Project Runway

By Mindige0

"Can you believe it?"

"Lex Luthor here!"

"A fashion show here in Metropolis!"  Clark snorted at the comments that were made as he made his way to his Modern Japanese Samurai Anime class, that he was about to be late to because his roommate couldn't find it in their heart to wake him up.  Clark sped into the classroom to see that the professor had not arrived yet, for which Clark was very glad.  He absolutely loved this class, unlike his Newspaper Journalism class that Chloe had somehow managed to get him into even though he wasn't a Journalism major, at least not after taking two classes and realizing that Journalism was Chloe's dream not his.

"Quiet down, quiet down" the professor said making most in the classroom shut their mouths and take out notebooks for notes.  Clark looked around the room and could only laugh to himself; the class was made up of only two, well maybe three types of people.  There were the history nerds, which he was one of, then there were the Anime freaks, which were easy enough to point out with their hair done in the styles of their favorite anime characters and wearing clothing that shouldn't be seen outside of Halloween and then there where the computer science gamers, which were dressed in all black and looked like they hadn't seen the sun in years or if ever.

"Today we will be talking about manga and how it relates to Anime" the professor started out and for the next hour and a half; Clark hung onto every word the professor was saying.  History truly was fascinating to him, even if Chloe said it was boring and nerd like.

"Next class I want you to find a manga that has been turned into an anime" the professor said before packing up his things and watching as everyone left class talking about the class and the discussion that had taken place.  Clark then made his way towards his next class where Chloe Sullivan, his best female friend would be sitting ready to give him the latest gossip.

"There you are, did you hear?"  Chloe said talking a mile a minute as was her way.

"That Lex Luthor is having a fashion show in Met?"  Clark threw back, he knew Chloe was talking about this, the whole freaking campus was.

"How did you know?"

"I'm not that dense, the whole campus is talking about it" Clark said before sinking into his seat just a bit more when a guy with brown hair seemed to be looking around the room for someone.

"Josh is here" Clark said sinking even lower in his seat.  Chloe's face lit up at the thought of Josh, 'the hawtest guy, like ever' her words not his.  Chloe waved a hand once she had spotted Josh at the doorway of the room.  A slow smile spread across his face as he strolled over to where Chloe and Clark sat, saying hello to people who spoke to him.

"So hot" Chloe mumbled under her breath before smiling once he got into view of the pair of them.

"Chloe...Clark" Josh said looking Clark up and down, Chloe of course didn't notice or she chose not to notice, which Clark wasn't sure but he always hated when Josh sat next to them.

"How are you?"  Chloe asked all bubbly and giggly like a girl in high school.

"Good, heard about the Luthor Fashion Show?"

"Yeah, how could you not" Chloe said before taking out her notebook and pen since it seemed that the professor had arrived and looked to be starting class soon.

"More later" Chloe mouthed to Josh, with him nodding in response.

"How are you doing Clark?"  Josh whispered to Clark once he was certain that Chloe's full attention was on the professor.

"Fine" Clark said before he continued doodling on his empty page of paper.  He so didn't understand how Chloe talked the professor into letting him in this class since it was a sophomore class for Journalism.  Clark was pretty sure that she had brown-nosed her way into him being in this class but he wasn't going ask because he knew she would go off on him.

"Doing anything later?"  Josh asked a leer on his face, he asked this question to Clark every class time and every time would give the same answer.

"Studying at the library"

"Hmmm" Josh said before writing something down that the professor had written on the board.  An hour and a half later had the three of them getting ready to go.

"Coming?"  Chloe said bouncing about getting a scoop on the Lex Luthor Fashion Show.

"Gotta go to the library" Clark lied he was *not* going to go to the newsroom with Chloe and Josh, he would much rather swallow nails than do so.

"Are you sure?"  Josh asked, looking to Chloe to see if maybe should would be able to talk Clark into coming.

"Yeah, gotta a project" Clark said knowing that would stop her in her tracks.

"Go, go" Chloe said shooing Clark away and then dragging Josh towards where the Metropolis University's Newspaper was located.

"Later" Clark said with a wave before making his way to the library, just in case Josh got any ideas of them coming and just happen to run into him.

 "I can't believe it" Chloe said plopping down in a chair in the library a couple of hours later.

