Much thanks to my Betas: WileyKit, Minders, GilesWench, and Shawn. Any errors remaining are mine.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Superman, WB, DC Comics, or these characters. Pity.

"Clark, man, where've you been? You needed to be on the bus this morning."

"Why, still behind on your biology homework?"

"I caught up in that class weeks ago, and you know it. Look, a bunch of the guys were talking about you and Lex and something about breaking Joey Tate's hand."

"Joey broke his own hand."

"Really. How'd he do that?"

"He tried to sucker punch Lex. I blocked it."

"You don't mean any of this stuff is true. I've known you since first grade. You liked girls before I did."

"And I wasn't the one playing with Barbies."

"Hey, she was just a date for G.I. Joe. A little R&R."

"Pete, you were seven. You didn't know about that kind of R&R, in spite of your older brothers."

"You're changing the subject. You and Lex."

"Yes."

"Yes, what."

"Yes, we went out on Friday night. Yes, we went to Metropolis together on Saturday."

"Hell we've gone out on a Friday night. And the only reason we haven't been to Metropolis together is that you've only had your driver's license two weeks."

"End of the summer for your license, Pete.

"Which really sucks, especially if Chloe gets that Planet job."

"Hi Clark."

"Lex"

"Did your mom pack extra this week or am I just forgetting how much I order?"

"Mom thinks you look too pale. Not enough vegetables and manual labor."

Lex looked Clark over appreciatively. "You could certainly be the poster boy for that. Got a minute?"

"You're my last delivery."

They walked up to Lex's office and grabbed bottles of water. "I just wanted to see how school went for you today."

"Nothing I couldn't handle."

"But there were things to handle."

"Yeah. Pete'll take a few days. I managed to confuse him in the morning, but at lunch I had to stop tap dancing. He'll come 'round though. Chloe's hurt, but may have a new boyfriend."

"Jealous?"

"A little. I don't know if it'd bother me less if I liked the guy, but there's something really nasty about him."

"Sure you're not just kicking yourself for missing out?"

"I'm doing that too. This is different. He feels creepy, somehow. But the best part of the day was when my Ancient Civilizations teacher decided to improve our vocabularies. First word on the list was 'catamite,' and I'm the one he picked to define it."

"That's harassment."

"Yep."

"You reported it, right?"

"No."

"Clark, you don't have to put up with it."

"Lex, I've always been below the radar. I'm geeky but I've never had the persecution that some of the other kids got. School's out in a month, and I can handle it until then."

"So, next year she gets to pull it on some kid who can't handle it. And how many has she pulled it on before you?"

"He."

"What?"

"Mr. Walker teaches Freshman Social Studies. It's just coincidence that this semester was ancient civilizations."

"He then. It's still wrong."

"Chloe plans to run an editorial. One that she's promised to keep general. It'll come to Mr. Kwan's attention."

"Clark, why aren't you standing up for yourself? I don't get it."

"Let it lie."

"Clark."

"Because I'm only 16, and you could go to jail just for suggesting that I go to Metropolis and get a blowjob or worse for kissing me. And it will be you who goes to jail, because I'm that nice, sweet Clark Kent who may be a little funny, but has always been a good boy and you're that horrible Lex Luthor, an older man with sophisticated and ungodly city ways. It won't matter what I wanted or suggested. It won't matter that you've never been anything but a good friend to me. So, I handle an idiot teacher. I let Whitney run interference for me when several of the jocks wanted to pound the crap out of me today." Clark smiled ruefully, "Besides, you'd have to buy me a lot more than Go tiles and an Indian dinner to be 'keeping' me. Therefore I'm not a catamite."

"I think you're the first person who's ever tried to protect me. Without getting paid for it."

"Hey, don't underestimate the power of Byzantine Chess."

"This jealousy thing with Chloe, though. Clark, would you like to pursue that?"

"She has someone. I think he's a creep, but as long as she's kissing him in the Torch, she's taken."

"If he's really that bad, she won't be taken long. Chloe's a smart girl. What I'm trying to say is, ask her to the formal."

"But, Lex..."

"I'm not saying use her as a beard. And never lie to her, that girl scares me. But you don't know that you prefer guys. And I don't want you to look at me at the end of the summer and think that you missed out with Chloe and your reputation's ruined all because your hormones got out of hand on a mock date with me."

"My hormones got out of hand. Lex, I know that we're just starting to date and all, but do you really think I could face the pressure from school and my dad if it was just hormones?"

"Bad choice of words."

"Yeah."

"However, I know that I'm a bisexual. I tend to be easier with women than I am with men, but that's probably got as much to do with AIDS and social conformity as any strong preference. You don't know. You've never done any of the things that I managed to be jaded about by the time I was 17, so you can't know.

"Chloe likes you enough to be honest with you. If she can't handle it, she'll tell you. You still won't have a date for the formal, but at least you'll have cleared the air with her a bit."

They were back by the little lake watching the moon rise after their third date. Lex was really beginning to see the appeal of cars with back seats. Sweet touching and all the ache of heavy petting lay between them. Clark had attended two funerals that week, and Lex thought the best moment in his life had come when Clark smiled for the first time in days after they kissed.

