Brothers and Heroes part 41
3/21/06 10:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
roxyOoo! The previous Parts are leaving Mikey's house, and...they're smiling. Look--Mikey's waving good-bye, he's smiling. No--no, he's yelling, something about his wallet....
“Hey, Clark, you up there?” Whit hooked a finger in the hem of his tee shirt and pulled nervously. “Is…can I come up?” He squinted up into the gloom and considered taking off—he wasn’t all that sure he wanted to have this conversation anymore. Before he could move, Clark was there; leaning over the loft rail and smiling one of those huge smiles that made Whit want to take Lana’s picture out of his wallet and stare at it, really hard.
“Sure, of course you can! Why not…” and little red spots bloomed on his cheeks. “Ah. Ha.”
Whit waited a second and when Clark still smiled, he took a deep breath and trotted up the steps.
Clark was walking across the floor when he came in. “I think Bruce has some chips or something up here, somewhere,” he said and rummaged through a basket next to the couch. “Ah-ha!” He crowed in triumph, “I knew he had something—he’s always got stuff up here…there’s some chips, Tootsie Rolls, Pop Rocks, NowandLaters…ew, apple it figures… you want one?” Clark grinned and tossed a little box of candy and a bag of chips to Whit. “So, what’s up?”
Whit coughed and Clark turned red but smiled on, resolutely crunching down chips, and Whit figured Clark was determined to ignore what he said. Whit shrugged. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay. After the movie and all.”
“I’m a big boy, Whit. It takes more than a killer fish to scare me. I made it home fine as you can see.”
Whit lay back against the sofa. Well, if that was how he wanted to play it, he guessed he was fine with that…Whit tossed the little bag of chips from hand to hand, and decided he’d head out. He didn’t feel like hanging out with Clark today. He wasn’t sure what he felt like.
Clark shifted, fidgeted on the other end of the sofa. “I—how’s Lana?” and he blushed again.
Fuck this. Whit thought. We can’t do this. “Clark. I’m sorry about the other night. Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about. I *touched* you. You looked right at me. Do you really want to pretend like it didn’t happen?”
Clark nodded solemnly, his eyes wide and scared and Whit had to fight to keep from reaching out and…kissing him, or maybe punching him. “Clark! We can’t do that. We’re best friends, we do everything together. We can’t just start lying to each other all of a sudden, can we?”
Clark pushed himself deeper into the corner of the sofa and leveled a look at Whit. “Why not? You’ve been lying to me, obviously, and it hasn’t hurt you. All that Lana talk…or…wait a minute—is this why you keep warning me off of Lex? Are you jealous?”
Whit froze, shocked, a little lick of anger burning in his chest. “Clark.”
Clark blushed and dropped his head. “Sorry.”
“Look, I’m not jealous, and I really did want you to be careful with Lex—at one point it did seem like he was no good for you. Now, things have changed, and Lex might be the best thing for you. Besides you’re older and he’s more in control of himself and …and…” Whit stopped. He felt nauseous, scared. What he wanted to tell Clark was the most important thing he’d ever told anyone—even if Clark already knew, guessing something, and knowing something as fact were worlds apart. He looked at his friend. “Look. There’s this…thing. I don’t know how to start. “ His voice broke and he cursed himself for being so weak. Clark immediately slid closer to him, his big warm hand swallowing up his knee. Whit shoved the thought away and went on. “Remember Greg?”
Clark gasped a little. “Yeah. I do.” Greg was someone they never talked about, any of them. He’d disappeared from the circle ages ago, and died not very long ago in mysterious circumstances—but not to them. They knew what had happened to Greg…they knew too well. He and Clark had been the last to see Greg, what he had become, a mutant, changed by the meteorites that were buried in Smallville’s soil.
“That thing that happened to him also happened to Lex, and who knows who else. Lex was just lucky he didn’t become some horrible creature too. Those meteorites changed people…” Whit stopped and breathed heavily for a moment, trying to regain some control. “Don’t Clark—it’s not your fault.”
Clark was holding his hand now, unconsciously squeezing it slightly. He nodded, but the look of guilt didn’t lessen. He was focused inward. Whit pulled at his hand, and Clark turned his eyes to him again.
