Dance With Your Heart

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Martha Kent glared at her husband as he hid a grin beneath a dirt-coated glove. Taking a deep breath, she turned to her son. "Yes, Clark, I think it would help a lot. You have so much trouble controlling your body with these new powers springing up when you least expect it." She watched her son stand up and step away from the kitchen table. "Clark...you know, your father took ballet when he was in high school."

Green eyes rolled their way towards the ceiling. "Yeah, Mom, I know. I've heard the story about fifty times."

"Hey!" Jonathan Kent shook his head, and frowned. "Watch the attitude, Son."

"Sorry," Clark whispered, the words coming out along with a guilty sigh. "It's just...I'm not on the football team, Dad. I don't have a girlfriend..."

"What has that got to do with anything?" Martha asked, her voice taking on an amused edge.

Clark's shoulder slumped downwards as the boy moved towards the door. "There's no reason for me to be taking dance lessons that anyone will understand. I...I'm 6'3", Mom. I'm going to look like a total geek in tights." A scowl washed across his face at the snort of laughter from his father. His eyes flashed over to his mother. "See? Even Dad thinks so!"

"You don't have to wear tights, Clark. This is a different kind of dancing," Martha soothed, fighting back an attack of giggles at the idea of her tall, muscular son in tights.

Clark crossed his arms across his broad chest and pushed open the screen door with his shoulder. He stepped out onto the porch and glared down at the wooden boards that ran beneath his feet.

"We really think this might help you get some control over your body, Clark. It's worth a shot, isn't it? Besides, the first four lessons are free." Martha called out, a soft plea in her voice.

Nodding, Clark resigned himself to his fate, and looked over his shoulder into the relieved faces of his parents. "When do I start?"

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Clark stopped running a couple of blocks away from the dance studio. He had about ten minutes before his first official lesson, and his stomach was tied in knots. Warily, he pushed himself forward, moving towards the renovated warehouse that had been converted into The Lillian Luthor Dance Studio three years earlier.

He approached the building slowly, his face dark with apprehension.

'I'll probably be the only guy there,' he thought as he pulled the door open, and stepped inside. The inside was a lot different from what he had expected. There was a thick, dark Berber carpet on the floor of the entrance lobby, and the walls were covered in a rich, purple paper. He approached a desk and looked down to see a red-haired woman's smiling face.

"Hello. Are you here for the group class?"

Clark sighed and nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

The woman nodded and pointed to a clipboard on the ledge that surrounded her desk. "You'll just need to sign in here." She looked at him appraisingly. "Football?"

Barely restraining the urge to roll his eyes, knowing his mother would be enraged at such impoliteness, he shook his head. "I'm not involved in athletics," he muttered.

Her eyes widened in surprise before she resumed her kind smile. "Well, that's okay. Whatever the reason, Lex will have you dancing in no time."

Clark bit back a response. He moved towards the room she had directed him to, and after sucking in a steadying breath, he pushed open the door and stepped into a huge, open room. The hardwood floors were gleaming under soft lights and there were mirrors covering two long walls. A computerized sound system filled another wall, along with a large flat-screen television and a video camera. Coat hooks, folding chairs and several benches lined the fourth wall, flanking a closed door with a sign indicating the location of the restrooms and staff break room. Clark wondered about the odd strip of carpeting ran along the front of the chairs to the exit door, bordering the dance floor.

A movement caught his eye and Clark's mouth dropped open as he watched a couple dancing around the room in a counter-clockwise direction. He didn't recognize the music that was playing, but he could see how the man and woman moved to it, becoming a visual representation of sound. They were grace and beauty, with a rhythm and flow akin to flying as their feet skimmed over the floor, barely touching the fine-grained wood. They moved as one body with two souls to the center of the floor where they dipped and swirled in an intricate pattern, the woman's sequined skirt flirting with the air, before returning to the perimeter to resume their flight. The music slowed to an elegant finish, the couple separating to bow to an imaginary audience before the man took the woman's arm to escort her from the floor.

Clark watched as the man scooped up a towel and patted his head and face dry before offering a quick hug and kiss to his partner. A few murmured words and he disappeared through the marked door while the woman took a seat on the nearest bench and began to remove the high-heeled sandals she was wearing. Reaching under the bench, she removed a well-stuffed duffle bag and took out a pair of sneakers that she slipped on with a sigh of relief. She tucked away the rejected shoes and standing, made her way along the carpet to the door that Clark still stood in front of, waiting patiently until he roused from his bemused state enough to blush and hold the door open for her. She walked through with a nod of her head and a smile, and he stood there holding the door, watching her as she walked away, her sparkling costume clashing with the well-worn sneakers and bulging duffle bag.

Hearing hushed speech, Clark's head turned towards a small group of women of various ages, and a solitary older man, huddled together in a corner, their eyes locked onto him.

His eyes rolled. There was no avoiding it. Sighing, he shuffled over to the wall and perched on one of the chairs, his hands tucked in his jacket pockets. The room was mostly silent, save for an occasional burst of chatter from the group, and Clark tried to relax, failing miserably when his hearing picked up a rather interesting discussion on the potential size of his hands. He felt his breathing slowly evening out a bit when the break room door swung open.

A tall, slender man walked into the room, the same one who'd been dancing earlier, closely followed by two other men and a woman. Now that he was no longer flying around the floor, Clark could see that the dancer was bald, his pale scalp glimmering in the muted lighting. His back to Clark, he began greeting the group, his voice low and soothing. Clark waited as one of the gathered women raised a hand, pointing to him, and he watched the man turn slowly.

Clear, blue-gray eyes locked onto his, and Clark shifted uneasily, standing up straight. Nervous, he kept his hands stuffed into his pockets and waited for the man to speak.

"Who do we have here?" The voice was darker than before, thicker.

"I'm Clark Kent." Clark extended a polite hand, and shivered when a warm, callused palm slid into his grip. The shiver erupted into a full-blown tremor as those smoky eyes traveled down his body, appraising every inch as they worked their way slowly back up to Clark's face.

"It's a pleasure, Clark," the man murmured. "I'm Lex."

Choking on a soft laugh, Clark shook his head. "I guess you're the one that's going to try to teach me how to dance, then."

The smile that crossed Lex's face was silky-smooth, and completely wicked. "Absolutely." Lex grinned at the look of disbelief on Clark's face and leaned forward, speaking confidentially, "Don't worry, Clark. You're not the first man I've worked with."

Clark felt his face flush with color and he looked away from the teasing smile on Lex's face. His head was turned away, but Clark could still see their reflection in the mirror and he caught the look of chagrin that flashed across Lex's face at his evident embarrassment. He saw Lex's hand reach out and felt the gentle pat on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Clark. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable even before your first lesson. Why don't you hang up your coat and come join the group. I'll introduce you to everyone." Another glance down and he held up a hand, stopping Clark before he went any further. "Oh, we don't allow street shoes on the floor. You'll need to change into your dance shoes."

Suddenly realizing the purpose of the carpet, Clark's face became even hotter. "I...I don't have any dance shoes."

Lex's smile was understanding, and he shook his head quickly. "Of course you don't. This is your first lesson, isn't it? It's all right, just take off your shoes and you can dance in your socks today. If you decide to continue, I'll let you know where you can buy the right shoes." He lifted one foot to show Clark the shoes he was wearing. "See, they have suede soles and are a little more flexible so that you can maintain the right contact with the floor."

Nodding his head as if he understood, Clark hurried to kick off his sneakers; glad he'd managed to find matching socks that morning and that there weren't any holes in them. Hanging up his jacket, he pulled the cuffs of his flannel shirt down and followed Lex over to the waiting group class.

A rapid patter of names left Clark confused, and hoping he wasn't going to need to associate any of them with the correct face any time soon. With a clap of his hands, Lex instructed the students to take a partner and warm up on the floor with a waltz, the dance they would be learning more about that day. As the newest student, Clark had no idea what to do, so Lex asked one of the married women, whose husband had not arrived yet, to help him out. She took Clark's right hand, placed it on her waist and lifted her right hand so that he could take it and cradle it in his left. Once they had taken this position, she coached Clark to step forward with his left foot, while she stepped back with her right and simply had him walk with her around the floor while she counted 1-2-3 in time with the music.

The music ended and the group met in the center of the floor forming two lines facing each other, women on one side, and the men on the other. Clark could see that the others had partners they had danced with before and he was relieved to see the kind woman that he'd warmed up with standing across from him. The relief was short-lived when a newcomer joined the group and was introduced as the woman's husband, leaving Clark without a partner. The problem was solved when Lex took the empty space, explaining he would act as Clark's partner during the lesson as he knew both the men's and the women's steps, and he could help Clark catch up to the others while teaching the lesson.

"All right, everyone. Dance positions!"

Hoping that his palms weren't too sweaty from nervousness, Clark took Lex's right hand before stepping close enough to place his right hand on Lex's waist. The warmth of the other man's skin was detectable through the fine weave of his shirt, and the flex of his lean torso as he raised his left arm to clasp Clark's upper right arm made Clark's palm tingle. He looked down at his feet, afraid he would step on the other man, although any damage would probably be minimal since his only weapons were his giant, socked feet. Listening carefully to the instructions Lex was calling out to the group, Clark desperately tried to remember which was his right foot and which was his left with mixed success. He was very glad for Lex's sake that he hadn't purchased a pair of dance shoes yet. He would have hated hospitalizing the very patient man after only one lesson with him.

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Stepping out of the studio, Clark lifted his face into the cool breeze and felt the air wash over his heated body. Sweat had left damp curls sticking to the back of his neck, and he used the flannel shirt he'd discarded halfway through the class to mop his forehead. He ran a hand through his thick, disheveled locks and started down the steps towards the street.

"Clark!"

Turning, Clark felt a surge of nervous energy thrum through his body as the oddly fascinating man, who'd partnered him all the way through two exhausting group lessons, jogged down the steps towards him.

"Hey, Lex. Did you miss me and my two left feet already?" Clark asked, his attempt at a joke falling awkwardly between them.

Lex shook his head softly with a smile, and extended a hand with a slip of paper held between long, elegant fingers. "I thought maybe you might like to take some private lessons. You seem a little uptight in a group. What do you think?"

Clark opened his mouth to speak, and looked up into curious blue-gray eyes that seemed completely focused on him. His voice failed him, and he swallowed hard. "With you?"

The left side of Lex's mouth lifted in an amused smirk. "With me." Lex tilted his head forward, keeping his eyes locked on Clark's. "Is that good for you?"

"Oh yeah," Clark muttered. "You're good for me." He felt his chest tighten at the words and the widening smile on Lex's face. "I mean, the private lessons, sure. I think I'd be a lot more comfortable." Unfortunately, the sudden surge of excitement Clark had felt at Lex's words soon subsided when reality stepped in. "I...I don't know. My parents...we probably can't afford them. To be honest, I'm not sure how they're coming up with the money for the group lessons."

Patiently, Lex offered the paper again. "Listen, I'm willing to try a few private lessons with you for free, then you can decide whether you want to continue. I think we could work out a payment plan we'll both be happy with, or maybe you could do some work around the studio in exchange."

"Well," Clark took the paper and glanced at the neat writing. His eyes widened. "Lex...Luthor? The same Luthor...?"

"Yes, I own the studio." Lex nodded, his eyes sparkling. "That means I get to pick the students I want to work with personally. One of the better perks, I might add."

"Wow. I mean, thanks!" Clark blushed at the implied compliment. "I'll have to talk it over with my mom and dad, but they're the one who wanted me to take the lessons to begin with, so they'll probably say it's okay."

Lex's eyes lit up with pleasure. "I hope so. I'd really like to see what you're capable of, Clark. I have a feeling you could really do well."

Clark rolled his eyes, sighing loudly. He looked pointedly down at his large feet and grimaced. "Not with this body."

The loud laugh startled them both, and Clark could only stand still and shocked as Lex leaned in close, chuckling a little more softly. "I really don't see any problems with your body, Clark." Lex's grin was cocky and bright as he stepped backwards. "I'll see you in a couple of days."

As Lex walked away, his hips swaying slightly from side to side, Clark shook his head quickly. Unfamiliar emotions filtered through his blood, and he felt completely caught off guard. He set off running for home, his mind a jumble of thoughts, and for the first time in a long time...he stumbled on his run.

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"How was it, sweetheart?"

Clark looked up from his plate into his mother's face. She was smiling softly, and he returned the smile before swallowing down a bite.

"It was different than I thought it would be." Clark looked down at his hands, and watched his fingers bend around themselves. He could remember the feeling of them curled around Lex's waist. He wondered if he should be thinking about the warmth of the skin he'd felt hiding behind cool, smooth fabric.

Martha nodded, and bit her lip. She was watching Clark's face closely, and the blush lingering on his cheeks darkened. "Did you get to know anyone in your class?"

"Well," Clark began, his voice breaking a little. He reached for his glass of milk and took a long drink. "The class was already paired up, so I danced with the instructor. He seemed really...nice." He looked up into his father's startled gaze, and returned his eyes to the fork circling his plate. "He offered to give me some private lessons."

Martha laid a hand on her husband's arm when she saw his mouth open. "Didn't you like the class, Clark?"

"It's not that, exactly," he said softly. "It's just...you know how I get around a lot of people. He thinks I'd probably be a bit less uptight if it was just us."

Martha lifted a hand to her face, and Clark saw the hidden smile. He rolled his eyes, and huffed out a breath at his mother's quiet laugh.

"Well, how do you feel about that?"

"I think..." Clark's face lit up with a slow, bright smile, his eyes clear and open as he looked back at his mother's concerned face. "I think it's a good idea. Lex seems like he has a lot to teach me." Clark nodded to himself, and looked back down at his plate. "I think I'm going to like it."

"Lex...Lex Luthor?" Clark's eyes sought out his father, who was looking down at Martha's hand covering his arm after his outburst. Despite Martha's calming influence, Jonathan still seemed upset, and Clark flinched against the sudden gust of air his father expelled.

"Clark, I'm glad that you enjoyed yourself. I just don't see how we can afford private lessons though, son." Jonathan's eyes widened at the ready nod from Clark.

"I figured you'd say that. Lex said that he'd be willing to do the first few lessons for free, and after that, maybe I could work around the studio." Clark watched as his father stood up from the table, his back rigid. "I'd be working to pay for the lessons, Dad."

Jonathan's forehead creased in a deep frown, and the man drew in a deep breath. "What about your chores? School? It was one thing when it was group lessons a couple of times a week, but now private lessons and a job in Metropolis? It's an awful lot to take on, Clark."

"I know," Clark said quickly, standing up to move over to his father's tense form. "But, I can do it. I really can, and I want to."

"I don't see any reason why we can't let Clark try, Jonathan." Martha said softly, smiling up knowingly at her husband. "I think it's a good idea."

Jonathan face took on a resigned scowl. "Well...I suppose." He lifted a hand to grip Clark's shoulder and squeezed affectionately. "If your schoolwork or chores start to suffer-"

"They won't!" Clark said, grinning brightly.

Clark leaned over and kissed his mother on the cheek before bouncing out of the kitchen, a song under his breath. He sighed in relief once he'd entered the safety of the barn, until he overheard the exasperated comment from his father.

"Did you hear that, Martha? He was dancing with a man? A Luthor, no less!"

"Oh, Jonathan." Clark heard the loud scrape of a chair being pushed back on the floor, and then footsteps going up the stairs. "You know Lex is nothing like his father, Lillian saw to that. I would never have suggested he take lessons there if I thought otherwise. Forget about what happened all those years ago. The important thing is that Clark's happy."

