SquidgeWorld Archive

The Cellar
by Marag

Clark walked into the bedroom, just in time to narrowly miss being hit with what appeared to be a rolled up LeXcorp report.

"You fucking son of a bitch."

"Hi Lex... uh, how was your day?"

"Three fucking days Kent - three days we were stuck in there and you never bothered to tell me the truth."

"Okay. Lex, can we pretend that I don't have a clue what you're talking about and start over?"

"The wine cellar Clark."

"We live in an apartment Lex, we don't have a wine cellar."

"At, the fucking, Castle."

"Yes, we have a wine cellar at the castle - I have some very pleasant memories of.... oh, that wine cellar."

"Yes Clark, *that* wine cellar. The one we spent trapped in for three days because you didn't want to tell me your big secret."

"It was more than that..."

"uh huh. I remember, the last time we had this chat - when I asked you why you couldn't trust me enough to get us the hell out of there and you gave me a song and dance about meteorites..."

"The walls were..."

"Clark, the papers you just dodged are a report from the contractor renovating the Castle for us. Guess what he found... or rather, guess what he didn't find?"

"Uh, meteor rocks?"

"Right, meteor rocks. Kryptonite. As in, He. Found. None. Nada, not a shard of the shit.

"Oh. Uh, I guess I was wrong?"

"You guess? Three days Clark, three days trapped in the wine cellar with nothing to eat or drink except wine and somebody's forgotten lunch leftovers, and you could have gotten us out of there any time."

"uh..."

"You know what I went through. I thought we were going to die!"

"Lex? Why are you so upset? That weekend is one of the highlights of my life?"

"It wasn't real."

"What the hell are you talking about? Of course it was real."

"Why did you lie about the Kryptonite?"

"Lex..."

"No. Tell me. Why did you lie? We made love Clark, you gave yourself to me, and it was all a lie."

"You can't mean that? You can't believe that."

"What the hell am I supposed to believe? I fell in love with you. I was scared and you were so strong and you didn't panic... of course you didn't panic, all you had to do was wait till I fell asleep, or get me drunk and we were home free."

"Oh Lex."

"Don't 'oh Lex' me. What is it going to take Clark? What do I have to do? How many years together before you finally trust me?"

"How can you believe that? I trust you with everything?"

"Do you?"

"You know I do."

"I don't know anything!"

"You know that I love you!"

"Then stop lying to me!"

Clark sighed. "Lex can we start this conversation over? It's been a hell of a long day and all I've wanted to do for the last few hours is get home and seduce you."

"I... Damnit."

"Lex?"

"I'm sorry."

"I'll accept your apology if you tell me what the hell that was all about?"

"I.... I'm not even sure I know. I saw the report and I just..."

"Lost your mind?"

Lex had the grace to look sheepish; "I guess that's a good description."

"And..."

"And before I saw the report... I'd had long conversations with both our fathers."

"Ah, the fog clears. Lionel gave you his usual crap, and my father no doubt felt the need to remind you how badly you've corrupted me."

"Your father was actually very nice. He wanted to know if we would join them for a quiet dinner next week - our anniversary. Except of course it's not the real anniversary. Or maybe it is... who knows?"

Clark sighed again, then spun; and Superman was standing before Lex. "Come here."

Lex ignored him.

He opened his arms "Lex, come here."

Lex raised an eyebrow, but stood and walked into Superman's waiting arms. "Are we going somewhere?"

"Yeah, home."

^^^^

The bridge hadn't really changed.

Clark sometimes wondered if Lex had anything to do with that. LexCorp was still the number one employer in Smallville, but it had grown. There was now a Wal-Mart and a Costco and a Best Buy... but no Starbucks.

People shopped at the big box stores, but they still watched old movies and bought their overpriced cappuccino at the Talon.

The population of Smallville was now close to 180,000, but downtown looked the same as it did when Clark graduated high school.

Not bad for a man who claimed he didn't have a sentimental bone in his body.