"What?" Clark said looking up from his book and noticing that Chloe was Josh free.

"Lex Luthor's Fashion Show, I've got details" Chloe said leaning in and whispering into Clark's ear.

'As if I care' Clark thought, but kept him mouth shut, Chloe was all a buzz and he knew better than to say something she wouldn't like.

"Well it's for his new line, called oddly enough Julian Veritas" Chloe said trying to remember why the name Julian sounded so familiar when associated with the Luthor heir and last name.  Clark made a noise that Chloe took as him being interested so she continued on.

"It's for the common folk" Chloe said laughing a bit at what she had said, that wasn't exactly what Lex Luthor had called the line but she could read between the lines just like any other reporter could.  Lex Luthor was ready for a change and decided to try his hand at semi-massed produced clothing and this was his first dip into the pool.  The line had been hush, hush until Lex had arrived to Metropolis on his famous purple bellied private jet.

"And the best part about it is they are looking for 'Julian Veritas' here in Met" Chloe said watching Clark for any sort of reaction.

"That should prove interesting" Clark said before Chloe started in on the search that would occur for the model to be 'Julian Veritas'.  Clark was in no way interested but it was always good to be up on the gossip should Chloe quiz him later about it.

      A couple of weeks later had Clark walking down the shopping district of Metropolis with Chloe bouncing next to him.  Chloe had somehow talked him into going shopping with her for her father's birthday present.  He was really starting to regret offering to help, for they had been in the shopping district area for over three hours and Chloe was just getting started by the glint in her eyes.

"How about here?" Chloe said pulling to a stop in front of a shop that looked to hold odd collector items.

"Why not" Clark said before opening the door to the shop and then following Chloe, it was a quick hour in the store that Chloe managed to find her father something for a birthday gift.

"Now for the real shopping" Chloe said swinging the bag with her father's gift front and back an evil grin on her face.

"Oh no" Clark said putting his hands up and backing away from the blonde.  She had been on Clark since they started at Met U, a year ago to get a makeover or at the least some new clothes.  So far he had put her off but it seemed that his luck had ran out, he was in the shopping district with Chloe and she knew that he wouldn't put up much of a fight; hence why he always stayed away from shopping and Chloe in the same sentence.

"Oh yes, a haircut and some new threads" Chloe said looking down the street full of shops for her choosing.

"My hair's fine and I like my clothes" Clark protested, he knew his words were falling on deaf ears but it didn't hurt to say it even if it was for his benefit.

"Whatever" Chloe said before pulling Clark into the first shop she thought would carry something more to the tastes of the Met U population and not the po-duck farm community population.  The twinkling of the bells when the door open made Clark want to groan, he knew that as soon as the door made noise that there would be a worker right there to greet them.  He was right for as soon as they entered an older woman walked over and asked if they needed any assistance.  Chloe being from the city pressed the woman off and began to look around the store.

"Nothing" Chloe said holding up a shirt to see if it would work with Clark's body.

"Good, let's go" Clark said thinking that he might be able to talk Chloe out of this shopping trip if he could get her out of the store.

"Onward" Chloe said before marching out of the store with Clark following behind her, once they hit the outdoors Clark began to tell Chloe that new clothing were not needed and could not be afforded.

"Think of this as a birthday, Christmas and any other holidays bundled up in one big gift" Chloe said before pulling Clark to another store, and another.  Ten stores later had Chloe and Clark walking into the middle of a group of people that seemed at a loss about something.

"You" a woman said pointing a painted red nail at Clark and then crooking her finger towards her.

"Me" Clark said pointing to himself and then looking around just to make sure that the woman was speaking to him.

"No I'm talking to the blonde next to you, of course you does it look like the girl can wear these?" the woman said pointing to a manikin that had clothing on it that were decidedly of the male persuasion.

"Go on" Chloe said pushing Clark towards the woman.

"Change" the woman said pushing Clark towards a red velvet curtain with an outfit that seemed to have come out of nowhere, Chloe cackled madly while watching Clark makes his way to the changing area.  Clark stood behind the curtain with the clothes in his hands wondering what to do.

"Well don't dawdle" the woman said shaking the curtain making Clark jump.

"Dawdle" Clark said as he took off his jeans and flannel shirt and then putting on the dark blue jeans and a military green woven button up shirt.  Clark sort of pulled at the shirt thinking that the shirt was a little too small at least to him.

