us every week and keeping us in the black?”
“Oh him,” Lana said.
“We should say hello,” Clark said, gently steering Lana in Lex’s direction.
“What? Oh sure,” Lana said, following her husband.
Lex smiled as he saw Clark headed in his direction. The man didn’t look quite so stiff, and Lex could see he was wearing well-worn jeans and a white t-shirt with a blue flannel shirt over it. He caught sight of Clark’s wife and suddenly knew who had decorated the store and designed the uniforms. Clark’s wife was dressed in a bright pink sweater and a white skirt, her hair pulled back with a pink headband.
“Mr. Luthor!” Clark called, waving at Lex, who smiled and waved back.
“Mr. Kent,” Lex said.
“Clark, please … Mr. Kent is my father,” Clark said with a smile.
“Then I insist you call me Lex.”
“Lex, this is my wife, Lana,” Clark said. “Lana, this is Lex Luthor, our new favorite customer.”
“Mrs. Kent, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Lex said.
Lana smiled and offered her hand. “Pleased to meet you,” she replied.
“So, enjoying your first Farmer’s Market?” Clark asked Lex with a smile.
“It’s certainly a new experience,” Lex replied with a grin. “There are some quality products here.”
“Thinking of buying a quilt for your bed?” Clark asked with a smile.
“It does get cold at night,” Lana said dimly.
Clark looked down at his wife, frowning. He shook his head a bit and kissed her hair. “It does,” he agreed softly before looking up at Lex. “The women here take great pride in their blankets and quilts—you’ll find no better craftsmanship.”
Lex smiled and nodded. “I’m thinking of making a few purchases,” he said. “But first, I think I need some food.”
“Well, there’s hot dogs, corndogs, roast beef sandwiches, corn on the cob,” Clark said.
“All of it too greasy for me,” Lana said, making a face.
“Well roast beef sounds good,” Lex said. “Care to accompany me?”
“I was just thinking about getting a roast beef sandwich,” Clark replied with a smile.
“I’m going to the fruit stands,” Lana said, kissing Clark’s cheek chastely before heading into the crowds.
“She seems … sweet,” Lex said as he and Clark headed over towards the roast beef booth.
“She and I have been together since high school,” Clark said.
“High school sweethearts, huh?” Lex said. He noticed that quite a few eyes followed them as they walked, and that most of the gazes lingered on Mr. Kent. He’d be staring too, if he wasn’t walking next to the man.
“We’ve been married for five years,” Clark said.
“And do you like married life?” Lex asked candidly.
“A little forward, aren’t you?” Clark asked with a grin. “I mean, we’ve only just met.” His eyes were twinkling and Lex was a bit stunned. Clark looked so much … happier than he had the first day they’d met.
“I’m not one to beat around the bush,” Lex said as they arrived at the roast beef sandwich booth, where Lex ordered a sandwich for himself and Clark.
“I can pay,” Clark said.
“My treat,” Lex insisted, passing the sandwich wrapped in wax paper over to Clark.
“Thanks,” Clark said, his fingers brushing over Lex’s knuckles as he took the sandwich.
Lex resisted the urge to run his fingers over the place where Clark had touched. He hadn’t felt this way for anyone, much less another man, in a very long time. Life under his father’s thumb had hardened his heart in a way. It had taken a while for the ice around his heart to even begin to thaw, and it seemed like with every smile Mr. Kent sent his way, the ice melted just a little bit more.
“So tell me, Mr. Kent,” Lex said. “How did you get into the flower business?”
Clark swallowed his bite of sandwich and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Well, after high school, Lana and I lived with her Aunt Nell, next door to my parents. I went to Granville Community College and got my Associates Degree in Accounting and Business … after that, Nell signed the flower shop over to Lana and me. Lana took out a second mortgage on the property to do some renovations … “
“So, it all just kind of happened,” Lex said.
“Um … I guess, yeah,” Clark said.
