Smallville and its amazingly sexy characters are created and owned by DC Comics and Tollin Robbins Productions.

Pairing: Clark/Jason

Written for Superboyclex

---

Clark could have excelled in all his classes if he wanted to. His alien memory allowed him to read and retain information far beyond that of some of the world's foremost prodigies. He could have won scholarships and achieved world renown in any academic field of his choice, but the only thing he wanted to excel at was football, and since his dad wouldn't grant permission for him to play because of his abilities, he figured why put those abilities to use in any other field. After all, if it was unfair to use his powers to achieve greatness in the sport he loved, why should he use such an unfair advantage in any other area?

It was his failing grades and this logic that kept Clark and Jonathan at odds with each other throughout his sophomore year. That all changed when at the beginning of his junior year, he found out that students who maintained an 'A' average in French and art classes would get to spend the Christmas break in Paris. Clark wanted desperately to get away from Smallville. His on again off again romance with Lana was getting tiresome. He loved Chloe like a sister but nothing more. There was an attraction between he and Lex, but that had soured over the last year. Lies and mistrust on both their parts had driven a wedge between them.

Clark's feelings for Lex left him confused. Prior to Lex's arrival in what Chloe referred to as their sleepy little hamlet, Clark only had eyes for Lana. Only one thing stood in the way of true love and that was one Whitney Fordman, who had seen fit to humiliate Clark by stripping him naked and hanging him up as the year's scarecrow during his freshman year. Lex had found him and gotten him down. If it hadn't been for that damn necklace that Lana wore, Clark would have been able to tear the blond jock limb from limb and make short work of the rest of his thugs.

Whitney and his goons had taunted him, calling him a queer and threatening to give him what fags like him deserved. In the end, it was all talk and the Neanderthals left him broken and humiliated in the middle of Miller's field. After saving the school from death at the hands of Jeremy, Clark stopped by Lex's house to thank him. That night, Lex shared a lot about his lonely childhood as a freak and an outcast. Clark could empathize. He learned just weeks prior that he wasn't even human and that he had to hide who he was from the world. Lex and he became close friends over the months. Lex even encouraged Clark to pursue Lana in spite of her romance with Whitney.

Clark convinced himself that what he felt for Lex was something akin to the love between brothers. They both became sounding boards for each other. Clark found himself at the Luthor mansion at least three times a week, much to Jonathan's dismay. Even then, Clark never put a finger on the nature of his feelings for Lex until the night of the dance that marked a year since his humiliation and what could have been the start of a new relationship with Chloe Sullivan.

It was a stormy day, but that didn't damper the spirits of the students as they made preparations to dance the night away in the school gymnasium. Clark had asked Chloe to the dance. When they arrived, Whitney and Lana were just leaving the building. Whitney had pulled Clark aside to somewhere private to offer what Clark assumed was another in an endless stream of apologies from former jock. The apologies did come, but something unexpected came to.

"There's something I've been meaning to do for a while now," the jock said, with none of his usual swagger.

Clark waited for a final apology from the marine bound jock, when suddenly Whitney leaned forward a pressed an unsteady kiss against his lips. Clark felt a strange sensation run across his body. His skin felt tingly like a thousand bolts of electricity were coursing through it. His eyes were stinging and he felt as if he might actually spontaneously combust right there on the spot. It would be his sophomore year before he found out just how close he was to setting something on fire. He found himself leaning into the kiss and before he knew it his mouth was opened and Whitney's tongue had slipped inside. It was approaching footsteps that ended the kiss. Flustered, both men parted without a word. Whitney heading for the bus station and Clark to a dance he suddenly didn't want to be at.

