Author: Creed Cascade and TJ
Author Email: creed_cascade@hotmail.com
Author Webpage: http://insaneasylum.slashfanfiction.com
Category: First Time, Humor, PWP
Rating: G
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Summary: An answer to the Clexfest Challenge, "Clark is involved in a school project, where he has to be literally tied with a rope around the ankle to another person for a week during Spring Break. Lex is his partner."
Tied In Knots
by Creed Cascade and TJ
"Clark, tell me again why you're tying yourself to my foot?" Lex asked.
"I told you. Class project. You said you'd help me with it, remember?" Clark replied as he finished tying the knot that bound their ankles together.
"Yes, I do remember offering to help you. I had no idea that would involve bondage," Lex smirked.
"Oh... ha ha," Clark responded, tightening the knot. "Do you want me to pass social studies or not?"
"And just what do your parents think about you being bound to me for an entire week?" Lex asked, his breath hitching a bit when Clark tugged on the rope to check it. He could feel his body responding to the very idea of him and Clark and copious amounts of rope. But there was no way his young friend was up to anything like that, even if he was inclined towards men, which Lex found highly doubtful. After all, it certainly wasn't Whitney that Clark lusted after on a regular basis.
"Dad wasn't pleased that it was you," Clark sighed. "But when I explained that we had an odd number in the class and that if I didn't do this with you I would fail the project, he let me do it. Besides, he did it himself. It's an old Smallville tradition made up by a bunch of dead guys to teach fellowship, empathy and sharing. I think they were just kinky."
"Fellowship, empathy and sharing, huh?" Lex snorted. "I'm sure your father will just love you learning to empathize with a Luthor. I just want to know why all the old Smallvillian customs seem to involve bondage of some sort. I mean the whole scarecrow thing is bad enough. But this is really pushing it. At least with the scarecrow the recipient could *pretend* to put up a fight."
"Actually this sorta developed to fight the whole scarecrow thing. They used to tie the scarecrow to the star quarterback for good luck for the whole week before the championships... thank God they don't do that anymore," Clark shuddered at the idea of being tied to Whitney for a week.
"You know, I'm really starting to appreciate Smallville," Lex leered as Clark stood up beside him. He really had no idea what they were going to do for an entire week. Luckily, Spring Break was a traditionally slow time at the plant so Lex could get away with conducting most of his business from home. "It's a shame you didn't get Lana, though. Just think, you could have spent this whole
week tied to her. Though they probably don't allow co-ed ankle tying. Actually, I'm really surprised they allowed this. You do realize there are laws in this state against stuff like this."
"They made an exception in my case," Clark muttered. "Usually the pair spends half the week at one kid's place and the other half at the other family's place. So it isn't a big deal usually. It's just our class has an odd number and no one wanted to go with me."
"I find that hard to believe," Lex said. "I would think there'd be people jumping at the chance to spend an entire week tied to you."
"Like who?" Clark snorted. "Pete's in the other section and they won't let Chloe do it with me."
"Ah," Lex said, understanding. Clark wasn't the most popular boy in school despite the extraordinary number of people he'd managed to *help* in this town. With Pete unavailable and Chloe off limits that left Clark out in the cold. "Well, their loss is my gain."
"Are you sure you still want to do this?" Clark said uncertainly. He wanted to give Lex one last out. "They said I was too clumsy to spend a week tied to."
"Clark, I have seen you be a great many things. Clumsy has yet to be one of them. You may be a bit uncoordinated at times but that's just from getting so tall so fast. Don't let other people's opinions of you define who you are and what you're capable of."
"Ahhh... thanks, Lex," Clark stuttered. "I just wish I was more like you sometimes."
"Trust me, Clark. I'm the last person you want to be modeling yourself after," Lex warned him. "So what exactly is it we're supposed to be doing while tied together like this? I mean, I can think of a lot of things, but like I said, Kansas has laws against most of them."
"Lex?!" Clark squeaked, an instant blush forming on his face. "Stop teasing me."
"If you think that's teasing..." Lex trailed off. He knew he needed to back it down some. He was coming on way too strong. Clark was normally a pretty good sport about his teasing, but Lex didn't want to push it. Being forced to be practically in each other's hip pockets was going to be a strain as it was. He didn't need Clark to be wary of him on top of it.
