"So, this is where you shop?" Clark said, looking up at a large yet tasteful sign that said "Slodwick's Menswear."

"There's no place better in Metropolis." Lex urged him through the door.

Clark was obviously not enthused about this. He hung back. "This isn't really my kind of place."

"Clark, you want to impress Mr. White, don't you?"

"Of course."

"You've talked about nothing but this internship for the last three months. And nothing but this interview for a week."

"I wouldn't say 'nothing'."

"I would."

"Lex..."

Lex gave up on the urging and switched to pushing.

"Seriously, if I go in there with a suit that costs more than Mr. White's annual salary, he's not going to be impressed, he's going to be pissed."

"Trust me. It'll be tastefully understated."

"Do you own anything tastefully understated?"

Lex thought about it. "The Benz?"

Clark groaned.

Lex shoved.

"And why is it called 'Slodwick's' anyway? That sounds vaguely...obscene."

A woman approached. She was older but gorgeous, wearing an expensive suit and chic glasses. She gave Lex a beautiful smile.

"Mr. Luthor. How lovely to see you again." She switched her gaze to Clark. "I'm Annabel Slodwick, the owner of this establishment." Her look switched from *favorite customer ever* to *yes, indeed, I heard what you called my store, and how do you feel about orange?*

Clark swallowed.

"And then the suspenders attach like this--"

"Lex. First of all, I am not wearing suspenders. They make me look like a dork. Secondly--"

"They do not make you look like a--"

"Why are your hands on my ass?"

"They are not on your ass. Precisely." Lex finished adjusting the back of the suspenders and moved to the front.

"Oh, that's an improvement."

"I suppose that depends on your point of view." Lex looked up from his kneeling position and winked.

Just another step in an old dance, Lex thought as Clark grinned back at him. Ever since Clark had come to Metropolis for college, there had been fewer shy looks and more bold glances, fewer awkward questions and more sly comments. But Lex was determined that he wouldn't make the first move. Even if he occasionally wanted to grab Clark by the--suspenders--and explain a few facts of life to him.

He opened his mouth for a smartass comment about the fit of Clark's new dress pants, but stopped when he heard voices.

"--Luthor, really."

"What--" Clark started. Lex reached up and covered his mouth.

"Seriously? Don't mess with me, Em."

"I am not messing with you. He was picking out sport coats not five minutes ago."

Clark's eyebrows were working overtime. Lex put his mouth right next to his friend's ear. "I want to hear what they have to say about me."

Clark tapped the hand on his mouth until it moved. "Maybe they'll talk about me too," he whispered back.

Lex just grinned.

"Oh, God. Do you think Slodwick will let me wait on him? I just want to meet him."

Em, whoever she was, just laughed. "Right. Meet him."

"Okay. Maybe not just meet him. Is he as sexy in person?"

"Sexier. In pictures, he's just bald, but in reality..." Em sighed.

"I want to lick him," the other clerk said.

"What?"

Clark and Lex were both shaking with laughter. Lex mumbled "Shh," into Clark's ear.

"You shh," Clark shot back. "They don't want to lick me."

"I don't think that's polite," Em was saying. "I'd have to check with Miss Manners..."

"Well, I'd introduce myself first. 'Hi, I'm Caro. Slurp.'"

Fortunately, both Em and Caro were laughing, because it covered Clark's muffled laughter and Lex's choking.

"You're evil," Em said.

"Oh, come on. Tell me you don't want just one lick."

"Hey, I'm happily married."

There was a pregnant pause, while both Clark and Lex grinned at each other.

"...well, maybe just the one lick."

They both burst out laughing the moment they heard the two women's footsteps fade away, Lex collapsing against Clark, Clark collapsing against the dressing room wall. It was a while before either could catch their breath.

Lex raised his head, intending to say something silly about being a person, not a book of stamps, but the look on Clark's face froze his breath in his throat. The considering look.

Clark reached out a hand and trailed it slowly from the top of Lex's nose and over his browbone. Lex closed his eyes when Clark's fingers dipped carefully next to his eye. They followed the line of his skull, just brushing his ear- -Lex shivered--and came to rest at the base of his neck. Lex was leaning forward before he could stop himself. *Let him make the first move,* he reminded himself. Jesus, this had better be a move or Lex would have to kill him.

