Chapter Text
Lex is not attracted to preteens.
He feels this must be said for propriety's sake. He doesn’t like small bodies. He thinks most kids are little assholes. He never even knows what to do when he’s around people under a certain age. Having spent most of his life around smartly dressed adults. Even the kids he was around as a kid were not ‘kid-like’ as most people would imagine. He can’t even imagine being a dad one day. Lex isn’t even sure he likes adolescence, let alone is attracted to them.
That being said... Clark has got to be the most adult fourteen-year-old in American history. Lex still has a half a mind believing that most everyone is fucking with him and Clark really is a senior in high schools months from graduating and heading to college soon. If Clark was really fourteen he would have a cracking voice, pimpled face, raging hormones, and definitely not literally be taller than most people he meets (including Lex and his own parents), with a voice deep like gravel and even forty-year old rasp first thing in the morning. He certainly shouldn’t have a fucking six pack and biceps that really advertised the benefits of farm living.
On top of it all, the mental fortitude to see Lex crash his car and instead of panicking, managing to dive in, pull him out and perform perfect CPR while they waited for help. How about the ridiculously mature way he carried himself through life? The level of communication that was the envy of most struggling adults he was capable of achieving. What the Hell kinda well-adjusted youth can do that before even the age of sixteen? A nonexistent kid, that’s who. Lex just really think all of this disqualifies him from being lumped in with the degenerates who actually did like kids. Lex did not like kids.
He just liked Clark.
He liked him from the moment he woke to a water-soaked Clark leaning over him worriedly. Back when be thought the dude was just some local small town hunk that put city boys to shame. Lex has always been bad at keeping it in his pants. Clark just seemed so… sweet so confident, and heroic, and just so weirdly innocent in his view of always wanting to help people yet also knowing that most people are pretty bad. That just seemed to make him want to make up for it more by being better on their behalf. An strong ideology that made since when you considered his age. Damn, he made even Lex want to be a better person just from the few interactions he had with him at the time.
Lex wanted more time with the farm boy. Wanted to wine and dine him. Wanted to see if maybe this rural town wasn’t too small for some other queers here and there. If Clark didn’t seem to be into guys he planned to drop it and just go for having a friend who also provided great eye candy. Sure, for anyone else gifting a car seemed heavy handed but he did save Lex life so he figured that gave him some wiggle room on price. It was pretty clear from his demeanor that this wasn’t the case though when Clark walked into his fencing lesson to return the keys.
“Clark? I didn’t see you.” Lex said after throwing his sword in frustration at the wall at another loss. The thing lodged inches from Clark’s unbothered face.
“I ah, buzzed but no one answered.” Clark explained. Small town rules, people didn’t lock their doors.
“How’d you get through the gate?” Lex asked confused.
“Kinda squeezed through the bars. Is this a bad time?” Clark said, leaving Lex with the humorous image of him trying to inch his way through those bars.
“No, no, I think she’s officially kicked my ass for the day.” Lex said, tossing his helmet to his teacher. Going over to Clark and leaving the room. A silent indication for the other to follow as he disrobed from his training uniform.
“This is a great place.” Clark complimented.
“Yeah? If your dead and in the market for something to haunt.” Lex said, bitterness in his voice at the removal from the city home he was more use to. This place had it’s charms but Lex could only see it for the prison it was intended to be.
“Well, I meant... it’s roomie.” Clark tried again as they entered another room.
“How’s the new ride?” Lex said, changing the subject. Figuring that was why Clark was here. Hopefully to give a thank you and offer Lex the chance to asks him to dinner some time.
“That’s why I’m here.” Clark said with a hesitant tone in his voice. Hand reaching back to grab the keys out his pocket and hold them out with a meaningful gaze. Well didn’t that consideration feel like an even greater slap in the face.
“What’s the matter? You don’t like it?” Lex asked. He was not above trying again. Maybe something more suited to farm work would have been better then the designer truck. How best to please cute farm boys? A tractor maybe?
“No, it’s not that I... can’t keep it.” Clark admitted, obviously from his demeanor it wasn’t his idea to give it back.
“Clark, you saved my life. I think it’s the least I can do.” Lex said honestly. As a man who valued his own life quiet a bit a truck seemed like too little frankly.
Clark looked down at that logic. His agreement was in his eyes. Lex own light up with recognition and he nodded a bit upset himself. Hands gripping the towel around his neck.