“Anyway,” Whit continued, “you know someone else they changed.Me.”
“You really can see the future?”
Whit sighed and a tear rolled down his cheek. “Yeah. Not everything, not all the time. But I can. And I don’t know what will happen to me. Greg kept changing, didn’t he, until he was a….a thing.” He looked up at Clark and struggled to keep all the fear he felt every day from showing. “What if that happens to me Clark? What if I keep changing into something horrible, or if, if I go crazy, like Cassandra?”
Clark looked puzzled and then, “Oh, mythology—no, no Whit! Look at Lex—he’s fine. He’s not all bugged out---shit.” He grimaced and Whit did too. “Yeah, well…you know what I mean.” Clark stopped and looked away from him. “I thought you were going to tell me something else.” He looked back. “But I’m glad you told me. I knew all along. I just wondered when you’d admit it.”
Whit nodded. “I know, I just…I just didn’t know what would happen if I told you. I really don’t see myself—hardly ever. I knew at the lake we’d be friends for a long time—I knew you were different, but not more than that…I knew that I’d meet Lana, but nothing beyond that.” Whit stopped and swallowed hard. “And I didn’t know anything about…you know.”
Clark seemed to realize he was holding Whit’s hand and to Whit’s regret and relief dropped it. And then, Clark’s hand sneaked back over his knee, and Whit carefully made sure just his fingertips touched his. “I don’t see anything about this--” he began and Clark leaned over and kissed him.
Whit felt like fainting. The rush of sensation was so intense he gasped and his lips parted under Clark’s and Clark took that as permission to explore. He pressed Whit’s lips open with his own, and slid the tip of his tongue over his teeth, so that it rested under Whit’s lip and when he swept it slowly along the underside, Whit thought it was the most erotic thing he’d ever felt.
ohClarkohClarkohClar—“Uhn--”
Clark made a little growl of approval and moved in closer, his hands squeezing Whit’s ribs and he put his hands on Clark’s shoulders to steady himself.
Suddenly a brief sharp pain stabbed behind his eyes, and he yelped, heard Clark gasp. “Whit! I’m sorry!” and move back, but felt Clark’s mouth still on his, and heard him say “Lay back.” He heard Clark apologize and explain how he shouldn’t kiss him and how much he loved Lex--and at the same time Clark was fanning out his knees, and settling between them so that they were laying erection pressed against erection--and Clark was off the sofa, sitting in the loft window wringing his hands--and grinding him, slowly driving him out of his mind and it was all happening at the same time—“Help. Me. Clark.”
Clark turned towards Whit, embarrassment and arousal making him wish he were anywhere else at the moment, but when he caught Whit’s eyes, he was instantly afraid for him. Whit looked terrified.
“What’s wrong?” He dashed over to the sofa and grabbed Whit by the shoulders, and his eyes rolled back, his mouth dropped open and he shook all over.
“Whit—Whitney!”
He opened his eyes and stared at Clark. His eyes swept the room as if he had no idea where he was. He stammered before words finally came out. “I think…I think I got stuck somewhere for a moment. Somewhere in between.”
Clark gaped at him. “You what? Like… like Star Trek, when Kirk got stuck between dimensions and…”
Whit looked at him like he’d said something really stupid Clark quickly shut up.
Whit shifted and then grimaced and turned bright red. “Oh shit. I can’t believe--shit.”
“What? What’s wrong?” He followed Whit’s gaze, looked down and gosh, his jeans were wet…”Oh—oh!” He let Whit’s shoulders go abruptly and his head bounced off the barely padded arm of the sofa.
“Ow. Thanks, Clark. Please finish knocking me unconscious so I can forget this as quickly as possible.”
Clark felt terrible for Whitney, and a bit, just a tiny bit, proud of himself.
“Knock that look off your face, this—this doesn’t have anything to do with you,” he said and squirmed around Clark to get off the sofa “Not much,” he muttered.
“Oh,” Clark said and stared at his feet. He grinned anyway, and rocked to the side as Whit punched him. Clark looked up, grinning still and Whit tried to keep the annoyed look on his face. Clark nudged his foot with his own. “Much?”
Whit rolled his eyes. “Oh please,” he huffed. “Just give me your damn shirt.”