The conversation earlier had been a little rough. It had taken Clark a little time, but he'd thought about Lex's suggestion and, now that Justin was off the scene he'd told Lex that he was going to ask Chloe to the formal.

But for right now, their bodies were rubbing against each other through, in Lex's mind at least, far too many clothes. Still, he was stunned when Clark pushed him off.

"I'm sorry, Lex. I just can't."

"Can't what?"

"I was, um, close. And I just can't."

"Well, if you're close, I can make sure you do."

"No!"

"Sorry, Clark. I misunderstood. Explain it to me."

"It felt really good. I felt really good, but...I'm not ready to, to, to come in front of someone else."

Lex thought a moment. "I get it. Really. Sometimes it's easier to bring someone else off than to, what am I trying to say? uh, show your vulnerability."

"Yeah. I just feel like I'm transparent or something when I get to that point. And suddenly, when I knew I was about to in front of you..."

"You had to stop."

"I feel like a kid."

"Trust me. You're not. Well, technically you are, but not many people know themselves enough to say stop. Or to know why they do when they do. So you're not."

"Are you angry?"

"No. Frustrated, but only in the literal sense." Lex gave one of his half-smiles. "Clark, it's all right. I made friends with my left hand a long time ago. And if I want to pretend that it's someone else, I can always use my right."

Clark blushed. "It never occurred to me. You know that someone who's left handed would even jer-um-masturbate left handed. Cool."

Lex put his arms around Clark and laughed. "Yeah, I get that too."

They began kissing again. Slow, lingering kisses, soft and exploratory. "Clark, this is why all those elaborate rules Lana was telling me exist. So you don't feel like you're doing too much too soon.

"I have a proposition." Lex caught the slight smirk on Clark's face. "Not that kind. Well, not exactly." He kissed Clark hard for a moment and was pleased at the response when he pulled away. "My proposition. This -- what we're doing right now -- is the line. I won't try to push you any further, and I won't let you push me any further. Date Chloe, do whatever you like, and she likes, with her."

"And this is all we have? Not that it's not a lot. It's all I can handle right now, but I think I'll want more at some point."

"I know you will. If you decide you want to be exclusive with Chloe, tell me. Otherwise, I'll wait. Until you ask me to, I can't believe I'm saying this, go steady. By the way, for me that doesn't mean exclusively with me. If you're with Chloe, or perhaps another girl, it won't bother me. Well, not too much. Another guy would. Because this is my first time trying this kind of relationship."

"What if I take a long time to decide?"

"I'll let you know, if I think I need to move on. And, until you ask me, I won't be just sitting around waiting for you. We'll date. Play Go or Chess together. Talk. But when I'm out of town, or you're out with Chloe, I'll see -- and sleep with -- whomever I wish. If you decide that I'm your only guy -- " Lex shook his head a little and smiled, "I sound like a bad pop song -- then I'll be as exclusive with you as you are with me."

"And that's when I get to find out about your recent sexual history, right?"

"No names. I mean you already know Victoria, but..."

"Yeah, I just meant blood work and stuff. I wouldn't want to know more anyway. I think I'd be jealous.

"Are you sure you're OK with me and Chloe?"

"Is she OK with you and me?"

"I was surprised. She understood that I needed to figure myself out. She's jealous of Lana, though she really doesn't need to be, and maybe a little jealous of the time I spend with you."

"Technically, that's envy."

"What?"

"Different deadly sin." He leaned in for a kiss. It was just getting to the good part when his watch alarm sounded.

"Clark, What I said about Lana, not putting her ahead of me...it's the same with Lex."

"What?"

"The dance on Saturday. Not making time to be with Lana at my expense... Does any of this sound familiar?"

"Yes, but you said that you could handle my dating Lex too. 'As long as you're honest, and we can talk.' That's what you said."

"I know, Clark. This is the talking. And the honesty. What I mean is, when you're with me, stay with me. Mentally. You've been zoned out over that Sports page layout for ten minutes. Ever since Pete said he was glad you weren't spending as much time with Lex."

"This isn't a date, is it? I mean I know I can be pretty clueless, but I thought I was just helping with the Torch. Like I always do."

"Always." Chloe gave a delicate snort, "And that's why I can think about what you're doing and what caused it and talk to you about it and -- well, I'm a little hurt, but I know that I shouldn't be, so..."

"No, Chloe. You're right. I have a tendency to think about other things than what I'm doing and who I'm with. Even if we weren't dating," Chloe's blushing smile echoed his, "it would still be rude of me. I'm sorry."

"So don't do it again. And hurry up with that layout."

"They say the coma's irreversible."

"Oh, Jonathan."

"I, I wanted to kill him. But you have to believe me, it was the tornado. I hadn't caught up to him. He was unconscious when I got there."

"I know, Clark's pod tracked you. I could see what was going on, with both of you. I don't know how. But, Jonathan, you do know that I'd believe you anyway? You're a good man. You wouldn't lie."

"But you think I'd kill."