Lex saw the strained look of Clark’s face and took pity on the young man, dropping the subject. He ate his sandwich in silence, watching the crowd walk by.
Clark’s cheeks were a bit pink as he ate. He didn’t normally open up so fast to someone he’d just met. He didn’t know what it was about Mr. Luthor …
“Well, I’d best be heading back to the manor,” Lex said. “It was a pleasure having lunch with you, Mr. Kent.”
Clark wiped his mouth and smiled. “It was very nice,” he agreed. “Let me know if you want to change your order or add some more flowers.”
“I will,” Lex said. “I have to say that the quality of flowers is amazing.”
“Thank you,” Clark said softly. “We try.”
“You do very well,” Lex said, patting Clark’s shoulder before disappearing into the crowd.
Clark unconsciously rubbed the spot on his shoulder as he watched Lex walk away.
***
“Clark!”
Clark turned from the register and smiled as Bart Allen burst into Perfect Petals, his whiskey- colored curls windblown, as usual, his khakis rumpled and the pink polo hanging on his lithe frame.
“Right on time,” Clark said, looking at his watch. “Barely.”
“Come on, Clark,” Bart said, blowing an errant curl off his forehead. “It only takes me like, seconds to get here.”
Clark laughed and tapped a few keys on the computer, printing out the delivery schedule for the day. “Yeah, but I know how you like to cut it close,” he said.
Bart bounced on his feet as he waited for the printout. “So, did you get the newest Warrior Angel?” he asked.
“Do you even have to ask?” Clark replied with a smile. He passed the schedule over to Bart, who folded it and stuck it in his back pocket.
“And you read it already, right?” Bart asked, bouncing some more. “It was like, totally awesome!”
Clark laughed and nodded, heading to the cooler and pulling arrangements out for Bart to deliver. “It was very interesting,” he said. “I like the dynamic between Warrior Angel and Devilicus.”
“Ever get the feeling that they would be way better if they were friends instead of enemies?” Bart asked.
“All the time,” Clark replied with a smile.
“Awesome,” Bart replied, looking at all the arrangements. “Lots of deliveries today?”
“Quite a few,” Clark replied. “Some engagement and new baby bouquets and the requisite delivery to Mr. Luthor.”
“Awesome,” Bart said. “That Luthor place? It’s really huge and like, totally awesome!”
“I’ve driven by it before, Bart,” Clark said with a grin. “It looks quite grand.”
“What looks grand?” Lana said as she descended the staircase into the flower shop.
“Our numbers for this month,” Clark said, winking at Bart.
“Wonderful,” Lana said, taking a moment to smooth Clark’s hair before kissing his cheek gently. “Good morning, Bart.”
“Morning Mrs. K,” Bart said with a nod. He picked up some of the deliveries and headed out to the van in the back of the shop.
“Honey, don’t forget I have that convention in a couple of weeks,” Lana said, snagging a pink carnation and tucking it behind her ear.
“Lana, you wrote it in shocking pink on the calendar,” Clark said with a teasing grin. “I haven’t forgotten.” He rubbed his neck as he went back to the computer.
Lana giggled and stood behind her husband, smoothing his hair as she peeked over his shoulder at the computer. “I’ll be gone for a whole week,” she said. “I’ll miss you.” She took the carnation from behind her ear and tucked it behind Clark’s.
“I’m going to miss you, too,” Clark said, taking the carnation and setting it in a small vase near the computer. He turned to his wife and gave her a soft kiss. “And you know I’d love to go with you, but … “
“Someone has to keep the shop running while I’m away,” Lana said.
Clark smiled and nodded, setting his hands on Lana’s hips. He pulled her close and kissed her neck gently. “I’ll really, really miss you,” he whispered.
“Clark,” Lana squeaked, batting Clark’s hands away. “We’re … we’re in public.”
“”We’re in the shop,” Clark said. “The empty shop.”
“Bart is just outside,” Lana said. “Anyone could just … walk in.”
