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“Why are you so nervous, man?” Trent asked. “You said your parents are cool.”
Clark had never said that. He’d said his parents were great and supportive and understanding. Cool, no. But "cool", to Trent, encompassed everything positive.
“It’s complicated,” Clark explained. Or failed to explain. But he didn’t want to get into a discussion with Trent right now about how his mother wanted grandchildren and his father believed that Luthors should be shot on sight. Or, if not shot, at least shunned like lepers or something.
“Everything is complicated with you, dude.” Trent sighed. “It’s exhausting just watching you. A word of advice from your roomie, okay?”
Clark nodded, waiting for the usual admonition to lighten up.
“Don’t make things complicated with Lex. You’ve got a good thing going, don’t fuck it up by overthinking it.”
“I…..okay.” That was probably good advice. “I don’t, you know,” Clark continued, warming to the subject of Lex. “Overthink it. Me and Lex, it’s just easy. Everything else is complicated.”
“Uh huh,” Trent said. “Keep it up, dude.” He winked and Clark grinned at him. “Remember that you and Lex are easy when the shit hits the fan. ‘Cause it always does, sooner or later.”
Probably tonight. Clark heard his parents entering the dorm and looked around the room one last time. “I hear them. Trent --,”
“Relax. I won’t say “fuck”, I won’t toke up, I won’t tell them about last week when Karen and I walked in on you two,” Trent said, waving a careless hand.
There was a knock at the door.
“Nice to meet you Mrs. Kent, Mr. Kent. Clark’s told me great things about you. Let me get your coats. Do you have time for a cocktail?”
Clark wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes. Trent, acting the respectful, gracious roommate. Chivalrously seating Mom on one of the desk chairs and then turning a questioning gaze on Dad. It was a good start to an evening that was no doubt going to be difficult.
“Maybe just a little one,” Dad said, sitting in the other chair. “Since I’m not driving.”
“Scotch okay?” Trent asked, waving the Lagavulin. As all three Kents nodded, he poured and passed out drinks. “Lex got this for us.”
“You know Lex?” Mom asked, accepting the glass.
“Of course! He’s here all the time!”
“He is?” Dad’s eyes narrowed and Clark’s rolled. Maybe he shouldn’t have done this. It wasn’t too late, he could slip a word to Lex and it’d just be dinner out, not coming out. But no, Lex wanted this for some reason. And Clark couldn’t say no to Lex. Plus, it was kind of hard to argue against honesty. Damnit.
“Lex is a nice boy,” Mom said with a look at Dad. Clark wasn’t able to interpret all the looks between his parents, but he thought this one was points for his side.
“He’s a man, Martha.” Was he ever! Clark grasped at his wandering thoughts as his father continued, “and a Luthor.” He always said that as if it ended the discussion. It was really annoying.
“Yeah, Lex Luthor.” Trent didn’t seem to have any bad associations with the Luthor name. He knew only of the Luthor Legend and whatever Karen had told him about the Luthor labs. Which he was probably interested in only because they might produce exciting new drugs. Trent was such a comfort sometimes. Like now.
“And he’s here a lot?” Mom asked, sipping her scotch. “Clark mentioned that he’s been helping him with his chemistry studies. And that they’d gone to a few concerts together. And art openings.” She twinkled at Clark, who felt a stupid blush rising. Did she suspect? Maybe he shouldn’t have talked about Lex so much when he and Mom had coffee and muffins together every morning while Dad fed the cows. But lately Lex was all he could think about. Lex was just so interesting.
“Look at Trent’s posters, Dad!” he said in an attempt to change the subject. “He collects them!”
“We went to that concert!” Jonathan exclaimed, gesturing with his glass. Trent promply refilled it. “Remember, honey? Overland Park?”
“Barely,” Martha murmured, holding her glass out.
“You were there?” Trent asked, pouring. “Dude, that was one of the best! I have the tapes, and, dude…..” Trent seemed to be relaxing a little from his meeting parents persona. Clark hoped he wouldn’t relax enough to get the bong out of its drawer.
