Sorry, this one refused to get p0rny. :-D

Title: Ask Me Why I Did It
Author: danceswithgary (danceswithgary@yahoo.com)
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Spoilers: Vague through S4
Word Count: 1540
Archive: Fine, just let me know
Summary: There must be some good reason he risks his life so much.



"Mr. Luthor! Mr. Luthor!"

The tall, slim man, dressed in an iridescent purple one-piece suit and carrying a helmet, surveyed the crowd of jostling reporters huddled in the shade beneath the capacious awning pitched at the edge of the burning sands of Bonneville Salt Flats. Smoothing down the fire-resistant fabric specially developed by the LexCorp labs, he raised his hand and picked out a familiar figure, flashing an indulgent smile. "Ms. Lane?"

Flushing with triumph as well as the heat, the feisty brunette drew herself up proudly to present her question. "Mr. Luthor, you've now broken the land speed record six times and the last five times you were breaking the record you'd set previously. On your last attempt, you crashed for the third consecutive time and you've narrowly escaped death more than once. You're a multi-billionaire, a respected businessman and scientist, former governor of Kansas, as well as a possible candidate for the presidency. Why were you out here risking your own life to try again?"

Taking a quick drink from a blue bottle before handing it back to his assistant, the triumphant man shook his distinctive bald head ruefully. "You know, I've been asked that question more than once and I really have only one answer." He paused, gazing past the waiting faces to the blinding white proving grounds that shimmered in the heat, remembering.

. . .
. . .
. . .


The squeal of the Ferrari's tires on the pristine surface of the mansion's drive brought a satisfied smile to the face of the man behind the wheel. He pulled up next to a dilapidated pickup just as his young friend, Clark, was removing a box filled with produce from his family's farm. Exiting his vehicle with a flourish, he set the alarm with a quick click and stashed the keys in his jacket before raising a hand in greeting. "Clark! It's good to see you!"

Frowning, the dark-haired young man shook his head in dismay. "Lex, you need to slow down and be more careful. You could get hurt speeding around like that all the time."

Laughing at his friend's concern, Lex clapped him on his shoulder. "Hey, don't look so worried. I had it under control all the time."

Mouth twisting in a grimace, Clark shrugged off Lex's hand and turned away, heading for the kitchen entrance, carrying the heavy box of vegetables with ease. Lex stared after him in consternation, puzzled at the abrupt change in his manner. Lex could usually count on Clark for a cheerful grin and a shared joke, but there was obviously something going on. Determined to get to the bottom of it, Lex followed him into the kitchen.

"Clark, what's wrong? Did something happen with Lana?" Lex walked up behind Clark as he placed the box on the counter, stopping a few feet away. "Is it something at the farm?"

Leaning against the counter with his back to Lex, Clark dropped his head and sighed. "No, Lex. It's nothing like that." He turned around and gripped the edge of the counter in his hands and he leaned back against it. "I heard something today and...it...it scared me."

"Clark?" Lex saw the distress in his friend's posture and couldn't resist moving closer. "What is it?"

Clark kept his eyes trained on the tiles of the floor as he mumbled, "Cassandra said someone close to me..."

Lex reached out and tipped Clark's chin up so that he could look into moss-green eyes. "I didn't quite hear that. Try again?"

Clark straightened up and squared his shoulders, his voice firmer as he met Lex's eyes. "There's an old woman at the nursing home, her name is Cassandra, and she told me that someone close to me is going to die."

Lex's first impulse was to laugh, but he re-thought that when he recognized how truly upset Clark was at the possibility of losing someone. He shook his head slowly and spoke carefully, keeping any trace of amusement from his voice. "Clark, no one can predict the future."

Clark grabbed Lex's hand before he could pull it away and held it tightly as he insisted, "She can, Lex! She knew Pete had forgotten his keys and people have been saying she sees things for years. When she touched me...." He stuttered to a stop, choked by emotion, swallowing hard before he continued, "I saw...so many people, Lex, they were in trouble...and I needed to help them and then...I was alone. Everyone was gone and I saw their graves, all their names and I...I...."

When Lex saw the tear that slid unchecked down one flushed cheek, he could no longer hold back. He pulled Clark into his arms and held him close as he rubbed his back, his hand slipping beneath the heavy jacket to splay across tensed muscles. The young man was heavy, but his weight was welcome as Lex soothed him, "It's okay, Clark. Everything's going to be fine. Nothing's going to happen, it wasn't real."

Pulling back, Clark sniffed and dashed his arm across his damp eyes. "But it could happen, Lex. The way you drive, and my parents with the farm equipment...."

Lex brushed the hair back from Clark's forehead with a smile. "What about Pete and Lana and Chloe? What are you afraid will happen to them? Don't you think you might be...?"