"Then my face is gonna burn off," Clark grumbled, unable to stop the blush.
"I'll be good," Lex said, wishing he could take a step back and give the young man some space. The rope around his ankle nixed that idea, though. Instead, he squeezed Clark's shoulder, hoping Clark took it as the reassurance Lex meant it to be.
"Good is a relative term with you," Clark shot back, with a hint of a smile.
"I'll have you know I've been told I'm quite good. Better than good, really," Lex said, unable to resist rising to the bait.
"Victoria doesn't count," Clark shot back. "Or any of the other girls you've dragged around."
"You make me sound like some sort of caveman," Lex laughed. "Dragging women around by their hair so I can have my way with them back in my dank, dark cave."
"Well... you didn't love them," Clark insisted. "And they didn't love you, so I don't see what the whole point was. It's not like they were your friend like Chloe is with me."
"People get lonely," Lex said with a shrug. "Contrary to popular opinion, I'm not immune. I want companionship just as much as the next man. And after a while, your hand gets kind of boring."
"I'm going to ignore that hand comment," Clark deadpanned. "Some of us get used to being lonely as a way of life. It's not so bad. Besides, you won't be lacking for companionship for the next week with me here."
"I never lack for companionship when you're around," Lex said. "And before you even bring up Victoria, that was different. This is going to sound really bad but... that was business."
"If that was business, what do you do when you really fall in love?"
"I'll let you know if it ever happens," Lex said. The mirth in his eyes helped take the sting out of his words. He really didn't want to inspire Clark's pity but it was the truth. He'd had dozens of lovers in his short life, but he'd loved none of them. And as far as he knew, none of them had loved him.
"I hope to be at the wedding," Clark said, brightening up immediately.
"Are you kidding? You'll be my best man." Lex swallowed hard against the lump in his throat. He *really* wished he could move away from Clark right now. It wasn't Clark's fault that Lex had... feelings... for him. Still, it was goingto make this week especially hard for Lex.
"I always liked the way you look in a tux," Clark noted with a slightly glassy look and a sigh.
"You don't look half bad in one yourself," Lex replied. "Now, do you mind telling me what it is we're supposed to be *doing*? Other than standing in the middle of my study with our ankles tied together."
"Ahhh... building fellowship, empathy and sharing?" Clark quoted his teacher word for word.
"That was surprisingly less than helpful," Lex replied, straight-faced. When Clark simply stared at him, Lex shook his head. "Well, then, what do you *want* to do? And just how in the hell are we supposed to drive anywhere, by the way?"
"Kids my age don't usually drive when they do this... if we have to go anywhere, our parent's are supposed to take us," Clark answered. "Besides, you're loaded, don't you like have a driver or something?"
"You know I do," Lex said. "But I prefer to do the driving myself. Well, if we aren't going anywhere then we might as well get comfortable. I've got some reports to work on so you'll have to drag a chair around to my desk. You can learn how to empathize with the really boring businessman."
Clark sighed as he reached for a nearby chair. He realized that he was imposing on Lex and that the other man still had the plant to run. He'd just sit there and try not to get in the way. "Do what you have to do, Lex. I won't be a bother."
"I'll have Enrique bring in another computer for you to use while I work," Lex said as they carefully navigated their way to his desk. "I just have some monthly reports I have to look over and sign off on. A few employee reviews to go over. Then I need to check on the status of our latest testing. After that, I'm all yours."
"Sure... I can play minesweeper or solitaire or something," Clark said as they tried to settle in the chairs side by side.
"Oh, I'm sure you can find more interesting things to do than that," Lex said. "The entire Internet is at your disposal. And... there're no parents around to catch you looking at something you shouldn't be. Have a blast, Clark. When I get through with this, you can show me what you've found."
Lex might have thought Clark would have taken advantage of the situation to look up websites featuring airbrushed naked women in nearly impossible positions, but Clark had other ideas. When Enrique brought the laptop, Clark angled it so Lex couldn't see the screen. He typed the words "gay sex rope" in the search engine and waited.