“And see us doing what? Kissing?” Clark said, removing his hands and standing. “We’re husband and wife, Lana, that’s what we’re supposed to do.” He moved over to the cooler and pulled out the vases containing Mr. Luthor’s tulips.
“Oh baby,” Lana cooed, walking over to her husband. “I’m sorry. I just … I don’t want everyone to see … I get embarrassed.”
Clark bit back his sigh and turned, giving Lana a soft smile. “I know,” he murmured, leaning down and kissing her hair.
“You’re so understanding,” Lana said softly. “Listen, Rhonda wants to meet with me. You know, talk about selling her perfume here? I’ll probably be there for a while, so don’t wait dinner or anything for me.”
“All right,” Clark replied. “Have fun.”
“I always do,” Lana said, smoothing Clark’s hair one more time before grabbing her keys and purse and heading out.
“Clark, you got any more deliveries for me to put in the van?” Bart asked as he bounced back into the shop moments after Lana’s departure.
“Just Mr. Luthor’s tulips,” Clark said, motioning to the vases on the counter.
“Cool,” Bart said. “Maybe that cook of his will have cookies for me again.”
“His cook makes you cookies?” Clark asked, eyebrow raised.
“I don’t know if she makes them for me, but there always seem to be some when I get there,” Bart replied. “Chocolate chip, white chocolate macadamia nut, oatmeal raisin … “
Clark laughed a bit. “You and your sugar fixes,” he said.
“Hey, I burn a lot of energy,” Bart said with a grin.
“Yeah, yeah,” Clark said, rolling his eyes. “Go on and do your deliveries.”
“On it,” Bart said. “Back in a flash.” He was out the back door before Clark could reply.
***
“Fuck … right there,” Lex gasped. His hands were buried in the dark hair of the nameless man currently sucking his cock in the back of his limo. Work had called him to Metropolis; Lex knew that when Metropolis called, you’d better answer. He almost regretted the call he’d had to make to Perfect Petals to cancel one of his deliveries.
He’d had to spend a week in Metropolis, dealing with a bit of unease and worry amidst some of his workers. Come Saturday night however, Lex was in need of a little distraction. So he climbed into his limousine and directed his driver to the edge of what was kindly called the ‘red light district’ of Metropolis.
“Clark,” Lex breathed, tugging on the man’s hair. The man sucking his cock wasn’t Clark … would probably never be Clark, but … he’d paid for the fantasy. “That’s it … right … right … there!” He came hard, collapsing back against the seats. He passed over a couple hundred dollar bills to the young man, who slipped out of the limo without a word.
Lex tucked himself away and knocked on the glass to let his driver know it was okay to leave. He leaned back against the seat and sighed, rubbing his face. He was actually looking forward to being back in Smallville … forget Smallville, he was looking forward to seeing Clark again.
He watched the city pass by as the limo wound it’s way back to his hotel. He’d be going home the next day and wanted to at least get some sleep. As the limo came to a stop light, Lex squinted out the window at the theater on the corner and saw a familiar face … or rather, two familiar faces. One of his business associates, Oliver Queen, was leaving the theater with … Lana Kent on his arm. Clark’s wife was cheating on him? Sure Clark was a little stuffy, but … he didn’t know how anyone could cheat on a man with those eyes, that smile …
Lex sagged against his seat, fingers tapping a staccato beat on his thigh. Clark should know … no one should go on thinking that their marriage is fine when it isn’t. But would he even believe me?
“Fuck,” Lex whispered. “What the hell am I going to do now?”
***
Bart bobbed his head, curls dancing around his face as he waited in the foyer of the mansion. Normally he would drop off the flowers, grab a cookie from the cook and head back out. Not this time.
“Why didn’t he just mail the check?” Bart muttered to himself as he paced the foyer, brushing his hair out of his eyes.
“Because it would take longer if I sent it in the mail,” Lex said with a smile as he descended the stairs.
“Oh,” Bart mumbled, cheeks pink with embarrassment. “Sorry.”
