Taste of Clark and Root Beer by jessica
The phone is answered even before the first ring is finished. That means it's in Lex's jacket, that Lex is already dressed and ready to go.
"Clark?"
"Yeah, it's me."
"We have to leave five minutes ago." He doesn't sound mad. Yet. "I think this fundraiser counts as an emergency, Clark. Run fast."
"Yeah, that's actually why I'm phoning. The Metropolitan is doing this feature on college bands. Ethan set it up and he forgot to tell anyone. I'm really sorry, Lex."
He sighs, loud enough for Clark to hear Lex's annoyance through the fuzzy pay phone.
"Should I expect you tonight?"
"I don't know how long it'll be."
At the end of the hall, Ethan finally emerges from his room. He's wearing a black t-shirt now and he leans forward to let Astrid fix his hair. Thomas looks bored. He walks away and towards Clark.
"I should probably just stay at the dorm tonight," Clark says over the phone.
"I have some meetings tomorrow. Why don't you wait for me to call you?"
Clark nods before he remembers Lex can't see him. Thomas waves his hand to get Clark's attention. He mouths "come on", but doesn't look too eager himself.
"Good luck, Clark," Lex is saying in his ear, and then he's hanging up.
"He pissed?" Thomas asks when Clark puts the phone down.
Clark shakes his head. "It's hard to tell with Lex."
"I've noticed."
Ethan says something about Clark making them late when he and Thomas catch up. Clark only has to point out the pile of t-shirts and sweaters on Ethan's bed to shut him up. He pouts a little, then Astrid takes his arm and leads them all downstairs to her car. Thomas falls back to walk with Clark.
"You guys are going to be fine," Thomas says. He doesn't get nervous like other people. Even moments before a show, his hands are steady. 'Years of practice,' he said when Clark commented that first time.
"I know." Clark nods. "I just don't like when we're not."
Ethan and Astrid are waiting when they step out into the parking lot. Ethan's sitting on the hood of Astrid's car, an orange heap that sticks out wherever they go. The band uses Clark's truck to transport equipment, but Astrid insists that her car is the one with Spectacles personality.
"Move your asses, boys," Ethan shouts. He hops down, calls 'shotgun', and gets in the front seat. "I swear to God, Clark, you are the slowest person I know," he's saying as Clark and Thomas squeeze themselves in the back.
"And you are the loudest." Clark reaches forward to mess Ethan's perfect bedhead, but Ethan ducks out of the way just in time, as if to prove his point. He turns around in the seat and sticks his tongue out at Clark.
"Seriously, boys," Astrid says, and starts the car. "The 'don't make me come back there' jokes started getting old a long time ago."
The interview goes later than even Clark expected. Jeff-the-reporter is also Jeff-the-KMET-DJ and conversation moves quickly between the state of The Spectacles and the state of music. Ethan isn't at all discreet in trying to manoeuvre himself into the recently vacated midnight DJ position. Jeff finally shuts up his audition voice with the promise to put in a good word.
Ethan says Jeff has to experience The Spectacles to understand them and with his attention on Jeff and his notebook, Ethan doesn't see Clark roll his eyes or hear Thomas try to cough out 'pretentious'. They play a few songs at full concert volume, then a few new ones acoustically, after Mr. Murphy comes out to remind them of the time.
Jeff leaves with a demo tape and a root beer high. Thomas locks the garage and they pile into Astrid's car to head home. Clark's in the back seat again and doesn't notice that Astrid's driving in the wrong direction until it's too late and they're pulling up in front of Luthor Tower.
"Did I forget to tell you? I'm staying at the dorm."
"No, I heard you." Astrid turns around in her seat.
"Look, I don't know if he..."
"And even if he doesn't, Clark, Lex's couch is a million times more comfortable than your dorm room."
"And God knows what Simon's up to," Ethan laughs.
His mind made up for him, Clark gets out of the car, wincing when they yell 'good luck' at an embarrassing volume.
"To make sure Lex is awake," Ethan explains.
Clark waves them away and checks his pants for his keys.
"Hey, Clark!" Ethan's hanging out the back window when he turns around. "Forget about the thing tomorrow. But don't forget to call me."
Clark practices his speech all the way up the elevator. He opens the door, expecting to find Lex drinking in the living room or working in his office and wanting to talk. He's asleep, instead, like he went out to dinner and nothing else happened that might keep him up.
Quietly, Clark undresses and gets into bed, trashing his speech. It wasn't very good anyway. He can explain the who, what, and where, but he's still working on the why.
"How did it go?" Lex asks, groggy, moving back into Clark's body.
"It was fine. What about dinner?"
Lex makes a low moaning sound as he rolls over, rearranging limbs, making himself comfortable with Clark in his bed again. "I didn't go."
"Oh."
"So, I was cleaning up a bit and I found your CD." It's a long pause and Clark wonders if he's supposed to say something, or if Lex just fell asleep again. "You sound better live," he says finally. Lex moves up the bed to find Clark's lips and kiss him. "Does this reporter want to talk to me?"
"Maybe." Reporters will come to shows in hopes of getting an unguarded business comment, but end up turning in a puff piece about Lex Luthor's weekend plans, just so they can use the picture of him in a pair second-hand plaid pants.
"Okay" Lex mumbles and kisses him again. "You taste like root beer." He's still half-asleep. "Let's fight in the morning."
Clark grins, rolling back onto the bed and pulling Lex with him.
"Okay."
05/09/03