"Out, out" the woman said before sliding the curtain open and taking a look at Clark in the clothing that he had been given.

"Turn" the woman said moving a finger in a circular motion.  Clark did as he was told while trying to catch Chloe's eye, he didn't get a chance to get Chloe's eye until he was finished making his circle.  The look in Chloe's eyes had him turning red; it was the same look that she gave Josh whenever he walked into the room.

"Amazing" the woman commented before going over to where a group was standing all with their mouths hanging open and speaking in a language that Clark didn't understand.

"Chloe" Clark said in a groan, he so wanted to be back behind the curtain changing back into his clothes but he knew that wasn't going to happen, just by the looks the women were giving him in the store.

"Dude!"  Chloe said coming over and looking over the outfit, once she got to the arm of the shirt she noticed the symbol that had been branded for the 'Julian Veritas' clothing line.

"That's...that's" Chloe said gaping and then being pushed out of the way by the woman from before.

"You, what is your name?"  The woman said eyeing Clark with a glint in her eyes that had Clark taking a step back.

"Clark..."

"Last name boy"

"Kent" Clark said quickly, this woman was like a drill sergeant, and Clark wanted to get as far away from her as soon as possible.

"Hmmm" the woman said before babbling to the other women that were with her.

"You'll do"

"Do what?" Clark asked not sure what the woman was even talking about.

"As a model for Mr. Luthor's 'Julian Veritas' collection of course" the woman said the glasses she had on her face sliding down her nose.

"Uh, I'm good" Clark said now backing towards that velvet curtain that held his clothing behind.

"No, no, no" the woman said before turning on Chloe, knowing that the blonde would be able to talk Clark into doing what he was being asked.

"Clark"

"Chloe, no just no!"  Clark said now firmly behind the curtain and changing back into his clothes.

"But, this is a great opportunity"

"Yes, what she said" the woman said looking to Chloe to make sure that Clark agreed.

"No, just no, okay" Clark said now stepping out from behind the curtain in his normal clothing.

"How does..." the woman mumbled before turning to Clark and putting on a stern looking face.

"Now you listen to me, you are to show up here" the woman thrust a paper into Clark's hands with a date, time and place written on it.

"And we will not hear anything said otherwise" the woman continued to say before marching off babbling in some unknown language.

"Well" Clark said looking down at the information on the slip of paper and already thinking of a way to get out of going.

"Don't even think about it" Chloe said before grabbing Clark's arm and dragging him out of the shop with no purchases, for which Clark was secretly happy about it.

"I'm not...ya' know, model material" Clark said walking along with Chloe and trying his very best to talk her out of whatever it was that she was thinking.

"Not yet" Chloe mumbled before she drug Clark back to the Met U campus and sat him down in his plastic chair that sat by his desk in his dorm room.

"I'm not going" Clark said crossing his arms across his chest trying to channel his father, but seemingly not being able to do so if the look on Chloe's face meant anything.

"Clark, this is a chance in a lifetime"

"I don't care"

"Clark" Chloe said with a sigh, before then sitting down on his bed.  How could she explain to him that this may be that chance that he always talked about when talking about doing bigger and better things?

"I don't want to do it" Clark said not understanding why Chloe wouldn't just leave it alone.

"It will be good for you"

"Good for me?  Good for me!  The last time you said that I got in a heap of trouble with the 'rents for having a party!" Clark said remembering when Chloe had used those exact same words about the "little affair" she was putting together that would be held at the Kent's farm.  He had ended up grounded for six months and had 'the talk' with his father many times during that time, to add insult to injury.  Chloe's smile turned decidedly down at Clark's words, she had tried to take the blame for the party but it seemed that Mr. Kent was of the mindset that Clark should be punished anyway, it still rubbed her the wrong way whenever she thought about it.

"Clark, this is nothing like the party" Chloe said looking at Clark the whole time, knowing that it was important for her to meet his eyes when speaking.

"Yeah, so" Clark said deflating just a bit, he didn't know what to think.  Most of his life, okay in fact all of his life, he had been told he was the gawky nerd and the shy intellectual that no one noticed.  He had taken that as a hit against his looks, so now being told to meet some strange woman at some equally strange location to become possibly a model was not something he had *ever* thought about.

