Well. That was certainly... Clark sat back, stunned, and drank some coffee. Sometimes when people surprised you, it wasn't all bad. He wasn't sure he was ready to forgive Chloe just yet, especially since she'd been avoiding him yesterday with everyone else, but it was definitely food for thought.

In fact, he was still lost in contemplation when a shadow fell over the note as Chad sat down across from him, elbows on the table, and said, "So?"

Clark looked up, startled, into a pale face with soft hazel eyes lined in black. Chad's dyed-black hair had strawberry blond roots, and the smattering of freckles across his nose made Clark blush, thinking of Lex's freckles in much less public places. Realizing he was staring he said, "Uh, yeah. I guess... I mean, I can use all the friends I can get right now."

Chad smiled, the light in his eyes completely destroying the carefully morbid look of his clothing. Clark tentatively smiled back, and took the proffered hand as Chad said, "Chad Wood, at your service."

Clark's smile widened when Chad added a little flourish and bow once they'd shaken, and said, "Thanks. You can tell Chloe that I'm not really ready to forgive and forget, but I appreciate the note."

Chad's smile got a wry little twist as he said, "Yeah, she thought you'd say something like that. Look, I know things have been kinda rocky between you two lately, but cut her some slack, OK?"

Clark dropped his eyes, remembering the eager way she'd dived at the chance to use his private life for a story, and then thinking back to all the times she'd defended him to other people or helped him out, no questions asked. "I... Things are hard right now, and I meant it when I said I could use all the friends I can get, but I think she and I could both use a time out, y'know?"

Chad nodded. "All right, I can accept that," he said, moving to stand. "Look, call me if you need anything, OK?"

Clark glanced at the clock and said, "I could use some company, um, if you're not..." he trailed off, realizing that Chad probably had a life, and plans. He was already graduated and undoubtedly had other friends, or work to do at the morgue. Clark felt a brief stab of guilt as he suddenly wondered how his father was managing at the farm without his help.

He was so lost in thought he almost missed it when Chad said, "I'd love to, just let me grab another cup of life."

Clark had no idea how such a cheerful, friendly person had become a Goth. Taking another sip of his own coffee, Clark made an effort to pull himself together and stop brooding; even he was getting tired of hearing himself sigh dramatically. He closed up his books and put everything away, realizing it was futile to try and get any more work done, and not wanting to be rude.

When he looked up, Chad was walking back with two more cups of coffee. He was wearing incredibly tight black jeans festooned with safety pins, and knee-high black boots with about a thousand buckles on them. A tattered fishnet something disappeared into his sleeves and seemed like a shirt with fingerless gloves or maybe just really long gloves. The spiked dog collar and matching bracelet set off a quiet bell in Clark's mind, but he resolutely passed over them to try and decipher the t-shirt.

To distract himself from an uncomfortable and unexpected feeling of attraction, Clark asked, "What in the world is Ein... Eeinstoo.. that thing on your shirt?" as Chad sat down.

Chad laughed and said, "Einstuerzende Neubauten. German Industrial band. Appropriately obscure and angry, if not particularly Gothic." He set one cup down in front of Clark and took a sip from the other, an expression of bliss crossing his features that threatened to send more of Clark's blood south. If he hadn't been sure about the gay before, he certainly was by now.

Clark reached for his wallet, but Chad waved him to be still, saying, "I'm employed and you're... um... anyway, just let me get it."

"Uh, OK," he replied, resisting the urge to argue. "Er, what's Industrial?" he asked instead, confused.

Chad rolled his eyes, still grinning, and said, "Didn't Chloe teach you anything? Sheesh. Industrial is a subgenre of underground music, sort of like Punk but a lot more electronic and intellectual. Despite the cultural wasteland that is Smallville, it's still possible to find a lot of good music if you know where to look. She and I met at a concert, didn't she tell you?"

Clark perked up. He'd asked her to tell him the story before, but something always seemed to conveniently interrupt them. "No, she never mentioned it, but I'd love to hear the story," he said, trying not to seem too eager.

