There's a familiarity that Clark never would have expected. Something about Lex that, when Clark finds him amongst the hay, just seems right. Lex tells him a story about his mother and a ranch in Montana. Clark's heard a lot of stories about Lillian, but that isn't one of them and it's not the reason Clark wants to see more of Lex on the farm.

Jonathan said Lex wanted to earn his keep, so Clark lets him, just finds a seat and watches, grinning at the sight of another Lex that belongs only to him. Lex is still dressed like Lex, but the grays and blacks he wears seem brighter, even in the shade of the barn. It's only been a day, but already Clark can imagine pale skin burnished by the sun. The expensive sweater and tailored pants will have to go, Clark decides with a smirk.

"Mom's going through her rag bag, looking through my hand-me downs," he says. Lex stops, taking a break against the work bench. "I don't remember wearing purple flannel, I'm sure she can find you something."

"Don't taunt the man with the pitchfork, Clark," Lex warns.

Clark laughs as Lex just watches him. Lex looks at him and it makes Clark tell him things he's not supposed to - the things he hides in his storm cellar and the things he hides in his bed. It's a look that scares a lot of people and Clark wonders why he's not.

They were friends immediately. Lex has a lot of stories about the Greeks and Alexander, about the French and Napoleon. They don't talk about the Japanese and the custom that says Lex's life belongs to Clark. They don't talk about it because they both know it's true and neither one knows what to do next.

When Clark was six, the first day he was allowed to play in the park, he met Pete. Pete had to make room for Clark and it was a little harder. Brothers and best friends and secret hiding places, the new little weird boy who wanted to be Pete's best friend had to fight.

When Clark and Lex became friends, it was like the space had just been waiting for him. There was no awkward introductions, just the mouth-to-mouth that they learned in Gym in seventh grade, and they fell right back into places already formed in each other's lives. It was so easy - nothing there that Clark had to compete with - that the only guilt he felt when Pete found out when Clark wasn't paying attention was about Lex.

Clark wanted to tell Lex that first night, when his dad came up the stairs with something in his hand. When Jonathan showed him the ship in the cellar, Clark knew that no one would appreciate this like Lex. Pete would find him a little green army man to melt, like they used to do with a magnifying glass when they were kids. Chloe would hesitate, but Clark would still find a space cleared for him on the wall. Lex would love the ship. He would be the one to sit up with Clark all night, on a dusty floor underground, just staring, trying not to touch and not being able to stop himself.

Clark has been calling Lex his 'best friend' for a while now. Pete's different, and Clark knows he's okay with that because he and Pete will never find themselves holding hands during a movie or kissing accidentally on the couch. Pete will never stroke Clark's hair when he thinks Clark is asleep in the passenger seat of his car. Lex will and Lex does, but that's just something that happens. Another thing they don't talk about.

It used to be about his parents, his dad's stubborn streak, his mom's protective instinct. Clark thought it was him, that it was his age, that it was Smallville. Maybe Lex was only looking for a distraction. But with every kiss that just happens, Clark knows that it's this, this thing between them that was shaped a lot like a spaceship. Because his mom is looking through hand-me downs for Lex and his dad is teaching him how to milk the cows. Lex is living on the farm, doing Clark's morning chores and still, they aren't talking about it.

Clark waits until Lex puts down the pitchfork.

02/13/03

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