“Your father doesn’t like me, does he?” He said, throwing the fact out there. No need to tip-toe around it.
“Well, no, I mean...” Clark tried to correct the statement but couldn’t exactly lie.
“It’s okay.” Lex said. It wasn’t but Lex wasn’t going to tell that to the only piece of eye candy in this town.
“I’ve been bald since I was nine. I’m used to people judging me before they get to know me.” Lex said, looking in the mirror and rubbing a hand over his depressing eternally bald head.
“It’s nothing personal. He’s just not crazy about your dad.” Clark explained. Now that was significantly more acceptable but equally as infuriating.
“Figures the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree? Understandable. What about you, Clark? Did you fall far from the tree?” He asked, as if challenging the notion. Clark didn’t comment. Rather he held the keys out again and placed them in Lex’s open palm. Lex found his hands surprisingly smooth for the kind of work he probably grew up doing. He wondered how those fingers would feel tangled in his own.
“I better go. Thanks for the truck. The thought was really nice... Not like I could drive it anytime soon.” Clark said, smiling and attempting to lighten the mood a bit. He just didn’t like the idea of someone as seemingly nice as Lex having a bad impression of him.
“Don’t have your permit yet?” Lex asked confused. This was a small rural town. While it was pretty common in the city for even adults to not have a license it was incredibly rare to not see people jumping on the chance to get their's in a rural town when a car was your only means of transportations in a place where everything was miles apart.
Clark gave him an amused look and head shake. A knowing glint in his eyes.
“No, I’m not old enough. I’m only fourteen.” Clark explained easily.
“Huh.” Lex said, the disbelief heavy in his voice. He was waiting for the ‘gotcha!’ moment of this joke. Should he laugh? Play along? It was a little weird.
“It’s okay, a lot of people think I’m fifteen when they first meet me.” Clark just said with an understanding tone and amusement of someone who was used to being thought of as older then he was. Of course, given that everyone in town pretty much knew each other, no one had guessed as high as an outsider as Lex when they’ve literally watched the boy grow. Clark could not have fathomed how much older he actually looks to others. Not when the whole town have gaslight themselves into thinking that it was normal for a fourteen-year-old to look twenty-four.
Truly Lex thought Clark could only be seventeen at the youngest. That he was leaning more towards twenty. Maybe he got held back and was in his last year of high school and soon off to college. Maybe he already was in college and just visiting. Even that would have been younger then Lex usually would go for but he was making an expectation for the very pretty man. To be told he was just getting out of middle school? Lex was really thinking it was all bullshit.
For a good while after that day, Lex thought it was just a really drawn-out prank. Maybe even small-town style prank of revenge for almost hitting Clark with his car. Make him think he could have hit a child or something like that? It’s just... when Lex started seeing him more around town, started running into him and seeing Clark’s interactions? Can’t exactly fake what teachers you have or what grade you're in. No way the teachers would go along with it. Not to mention his friends actually looked their ages. Clark towered over them but somehow fit so naturally there was no way that they weren’t childhood friends.
More jarringly was seeing him interact with adults. The way his parents spoke to him... like the child he was who still needed daily guidance and was only just starting to learn deductive skills on how to operate in life. Clark still turned to them for everything. Other adults talked down to him. Not in an insulting way but what was expected of someone of his age. With an understanding that a child could not comprehend the realities of adult life. The sheriff even called him ‘sport’ fondly. No way a young teen is putting up with that kind of talk without some grumbling.
After confirming Clark was not in fact lying about his age, Lex realized a hard flip needed to take place in his brain. All previous notions of wanting to approach Clark as more than just cultivating a friendship with the guy who saved his life was shut down. He even felt rather sick with himself that he was capable of making such a mistake. He was always one of those people that mocked his peers who fell for any form of ‘jail bate’. Never before has he truly understood that you legitimate cannot tell at times.
He was no looking to face the same fate as those ex-friends who all now had a permanent black mark against their reputations. Still... he couldn't’ deny that there was a lot more that allured him to Clark then just his looks. Clark was a genuinely nice person to be around. The best in fact. Lex can not think of any time, other than with his mother, when he felt such comfort around someone else. If Clark actually looked his age, he may have changed Lex’s notion about having kids one day. It can be done apparently.