“Yup.” Jonathan sipped, a pleasantly reminiscent expression on his face. “It was before we were married. Awesome concert, awesome night.”
His dad was saying “awesome” and looking at Mom in a way that made Clark want to leave the room. Clark really didn’t need any more reasons for this night to be uncomfortable.
“It was,” Martha agreed. “Totally.” She winked at Clark as Jonathan and Trent became involved in a discussion of the Dead’s greatest work. Clark shifted on his dorm bed. This was great, Trent and his dad bonding over the biggest stoners ever and all, but he was eager to get the big coming out speech over with. Then he and Lex could celebrate. Whatever happened, there would be celebrating, because it would be over with; his parents would know. Of course, he couldn’t make the speech until Lex was here. They’d discussed it and decided that it was something they should do together. Plus, he needed the moral support. What time was it?
“We should get going,” he said. “Lex will be waiting.”
“Yes, Lex has waited long enough,” Mom said, rising and putting on her coat. “Come on, Jonathan.”
Dad drained his scotch and got up reluctantly. “Nice to meet you, Trent,” he said as he fumbled his coat on. “I’ll send you that tape.”
“Cool, Mr. Kent. I’ve never heard the three hour version of Sugar Magnolia. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Kent.”
~*~
“Nice kid,” Jonathan said as the three of them walked across the campus and up the hill to Mario’s.
“Yeah,” Clark agreed. Dad and Trent had really connected. It made him wonder about Dad’s past. Now that he thought about it, he remembered being sung to sleep with “Uncle John’s Band.” But that was then, and this was now, right before he told his parents he was gay and with Lex. Dating Lex. Seeing Lex. Seeing Lex naked. Oh, shit, he couldn’t do this. He began to panic, unobtrusively of course, as they entered the restaurant.
And there was Lex, rising from his barstool and gliding to greet them. Just seeing him made Clark feel better. He decided he could do it, after all.
“Lex!” his mom said, enfolding Lex in a hug. Lex looked a little surprised, pale eyebrows raised, but he hugged her back.
“Mrs. Kent,” he said, smiling down at her. “And Mr. Kent,” he added, extending a hand to Jonathan.
“Lex.” Dad shook Lex’s hand. Okay, as long as his dad was polite to Lex, Clark could deal. Of course, it remained to be seen how polite he would be after the Big Announcement. Lex had joked that at least Jonathan couldn’t carry his shotgun in Metropolis. Lex was really nervous about this whole thing, even though he’d been the one who insisted on it. He was acting all smooth and cool as they were shown to their table, but Clark could tell how worried he was by the tension lines on his head.
“You choose the wine, Lex,” Martha said, handing the short wine list to Lex. “Let’s start with white for now, and probably a red and a white with dinner.
Lex scanned the list rapidly, then raised his head. A waiter appeared instantly, like they always did when Lex wanted something.
“The Acatelli Pinot Grigio now, and then two bottles of the Fra Comilio Chianti ,” Lex said. “And shall we share an antipasto platter while we decide?” he asked the Kents.
“Good idea,” Mom said. “How have you been, Lex? It’s been too long since we’ve seen you. Maybe you can visit us one of these weekends.”
“I’d like that,” Lex replied. The waiter appeared and did the wine ritual with Lex, who nodded.
Okay, the wine was poured, they were all here. “Mom, Dad,” Clark began, then broke off to clear his throat and freak out.
“Lovely wine,” Martha said, ignoring her son. “Don’t you think, honey?”
“Mmph,” Jonathan said through a mouthful of bruschetta. “Yeah,” he added, reaching out for some proscuiutto and stuffing it into his mouth.
“Your father’s been working extra hard,” Mom said, sipping her wine. “I think he’ll be more relaxed after we’ve eaten.” She gave Clark a meaningful look, but unfortunately he didn’t know the meaning.
“You must be busy with spring planting and all,” Lex said. “And I know that the farmers' market in Smallville has become very popular.”
“Yes, it has,” Martha agreed. “It’s two days a week now. I think we should plant more greens next year, don’t you, Jonathan?” she asked.
