Part of Clex Fex Wave 10. My challenge: college/sports/as spectator--ugh! My first ClexFest story; hope you all enjoy.

First Quarter:

In spite of his alien origins, Clark always thought of himself as an all-American boy. Mom and apple pie played so much a part of his life he was a living clich. And football. Football always held a special place in Clark's heart. Just the sound of it on the television meant "home" to him; time spent watching games with his dad, Thanksgiving. Even though he was never allowed to play, the bittersweet memories of watching from the bleachers as the Crows slugged it out with other area high schools, a thermos of hot cider shared under the blanket, would bring a smile to his face.

And of course, it was during a football game that Clark finally admitted to himself he was gay.

Second Quarter:

DEFENSE! The crowd of college students and fans was on its feet, voicing their encouragement to the home team, and Clark's voice was one of the loudest. The students at Gotham University got discount tickets to all the football games so they could support their team, and Clark was happy to take advantage of the opportunity.

His parents had conceded that living in the dorms was not the best choice for Clark. Clark had experienced a final growth spurt his senior year of high school, growing both taller and quite a bid broader. It just didn't make sense for a man of his size to have to deal with sharing a tiny dorm room with a complete stranger, especially since, as an only child, it would have been a tremendous adjustment for him. Not to mention his continuing tendency to float at inopportune times. Therefore, his parents reluctantly agreed to accept Lex's offer to find Clark an off-campus apartment, with the proviso that Clark was to make an extra effort to get involved in campus life. So; football.

Clark was sitting in the special student area, along with a group of other freshmen. He was juggling a supersized root beer, an air horn, and specially numbered cards which had been placed in the seats for the students to create patterns in the crowd.

"Why did they have to name them the Gotham Bats, anyway?" said Hassan, sitting to one side of Clark.

"They used to call them the Mohawks, but had to come up with another name in the 70s when the Native Americans complained. Guess all the other animals were taken," Clark replied, with a shrug of his impressive shoulders.

"Who cares? Those little bat outfits the cheerleaders wear are hot! Oof!" Robert, the guy sitting on the other side of Clark, grunted, as his girlfriend elbowed him in the ribs. "Hey, you know you're hot too, baby. I was just saying . . . "

"Better quit while you're ahead, Bobby," Clark said as he let his eyes roam over the cheerleaders. The girls' purple and black costumes with the little bat ears were cute, no question. Clark frowned. Purple and black always reminded him of Lex. Clark sighed inwardly. Lex was overseas, and likely to remain there for the foreseeable future running interference for LutherCorp's international interests.

The coach of the opposing team called time out and the Bats' cheerleaders got to work stirring up the crowd. Clark's attention was again drawn to the cheerleaders. They went into a complicated routine, with the girls forming a pyramid high above the playing field, supported by the male cheerleaders on the bottom. Clark knew he'd have no problem bearing the weight of the pyramid; even so, he admired the guys' strength. The male cheerleaders had to be as fit as the football players themselves. Clark's eyes lingered on one of the cheerleaders, a handsome blond whose biceps bulged with the effort of being on the bottom of the formation.

I'd like to see him on the bottom of my formation, Clark thought, and then immediately heaved a big sigh. Look at the cheerleaders, Kent! The girl cheerleaders. Again, Clark looked at the girls, in their cute little skirts, and tight purple sweaters which bared their tummies and squeezed their breasts together. Then Clark looked out over the field, where the football players were formed up for a play. He allowed himself to gaze at the beefy athletes, the way their uniforms emphasized their wide shoulders, small waists, and muscular asses.

Clark's mind was suddenly taken back to the night before. One prime advantage to his small studio apartment was the amount of privacy it allowed him. He had developed the habit of walking around the apartment naked whenever he could. With the shades drawn, no one could see in, and it gave Clark a delicious thrill to be so wicked. So delicious in fact, that he always got a hard-on doing it. Last night he had sat in his chair, a rather dilapidated leather recliner, with a bottle of hand lotion, and stroked himself to a wonderful orgasm. But he hadn't been thinking of any nubile co-eds, oh no. The image in his brain as he came all over his hand so powerfully was the one thing that always got him off; the image of his best, and sexiest, friend. Lex.

The crowd surged to its feet as the Bats scored a touchdown, yanking Clark's attention back to the game. But it didn't stay there for long. Face it. Face it, Clark. You're gay.

Oh god, I'm gay. Now what do I do?