So, Lex didn’t take the action to just let Clark fade from his life. No, he sought for something a bit more innocent. Despite the age gap, Clark and he got on like a house on fire. It wasn’t long before they were thick as thieves. It helped that Clark was amazingly mature for his age if unexperienced and naive at times but that could also just be chalked up to his good nature. With the added element that Lex often felt like he was reclaiming some of his troubled youth when he was with Clark... If not for the look difference and the fact they were both well known in this town, you’d think they were actually brothers with how much time they spent together. Lex could totally handle that. Being the cool surrogate big brother who was the best fucking wing in the world? Done. He could do that. He could help the adorable and earnest Clark with his love life and other young life matters.
They got close enough that Clark even confided in Lex, after yet another attempt to get the man to confess his feelings for Lana, that he didn’t think he liked girls like that. That before Whitney became a complete asshole Clark found himself looking at him more than he ever did Lana. Lana was just a great excuse of a crush because they were often side by side. No one thought twice about who he was looking at and Clark just let them make their own conclusion. Smarter then Lex was when he was his age and terrible at being in the closet. Literally getting caught in the closet with boys on multiple occasion by the house staff.
You’d think this revelation would have only been good news. That Lex just had another thing to connect with Clark on as a big brother figure. That it gave them even more to talk about and Lex sharing his shared preference made it easier for Clark to open up to him. To a degree you’d be right. It did do all those things.
It also opened up a part of Lex brain that he thought was previously closed. It left that damn door dangling and impossible to latch back. Swinging wider and wider with each passing day. With every moment and minute spent together Lex forgot more and more the age gap between them. Made so much worse when they were alone. When there wasn’t Clark’s parents or little friends around as visible reminders of Clark’s age. When there was just that baritone voice and those so clearly glancing eyes. When Lex saw that look his throat got tight. He had a pinky ring commissioned after a while. The tiniest engraving of the number ‘14’ put in black on the silver thing. Something to look at every time that torturous hand of his reached out against his conscious mind to do something it had no business. The amount of times Lex had placed a hand on Clark’s knee just to pat it and remove his hand after seeing that little ring... It was a fucking life saver.
So of course he lost the damn thing.
On the day that he decided to take the long way around to town so he could pass by the Kent family farm and maybe see if Clark was up for some coffee. That also just had to be the day that Clark was not only working in the field but apparently had been working long enough to justify the removal of his shirt at the amount of sweat soaking through it. Lex almost crashed his car for the second time in this little town when he saw. Thank who ever invented sunglasses that his wondering eyes weren’t noticed as he pulled up. He had to fight the casual grin back when his face had fallen into something far too intense for seeing his fourteen-year-old friend shirtless.
Lex literally chugged the water he always kept in his car and braced himself before hopping out to come over to the slow jogging Clark headed to the fence. Wide cute smile on his face that Lex had gotten so smitten with by now. Lex returned the puppy-dog like expression with his own composed and expectant grin. He was fucking professional after all. He didn’t wear his attraction on his face.
“Lex!” Clark called happily. God dammit, if he wasn’t so sweaty Clark looked as if he’d have gone in for a hug. It had been a couple days since they have seen each other. Lex being busy with work in all. Apparently, that was enough to make Lex forget his resolve.
“Hey, was seeing if you were free for a drink?” Lex managed to get out with only minimum rasp in his voice and keeping his eyes locked onto Clark’s. Knowing better then to risk looking down.
Clark bit his lip thoughtfully and looked over the field he was working on. Revealing the equally devastating sight of his muscled back. What the fuck, was he doing this on purpose? If Clark wasn’t so damn innocent he truly would think he was. Lex cleared his throat about two times before locking back into what Clark was saying.
“-take me about thirty more minutes if you wanna have some tea with Ma? I promise dad’s not in.” Clark teased. Lex used the context clues to figure out what he meant.
“Sure, I have no problem with that.” Lex said, incredibly grateful for the motivation and distraction to not just stare out the window his entire wait.
Still, Lex did something shameful that night. He fucking broke. After months of holding it together... Lex just couldn’t anymore. One moment he’s fighting the mental image from the day in the shower and the next his glaring down at his unreliable body and the reaction just the forced memory gave him. Lex was no saint. Never has been, never will be. His relationship with Clark may have improved his moral compass a great deal but he was still that same Luthor on the inside. When it came to matters of the flesh Luthors were weak .