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Clark found himself having a difficult time sitting still. His eyes darted to the clock on the classroom wall constantly, and it was a huge relief when he was finally able to walk outside and into the fresh air. The sun slipped into his skin, charging him up and leaving his skin warm and relaxed.

He walked easily in long strides until he was out of sight of the school, and then he broke into a full-out run. The air was a solid thing that he simply glided through like one of his mother's hot knives through freshly churned butter. He felt simple and calm like this, almost graceful. He was running, with nothing but the sun as his companion, and his feet barely touched the ground.

He was in front of the dance studio before he knew it, and he felt himself jerking to a surprised stop. There was such an intense sense of excitement inside of him; he'd been looking forward to his lesson so much. There was something about dancing with Lex that was just fun. Oh, he knew he still tripped up a little, and he was far from being a dancer yet, but looking into Lex's eyes, and seeing him smile, made everything he went through worthwhile.

He was starting to feel as if, with Lex's help, he was coming into control of his own body. When Lex's hand slipped into his, he was sure of exactly when to push and pull. He knew the right amount of pressure to use to guide and support. The music told him. The squeezing focus of Lex's fingers on his skin told him. For the first time in his life, Clark felt sure. More importantly, there was sense of safety in Lex's arms, in the beat of the music, as they moved over the floor together, trusting each other.

Of course, it wasn't that easy in the beginning...

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"Smallville, hmm?"

Clark's head was down as he untied his sneakers, and he just nodded in response to Lex's question. He would be dancing in his socks again, since his dance shoes needed to be special-ordered because of the size. He stood up, shoving his sneakers under the chair with one foot. "It's a town to the..."

"Unfortunately, I know where it is." Lex interrupted. His scarred mouth twisted as he passed a hand over his smooth head. "I have a lasting reminder of my only visit there, almost sixteen years ago."

A quick calculation left Clark feeling sick to his stomach. "You were there when the meteors fell?" At Lex's sharp nod, his heart fell. "I...I'm sorry."

A puzzled frown flashed over Lex's face. "There's nothing for you to be sorry about. I'm alive and very healthy. It could have been a lot worse."

Thinking about his friend, Lana, who visited her parents' graves entirely too often, Clark had to agree. "I guess. Anyway, it can't have been easy, growing up..."

Lex shrugged. "Bald? It taught me a lot about people and tolerance. In a lot of ways, it helped make me who I am." He clapped his hands together, rubbing them briskly. "Enough of that. Let's get started." He beckoned to Clark and led him out to the center of the deserted floor. "Let's start with the waltz today. Head up, shoulders back, right arm raised to support mine, right hand in the center of the back beneath my shoulder blade..."

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Stepping backwards in a foxtrot, Lex looked up at Clark and asked, "Have you thought about why you're taking dance lessons, Clark, what you hope to get out of them?"

"Don't you think it's a little late to be asking me that?" Clark missed a step, and ended up on the wrong foot, endangering Lex's toes. "I've bought the shoes, we've booked all your free time and I'm here every other day, and now you want to know why?"

"Don't stop dancing, keep going. Slow, slow, quick, quick. Listen to the music and let your body remember the movements. Now, answer the question."

Coming to an abrupt halt, Clark protested, "I can't dance and talk at the same time!"

"If you can walk and chew gum, you can talk and dance. It's a necessary skill when it comes to dancing in a social setting. How do you expect to dazzle women if all you can do is stare at them while you're guiding them around the dance floor?" Resuming dance position, Lex waited for Clark to take the lead again. "Answer the question, Clark. Why are you here?"

Pulling his shoulders back and keeping his frame as he'd been taught, Clark began to move again, trying to keep the rhythm of the steps as he explained. "My parents thought it would help my balance. I've always been clumsy and I bump into things and break them."

Lex nodded, making a small correction in Clark's handhold. "Is that the only reason?"

Clark shook his head, waiting until he made a neat turn in the corner before continuing. "No. I like it. I like the way the music makes me feel and...I don't know, it's hard to explain." He shrugged and led Lex through a promenade back to a basic. "Why did you offer me private lessons? What made me different from the others?"

Lex tilted his head and a smile teased at the corner of his mouth. "That first day you were so focused, so careful every time you moved. I could feel the power you were holding back, yet you were so gentle. You took my hand as if you were afraid I would break, but you did take it." He brought them to a halt as the music ended. "You didn't care that I was a man, you saw me as a teacher, someone who would help you move to the music that you could already feel."

Stepping out of Clark's hold, Lex walked toward the mirror, speaking to Clark's reflection. "Someday I'm going to see that power released on the dance floor, Clark, and we'll fly." Turning, he motioned Clark closer, holding his arms up in the proper position for the waltz. "Until then, let's dance."

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"I can't help wondering..." Lex stopped to take a drink from his water bottle, wiping his face off with the towel he'd slung around his neck after an energetic swing session.

Clark squatted down to tie his dance shoe a little tighter. "What?"

"I had a chance to move to Smallville, manage one of my father's plants there, and I didn't take it."

"The crap factory?" Clark looked up in surprise, eyebrows raised.

Lex set the water bottle down on the bench, nodding. "Elegantly stated, Clark. Yes, the crap factory. I decided to open this studio, instead. Still, what if I had taken my father's offer and moved into that castle he shipped there from Scotland? Do you think we would have met, maybe even have been friends?"

Clark stood up and snickered, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, sure, Lex. The billionaire's son and the farm boy. Happens all the time. We probably would have ended up being best friends, hanging out with each other all the time, you know." Throwing his arms out dramatically, Clark laughed. "I'd come to the castle to learn how to fence and play pool, you'd come to my loft in the barn and sit on my beat-up, old couch; we'd talk about girls and watch the stars. The stuff of legends, you and me."

Yanking the towel from around his neck, Lex snapped it threateningly. "Okay, enough sarcasm for one night. Let's get back to work, farm boy."

Clark began to walk to the center of the floor, throwing one last gibe over his shoulder. "All right, but don't think I'm going to forget that you gave up that fabulous opportunity to be a crap manager so that you could prance around a dance floor instead."

Letting his jaw drop open in exaggerated offense, Lex waved the towel over his head and chased after a giggling Clark. "Prance! Get back here, you homespun hero! I'll give you prance!"

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Their lesson finished and the next week's schedule set, Clark was putting away his dance shoes when Lex pointed out one of the couples working with an instructor. Lex had pointed out the way they moved with one another, fluid, together, and happy. There had been sweat, and aching feet and growling...but at the end, he'd watched them walk out to their car, smiling at each other and humming the practice music.

Clark had turned to see Lex watching him, instead of the couple, and he'd smiled shyly, oddly embarrassed by the attention. Something had flashed in those serious gray eyes, and Clark had felt it tugging at him. He'd wondered what it meant.

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And now...here he was, standing in front of Lex's building. For the first time in a long while, he felt hesitant, and it scraped at him. He forced himself to walk into the building, and waved briefly at the receptionist before going into the room he usually met Lex in, ready for the night's lessons.

Walking into the room, he smiled at the sound of soft music streaming out of speakers that were built into the walls. He felt his body shift with the music, loosening and becoming ready. The hands around his waist didn't startle him, and he looked to the side, smiling at the reflection of Lex moving behind him in the long mirror.

"What are you going to teach me today?" Clark asked quietly, watching Lex's eyes.

The smile that flirted with Lex's lips caused Clark to shiver. "Tonight, we'll work on crowded floor moves."

"Crowded floor?"

Lex nodded and walked over the chairs lined up against the wall. He pulled out two and dragged them to the middle of the floor, motioning to Clark to do the same. He positioned them in a square, about three feet apart, and had Clark join him in the center.

"Crowded floor. You've been practicing in this nice, big space with lots of room to move. When you go out to clubs or even school dances, you're going to find that what you've learned so far won't fit the small piece of floor you'll be lucky to find." Indicating the chairs, Lex grinned. "So, I want you to take those moves and shrink them down so that you don't move any of these chairs out of place. Got it?" He held up his hand in an invitation to dance.

Clark looked at the tiny space he'd been allotted and winced. Taking Lex's hand, he pulled him into position only to have Lex move in, his body pressed close to Clark's. He stiffened, afraid that Lex could detect his body's immediate interest in the slim form lined up against him. The soft laugh from Lex did little to help him relax.

Moving gently backwards to remind Clark to start, Lex chided him gently, "The less space between us, the more space to move, Clark. Come on, I promise I won't bite."

Taking a deep breath, and then letting it out quickly when it brought them even closer together, Clark began to move. He tried not to think about his disappointment at Lex's promise.

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Martha Kent watched her son walk across the field towards his father. There was something new in the way he moved. An ease, and a confidence, that hadn't been there before. Even now, as he reached down to pick up a bale of hay and threw it into the back of the truck, there was a smooth effortlessness to his movements.

Her son was changing a little more every day, and it was more than just physical. Clark's eyes were brighter, more open and happy. It made her smile to see him rush through his chores each day, wanting to finish so he could run to Metropolis. She was catching him grinning more and more often, dancing down the hall...twisting his hip to shut the refrigerator door.

It had surprised her just that morning to hear Clark laugh with his father. The shock hadn't lain in Clark laughing. He was a sweet, joyful boy by nature. But, the laughter was different, and she'd had to leave the room, a trembling hand pressed to her mouth upon realizing that this was the first time in a long time that the laugh had been genuine. The difference was so apparent, once she'd heard Clark laugh openly, that it broke her heart to think of just how long her child had been feeling as if he had to pretend. The battles he'd undergone with mutants plaguing Smallville, and his attendant guilt over his arrival with the destructive meteors, had left him old before his time, serious and aloof.

The ache in her chest felt lighter, though, as she looked out at her son and husband. Things had changed, for the better, and she felt something that went beyond gratitude towards a certain young Luthor.

She'd remembered Lex from so many years ago...the day Clark had come into her life. He'd been so young and vulnerable as he'd lain there in the arms of that despicable excuse for a father. Just the thought of Lionel Luthor's name was enough to make her curl her lips up in disgust.

It wasn't just how he'd coerced Jonathan into sponsoring his bid for the Ross creamed corn factory, threatening to expose Clark's fake adoption if Jonathan refused. The man had exercised no discretion, displayed no pity or remorse when he'd made the decision to disinherit his own son. Martha remembered seeing the articles in the newspapers, and she had felt a huge wave of respect for Lex's mother, Lillian, for having the strength to leave Lionel years earlier with her young son. It hadn't really surprised her when she recalled the fiery redhead who had flown to her son's side in the aftermath of the meteor strike. Witnessing Lillian's devotion to Lex, feeling a connection as a mother with a son deeply affected by the events of that day, Martha had always felt oddly compelled to follow their lives.

When the Daily Planet had announced the opening of the Lillian Luthor Dance Studio, Martha had felt very proud of that young boy she'd once known. Upon their anniversary, she'd convinced Jonathan to take her to one of the dance competitions the studio was participating in, after their dinner. She recalled seeing the handsome young man perform, and had felt something like relief that he'd found something right for him. He moved as if he was born to dance, and when Clark had become discontented with the awkwardness of his constantly changing body, Martha had thought that perhaps some time in the Luthor Dance Studio could be good for her son.

It had felt like fate.

Convincing Jonathan hadn't necessarily been easy, but she knew he was reluctantly impressed with the strength of will the young man had exhibited by choosing his own path, despite his father's demands.

While she never said it aloud, she thought she saw some similarities between young Lex Luthor and her husband.

A happy shout broke into her thoughts, and she returned her focus to the two men striding towards her, their arms clasped around each other's shoulders. Her face lit up in a smile and she met them halfway.

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Clark's socked feet slid across the floor of the main studio as he walked around it, inspecting his work. It was the last room; he'd already finished the two smaller studios used for private lessons. When he was done with this one, he'd shut down the last of the lights and lock up behind himself, the last person leaving the building.

The last one in the building, that is, except for the owner who lived in the apartment above the studio. Lex had never invited Clark upstairs, but he hadn't been able to refrain from using his x-ray vision to check it out. The spacious loft used wall units and screens to suggest separate rooms with comfortably warm colors on the walls and wood accents. The only walled-off areas were the bathroom and a large walk-in closet that contained intriguing glimpses of exotic fabrics that shimmered in bright colors. The king-size bed dominated one corner of the room, and Clark had blushed as he wondered about who might have shared it last with Lex. He'd watched Lex greet his students, and it was clear that Clark was not the only one who thought Lex was an attractive man.

Resisting an impulse to scan the room above, Clark limited his vision to the four walls around him. The mirrors shone from his earlier cleaning, and the unmarred reflections of the soft lights overhead left the room warm and welcoming, even at that late hour. Pleased with the results, he walked over to the large rolling basket and pulled out a dry mop to start on the floors. He swept it across the polished wood, his feet feeling strangely light as he cleaned the day's dust off the dance floor. Heel scuffs on the highly-polished varnish demanded a bit more attention, and he knelt down to scrub at them with a soft rag he'd pulled from his back pocket. Rubbing carefully to preserve the finish, he found himself humming along with a song drifting out through the room from the sound system.

Clark moved around the room, singing a little louder as he stopped here and there to clean the more difficult marks. He straightened, grabbing the mop, and moved across the floor, his feet stepping in time with the slightly off-key singing. A wistful smile appeared whenever he repeated the chorus containing mi corazon sung by the Latin songstress.

The rumba lesson from earlier that day played out in his mind, and he swiveled his hips to the song, clasping the broom as his imaginary partner. As he practiced the patterns, he heard Lex's voice in his mind, and he tried to move his knees and hips properly, bending and extending, isolating each muscle Lex had traced out along his torso and legs. His breathing quickened as he pictured Lex's face from that afternoon, the intense concentration as he demonstrated the new moves, guiding Clark carefully through each one. Shaking his head at his foolish obsession, he spun around, the broom firmly grasped in his hands, and ended his song-and-dance number with a lunge, his arms cradling his partner in a heated embrace.

The steady, loud clapping startled him, and he nearly fell in his haste to turn and see who'd been watching him.

"That was nice," Lex commented, a warm smile on his face. An eyebrow rose in a subtle arch as Lex stepped forward. "I have to admit, I don't remember teaching you that last move, but it was definitely interesting."

Clark laughed softly, grateful for the dim lighting. His face felt hot, and he knew it must be a brilliant pink. "I was improvising."

Lex nodded, his smile growing brighter. "You're getting so much better, you know. Your moves are becoming stronger, more defined. You're really doing wonderfully, Clark."

Clark shuffled over to a wall, and leaned the mop up against it, before moving back slowly to where Lex waited in the middle of the room. "If I'm getting better, it's because of you," he murmured quietly.

The smile on Lex's face shifted, his eyes darkening. "Your hip movements in the rumba still need a little work, you're not opening enough."

"I know," Clark said softly, grinning ruefully. He saw Lex move around him, and felt a surge of energy run down his spine as the older man stepped into place behind him. Steady, assured fingers moved to his waist, pressing into his skin.

"Look," Lex whispered, drawing Clark's eyes up to look into the mirror. Clark trembled as a gust of breath drifted across the back of his neck, and the warm air carried the scent of alcohol. Clark suspected that Lex had been drinking, possibly something from the crystal decanters Clark had seen lined up on the bar one floor above. Still close, Lex took up the song Clark had been singing before as it began playing again over the speakers, his voice liquid, the words smooth, almost silken as he echoed the singer's plea. His hands drifted down from Clark's waist, and gripped hips that had frozen in place. He pushed gently, moving Clark's hips rhythmically with the sultry beat of the song. "Can you feel that?" he asked, his eyes watching Clark's in the reflection of the mirror. "Do you feel the way we're moving?"