Third Quarter

After about a month of walking around in a kind of dazed panic, Clark decided to just get on with his life. After all, it wasn't the idea that he was attracted to guys that was new; he'd known that since puberty. But he'd gone through high school with so many other distractions that he just hadn't the time to spare any angst for that particular issue. He had tried to date, and of course there was his on-again, off-again relationship with Lana, but for the most part he contented himself during the four long years at Smallville High with hanging out as a group with his friends. He had developed a self-image as an awkward dork, partly due to his shyness and height, and partly as camouflage. College, however, was another story. Away from the distractions of Smallville and on his own, he became aware that people were, well, interested in him. That way. And it wasn't just girls. He started to notice looks that guys were giving him. Some of the time they were looks indicating guys were intimidated or envious because of his size. But other times, they reminded him of the way Lex used to look at him. Like steak on a plate. A thick, juicy steak.

One type of camouflage was as good as another, Clark supposed. Although maintaining his secret entailed a certain amount of misdirection, he was tired of his bumbling geek persona. So, following the maxim, if you can't beat `em, join `em, he began to respond to the overtures being made to him by some of the guys. Soon he was dating regularly, and had effectively come out as a gay man on campus. He joined the campus GLB&T organization; his parents wanted him to get involved in campus life, after all. His fashion sense improved marginally; at least his clothes were tighter. He started taking dance classes, which improved his coordination markedly and allowed him to exhibit his innate grace. He certainly wasn't flaming, but all in all he was satisfied with the image he presented and his sexuality.

Of course, there was one little problem. He hadn't told his parents. Or Lex. He decided to tackle the folks first, since he could tell them face to face.

"What do you mean, you're gay?!" Jonathan bellowed, his cry drowning out Martha's more subdued response.

"Thank you for telling us," Martha broke off and glared at her husband over the dinner table. The dinner plates had been cleared, and the three were sitting in the living room, lingering over some of Martha's cherry pie and coffee, and watching a Sunday night Sharks game.

Clark just sighed and played with his fork. "I mean, I'm gay. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, but I was just kinda figuring it out myself and, well, it's not easy to say."

"I'm sure it isn't, sweetie, but," Martha's tone took on a doubtful note, "are you sure? I mean, it could be just a phase, couldn't it?"

"Yes, just because you've had some thoughts, doesn't mean, you know," chimed in Jonathan.

"Is there anyone special, Clark?" his mother wanted to know.

"No!" Clark exclaimed quickly. "No. It's not like that. I'm not even dating that much. I'm involved in the campus gay and lesbian organization and I've made a lot of friends. Look, I'm sorry, guys. I know it's hard but, well, I couldn't ignore it any longer, and I just thought you should know."

Two down, one to go.

Dodging two guys who were making out in the doorway, Clark headed down the steps to his front lawn, emerging into the crisp autumn sunlight.

"Clark, darling, get your fine ass down here with those canaps," yelled one of the young men lounging around the BBQ set up on the sidewalk.

Clark didn't have canaps, of course, but he was rather laden down with chips, dip, and soda. Depositing his burden on the grass next to the guy flipping burgers, Clark chuckled, "I knew you were a sucker for canaps, Dean." Ignoring the oohs and aahs of the group, he continued, "but I'm strictly a chip and dip man." Snagging the mentioned items, he flopped down into a lawn chair. He surveyed the front yard of his apartment complex, which was currently hosting the student GLB&T group tailgate party for the big game against State. Football was in the air.

Donny, his next door neighbor, and president of the club, was parked in the chair next to Clark. He observed, "I thought you were more into champagne dreams and caviar wishes."

Annoyed, Clark responded, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't," Donny replied, smiling knowingly.

Clark flushed, remembering certain late night confessions regarding a particular "rich and famous" friend of his. Clark thought of Lex with an intense longing. Although they communicated by email regularly and phone infrequently, it just wasn't the same as being able to see him. Lex had been gone overseas so long Clark was beginning to despair of his return. And fear it. Because although he came out to his parents at the end of last year, he had never managed to broach the subject of his homosexuality directly with Lex. It just wasn't something that could be communicated by email, Clark felt, and although he'd hinted, teased, and made oblique references enough that he didn't think Lex would be exactly surprised, Clark had not actually found the right time to bring up the topic. Everything was made more complicated by the fact that Clark now realized that he was very much in love with his friend, and further complicated by the overwhelming need to tell Lex everything, including his alien origins, his part in the devastation and strangeness of Smallville, his abilities; the whole nine yards.

As always, the thought of seeing Lex exerted a powerful allure, and Clark frowned to himself, knowing that the situation was becoming critical. He'd stopped himself several times from impulsively flying over to Toyko or Singapore, or wherever Lex happened to be at the moment, and just spilling everything. Despite his active social life on campus, he was horny, and lonely, and missing his Lex.

He decided he had just enough time before it was time to pack up and leave for the game to compose an email to Lex. Just as he was getting up from his lounge chair, however, his phone rang. Digging the phone out of the pocket of his jeans, he answered, "Hello?"