The groan he released at contact was louder than usual. Probably a mix of pleasure and sheer disgusting relief at finally giving in and not denying himself what he’s wanted for so long. Just like that, Lex shamelessly jerked off to the mental image of his young friend. Well... Shameless until the post nut clarity hit him along with the hot shower water that could only erase the evidence of his sin.
Lex has felt like human scum a few times in his life. Usually, second hand in relation to his connection to his father. Yet, there has never been a moment more horribly grounding in that feeling then that night. If Lex had hair, he’d have ripped it all out. Something needed to give. Lex saw now that nothing socially good could come from his relationship with Clark. Goodness, he couldn't even call it a friendship in his head.
He still insisted on the term ‘relationship’. Like one day... one day it could change to something more. Maybe that was always his subconscious plan. To wait the four years needed to justify the attraction. Now wasn’t that a fucked up realization? He disgust himself. This is probably why he put up with so much abuse from Mr. Kent. Had to be self-punishment.
Lex decided that very next morning, something needed to happen. He needed to retract himself from the situation. Like he should have done when these feelings first arouse. He’d start small. Make himself busy with work and fight the urge to pick up calls or answer buzzes into his home or drive by the farm. He'd leave himself open only when absolutely necessary. When Clark needed his help with something, because despite everything the kid did save his life and Lex considered that enough to be in his debt for the rest of his.
So that’s what Lex did. For a solid two weeks, he was nothing more than a name to Clark. Kept his people on the Kent family to make sure Clark hadn’t gotten up to another thing in the short while to put himself in any harms way. Kid was a trouble magnetic after all. That hero complex keeping him from walking away when he should. He left his involvement at that. Didn’t asks for details or pictures or anything. He knew he couldn’t handle seeing him at all. He'd break. He knew he would.
Which is why Lex all but caved as soon as he walked into his small study to find Clark dicking around with his fireplace as he waited for him patiently on the fifteenth night of their absence from each other’s lives.
“Good God Clark. Make some noise would you?” Lex said hand on his chest like he was settling a heart attack. Clark gave a dimpled smile and chuckled at the reaction.
“Most people are more upset when their friends break in?” Clark joked. Lex had always had an open-door policy to him. It was only recently he actually started locking it. Lex just shrugged and came over and sat on his sofa. Whiskey in hand and much too relaxed for a man who felt all but entranced at the sight of that stupid perfect fucking face of Clark’s.
“I consider you a little like the roaches. You’ll find your way through the cracks in the walls.” Lex ribbed him a bit. Expecting a returned and equally playful insult. Standard brotherly affection he’d become accustomed to with the young pre-teen.
What he did not expect was the weak smile and hesitant look as Clark turned back to the fire and pocked at the logs that clearly needed no tending to. Lex brow frowned in worry. Very little had Clark down. Kid was like the little engine that could. Impossible to kill his smile.
“Clark? You alright?” Lex asked, setting the drink down. Wasting no time coming over and kneeling down where Clark was by the fire. A little too use to sitting on the ground at his age.
“...Am I annoying?” Clark asked suddenly. A glisten in his eyes as he turned Lex way. Maybe from the heat radiating from the fire and maybe from the depth of emotion they reflected.
“Who told you, you were annoying?” Lex asked hints of anger in his voice at the words. He was already a couple drinks deep and his emotions were a bit harder to bury under his standard monotone.
“No one, it’s just... you’ve been pretty busy lately huh?” Clark asked a level of disbelief in his voice. Lex should have seen that coming. No matter how busy he was before, he always prioritized Clark. Never turned him from his door. Would sooner end a meeting then tell him he was busy.
“Yes, have you missed me?” Lex said with a small smile and teasing. Not making a big deal of it. Knowing picking up on their usual banter was the quickest way to erase Clark’s insecurities. Insecurities Lex currently felt like a dick for causing.
Clark huffed and pushed at Lex’s shoulder playfully. Lex let himself sway.
“Miss, is a strong word.” Clark said and Lex gave a knowing smile and nod. He pretended there wasn’t a real flutter in his chest at the words.
“Aww, have I been neglecting my friend?” Lex asked pulling Clark into a side hug and getting that smile back that he so loved to see. Despite his size, Clark tucked easily under his arm and against his chest as they both gazed at the fire. So much easier to open up when not meeting each other’s eyes. So much easier not to let his distress show in them easier in Lex case.
