Prompt #01. Pretend to be asleep

Title: "Sleepwalking into your life"

Author: Bev

Beta: Helen Picken, thanks, dear.

Rating: NC-17

Warning: none

Summary: Bruce Willis saves the world ... and Clark Kent saves Lex Luthor.

He never thought he would be able to fall asleep with Bruce Willis trying to save the world on Christmas Day just a few feet away. But he could. And he did. Apparently, saving a few of Smallville's residents from rogue Meteor Mutants had tired him out more than he thought.

It was supposed to be a quiet evening with Lex, watching movies, eating pizza and popcorn, and – with Clark finally over 21 – a nice bottle of wine. He had managed to stay awake through the pizza, had enjoyed two glasses of wine, and had fallen asleep when Bruce Willis had burst through a door to kick some badasses three ways to Sunday.

He didn't know how much time had passed when his sleepy mind tried to claw its way back to awareness. He just knew that he felt someone stroking his hair. He lay completely still, gave no indication of being awake, just enjoying this physical contact. There was soft material under his cheek, and he realized that he was laying on his side. It seemed as if he had dropped down while sleeping. He took a deep breath, and for a moment he felt dizzy. Lightheaded. Because a scent filled his nostrils. A familiar scent.

Lex.

The warm fabric underneath him belonged to Lex. Not only could he smell him ... when he concentrated, he could even feel the steady beating of his heart.

Slowly he released the breath again, and the hand in his hair stopped. He breathed in again – and out – in – out. Evened his breathing out to feign sleep. Why, he couldn't exactly say. He just knew that it felt good to have Lex's hand in his hair. To feel the rare – and so unusal – tenderness from the hard-ass business man he knew. Feel some emotion from the emotionless guy Lex had become in the recent months.

"Clark?" A question, whispered ever so quietly. Clark didn't answer, just kept on breathing steadily with his eyes closed. "Clark, you awake?"

Breathing, not moving. Finally the hand continued stroking him, caressing, petting as if he was a giant cat on his owner's lap. "I missed this," Lex whispered after a while. "Missed being able to touch you. When did this stop?" Another soft petting of his hair. "Why did it stop?"

Clark couldn't answer it. Somewhere along the way the touches had become rarer until one day – after a particularly nasty fight – they had stopped completely. Quiet evenings with a movie and pizza had been reduced until both of them always found new excuses not to come. So those stopped, too. In the end they couldn't even go for a coffee together without accusations and hurt and both of them storming off into different directions.

This evening ... this had come as a surprise. Clark thought now it had been a surprise for both of them. The call from Lex – at the Daily Planet of all places – had caught him off guard and without really noticing what he was doing he had agreed to pizza and movie.

"Just like old times, Clark," Lex had said. And Clark had said, "Yes."

Just like that.

It had been a bit awkward at first. The pizza with everything on it that Clark loved, the wine just right for his taste, the movie with just the right mixture of action and romance ... and after an hour they had somehow managed to fall back into the easy banter they had shared so long ago.

Now he lay here, his head on Lex's lap, the older man's hand in his hair. And he enjoyed it. Lex began to talk again. Talking to the sleeping man on his lap. Clark listened to the soft flow of Lex's voice, heard the gentle words talking to him about past times. About those last terrible months in which they had drifted further and further apart.

"I'm so sorry, Clark," Lex murmured. "I should have never let it get so out of hand."

The stroking continued until Clark fell asleep again.

When he woke up the second time, he was alone on the sofa, with Lex sitting across from him, watching him with an enigmatic smile.

Three days later Lex invited him again.

~*~

It was strange that every time Lex invited him for dinner and movie, all the meteor mutants seemed to run havoc. With a nauseated expression on his face, Clark peeled the rest of his sodden and torn shirt off of his body, slipped out of his jeans, and stepped under the spray of the shower. He moaned when the hot water hit his skin, and for a moment he simply enjoyed the fact to get clean again.

He was so deadly tired ... invincible or not. All he wanted to do now was lie down, close his eyes and sleep until high noon the next day. But he couldn't. Didn't want to. Lex had invited him for dinner again tonight. Dinner, movies ... "And let's see what else we can come up with, hm?"

It was that last sentence that caused a shiver to run down Clark's spine, and he agreed so quickly to come over that it was almost funny. Or ... embarrassing. More the latter.

He stepped out of the shower, rubbed himself dry, and less than a minute later he was knocking on Lex's office door.

"Come in," came the answer from inside, and Clark stepped in to find Lex on the phone, discussing something avidly. Clark sat down on the couch, and leaned his head back, automatically closing his eyes. He fell asleep without realizing it.

And woke up an unknown time later, with a soft hand in his hair, his head resting on Lex's lap again, and a gentle voice in his ears. He stayed where he was, enjoying the tender gesture, and listened to the soft cadence of the words flowing over him.