“Why?” Clark asked, already skimming off his shirt as he did, and handing it to Whit. Whit pulled his own tee shirt off and gave it to Clark.
“Because. Yours is longer.”
Clark blushed. “Oh. Right.”
They walked towards the stairs, and Clark asked if he’d mind if he walked home with him. Whit told him he didn’t.
“What do you think happened up there, Whit?”
He shook his head hard enough to make his hair fly. “All I know is that I don’t want something like that happening to me again. And something else, Clark. My instinct tells me not to continue where we left off, you know. It just…”
Clark nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, it’s the right thing. You and Lana are a good couple, and I have Lex, or I will some day and--I’m really sorry for, you know.”
Whit said, “Clark, just be patient,” and didn’t speak again.
Clark nodded and wondered how much longer he could be patient. He’d liked kissing Whit. He loved Lex like breathing but…he’d really liked kissing Whit.
******
Whit tossed and turned, twisting the sheet in his fingers, unable to sleep. Guilt kept him wide awake. Kept him pinned to his bed and staring up at nothing.
What he’d seen that afternoon in the barn, the two visions roaring in his head side by side like run-away trains, tortured him. They replayed over and over, dragging him back from sleep. He’d never had an experience like that before—never anything that you could call a ‘vision’. He’d had brief flashes, like catching a movie out of the corner of his eye--he’d had feelings, and combined with simple observation, it was easy to see the logical progression of things.
This had been different. Horribly different. He’d felt the kiss, and felt it go on to something more. They’d had sex, a relationship, lost friends and family, slowly gained them back, he’d joined the Marine Corp when Clark went off to college, wrote back and forth, been so in love…and he’d died. Somewhere in god-awful heat and sand and blood… in that life, he died. And at the same time, Clark pulled away, apologizing, backed away, and into a life of sorrow and pain and terrible change. Whit felt a crushing weight on his chest. He couldn’t see Lex in either of those worlds, but he caught an echo of himself, married, children, alive. And Clark was alone and dark and cold as ice.
Whit pushed his face into the cradle of his arms. He could have changed things but he didn’t, he chose the line that he didn’t see his death in, he chose himself over Clark. He drew in a shaking breath and let it out slowly. Clark was strong, he was tough, he’d survive whatever the future brought him. He was certain of it. He sobbed again, and wished he could sleep.
TBC!
“Hey, Clark, you up there?” Whit hooked a finger in the hem of his tee shirt and pulled nervously. “Is…can I come up?” He squinted up into the gloom and considered taking off—he wasn’t all that sure he wanted to have this conversation anymore. Before he could move, Clark was there; leaning over the loft rail and smiling one of those huge smiles that made Whit want to take Lana’s picture out of his wallet and stare at it, really hard.
“Sure, of course you can! Why not…” and little red spots bloomed on his cheeks. “Ah. Ha.”
Whit waited a second and when Clark still smiled, he took a deep breath and trotted up the steps.
Clark was walking across the floor when he came in. “I think Bruce has some chips or something up here, somewhere,” he said and rummaged through a basket next to the couch. “Ah-ha!” He crowed in triumph, “I knew he had something—he’s always got stuff up here…there’s some chips, Tootsie Rolls, Pop Rocks, NowandLaters…ew, apple it figures… you want one?” Clark grinned and tossed a little box of candy and a bag of chips to Whit. “So, what’s up?”
Whit coughed and Clark turned red but smiled on, resolutely crunching down chips, and Whit figured Clark was determined to ignore what he said. Whit shrugged. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay. After the movie and all.”
“I’m a big boy, Whit. It takes more than a killer fish to scare me. I made it home fine as you can see.”
Whit lay back against the sofa. Well, if that was how he wanted to play it, he guessed he was fine with that…Whit tossed the little bag of chips from hand to hand, and decided he’d head out. He didn’t feel like hanging out with Clark today. He wasn’t sure what he felt like.
Clark shifted, fidgeted on the other end of the sofa. “I—how’s Lana?” and he blushed again.
Fuck this. Whit thought. We can’t do this. “Clark. I’m sorry about the other night. Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about. I *touched* you. You looked right at me. Do you really want to pretend like it didn’t happen?”