Clark nodded shakily, unable to take his eyes from the mirror. His palms slid downwards to cover the pale hands on his hips. Feeling Lex's fingers squeeze and start to release, he pressed against them, keeping them trapped against his hips, their warmth reaching his skin through worn denim.

"Clark." Lex leaned in, pressing his chest against Clark's back. He moved his hips in, gliding along with Clark's movements. His lips slid up the side of Clark's neck to murmur against his jaw. "We...can't...I'm...your teacher."

Turning his head to nuzzle against Lex's face, Clark smiled shyly. "So teach me." He pressed back against Lex and heard the ragged gasp that fluttered against his skin. His voice was a mere whisper as Lex's eyes drifted closed in the mirror, yet the words were certain. "I want you to, Lex."

Slim fingers demanded freedom, and he released Lex's hand. He felt it travel across his hip to his stomach. Neatly-trimmed nails scraped gently across his shirt, teasing the skin beneath. Clark felt his breath quicken.

Lex's eyes opened and looked down to watch his own hand grip the fabric of Clark's shirt and tug it out from the waistband of his jeans. His other hand freed itself to assist its partner in tugging the freed shirt up, over his chest. Lex's right hand held up the hem of the shirt, exposing smooth golden flesh dappled in shadows. The nails on his left seemed sharper as they moved across Clark's bare skin, scratching, scraping across a nipple, a bright tingle shivering down Clark's abdomen.

Harsh breaths painted Clark's cheek, and he turned further into Lex's face. He felt soft lips skimming across his jaw; he moaned softly and dipped to meet them.

A curious finger slipped into his navel, the nail gentle against the tender skin there, and moved out slowly to graze back and forth over the line of fabric covering Clark's hips.

"Your skin is so unbelievably soft." Lex's voice was low and graveled. The finger teased at the edge of Clark's waistband, dipping inside to rasp against the dark trail of hair that led from Clark's navel. "You've got this strong, hard body...and it's covered in all of this soft, sweet skin." Shining gray eyes lifted from the exposed flesh to meet Clark's wild, desperate, green gaze. "I want to touch you every time I see you. I've wanted it, wanted you since that first day."

Clark blinked slowly, each movement seeming to take forever. Pressing back harder, he felt Lex jerk up against him. He could feel Lex, firm and full, and resented the barrier of clothing that separated their skin. Lex's mouth was moving down his neck, soft and slow. Warm, damp lips settled against his collarbone and as he shifted, a tongue pressed into the dipped hollow there. Sharp teeth nipped against the line of his shoulder, and bit down slightly at the crook of his neck. Clark felt the blood rush through his body, and let his head fall back against Lex's shoulder as a wave of dizzy arousal washed over him.

He struggled to lift his head; he wanted to see... His knees cracked against the hard floor, the sound bouncing off the walls of the room, only his invulnerability saving him from pain. Lex was behind him instantly, knees pressed against his back. Arms wrapped around his chest, pulling hard at the bottom of his shirt and yanking it up and over his head.

Cooler hands pressed against the heat of his chest, massaging the muscles there in tight circles. Clark lifted his hands over his head, bending them back so his fingertips could slide across Lex's torso, pulling him closer and freeing his silk shirt from the confines of his pants. His touch was soft and tentative, gentle against the delicate skin he'd exposed, his fingertips electrified with the sensation. He felt a smooth hand run down his body to slide into the gap in the waist of his jeans, fingers tugging at the dark curls they could reach.

Clark's hands jerked away, settling in his hair and yanking hard as Lex slid down his body and settled on his knees behind him, straddling his calves, his persistent fingers stroking the tip of Clark's erection.

"Look, Clark. Watch us."

Green eyes flared wide, obeying as Lex's hand moved beneath the fabric of his jeans. A deft hand slipped into the top of his waistband, popping the brass button out of the hole and drawing down the zipper. He allowed Lex to draw his jeans down, tugging his white cotton briefs with them. The bunched fabric slid down his thighs and he saw himself clasped in Lex's fist, hard and dark against the pale skin of Lex's hand. He could feel Lex's other hand jerking behind him, freeing Lex from his pants, his heat scalding Clark's back.

Groaning, he tightened his hands in his hair. His eyes slid shut and he felt a forceful tug on his cock.

"Don't close your eyes, Clark. I want you to see." He could feel Lex straining against him, pushing up into his lower back with long, patient thrusts. The cooler skin of Lex's palm slid over him, closing around him and pulling. His hips moved forward with Lex's hand, and he felt his body tensing with the pressure roaring through him.

He strained to keep his eyes open, fighting to watch. His mouth fell open wide as a ragged breath shuddered out of him. A hand skimmed up his back and around his throat to trace the lines of his lips, a finger dipping inside, teasing until Clark suckled it with a moan. Clark's fingers loosened from his hair, one hand falling weakly to grasp Lex's wrist, feeling its movement as Lex stroked him.

Lex was moving against him in harmony with his hand on Clark, jerking and thrusting, his finger joined by a second in Clark's mouth, his face pale in the mirror over Clark's shoulder. Clark watched as Lex's mouth fell open in a choking sob, and he felt warmth spill across his back, spreading with the stuttered thrusts. His eyes slid closed and he felt heat soar through him, sizzling against every nerve, and he came in a hot flood, pouring across Lex's hand. He felt Lex's hand stroke him throughout the rush, pulling it all out until he collapsed back against Lex's chest with an exhausted whimper.

"Clark."

Clark forced his eyes open and twisted slightly, to look over his shoulder into pleased, half-lidded eyes. Smiling, he waited.

Lex leaned down and kissed his mouth, running his tongue over Clark's upper lip and sucking it gently. "You're beautiful." He gentled Clark to the floor, lying on his side while Clark splayed out with his face raised to the ceiling with a blissful smile.

They lay together for a while, Lex's head on Clark's arm, fingers stroking skin, humming along with the music that continued to play on repeat. Clark pulled away reluctantly, after a while, turning to smile softly at Lex.

"I've got to get home. My parents are going to be wondering why I'm so late." Clark stood slowly, pulling up his clothes before noticing the strangely blank look on Lex's face. "What is it?"

Getting up, arranging his clothing carefully, Lex shook his head. "I was just wondering how you're getting home without a car."

Clark swallowed hard, and turned away, fighting for control when he realized the mirrors would not allow him to hide his face from Lex's watchful eyes. "I've got a way to get home, Lex. Don't worry about it." He tried smiling and twisted around. "I'll be back tomorrow.'

Lex's patience with mumbled excuses for arriving late for lessons with torn or bloody clothing, the feeble explanations for working too fast, or lifting impossible weights, had come obviously come to an end. His look of disappointment nearly shattered Clark, and he reached out to Lex. When Lex stepped away, Clark lowered his arm and walked over to the sound system, turning it off. The silence was abrupt and startling. He saw Lex start towards the door, his face turned away from Clark's, and he couldn't stop himself.

"Wait."

Lex paused at the door, his hand on the handle. "Why?"

"Because I can't leave things like this. I...I have this thing. This secret. And, I'm not ready to tell anyone. There's reasons why I can't, and I wish I could share those with you. I wish that more than anything. Can't it be enough for now that you know that I want to tell you?" Clark watched Lex's hand turn on the handle and bit down a frustrated cry. "It's more than I've given anyone, Lex. Ever."

He waited for long seconds, maybe minutes, while Lex stood there with his hand on the door, fearing that Lex was going to walk up the stairs to his apartment over the studio, and it would be the end. He watched Lex stand there, still and pale in the dark, wishing for the impossible.

Lex turned and walked back to him, his eyes overly bright as he looked into Clark's hopeful face. He pulled Clark's head down and brushed his mouth against his, breathing out against his face. "I'll see you tomorrow."

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As he approached Metropolis, Clark's thoughts drifted back to the previous night at the studio. He wasn't really sure how things were going to be now, and he couldn't help but feel a little worried. It was easy to admit to himself that he cared about Lex. As new as everything was to him, he still felt a connection to the man; he just didn't know if Lex felt the same. Despite being a little late due to yet another mutant encounter, his feet slowed to a graceful walk as he saw the studio coming into sight. He felt his heart speed up in anticipation of seeing Lex again.

Clark walked slowly into the building, frowning in confusion when he heard several voices coming from the room he and Lex used for the private lessons. He opened the door and stepped inside, pasting a smile on his face as he approached Lex and several students he recognized from the group class.

"Hi," he said quietly, his eyes seeking out Lex. Gray eyes flashed as they met his, and then flew away quickly. "What's going on?"

One of the women instructors cleared her throat and smiled, attempting to smooth out the awkward silence. "Lex told us how well you're doing. He thought it might be time to try putting together an advanced group. There are so many new students...and you'd be a great add. We always need more men."

"I see." Clark swallowed against a sharp ache in his throat and forced himself to nod enthusiastically. "Well," turning deliberately to Lex, he cocked his head to the side. "You would know what's best, right?"

Lex looked up, finally, his face blank. "That's the idea." Nodding, he frowned as he took in Clark's appearance. "You brought your clothes for tonight's party at the museum, right?"

Clark nodded and held up his large backpack, and then looked down at the dust and hair that covered his shirt. He hadn't changed after chasing down the three-foot-tall packrat that had been trading rocks for hubcaps. When the marauding rodent had begun to remove lug nuts from truck tires in its quest for shiny objects, Clark had needed to take the matter in hand, and northern Alaska now boasted a new species. Normally, it was enough to dust himself off and wash up in the restroom, but the museum's gala was a different story. "I'm sorry, something came up and...."

With an exaggerated sigh, Lex interrupted. "You can use my shower after class." He began walking toward the door, lecturing over his shoulder. "You know we need all the men we can bring at these events, Clark. The studio needs the exposure and dancing with the single women always brings in new students." He left the studio without looking back.

Clark stood blinking in shock at the dismissal until one of the gathered students made a small sound. He excused himself long enough to wash his hands quickly and brush the dust and grass from his hair and clothing. Returning to the quiet studio, he looked at the group, and summoned a tentative smile as he unbuttoned his flannel shirt. "So, what dance are we working on today?"

The rest of the class clustered around the instructor and they began to partner off. Clark greeted the older student he'd been matched with, and tried to pay attention to the instructions and the music. He hoped he'd have a chance to speak with Lex later and find out exactly what had just happened.

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"Clark? Lex asked me to give you the key to his apartment."

Hearing his name, Clark turned and walked back to the receptionist's desk. He'd been on his way to the main studio to see if he could find Lex to talk to him. Approaching the red-haired woman, he smiled. She always been kind to him, greeting Clark with a warm smile when he arrived and asking after his parents. "Thanks, Pamela. I was just going to see if Lex...."

A tiny frown flitted across her normally serene face. "Lex is...meeting with someone right now, Clark. I don't think he'll be available until the party tonight. He wanted you to get cleaned up and changed, and maybe get something to eat. He said he'd meet everyone there." She handed over the small key ring and squeezed his fingers gently when he took it from her. She smiled up at him. "Things are a little...mixed up right now, Clark. Give him a little time, okay?"

Looking down at the tiled floor, he shrugged and mumbled, "Maybe I should just leave..."

Pamela stood up and came around the desk, stopping in front of Clark. She lifted a hand to his chin and tipped his head up enough to look into his distressed eyes. "Listen, Clark, I know you're used to having Lex to yourself, but he does have a studio to run. Tonight is one of those times when he needs our help, all of us, both students and teachers. The better showing the studio makes at the gala, the more students it attracts. The more students, the more classes and parties, and the more chances the students will have to dance." She backed up a step and folded her hands together, her face calm and serene. "He only asks the best students to attend these affairs because a studio's reputation makes or breaks it. Do you understand?"

Feeling a little better about Lex's absence, Clark nodded and was rewarded with smile from Pamela. Walking back around the desk, she resumed her seat. Picking up a pen, she began to write a note and Clark realized he'd been dismissed. He turned away and began to head for the stairs to the apartment when Pamela called his name again. Turning back, he waited until she set the pen down and looked up.

"Clark, I thought I should remind you about the non-fraternization clause in the studio's contract. When you pay for your lessons and sign that paper, you're stating you're aware that students and teachers are not supposed to have contact with each other outside the studio or studio-sponsored events. It's one of Lex's strictest rules."

Clark gave her a puzzled look. "But...Lex never had me sign a contract."

One delicate eyebrow lifted as she tilted her head with a nod. "Exactly." She picked up the pen again and began writing.

Clark watched her for a minute before walking away, looking back once to see her still working, displaying no concern over her final bit of advice. Climbing the stairs to Lex's apartment, Clark wondered what it was she was trying to tell him, finally giving up for the moment, too distracted to try to understand right then. Fumbling with the keys, he was finally able to open the door to Lex's apartment. Entering and closing the door behind him, he called out Lex's name, hoping he might still be there. Receiving no answer, he began to explore, seizing the opportunity to examine everything he'd seen using his x-ray vision, close up.

The nubby fabric of the sofa teased at his fingertips as he dragged them along the back, reading the titles of the books on the shelves behind it. One glass-fronted case caught his attention and his eyes widened when he got close enough to realize that the gold and silver statuettes and trophies all had Lex's name on them. There were dozens, of all shapes and sizes, the dates spanning the last five years. The earliest had titles that indicated Lex had competed as an amateur, but the later dates showed Lex had transitioned to professional status. Clark also noticed that after a certain date, they all bore the same name as his partner, Victoria Hardwick. The wall behind was covered in photographs of Lex and a tall, dark-haired woman in dramatic dance positions, the intensity between them barely contained by the frames.

Frowning at the evidence of a past Lex hadn't shared, Clark took his clothes into the bathroom and hung them up, using his mother's trick of letting the steam from the shower remove any wrinkles. Undressing quickly, he stepped into the shower and let the luxurious scents of Lex's toiletries surround him. It brought the night before back to him, the taste and texture of Lex's skin under the smell of his soap, the same soap he was using. His physical reaction wasn't a surprise, but Clark didn't feel comfortable doing anything about it in Lex's shower, in his apartment, when Lex wasn't there. It felt like a violation of trust, an abuse of his hospitality, especially since Clark wasn't sure what position he occupied in Lex's life, not since he'd seen the trophies. Finishing quickly, he dried off and dressed, struggling a little with his tie before he looked in the mirror and decided he'd pass muster.

Packing up his dirty clothes, he tidied the bathroom before he left the apartment, locking the door behind him. When he stopped at the desk, he saw that Pamela had left a note telling him to bring the keys with him to the gala. Shrugging, he made sure everyone else was gone, locked up the studio and headed downtown for the museum.

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Clark moved through the museum, feeling out-of-place and uncomfortable. The dress shirt and pants felt unfamiliar on his body, and he tugged irritably at the jacket that seemed too tight across his shoulders. He moved over to an alarmed, glass case to examine a gold breastplate. It was covered in large rough-cut gems, and emblazoned with a large, serpentine 'S'. Shaking his head at the ostentatious display, he began to turn away from it.

"You know, it belonged to Alexander the Great." A smooth, silky voice murmured quietly behind him.

Turning back, Clark smiled softly at Lex. When he failed to reply, Lex sucked in a harsh breath, nodding.

"They said the design symbolizes strength and courage in battle." Lex's eyes flared briefly as they met Clark's before looking down.

Clark watched Lex's face as he looked pointedly at the floor. Sighing, he looked back up at the breastplate. "So...you seem to know a lot about this."