"Why do you always fall asleep on me, Clark, hm? I think I should feel insulted. But to be honest ... as much as I enjoy our dinner and movie together ... I enjoy even more the simple fact that I can touch you again."

Clark's heart beat a little faster but he managed to remain quiet. And listened. Simply listened. The words that at first – in the beginning of their rediscovered 'pizza-and-movie-night – had been words of regret and hurt feelings, had over the weeks turned to words of love and adoration. Sometimes Lex simply told him about his day. Told him about deals he'd made ... and deals he didn't make, because he thought that Clark wouldn't like them. But sooner or later, Lex would start to talk about his feelings. And these were the words Clark longed the most to hear. Tonight was no different.

"How I wish I could touch you like this while you were awake. I so want to touch you. Want to undress you, and run my hands over your body. Do you know that it drives me crazy to see you so close, and not being able to touch you?"

Clark could feel his left leg fall asleep, and involuntarily it twitched. Immediately, Lex pulled his hand back, and gently but insistently shoved him from his lap, moving to the other chair across the table.

Clark faked a yawn, and opened his eyes. Lex gazed at him, his expression unreadable, a whiskey tumbler in his hand.

"I'm sorry, Lex," he said with a heavy tongue, pretending to be still sleepy.

"Don't worry, Clark," the older man answered nonchalantly. "You ... you can sleep here if you don't want to go home."

For a moment Clark wasn't sure what to say but then he could feel a blinding smile form on his face, and nodded enthusiastically. "I'd love that, Lex."

Lex smiled, and nodded. "Good. Okay. Come on. I'll show you your room."

Your room. Not a guest room, or any room, but 'your' room.

~*~

He didn't sleep.

Couldn't sleep. All those things Lex had told him over the last few weeks were running around in his mind, chasing one another. The Lex that had stroked his hair while he was sleeping was the old Lex. The Lex he had fallen in love with so many years ago.

And one he could just as easily now. Despite all the hatred and mistrust they had been through ... despite all the women that had come between them – some even shared – despite everything ... this was *his* Lex again. Could become his Lex again.

He turned around to the other side, closing his eyes. The temptation to look for Lex's room, and watch him sleeping like a big scary stalker was just too big. A sigh made his eyes fly open again. A sigh from the other side of his door, followed by a barely audible *thud* as if someone rested a hand on his door. And this time Clark couldn't resist. He concentrated, and there he was ... Lex. On the other side of his door, resting his head and his hand on it, his eyes closed.

He stayed like that for a few minutes, then he pushed himself away from the door again, caressed it one last time gently, and whispered, "Good night, love," before turning around, probably to return to his own bedroom.

It almost broke Clark's heart, and he knew he had to do something. He waited a few more minutes, watched Lex go back to his room, watched as he put off his bathrobe, and climbed into bed. Then he gave himself a few more minutes, and then he got up. Slowly, carefully, he undressed himself, and opened his door. He knew now where Lex slept. Or better ... where he did *not* sleep.

Clark Kent had a plan, and he was determined to go through with it.

~*~

Lex was tossing and turning in his bed, moving from left to right and back but sleep eluded him that night.

With a sigh he stared through his partly opened curtains at the starry sky outside. Finding himself deeply in love with Clark Kent had come as a surprise. He remembered the press conference a few weeks ago where he had suddenly looked into the eyes of his old friend. And the memories of his time in Smallville had come rushing back to him, had nearly overwhelmed him. It had been the next day when he had called him, inviting him over to his Penthouse in Metropolis for Pizza and a movie ... just like old time. Never had he thought that Clark would agree to come. But even if he refused to meet him, he would at least would be able to hear his voice again.

But Clark had accepted his invitation, and two days later Lex had poured him a glass of wine, while Bruce Willis tried to save the world.

A noise from the door broke him out of his thoughts, and he sat up.

"Hello?" he asked.

No answer.

Lex frowned. It had been a tapping noise, almost like someone brushing his knuckles against the door, the mere thought of a knock. When there was no answer, Lex laid back down.

And jumped up again when the door was slowly pushed open.

Lex's heart hammered in his chest, and he pulled the covers up to his chin. And let out a sigh in relief when the tall form of Clark appeared in his doorway. He let the covers drop..

"Clark, what ..."

He swallowed the rest of the sentence when Clark stepped in completely. The moonlight flowing through the window cast a silver spell over him, and Lex noticed that Clark was naked.

Gloriously naked.

And he was walking right up to Lex's bed. Lex sat up, simply staring at the man as he slowly came closer, and closer until he was standing right in front of Lex.