Clark nodded solemnly, his eyes wide and scared and Whit had to fight to keep from reaching out and…kissing him, or maybe punching him. “Clark! We can’t do that. We’re best friends, we do everything together. We can’t just start lying to each other all of a sudden, can we?”
Clark pushed himself deeper into the corner of the sofa and leveled a look at Whit. “Why not? You’ve been lying to me, obviously, and it hasn’t hurt you. All that Lana talk…or…wait a minute—is this why you keep warning me off of Lex? Are you jealous?”
Whit froze, shocked, a little lick of anger burning in his chest. “Clark.”
Clark blushed and dropped his head. “Sorry.”
“Look, I’m not jealous, and I really did want you to be careful with Lex—at one point it did seem like he was no good for you. Now, things have changed, and Lex might be the best thing for you. Besides you’re older and he’s more in control of himself and …and…” Whit stopped. He felt nauseous, scared. What he wanted to tell Clark was the most important thing he’d ever told anyone—even if Clark already knew, guessing something, and knowing something as fact were worlds apart. He looked at his friend. “Look. There’s this…thing. I don’t know how to start. “ His voice broke and he cursed himself for being so weak. Clark immediately slid closer to him, his big warm hand swallowing up his knee. Whit shoved the thought away and went on. “Remember Greg?”
Clark gasped a little. “Yeah. I do.” Greg was someone they never talked about, any of them. He’d disappeared from the circle ages ago, and died not very long ago in mysterious circumstances—but not to them. They knew what had happened to Greg…they knew too well. He and Clark had been the last to see Greg, what he had become, a mutant, changed by the meteorites that were buried in Smallville’s soil.
“That thing that happened to him also happened to Lex, and who knows who else. Lex was just lucky he didn’t become some horrible creature too. Those meteorites changed people…” Whit stopped and breathed heavily for a moment, trying to regain some control. “Don’t Clark—it’s not your fault.”
Clark was holding his hand now, unconsciously squeezing it slightly. He nodded, but the look of guilt didn’t lessen. He was focused inward. Whit pulled at his hand, and Clark turned his eyes to him again.
“Anyway,” Whit continued, “you know someone else they changed.Me.”
“You really can see the future?”
Whit sighed and a tear rolled down his cheek. “Yeah. Not everything, not all the time. But I can. And I don’t know what will happen to me. Greg kept changing, didn’t he, until he was a….a thing.” He looked up at Clark and struggled to keep all the fear he felt every day from showing. “What if that happens to me Clark? What if I keep changing into something horrible, or if, if I go crazy, like Cassandra?”
Clark looked puzzled and then, “Oh, mythology—no, no Whit! Look at Lex—he’s fine. He’s not all bugged out---shit.” He grimaced and Whit did too. “Yeah, well…you know what I mean.” Clark stopped and looked away from him. “I thought you were going to tell me something else.” He looked back. “But I’m glad you told me. I knew all along. I just wondered when you’d admit it.”
Whit nodded. “I know, I just…I just didn’t know what would happen if I told you. I really don’t see myself—hardly ever. I knew at the lake we’d be friends for a long time—I knew you were different, but not more than that…I knew that I’d meet Lana, but nothing beyond that.” Whit stopped and swallowed hard. “And I didn’t know anything about…you know.”
Clark seemed to realize he was holding Whit’s hand and to Whit’s regret and relief dropped it. And then, Clark’s hand sneaked back over his knee, and Whit carefully made sure just his fingertips touched his. “I don’t see anything about this--” he began and Clark leaned over and kissed him.
Whit felt like fainting. The rush of sensation was so intense he gasped and his lips parted under Clark’s and Clark took that as permission to explore. He pressed Whit’s lips open with his own, and slid the tip of his tongue over his teeth, so that it rested under Whit’s lip and when he swept it slowly along the underside, Whit thought it was the most erotic thing he’d ever felt.
ohClarkohClarkohClar—“Uhn--”
Clark made a little growl of approval and moved in closer, his hands squeezing Whit’s ribs and he put his hands on Clark’s shoulders to steady himself.