God, he was so far gone. When it came down to it... here Lex was unable to push him away. Instead craving his touch. Wanting nothing more than to just hold onto Clark for the rest of the night. To make up for the time loss. Feeling that painful ache he let it go so long.
“A little yeah.” Clark admitted, sad eyes turning up to meet Lex’s. Lex felt that pinch at his soul. He softened his expression.
“Tell you want, how about we get lunch tomorrow? I could use at least one that doesn’t also involves someone trying to sell me something while I finish my meal.” Lex said and Clark perked up. Practically radiating happiness after the confirmation. Adjusting more comfortable against Lex and all but laying on him. Hugging at the arm Lex slung over his shoulder and across his chest. Careful not to let his hand fall flat against that far too defined chest. Where the fuck was his pinky ring again?
“How long do you have until you can go back to working normal hours?” Clark asked casually.
“Just three more days.” Lex offered an arbitrary number. The bare minimum needed to show he wasn’t avoiding Clark but also not so long Lex couldn’t bare it himself. Having Clark in his arms right now showed him how much he wasn’t coping half as well as he thought. Has those shots of whiskey at night become routine so quickly? He didn’t felt he need to finish the glass he had poured just now, for once.
“...Give me a heads up next time you fall off the Earth?” Clark asked, pleaded , softly.
“Of course.” Lex hated how honest that quick answer was. Escaping from his mouth before he could contemplate it.
Lex knew he was screwed that night. Couldn’t get Clark out of his head. Couldn’t get him out of his life. He was fucking stuck. Locked into the worlds most dangerous roller coaster with the strongest bar known to man holding him in place. He couldn’t even jump ship at this point. It would literally take a miracle to pry Lex away now. Even if an excuse presented itself, he’d probably fight tooth and nail to avoid it before he ever avoided Clark again.
He couldn’t let go of Clark, so he had to just... keep it all under control. Lex, being the control freak he was, has faced far less controllable moments in his life and come out on the other side on top. This should be doable. Lex decided to treat Clark like the drug that he was. The perfect rug to the insatiable addict that was Lex at this point. He was impossible to quit cold turkey. Couldn’t quit him at all even. But he could microdose. Manage how much he took. Keep himself from being too dependent on it. Fool himself into thinking he could live without the other. Tell himself that a higher dosage would not in fact take him to nirvana. That it was all the same. He didn’t need to escalate this more.
You know, Lex actually did pretty good for a while there. The microdosing of one Clark Kent actually doing wonders. Made all the easier by the Kent parents still not approving of the friendship and Clark’s own busy schedule picking up his grades after the hits they’ve been apparently taking. Lex being smart enough not to offer his serves for tutoring. Accepting that could only go poorly. Lex had been learning how to pick his battles when it came to Clark. Things were pretty great again. Lex stopped letting his desires bottle up. Allowed the occasional shame filled wank and denial after wards. The clear head it allowed made the continued friendship possible. Things were good .
So of course he fucked them up. Lex underestimated the impact that not seeing Clark of a few days could have. The other being on lock down until he completed some big test his parents insisted he focus on. Not even phone calls being allowed for the time. Lex had figure out of sight out of mind but with Clark gone and finding himself actually too busy to find some... um... alone time Lex had let things build up too much. He got too comfortable in his routine.
When Clark finally came to see him, see him first before anyone else after he was free, it was like being hit with a freight train. The greatest freight train known to man. Something as nice as spending day playing pool, swimming, keeping Clark’s sticky hands from sneaking sips of his constantly full glass of liquor, and light conversation and near constant laughter... Lex forgot again. He forgot where he was. He forgot the cavern called ‘age’ between them. He forgot that those little twinkles in Clark’s interested eyes couldn’t be taken as more than a harmless crush. That they were not to be acted on.
Between one moment and another. A flicker of that look from Clark before he turned away to pass Lex the mincer he needed for Clark to teach him the latest meal he insisted he needed to know, suddenly Lex was leaning forward and soft lips were against his own by his own volition. Lex gave into a moment of weakness. A moment that came crashing down around him when Lex pulled back the next second and saw the wide-eyed stare of disbelief Clark was giving him. The realization he hadn’t leaned in as well crashing into him. Lex felt ill.