"Clark, all I'm saying is what could it hurt?  The 'rents can't do anything now...you're a college student and an adult so what you do now is up to you"

"That doesn't mean that Dad will like it" Clark said knowing his father would rant about how he was being a real idiot for even thinking of going and modeling for some strange woman.

"Who cares?  It's your life, live it for once" Chloe said before standing up and making her way to the door.  She knew he would think about it, but she wasn't really sure on if he would go through with it.  Clark had, had a hard life growing up on the farm; what with him being a field hand for his father and being a delivery boy for his mother.  It amazed Chloe that Clark was a straight A student and still found time to hang out with her and sometimes Pete if he was available, at the local coffee shop.  Clark only nodded his head before looking at the slip of paper the woman had given him before leaving the store, wondering if going was a good idea or not.

"Later" Chloe said before leaving Clark's room and returning back to the Met U newspaper room for a little research.  She had gotten a glimpse of the 'Julian Veritas' line and she was interested to know more about the line and the man behind the fashions.  It had been years since Lex Luthor had stepped foot on US soil and it made her wonder what the man was doing back, now of all times.

~Two Days Later~

Clark made his way towards a building that looked like it should have been knocked down, many years ago.

"This is so a bad idea" Clark mumbled to himself, not really sure why he was going and what he was thinking, but Chloe's words had sort of hit him.  He was tired of being the perfect son for his father, he wanted to do his own thing, be his own person and he thought this was the step in the right direction.  His parents didn't know that he had decided on being a History Major yet, but he could see the fit his father would put up once he knew.  His mother would pat him on the shoulder and kiss him and tell him to follow his dream, he hoped at least that is what she would do.

"There you are" the woman from before said, before marching back into the large open room where there were about ten people running around with fabric and clothing on racks.

"Uh" Clark said watching as the assistants and designers, at least Clark thought, ran around.

"Out of those clothes and up here" the woman said now standing next to a dais that was empty.  Most of the people stopped for a short moment to take in Clark and his appearance before continuing on with what they were doing.

"Get a move on it!"  The woman snapped at Clark before an assistant pushed Clark towards a black curtain so that he could get out of his clothing.

"Uh" Clark said clearly not comfortable with walking around people he didn't know in his underwear.  Then the thought of the 'little affair' as Chloe called it popped up and he decided it could be no worse than half the school seeing him in his boxers.

"Here, put these on" an assistant that looked no older then twelve said pushing a pair of boxer-brief type underwear to him.  Clark took the package and made his way to the black curtain, changing as fast as he could and then standing out in the open on the raised dais.  Most then stopped and stared.  Clark had to fight hard not to blush, he didn't think that his body was worth that much notice.

"Ah" the woman said before glaring at the people making them get back to work while trying to peek glances at Clark's body.

"Let's try this" the woman said grabbing a tailored shirt and then a suit jacket and then holding it up to Clark's body.

"No, no, no" the woman said before throwing them in to a pile and working away on something else.

"Mr. Luthor will be most unhappy" the woman said a couple of hours later, and only a few outfits later.

"Such a beautiful body but too big for these" the woman said before making a call and totally ignoring Clark who was still standing on the dais, paying attention to nothing in particular.

"Will do" the woman said before waving her hand and then telling the assistant that came out of nowhere to take Clark's measurements for clothing that Mr. Luthor would personally be making.

"You're special boy" the woman said before babbling to the assistant.  Soon the woman left and the assistant was standing there blushing at having to touch Clark.

"This shouldn't take too long" the assistant said before they were measuring Clark in places that made his face heat up.

"Done" the assistant said ten minutes later, before making her way over to where the woman that had insisted he come stood.

"Well you can go" the woman said eyeing Clark and wondering if maybe, just maybe there was a reason for Lex's decision to come back to the states after all.  He had spoken a few times about a friend, when he had been banished to the po-dunk town of Smallville, and when he spoke about it his eyes lit up and it was almost as if Lex was in love.  Clark quickly changed out of the boxer-brief and back into his clothing.

"Keep them and come back on Thursday at ten A.M."

"Can't have class" Clark said, unwilling to miss class for this whole modeling thing.

