Title: Wanted for Nothing
Category: Angst, Episode-related
Rating: PG-13 for theme
Spoilers for: Rush, Exodus
Summary: Things were supposed to return to normal after Lex left... but Lex came back.

Author's Note: I honestly have no idea where this came from. My muses have apparently decided that denial is a bad word.

*It hurts until I'm wanted for nothing
Don't talk your words against me
I wanted to know you
I wanted to show you*

Unwanted - Avril Lavigne

It's September by the time Lex comes back to Smallville. Summer is close enough that Clark tastes lemonade when he thinks about it, but the school year is far enough along that he's stopped counting the days since it started. Chloe's still being evasive, Lana's still wearing his ring, and Pete still thinks it's cool that Clark's an alien. All things that could change if the balloon pops.

It's still warm enough that when LuthorCorp hosts Lex's welcome back party it's an outdoor barbecue, not typical Lex-food but even after a four-month stint on his own special version of Survivor, Lex is the quintessential politician. Smiles over fried chicken and praises the taste while feigning ignorance that Martha's the cook, because compliments are so much more valuable when they're unintended.

Clark knows half the people here actually don't want to be here. He's not sure if he wants to be here himself, given that he's not sure if he and Lex are even friends any more. The last time he saw Lex was when... and he actually has to stop and think to remember. In Lex's study, talking about betrayal and trust, Lex telling him that the wedding was off, that Helen hadn't trusted him and, of course, a relationship without a foundation of trust can't last. Lana had said that enough last year, but she'd managed to accept that Clark had secrets. Did Lex really expect someone to trust him, with all the things he'd done?

It's been a long summer, enough time to think about everything that's happened since Helen came into the picture, and Clark can't imagine that she's the one who's behind the plane crash. Sure, she and Lex weren't exactly the most enamored couple, but everyone knew it was a convenient arrangement and really? Helen didn't seem to care enough about Lex to sabotage him. Of course, that hadn't stopped Lionel from putting out an allpoints bulletin last June offering a hundred thousand dollars to anyone who turned in his son's murderer, namely, Helen.

They still haven't found her, and Clark frankly doesn't want to think about the infamous Luthor loyalty.

Lex corners him by one of the beverage tables. Most people have already left, and Clark looks up to see Lex, grinning that shark's smile he only used to use on other people.

"Clark." His voice is smoother than that of someone who's spent four months lost at sea. "You weren't at my wedding."

Accusations already, Lex? "You said it was cancelled, Lex." Apparently it hadn't been, because Lex had ended up getting married anyway, leaving on that LuthorCorp jet that should have...

Lex glances away for a second, coming back with a less feral smile. "Come on, Clark, you know me better than that. Just because Helen made a mistake doesn't mean I shouldn't give her a second chance. Everyone deserves a second chance." Lex never gave Lionel a second chance. "You were supposed to be my best man."

Before, Clark wouldn't have scoffed at that. He knows better now. Lex gives him a funny look, a quirk of his eyebrows and a half-smirk that's supposed to be distracting. Clark laughs. "That's kind of sad, don't you think, Lex?" The punch tastes weird, and Clark wonders if someone spiked it.

Lex narrows his eyes, the way he used to at the beginning, when all he did was ask questions Clark couldn't answer. Unlike Lana and Chloe and Pete, Lex stopped asking, and that's when Clark should've known something wasn't right. "I hardly think it's sad, Clark. You're my best friend."

Case in point. "Lex." Not exactly sure how to tell Lex how screwed up that is, because beyond them having practically nothing in common, he's six years younger than Lex and really, shouldn't Lex have friends his own age? Clark can understand why Lex couldn't exactly ask his brother to be his best man, especially considering the whole attempted murder thing, but still.

The old smile is back, and Clark almost believes it. "You saved my life, Clark."

"Lex, if everyone I saved was my best friend, I'd have thirty best friends by now." Most of the people he's saved either hate him or are in love with him, and those that he couldn't save, well. They're dead. But Lex takes this loyalty thing a bit too far, claiming he'd do anything to protect a friend, and anything is too big of a word for Clark to comprehend, particularly when it's combined with the words Lex and Luthor.

"Were," Lex corrects almost automatically, and waves off Clark's perplexed look. It's just another intimidation technique, anyway. "But you've save my life what, five times? I'm grateful for that." Like he's not supposed to be. Lex's grin widens, shark again, and here he would put his arm around Clark's shoulder, if they were still friends. "Destiny, Clark, remember? Our friendship will be the stuff of legends."