His head lifting slowly, Lex agreed. "My father was very interested in men who ruled the world before they were thirty. He always fancied himself in the role of Philip of Macedonia." He shook his head, his mouth twisted. "I was quite a disappointment, but now he has his new son, Julian, who I daresay will be raised as a Caesar."

"You didn't want to rule the world?"

Lex shrugged again and shook his head. "I suppose the only part of me that's like my father is that I want to succeed at whatever I try." His gray eyes gleamed in the light from the case. "I want my studio to be a success, to make my mother proud of me."

Turning to face the dance floor set up in the atrium, Clark gestured toward it. "So, is tonight a success?"

Lex's face brightened as he looked up, his eyes searching out faces in the crowd of elegantly dressed people. "So far. I think we're going to have quite a few new sign-ups on Monday. Having some of our best dancers here to showcase the studio certainly helps." He motioned towards the crowded floor, where many couples were dancing slowly. "How about you? Are you going to go advertise?" His voice was light, and there was a slight smile on his face.

Chuckling, Clark shook his head. "I've been out there, but you want good advertising, Lex."

"Clark-" Lex reached out and closed his fingers around Clark's wrist as the younger man started to walk away. "You're...."

"Victoria Hardwick." Clark said evenly.

Lex released Clark's wrist and stepped back. "What?"

Clark reached into his pocket and pulled out Lex's key ring and held them out. "Your dance partner. The name on all your trophies. The woman you never mentioned to me."

"I..." Accepting the key ring, Lex frowned as he struggled to answer. "She was out of my life. She'd left for England to dance with someone else before you came to the studio. She was gone."

Clark's eyes narrowed as he watched Lex rub the back of his neck in agitation. "Was?"

"Clark...." Lex moved closer, his hand out, drawing to a surprised stop as a body stepped in front of them.

"Am I interrupting?" Clark's eyes widened as the dark-haired woman, dressed in a costume that left little to the imagination, slithered over to Lex, easing her arm into his and settling close against him. "Lex, aren't you going to introduce me?" she pouted.

Lex's face closed down to a polite mask. "Of course. Victoria, this is Clark Kent. Clark, this is Victoria Hardwick."

Clark could feel the contempt rolling off the woman as she simpered. "Oh, so you're Clark. How nice to meet you. Pamela's been telling me all about Lex's latest project. He does like try something new now and then, but nothing really ever comes of it. He always comes back to what he knows will work, is accepted in the dance world." Her smile was brittle and cold. "After all, if you knew Lex, really knew him, you'd know how important it is for him to be a success." She gave a little shimmy before pulling on Lex's arm. "Lex, we're on in ten minutes. We need to warm up."

Nodding, Lex led Victoria past Clark toward the dance floor. He looked back once, but Clark couldn't read anything in his pale face and was left alone wondering if the entire day had just been an extended nightmare, hoping his mother would wake him up soon if it was.

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Clark sat against the mirrored wall of the museum's foyer, replaying every moment of Lex's demonstration of the tango. His arm had been tight around that woman, holding her firmly, and their faces were so close together. The fast, staccato music and the heat of the moves had wrenched at Clark's throat, closing it tight against the feeling of jealousy as he watched Lex mold his body to Victoria's, passion in every line.

"Clark? You look like you're a million light years away," Lex murmured, sliding down the wall to sit next to him. "What's wrong?"

Shaking his head, Clark attempted a smile and failed, unable to meet Lex's eyes. Sighing, he pushed himself up and away from the wall, and Lex. He moved over to the other side of the narrow hall, his arms coming up across his chest.

He could see Lex's worried face in the reflection of the mirror, and watched the man pull up his knees and lay his arms against them. "Come on, Clark. I'm not a mind reader."

"There's nothing. I'm fine." Clark swallowed down the wave of guilt as Lex frowned up at him. "I just...it's weird. To see you that close with someone else; it's so intimate."

Lex turned his face away and breathed out a sigh. "We were dancing, Clark. It's what I do."

"I know," Clark said quickly. "I guess I'm the one making this weird. I'm sorry."

"It's my fault," Lex muttered, pressing his palms against the floor to push himself up. "I shouldn't have let things get so out of control. God, you're a high-school senior and I'm...."

"So...it was a mistake?"

"Clark..." Lex's voice trailed off, a nervous hand rising up to run across his bare scalp as he looked away.

It hurt. Clark winced, feeling the pain in his chest, and fought hard to control his face. He felt Lex's eyes return to his face, and he looked up, meeting the worried gaze. "It's okay." He gathered his things quickly, moving towards the door, when he heard Lex clear his throat. He paused, waiting, but refusing to look back.

"I was thinking maybe you should go to some of the parties hosted by the studio in addition to the groups. You really need to become accustomed to dancing with someone other than me. You made a really good start today, but I think it would help if-"

"Lex." Clark's voice was low and hitched as he rasped out the man's name. "I get it, okay? I'll do the group lessons; I'll go to the parties...no big deal." He left the room, feeling the blood surge through his head. The front door of the museum was beneath his fingertips when he heard Lex whisper his name under his breath.

He didn't turn back.

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Clark had been to several of the parties. Generally, he felt withdrawn from the happy, mingling group of people. He'd participate in the dancing occasionally, but bumping into Lex and one of his dance partners on the floor was not something he was entirely comfortable with yet. Especially Victoria Hardwick.

Moving over to a large, opened window that overlooked the heart of the city, he sighed and felt the breeze soar in through the screen. The cool air felt good on his skin; the heat of a dozen dancing couples tended to pump up the temperature of a room. He looked up at the slice of evening sky he could see above the buildings, and wondered why he was there.

"I've seen you around. Aren't you taking private lessons with Lex?"

Clark turned around to look into a pretty, smiling face. "I was," he replied, holding out a hand. "I'm Clark."

"Chloe." The young, blonde woman moved closer to stand beside him and take in the view. Her eyes were twinkling mischievously as they turned to look at him. "So...you take dance lessons, you come to dance parties, and then you stand at the window looking forlorn. Something is wrong with this scenario, Clark."

A chuckle escaped from his lips before he could stop it. "Oh yeah?"

"Absolutely." Nodding, Chloe reached forward and grasped at his hand. "If you're going to go to all the trouble of learning to dance, you can't waste it by letting all that knowledge go unused." She tilted her head to the side, quirking a blonde eyebrow up over a bright blue eye. "Besides, a big, strapping man like you surely wouldn't let sweet, little 'ole me go the entire evening without a rumba, would you?"

Wincing, Clark realized she was right. Why was he here if it wasn't to dance? He hadn't stopped enjoying it just because he couldn't dance with Lex. He shook his head ruefully at his stubbornness, and looked into Chloe's hopeful face. He couldn't stop the smile, and felt relieved to feel something vaguely like happiness. Listening to the music playing, he extended his hand. "May I interest you in a foxtrot, Miss Chloe?"

Chloe rolled her eyes playfully and nodded, pulling Clark onto the floor with her. He found that they fit well together, and she made him laugh. He was able to concentrate on talking with her, and it wasn't until halfway into the song that he realized he'd actually been dancing the entire time. He nearly stumbled then, earning a soft smack on his shoulder from Chloe.

She leaned up and whispered into his ear, "You're doing great, Clark. I like dancing with you." Rolling her eyes in an exaggerated movement, she grinned up at him. "Of course, it could just be because you're so hot."

Clark laughed, his eyes sparkling, and didn't notice another set of eyes watching as he and Chloe danced.

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The club was dark and loud, waves of people moving against one another.

At first, Clark had been unsure about going along when Chloe and some of the other dancers had suggested the club. However, after Lex agreed to make it a studio outing, Clark had agreed to come along. Chloe had kindly offered a place to sleep so that he didn't need to worry about returning to Smallville that night. Of course, then Chloe had decided he'd needed a little help with his wardrobe.

Chloe had become a welcome part of his time spent in Metropolis, and dancing with her was a pleasure. She seemed to work almost instinctively with him, and the easy comfort he felt acting as her dancing partner in groups and at parties had relaxed him. In a way, it was simpler to dance with Chloe than with Lex, if not as exciting. There weren't any concerns of inappropriate issues 'popping up', or making anyone uncomfortable. Chloe was a friend, and he'd needed one.

That was how he'd found himself pushed towards the secondhand store's changing area by Chloe, while she shoved hangers loudly along a metal bar in search of a shirt and pants for Clark to wear to the club. She'd dragged him here after hearing that it specialized in club, dance, and theatre costumes.

"Perfect!" She'd cried out, a satisfied grin on her pretty face. Waggling her eyebrows, she had held out the form-fitting, red shirt and slender black trousers. "Go throw this on, and I'll fix it up for you."

"Fix it up for me?" He had asked with an amused grin.

"Just go, Clark! I want to dance sometime tonight." With a laugh, he'd ducked behind a curtain doubling as the changing area and pulled off his soft, comfortable clothes and boots. Tugging on the much tighter clothing, along with the shoes Chloe had suggested, he'd felt very conspicuous as he had came out from behind the concealing fabric. He'd yanked on the collar, trying to pull the shirt away from his skin with little effect.

Chloe had rolled her eyes, marching up to him matter-of-factly, and unbuttoned the first three buttons. "We're going to a club, Clark, not a job interview." Waving a hand in the air and twisting her fingers in a circular motion, she continued, "Turn around."

Sighing, Clark had twirled in place, holding his hands out away from his sides, wishing the pants weren't quite so tight. "Well? Will I do?"

A blonde eyebrow arched up, in what had become a familiar expression, as Chloe nodded. "I have to say, a little spandex is definitely your friend. I have a feeling there are going to be some appreciative glances thrown your way tonight, Mr. Kent." She'd grinned widely at the sad, hopeful look on Clark's face. "I would even be willing to bet a certain dance instructor finds himself unable to look away. You look great."

He'd shaken his head, but followed Chloe to the register, blushing at the appreciative comments thrown his way by a few fellow shoppers. The clerk bagged his everyday clothes and boots, as he handed over some of the money he'd been earning at the studio since he wasn't exchanging his work for private lessons anymore.

Since Chloe was already dressed, they'd headed out to the club, where Clark proceeded to wave away all of Chloe's attempts to entice him onto the dance floor. He had watched the other dancers spread out across the floor, smiling as he watched everyone enjoying themselves, but he was still a little timid about dancing outside the studio. Leaning against the bar drinking a bottle of water, he let the Latin rhythms wash over him, his fingers tapping the beat on his thigh.

Lex walked off the dance floor, after performing a dance that had Clark wishing once again that he'd worn looser pants. As he reached the bar, still breathing heavily, he reached out to take a bottle of water from the bartender. Swallowing half the bottle non-stop, Lex turned to strike up a conversation with Victoria, who'd followed him from the floor, ignoring Clark.

Clark felt a tug on his shirt, and grinned down at a woman who pulled playfully on his arm, nodding her head towards the dance floor in invitation. He glanced over at Lex, who was busy talking to Victoria. He noticed Victoria glance his way, a smug smile playing on her lips as she leaned in closer to Lex. Shrugging off the tight pain that he felt in his chest, he let himself be pulled out onto the floor and placed his hand on the woman's waist.

She was lovely and exotic, with a sleek, curved body and richly tanned skin. Her dark sloe eyes were sparkling with mischief as she reached a hand up to curl around his neck and pull him in closer. Shining, red lips curved in an enticing smile as she swiveled her hips, maneuvering herself against the lines of Clark's body.

The salsa music was pulsating around them as they moved together, finding a comfortable rhythm, and Clark was thankful for the time Lex had spent teaching him how to dance on a crowded floor. Having her pressed along him meant nothing, he wasn't battling against his body's responses, so he was surprised when he felt his head being pulled down, his face laid against hers as she leaned up, her lips close to his ear.

A lightly-accented voice was laughing gently as it whispered to him. "Chloe was right. I do not think your lover is too happy with our dance, chico dulce."

Clark pulled back, his eyes wide. "What?" His gaze turned to the mirror over the bar as his dance partner murmured in his ear again. He scanned the crowd of people for only a moment before his vision locked with narrowed gray eyes that flashed with fury. Clark raised his eyebrows in surprise before shaking his head slightly, and looking away.

After finishing the dance, Clark bowed out politely at the offer of another dance, grinning charmingly at the sultry woman's pout at his refusal, and walked outside for a breath of cool air. He leaned against the brick side of the building, smiling softly into the night, humming to the song that floated out through the door.

"Pleasant thoughts?"

Startled, Clark turned his head to look at the swiftly approaching man. "Hey, Lex." He watched the normally cool, collected man bark out an exasperated breath before leaning forward and gripping Clark's arm.

"Come on. We're leaving." He pulled hard, yanking Clark away from the club and towards his car.

"What the...? Why? We can't just leave everyone there, Lex! What is your problem?" Clark tried to pull his arm away without hurting Lex, but when he realized how tightly the man's fingers were clenched into his flesh, he gave up. He followed the silently fuming man, and climbed into the passenger seat of Lex's car, folding his arms across his chest as Lex slammed the door closed.

He shook his head, sighing loudly as Lex moved around to the driver's side and wrenched the door open, throwing himself inside and violently turning the ignition on. Lex slammed the car into drive, barely managing to pull his own door shut with a loud bang before the car squealed away from the curb. The drive was short, filled with a hovering silence, and Clark felt a shiver run through his body as Lex pulled up to the studio in a screeching halt. Knocking the car into park and yanking out the keys, Lex clambered out of the car immediately, snapping out an order over his shoulder for Clark to get out and follow him.

He found himself moving silently behind the furious man, climbing up the private staircase that led to Lex's apartment over the studio. Toeing his shoes off carelessly, Lex pulled off his socks and threw everything on a pile by the door without a word. Following suit, Clark's eyes bounced around the apartment, watching cautiously as Lex paced back and forth across the carpet between the kitchen area and the sitting area. The man was vibrating with pent-up energy, and as his eyes turned to meet Clark's worried face, he snarled and stalked out onto the garden patio on the roof.

Following, his voice cracking with the strain, Clark asked, "Lex, what is going on?"

"Could you have gotten any closer to her, Clark? You were practically fucking her on the dance floor." The words were short, bitten-off.

Clark's eyes widened with realization, and he laughed bitterly. "Are you kidding me?" A large hand jerked up to sweep through his hair, sending it falling into a messy spill across his forehead. "You cannot seriously be upset that I danced with some girl at a club; not after telling me you wanted me to do just THAT!"

Lex swallowed hard, looking out at the sky with an incredulous expression. "I wanted to throw that girl through the wall." His mouth twisted into a dry, self-mocking smirk as his head turned in time to see Clark's look of utter disbelief.

"You mean that girl I was dancing with?" At Lex's tight nod, Clark huffed out a humorless laugh. "Lex, you're the one that told me dancing was just that...dancing. I was just dancing with her. Dancing, Lex. That's all. It's not as if I was going to take her home with me, Lex. It's not like I even thought about it. You know damn well how I feel-" Straightening his shoulders, he took a deep breath. "Not that it would matter if I was doing more than that. After...after that night that we...well, you made it pretty apparent the next day that you felt that it was a mistake."

Smooth, pale skin flushed with dark color as Lex spun around and moved slowly towards Clark. "I never said that, Clark."

"You didn't have to, Lex. We shared something I thought was really special and important, and then the next time I see you, you're putting as much space between us as you can, and Victoria Hardwick shows up... What do expect me to think?" Clark choked on a bitter laugh. "I know regret when I see it."

"Maybe you're not as perceptive as you think," Lex hissed, reaching out to clench his fists in the collar of Clark's shirt. He yanked hard, tearing the fabric. "I can't stop looking at you, wanting you. I think about that night every minute of every day, and it only makes me want you more."