“No apology necessary,” Lex said. “This way, your boss will get the check today rather than tomorrow or Wednesday.”
“Oh yeah,” Bart said. “Makes sense. I know Mrs. K likes to make sure the money comes in when it’s supposed to … in case she wants to go shopping or something.”
Lex flicked a gaze over to Bart as he wrote the check. “And Mr. Kent?” he asked.
“Clark? Oh, he likes getting the money on time, too,” Bart said. “But he’s not as … anal about it. You totally could have sent it in the mail.”
“I have a curious question for you,” Lex said as he passed the check over to Bart.
“Sure, shoot,” Bart replied, trying unsuccessfully to smooth his unruly curls back off his face.
“Do you enjoy working at Perfect Petals?” Lex asked, casually leaning against the circular table in the center of the foyer.
“Wasn’t something I planned on doing … being a delivery boy and handing out flowers,” Bart said. “But yeah, it’s a good gig. Clark’s an awesome guy. He and I talk about football and Warrior Angel … although Mrs. K doesn’t know he’s still reading the comics.”
Lex didn’t miss how Bart referred to his bosses … Clark and Mrs. K. “Do you get along with Mrs. Kent okay?” he asked.
Bart shrugged, fingers twisting in the hem of his polo shirt. “She’s okay,” he said softly.
“But?” Lex prodded gently.
“She’s … controlling,” Bart said. “I mean … she and Clark are married, right? You’d think they’d be all over each other, but … She kisses him on the forehead or the cheek … buttons his shirt for him and fixes his hair … she treats him more like he’s her kid than her husband.”
“And Clark?” Lex replied, crossing his arms across his chest and frowning softly.
“I heard them a couple weeks ago,” Bart said. “He was talking about how he would miss her when she’s gone … she’s going to some convention in two weeks and she’s gonna be gone for like a week. She pushed him away when he tried to kiss her … said anyone could just come in.”
“And you found that odd,” Lex said.
“Well … yeah!” Bart said. “They’re like … 23, right? They should be humping like bunnies, like all the time! But Mrs. K is like one of the biggest prudes ever.”
Lex found it hard to believe that Lana was a prude having seen the way she’d hung all over Oliver Queen when he’d seen her in Metropolis.
“So, all is not champagne and roses between them,” Lex mused.
Bart’s eyes suddenly widened and his face paled. “Oh … oh crap,” he said. “You’re not gonna … I shouldn’t have … I mean, they’re my bosses … “
Lex couldn’t help but laugh. “Take a breath,” he said, moving across the foyer and patting Bart on shoulder. “My lips are sealed, I promise.”
Bart closed his eyes and released the breath he’d been holding. “Thanks, man,” he said. “Mrs. K’d have my hide if she knew I was talking about her and Clark … she wants everyone to think their marriage is perfect …” Bart stopped and opened his eyes. “And I didn’t just say that …”
“Didn’t just say what?” Lex asked with a wink.
Bart heaved a sigh of relief and nodded. “Right,” he said. “Um … so, you have your flowers, I have the check, so I’m gonna … go.”
“I’ll see you next week,” Lex agreed with a nod.
Bart gave Lex a weak smile and left before he could put his foot any deeper in his mouth.
***
Clark sighed to himself as he sprayed some of the flowers in the window with water. Lana was gone again, leaving Clark to run the shop by himself, again. He ran a hand through his hair, dislodging the stiff locks from the flat ironed style Lana preferred.
‘When did our life change?’ Clark thought to himself as he set the water bottle down and wandered back over to cash register. ‘When did we become … stale?’
Clark could remember the first year or so of their marriage, when they giggled like teenagers and made out at the back of the Talon. Somewhere along the line it had changed. Clark couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment, but he knew it happened sometime after he’d graduated … when he and Lana had taken over the flower shop.
Now Clark was surprised if he got more than a peck on the cheek or forehead from his wife. It was hard to admit, but his marriage with Lana wasn’t what it used to be. Hell, Lana wasn’t who she used to be … Clark knew he’d changed, too.