It was only then that Lex noticed the strange look on Clark's face ... the empty eyes, the expressionless features. Everything clicked into place. Clark was sleepwalking. It was the only reason that made sense to Lex. His mind raced. What should he do? He remembered that he once read somewhere that sleepwalkers should not be woken up. So he simply watched Clark, waited for him to take the next step.

He did.

But not the way Lex had expected. Because Clark's next step led him right into Lex's bed. With a very content sigh, Clark snuggled up against his chest, took him in his arms, rested his head on Lex's shoulder, and huffed warm breath against the older man's neck, apparently going back to sleep instantly.

Lex lay stiff and still, not knowing what to do. Everything he dreamed of, everything he'd ever wanted was right here in his bed.

And Clark had come to him, right? He could always tell him so in the morning, when the younger man woke up, and screamed bloody murder at him.

It was enough to quiet down Lex's guilty conscience, and he smiled as he pulled Clark even closer to him, finally being able to sleep.

~*~

Clark had to bite his tongue not to shout out in joy when he felt Lex's arm finally coming around him, enveloping him. With a deep sigh he closed his eyes, felt himself relax completely within a few heartbeats, and before he could think about what he could do with Lex so close by he fell asleep.

Again.

And awoke the next morning with the first rays of the sun, a warm body behind him, and a hard length poking him insistently into his hip.

Without thinking, he moved back slightly, pushing into this hardness, enjoying the feeling of it gently gliding over his hole, making him shudder. And involuntarily a moan escaped him.

The slow movement stopped immediately, and he could feel Lex moving away. Quickly, Clark moved his hand back blindly, reaching for Lex, holding him tight, pulling him close again. "No, Lex ... please ... don't."

"Clark," Lex breathed into his neck, "I can't ... you ... you shouldn't even be here. You came here sleepwalking, and ..."

"No, I didn't. I was awake. I thought ... this is the only way I could ever ... could ever ... get you."

His voice was very small, almost a bit frightened, and Clark hated himself for it. But he couldn't change it. Last night this had seemed to be such a great idea ... at least in his head. Now in the bright light of the day he wasn't so sure about it. But then he felt a deep, heartfelt moan, and the whispered words, "God, Clark, what you do to me ..."

The slow movement started again, causing stars to explode behind Clark's closed eyelids. "Lex," he moaned again, "God, Lex, please, please ... I want you ... want you so much ... God, please ..."

Clark wasn't sure why he begged ... for what he begged ... he just knew that he needed to be touched by Lex. That he wanted to feel his hands, his mouth, and his oh so wonderfully hard cock that was again moving gently against his ass.

Warm lips pressed against his shoulder, and he could feel Lex's hand, moving over his ribcage, down his stomach until it finally ... finally ... oh god, yes ...

Clark came with a loud shout the moment Lex's long fingers closed around his hard arousal. Blindingly ... achingly ... perfectly. Almost sobbing, he sagged bonelessly down, barely noticing when sharp teeth buried itself in his shoulder, and warm wetness splashed against his lower back.

"I heard it all," Clark began after a few moments, "heard everything you told me. But you only talked to me like that when you thought I was sleeping."

Clark could feel Lex moving, felt him climbing over him and settling down directly in front of him. But he refused to open his eyes. He wasn't ready to face Lex. Not yet. There were still some doubts left, nagging in the back of his mind. "So I ... at first I really fell asleep. I was so deadly tired. But I woke up early ..."

Slowly, every now and then stumbling over a word, Clark confessed everything he'd done over the last few weeks. Told Lex how he'd pretended to be asleep so he could listen to Lex.

Could be touched by Lex.

After he finished there was a long silence. And still Clark didn't dare to open his eyes. The kiss startled him. It was a soft touch. A mere pressure of lips on lips, there and already gone again.

But it gave Clark the courage to open his eyes. Finally. He looked directly into Lex's wide opened eyes, saw his big, blinding smile.

"I only dared to touch you when you were sleeping," whispered Lex conspiratorially with a wink, "because I thought you still hated me. Seems as if I was wrong."

"I never hated you, Lex," Clark protested, but Lex silenced his with a kiss. A little more pressure this time.

"Yes, you did. And you had every right to do it."

"I ..." Another kiss, this time with a little tongue added. It made Clark moan, the hand grasping his ass and pulling him closer made him gasp.

"You did. And if you wouldn't have shown me your trust by falling asleep in my lap I would have never found the courage to touch you. To talk to you."

The kiss deepened, and it was everything Clark had ever thought a kiss with Lex could be. Would be. Mind-blowing. Knee-melting. And he was glad to have his heat vision under control ... it would be hard to explain to Lex why his bedroom was suddenly on fire.

Neither of them were disillusioned though. They both knew that there was a lot of work from both sides if this relationship was going to work.

But Clark was pretty optimistic that – together – there was very little they couldn't achieve. He pulled Lex closer, and gave up thinking for a little while.

End