Clark felt a violent shiver take hold of his body and he leaned into Lex's hands, feeling the backs of the straining fingers hot against his skin. His mouth hovered over Lex's, waiting, feeling the soft, panting breaths hitching out from his lips. "You know I want you, Lex. Why are you pushing me away when you want this, too?" His voice dropped to a whisper. "Why didn't you have me sign a contract, Lex?"

He watched Lex's tongue dart out to wet his lips. The older man shook his head tightly, his eyelids fluttering closed as his head dropped back. "If you weren't a student, then....fuck, I don't think I even know why anymore." Lex's body was buzzing with tension, his hands trembling against Clark's skin. "I just...I want more than just sex, Clark. I want everything from you."

Clark watched Lex's eyes move beneath the lids. Leaning forward, he blew softly against them and watched them open in surprise. Lex's eyes seared across his face, landing on his mouth, and Clark felt the breath forced out of his chest as Lex jumped up against his body, pushing him back through the opened door and into the apartment. Clark felt his back slam against a wall, and moaned as a wet mouth latched onto his throat. He rolled them across the wall, stumbling when they moved into a partially open door. Clark's eyes widened as he looked over Lex's shoulder at the large, unmade bed.

Lex's hands reached out to steady Clark's body, clasping firmly around the younger man's waist before traveling up to his chest. Deft fingers searched out the skin exposed by the rips in the deep red material, and clutched against the frayed edges, pulling hard to rip the shirt open further. He pushed the ragged fabric away from Clark's chest, scraping his nails across hardened nipples. His eyes moved across the smooth, glowing skin he'd exposed and then upward to watch Clark's face. Clark's hands slid across Lex's chest, moving around his ribs and down to his waist, lifting him up and over to the bed with no effort.

He placed Lex, still standing, on top of the bed, his hands shaking slightly as Lex looked down at him. Gray eyes, completely focused, burned into his. They stayed on him as Lex lowered himself down to his knees. His long, pale fingers moved to his undamaged shirt and began undoing the buttons quickly. Lex's eyes never left Clark's as he pulled the shirt down his leanly muscled arms. Clark reached out a hand and brushed it softly across Lex's cheek, noting the sharp, white teeth that bit down into a soft lip. His eager hands were swatted away when he reached towards Lex's pants, and he couldn't prevent the soft bark of laughter at the reaction.

"It's faster if I take them off. Follow my lead, Clark," Lex whispered, looking down at Clark's trousers and the shredded remains of his shirt that hung raggedly from the waist of his pants.

Clark's composure was wrecked, fingers shaking wildly as he undid the fly of his pants. His eyes looked down in an effort to try to force some sort of control into his nerveless hands. The sound of silky fabric gliding down skin and falling onto the mattress recaptured his attention, and he looked over to see Lex back on his knees in front of him on the bed, watching him fumble with his pants. Lex was sleek, toned and sinfully naked, like something from his nightly fantasies, almost too perfect to touch. Clark could feel the warmth of the man's body, so close, and he heard a noise garbled in his throat as he tried to say Lex's name.

Strong hands reached out and yanked at his opened pants, shoving them down his legs, along with his briefs, the shirt dropping to the floor. Lex encouraged him to step out, and onto the bed with him, pulling Clark down on top of him. The intense sensation of so much skin pressed against his caused Clark to groan, and thrust down against the body beneath his. Lex shoved against Clark's shoulder, rolling them over until Clark's back was pressed against the cool sheets on the bed.

Clark looked down along his body to see Lex's cock sliding across his own and moaned. His lashes slid down, obscuring his view, and he fought to keep his eyes open until soft lips pressed against his. A persistent thumb reached up, brushing against his chin and pushing down, opening his mouth wide. Invited, then welcomed, a soft, warm tongue slid inside, running across teeth, and curling around his.

His mouth was wet, moving with Lex's, and he inhaled sharply through his nose. The scent of Lex...his cologne, the tang of sweat, flooded his senses. And underneath, he caught the heavy-oversweet scent of her perfume and he clenched his eyes closed tight. He wrenched his mouth away, gasping for breath, and forcing his eyes to open. Gray eyes were there above him, dark, thin circles around blown, black pupils. Those eyes shone at him, through him, watching, waiting.

Lex arched his neck as Clark reared up, sucking hard against Lex's throat. His lips worked across the pale skin, pulling up heated marks in a trail. "I can smell her on you," Clark said, his words slurred. "But, you're here. You're here with me."

"With you," Lex whispered, reaching a hand down to grasp their erections. His fingers moved quickly, sliding up and over, smearing their pre-come across his palm, and running it back along their shafts as he stroked his way down. "She hasn't been in this bed, Clark." His hand twisted as he gritted out, "I want you, Clark. I think about you when I'm alone, jerking off in this bed, in the shower." He groaned. "It's only...you."

Clark thrust up into Lex's hand, a wild, broken sound in his chest. His hands moved across Lex's back, sliding down until his fingers clenched around Lex's firm, round ass working above him. He grasped Lex hard, and pulled him against him, gasping at the sensation. A pulse of hot fluid gushed between them, and he felt busy fingers smear it across them, between them.

They were sliding together, their bodies frantic and fast. Clark's legs fell open further, and Lex pushed down, his movements jerky and harsh. Clark felt his body tense, the heat spiraling down his spine, and he deliberately relaxed his fingers, easing them away.

"No!" Lex growled, his eyes dark. "Don't let go of me. Fucking touch me. I want your hands on me when you come. I want to feel everything." Pressing his face down, Lex bit sharply on Clark's jaw. A finger slid through the slit on Clark's cock, and he whined loudly, the air raging from his lips. That sleek, knowing hand slid down, past his sac, and pressed hard against the strip of skin there as Lex's cock slid hard against his.

Clark choked out a frenzied breath, his body bucking up against Lex's, his fingers digging into that firm, creamy ass hard enough to leave dark, purple marks. He buried his face against Lex's neck, spilling his come between them. Lex jerked hard, his eyes wide open and caught in Clark's as he was thrown into his own orgasm.

Lex collapsed against him, his arms trembling against Clark's sides. Clark moved his hands from Lex's ass, settling across his lower back to lay his fingers against the sweaty skin there.

Shifting into a more comfortable position for both of them, Clark started to move, and was startled to see Lex forcing his face up to look into Clark's eyes. "Don't leave tonight."

"Lex-"

Smiling, Lex nuzzled his face against Clark's chest, laying a kiss on the satiny skin. "I need for this to be real tomorrow. Stay with me."

Clark quickly calculated that Chloe wasn't going to be too surprised if he didn't show up at her house that night. He nodded, and drew Lex's head down against his heart. "I'll stay as long as you want me to."

Lex didn't have to say a word; Clark felt the smile against his skin.

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"The registration deadline for the Nationals in Las Vegas is a week away, Lex."

Lex looked up from the stack of correspondence that Pamela had handed to him and frowned at his mother's oldest friend. "And you're bringing it up again because...?"

"I think you need to reconsider your decision not to enter." The red-haired woman twirled her pen between her fingers as she looked up at Lex. "Things have changed since we discussed it six months ago."

Tossing the pile of paper on the corner of the desk, Lex rubbed the back of his neck and groaned. "I guess I knew that I couldn't avoid this when Victoria showed up. I just hoped..."

Pamela set the pen down and got up from her chair, coming around the desk to stand next to Lex. "I wouldn't be doing my job if I allowed you to just let this chance slip away without trying. You know what it would mean to the studio to bring home trophies from the Nationals." She rubbed his arm gently. "Now that you have a professional partner again, there's no excuse for you to stick to partnering amateurs in the regionals."

Lex sighed. "Damn it, I hate it when you're right." He pursed his lips, considering. "Do you think we have enough time?"

"I've already spoken to the students I thought would be interested and I've run the numbers." She walked back around the desk and pulled open a drawer, taking out a folder and handing to Lex. "The charge per student is broken down and the costs for the studio have been accounted for in the advertising budget."

Lex flipped open the folder and quickly checked the figures before looking up with a rueful grin. "Pretty confident, weren't you?"

Nodding with a complacent smile, Pamela resumed her seat. "Knowing how much you enjoy performing? Not to mention choreographing and teaching all those routines for the students...you'll be in heaven for the next three months." The smile faded as her face became more serious. "There is something...someone else, I want to talk to you about, Lex."

Lex handed back the folder and nodded. "Clark." He frowned. "I don't really..."

Pamela interrupted with a raised hand. "Hear me out, Lex." She sighed heavily. "I like Clark. I like him a lot, and I think he has a lot of potential; the potential to be a great dancer...and the potential to cause the studio a great deal of difficulty, if your relationship becomes common knowledge." She lowered her hand knowing she had Lex's full attention. "The last thing I want to do is to break you two apart, but the reality is that student-teacher 'fraternization' is frowned upon, and your own student contract has a clause covering just that." Her hand came back up as Lex began to protest. "You and I both know that Clark never signed a contract...and God knows what you were thinking when you decided on that little piece of chicanery...anyway, the rest of the studio, the students and the teachers, don't know that. All they see is you breaking your own rules. They're not blind or stupid, Lex."

Lex began to pace in front of the desk, his head down, watching the tiles beneath his feet. "I know Pamela. I never meant this to happen. I tried to stay away from him, keep it professional, but...even when it was just that one time, when I tried to pretend to myself it was because I'd been drinking...and then Victoria came back..." He stopped and threw out his arms, his face begging Pamela to understand, "...and suddenly I knew what it was like to have had something real instead of..." His hands dropped to his sides, his voice breaking a little. "I don't want to give him up, Pamela. I can't."

Pamela nodded firmly. "Then don't. I'm not saying that you have to, just that you need to think and act more professionally. You'll always have students who'll drop out, or decline to join the studio, when they find out you're with Clark. You'll have to find others who won't. The important part is the perception that you're not following the rules, right?" She waited for Lex to nod his agreement with that point. "So, what's your position on teacher-teacher relationships?"

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Leaning over to refill his coffee mug, Martha Kent casually asked, "So how much does entering one of these competitions cost, Lex?"

Nodding his thanks, Lex took a sip before answering. "On the average, entering the Nationals costs an amateur...five thousand."

Jonathan Kent, who had just lifted his mug to drink, slammed it down again. "Dollars? Five thousand dollars just to dance for three days? That's a year's tuition at the state college!"

"Now, Jonathan..." Martha attempted to calm down her sputtering husband.

Lex held up a conciliatory hand. "I'll grant that sounds like a lot of money, Mr. Kent. It covers more than the entry fees. It's extra lessons, costumes, transportation and lodging. Now, that said, the studio has done its best to cut the costs wherever possible." Lex began to tick off his points on his fingers. "We'll be renting a bus for the teachers and students, which ends up being a third of the cost of flying, and we'll be sharing rooms. In addition, the students and teachers will be sharing costumes wherever possible. That's brought this competition down to around thirty-five hundred when the extra lessons are factored in."

Jonathan grunted and shook his head. "There's still no way we can afford anything like that. If Clark wasn't working nights for you as a janitor, we wouldn't even be able to handle the lessons he's taking now."

Clark, who'd been holding back while Lex spoke, interjected. "But, that's just it, Dad! I won't have to pay!"

Martha sat down slowly, a puzzled look on her face. "I don't understand, Clark."

"What Clark's trying to say, Mrs. Kent, is that I've offered him a position as a part-time teacher for beginning students at the studio." Lex offered a tentative smile to Clark's mother. "The studio would cover all his costs since he would be entering the competition as a professional."

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"Hey, Chloe?"

"Yeah, Clark?"

"I'm in!"

"Yes! We are so going to sweep newcomer level!"

"I still can't believe your dad is paying all that money for you to compete."

"Are you kidding? He says it's the cheapest way he knows to keep me out of trouble. Something about a Nancy Drew complex and not knowing when to keep my nose out of other people's business. He just doesn't understand about reporters."

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"Ow, Kent! Dance on your own feet!"

"Sorry, Chloe."

"Clark, Chloe, we're going to work on those heel leads and toe releases, and see if we fix that little problem."

"Sure, Lex. I just don't see how you can label anything on the farm boy here, little. And I'm not just talking about his feet."

"Chloe!"

"Pay up, Lex. I told you I could make him blush less than five minutes into the lesson."

"Hey!

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"It's a spin-turn, basic, back twinkle, chasse, develope!"

"No, it's a spin-turn, chasse, back twinkle, develope!"

"It has a basic!"

"No, it doesn't!"

"Does!"

"Doesn't!"

"Do we need a five-minute timeout in the corner for you two?"

"No, Lex."

"Fine. From the beginning. Spin-turn, chasse, back twinkle, develope."

"Told you."

"Sure, sure, just because you sleep with the guy..."

"Chloe!"

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"Are you watching, Chloe? Clark is going to lower you to within two inches of the floor before he spins you back up. Now the key to this lift is the full arch to your back, like this, and the perpendicular position of your left leg. Got it? OK, Clark, you can put me back down. Whoa, upside-down like that for five minutes made all the blood rush to my head."

"Really, Lex? Was that the big head or the little head?"

"Chloe!"

"All right, Clark. Why don't you come and get me when Ms. Sullivan can stop laughing long enough to get up off the floor. I'll be discussing the new group classes with Pamela until then."

"I am never going to talk to you again, Chloe. I mean it."

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"Listen, you two will have to work through this session alone, okay? I've had to reschedule my time with Victoria today."

"That's the second time this week, Lex."

"I know, something came up and she couldn't make the other time."

"This is Chloe's time, Lex."

"And you're her teacher, Clark, the one she's going to be competing with, so dance with her! Can't you understand how important this is to me, Clark?"

"Yeah, Lex. I think maybe I do."

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Chloe pulled out a bright orange dress and held it up against her. "What do you think of this one?"

Clark winced, shrugging awkwardly. "It's really...orange."

Rolling her eyes, Chloe huffed out a loud breath. "How observant, Clark." Looking over the costume with a critical eye, she narrowed her eyes and shook her head. Replacing the dress on the rack, she pulled out a two-piece blood-red costume. The bodice was covered in sparkling sequins, reflecting light even in the dim costume room. The skirt was knee-length and wrapped around the body, coming together with a reinforced snap at the waist. The material was slightly sheer, and flowed easily as it moved. She pulled the fabric up to her face and batted her eyes flirtatiously. "I like this one. What do you think?"

Smiling, Clark stood up. "I like it."

Chloe laughed and handed him the outfit to hold for her, gesturing for him to sit back down. "Of course you do. It's red." Grinning at the exasperated breath from Clark, Chloe turned to another rack to begin separating the clothes so she could look more closely at them. "You do realize, of course, that whatever I wear, you're going to have to match me." She bit back a giggle at the horrified look on Clark's face.

"I am not wearing sequins."

Deciding to continue the torture, Chloe tilted her head to the side and sighed heavily. "I guess if you don't want to win..."

Clark dragged a large hand across his face and took a deep breath. "I am not wearing a lot of sequins."

At this, Chloe could no longer keep control of her giggles. "You're not wearing sequins, Clark." At his sigh of relief, she arched a delicate eyebrow and smiled mischievously. "You are, however, wearing black spandex pants."

Clark fell back against the back of the chair, groaning loudly. Chloe chuckled, turning her attention back to the costume rack. Her hand slid across silky-smooth fabrics, and rougher clusters of rhinestones and bead. A pale, icy-blue dress caught her eye, and she pulled it out.

Her eyes lit up as she held the dress out at arm's length. "I remember when Alicia wore this in the last regional competition," she whispered reverently.