Mmm. Because they don't make legends about corpses that are still fresh. "If you say so." The catering company is starting to pack up.

"Clark?" Lex doesn't seem to realize that the game is up. "Am I sensing some animosity?"

Lex has always had a sixth sense for the smell of a proverbial fish. "Lex, things have changed. I've changed. Our friendship isn't what it used to be."

Lex tilts his head, like he's considering this. "You didn't save me this time." Lex is saying that he did it on purpose, maybe, like Clark is neglecting him. Never mind that Lex has a knack for being the victim of attempted murders and kidnappings and Clark just couldn't keep up with him anymore. Even, maybe, that it's supposed to be about Lex, and Clark doesn't have a life besides saving people from meteor mutants and deranged ex-boyfriends.

"I can't save everyone, Lex." How many times has Lex told him that? Kyla, who was never supposed to be the villain; Tina, who looked like Clark when Clark fought her and it was like fighting himself, but not; and Ryan, bittersweet little boy, not even a teenager yet, reading people's minds and the things he heard, the things he told Clark, Lex's constant plotting and thoughts of revenge and investigation, investigating him... Ryan knew Lex better than Clark ever had. Of course, Clark supposes, reading minds can have that effect.

"True," Lex concedes too easily, running his hand over the folding table like he's looking for its weak spot. Then again, Clark's interpretation could be biased. "Tell me something, Clark." Clark crosses his arms and leans back, looking the question at him. "When did this rift come between us?"

Ha. "I don't know, Lex. Maybe it was when you went ahead and got married without bothering to tell me the wedding was back on. Or maybe it was the time finding out what was in those caves was more important than our friendship." Lex could very well be thinking, hold a grudge much? but Clark doesn't care anymore. "It also could have had to do with the fact that when you told me the wedding was off because you'd betrayed Helen, you failed to mention that you betrayed me too."

The innocent grin is there too quickly. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about." Of course not.

Clark rolls his eyes, because that's the only logical response. "Come on, Lex. Helen told me you stole the vial of blood from her. My blood." Defensive quirk of an eyebrow, again. "Funny how that wasn't part of your confession last time I saw you." Clark leans closer, trying on his own wide grin. "Generally, when you plan to turn over a new leaf, you come clean about everything."

Damage control is an interesting look on Lex's face, trying to choose between outright denial and explanation. "Did you come clean about everything?" Ah. Accusation is another tack.

"I didn't investigate you for two years." Lex has taught him all about double-edged swords. "You know, I used to think that maybe you were trying to get something from me, something besides my secrets. But now? Those looks? Like I was some kind of bug in a jar, Lex. Hell, given the chance, I think you would have dissected me."

Lex laughs at this. "I think the word you're looking for is vivisection, but that's beyond the point. This is all blatantly untrue."

"Kind of like our friendship, hmm, Lex?" And Lex didn't even get to ask why Clark didn't visit him when he first got back to Smallville.

Lex stares at him long and hard, as though trying to figure who this is and what they did with Clark Kent, then mutters something that sounds distinctly like Et tu, Brutus? Lex seems to come to a decision, because he slides his hands into his pockets, another defensive tactic if Clark's ever seen one. "That's too bad. I had always thought we'd be as close as Alexander and Hephaestion."

Clark throws back his head and laughs. Oh. This is too good. "It's a bit late to be propositioning me, Lex." Lex's eyes jump halfway up his forehead. "Please. You think I don't get your stupid obscure references? I'm not as dumb as I look, you know." Clark lowers his voice to a whisper. "They even teach Greek history in public schools these days."

"I wasn't aware that they'd started teaching ingenuousness as well."

"Nah." Hey, this would be called flirting if it weren't an argument. "That's something I picked up on my own." They're the only people left on LuthorCorp's lawn. Clark pulls a pair of eyeglasses out of his pocket and slides them on. Not as cool as sunglasses, but they work equally well as a disguise. "Like my new shades?"

Lex smirks. "Your vision get worse over the summer?"

Clark tosses a smile over his shoulder as he heads for the truck. "Nope. Got better." Leaving Lex puzzling after him, Clark shifts into drive and starts on the road home. Lex still doesn't know who was behind the plane crash.

A shame, really. But then again, Lex doesn't have the best track record when it comes to deciding who to trust.