"Skip it"

"No"

"Skip it"

"No"

"Ah, let me see what Mr. Luthor wants to do about this" the woman said before she punched a number much harder than she needed to on her cell phone.

"Friday at two"

"That's fine" Clark said, he had a class in the morning but two P.M. was more than fine with him.  His roommate tended to start his weekend early and getting away from him was more than okay with Clark.

"Here, Friday, Two P.M." the woman said before she then walked off not even saying good bye to Clark.

"Whatever" Clark said stuffing the boxer-briefs in his bag that he brought with him and then making his way to his next class.  He had been cutting things a little short on coming there before his only class of the day on Monday but he knew that if he didn't go he would regret it later.

~Thursday, Met U Campus~

"Are you serious?"  Chloe said again for like the tenth time, while they sat in their Journalism class, with Josh having yet to arrive.

"Yeah" Clark said before looking around the room and then talking in a whisper.

"I'm not sure, but...."

"Clark!  This is just great!"  Chloe was just about to burst; her best friend was going to meet Lex Luthor!

"Hello" Josh said striding right up to Clark and Chloe, making both of them jump at his words.

"Josh" Chloe said smiling up at the guy.

"Josh" Clark said before he grabbed his bag and started to get his notebook out of his bag.  It was then that Josh noticed something white in Clark's bag.

"What you got there?"

"Nothing" Clark said quickly, he had sort of forgotten about the boxer-briefs since he had shoved them to the bottom of the bag a few days ago, and it seemed that now they had wanted to surface.  Josh was just about to ask again when the professor came into class and started in on the lecture for the day.

"Saved by the professor" Chloe whispered before taking notes on what the professor was saying.  Clark nodded his head before he too began to take note.  After class Josh was on Clark, asking questions.

"Soooo"

"I gotta go"

"All right" Chloe said noticing that Josh had a look in his eye that she wasn't very happy about.  It was then that Josh grabbed Clark's bag and began to search through it.

"What are these?"  Josh said his face full of fury, Clark was *his* and no one else's.

"Uh" Clark said clearly embarrassed and confused on what was going on.

"Give him back his bag and his things" Chloe said before grabbing the boxer-briefs and bag and handing them back to Clark, who had yet to make a move and sound.

"Whose are they?"  Josh said glaring at Clark.

"Uh" Clark said uncertain on what to say.

"Whose are they?"

"Don't worry about whose they are" Chloe said before pushing Clark away from the situation.  She had some words for Josh and she didn't want her friend to hear them.

"Oh no you don't" Josh said grabbing Clark and then grabbing the boxer-briefs from his hands.

"You are going to tell me whose these are" Josh said now shaking the briefs out in the open and attracting attention.

"No he doesn't"

"Stay out of this Sullivan" Josh snapped at Chloe before glaring again at Clark.

"Whose are they?"

"Mine" Clark finally said, tired of having Josh as the same question over and over again.

"No they aren't, so don't lie" Clark let out a sigh at these words.  He knew him saying anything else besides them being someone else's would not fly with Josh.

"Josh"

"I said stay out of this"

"Give me back *MY* stuff" Clark said grabbing his briefs and stuffing them in his bag.  Once the briefs were safely back in his bag, Clark turned and left.

"You....you FREAKING LOSER!"  Chloe yelled at Josh before stomping off, and to think she had thought he was the "hawtest thing on campus".

"I'll find out and when I do..." Josh yelled before stomping his way to his room to do a little research on who could be going out with Clark.  Clark on the other hand made his way to the library, his sanctuary for when things got to be too much at his dorm and pretty much in life.

~Friday, Two P.M. ~

"You are late" met Clark's ears as he made his way into the same brick building he had a few days earlier.

"Bus was late" Clark explained while walking towards the black curtain from before.

"Change and out" the woman said before waiting with a rack of clothing near a dais.  Clark quickly changed and came out to where the woman stood clothing in hand now.

"On"

It was three hours later that Clark was able to finally leave the building with the promise that everything was fine and that the next time that she would see him would be the day of the fashion show.

"So how did it go?"  Chloe said standing at Clark's dorm door.

"Fine, the clothes fit" Clark said before unlocking the door and hearing his roommate was having a bit of fun at the present moment in time.

"You can crash with me" Chloe said listening to the sounds that Clark's roommate made with his girlfriend.