"Might be what? Being stupid?" Clark impatiently yanked his head back out of reach. "She said someone close to me, Lex, not just someone I know or a friend."

Refusing to release Clark from his hold, Lex tilted his head as he contemplated what Clark had just revealed. Coming to a decision, he raised his hand to Clark's cheek and brushed away a tear stain with his thumb before he cradled the back of the dark head. "Clark, you can't live your life frozen in fear, spending your days afraid to try something because you might fail or get hurt. I'm not saying that caution doesn't have its place, but sometimes you just have to go for it, because what you might end up with is worth the risk."

Clark's breathing slowed, and he licked his lips carefully as his eyes flicked between Lex's mouth and eyes. He leaned closer, his breath sweet against Lex's face. "Am *I* worth the risk, Lex?"

His eyes never leaving Clark's, Lex nodded slowly. "Always." His lips slanted over Clark's gently, brushing, and then pressing harder as he felt Clark's response. His tongue licked out and met Clark's, teasing, licking deeper as Clark growled and pulled him against his body, hard and needy. Breaking away finally, breathless, Lex leaned his forehead against Clark's chin and laughed. Feeling Clark jerk and his arms loosen, he raised his head to grin at Clark's frowning face. "You're worth it, Clark. No matter what happens to me, you'll always be worth it."


. . .


"I can't believe you took the vest off, Lex!"

Lex watched calmly from his seat on the sofa while Clark paced back and forth in front of him, agitated and angry. "I wasn't going to let a group of high-school students suffer for Luthor mistakes, Clark. I needed to get Jenkins to trust me and taking off the vest seemed the right thing to do at the time." He shrugged, and then winced when strained muscles protested. "The fact that you were in danger certainly made it worth the risk."

Clark came to an abrupt halt in front of him and dropped to his knees with a choked protest. "No, Lex, you're wrong. I wasn't in danger. I have something to tell you and I hope you can forgive me for not telling you before..."


. . .


"It's okay, Lex. I know you'll get it all back, even though your brother's a complete bastard. In the meantime, why don't we see what we can do in the hayloft?"


. . .


"I was standing there and you injected yourself! God, Lex, I could have lost you! Come here..."


. . .


"You looked so goddamn sexy standing there, announcing that you'd taken over LuthorCorp. You won! Now, how would you like to celebrate?"


. . .


"Yes, Lex, I will. I never thought you'd ask me, because you'd lose the nomination for governor..."


. . .


"I'm beginning to think that you crashed again because you have a kink for doing it in hospital beds. You're just lucky I can hover."


. . .


"I don't know exactly what it is, but it's like you glow when you win. Superman doesn't stand a chance against it, how am I supposed to resist?"


. . .
. . .
. . .


Their focus returning to the present, crystal-blue eyes looked past the waiting reporter to the rumpled, stoop-shouldered figure standing a little behind her, and grew a little softer as they met the clear, green gaze that could not truly be disguised by the thick, black rims of the glasses shielding them. A smile, a great deal less sardonic than those that had graced the cover of the nation's periodicals for years, crept across the billionaire's face as he dropped his eyes to the plain gold ring on his left hand. He cleared his throat before leaning forward into the bank of microphones to answer.

"Over the years, I've learned that taking a chance can be quite rewarding, Ms. Lane."


fin


***


"Chicks Dig It" by Chris Cagle 2003

Hey y'all, watch this

Daddy's belt, Momma's drapes
Standin' tall on the backyard shed
Lookin' cool in my Superman cape
I told the neighborhood girls
Said, Hey y'all watch this
My fate was a broken arm
My reward was one big kiss
When Daddy asked me why I did it
I made him laugh out loud when I told him
'Cause the chicks dig it.

CHORUS: Scars heal, glory fades
And all we're left with are the memories made, oh yea.
Pain hurts, but only for a minute
Yeah, life is short so go on and live it
'Cause the chicks dig it.

Black top road, learner permit
Thought I was Earnhardt
Drivin' fast but I didn't see the ditch
Took out a mailbox, then a fence and then a barn
The police came and called my father
But I met the farmer's daughter
And when the judge asked me why I did it
He threw the book at me when I told him
'Cause the chicks dig it.

CHORUS

--- Instrumental ---

Just throw caution to the wind my friend
Then sit back and watch your life begin, cause.

CHORUS

Cover by danceswithgary
screencap by goth_clark

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters herein. The characters of Lex Luthor and Clark Kent as well as any supporting characters are the property of their creators and DC Comics. Gough/Millar Inc and the WB Network TV own Smallville. Any deviations (or deviant behavior) from the originals, however, is mine.

Feedback is both welcome and appreciated.