title: the boy in the bubble
author: jessica
mail: thegirlinglasses@illuminatedtext.com
date: march 01, 2003
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The morning after Clark's first party at the penthouse, Lex found gum stuck under every chair.
"So, Peaches is nice," Lex said, walking into the kitchen.
"Isn't she?" It was early. Sometimes Clark has trouble detecting sarcasm in the mornings. It's always been a problem. "Peaches is so cool. She's a performance artist. She does shows downtown - this thing with paint. Remember? We saw her do Saint Joan?"
"With paint?"
Clark laughed like a kid. "No, at the university, Lex. She's in theatre, second year."
"And the gum? Is that art too?"
Clark shook his head at Lex and came around the table to take his dishes and kiss his cheek. "Don't worry."
They haven't hosted anymore parties at the penthouse and Lex didn't see Peaches again until Clark dragged him to one of her shows on campus. She was blowing a rainbow of bubbles and sticking them to a wall. By the end of the night, her gum was chewed, the wall was full, and Lex still wasn't sure what it was supposed to be.
All the past week's kisses have tasted like Hubba Bubba. Clark's latest flavour was pink bubble gum. Lex thought he could smell it when he came home. He was more sure of the sound of Clark jerking off in the bedroom. That was becoming common as Clark's classes got earlier and Lex's days got longer. He set his briefcase down at the door, toed off his shoes, and slipped off his coat. With sock feet, Lex made no sound as he padded down the hall to the open bedroom door.
The sounds were slightly muffled, but the one word Clark was repeating was unmistakable. Lex knew he could recognise Clark saying his name anywhere. Clark was close, the chorus of "Lex" speeding up to match the sounds of slick skin. The bed started to squeak and Lex used it cover the sound of easing the door open on its bad hinge. Then Clark's chant stopped and Lex was sure he was caught. He stepped inside, smiling at the thought of Clark's punishment for him, but Clark wasn't paying attention. He probably hadn't seen Lex behind the enormous pink bubble he was blowing.
Lex could only watch in awe. The bubble got bigger and Clark's hand moved faster and when they both popped, Lex wasn't thinking about Freud at all. But he still couldn't hold in the laugh.
Clark shot up in bed, his face covered in pink bubble gum, and Lex laughed harder. He barely made it to the bed, and soon they were both laughing. Lex sat on the bed and pulled off the gum sticking to Clark's face, like the semen drying to his stomach.
"That was quite the money shot, Clark."
"If you liked that," Clark said, drawing himself up in a slow stretch to pull Lex down. His face was sticky, but still beautiful, nuzzling against Lex. "You should see Peaches new show."