Lex glanced at Clark out of the corner of his eye and couldn't help but smirk. He could see the telltale blush staining the young man's cheeks and wondered what Clark was looking at that had him blushing already. There was no way for him to tell without being obvious, so Lex forced his curiosity to the back of his mind and returned his attention to the work he had to get done. The sooner he got through with it the sooner he could see just what Clark was up to. But concentration was awfully hard when he could feel Clark staring at him. He'd look up from his reports, only to have Clark's guilty gaze flick to the computer screen. If he didn't know better he'd think Clark was trying to take some sort of inventory of his body.
Lex opened his mouth to say something then snapped it shut. If he didn't get these reports finished his father would be calling to find out what the problem was. The last thing Lex wanted was Lionel intruding on his time with Clark. It was bad enough that he expected an impromptu visit or two from the Kents this week. One from Lionel would surely ruin his mood. Once again, he caught Clark's eyes over the screen of the laptop. This time he stared back, letting the boy know that he'd been seen. The darkening blush that stained those ruddy cheeks was reward enough and he turned back to his reports once more.
Lex was usually able to block out everything when he needed to get work done, but this time one of his main objects of distraction was tied to him. He could feel Clark shifting in his chair. At one point, Lex had to look up when he heard Clark gasp and found him staring with wide eyes and open mouth at the screen.
"Everything okay?" Lex asked, concerned. Maybe suggesting Clark explore the Internet wasn't such a good idea after all. His friend had lead a rather... sheltered... life. Lex could only imagine the things he could stumble across given unlimited access.
"Fine..." Clark squeaked and then coughed to bring his voice back down to normal. "I... I just didn't know that was physically possible... or that anyone would *like* that done to them!"
Lex started to lean over to get a look at what Clark was talking about. The young man quickly jerked the screen away. Lex looked at him and just shook his head. "You know, I can't answer your question if you don't let me see what you're talking about," Lex said, trying his best to keep the smirk from his face. God alone knew what Clark had managed to stumble across to put *that*
look on his face.
"I don't think you should see this..." Clark shook his head. "I mean they've got their fist up... never mind." Clark turned scarlet.
Fist?! "Clark, um, maybe you should try another site," Lex suggested, feeling his own skin warming at the thought of Clark looking at *fisting* on the Internet. Now if only the kid was looking at male fisting...
"Only if you tell my why a guy would want that done to him," Clark demanded softly but stubbornly.
"A guy?" Lex asked, his own voice coming out much more strained than he cared for. Well, just because the guy was on the receiving end didn't necessarily mean that it was another man doing the fisting, Lex told himself harshly.
"Yeah..." Clark admitted and turned around the computer to show Lex the image on the screen.
Lex gasped when he saw what Clark was looking at. No wonder the boy had turned so red. Lex could feel his own face flushing as Clark looked at him with wide-eyed innocence, waiting for him to explain why the men on the screen were doing what they were doing.
And it was men. Three to be exact. One, on knees his arms tied firmly over his head and secured to the floor. One straddling the man's back, spreading his cheeks wide so that the third could concentrate on getting his rather large fist inside the first. And there was Clark, waiting ever so patiently for Lex to explain just why the guy on his knees was rock hard and apparently panting
for more.
"Well..." Clark prompted carefully. "This definitely wasn't in the birds and bees speech my mom gave me."
"Um, no, I... wouldn't expect that it was," Lex managed to get out. "It, um, it can be quite enjoyable. As long as the person doing the... um... fisting... doesn't rush things. You... you really have to have a great deal of trust in the person you're with for that sort of thing. Otherwise..."
"You know someone who's done this?!" Clark squeaked, his voice cracking.
"You could say that," Lex replied, evasively. He really hoped, for once, Clark would just drop it. He really didn't think his friend was up to hearing quite that much about his checkered past.
Clark noticed Lex's increased breathing and rapid heartbeat. "You've done this yourself, haven't you?"
"Yeah," Lex admitted, turning away from Clark as much as he could. "I've done a lot of things in my past, Clark. Most of which would probably disgust you even more than this does."
Clark didn't immediately lean down to untie them and run away in horror like Lex expected. Instead he gave Lex that thoughtful look that always unnerved him "Did you like it?" Clark whispered.
"Yes and no," Lex replied. "I've done it more than once. Or rather had it done to me. Two of the times I liked it. The other time... it would be safe to say I didn't much care for the experience."
"Someone hurt you," Clark half accused, half growled. All thought of new sexual horizons cut off at the thought of Lex being hurt.