Suddenly a brief sharp pain stabbed behind his eyes, and he yelped, heard Clark gasp. “Whit! I’m sorry!” and move back, but felt Clark’s mouth still on his, and heard him say “Lay back.” He heard Clark apologize and explain how he shouldn’t kiss him and how much he loved Lex--and at the same time Clark was fanning out his knees, and settling between them so that they were laying erection pressed against erection--and Clark was off the sofa, sitting in the loft window wringing his hands--and grinding him, slowly driving him out of his mind and it was all happening at the same time—“Help. Me. Clark.”
Clark turned towards Whit, embarrassment and arousal making him wish he were anywhere else at the moment, but when he caught Whit’s eyes, he was instantly afraid for him. Whit looked terrified.
“What’s wrong?” He dashed over to the sofa and grabbed Whit by the shoulders, and his eyes rolled back, his mouth dropped open and he shook all over.
“Whit—Whitney!”
He opened his eyes and stared at Clark. His eyes swept the room as if he had no idea where he was. He stammered before words finally came out. “I think…I think I got stuck somewhere for a moment. Somewhere in between.”
Clark gaped at him. “You what? Like… like Star Trek, when Kirk got stuck between dimensions and…”
Whit looked at him like he’d said something really stupid Clark quickly shut up.
Whit shifted and then grimaced and turned bright red. “Oh shit. I can’t believe--shit.”
“What? What’s wrong?” He followed Whit’s gaze, looked down and gosh, his jeans were wet…”Oh—oh!” He let Whit’s shoulders go abruptly and his head bounced off the barely padded arm of the sofa.
“Ow. Thanks, Clark. Please finish knocking me unconscious so I can forget this as quickly as possible.”
Clark felt terrible for Whitney, and a bit, just a tiny bit, proud of himself.
“Knock that look off your face, this—this doesn’t have anything to do with you,” he said and squirmed around Clark to get off the sofa “Not much,” he muttered.
“Oh,” Clark said and stared at his feet. He grinned anyway, and rocked to the side as Whit punched him. Clark looked up, grinning still and Whit tried to keep the annoyed look on his face. Clark nudged his foot with his own. “Much?”
Whit rolled his eyes. “Oh please,” he huffed. “Just give me your damn shirt.”
“Why?” Clark asked, already skimming off his shirt as he did, and handing it to Whit. Whit pulled his own tee shirt off and gave it to Clark.
“Because. Yours is longer.”
Clark blushed. “Oh. Right.”
They walked towards the stairs, and Clark asked if he’d mind if he walked home with him. Whit told him he didn’t.
“What do you think happened up there, Whit?”
He shook his head hard enough to make his hair fly. “All I know is that I don’t want something like that happening to me again. And something else, Clark. My instinct tells me not to continue where we left off, you know. It just…”
Clark nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, it’s the right thing. You and Lana are a good couple, and I have Lex, or I will some day and--I’m really sorry for, you know.”
Whit said, “Clark, just be patient,” and didn’t speak again.
Clark nodded and wondered how much longer he could be patient. He’d liked kissing Whit. He loved Lex like breathing but…he’d really liked kissing Whit.
******
Whit tossed and turned, twisting the sheet in his fingers, unable to sleep. Guilt kept him wide awake. Kept him pinned to his bed and staring up at nothing.
What he’d seen that afternoon in the barn, the two visions roaring in his head side by side like run-away trains, tortured him. They replayed over and over, dragging him back from sleep. He’d never had an experience like that before—never anything that you could call a ‘vision’. He’d had brief flashes, like catching a movie out of the corner of his eye--he’d had feelings, and combined with simple observation, it was easy to see the logical progression of things.
This had been different. Horribly different. He’d felt the kiss, and felt it go on to something more. They’d had sex, a relationship, lost friends and family, slowly gained them back, he’d joined the Marine Corp when Clark went off to college, wrote back and forth, been so in love…and he’d died. Somewhere in god-awful heat and sand and blood… in that life, he died. And at the same time, Clark pulled away, apologizing, backed away, and into a life of sorrow and pain and terrible change. Whit felt a crushing weight on his chest. He couldn’t see Lex in either of those worlds, but he caught an echo of himself, married, children, alive. And Clark was alone and dark and cold as ice.