"To protect our family? Of course you would. I'm capable of it. But you'd have gone to the police and admitted it, not tried to hide it. Now, let's change the subject."

"We never had a real honeymoon, did we?"

"The first year of our marriage sure felt like one to me."

Jonathan's smile answered Martha's. "I know we're low on cash, but the Organic Grower's Conference is in Coronado this year. There are some pretty important questions being discussed and some even more important political people attending. We could take an extra day at the end of it, come in the night before..."

"Have some time to ourselves? What about Clark? After the last time we left him alone on the farm, I think he'll be careful. But how do you feel about it?"

"We'll check in with him every day."

"Can we afford it?"

"We'll find a way."

"This one's on the house." Chloe looked up at the sound of Lana's voice. "Well, if you don't mind my sitting with you while I'm on break."

"Sure, have a seat. You know, after your inauspicious Beanery beginnings, you're really doing well with this. I kind of underestimated you."

Lana wrinkled her nose a little. "This isn't what I want to spend the rest of my life doing, but I'm glad that I'm doing it. If that makes any sense."

"Yeah. A lot." Chloe stared at her double espresso.

"Forgive him."

"What?"

"He invited me to a Radiohead concert and left me at the Beanery to rescue you. When I could see through that creepy deputy's eyes, he sped off to get you out of a coffin. So he left the dance to get me out of my own stupidity, and helped quite a few other people besides; it's what makes him Clark."

"If it were Whitney, would you?"

Lana looked off into the middle distance for a moment. "I don't know. But I should have forgiven Clark. It's who he is."

Chloe nodded.

"May I join you ladies?"

"I have to go back on shift, Lex." He gave Lana a nod as she left, then turned back to Chloe.

"Sure, Lex. How's your father? Heck, how's my father? I haven't seen much of him lately."

"I'm sorry about that. Gabe's good, and the extra hours should stop mid-July. That's when the final paperwork has to be in to the Feds."

"I'll be in Metropolis for a lot of the time this summer, but that sounds good. And I know Dad's working like a dog because he sees a better future with LexCorp than he ever did with LuthorCorp."

"Thanks. To answer your first question -- I'm assuming this is off the record?"

"I don't start with the Planet until next week. Last day of class tomorrow."

"Congratulations. They expect he'll be able to walk again. Probably on two canes by Christmas, a single cane by Easter. It'll probably be for the rest of his life though."

"And his brain, I heard that there'd been a small stroke?"

"From blood loss. Apparently I shouldn't have moved the beam that was pinning him. But his brain's fine. They haven't been able to track any cognitive diminishment. Chloe, I don't know who gave you the stroke story. And if you don't tell me, I won't have to do anything about it, but it's true. And the fact that he's fine is also true."

Lana handed Lex his usual skim milk latte and wandered back off. "Chloe, I heard what Lana was saying when I walked in."

"Really."

"Do what you want to, what you're comfortable with, but I agree with her. Running off and rescuing people is just Clark. If you care about him, let it go."

"Am I conceding the field too easily? Do you prefer to work for your conquests?"

"Chloe, I..."

"Sorry. I can handle the fact that he's dating you, because I'm pretty sure Clark's straight. It's the fact that he left me all alone at the dance to go after Lana. She'll always come first, you know?"

"No, I don't. As a matter of fact, I think that Clark really likes her as a friend for the first time in his life. The attraction isn't there any more, though. For what it's worth, I think he's probably more straight than gay too."

"But you really like him, so you'll let him practice on you?"

"Not exactly. A little, maybe. I want him to be happy. Clark's happy around you. He asked me out so that he'd have the confidence to ask you out. Chloe, there's probably no one he cares about more than you."

"Will you still date him?"

"Yes. For the rest of the summer, as long as he's interested at least. At that point, I guess we'll all be making some decisions."

"I've loved him for a long time."

"I know, but I'm not bowing out. This is the first time in a long time that I've liked someone else enough to try dating."

"OK. Here's the deal. I have a really weird schedule with the Planet. All the interns do. So, if I have a day off, my plans with Clark take precedence."

Lex looked at her for a long minute. "Putting LexCorp together's going to take me out of town and probably out of the country. I'll agree to your suggestion with one caveat: if Clark and I haven't seen each other for over a week because of my travel schedule, I get the priority for his next free day."

"Fair enough. What happens if he really is bisexual? If he wants to keep going with both of us?"

"Then, if you can handle it, you and I have more talks like this. We'll have to establish our own relationship and boundaries separate from Clark."

"Can you do it?"

"I won't know until the time comes. You?"

"I hope so. Lex, you will stay his friend even if you two break up, won't you? Because I don't think he'd want to lose that."

"Yes. The friendship will stay. What about you, Chloe?"

"It'll hurt, but I think I can do it."

Lex patted her hand. "Good girl. Chloe? Don't let him hurt you. I want Clark to be happy, but never at your expense."

Chloe smiled brightly and was a little surprised to feel the prick of tears. "Thanks, Lex. I'll look out for myself."

He left his money on the table and got up to leave when she said, "You too, right?"

Lex met her eyes. "Right."