"I lived through it," Lex replied cryptically. "It wasn't pleasant, but then again it wasn't supposed to be. I was being punished. It was a long time ago, Clark. Just... let it go."
"If sex between men is always like that..." Clark waved his hand at the screen, his voice wavering with emotion. "If it's all about punishment... no wonder dad says it's wrong."
"No, Clark, don't think that," Lex said quickly. He realized he could easily put Clark off even the thought of sex with another man if he chose his words poorly. "Look at the guy on the screen. It's clear he's enjoying himself. Just because he's tied down doesn't mean he's being forced. And I told you, I enjoyed it the first two times it was done to me. I enjoyed it a lot. I guess I shouldn't have even mentioned the last time, but I wanted to be honest with you and I wanted you to know that it's very easy to really hurt someone doing stuff like that."
"I was wrong to even be looking stuff like that up," Clark mumbled. "I was just curious."
"There's nothing wrong with being curious," Lex said, kicking himself for making Clark feel bad. "Was there something in particular you were trying to find out about?"
"Ahhh... sex between men," Clark blurted out. Ever since Lex had told him about a month ago that he slept with men too, Clark had been obsessed with finding out more. But finding out more in Smallville, and with his parents, was a task. His dad had even installed net nanny on the Internet at home and he didn't have the nerve to go the library to check a book on sex out or talk to a councilor at school. What he knew was rumors from the locker room and that some guys took it up the ass. Why they enjoyed it was a sheer mystery.
"What did you want to know?" Lex asked as patiently as he could. He'd known this was coming ever since he came out to Clark. He considered the young man his best friend and he had wanted to be honest with him. He had also hoped there might be a small spark of interest on Clark's part. That hope had been shot down quickly. While Clark might be curious, it was nothing more than that. Still, Lex wasn't going to turn him away. If Clark had questions, he would answer them as best he could and hope he didn't end up a permanent shade of pink along the way.
"Why in the hell would anyone one like to take it up the ass?" Clark blurted out yet again.
Lex stared at his friend then burst out laughing. He saw a hurt expression start to bloom on the young man's face and held up his hand. "Sorry..." he gasped. "I'm sorry. I'm not laughing at you, really. More the situation. First of all, there are a lot more things two men can do than just that act. A lot of men prefer not to do that at all. But to answer your question, why does anyone do anything when it comes to sex?"
"To have children," Clark answered automatically, quoting his parent's birds and bees lecture. Then he realized it didn't apply in this situation. "Ahhh... because it feels good?"
"Exactly!" Lex replied. "It feels good. Incredibly good. It *can* hurt. Even if you're used to it, it can still hurt a bit at first. But that's all a part of it, too. And if your lover's careful and takes his time, it doesn't have to hurt at all."
"I wouldn't know about any of that," Clark muttered under his breath.
"Wouldn't know about what?" Lex asked.
"Sex. Any type of sex. What it feels like," Clark shrugged his shoulders and suddenly wished they weren't tied together so he could run away.
"Well... you have, um, used your hand, right?" Lex asked, feeling his ears start to burn. "Not that it's the same thing, mind you. But it's a start. And Clark, there's nothing wrong with being a virgin."
"Tell that to the guys at school... or hell, tell that to my dick," Clark complained.
"Okay, the next time I have a conversation with your dick, I will," Lex said, deadpanned. "As for the guys in the locker room, most of them are probably bullshitting you. Come on, do you really think Lana is actually putting out to Whitney?"
"He says she is," Clark answered sullenly. "They said I'd be lucky if I ever got laid. They said Pete could always get one of his brothers casts off, but that I was going to spend a lot of time with my hand or turn into a..."
"Or turn into a what?" Lex asked, lips quirking up into a half smile. "A fag? Like me? I know this is going to sound horribly parental but, ignore them. They're just jealous. You're a girl's wet dream. Tall, dark and handsome. With a smile that can light up a room and one of the most generous spirits I've ever known."
"What if it's true?" Clark hedged. "What if I am a fag?"
Lex tried not to let the hurt he felt show. He told himself that Clark didn't mean that personally, but it was hard to do when his best friend was sitting their looking like the very thought of being *like Lex* was the worst thing in the world. "Why would you even question yourself?" Lex asked after a moment, surprised at how calm and reasonable his voice sounded. "Just because people call you an ugly name doesn't make it the truth."