Ducking behind a screen, she pulled off her clothes, tugging the dress on carefully. She arranged it over her body and stepped out from behind the screen to look in a full-length mirror that was nailed to the wall.

"Well?"

Clark's eyes lit up as they slid over to his dance partner. "You look amazing," he said with a soft smile.

The dress clung to her upper body, covering her up to her neck and wrapping around her arms, all the way down to her fingers. The skirt flared out across her hips, ending in a full circle of fabric that ended about mid-calf. As he looked at her, she winked, and turned slowly around. Looking over her shoulder, she grinned at the appreciative look on Clark's face.

"Wow. That has no back," he choked out.

Chloe nodded, twisting around to see the full-effect in the mirror.

"Hey, Chloe, if the red outfit has me wearing spandex, what am I going to be in with this one?" Clark's eyes narrowed at Chloe's bright smile. "What is it?"

"Tails, pretty boy. You're going to be wearing tails."

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Clark stood behind the screen, tugging at the too-tight pants that hugged his butt just a little bit much. "They don't fit."

Chloe smacked a hand against her forehead. "Yes, they do, Clark. Or, they will...with the right adjustments. Come on out."

"I don't have a shirt. This one won't even cover my chest." Clark's voice had a hint of a whine in it, and Chloe fought to hold back a sharp retort.

"Didn't Lex say you could look in his closet?" Chloe asked, her patience thinning quickly.

Clark stepped out reluctantly, his arms crossed over his bare chest. The pants were, indeed, too tight and they appeared to be a second skin.

Chloe whistled, and nodded appreciatively. "Well, come on, let's go take a look." She unlocked the door, a concession to Clark's modesty, and pushed the door open. When Clark didn't come out immediately, she stuck her head back into the room and hissed out a threat.

His face pulled tight in a frown, Clark came slowly out of the room, a t-shirt hastily tugged on over his chest. Chloe saw Lex step out of studio opposite the costume room and smile lazily, scanning down Clark as he stood there in the revealing pants. She watched him lick his lips slowly, and looked over to see Clark watching the move and flushing a brilliant pink.

"Hi, Lex," she called brightly, reaching over to pull the shut the door behind Clark, bumping the young man's butt with the door as it slammed shut. She ignored the pointed glare directed her way, and kept her attention on Lex's shining gray eyes. "I was just going to see about having a couple of alterations done. Alicia said it was cool if I used some of her costumes. Clark's been fitted for the tux, but he still needs to find a shirt for the Latin number. He was just going to look through your stuff, I think." Finally turning to meet Clark's gaze, she saw his clear green eyes flashing, and grinned. "Clark, I'm sure Lex would be happy to help you find what you're looking for. I'll catch up with you later."

Clark watched as Chloe bounced away, the young woman turning to blow him a saucy kiss before disappearing behind a corner. Shrugging, he shifted his attention back to Lex, who was looking at his legs.

Shaking his head, he pulled at the bottom of his shirt, attempting to cover his muscled thighs. "These aren't going to work."

Lex covered his mouth with an elegant hand, hiding the amused smirk, and motioned for Clark to follow him. A few steps behind, Clark watched Lex climb the stairs with a grin.

Lex reached the top step, and turned abruptly, laughing softly when he caught Clark checking out his ass. "Come on."

They entered the large, walk-in closet, and after Lex pointed out the many shirts lining the rack, Clark pulled out a couple at random. Rolling his eyes, Lex took impatient breath. "Well, try them on. We need to see what works."

Clark bit his lip, feeling oddly nervous, and pulled his shirt up and over his head. He dropped it onto the floor and looked up to see Lex looking intently at his chest. Blushing, he reached for the first shirt and tugged it gently off the hanger. He pulled it on carefully, tugging it around him with cautious fingers. It was a form-fitting black shirt, and Lex shook his head quickly.

"Next one," he muttered, his eyes intent on Clark as the dark-haired man pulled on the next shirt. It was white, almost transparent, and it billowed out, the sleeves loose and flared until they reached the wrist. Lex watched Clark button the shirt from the bottom, and as his fingers neared the top few buttons, he reached out and stopped Clark from closing the shirt any further. He slipped the last button Clark had slid into place out of the loop, and watched the shirt gape open further. The white fabric was brilliant against the rosy gold of Clark's satin-soft skin. The effect was breathtaking, only serving to enhance Clark's already stunning beauty. "That's the one."

"You think?" Clark's voice sounded hesitant, but pleased, and Lex nodded, smiling into shining sea-green eyes.

"You're incredible," he said, his voice hoarse.

Clark looked down, unsure what to do next, and reached out to take hold of the last shirt he had grabbed from the bar. "I guess I won't need to try this one, then."

Lex looked closely at the shirt, and felt a wave of recognition roll over him. "Yeah, that's not a good one anyway."

Frowning, his brow furrowed in confusion, Clark cocked his head to the side. "What's wrong with it?"

"I wore it at my last competition with Victoria, right before she left." Lex looked down at the shirt with a wry smile. "It's not exactly a lucky shirt."

The silence flooded the room, and Lex found himself looking into Clark's face, which had paled considerably. "Clark?"

"You still have it," he whispered. "It must have been really important."

"It's just a shirt, Clark." Lex felt the lie leave his lips, oily and slick, and saw Clark recognize it for what it was.

"Of course it is," Clark said, licking his lips to wet his suddenly dry mouth. "And, I'm just a normal guy from Smallville, Kansas." He looked pointedly at Lex before stepping around him to leave the closet. "I understand lying, Lex, better than I'd like to. But, try not to lie to yourself. You deserve better than that."

Clark left the closet door open, swinging slowly until it hit the wall. Lex stood and watched him go, the shirt on its hanger, clutched in his white-knuckled hands.

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"She told him she had a new partner right after they accepted the trophy at Can-Am Open. He had no idea she was looking, although they'd been fighting about the studio for months." Pamela had come up behind Clark as he stood watching through the small window in the private studio door. "She resented any time he spent teaching, and wanted him to focus on performing...with her."

Clark turned away from the window to look down into Pamela's kind face. "But, Lex loves to teach. He's so great at it, too. I love watching the look on his face when he's helping a student understand a new step, or explaining the history of a dance."

Pamela nodded with a sad smile. "She never saw that. She thought using Lillian's estate to buy this building and renovate it, to start up the studio, was a waste. So she walked away, and he never looked for another professional partner." Pamela reached out a hand and laid it gently on Clark's forearm. "He danced with his students and he taught, and it wasn't a bad time for him. I'd say he was even content with his life, but there was something missing, he was just coasting." She squeezed gently. "Then you came into the studio and I watched as something sparked inside him, brought him back to life."

Clark shook his head and moved restlessly. "He's dancing with her, not me."

"Clark, she's his past, he just doesn't realize it yet. They dance well together, probably the one of the top twenty professional couples out there, but it's a performance, nothing more. When Lex is out there with Victoria, he is totally immersed in the performance, focused on the dance. In a way, she could be anyone, he'd still give the performance." The sincerity in Pamela's voice was clear and strong. "I've seen him dance with you, and it's different. You dance as true partners, and you're both as engaged with each other as much as you are with the dance. His dancing with Victoria is perfect. His dancing with you, Clark, is alive. "

"So what do I do?" Clark's eyes begged Pamela for an answer.

"He needs to choose what he wants, Clark, a high-profile career focused on competing and performing, or a quieter life here, teaching, as well as the occasional competition or performance. That's why I pushed him to enter this competition, so he sees his choices more clearly. He truly does love performing, as much as he does teaching. Victoria will never allow him to have both. The question is...can you? It requires a great deal of trust, Clark, if his dance partner ends up being someone other than you." She stood on her tiptoes and placed a kiss on Clark's cheek. "Give him some time, and trust him to make the right choices in the end."

Clark sighed and closed his eyes, nodding almost imperceptibly. "I can do that."

"Good." Pamela patted his forearm once more before walking back to her desk. "Aren't you supposed to be practicing the bolero with Chloe right now?"

Clark jerked, and looked up at the clock on the wall. "Uh...oops?" He began to hurry down the hall to the studio where Chloe was waiting. Halfway there, he turned and ran back to Pamela's desk, leaned over, and kissed her on the cheek, standing back up with a grin. "Thanks. You know, Lex is lucky to have you."

Her return smile was warm. "You're welcome. Now run along, you silly boy, you're late." She watched fondly as he loped along the hallway and ducked inside the studio. She shook her head and picked up her pen, murmuring to herself, "It's no wonder he loves that boy, even if he hasn't admitted it to himself."

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"Reach back with that foot, Chloe, really extend it. Clark will move you back onto it, you have to trust him. You can't have split weight, you have to commit to the step, give it everything you've got."

"I'll fall!"

"I won't drop you, Chloe. I promise. I'd never let you get hurt."

"All right...I'll try."

"Perfect! Now do it again."

"Sadist."

"Chloe!"

"That's Mister Sadist, to you. Again."

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"Here are the keys, Clark. I'm sorry, but I'm going to be working late with Victoria again."

"Would it be easier if I just went back to Smallville, instead of staying here this weekend?"

"Clark, there's just a few weeks left before the competition..."

"I understand, Lex. I do. Keep the keys. I'll finish up with Chloe, and..."

"No, Clark. I want you to stay, I just feel bad about leaving you alone most of the time. Why don't you...here, take the keys. I want you to get a second set made for you, so you can come and go whenever you like. Okay?"

"Sure, Lex. I can do that. Thanks."

"Don't thank me, Clark. I should have done it weeks ago. I'm sorry."

"It's all right, really. Now go practice."

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The telescope standing at the edge of the rooftop garden was a dark silhouette against the night sky. Clouds played peek-a-boo with the stars as a solitary figure sat on a bench watching, waiting.

"Clark?"

There was the slightest rustle of clothing as the shadow on the bench shifted. "Here, Lex."

A second dark figure crossed the rooftop to join the first. "What are you doing out here in the dark?"

"Watching the stars...when the clouds cooperate. Thinking."

"About what?"

"I don't really know, Lex. I feel so different here, with you. Sometimes I feel things that I don't know how to process. It feels right, but somehow that's scarier than if it felt wrong."

"What are you frightened of?"

When there was no immediate answer, a shadow slid to the side of the building and there was a click. Stars appeared around the perimeter of the garden as white, twinkling lights added a soft glow to the night.

Walking back to the bench, Lex sat down next to Clark. Gentle fingertips pulled at his downcast face, moving it over to meet Lex's eyes.

"Talk to me, Clark. Trust me."

"I'm scared of...that the way I feel with you is bigger than anything I've known. The fact is that I've never felt normal. Never, Lex. And then I met you and...I feel more normal here, on this roof, when I'm dancing with you, when I'm working with you, touching you...than I ever have. I'm scared of making mistakes, and of being too afraid to risk making one, to do the one thing I really need to do." Clark's voice drifted away in the darkening light of the day, and he felt Lex shiver against him. "Aren't you ever scared, Lex?"

Blue-gray eyes turned navy-blue in the dim light, and Lex pulled away from Clark, a frown marring the smooth lines of his face. "My whole life, I was taught that Luthors weren't afraid of anything. My father was against my dancing. He wanted me to follow in his footsteps...run the family business." Dark eyes looked up into Clark's. "I felt something pulling me away from that life. I knew I would choke in it. It was like I would lose myself, just thinking about it."

Clark waited, listening, as Lex turned away to look out over the city.

"My mother loved to dance. There was something about it that entranced her, soothed her. We would watch movies together, go to my father's parties...and just watch people dancing. She was too sick to really dance very often, and she was so happy when I began to take lessons. She and Pamela attended every demonstration, every competition. I had my own private cheering section. Oh, I would have danced anyway, but it made it so much better, knowing they were there for me." Lex rose and began to amble slowly around the garden, touching a fragile bloom here and there. "I've often felt like she would really love knowing that I'm sharing it with others, like she shared it with me."

Abandoning the flowers, Lex twisted around, and began to return to Clark. "I...I should have told you this before, Clark." His voice was low and strained with emotion. "I think it would make her even happier to know that I'm sharing it with you. I've been happy since I opened the studio, Clark. I really have. I think I would have been content to spend the rest of my life here, teaching and dancing. But, then you came, and there was...something different, something strong and undeniable, more. And, if I'm scared of anything, it's that if...what this is goes away...what I had before, that...it's never going to be enough."

"Lex-"

"Clark." Lex smiled and moved closer, bending to cradle Clark's face and bring it up to his. "I was happy before. But, with you...I'm whole."

The tightness in Clark's chest broke apart, freeing a breath that he didn't know had been aching to be let go. He stretched up, his face a mere pulse away from Lex's, and nodded. "Yes. I know that I feel completely safe with you, Lex. I feel like I could be who I am, and that it's okay. It's like you have this strength, and you're teaching me how to draw it out of myself. You've taught me how to feel accepted, Lex. I want to tell you about..."

Grabbing one of Clark's hands, Lex backed up, tugging him up from the bench. "I want to dance with you, Clark."

"But I...okay, but there's no music."

'No, I mean I want to perform with you in Las Vegas. In the pro show."

"But, we're two guys, Lex. We're not allowed to compete together. And what about you and Victoria?"

"Not compete. I'll still be competing with Victoria. Perform. At the end of the competition, there's a pro show and most of the studios and professionals are involved. I want us to put together a routine."

"Us?"

"Yeah, me and you, Clark. What do you say?"

"I say...yes."

The night air swirled around them, sending a shiver down Lex's body. Clark pulled Lex close, wrapping his arms around the man's body.

"Are you cold?" he asked softly.

Lex smiled and shook his head, looking into Clark's concerned eyes. "Not cold." He eased his arms down between their bodies, slipping them around Clark's waist. He tilted his head back and licked his lips slowly. "You're so warm."

"That's part of what I wanted to tell about. I'm...different."

Lex nodded slowly. "I know, Clark. You're strong and you're fast. It's okay, Smallville changed me, too." His eyes rolled up in an amusing attempt to look at his own head. "Not just the no more hair thing, but I don't get sick. Ever. And I heal quickly. Haven't you noticed that the bruises you occasionally leave on my ass go away pretty fast?"

Clark winced at little at the reminder of those few times his control had slipped. It was one reason they'd been taking it slow, because he was still unsure of his reactions. He'd also wanted Lex to know everything about him first, so everything they'd done had been external up to then. Lex had been patient, leaving the pace up to Clark. He shrugged. "Well, it's not like I've had a basis for comparison." He shook his head at Lex's grin. "But that's not it, Lex, and I've been afraid I might lose you when I told you."

"Can't happen, Clark."

"What if I told you my parents found me, and what we think is a spaceship, in a field on the same day the meteors fell?"

Lex blinked twice before his grin widened. "I'd think you were either an alien...or crazy as a loon." He pulled Clark a little closer. "Doesn't matter. Still here. Still want to dance with you. Still want to be with you. Next?"

Clark grinned back in relief and leaned down to brush his lips down the side of Lex's face. He sucked gently at the soft skin behind Lex's jaw and moved further down to lay wet, open-mouthed kisses to the curve of Lex's shoulder where his shirt had pulled wide. "Your skin...it's so soft. You always taste so good." He closed his mouth against the flesh, running his tongue over the smoothness of it.

Soft fingertips moved across Clark's back, stealing beneath the thin fabric of his shirt to stroke against bare, heated skin. Lex's hands clenched, pulling at Clark's body in comfortable, massaging rubs. Perfectly manicured nails dug into the relaxed muscles as Clark's busy mouth drew the sensitive skin over Lex's collarbone between sharp teeth. Lex groaned heavily, the sound oddly quiet in the muted evening air. Gray eyes shot open, spearing green, as Lex felt long, firm fingers flutter uncertainly over his body.