"I think I might" Clark said before grabbing some things from his room and speeding his way with Chloe to her dorm room.

"Does he..."

"Always on Friday" Clark said before plopping down on the nearest chair and sighing.

"Josh has been, uh, researching you" Chloe said looking at Clark and wondering what he would think of the news.  She had caught Josh stalking Clark just the other day to find out whose boxer-briefs he had in his bag.  She of course totally blew his cover but that hadn't stopped him from trailing Clark.

"I know, I barely made it off campus without him"

"I swear"

"I didn't think he was gay"

"Me either, but there you go" Chloe said before turning on the TV and spending the rest of her evening with her best friend.  For the next couple of days Clark laid low, by staying on Chloe's sofa, hoping that Josh would get the clue and leave him alone and his roommate would finally stop fucking his girlfriend so that he could return to his room.

~Fashion Show~  

"Are you nervous" Chloe asked Clark as he made his self ready for the Fashion Show, for Lex Luthor's latest line of clothing.

"Nervous isn't even the tip of the ice berg" Clark said before ruffling his hair again as he waited for the bus to take him to the fashion show's location.

"Gawd!  This is crazy" Chloe said flittering around Clark making him more nervous that he was before.

"About time!"  Chloe said once the bus finally showed up.  Both of them got on the bus and sat down watching out the window as the trees and cars passed through the bus' windows.

"I still can't believe this" Chloe said one final time before the bus pulled to a stop about two hundred meters away from where the fashion show would take place.  Clark shrugged his shoulders, he didn't have much to say about the whole thing since he still wasn't really sure on if it was real or not.

"There you are" the woman said pulling Clark out of Chloe's grasp and pushing him towards the hair stylist.

"Do something with that...that mop of his" the woman said before strolling over to where Lex Luthor was sitting making notes about things even before the fashion show began.

"He's here" the woman said watching Lex's face for any sort of emotion.

"Good" Lex said not looking up from his small notebook he had in his hands.  The woman nodded her head before leaving Lex to his thoughts.

~Backstage At Fashion Show~

"Mohawk"

"No"

"Yes"

"No, I have to live with what you do afterwards" Clark said looking at the hair stylist, whose hair was a bright pink color and in pig tails.

"Please" the girl said putting on the best sad look she could.

"Fine, but nothing horrible.  No spikes or whatever" Clark said remembering some of the Goth kids in high school and even at Met U with their hair in Mohawks that looked like someone had taken a clippers and buzzed the sides of their heads with no thought about cutting the middle.

"Ooooh, you are going to look hawt!" The girl said before rubbing her hands together and starting in cutting Clark's hair so that he would look like a fauxhawk as most of the world called it.  It was just a bit longer in the center than on the sides.  It was the hottest thing, at least accordingly to the stylist and when she was finished Clark had to admit that she had done an amazing job.

"So what do you think?"

"I like it" Clark said running his hands through the longer part of his hair.

"I told you" the girl said before a make-up artist came over to touch up Clark's blemishes.

"Perfect skin" the girl said amazed, most of the male models had at least one blemish that she would have to hide, but it seemed that Clark didn't and she was just plain amazed.

"Sun" Clark said with a laugh, he was sort of enjoying this whole pampering thing.  He could see why his mother had special days just for this sort of thing, it made you feel great and that is something that Clark hadn't felt in a very long time.

"Well better go and get ready, the shows about to start" the make-up girl said before moving over to where another model sat looking pouty about something.

"Here is your first outfit" the woman from before said before pointing and explaining to Clark that there would be an assistant there for him to get his clothes from once he had returned from the runway.  Clark was uncertain on what he should do once out on the runway but he figured he would be able to watch at least a couple of people before making his way up the catwalk.

"Let the show begin!" Was shouted through a speaker system, making all of the models move into position to begin walking down the runway.  The music cued up while the lights dialed down and then the beginning of the song Points of Authority by Linkin Park pumped into the Fashion Show with Lex Luthor's voice talking over the music about some sort of story line that flashed on the large panel TVs above the cat walk, the lights continuing to flash as the first female model came out and stood on the catwalk posing before walking down the runway and then posing yet again in a beam of light before spinning on her heels and making her way back to the wall of the end of the catwalk, most of the other models moved to the music as they got closer and closer to their entrance on the cat walk.