“Clark … hey Clark!”
Clark turned and saw Bart bounce into the store from the back door.
“Hey Bart,” Clark said with a smile. “What are you doing here? I don’t have any deliveries for you today.”
“I know,” Bart replied with a smile. “But I thought that since Mrs. K was out again today, you’d want some company.”
Clark gave Bart a bright smile. “Well, you’re right,” he said. “It’s a bit lonely here with Lana out … I believe she’s antiquing today.”
“Antiquing? What the hell’s that?” Bart asked, jumping onto the counter, swinging his feet.
“You do know what an antique is, right?” Clark said.
“Yeah … most of the stuff in Luthor’s mansion is an antique,” Bart said. “Gotta make sure I don’t bump anything when I’m there … might end up breaking like, a Ming vase or something.”
Clark laughed. “Well, Lana is with Mindy in Granville looking at antiques,” he said. “We’ve been doing so well lately.”
“Clark?” Bart asked, twisting a lock of hair around his finger. “Do you … like your job?”
Clark stopped and bit back a sigh, his eyes working to hide the pain hidden in their emerald depths. “Do I like running the flower shop?” he asked. “I enjoy being my own boss, making those business connections, and making people happy. But … I don’t think a flower shop was my ultimate goal.”
“What, you mean you didn’t picture yourself pushing petals on people for a living?” Bart asked with a grin. “Bet you’d rather be running a comic book shop, huh?”
Clark chuckled and his shoulders relaxed a bit as he leaned against the counter. “A comic book shop would be nice,” he said a bit wistfully.
“Full of Warrior Angel collectibles?”
“Damn straight,” Clark replied with a bright smile.
Bart giggled a bit, continuing to twist a lock of hair around his finger. “Ever ask Mrs. K?” he asked shyly.
“About what? Turning this place into a comic book shop?” Clark said.
“Yeah,” Bart replied.
Clark shook his head, rubbing the knuckles of his left hand with his right thumb. “I’ve tried,” he murmured. “Trust me, I’ve tried.”
“And?” Bart asked softly, shyly putting his hand on Clark’s shoulder.
Clark felt the warmth from Bart’s hand sink through his pink polo shirt into his skin. “Shot down,” he said. “The flower shop was her dream … if we make it a comic book shop then I’m killing her dream … “
“But you deserve to be happy, too,” Bart murmured, squeezing Clark’s shoulder.
“I … I thought I was,” Clark admitted, his shoulders sagging as if they carried the weight of the world.
Bart leaned in just a bit, trying to keep his breathing under control. “But you’re not?” he murmured softly.
Clark’s shoulder jerked just a bit as he felt Bart’s hot breath on his ear and shifted away slightly, his cheeks pink. “It’s becoming obvious that I’m not,” he murmured.
“So … make a change,” Bart said, jumping off the counter and giving Clark a bit of space. “Shake things up a bit.” He ran a hand through his hair, tossing the curls off his forehead. “I better jet … want a taco from Cabo?” He tossed a wink over his shoulder as he headed for the back door.
“Bart,” Clark said warningly. “Be careful.”
“Always,” Bart said. A blast of air later and Bart was gone, the back door swinging.
“Shake things up,” Clark whispered to himself. “Right.”
***
Clark wiped his hands on his apron as he put the finishing touches on dinner. He felt as though things between him and Lana had become a bit … tense. The dinner was his way of trying to reignite the spark between them.
He lit the last of the candles and set the plates out on the table. Pot roast, mashed potatoes and homemade rolls; his home economics lessons and days with his mom cooking had paid off after he got married. Lana couldn’t cook, so Clark had taken up the mantle of house chef.
“Thanks, Mom,” Clark whispered as he went to the stereo and put some music on. He kept it low, so as not to distract from anything. He straightened his shoulders, adjusted his white linen shirt, and surveyed the scene before him. Pink roses on the table, plenty of candles, home cooked meal and some music to set the scene. “Please let this work,” Clark said to himself.