"Hello, Clark, how are you?" came a familiar and much loved voice.

"Lex? I was just thinking about you!" Clark gushed, and immediately wished he hadn't. How dorky does that sound, he groaned to himself.

"Really," Lex purred. "How fortuitous. I've been thinking about you as well. Where are you?"

"At home. Well, outside of my building actually; we're tailgating for the game against State."

"Ah, that explains the congestion."

"What?" said Clark, confused. Just then, Clark noticed the people gathered at the end of the block looking down the street and pointing. Clark's heart started to pound nearly out of his invulnerable chest. "Lex," Clark began nervously, "where are you?"

"I believe I'm just turning down your street. I hope this is not an inconvenient time."

Clark looked around at his front lawn, with the large rainbow Campus GLB&T banner and thought, Oh shit! I am in so much trouble. Within a few moments, a sleek white limousine drew up in front of Clark's building and double parked. The driver got out and crossed to the passenger side, opening the door. Out came Lex, dressed in a long black designer coat. He leaned against the car and surveyed the lawn and its occupants. Quickly, his gaze fastened on Clark, and just like that, Clark felt his heart contract with joy, forgetting his secrets, forgetting everything but the beautiful man in front of him. And Clark didn't have to wait anymore.

Clark pounded down the walk to the limo. "Lex!" He scooped his friend up, ignoring his indignant (and undignified) squawk, and swung him around. "Lex! You're here!" Clark stopped swinging and put Lex down. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I came to visit you. You don't mind, I hope?" Lex actually looked a little flushed, a little hopeful himself.

"Mind? Are you crazy?" Clark couldn't stop grinning, even if in the back of his mind he knew they were putting on a show in front of half the gay population of Gotham U. "God, Lex, I've missed you so much!"

"Me too, Clark. I had to come into town to firm up a deal with Bruce, and I thought I'd surprise you." Lex looked over Clark's shoulder at the group of people gathered on the lawn, hot dogs and hamburgers forgotten in favor of the spectacle in front of them. His gazed took in the rather colorful group and the equally colorful banner, and said mildly, "Clark, would you like to introduce me to your friends?"

Clark winced. He wasn't deceived. He knew Lex too well, and knew that it was precisely this mild mannered demeanor which indicated something was bothering Lex. "Um, no?" Clark tried his cutest look, knowing Lex could never resist it. "But, um, maybe we could go up to my place. The game's not starting for two hours."

"Let's go."

Lex was silent on the way up, but as soon as they entered Clark's apartment (after dodging two more sets of guys making out in the hallways) Lex attacked. He threw off his coat with a gesture worthy of his father and advanced on Clark with a gleam in his eyes until Clark backed into the futon in his living area and fell on it with a grunt. "Anything you want to tell me?"

"Yeah, actually," Clark began, licking his lips nervously, but that was as far as he got. Fastening his gaze on Clark's lips, Lex swooped down and began to devour them, slipping his tongue inside and opening his jaw wide. Lex didn't let up, but straddled Clark on the futon and brought his hands up to Clark's head, carding through his hair.

Since all his fantasies now looked like they were coming true, Clark didn't protest, just started to kiss Lex back, murmuring whenever his mouth was free. When he pulled away to pull off Lex's sweater, he said, "I'm gay." Lex just moved his mouth down to Clark's chest and began to suck and bite the tender nubs he found there. When his mouth was free again and Clark was working on the fly of Lex's dress pants, Clark continued, "I wasn't born on this planet." Lex just lifted his hips so his pants could come off and shifted so he was lying under Clark. For a long while after that, Clark had no opportunity to say anything at all, communicating only with various groans and grunts and sighs, but when he had his wits and his breath back after that, he said, "I love you." When Lex tightened his arms around him, Clark thought, Well, whaddya know? Confession turns out to be pretty easy after all.

A couple of hours later, the two were lying in the gloom of the early evening, entwined together and sleepily sated. "Hey!" said Clark, sitting up partially and nudging his lover.

"Hmm?" replied, Lex, too relaxed to respond further.

Clark cocked his head as if he could hear something far away. "We won! 24 to 16. Go Bats!"

Lex just started laughing.

Fourth Quarter

". . . and the home of the brave." As the final strains of the pop star's rendition of the National Anthem echoed off the stadium, the crowd cheered. The energy was at an all- time high this year for Superbowl XLVIII, not only because of the football game about to take place, but because of the general optimism and outlook in the country. The crowd's roar became even wilder as their national hero swooped into the stadium, hovering in front of their new, charismatic President who was present to watch the game, then flying in a slow circle waving to the crowds.

Superman smiled benignly as he flew through the stadium and winked at Lex who stood in the Presidential box. God, he loved football!

End.