Six in the Living Room by jessica
Lex can name three of the six kids in his living room and he considers that a victory. One of them is Clark, but it still counts.
Ethan's standing up, telling a story with his pop can. Astrid is on the chair with an orange-haired guy that Lex guesses is her boyfriend. It's their hands linked together more than the cramped seating. Lex has seen Clark and Astrid in that same chair. There's another boy and girl sitting on the couch across from Clark. Lex guesses that they're together too.
They're laughing at something he missed when Lex walks into the room. Nobody's noticed Lex yet and Ethan continues his performance uninterrupted. His expression is wild and he's gesturing frantically.
"He's just standing there! I mean, the girl's doing a handstand!"
Ethan's a journalism major too. That's how he and Clark met. He's fast filling in the spaces that Chloe left empty when she chose Gotham over Metropolis. Lex can't help but wonder how much Ethan and Chloe have in common.
"Clark, you have to do the voice." Ethan leans over to tug Clark up off the couch. Shaking his head furiously, Clark scrambles to the other end of the couch and away from Ethan's grasp. The group laughs again, this time at Clark curled up in a ball.
"He's such a whiner," Ethan says, looking up and spotting Lex, standing against the wall. "Lex, hey."
Everyone turns, Astrid craning her neck over the back of the chair to smile at him and Clark coming out of his hiding place. He walks towards Lex, bare feet and glasses that he's only just getting used to.
"Hi," he says, then turns Lex's head up for a kiss. Lex puts a hand on Clark's hip and slides a finger just inside his jeans before remembering to pull away and face Clark's friends, who aren't even trying to look away.
"Clark?" There's a mumbled answer from the vicinity of his neck. "How about you introduce me to the rest of your friends before we make out in front of them?"
That gets a laugh from the crowd and Lex starts to relax. He's not the only one wearing a tie and that helps too. It's been easier getting Clark into a suit these days.
"Um." Clark turns around, blushing. "That's Thomas and Franny" - the couple on the couch; Franny's the one wearing the tie - "And that's Charlie in Astrid's lap." He holds his hand out for Lex to shake and they trade 'hellos' all around.
"So, Ethan," Lex says, making small talk, but wondering when he can steal Clark away. "When are you going to get your band together?" Lex has been listening to him teaching Clark guitar for more than a month. The first week was painful and Clark tried to limit practices on campus.
"You didn't tell him?" Ethan's looking at Clark, who's looking guiltily back.
"Surprise," says Clark, then turns back to his friends. "We'll be right back." He grabs Lex in one hand and his suitcase in the other and leads them into the bedroom.
"Hey, Charlie," Lex hears Ethan say. "Think you could play bass?"
03/30/03