A hot breath over his face, and Clark's lips brushing against his forehead. There was only the slightest pressure as Clark's mouth followed the path his hand had taken. He hesitated in the spot next to Lex's eyes. When his tongue darted out to taste skin, Lex felt it all the way to his heels. He splayed his hands against the wall behind Clark and tried desperately not to move.

Clark's other hand slid up Lex's back, smoothing silk against skin. Lex moaned. He caught his breath again when Clark pulled back. He opened his eyes. "Clark?"

"I--um--" Clark's hand flexed on his back. "Lex, I--"

Their eyes met briefly, nerves and heat for both men. Something in Lex's expression made Clark smile. He lowered his head.

It was almost a chaste kiss, lips slightly off center, noses almost bumping. But Lex's pulse pounded at the contact. He brought his hands up and buried them in Clark's hair, bracing him and changing the angle just enough. He felt Clark's lips curve against his before their mouths opened to each other.

*Okay, he made the first move,* a small voice said as Clark ran his tongue behind Lex's lower lip. *But you're in public, remember? No matter how well he kisses, what are you going to do in a dressing room at Slodwick's?*

"Plenty," he mumbled.

Clark pulled back a little. "What?" Lex followed his mouth. He copied the tongue-behind-lip move, and when Clark rocked against him decided to add that to his permanent repertoire.

"What are you doing?" Clark asked as Lex reached behind him.

"You don't like the suspenders." Lex unhooked them, although admittedly his hands roamed a bit along the way. He skimmed them under the waistline of Clark's pants, unhooking the front fastenings too.

"Well, yes, but--" Lex's hand slipped lower--"Lex--"

"Shh." Lex spared one hand to cover Clark's mouth again. The other went to work at the button and zipper.

Clark's eyes were wide, but he didn't push either hand away. When Lex pushed the pants down just far enough and reached into his boxers, he sagged back against the wall. He mumbled something that sounded very much like "God, Lex."

Clark braced himself as Lex knelt on the (thankfully carpeted) floor. He amused himself by pressing his mouth just above the spot where his hand was wrapped around Clark's cock. The way Clark's entire body jerked was satisfying, but the way he surged forward when Lex replaced his hand with his mouth was even better.

Lex could feel Clark's open mouth against his hand. He timed the strokes of his tongue to the panting breaths. It was gratifying, really, how quickly it happened; Lex tightened his fingers on Clark's mouth to muffle the guttural noises Clark made as he came.

It was an effort to stand. Lex fastened Clark back into the pants, suspenders and all, before he dared to look him in the eye. "So..."

"So," Clark said. He was still flushed, but the look on his face was...sated. Satisfied. Happy. "I think I could be convinced to like suspenders."

"Really?"

"Oh, really. You're a very convincing guy, Mr. Luthor."

Lex grinned. "I'm lickable too."

The breath was whooshed out of his lungs as Clark grabbed him and kissed him. Then he pulled back and reached for the suit jacket. "I could be convinced to like that, too," he said. "So, what do you think?"

"About the suit? Nice." Lex picked up his own coat, held it discreetly in front of him, then hooked a hand in Clark's suspenders and dragged him to the door. "About the licking? I think I'd be much more convincing at home."

"What about your car?" Clark said as he followed him out. "You could be convincing in the car. It has tinted windows. Or how about the elevator...?"

"Hello again, Mr. Luthor," Ms. Slodwick said a few days later.

"Annabel." Lex smiled at her. "Thanks for calling."

"Anything for my favorite customer." She handed over a Slodwick's bag. "I hope your friend isn't in the habit of leaving his clothing behind."

Lex checked the bag automatically. "Not that I know of, but I'll talk to him--Annabel?" There was an unlabeled videotape between Clark's jeans and T-shirt.

"Because other stores don't have our state-of-the-art security system and might not be able to tell who these items belonged to...and who to deliver them to."

There were some interesting rustling noises behind him. Lex turned to see two women staring openly at him. He lifted a brow; the shorter one gave him a guilty look before disappearing into a room marked "Staff," but her friend just grinned at him.

"I knew there was a reason Slodwick's was my favorite store," he said, repressing the smirk as he turned back. "I'll see you soon, Annabel. Oh--tell Caro and Em I said hello."

He had his cell phone out before he cleared the doors. "Clark? Hey, you still coming over tonight? Good. I want to hear all about the interview. Plus, I just got a great video I think you'll want to watch..."