Lex pulled back slowly, taking hold of Clark's hand, and he drew the younger man along with him as he moved around the fragrant rows of flowers, toward the door leading into the apartment. He felt his hand being raised and looked back to see his fingers meeting full, plush lips. Trembling, he continued into the room, his hand tingling where Clark's tongue darted out to tease between his fingers.

"You taste perfect." Clark's deepened voice was full of need, and Lex smiled up into his beautiful face. "I want to know how you taste everywhere."

At the thought of taking what they had to the next level, a violent shake jerked Lex nearly off his feet. Clark's arm was instantly around his waist, holding him up. Lex felt the gasp break out of his chest as he stared into concerned dark-green eyes. "You can find out."

"I intend to," Clark whispered. His strong arms squeezed gently, pulling Lex's body tight to his, and lifting him up. Clark swung them around, through the living room, and into the bedroom. "You made your bed." His voice sounded amused.

Lex chuckled. "I do that, on occasion. Want to help me mess it up again?"

The mild humor in Clark's eyes heated to passion as he nodded. He placed Lex carefully onto his feet, keeping his arms loosely around the man's waist. Lowering his head, he captured Lex's mouth, slipping inside instantly when the scarred lips opened up to him.

Tongues twined as they moved to meet one another, tasting and feeling. Clark moaned, the sound loud in Lex's head, and Lex's hands fisted in the fabric of Clark's shirt. He broke free from the kiss with a panting, frantic breath and moved his head down. He lifted the shirt, kissing every inch of skin as it was exposed.

The fabric brushed across a nipple, drawing a shiver from Clark, and Lex bit his own lip hard before covering the raised, rosy skin with his mouth. He sucked gently, rhythmically, around the flesh and bit down gently. He heard Clark breathe his name, and released the nub, laving it lovingly before moving up his chest. When the shirt bunched around Clark's neck, both men pushed against it, sending it to fall onto the floor as it cleared the top of Clark's dark head.

It was Lex's turn and with a frown, Clark noticed that it was the same shirt that Lex had claimed wasn't important. Strong, tanned hands slipped into the open collar and brushed against the skin hidden there. Fingers gripped hard in the fabric, pulling away from one another, and rending the shirt down the center.

An elegant ginger eyebrow arched up in amusement. "I was planning on donating it to Goodwill, but that works, too." The gently-mocking words were quickly forgotten as Lex pushed forward, sealing his chest against Clark's and wringing a low moan from both men's lips.

They moved together, circling each other in tiny rotations, gradually working towards the bed as they devoured each other's mouth. Lex's thighs brushed against the bed and he sat down, pulling Clark down with him. They moved up, onto and across the bed. Clark surged upward, sliding his body against Lex's. Skin rubbed against skin, hot and smooth. They rolled onto their sides, gray eyes meeting green, searching, wanting. Lex's hands slid across Clark's body to cup his sweet face, holding it steady, and he shifted over to kiss his soft lips.

Lex felt himself being pressed onto his back, and sighed. He could only watch as Clark's face slipped away from his fingers to move down to his chest. Lush, kiss-darkened lips pressed against the center of his chest, dragging downward. His stomach quivered as Clark's mouth swept across it, and he vaguely felt hands pulling his pants down his hips and legs. A soft tongue followed the retreating cloth, painting across his hip and over to his inner thigh. Lex looked down to watch Clark finish pulling the pants completely away and settle between his legs. Wide, moss-green eyes sought his out as Clark licked his lips and closed a shaking hand around the leaking erection standing out from Lex's body.

"Clark!" Lex's voice broke as he watched Clark's lips form the softest of kisses on the head of his cock. A warm tongue darted out to slide over the silky skin there, and dipped into the tender slit. Clark's mouth opened wider, and slid down over the tip. Lex jerked up, sensation jerking inside of him as a strong, sucking pull centered on his cock.

"Clark!" Lex's hands clawed at Clark's shoulders, fruitlessly trying to draw him away in time. "Clark, please. I want you so much. Please."

Smooth, soft lips smiled as they pulled off Lex's straining length, a tongue darting out to drink the salt-sweet smear that formed a gloss in the corner of his mouth. "What do you want, Lex?"

"You. I want to come inside you. Please, I need to be inside you, Clark." Lex's body twitched in anguished pleasure as Clark's hand slid up his cock and drifted away. His vision blurred as he watched Clark lift his body up and stand beside the bed. Clark rapidly undid his pants, his eyes watching Lex, and pulled them down his legs. He stepped out of them, and smiled shyly, still unaccustomed to Lex's appreciative looks.

The bed dipped down as Clark knelt on the bed, crawling carefully over Lex's body to lie on his back beside him. "Take whatever you need, Lex. I...I need it, too."

Lex shivered as he moved himself up, pushing off with his elbows. He moved over, straddling Clark's body, and reached over the side of the bed to pull out a tube and several packets from beneath his bed. Holding up the condoms, he asked, "Alien. Mutant. Do we need these?" They were quickly dropped back to the floor at Clark's violent headshake. Growling, he snapped open the top of the lube with his teeth, grinning at the nervous laugh that shook from Clark's chest. He laid a soft kiss on the quaking chest, and coated his fingers with the clear, silky liquid.

His slick fingers moved down between Clark's legs, and his other hand moved to a firmly muscled thigh, pushing it open gently. He moved his hand up, a single finger circling the tight hole before slipping gently inside.

"Oh..." Clark's mouth fell open in surprise as the digit slipped completely inside.

Lex moved his hand slowly, his mouth working softly across the shivering flesh of Clark's belly. He pulled out, pressing another finger against the first, and twisted them at the hole, pushing firmly at the slight resistance. Clark's breath shuddered out in a rush, and Lex moved his body up over Clark's to press his mouth against the wildly panting lips.

His fingers pushed away from each other, scissoring carefully inside of Clark. The smooth tightness closed around his fingers, and he felt sweat break out across his forehead as he imagined the feeling around his cock. "So good, Clark."

Clark's head strained back, pushing into the bed as Lex's fingers curved, brushing against his prostate. "Oh, God. Lex."

Lex slid another finger inside, pausing when Clark's eyes widened. "Okay?"

"Yeah," Clark whispered. "I like feeling you inside." Clark pushed down against his fingers, pushing them farther inside, and Lex groaned.

He worked slowly, pushing in and sliding out. His fingers moved apart, opening Clark more and more. Pulling out completely, he poured more lubrication onto his already-slick fingers and coated his cock with the liquid. He lined up against Clark's loosened ass, and looked down into Clark's face. He saw pure wonder and happiness.

Reaching down again, he held himself firmly as he pushed against the tiny hole. He felt the resistance and pushed harder, slipping around the flesh there. Clark whined softly and lifted his legs high against his body, shifting the angle. Lex pressed against him, and felt himself slip inside.

"Clark, fuck." He looked down to see his head trapped inside of Clark's body, and pushed slowly. He watched himself disappear inside, so very slowly, and looked up into Clark's face. Clark's eyes were shut tight, his mouth open and panting. "Clark?" A rush of electricity ran through him. His voice sounded so raw, and he tried again. "Clark, are you-?"

Clark swallowed hard, and opened his eyes. "I'm okay." He nodded, and lifted his hands from his knees to Lex's sides. "Please. Now."

Drawing in a breath, Lex jerked his hips forward, seating himself fully in Clark. He felt the flesh, smooth and tight, closing around him, and he moaned at the sensation. "You're so perfect. You feel so fucking perfect."

Long, softly-haired legs closed around his waist, keeping him close, and Lex rocked gently against Clark's body. He watched black curls fall away from a smooth forehead as Clark lifted his head for a kiss. Leaning down, he met him halfway, and slid his tongue over the soft lips.

"I love you," Lex whispered.

Green eyes lit with pleasure, before disappearing behind long, thick lashes, as Clark lay back. A beautiful smile curved his mouth up, and Lex watched Clark's mouth form the shape of the words as he responded. "I know. I love you, too."

He moved inside of him, pushing and sliding within the amazingly tight, slick heat. His hand slid across Clark's side, and crossed down to grasp the full erection darkening between their bodies. His palm curved around the smooth skin, working around it and jerking hard. He pulled Clark closer to his release, and sped up his hips, grinding deep.

The electricity that had been thrumming beneath Lex's skin intensified, pooling in his stomach and rolling down to his groin. He gasped, his breaths short and shaking. His eyes stayed on Clark's face, drinking in the sight as color flooded the high cheekbones. Clark's mouth opened wide in a silent scream, jerking beneath him, spilling over his hand in a hot, gushing rush.

Lex lifted his hand to his mouth and rubbed the come over his lips, tasting the bitter sweetness of the man. Faster, and faster still, he moved, as he felt the contracting muscles work around his cock.

His sac tightened, pulling up hard, and the air slammed out of him as he emptied himself into his lover. His legs trembled beneath him, and he collapsed in a sweaty heap on Clark's chest. Gray eyes hazily watched the chest move beneath his face in wild, heavy breaths. He curled a sticky hand over Clark's heart and smiled. A warm drop slid across his cheek to splash onto Clark's chest. "Thank you."

Warm hands closed over his back and held him close. "Sleep, Lex. I'll be here when you wake up." Clark's voice was hoarse and soft in the darkness. Lex could hear the happiness in it. "It's real. It'll always be real for us."

His reply was simple as his eyes slid shut. "I know." His slow grin tickled Clark's chest. "And I want to see your spaceship after the competition."

--------------------------------------------------------------

"Lex, do you think it's unfair for me to enter dance competitions because of my strength and speed?" Clark was lying on Lex's sofa, his head in the other man's lap. Lex was indulging himself, his tired feet up on the low table in front of the sofa, his fingers buried deep in Clark's hair. "My parents never let me play sports because they thought it wouldn't be fair to other kids, not to mention they were always afraid I'd hurt them."

Lex didn't answer right away, sliding his fingers through the thick curls repeatedly as he thought. Finally, he shook his head slowly. "If you were competing as a solo performer doing impossible moves, then I'd probably have to question the ethics, but I'd like to think that one through again, later. After all, it's not as if you've chosen to enhance your physical attributes with drugs or surgery." He looked down into Clark's face with a slight smile. "Dancing with a partner is a different story. You could be the strongest and fastest man in the world, but it isn't going to do you any good if you can't match your partner's abilities. In your case, you've had to work twice over to control your strength and speed, just to ramp them down to match Chloe's or mine, in the routines as well as the required figures. Control and precision are key components of dancing with a partner, just as much as being able to stay on time with the music. In your case, your partner constrains you to human levels."

"So...you don't think it's unfair?"

Lex's smile was soft as his index finger traced down Clark's forehead and nose to gently tap his upper lip. "No, Clark, I don't think it's unfair."

--------------------------------------------------------------

The quiet chuckle behind him startled Clark, a stumble threatening the long wall mirror before he regained his balance. "Lex!"

Shaking his head, Lex walked towards Clark, holding out his hand. "I was just on my way upstairs, ready to apologize again for working so late with Victoria and I saw the light on in here." He quickly covered up a yawn before Clark took the offered hand. "We have to get up in,three fucking hours, to pack the bus. Why aren't you sleeping?"

Grabbing Lex's hand before he could take it back again, Clark reeled him in for a quick kiss. "I'll sleep on the bus. I was just going through the required figures again, to make sure that I didn't forget them. I have to hit all the hardest ones first to catch the judges' eyes, avoid doing any basics, fill the corners and never bump into another pair. That's the wrong sort of attention. And that's just the smooth. The Latin figures, I have to..."

Lex's hand came up to muffle the rest of Clark's recital, grinning at his earnest, worried face. "You're going to do fine, Clark. Trust me. The judges aren't going to know what hit them when you and Chloe take the floor." Removing his hand slowly, he cocked his head waiting for a renewal of the spate of reminders. Smiling at the waiting silence, he jerked his head toward the door. "Why don't you and I find something to occupy our time until the bus gets here, if we're not going to sleep? And no dancing."

Clark's raised eyebrows had Lex laughing in seconds. "What! No 'Dancing In The Sheets!' I quit!"

"All right, you goofy alien, you win. Get upstairs, and show me how 'Footloose' you can be."

"And I thought mine was bad."

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Lex turned his head towards the wall to hide the grin threatening at the sound of muttering coming from the corner of the room. After he felt he 'd established control over his face, he turned back to watch Clark step out from behind the hanging rack that was heavily loaded with dresses, pants, and shirts. He was dressed in his Latin costume, the tight black pants clinging to his curves to the knee, but allowing freedom of movement. The muscles in his thighs and calves flexed against the thin fabric with each step Clark took.

Lex stood up from the small, worn couch to move over to where Clark was standing, muttering under his breath and fiddling with the buttons of his shirt.

"How long?" Clark's voice sounded stretched and rough.

Clearing his throat, Lex glanced up at the clock on the wall. "About a half-hour."

Large, green eyes searched the room frantically. Holding up a hand, Lex stepped into Clark's path, where he was pacing nervously.

"What are you looking for, Clark?" Lex asked, running a soothing hand down Clark's twitching arm.

"A back door," whispered Clark, his face pale beneath his tan. Lex thought he looked astonishingly beautiful. Wide, brilliant, green eyes stood out from the frame of long, black lashes. Chloe had managed to brush his hair back from his face, securing it with a hair product of some kind, and it made the masculine beauty of his face all the more apparent. A tongue flicked out anxiously to press against full, rosy lips, darkened by sharp teeth nipping constantly out of nervous habit.

"You've got to breathe, Clark. Calm down. It's going to be fine." He urged Clark over to the couch, easing him down, and crouching down between his splayed legs. "You've got to relax. It's just a few minutes out there, you know? You'll go out there...Chloe will be right there with you, and I'll be watching. You can do this."

Clark's eyes rolled around the room, finally settling on Lex's deliberately relaxed face. He licked his lips again, dampening them, and swallowed down a shaky breath. "I swear, fighting rampaging meteor mutants is easier than this, Lex." He shook his head, worriedly. "I don't want to let you down."

A true smile sprang onto Lex's lips, and his face flushed slightly. He lifted his fingers to Clark's face and traced a flushed cheekbone. "That's not possible." Leaning forward, he grasped Clark's face in his hands and held it still and he drew nearer, his eyes open and locked onto Clark's. His mouth met Clark's and he sucked gently at the plush lips. His teeth nipped at Clark's lower lip, encouraging it to open, and he thrust his tongue inside Clark's mouth, tasting the sweet flavor of Clark and the mint freshness of toothpaste.

He moved back a bit when he felt Clark's lips curling into a smile. At Lex's curious look, Clark blushed a brilliant red, the color working it's way down his neck. "You're not exactly calming me down," he whispered against Lex's smirking lips.

"You need to relax," Lex murmured, tracing a finger down Clark's flushed, golden throat. His finger strolled down to where the shirt was still closed, the button popping out of its hole with a tiny flick.

"I just got dressed, and this is not helping me relax," Clark said, the words ending on a breathless laugh as Lex's mouth worked its way down to the hollow of his throat.

Lex leaned back, onto the heels of his feet, and worked quickly, opening Clark's pants and drawing them down past Clark's obvious erection.

"Lex! I have to be on the floor in..." Clark gasped. "Oh, my God." His mouth fell wide-open, and his head fell back against the couch, hitting the edge hard. Lex's mouth closed quickly around his cock, his tongue swirling up against the head in a continual motion. A pale hand slipped around the base, holding firmly, while another hand slipped beneath Clark's ass, pulling down in an effort to get Clark to scoot down farther on the couch.