"But sometimes I have these feelings," Clark mumbled, tone heavy with self-guilt. "And I think it was one of the reasons no one wanted to do this with me. Who'd want to spend a week tied to a freaky fairy?"
"So you picked the only other faggot you knew?" Lex asked, bitterness seeping into his voice regardless of his attempts to stop it. "That's not the best way to convince people you're not queer."
"It wasn't like that, Lex. God, I swear," the words rushed out. "You're the only one who doesn't judge me. I don't think of you like that... you're just my friend. I... I... I'm sorry." He'd wanted to say that he might be queer himself, that he didn't care what other people thought, but the words wouldn't come out.
"Clark, forgive me," Lex said, looking away again. "I didn't mean to jump on you like that. And I'm sorry that the kids at school are giving you such a hard time. Hanging out with me certainly isn't helping the situation any."
Clark shrugged. "They already think you're doing me, so it doesn't matter."
"Of course it matters," Lex said softly. "It obviously matters a great deal to you which makes it just as important to me. If you tell me who's giving you the most grief I can see what I can do. I've learned that simply ignoring the rumormongers is usually the best course. The more you try to deny it the more obsessed they tend to become."
"Lex... don't be mad, but sometimes I want the rumors to be true," Clark admitted.
"You want the rumors about us to be true?" Lex repeated, knowing he *had* to be mistaken. There was no way Clark wanted him that way. Even if Clark was curious, that was all it was. A teenage boy's normal curiosity about sex in general and his own sexuality in specific. Lex wasn't going to allow himself to even consider anything else. His friendship with Clark meant too much to
him to take a chance on ruining it for something as unimportant as sex.
"More than the rumors, actually," Clark muttered. "Not just the... sex, but more. Like my parents have."
"Clark, if this is some sort of game you're playing with me..." Lex ground out. As soon as Clark mentioned the possibility of sex between them, Lex's body had responded. He was painfully hard and it eroded what small amount of self-control he had left. His body was screaming for him to simply *take* what was being offered so innocently to him. Clark said he wanted it, after all, but Lex held himself firmly in check.
"Only if you think it's a coincidence that I'm tied to you?" Clark said suddenly.
"So you did all this to what? Get me in your bed?" Lex asked, eyes narrowing. If there was one thing he hated it was being manipulated. Especially by the one of the few people he actually trusted.
"Well I didn't know... but I mean, it was just to get closer to you, to see if you'd be interested," Clark babbled. "Dad wanted me to be tied to him for aweek, but I wanted it to be you..."
"Clark..." Lex began then cut himself off. Taking a deep breath, he tried again. "I would have preferred if you'd just asked me. I don't like being manipulated. I get enough of that from my father."
"I wasn't manipulating you," Clark tried to defend himself. "No one really wanted to be my partner in class. I just wanted to take advantage of the situation."
"I believe you," Lex said. "But you not only took advantage of the situation but me as well. I'm not angry with you, Clark. Just a little disappointed. I can understand why you did it, but I expected better from you."
Clark's hand down and he quickly undid the knot tying them together. He was out of the chair and standing up before Lex could blink. "You trying be perfect sometimes."
"I don't want you to go," Lex said softly as he watched Clark back away from him. "I don't expect you to be perfect, Clark. I know first hand what it's like to try to live up to those kinds of expectations. If you really want to leave, I'll drive you home, but I'd like for you to stay."
"Lex..." Clark said uncertainly. "I really do try to be the perfect son and friend..."
"You don't have to be perfect, Clark," Lex said. "I'm not, no matter how much my father tries to insist on it, so I certainly don't expect you to be. I'm sorry if I made you feel that way. I should have kept my mouth shut. I'll have the car brought around so I can drive you home." Lex felt like an ass and he hated that. He also had the very uncomfortable feeling that he had just kicked someone's puppy. Hard. He knew, as a Luthor, he wasn't supposed to care about such things but he couldn't help it where Clark was concerned. The boy would definitely be better off bound to someone else for the week.
"Lex... I won't mention it again, just please let me stay?"
"I assumed you wanted to leave," Lex said. He gestured toward his now unbound foot and looked at Clark. "If you want to stay, that's fine with me, but I don't want you to feel uncomfortable and I don't want you to think you can't talk about whatever you want. We're friends, Clark. Before anything else, we're friends."