Superman landed them on the bank. Lex didn't need landmarks to know that they were standing on the very spot where Clark brought him back from the dead.

A flash, and Lex found himself standing beside Clark. Lex looked at him, but didn't say anything. This was Clark's show. Besides, he'd already made something of an idiot of himself already.

"Do you remember the day we hid under the bridge and fooled around like a pair of virginal teenagers?"

"Pushing thirty and I came in my pants like a fifteen year old not a moment I'm likely to forget."

"When you hit me I didn't know I wasn't human."

Lex blinked at the non-sequitur . "What?"

"I knew I was faster, and stronger, but I just thought I was a mutant like the others that kept showing up. My parents had always been extra cautious, but I never knew why."

"You never told me... they never told you? How did they explain your abilities?"

"I knew I was adopted, the entire town knew that, but until you hit me and I didn't die... When I got home I confronted my dad I stuck my arm in the wood chipper."

"You... fuck. I bet your mom loved that."

"That's when they told me."

"No wonder you were so confused. Did you react better to the news than I did?"

Clark snorted "No."

"I wasn't much help was I? I saw it as a miracle, and I just kept pushing. I'd say I was sorry, but I can't be sorry for the results."

Clark didn't answer him, but he did wrap an arm around him. Forgiveness in a simple gesture.

"Some day we'll bring our grand-children here, tell them about Smallville and the castle and the meteor shower, and..."

"And the maniac in the Porsche?"

Clark smiled "Especially him."

They stood quietly and watched the moonlight reflect off the river.

"Lex what do you remember of the shower?"

"Flashes. It's like I was at a party that I was too drunk to remember, but then someone shows me a photograph and I remember the emotions... Does that make any sense?"

"We met that day. I don't remember, but I feel it."

"Fate?"

"Maybe." Clark took Lex into his arms. "Hang on."

^^^^^^^^^

The Castle hadn't changed much either... but then again do Castles ever?

Clark led the way to the basement, Lex following quietly.

"Are they done working?"

"Yes. That was the final report; I wanted to make sure that any Kryptonite was handled properly."

"Oh. Thank you."

"Right," Lex snorted. "So why are we here?"

"Because it's time I told you the truth."

^^^^^^^^^^^

"I almost told you a dozen times."

Lex watched quietly as Clark wandered around the cellar. The thing was huge; Lionel never did anything half way and his wine collection was no exception. The place had maybe five thousand carefully stored bottles.

"The day I came over to return the truck, and you started asking questions. I almost told you. I wanted to, but I couldn't."

"Clark we don't need to do this."

"When we were locked in here I wanted to tell you ...I needed to tell you."

"So why didn't you? We were friends, we were all grown up, I'd finally gotten my father the hell out of the place..."

"I already loved you."

Lex contained a sigh. "I don't understand."

"I know. It was a long time before I understood myself."

Clark gently slid a bottle of wine out of a slot. "Have I ever told you how adorable you are when drunk?"

"Adorable? No, I can honestly say that is not a word you've ever used to describe me."

"Sure I have, just not to your face."

Lex relaxed slightly; if his lover could still tease him, then things would be alright. "I may have to start paying closer attention."

Clark chuckled and replaced the wine, carefully choosing another. "You were half way through the third bottle when you confessed you loved me, but that you were far to chicken to ever seduce me."

"Chicken?"

"Chicken - you even clucked."

"I'm really glad I don't remember that, but I probably figured you were as drunk as I was... why weren't you?"

"Confession number one. Lex, I can't get drunk. Never, not even tipsy."

"Can't... Hold on, the Christmas party, two years ago...?"

"Sober as a judge."

"I think I'm embarrassed."

"Don't be; I have very, very fond memories of that night. You were amazing."

"So you let me get drunk..."

"I thought if you passed out, I could open the door, carry you off to bed and give you a story about a worker forgetting his lunch. You were very good at being wilfully blind."