Shivery, electric tingles were racing across Clark's skin, and he trembled. His hands, clenched into tight fists, hovered over the couch at his sides, longing to reach out and touch the man currently bringing him to a stumblingly fast, searing-hot orgasm.

He barely choked out a warning as Lex slid his mouth down, swallowing several times around him. The wild, unstoppable heat roared down his spine, and up his thighs, streaming out in an explosive gush into Lex's ready, humming mouth.

Lex pulled off him, his mouth gleaming wet and swollen, and smiled. Panting for breath, he climbed up Clark's body, tucking him in gently, and brushing a damp, sticky kiss across his lips.

A knock on the door jolted them apart, although Lex's grin widened at the goofy smile now etched onto Clark's face.

"It's time, Clark," Chloe called from behind the door. "We're out in five. Come on."

"I'll be right out," Clark said, raising his voice so Chloe would hear. Shaking his head in disbelief, he turned back to where Lex was lounging on the couch, smirking. "I have to go dance now?"

"Well see, the pressure's off. You already won."

Clark looked into Lex's face, and beyond the smirk, the gray eyes were warm and open. Nodding, Clark ran a hand over his face and took a deep breath. "Okay. Wish me luck?"

Lex nodded slowly, pushing himself up to walk out with Clark. "You don't need it, Clark, but, break a leg."

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"You were great, both of you! The second extension lift in the rumba in the open section was a little wobbly, but all-in-all I think you nailed it, guys, especially in the closed."

"You really think so, Lex?"

"Take my word for it, you were both smoking hot. Now, stretch it out and cool down. You've got 30 minutes until you perform the solo, then you have an hour to get ready for the smooth. I've got to go check on the other students. Go! Stretch!"

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"Who would have guessed that a total of an hour on the dance floor could take so much out of you? We practice for three hours at a time some days!"

"Yeah, but they weren't twenty separate three-minute increments of all-out, no-holds-barred, take-no-prisoners, smile-until-your-face-falls-off, hurry-up-and-wait..."

"OK, OK, I get the picture. It's a whole different thing when you're doing it in front of judges and a crowd."

"You said 'doing it.' Pervert."

"Chloe!"

"We're on again!"

"Great, my face is going to be permanently red around you, isn't it?"

"Shut up, smile, and dance those giant feet off, pretty boy."

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"Chloe, where are you? Lex and Victoria are going to be starting their part of the competition..."

"Omigodohmigodohmigodohmigod!"

"Chloe! Calm down, you're hyperventilating!"

"Wewonwewonwewonwewon! Newcomer Gold, Clark! Gold!"

"OK, now I'm hyperventilating! We won?"

"When do we get the trophies? Do you have tonight's program? Check the time for the awards."

"Here it is. It says the awards ceremony is right before the pro show. I wonder if that means I'll need to get dressed before..."

"Clark?"

"Clark, wait what is it? Clark!"

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"You had no right!"

"You can't do it, Lex. I won't stand here and watch you throw away your reputation." Victoria stood in front of Lex, her dark eyes flashing furiously. "You simply cannot go out there with him and dance. You'll be ruined. You do realize that, don't you?"

"I prefer to believe that people are more open-minded than you give them credit for, Victoria," Lex snapped. He walked away from her, jerking back when she grabbed his arm.

She dug her nails in, pushing in hard. "There are producers from major studios out there Lex, looking to pick up contracts for the top dancers. That's you and me, Lex. Together, no one can beat us." Her eyes narrowed and she hissed, "You know this world, Lex. You know what happens when you go against the conventions. Your studio will end up bankrupt with no one willing to take lessons from you, or book you for demonstrations and performances. Don't deliberately blind yourself simply to appease the tender feelings of this boy." Her grip loosened as Lex's gray eyes lifted up to glare into hers. "Lex, he's not worth it."

Lex opened his mouth to reply when an assistant poked his head in through the door.

"You're on, guys."

Sighing, Lex took hold of Victoria's hand and inclined his head graciously. "Fine. Let's dance." He looked into Victoria's face, nodding briefly before he blanked out his mind of all extraneous thoughts and slipped into the right mindset for the competition.

Pasting on a smile, he led Victoria out the door, and onto the floor, never seeing the partially open door behind them.

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In the outside corridor, Clark slid down the wall, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. The door clicked shut behind Lex and Victoria, and the sound roused him. He forced himself up, his limbs feeling strangely heavy. He was in front of the stage door before he realized it, reaching out with a numb hand to push the door open a crack. Looking out, he saw Lex smiling into Victoria's face as he led her gracefully around the floor. They moved together flawlessly, the crowd calling out their names much louder than for any other couple out on the floor.

A humorless laugh silently left his lips, making his wide shoulders shake. He still felt like he couldn't breathe...

"Clark?" A soft hand pressed against his back, and he turned to see Chloe watching him closely. "Are you okay?"

Clark shook his head, unable to force even the smallest smile onto his lips. "No. I'm really not." Twisting around, he looked down into Chloe's worried face. "I need to get out of here. I can't look at that anymore." His eyes went from the program in her hand out to the couples still dancing in front of the judges.

Chloe looked past him, to watch as the most important dancing couple spun and dipped beautifully before the enthralled audience. Nodding, she motioned toward the back door. "Go on, Clark. It's okay."

Whispering out his thanks, he moved outside, and once the late afternoon sun hit his face, he ran.

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The applause soared up around them as they took their final bows for their last solo routine and left the floor. The moment they were out of sight, Lex dropped Victoria's hand, moving over to a table lined with bottles of cool water.

"We were brilliant, Lex," Victoria said breathlessly, holding out her hand for a bottle.

Lex handed her a water bottle and smiled politely. "Yes, we really were. It was a good performance overall."

"Better than good, Lex," she purred, snagging up a tissue to dab carefully at her forehead. "You and I work so well together, you know."

"We always have," Lex agreed. "The fact that you're a spoiled brat-"

"Hey, hey!" Victoria huffed, smiling widely at Lex. Her smile became more cautious as a gentleman approached them, holding out a hand.

"Ms. Hardwick. Mr. Luthor. It's a pleasure to meet you. My production team has had their eyes on you both for a while, now."

Lex looked appraisingly at the man, noting the expensive, well-fitted suit and the quiet, subtle touches here and there than indicated a comfortable, significant level of financial success.

Lex watched Victoria's eyes light up, widening perceptively as the man spoke, introducing himself and offering the both of them an amazingly generous deal as professional dancers/celebrity instructors for the popular show 'Dancing with Celebrities, for its fifth season.

A broad smile on his face, Lex laughed out a breath. "It's an amazing offer." It was certainly tempting.

The man nodded, smirking as he looked from Lex to Victoria, who was watching Lex with a triumphant smile. "You're both incredible dancers. We're offering you both a three-year contract." He faltered slightly as he noticed Lex frown slightly. "Is there a problem?"

"I run a studio," Lex explained, "and there are certain...parts of my life I'm not willing to leave behind. I just don't see this as being feasible for me at this time." Smiling sincerely, he held out a firm hand. "I really do appreciate the offer, though."

The producer looked shocked, and started to protest.

"Excuse us for a moment." Victoria stepped forward quickly, placing herself between the two men. Looking up at Lex, she whispered in an acidic voice, "Could we speak privately, please?"

Nodding, Lex excused himself, and led Victoria into a small, closed-off room. Taking a deep, calming breath, he waited.

"What on Earth do you think you're doing, Lex?" She hissed, her eyes glaring daggers into his. "This is an opportunity that you can NOT pass up. Not for a studio, not for nervous jitters, and certainly not for some second-rate Kansas farm boy."

Lex's eyes flared dangerously as he moved closer, his voice low and dark. "I know you're upset, so I'm going to let this go. Once. Only once, Victoria."

"Lex, you're throwing away any chance of having a future in this business!" She cried out, her mouth twisting into a furious scowl.

"You have never understood how and why I could let it all go, and you never will, Victoria. My success is never going to be measured by my checkbook, or by my celebrity status. I want my life to be happy, Victoria."

Victoria shook her head slowly, a scornful look sliding across her pretty face. "You honestly believe you'll be happy...wasting away...being a nothing for the sake of some dreamy idealistic vision of what? Love? You're going to wind up with nothing, Lex."

"I'm going to wind up with everything," he whispered. He blew out a soft breath, going over to the door and holding it open for her, "I hope you find what you need, Victoria. It's not with me."

Stomping over to the door, she turned and looked at him disdainfully, her eyes flickering down his body, and back up to his face. "You're a fool, Lex. We could have been great together."

He nodded conceding the point. "Now, you'll have a chance to be great all on your own, Victoria."

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Lex was running through the halls, opening every door to look inside, his face twisted in concern, until he came upon Chloe, sitting alone in one of the changing rooms.

"Chloe, thank God," he huffed out. "Have you seen Clark?"

The pretty blonde jumped up from the metal chair, sending it clattering to the floor. She nodded, her face twisting nervously. "Yeah, he left."

Pale eyebrows shot up over wide, gray eyes. "He LEFT? Why in the hell would he leave?"

"When I came up to him, he was standing at the door, watching you and Victoria dance...and he looked really, really upset." Chloe took a deep breath and bit her lip. "I don't think this was just a jealousy issue here, Lex. He'd seen the change in the program before that. He looked...broken."

"He saw...damn! Where did he go?"

Chloe shook her head. "I don't know, I thought he was just going outside to get some air. You know Clark. One minute he's here, the next... Well, he walked out the door and the next thing I knew he was totally gone. I'm sorry, Lex."

Nodding, Lex smiled softly. "It's not your fault, Chloe. I already know who caused the problem..." his mouth twisted in self-disgust, "...and I know who let it happen." He began to pace, rubbing the back of his neck, then came to a standstill. He turned to Chloe. "Listen, do you have the program?" She nodded and handed the well-creased booklet to him. He took it found a pen on the table by the door. Scribbling quickly, he called Chloe over. "I want you to take this to the MC for the pro show and make sure they queue up the music for Clark's, our routine. Alicia can help you. Got it?"

Chloe looked at what he'd written and nodded. "What are you going to do?"

Lex was halfway out the door when he called back, "Find him, and bring him back so that we can dance together in the pro show, just like we planned!"

Chloe looked down at the program for the pro show where Lex had violently crossed out Victoria's name and substituted Clark's, signing it as his personal request for the MC to change the lineup. She counted down the list of performers, which had not included Lex and Clark as a pair, and determined they were on fifth. Right, she'd need to hurry. "Good luck, Lex. I hope you find him," she muttered as she hurried down the hallway to find Alicia.

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Lex's hands slammed against the exit door, pushing it open. He ran out into the stifling Nevada heat, looking everywhere around him. He twisted in circles, panting in sheer frustration.

Breaking into a jog, he took off towards the Vegas strip. He ran out across the street, his eyes searching across the swarming mass of people moving in and out of the casinos. The sun was starting to set, and he felt panic set in. How could he possibly find Clark once it was dark? The lights flashed around him, and he felt a dizzy, anxious feeling begin to grip his heart and mind.

Looking around, he spotted a dark passageway between two of the buildings. Ducking down it, his chest pulled tight beneath his shirt, and he raised clenched fists to his temples. He threw his head back. "CLARK!" He screamed, hoping that right person would come running. His voice cracked, and he shook his head. "I NEED YOU."

The heat lifted for a brief moment as a wash of air blew across his body from behind. He knew, without turning to see him, that Clark was there, and he closed his eyes in relief. His voice was a mere whisper as he smiled gently. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"I've been...running." The voice was shaky and soft, and unmistakably Clark.

Lex pivoted in place. His smile widened and the fist around his heart loosened as he opened his eyes to see clear, green eyes watching his face. "From me?"

Clark shrugged. "I heard you and Victoria, before the dance. The last thing I would ever want to do would be to hurt you, Lex...and I was off the program anyway." Clark looked down, wetting his dry lips with a nervous tongue. "And then, I saw you two dancing, and.... It was beautiful. I can't compete with that."

Sighing, Lex moved forward, his fingers slipping beneath Clark's chin to raise his face up. His eyes sought Clark's. "There's no competition, Clark. I'm dancing with you."

He watched confusion could Clark's eyes, before hope bloomed in them. "But, you and Victoria...."

"We dance well together, Clark. It's true. We've danced together for a long time, and it's comfortable." A cocky smirk crossed Lex's lips, and his eyes sparkled. "Not to mention, I'm not too bad a dancer...or so I've heard."

Clark laughed quietly. "Yeah, you're all right."

Lex rolled his eyes. "Well, that part of my life is over. The Victoria part. Permanently." He sucked in a breath and moved his fingers along Clark's jaw and down his neck to twine in the soft, black hair curled around the nape. "I want you, Clark. I want to go back in there, and I want to dance with you. And, when we're done...I want to take you up to our room, and I want to make love with you." Lex moved in further, brushing his lips softly over Clark's cheek, and whispered softly against his ear, "We have a future together, Clark, you and me."

Stepping back, he held out his hand and waited.

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Clark looked in the mirror, glancing between them. A grin lit his face as Lex winked playfully at him.

They were wearing matching costumes. Crisp, white button-down shirts, dark, charcoal pinstriped pants and matching vests, and black, patent-leather shoes. They had picked out the outfits together for the swing-foxtrot routine they'd be performing to a 1940's swing band medley.

"We're like the dancing 'Men in Black'," Clark joked. He stifled a laugh as Lex rolled his eyes towards the ceiling.

"Bite your tongue, you alien goofball," Lex muttered, reaching up to straighten his vest, looking at his reflection with a critical eye.

"Lex?" Clark waited until soft, blue-gray eyes moved up to meet his. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Lex turned to Clark, a smile lighting his face. "I've never been more sure about anything. Now, let's go out there and have some fun!"

Together they moved toward the stage door. They walked out, hand-in-hand out to the center of the floor, and moved into position. Lex grinned up into Clark's face. "I love you."

Clark's smile lit up the room. "I love you, too."

"Wait, you guys! I want to get a picture of you two!"

They turned to see Chloe hurrying down the side of the floor waving her camera. Lex looked at Clark and nodded and they turned toward her.

"Perfect. Now say, 'Pornography!'"

"Chloe!"

"Gotcha."

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The post-competition party at the studio was well-attended, and everyone there admired Chloe's photograph of Clark and Lex, which had been prominently mounted in the entry hall of the studio.

Martha watched her son move across the floor in his partner's arms. He looked happy, really happy, and totally comfortable in his own skin. She nudged Jonathan, who was watching the men dance with confusion in his eyes.

Keeping her eyes on her beautiful son, she leaned over to rest her head against her husband's chest. "What is it, Jonathan?"

"I...I don't know, Martha. I never would have thought this would have been our Clark, but I can't stop looking at that face, and seeing how he was that first day that we found him. There's that look. That 'I found what I needed' look. I don't know much about anything outside the farm, Martha, but I know that Clark looks happy."

Martha felt the sigh against her face, and smiled. "He does, doesn't he?" Looking at him then, she could see a glimpse into the future, and the man he still had yet to become.

Clark laughed at something Lex said, and drew him closer into his arms. His green eyes sparkled, brightening the room with their joy. He leaned down, and whispered something into Lex's ear.

Martha watched as Lex drew back, his eyes wide with surprise. His mouth opened several times before his hands moved to Clark's face, and pulled it down hard into a kiss. She watched the men move across the floor and over to a stairwell, and knew that they were going to the rooftop garden. And, somehow...she knew that tonight they'd be dancing in the moonlight.

Clark was going to fly someday.

Lex was teaching him how.

Part 1 of the Dance With Your Heart series »

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