The rest of the evening was a blur of events. The dance was interrupted by a tornado. Clark, sure that Whitney and Lana were still on the road somewhere sped off to save them. He couldn't hide his disappointment when he only found Lana in the truck, but was relieved that Whitney was safe and on his way out of town. When Clark learned of Whitney's disappearance, he was devastated. He'd clung to that kiss, dreaming of it over and over again. Lana had earned the right to despair openly but for all intents and purposes, Clark and Whitney were still thought to be enemies. When he couldn't stand it any longer, he'd revealed his secret about the kiss to Lex. Lex seemed disappointed and intrigued all at the same time. Clark figured the disappointment came from the fact that his secret was probably not the one Lex was waiting to hear, but Lex's interest in the kiss made the young alien see his friend in a whole new light.

As unlikely as it seemed, Whitney Fordman had managed to bring Clark and Lex closer together. After being grilled by Lex for hours about how he felt about the kiss, whether he would want another guy to kiss him like that and his interest in Lana since the kiss, Lex confessed that he was bisexual and had many encounters with guys during his high school and college days and his rebellious years in Metropolis. Just when Clark thought there may be possibilities between he and Lex, his rich friend ups and marries not once but twice, with near deadly consequences.

Now at 17 and in his junior year, Clark had barely seen or spoken to Lex and all he really wants is to put small town life behind him. Jonathan was relieved to see Clark tending to his studies and distancing himself from 'Lionel, jr. ' Clark let his father believe that it was all his sage advice that turned him around. The truth was Clark just needed to be away and if good grades could give him a legitimate excuse to make that happen, then so be it. After a few bouts with red kryptonite, things between him and his dad had gotten worst. Besides nearly running off with Lex and thinking Lionel might be a possibility if he got desperate, he had beaten up Jonathan, something no matter how many times he apologized, they could never get past. Clark sensed that his father feared and despised him. This was just another reason to spend some time away.

Although Jonathan was happy that Clark found something to spark his interest in his studies, he reminded him that they couldn't afford to pay for a ticket to Paris, let alone hotel and the cost of expenses. That led to the final heated battle of the year. Clark admitted to his parents that he had money. He never returned all the money he'd stolen from his red K addicted summer in Metropolis. On top of that, the motorcycle and luxury car he'd purchased fetched him a pretty penny as well. Jonathan was livid, but he would have been even more upset if he found out the only reason his son was still a virgin was because of brut strength and the ability to get money by other means.

By the time he boarded the Air France plane from Metropolis he and his parents weren't speaking. Lana arrived with Lex in tow. He felt both were trying to hurt him by hanging out together. He personally didn't give a flying rat's ass about them anymore. Although Chloe's dad was now out of work, Clark had offered to pay for her trip if she promised to ask no questions concerning how he got the money. He was pretty sure at some point that deal would be broken. The two sat together on the trans-Atlantic flight. Chloe quipped that the in-flight film should be Final Destination which garnered a few fearful gasps from those within ear shot. Clark countered that it should be Airport and both giggled as they observed nervous faces of their schoolmates seated across the isle.

A few rows up, Lana could be heard boring the person next to her with the news that her new rich boyfriend, Lex Luthor would be joining her in Paris in a week. 'Great,' Clark thought, dreading the idea of the gruesome twosome dogging him in Paris. Clark was in mid-thought when an exquisite creature passed by his chair headed presumably to the restroom. He looked to be six feet tall with dark blond hair. Just as he passed a jolt of turbulence landed him square in Clark's lap. Clark's reflexes caused him to hold the man steady in his embrace until the brief turbulence ended. The farm boy was so lost in the big hazel eyes of the man he was clutching that he barely heard him when he spoke.

"I think it's safe to let go," the baritone voice spoke.

"Uhm…oh…sorry," Clark said, praying that his stupid blushing habit wouldn't crop up now.

"Don't be," the man spoke, still looking into Clark's eyes as he rose, "it was my pleasure." The man winked and continued up the aisle.

Clark could feel Chloe's eyes on him and now he was sure he was actually blushing.

"What?" he turned and snapped at her before breaking into an uncontrollable smile.

"Why Clark Kent," she teased, leaning in closer so no one could hear there conversation, "is there something you want to tell me?"

Clark struggled for an appropriate answer but settled for, "We'll talk when we get to Paris."

By the look on Chloe's face, he knew she intended to hold him to that promise.