He heard the key in the door and moved towards the center of the living room, waiting a bit impatiently.
“Clark, sweetie pie?” Lana called as she stepped inside. “Everything okay? The shop was … closed.” Lana stopped just inside the door and stared.
“I missed you today,” Clark said with a smile. He realized he was still wearing his apron and quickly tugged it off. “I thought you’d like a home cooked meal.”
“Oh sweetie,” Lana said, setting her purse down and crossing the room. She cupped Clark’s cheeks and kissed his forehead gently. “That is so sweet.”
Clark moved her hands, leaning down and kissing her gently on the lips. “Come sit down,” he said. “Pot roast.”
“Pot roast,” Lana repeated. “Oh honey … you know I don’t eat a lot of red meat … I’m watching my weight.”
“One small slice won’t hurt,” Clark said. “And … I know a great way to work it off.” He gave his wife a wink and another soft kiss on the lips.
Lana gave an almost strained smile. “Maybe one piece,” she mumbled. “A very … very small piece.”
Clark bit back his sigh and nodded, leading Lana over to the table. He fixed her a small piece of pot roast and sides, sitting across from her and giving her a loving smile. In Clark’s mind, the night and the mood had been ruined.
‘What is going on between the two of us?’ Clark thought a couple hours later as he washed the dishes. Lana had gone to bed pleading a headache, leaving Clark to clean up. He dropped dishes in the sink, a bit carelessly, rubbing the dishes vigorously, staring out the window above the sink. He could see the lights on in the Talon, could hear the high school kids laughing and chatting.
‘I remember when we used to be like that, Clark thought wistfully. When our lives seemed so much simpler.’ He put the dishes in the rack and wiped his hands on a dishtowel, turning to look at their small apartment.
“When did it change?” he whispered.
Back in the bedroom, Lana tried to sleep, her hand pillowed under her head as she stared at the wall.
‘I love him … at least I think I love him,’ she thought to herself. ‘But … something changed.’
Lana rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling, sighing softly. In the back of her mind, she wondered why she didn’t feel any guilt … ‘Shouldn’t I feel bad? I’m cheating on my husband … I should feel bad.’
But she didn’t. She didn’t feel one inkling of guilt. She’d been seeing Oliver Queen, head of Queen Industries … he treated her like she was a … well, a queen.
Clark was sweet … her high school love. But Lana knew that Clark wasn’t the boy she’d loved in high school. He was sweet and kind and gentle, and yet …
She heard the door creak open and quickly shut her eyes, rolling back on to her side. She could hear her husband putter around the bedroom, leaving the lights off to keep her from waking up. The bed creaked and shifted as Clark climbed in to bed next to her.
“Good night, Lana,” Clark whispered, kissing her cheek.
Lana gave a non-committal sigh and mumble, pretending to be mostly asleep. She heard Clark sigh and shift again, making the bed shake and mentally breathed a sigh of relief.
‘I love my husband … right? Then why aren’t I happy with him?’ Those were Lana’s last thoughts before sleep overtook her.
***
Lex swallowed back a nervous sigh as approached the flower shop, where he could see Clark puttering around behind the counter. “You are asking him for coffee,” Lex muttered to himself. “This is easier than a boardroom takeover … I can do this.” He was making a move, testing the waters so to speak. He knew that Mrs. Kent was gone for the week, so … he was asking Clark out to a Sunday afternoon coffee.
Clark glanced up when he heard the bell over the door. He smiled when he saw Lex wander inside. “Lex,” he said. “What can I do for you? Do you want to add to your order this week? You could have just called … “
“Actually,” Lex said with a smile. “I was wondering if you wanted to take an early lunch and go have some coffee with me.”
“C-c-coffee?” Clark said, eyes a bit wide.
“You do drink coffee, right?” Lex asked, eyes twinkling a bit. He couldn’t believe how … at ease he felt when talking to Clark.