Clark may have called his name as he stumbled his way out the kitchen but Lex didn’t hear it. All he heard was the pounding of his own heart in his ear. Felt the shake of his hands as he caught himself with his bent knees. The hot burn of tears that fell without his permission as Lex thought he’d just fucking ruined his own life. He can’t come back from this. No one can come back from something like this!
Clark must have left after that. Lex only knows this because he certainly didn’t spend the night. Not with Lex leaning against his own locked bedroom door, weeping silently as he shook and tried to calm himself from the panic attack he was having. Clark’s voice eventually fading as he gave up on convincing Lex to let him in at some point.
Lex spent the next few nights, unshaven, unshowered, clutching a bottle and waiting for the police to arrive and take him away to where he belonged. Expect to be disinherited, shunned by society, and stripped of his dignity. You wanna know what was most fucked up about those few days? That isn’t wasn’t even what scared him most. It was the idea of never being able to see Clark again. Certainly he’d never have the honor after his foolishness.
That’s not what happen though.
By the fourth day, lex had to acknowledge no one had come. He dared to call out to his assistant. To ask if any one had contacted him. Not wanting to indicate he meant to cops. After a long list of business personal he’d been ignoring, his assistant informed him of the many messages Clark had let for Lex to contact him in his absence. All but begging for time to talk to one another, yet wanting to give him space.
Lex heart ached all over again for a whole new reason. The loyalty that Clark had shown him by not telling anyone. Not even his parents. They most defiantly would not have resisted telling the cops after all. It was the motivation lex needed to pull himself together. To continue on like nothing happen. At least from a business point of view. His social life was officially over. Lex would not face Clark’s scrutiny and innocent questioning of what he’d done to him. He wouldn't face the nosy pestering of small town people wanting to know why they fell out. He would be a complete recluse. Leaving only for business and nothing more from now on. He'd become a god damn ghost.
At least that was the plan. As always Clark fucking Kent could never allow him his plans. As the very first day Lex braved the outside world in desperate need of coffee and human interaction of paying for it the boy had literally jumped from a tree outside Lex drive way. Lex making an about face and trying to go back inside before he was confronted only for Clark to beat him there. That little fucker was always fast. Lex could only sigh as Clark hard look denying him even the idea of escaping this conversation. He braced himself for the complete destruction of his own heart.
“Can I help you Clark?” he dared to asks like he didn’t know what was up. Clark raised a single brow at him. Lex couldn’t blame the silent reaction at his audacity.
“Are we not going to talk about a couple nights ago?” Clark asked. He means five nights ago. Five nights, seven hours, six minutes and... thirteen seconds ago. Lex checked his watch so he was sure.
“What about it?” Lex said, trying to deny anything happen. Instead of getting mad, something Lex could handle, Clark looked upset. Something Lex defiantly could not handle.
“Are we really not going to talk about it?” he asked sounding broken. Man, Lex had done that. He caused that pain. He was awful.
Lex took a deep breath in an drubbed his eyes and gave Clark his most serious look.
“Clark... something like that... you understand why that can’t be...” Lex struggled with his words waving his hand in the air. Trying to say they couldn't talk about it without talking about it. His head was starting to hurt.
“But, I liked it.” Clark said suddenly.
No, no, no skipping any beats heart.
“You... you don’t know what your talking about.” Lex tried, weakly. Face pained at the idea of false hope. Clark did look mad at that.
“I’m not a baby Lex. I know what I like and what I don’t like. I know I liked it... I wouldn’t... I want to do it again.” he said boldly. Lex was beyond glad that no staff was working today.
This was another weak Luthor moment after all.
Lex walked over to Clark slowly eyes examining his face and demeanor. As if he could see any lie present. Any reason that Clark could be mistaken. His hands dared to find Clark’s hips as he stood before him.
“You're sure?” He asked tentative. With a tone that made it seem like he was the younger on and not Clark. Clark smiled fondly at him. Those damned dimples.
Clark didn’t answer the question and instead moved forward. Headed titled down just a little because the gargantuan boy was a couple inches taller than Lex. Lex didn’t stop the advance and he certainly didn’t pull from it. He only barely resisted deepening it and groaning against Clark’s lips. Letting the soft kiss stay innocent. Something that a young boy, kid , like Clark was more familiar with.
That was the start of it all.