Clark propped himself on the edge of the desk, his shoulders slumped. "Why do I always have to act like such a loser?"
"Clark, you're not a loser and you don't act like one," Lex said. "This is a confusing time in a man's life. You're just coming into your sexuality. You're bound to have questions and I want you to feel free to ask me anything you want."
"Fine..." Clark sighed, "Do you remember what it was like being a walking woody?"
"Um, to some extent," Lex said. He wasn't going to tell Clark that he'd been sexually active since his early teens. Very early teens. He didn't want to undermine the boy's confidence any more than he already had.
"I mean, I just about embarrassed myself in the guy's shower room the other day, which is confusing enough, but then I caught the girl's swim team during practice and dong..."
"Clark, that's natural," Lex assured him. "It really is. And it doesn't mean you're bisexual either. It just means your hormones are out of control right now. Hell, at your age pencils are erotic."
"Especially with what you do with them," Clark glared at Lex accusingly.
"What can I say, I enjoy a good phallic symbol as much as the next queer," Lex said with a smile.
"Sometimes you drive me mad, Lex," Clark continued. "Sucking on the end of a pencil. Caressing a pool cue... touching me, stuff like that."
"Clark... if you need me to back off a little, all you have to do is say so," Lex said. "I know I can come on a bit strong, especially around people I... I care for. But I do know how to keep my hands to myself. Just say the word and from now on I'll keep it in check."
"That's just it, Lex," Clark said, shaking his head. " The stuff you do makes me what to... kiss you n'stuff, while the same thing when Chloe does it makes me want to run away."
"You want to kiss me?" Lex asked, shocked. "And you don't want to kiss Chloe?"
"Maybe..." Clark hedged and then when Lex raised his eyebrow doubtfully, he added, "Okay, maybe a lot."
"Then why haven't you?" Lex asked. "You know I'm attracted to men. And I refuse to believe that you don't know I'm attracted to you in particular."
"Because you're... you're Lex. You're my best friend. You're older and I'm afraid you'll laugh at me or worse, pat me on my cheek and send me on my way."
"When have I ever patronized you?" Lex demanded hotly. "I am your best friend. I would never treat you like that."
"Lana was a dream, but you're my reality in front of me nearly every day," Clark shot back. "You're my freakin' walking talking fantasy. Do you know how intimating that is?"
"Yeah, I can imagine," Lex said. He kept quiet about the fact that it was the same way for him where Clark was concerned. The young man was a walking wet dream. Clark had even managed to feature in a few of Lex's, embarrassing him to no end when he woke up to sticky sheets.
"So what do we do about this then?" Clark demanded.
"We do whatever you want to do," Lex replied. "I'm not going to push this. I've got years of experience on you so you have to set the pace for this. I don't want you to look back on this time in your life and hate me for pushing you into something you weren't ready for."
"Could we at least try some stuff?" Clark hedged. "I mean, we are gonna have a week alone together. We'd be stupid not to take advantage of it."
"We can try as much or as little as you want," Lex told him, his eyes darkening with desire as he studied the young man across the room from him. "Whatever you want, Clark. All you have to do is name it."
"A kiss. One kiss to start with?"
Lex stood up from the desk and slowly walked across the room. Clark was staring at him, his eyes getting wider as Lex closed the distance between them. Slipping one hand around the younger man's waist, Lex slid the other into the mass of ebony hair he always found so intoxicating. Ever so slowly, Lex leaned forward, giving Clark every opportunity to pull away. When he didn't, Lex moved forward those last few inches and let his lips touch Clark's for the first time since that day on the riverbank. Clark's arms slipped down to wrap around Lex's waist and he pressed the smaller man close to his body. Their breath mingled, this time in life and hope, rather than death.
Lex broke the gentle kiss and sighed. That had to have been the most chaste kiss he'd ever given. No tongues, no wild groping, just a sweet press of lips and a promise of more. "You know," Lex said as he leaned his forehead against Clark's, "if you're going to stay you'd better bind us again. I wouldn't want you to fail your project."
"Yeah... right," Clark suddenly broke into a blush remembering how that guy on the Internet had been bond. "You know... it doesn't say we can't use extra rope..."
### The End ###