"I didn't know you played football," Clark commented as he sorted through the box of Lex's old college gear.

"Football?"  Lex left his own box and came to look at Clark's.  "Oh, that's a rugby ball.  And I didn't exactly 'play'…"

Clark turned the dark brown leather ball over in his hands.  It was close to a football, though it didn't have the seams going all the way down and it was a bit more rounded on the ends.  The leather was rich, well-worn and smooth.  He fitted his hand around it easily.  "If you didn't play, then what…?"

Lex suddenly looked uncomfortable.  "Well, mostly I watched."

A dark eyebrow raised up Clark's forehead as he took in Lex's non-answer.  He grinned, "Anybody on the field you were watching in particular?"

Lex turned his head away, not answering.

Which was an answer in itself.  That must have been one of those not-a-friend friends of his.  Getting details was like pulling teeth sometimes, yet Clark had managed to find out that Lex had a lot of them in his past.  It was one of the reasons he'd been so surprised by Clark and had latched onto him so tightly.

Clark thought it was his duty to wipe away all those old bad memories and create better ones.  He tossed the ball up in the air and caught it again.  Looking through the walls of the castle, he saw nobody on the grounds outside, and he knew where the switch to turn off the security monitors was.  Perfect.

"Hey, Lex, let's go outside for awhile.  I need some sun and less dust."

Lex tilted his head to one side, obviously trying to figure out what Clark was up to.  Then he gave it up and simply grinned. Clark loved that grin. "Sure."

They headed out towards the back patio, Clark keeping ahold of the rugby ball he'd found.  When they were almost outside, Clark zipped out ahead, moving into superspeed and taking off his clothes.

When Lex stepped out, Clark was ready for him.  He'd splashed himself in the fountain so he knew his body was gleaming in the sunlight, to get all of Lex's interest.  Clark leaned against a column, nonchalantly holding the rugby ball down where Lex would have to look at it.  He would see the ball, and Clark… and his attention would be on Clark instead of old hurts.  Clark meant to replace that hurt and fill all the cold spots with his warmth.

Lex stood in the doorway, stunned.  His mouth went slack as his eyes traveled up and down Clark, then repeated the journey.  They paused where the ball was.  Perfect.

"Want to play some ball?" Clark drawled, lifting the rugby ball in his grasp.  It wasn't the only thing that rose, his excitement and Lex's obvious interest making other body parts follow the ball up.

Lex's eyes went up to meet Clark's, and there was another of the brilliant grins, just for Clark.  "For you, always," Lex breathed.  Then he stepped forward.