Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/ works/11981316. Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Underage Category: F/M, M/M Fandom: Smallville Relationship: Clark/Lex, Lex/Desiree Character: Clark_Kent, Lex_Luthor, Martha_Kent, Jonathan_Kent, Desiree_Atkins Additional Tags: Episode_Related, Black_widow., Episode:_s02e02_Heat, Inappropriate Behavior, Engagement, WTF, Secret_Relationship, Established_Relationship, Community:_fan_flashworks Stats: Published: 2017-09-01 Words: 1440 ****** Unfair-emones ****** by HYPERFocused Summary unexpected invitations and unwelcome intrusions. Chemistry challenge. Spoilers for Heat, Pilot Notes None apply. Written for FanFlashworks amnesty, Chemistry challenge It isn't that Clark doesn't want to tell Lex the truth, honestly, he'd like nothing better. The question is, how much can he safely share? Tell him something, or tell him everything. But the thought of how badly Lex might react stymies Clark from unburdening himself fully. Instead, he gives part of himself away. Yeah, he can do that. Wants to, even. Things he'd never thought of before Lex, or at least never imagined he ever might want. Despite how much it would horrify his father, it's been nearly a foregone conclusion since the day he and Lex met, and didn't --exactly-- kiss, but tasted the same dirty river water. Could he truly go through with it? Give Lex what he wants sexually, but won't quite say outright? but not give up his secrets? Introduce Lex to Clark’s secret self, the one he's afraid to admit he has, clueless to Lana, eluded by Chloe. So many hints dropped. Looks and touches and gifts, big and small. Lex might try for sophistication, and usually he makes it, but Clark knows him, almost better than he knows himself, especially given the depth of his secrets, and deep down Lex is about as subtle as an anvil. An actual anvil. Clark may have been the one to rescue Lex physically, and it seems he's likely to fill that role time and time again. Lex has "trouble magnet" written all over him, in indelible, invisible ink meant only for Clark's eyes. But Lex returned the favor more times than Clark wants to count, saving Clark from his fears, from needless limitations, lessons he never should have had to learn. It's not something his parents could have done. Their perspectives were protective of Clark's "gifts". To extend the metaphor, they probably wished he could avoid opening them. It's three o'clock on a Monday afternoon, and Clark is just rounding the corner to his driveway. The Talon was too crowded for him. Everyone talking about the fire, and the hot new teacher. Not that it was exactly packed, but Lex was there, with her, which was definitely too much companionship as far as Clark was concerned. Or at least the wrong sort of companionship. Fiancé. Lex had a fiancé. He's been gone for, what, a week? Maybe two? And not only does he come home engaged, but it's to Clark's new biology teacher. Ms Atkins doesn't look like any kind of teacher Smallville High has ever had before, and if she were a student, Principal Reynolds would send her home to change sooner than you could say "dress code violation.". Heat wave or no heat wave. He didn't know what he was going to do about this weird, new power. He wouldn't exactly call it a gift. Who the hell would want fire shooting out of their eyes? Maybe if he was a video game character. And the fact that the thing that brought it around was thinking about sex? Assuming Lex ever wanted to get near Clark again, he was going to end up like barbecued like Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru in Star Wars. Yeah, Clark had been doing some wishful thinking when he'd seen Lex's car pull up outside the school, imagining the very personal welcome home he was going to give Lex on the road back to the mansion. But now it looked like Lex’s interest in Clark wasn't really a safe assumption, unfortunately. He didn't know how she had done it,but Ms. Atkins had messed with Lex's mind, or screwed with his hormones, or something. To see Lex rush past him was one thing. Of course they would have to play it cool. Reputations were at stake, and this was a small town. But when his boyfriend, whether anyone but them knew it or not, practically flew into that woman's arms, Clark was flummoxed. Pole axed. Really fucking flabbergasted, and no way was he able to hide it. Lex's fiancée. He was engagedHow the hell was that even possible in so short a time? Even if Lex had been seriously seeing anyone else, not just for propriety's sake, or a cover, it wouldn't have gone that far that fast. Sex? Sure. Lex tended to indulge his appetites, though Clark was certain he hadn't done so with a woman since they had crossed the bridge (heh) from friends to flirting to fucking. But he never promised them that kind of commitment. Sometimes the girl might expect more, after all, she'd landed a Luthor. There was a standing order for diamond earrings for situations like this Clark wondered if he'd be receiving a pair of diamond cufflinks. Not that he'd have any reason to wear said cufflinks without Lex bringing him to something fancy enough to need them. Not that he wanted anything from Lex but Lex himself. Despite what it looked like, and he sure wasn't going to correct Pete or, God forbid, his father who he'd been daydreaming about while that ancient educational film was running in the overheated Biology 202 room. it wasn't the sight of Miss Atkins, with her long legs, and altogether too-short dress that caused it. No, mostly she just made Clark uncomfortable and frankly, uneasy. Where had she come from? There were a handful of people who made up the substitute pool at SV high. They'd all made the rounds through different classes, with varying degrees of interest or involvement in actually teaching anyone. None of them, probably not even since his dad had gone there was as hot as Ms Atkins. It made no sense. Not her apparent hiring, the way she drew boys to do her bidding like worker bees to a queen. It made even less sense that she'd affected Clark, too. Not only was he, well, mostly gay, or Lexual, if he had to be exact, but he was an alien! Whatever the heck she was doing shouldn't affect him. It didn't seem Kryptonite related, since it wasn't making him sick. "Clark, you will be my best man, won't you? I couldn't possibly take such an important step without you standing beside me." Lex leaned in to give Clark his imitation of a manly bro hug. "I thought I was your only man," Clark didn't say. He opted for "Of course, Lex. I'll be anything you need." The pathetic thing was that it was true. Lex didn't have to ask, and Clark would come running. Had done so, more times than he cared to count. He came when Lex did ask, too. When he begged, when they'd been fucking for so long that Lex was hoarse from screaming Clark's name. Sometimes all Lex had to do was look at Clark a certain way, and it happened. For all of Clark's ‘gifts and strength, it was Lex who would always exude the real power in their relationship. His parents seemed almost as surprised as he was by Lex’s invitation. His dad took the news with more humor and disdain than Clark thought was warranted, “Good to see at least one Luthor living up to his parental responsibility. Couldn't keep it in his pants. Gotta admit, I didn't think someone like her would be his type.” “Someone like her?” Clark didn't think he'd like where his dad was going with this, even if he agreed. “Oh, son. Everyone knows he's a little light in his Italian loafers.” That's part of the reason I've never liked his excessive interest in you. Besides your secrets, I mean.” “Jonathan, that's enough. Lex’s personal business is exactly that. Personal. I'm sure he's been misjudged for his father's sins all his life.” Clark's mom looked at him sympathetically. She knew about them, Clark was sure of it. “I just can't believe he never even mentioned her to me. He's my best friend. He said we have a destiny together. I'm not sure how standing by him when he marries some dumb gold digger is fulfilling it.” “You will, though, right, Clark? If he's your friend you'll stand by him. And if you're right, and it turns out Miss Atkins doesn't have Lex's best interests at heart, he's going to need a true friend more than ever.” Clark’s mom always knew what to say. In the end, of course, Clark proved himself right, but not before the most uncomfortable teacher/student conference ever, a terrifying night in the Smallville jail, and his once and future secret boyfriend burned physically and emotionally by that lying black widow bitch. He wondered how long it would take for things to get back to normal, or what passed for it in Smallville. Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!