“Um … yeah, I do,” Clark replied. “But the shop … “
“I’m sure the populace doesn’t expect you to remain open all day,” Lex said. “You’re running the shop by yourself … you do need to eat, right?”
“Very true,” Clark admitted. “Sure, I’ll have coffee with you … and maybe some pie?”
“I think we can manage pie,” Lex replied.
“Just let me close up and then … we can go,” Clark said, his cheeks a bit pink.
“Take your time,” Lex murmured, leaning against the doorjamb.
Clark wandered around the shop, making sure cases were closed, closing the blinds. He wandered to the back to make sure the back door was locked before heading to the front door. “Let me just put the sign up and then we can go,” he said, a simple sign hanging from his fingers.
Lex smiled and nodded. He exited the shop, and waited near his car for Clark to shut and lock the front door, a bright pink sign hanging from the door knob.
“Shall we?” Lex asked.
“Sure,” Clark said, giving Lex a smile before wandering in the direction of the Talon.
Lex followed, hands in his pockets. He was trying desperately to keep the façade going that he was completely confident when in reality he was a mass of nerves.
He knew that the media loved to play up whenever he took a woman to some society function, and his father had paid them quite a bit of money to keep his same-sex indiscretions from his younger days out of the press. If he and Clark somehow managed to actually have a relationship … if he didn’t scare Clark off … he was not going to hide it. He’d hid for too long, trying to make his father happy, make the press happy, make his board happy.
“Time to live for me,” Lex murmured.
“What? Did you say something?” Clark asked, looking over at Lex just as they reached the Talon.
“Nothing,” Lex replied with a smile. He maneuvered himself in front of Clark, pulling the door open for the younger man. “After you.”
“Thanks,” Clark said. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he entered the Talon and headed for the counter.
Lex followed, dusting a bit of dirt off his coat. He could feel the curious stares of the patrons as he approached the counter and waited next to Clark.
“Hey Kelli, can I get a double dark chocolate moccachino with whipped cream and a slice of apple pie?” Clark said.
“Of course,” Kelli said with grin. “Coming right up.”
“Got a bit of a sweet tooth?” Lex asked with a teasing grin.
Clark blushed bright red and ducked his head a bit. “A bit,” he said. “Lana doesn’t like a lot of junk food in the house … she’s always watching her weight.”
“Ah,” Lex said. He smiled over at Kelli and placed his order. “Coffee, black and a piece of cherry pie, please.”
“I see you go for the caffeine instead of the sugar,” Clark said with a smile.
“I’ve been told I should just get a coffee IV, but … I’d miss the taste,” Lex replied with a smile.
Clark laughed and shook his head. “Plus, an IV would be so cumbersome, getting tangled on everything,” he said.
“Precisely,” Lex agreed, his eyes twinkling. “I’ll stick with my cups of coffee.”
Clark laughed again, and Lex’s breath caught in his throat. Clark was so beautiful when he laughed, when he smiled.
“So, don’t you have work or something?” Clark asked as they moved to a table near the windows.
“I’m my own boss,” Lex said with an almost haughty smile. “I can take my lunch break whenever I want … hell I could take the whole day off if I wanted.”
“Very true,” Clark replied. “But aren’t you afraid that your company could spontaneously combust while you’re gone?”
“Everyone’s too scared of me to let that happen,” Lex said with a wink.
“I’m not scared of you,” Clark said softly.
“You’re the exception,” Lex replied with a sensual smile.
Clark felt his cheeks get warm and knew he was blushing. Lex had this way of looking at him like he was … a piece of pie covered in whipped cream. Lana never looked at him like that … he kind of liked it.
Their waitress brought over their orders and Lex immediately dug into his pie. “My cook does not make pies like this,” he said.
“My mom sells her pies here,” Clark said. “It’s a little extra money for the farm.”
“They’re delicious,” Lex said.
Clark nodded his agreement as he ate a large bite of his pie. “I lived off these for years,” he said.