"Don't screw this up" Clark said to himself over and over again as he got closer and closer to the front of the line that was making its way out onto the catwalk.  The music had changed to that of Freedom by George Michael and you could still hear Lex's voice telling a tale while the music and models made their way up and down the catwalk.

"GO!" An assistant stage whispered before sort of pushing Clark out onto the catwalk.  This was it!  Clark breathed a deep breath and began to walk down the catwalk like the one other guy that had been on before him.  Most of the audience stopped what they were doing to see Clark, and dressed in the same outfit he had been dressed in when he had met the crazy lady for LJL Design.  Clark could hear the whispering as he made his way down the runway to where the beam of light still shined.  He stood directly in the light posed showing off the signature 'Julian Veritas' symbol on the sleeve of his arm and then made his way back down the catwalk.

"Move, move, move" met him as he was pushed towards his rack of clothing, the assistant already grabbing for clothing as they came flying off and new pieces where replaced.  Finally Lex quit talking and the music changed to something that Clark would have never thought someone like Lex Luthor would pick for his fashion show, which was The Pussycat Doll's "When I go up".  The first model strutted up and she seemed to walk on the beat of the song, with her breasts bouncing up and down like most of these models did, at least that was Clark thought since he had seen a couple of the Victoria's Secret fashion shows on TV.  She was followed quickly by another female model and then a male model and then Clark.  Clark made his way back onto the catwalk, he too was walking down the runway on the beat; it was just so easy to bounce your way down the runway while the music played.  On his way back to the back of the runway he looked out into the crowd to see if he could find Chloe, it seemed that the place was packed and finding Chloe would be pretty much impossible.

"Welcome to the opening of the Fashion Line of Julian Veritas by Lex Luthor and LJL Designs" a speaker said, welcoming all of the people in the audience.

"Enjoy!"  The speaker then said before music was cued up again and this time it was Britney Spear playing on the speaker.  The electronic sounds of the beginning of the song started out with the lights flashing yet again only this time to the beat while shots of male models in the 'Julian Veritas' line flashed on the large flat-panel TVs above the catwalk, yet again. 

"Superstar, where you from?  How's it going?" came out of the speakers with the first male model walking down the runway before posing in the beam of light that had yet to leave the end of the runway that jutted into the crowd.  Once the first three male models made their way out, it was Clark's turn.  Clark walked out onto the runway as the chorus to the song started.

"Womanizer, I..I..just...just...know....." played as Clark walked back out to the runway before walking down the runway and then posing, in a black vest unbuttoned with a t-shirt with the symbol of the line and a pair of jeans along with a pair of gym shoes on his feet.  When the song reached the end, Clark made his way onto the runway with a tailored black shirt along with a white suit coat with black piping on the hems as well as a pair of black pants that also came from the line.  As the song died and Clark made his way backstage, flashes of female models in some of the line were played on the TVs and soon the large hall was filled with Nelly Furtado's Maneater playing while the female models walked out showing off the female line for 'Julian Veritas' for the masses that had come to the fashion show.  Clark spent the rest of the show backstage sort of milling about with the other models that had finished their run on the catwalk.

"Here comes Mr. Luthor" one of the assistants said pushing her way through the throng of models to get to Lex so that she could guide him to the runway's entrance.

"You and you" the assistant said pointing to Clark and a beautiful female model standing close by.

"On Mr. Luthor's arms" the assistant said before pushing the pair of them to where Lex now stood looking around and smirking at most of the female models.  Lex Luthor never did anything by halves and his choosing of female models that actually looked like they could be normal people, was one of the things that Lex made sure to do.  He didn't need sticks walking around in his clothing if that wasn't the target audience; he was after all a Luthor.

"Desiree Aktins" the female model said before pushing Clark out of the way to take Lex's right arm.  Lex just raised his eyebrows before looking at Clark waiting for him to do something.

"Uh" Clark said at a loss before taking Lex's left arm and not saying anything, not really sure what to say.  Desiree snorted before making her way over to where the models had come out when going to or from the runway.

"Shall we" Lex said before walking out just as some clips of the clothing and models ended and the words:

"Hell we were just being ourselves" was said in Lex's voice.

"The man of the hour" the speaker said before Clark, Lex and Desiree walked onto the runway and made their way to the end before smiling and posing for the cameras that were flashing right crazy.