Chad tossed his hair back and laughed, saying, "I'll just bet she didn't. Well, last year when our darling girl was a wee Freshman, before I'd graduated to glorious adulthood myself, I ran into her at a very sleazy club in Metropolis, where she'd evidently snuck in on a really bad fake ID and found herself a bit over her head. I rescued her from some very unwanted advances by asking to borrow her eyeliner."

Clark laughed. He could just see Chloe having the balls to go to a club by herself, and then ending up in over her head amongst angry young adults. "That sounds just like her," he said a little wistfully.

"Well, yes. She was very grateful for the rescue, especially since she recognized me from school. I have to say, it about broke my heart to have to tell her I was gay," he said, mouth quirked up in an ironic half-smile that reminded Clark painfully of both Chloe and Lex.

"Yeah, that's a hard sell when you know she's got her eye on you," said Clark, trying to be flippant but unable to keep the pain out of his voice.

Chad's eyes went softly concerned and he said, "I'm sorry you two are on the outs, Clark, but I'm glad you and I got to meet." He laid a hand on Clark's arm, obviously meant to be comforting, but mostly just confusingly arousing.

Clark shifted his hips and took a sip of coffee, trying to gather his scattered composure. He was never quite sure what was the infamous and oft-blamed teenage hormonal turmoil and what was genuine emotion, but he was pretty sure that getting hard because a cute guy touched your arm was the former. He cleared his throat and tried for a genuine smile. "Yeah, me too," he said just as his cell phone began to ring.

"Uh, sorry, hold on," said Clark, fishing around in his backpack. Lex had it set to some annoying midi version of a classical song, and he was relieved to end the torment when he finally found it and pressed the button. "H-hello?"

"Clark, it's Lex," came the voice over the line.

Clark grinned and said, "Duh, who else has this number?"

Lex laughed, and even over the tinny connection his voice dripped through Clark's lust-addled brain like melted chocolate. "True, true. But you know you can give it out, to your mother at the very least."

"Yeah, good idea. Um, if I knew it."

Lex laughed again, and gave him the number. Clark scribbled it down on back of the note and asked, "You done?" shifting again to try and get his erection to subside. If he was going to be leaving soon, he didn't really want Chad to see anything that might give him the wrong idea -- or really any ideas at all. Cute or not, Clark wasn't ready to think about anyone but Lex in more-than-friendly terms.

"Almost. I've got about another half an hour's worth of stuff, but I wanted to give you a chance to finish up and come back whenever."

Clark glanced up at Chad, who was politely pretending not to listen, and said, "Thanks, Lex. I'm hanging out with a friend, but I'll be there by the time you're ready for me."

"Oh, Clark, I'm *always* ready for you," Lex purred, in a voice that was a lot like liquid sex. "See you soon!" he added, and the line clicked off on the echo of an evil chuckle.

Clark blushed and put the phone on the table. "Um, I've got about half an hour before I should go." He picked up his mostly-empty cup and drained it, adding, "How about one last round, on me?"

Chad grinned and shook his empty cup, saying, "Sure. Make mine a depth charge."

"Depth charge?" Clark asked, standing and pulling out his wallet. Lex was obviously conspiring to fill it while he was asleep, because it always seemed to have at least $100 in it since he'd moved into the castle, but he didn't have the energy to argue about something as trivial as pocket money.

"Coffee with a shot of espresso. The waitress knows," said Chad, nodding towards the counter.

"Um, OK. Be right back." Clark tried to pretend that Chad wouldn't check him out as he walked away, but having done the same to Chad just a few minutes ago, he was pretty sure he was just fooling himself. The waitress did, indeed, know what a depth charge was, and had even winked at him and only charged him for a normal coffee. Clark put the difference in her tip jar, thankful that someone at least didn't seem to think he was a pariah beneath their notice.

"Here you go, one seriously caffeinated beverage," said Clark, setting the cups down carefully before plopping gracelessly in his chair. The tense night was getting to him, and despite the constant caffeine intake, he couldn't wait to get home and relax with Lex.

