Life/Death

Disclaimer - WB and DC own them. Damn.

Technically this is set after 'Covenant'. Feedback would be luuuurved. *licks my smoochie* CLex, PG-13, very short, ultimately very sappy.

He's fairly certain Clark should be there when he dies because Clark was there when he was born. Reborn, resurrected – whichever phrase is deemed most appropriate. His life in Smallville started that day with those lips against his, and quite frankly Lex thinks it's just as appealing a way to go.

There's a nice symmetry to it.

But there are only so many ways to guarantee such a thing, and when the only person you want to die with is the embodiment of everything you're not (thinking only of life and not what lies beyond it), it makes the obstacles that much more interesting to overcome.

Nonetheless Lex thinks it will be easier now that Clark is looking towards college, away from the farmhouse that can only remind him of his youth. Of what he used to be.

Clark has changed since then. Lana and Chloe are both gone and in the rare conversations Lex shares with him now, he can see that Clark doesn't miss them as much as he thought he would.

Their own friendship has had its own resurrection of sorts, slowly clawing itself back less like a phoenix from the ashes and more like his own rebirth – sudden moments coughed up, where occasionally they forget they're not supposed to like each other anymore.

He's almost sure Clark has forgiven him.

Him forgiving Clark was never an issue; it'd happen eventually one way or the other, because Clark still is the only friend Lex has ever really had.

Which is another reason for him to do this.

Clark comes to visit him at the castle, talking about majors and Metropolis and Lex wonders what Clark was like when he was there before; what he'll be like when he goes back.

Lex can't wait to find out.

There are other things he can't wait to find out: the feel of his fingers in Clark's hair, the heat of his mouth, if he bends easily or objects...and then he doesn't have a long wait at all because as he's contemplating how best to begin, Clark has already started without him.

He wasn't prepared and he's *always* prepared, he's *meant* to be, but it seems to matter less and less as he's knocked back onto the couch. He's not entirely sure at which point Clark realised he was gay or if this is some new manifestation of meteorite exposure, but he's definitely not complaining.

He does complain when Clark pulls away, though the movement threads his fingers further through Clark's hair and he quickly stops talking because this moment, right here, is actually a fantasy brought to life.

Clark's mouth is by his ear, and all thoughts of plotting, planning, and deciding there was only one way to do this because any other way seemed so far out of his grasp vaporise with the next words Clark breathes into him.

"I want to be there when you live, Lex."

It's a trade he's willing to make.

~FINIS