“You lived off sugar for years? Where do you put it all?” Lex asked, looking around the table at Clark’s frame.
Clark swallowed his bite of pie and took a sip of coffee. “My mom used to say I had a hollow leg,” he said with a smile.
“You’d have to,” Lex replied with a grin.
Clark blushed a bit and looked down at his pie. “Why are you being so nice to me?” he asked.
“What do you mean?” Lex asked.
“I mean,” Clark said. “You’re Lex Luthor, Prince of Metropolis. You could have gone anywhere to start your newest factory, yet you came here.”
“Small towns are the best places,” Lex reasoned. “Build the economy, give people jobs.”
“And … being nice to me? What’s that all about?” Clark asked. He wasn’t trying to be mean … he just didn’t want to get invested in a friendship if Lex was just going to leave.
Lex sighed a bit and sipped his coffee. “The Prince of Metropolis,” he mused. “God, how I hate that term. Being the son of Lionel Luthor certainly has it’s drawbacks. Sure, I had everything I could ever dream of growing up except for the one thing I really wanted; friends. Oh sure, I had people hanging on my every word, inviting me to parties, but it didn’t mean a damn thing. For them, it was a chance to be seen with Lex Luthor.”
Clark blushed and looked deeply embarrassed.
Lex reached over and pat his hand. “I’ve gotten past it, I promise,” he said. “My life has always been a photo op … I want a real friend. Someone who calls me on my bull and will see the Warrior Angel movie with me when it comes out and …”
Clark grinned a bit and squeezed Lex’s hand. “I’m sorry your childhood was shit,” he said, his eyes twinkling. “And … I’m sorry I was an ass.”
“Apology accepted,” Lex replied with a wink. “So … friends?”
“Friends,” Clark said softly.
***
“You’ve really never had a movie marathon night?” Clark asked as he collapsed on the couch in Lex’s entertainment room.
“I’ve really never had a movie marathon night,” Lex replied with a smile. “Remember our conversation in the Talon?”
“Right,” Clark said with a smile, setting the popcorn, candy and drinks on the coffee table.
“And this … ritual involves copious amounts of sugar and carbonated beverages?” Lex asked, eyeing Clark’s purchases dubiously.
“Well, yeah,” Clark said, kicking off his shoes and tucking his sock clad feet under his thighs.
“Interesting,” Lex replied, using a multitude of controls to get everything set up for their movie night.
“Come on, it’ll be fun,” Clark said. “You have to experience a movie marathon … especially 80’s teen movies.”
“I don’t recall ‘80’s teen’ being a genre of movie,” Lex said.
“Sixteen Candles, the Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Pretty in Pink, Dirty Dancing,” Clark said. “Okay, Dirty Dancing isn’t so much a teen movie, but it’s definitely a must see.”
“As long as you don’t mind going to see a couple foreign films with me sometime in the near future,” Lex said with a smile.
“I like foreign films,” Clark said. “Lana never goes with me, though … she doesn’t like the subtitles.”
Lex nodded his understanding as he leaned forward and took a soda. “Foreign films aren’t for everyone,” he said, popping the soda open. He normally didn’t drink carbonated beverages, preferring coffee or water over anything else, unless he wanted something harder.
“She thinks foreign films are … weird,” Clark said with a shrug.
Lex shrugged as well, settling back against the cushions as the first film started. The music was horrendous and as the movie continued, Lex found the acting even more horrific. But all he had to do was look over at Clark, see the look on his friend’s face. If all it took was some cheesy movies to put that smile on his face, then Lex would sit through every cheesy movie ever made.
By the time they made it to the last movie, Clark was fast asleep on the couch, head resting on the armrest, hands tucked under his chin. ‘Fuck, he’s adorable like that,’ he thought to himself. He dimmed the lights and covered Clark with a dark purple chenille throw that decorated the back of the couch.
“Sleep well, Clark,” Lex whispered, pressing a soft kiss to Clark’s forehead before heading up to his room.
Part 2 is here!!