Whit pushed his face into the cradle of his arms. He could have changed things but he didn’t, he chose the line that he didn’t see his death in, he chose himself over Clark. He drew in a shaking breath and let it out slowly. Clark was strong, he was tough, he’d survive whatever the future brought him. He was certain of it. He sobbed again, and wished he could sleep.
TBC!
Tags:
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
3/22/06 04:31 am (UTC)Ms. Roxy- the angst, oh the angst, how I love it so!!!
(no subject)
3/22/06 04:32 pm (UTC)Thank goodness for me that you do!
(no subject)
3/22/06 06:00 am (UTC)(no subject)
3/22/06 04:33 pm (UTC)*hugs*
Brava!
3/22/06 07:48 am (UTC)// He heard Clark apologize and explain how he shouldn’t kiss him and how much he loved Lex--and at the same time Clark was fanning out his knees//
Clark is so easy. I like that in a man.
// he’d joined the Marine Corp when Clark went off to college, wrote back and forth, been so in love…and he’d died. //
Noooooo. No, not again. We can't lose Whit.
Re: Brava!
3/22/06 04:34 pm (UTC)Ach! Say good-bye to Whit, poor thing.
(no subject)
3/22/06 07:49 am (UTC)You are sooooooooo evol and mean and...and...OH!
He couldn’t see Lex in either of those worlds, but he caught an echo of himself, married, children, alive. And Clark was alone and dark and cold as ice.
*shudder*
Oh, Ms. Thang.
(no subject)
3/22/06 04:36 pm (UTC)But Bruce will be happ--
Lex will be happ--
Say, how about that? it's spring all ready!*whistles*
(no subject)
3/22/06 08:01 am (UTC)*hugs you and the guys*
(no subject)
3/22/06 04:37 pm (UTC)(no subject)
3/22/06 01:44 pm (UTC)No... I want Whit to be happy!
(no subject)
3/22/06 04:37 pm (UTC)With the other guy, Sam. *G*
(no subject)
3/22/06 02:02 pm (UTC)(no subject)
3/22/06 04:40 pm (UTC)The one where Clark gets up and moves away from him is the path they're on now. By not doing anything he chose that one, the one where no one dies.
(no subject)
3/22/06 04:43 pm (UTC)I donno, I'm thinking that with the butterfly effect/ chaos what it is, that it's not quite as cut and dried as that, more like the branching of a tree, rather than path A or B.
(no subject)
3/22/06 05:00 pm (UTC)But yes, tree-like. definitely.
(no subject)
3/22/06 05:07 pm (UTC)(no subject)
3/22/06 05:50 pm (UTC)I'm thinking his flashes of the future were more super hunches, rather than full on Madame Cleo type visions. Also, his ability to see his own self was very limited, less even than what he saw for others, and I'm thinking it was a way of protecting his brains.
How did it seem to you that he chose a third possibility? I' m still curious about that, *G*
(no subject)
3/22/06 05:55 pm (UTC)a) clark and whitney couple
b) whitney violently rejects clark, clark ends up all alone and sad
and not seen
c) whitney lets him off easily, clark and lex end up together and have lots of nummy sex
(no subject)
3/22/06 06:20 pm (UTC)Oh, yeah, and then the happy ending! *G*
(no subject)
3/30/06 04:28 am (UTC)There WILL be a happy ending though, right?
RIGHT???
*cough*atleastforLex*cough*
(no subject)
3/30/06 01:44 pm (UTC)(no subject)
3/23/06 02:04 am (UTC)(no subject)
3/24/06 02:48 pm (UTC)(no subject)
3/30/06 04:29 am (UTC)Now, let's talk about this "no Lex" deal...*taps foot*
(no subject)
8/29/06 03:22 am (UTC)First off, YAY for mutants!
I really liked the two of them talking and nearly making out. Oh. boy. Whit, you're not supposed to stop like that, *sigh* (They really don't listen, do they?) And they vow to just be friends. Awww...
Oh, the flash to Whit dying, I cried. Darnit, I am doing it again. Too sad. He's such a noble figure.
And I see there's a finite bunch of these. Oh man. I don't want it to end.
(no subject)
1/17/07 05:00 pm (UTC)(no subject)
1/17/07 11:39 pm (UTC)