Clark sat back and listened as his parents and his boyfriend (!) discussed the market for kale and collards. Lex ordered a side dish of grilled raddichio to go with his veal when the waiter took their dinner orders.
Dinner proceeded in an excrutiatingly slow manner. The conversation ranged from Lex’s plans to renovate the mansion to the Sharks’ draft picks. Clark took part minimally, concentrating mostly on finishing his food so they could get this over with. He looked up from his clean plate and saw that, as usual, everyone else was far behind him. He occupied himself while he waited by watching Lex until Lex kicked him under the table, frowning. Oops, he’d gotten a little too involved in imagining himself as asparagus. It was Lex’s fault for eating it like that. He tuned back in to the conversation and joined in while worrying about the revelation to come. His parents were going to freak. Maybe not so much over the being gay part, although he couldn’t be sure, but definitely over the Lex part.
Finally, finally, dinner was over, and they were drinking coffee. Clark looked at Lex questioningly. Lex nodded. Okay, bombs away. Best to get it over with fast, like ripping off a band-aid. Or so he’d read.
“Mom, Dad, there’s something I need to tell you,” he said. His parents nodded, looking concerned. “I’m gay.” He paused to allow for shocked gasps, yelling, possible fainting. His parents simply nodded in unison again.
“We thought you might be, honey,” Mom said, patting his arm.
Well, whoa. That was easy. Clark let out a huge sigh of relief. Now for the hard part, though.
“Lex and I are dating.” He readied himself to rescue Lex from an enraged Jonathan.
“You were right, Martha,” his dad said with a little sigh. He looked at Lex, narrowing his eyes. Lex sat up straighter and prepared to make a speech. Clark knew the signs of an upcoming speech. He wondered, crazily, how Alexander the Great would figure in this one.
“Mrs. Kent, Mr. Kent, I want you to know that - ”
“We know, Lex,” Mom said, pouring the last of the wine into Dad’s glass. “You don’t need to make your declarations to us.” Some kind of look passed between his mom and his boyfriend that Clark couldn’t figure out. But, hey, it looked as if his parents were okay with him and Lex!
“I don’t want to be too. . .” Lex hesitated. Which was unusual, but then, Lex was nervous about this whole parents thing.
“You won’t be,” his mom said. “You’ve done fine so far. Just trust yourself. Trust Clark.”
Lex smiled so warmly that Clark was almost jealous of his mom, but then Lex turned the smile on him and he just basked in it, so happy that he could be open with Lex in front of his parents that he thought his face might split with his own smile. Good thing he was invulnerable.
The waiter put the check folder by Lex, but Dad grabbed it. “Dinner’s on us,” he said, pulling out his credit card. “Just be sure you don’t -“
“Do anything we wouldn’t do,” Mom finished for him. She gave Dad the look that meant shut up, honey.
“Thank you, Mr. Kent. Mrs. Kent.” Lex said, smiling. Glowing, actually. He looked really good glowing. “We’ll drop you at your car. You’re parked at the campus, right?”
~*~
It was maybe the weirdest thing ever, saying good-bye to his parents while Lex waited and his parents knew what he was waiting for. More or less.
“Trent seems like such a nice guy, Clark,” his dad said in a low voice as they pounded each other on the back. “Good looking, too.”
“Daaaaa-ad!” Hopefully, Lex hadn’t heard that. Any of it.
“Okay, son,” Jonathan said, stepping back and looking wistful. “I’m just saying….”
Mom moved in for her hug. “I’m so happy for you, sweetie,” she said. “And bring Lex home next weekend. I’ll make rhubarb pie.”
~*~
“That was easy!” he marvelled as Lex drove to the penthouse.
“Yes,” Lex agreed, looking relieved. “Your mother is amazing.”
“Yeah, what were all those looks you two were passing back and forth?” Clark asked, remembering.
“I’ll tell you later,” Lex said. “But right now, let’s not talk about your mother.” He reached over and squeezed Clark’s thigh.
Clark took Lex’s hand and moved it higher up. “Drive faster,” he ordered, and Lex didn’t ever have to be told that twice.