"No, I wasn't. But by that point I loved you too much to risk you."

"I know. It's one of the main reasons my father now calls you 'friend'." Clark continued to check and replace bottles seemingly at random. "Then you told me you loved me."

"I really clucked?"

"Then you passed out."

"And woke up in your arms. I remember the next two days. I'll remember them the rest of my life. We were just lucky... oh."

"Confession number two. We weren't lucky. When you were out cold, I opened the door, went and got the lunchbox I 'found', filled it up with water and supplies, came back and resealed the door. I decided you were going to seduce me, so I made sure it happened. But there was no way I was going to risk you."

"So you set me up?"

"I set up the situation. I had knowledge you didn't, and manoeuvred you into seducing me."

"Why?"

"Simple. I knew you wanted me, but until you drank yourself into a stupor, I had assumed you simply wanted to fuck me."

"I did."

"Have we ever just fucked?"

"Touché."

"I almost told you after."

"Why didn't you?"

"Because of Pete."

"He already knew by then didn't he?"

"Yeah, and it changed him...changed us." Clark chose and discarded yet another bottle of wine. "Ah finally, here it is."

Lex took the bottle of wine Clark handed him. "What is this?"

"Look at it."

Lex brushed the dust off the bottle and read the label. Then he read it again. The third time he was sure his eyes weren't deceiving him. He looked at Clark, who was smiling at him all innocence.

He looked at the bottle of Boon's Farm and started to howl. "Oh my God when did you..."

"A few years ago. I wanted to know if your father ever actually came here."

"Wow."

"I needed to somehow acknowledge this place as ours." Clark gently took the bottle out of Lex's hand and replaced it on the rack. "You made such sweet love to me that night. You told me how much you loved me, and you showed me."

"We showed each other Clark. Never think I don't value that time, I do."

"Pete once made a joke about writing my owners manual."

Lex opened his arms. "Oh baby, I am so sorry I doubted you. I didn't understand; I thought it was only about trust."

"So you do understand? I couldn't tell you, not because I couldn't trust you, but because..."

"... That would have made it real."

Clark relaxed, "Then you do understand?"

Lex held on tight. "I shouldn't have doubted you; how could I forget the great Kent Guilt Complex. Shhh, I didn't mean it like that. I love you."

"Love you too. I just didn't think I could have survived if you couldn't handle sex with an Alien."

"I handled it just fine."

"Yeah but you didn't know then."

" -"

"Lex?"

"Uh..." Lex looked around the cellar. "So, since we're here..."

"Lex?"

Lex ignored the question and started nuzzling Clark's neck. "Hmmmm?"

"Is there.... feels good... something you'd like to mention, since we're clearing the air."

"No."

"Lex."

"Well, it's not like you're from around here! There are...differences."

"Differences?"

Lex licked Clark's Adams apple. "Yeah, differences, really, really good differences."

"What kind of mmmmppphhh."

The kiss left Clark breathless, but he still stopped Lex from unbuttoning his jeans. Pulling back slightly Clark looked down into his eyes. "You're joking? You really want to... here?"

Lex offered up a salacious grin; "Clark, when don't I want to?"

"I can have us home in ten minutes."

"Or," Lex offered, pushing Clark gently against the wall, and sinking gracefully to his knees, "we can just stay here."

Clark closed his eyes. "Wine cellars are under-rated."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Lex stroked the head nestled into his chest. "Have I ever told you how much I hate wine?"

Clark chuckled, the sound tickling Lex's stomach. "Once or twice."

"Don't mock me or I'll make you drink the Boon's"

"There's stuff in here that's a worse threat."

"I don't, want, to know. So, want to shower, get dressed and go see your parents since we're in the neighbourhood?"

"I'd rather shower, find one of the beds in this place and forget anyone outside the room exists."

"I've always loved how you think."

"Mmm hmm," Clark agreed as he stood and pulled Lex into his arms. "And you can demonstrate some of those... differences."

~~~~end~~~~~~