"So, Clark, how'd you meet your illustrious boyfriend, anyway?" asked Chad.

Clark blushed, and said, "He almost hit me with his car."

"No way!" said Chad, leaning back. "That was you? I remember that in the papers, and wondering how close I'd come to seeing him on the slab at work."

Clark shuddered. "Well, thank god, he just missed me, so I dove in after him and gave him CPR. He really did almost die."

"How'd it happen, anyway? I mean, people don't normally drive cars off bridges, even in Metropolis," said Chad, adding, "The article didn't say."

"A truck lost a roll of baling wire, and Lex couldn't swerve in time to avoid it," said Clark, eager to polish a little of his boyfriend's tarnished reputation.

"So, bad fucking luck, then. Lame." Chad took a long drink of his coffee and said, "Aaah, now *that's* a drink."

Clark looked down and then asked, "Can I try?"

"Sure," said Chad, pushing the drink over to him. "What did you get, another latte?"

Clark took a sip of the bitter drink, surprised that he could still feel the slight kick. "Damn, that *is* quite a drink. Um, no, I got a double mocha with extra chocolate."

"Ooh, share!" said Chad, grabbing Clark's cup before he could answer and taking a sip. "Mmmm, chocolate. Almost as good as a blowjob."

Clark's face went bright red, and he willed his remaining blood out of his pants, with only moderate success. Visions of blowjobs dancing in his head, he said, "Um, yeah?"

Chad laughed and leaned in close, running a finger over the back of Clark's hand. Clark lost the fight and went full-mast at the touch, his pulse loud in his ears. "Don't worry, hun, I'm sure you'll find out very, very soon," he said, voice low and silky. "I'll help if Luthor won't."

Clark thought about ice. He thought about snow. He wondered just how kinky he really was and thought about being kissed by a wet, flower-infected Lana and managed to recover enough composure to reply, "T-tease!"

Chad laughed and said, "You know it!" He gave Clark's hand another feather-light caress before sitting back in his chair, looking smug.

One of the waitresses came by right at that moment to clear their empty cups and ask if they wanted a refill. Chad declined while Clark tried to keep from blushing any redder, wondering if she'd overheard.

"Cruel, Chad, really cruel," said Clark, unable to hide his grin. He glanced around the room to see if anyone noticed and spotted the clock -- 3:25, only about ten minutes before the first high schoolers would trickle in for their post-class caffeine fix. "Oh, man, it's late... Look, I don't want to be here when the rest of Smallville High shows up, so I'll give you a call later, OK?"

Chad stood up with Clark, grabbing his remaining drink and said, "I'll walk you out. I've gotta get to work pretty soon anyway."

Clark clapped him on the shoulder, saying, "Sure."

Chad laughed and let a hand slide down to rest on the small of Clark's back as they walked out, whispering, "Give 'em something to wonder about besides you and Lex." He hooked a finger through Clark's belt loop and dragging him over to a beat-up old Firebird. "Want a ride? I know it's no Ferrari, but she's a good car."

"Sure," said Clark, getting in and buckling the lap belt. The car was old enough not to even have a shoulder restraint, and when it started up it was so loud between the engine and the stereo it drowned out all attempts at conversation.

Instead, they drove with the windows down, Chad nodding his head to the rather strange and frenetic beat of what Clark could only assume was supposed to be music. He wasn't quite sure he liked it, but he could understand the kind of frustration that drove it, so he tried to just relax and enjoy the ride. When they pulled up to the castle, Chad gave him a peck on the cheek and shouted, "Call me!" into his ear.

"Sure!" Clark yelled as he got out, waving as Chad backed off in a cloud of dust.

He walked into the castle with a much lighter heart than he'd left it with, his math homework at least done and a new friend made. Even if he was confusingly appealing and incomprehensibly flirty. The afternoon certainly hadn't gone as expected, but Clark was sure of one thing -- it was light years better than school.

continued in Out, Chapter 14: Daddy's Home