"Amazing, simply amazing" Clark could hear being said by the people seated in the audience.  Clark was quickly brought out of his thoughts as Lex turned and made his way back towards the other end of the runway.

"Turn" Lex whispered to Clark and the three of them turned one final time before Lex gave a wave and then made his way back behind the runway.

"Amazing turnout"

"Genius"

"Where does he get it from?"  Were just some of the comments being made as Clark made his way back to his rack and to his own clothing.  Clark had broken off from Lex and Desiree as soon as he saw Desiree pushing herself onto Lex.

"Clark Kent, all grown up I see" Lex said now standing near one of the large clothing racks that were still backstage.

"Mr. Luthor" Clark said formally.

"None of that, you did after all deliver produce to my humble abode for a good few years"

"I'm..." Clark started to speak but somehow Desiree found Lex and attached herself to his arm yet again.

"Celebration at Club Zero" Desiree said talking to only Lex.

"Hmmm" Lex said not really wanting to answer since he was still eyeing Clark, as he changed back into his standard 'farm attire' as Chloe would call it.

"I'll think, I'll have to pass" Lex said not looking at Desiree and the shocked look that was on her face.

"What...what do you mean, you're not going?"  Desiree said clearly not a meek model that most thought models to be.

"Ms. Atkins, I think you heard me just fine" Lex said before he made his way over to where Clark was standing next to his rack of clothing, looking them over in regret.  He was so going to miss the clothing that he had modeled, he didn't want to admit it but Chloe had been right about him needing a new look and the 'Julian Veritas' line was something that Clark really liked.

"They're yours" Lex said now standing close to Clark, who hadn't noticed that Lex had made his way over to him.

"What"

"They're yours, it's not like they can be sold." Lex said casually, it had been years since Lex had last seen Clark and that was in a strictly business manner back in Smallville.

"Are you sure?  I mean..."

"Quite, just get one of the assistants to bag them up for you" Lex said waving his hand to one of the assistants that was standing near where Desiree was ranting over Lex saying that he wasn't going to the party at Club Zero.

"He's taking these with him"

"Mr. Luthor" the assistant said stunned, none of the models from ANY of Lex's other fashion shows had been allowed to take their clothing home, but it seemed that Lex had made an exception for this young man standing here.

"I'll take care of it" the assistant said before speeding away to go and find garment bags for the clothing hanging on the rack.

"So what has Clark Kent been up to since I left?"  Lex said hands in pockets, looking like the suave and cool fashion designer and business mogul that he was.

"Oh you know, graduated from high school, and started Met U last year"

"Major?"

"Yeah...History if you can believe it"

"History" Lex said finding it hard to believe that Clark was a history major.  He could still remember the few times that Clark had come over when not delivering produce or baked goods and the teen had been about as interested in history as he was with hearing his father talk about business.

"What changed your mind?"  Lex asked wanting for some reason to know all about Clark.

"Uh" Clark said not really ready to own up to the fact that part of the reason why he was so interested in History was due to Lex himself.  He had seen the gleam that lay in Lex's eyes when he spoke about the Roman Empire and Alexander the Great.

"Lex" Desiree said breaking up the staring contest that Clark and Lex were having while Clark tried to find a good answer for Lex about his choice of major.

"Ms. Atkins" Lex said his voice tight, he was not at all happy with the way this model was being overbearing.  He got enough of that with his father he didn't need some model all over him about his social schedule.

“Club Zero, all the models……well most of the models plan to be there” Desiree said before sneering at Clark as if he would be sad to not be invited. It was then that Clark took the opportunity to sneak away while Desiree had Lex's attention. Clark always did manage to get tongue tied while around Lex, and it seemed to still be the same way and Clark wasn't thinking about embarrassing himself again in front of Lex.

“There you are” the assistant that had been told to bag up Clark's clothing said, walking over with two large garment bag. It was then that all the models stopped and turned when they heard Lex telling off Desiree that he had no intention of going to Club Zero and that she had better steer clear of him for the rest of the after party.

“That's my cue” Clark said to himself before grabbing the bags and making his way over to where he could see Chloe trying to get through the security guards.

“There you are!!!”

“Hey Chloe” Clark said before squeezing past the security guards and then making his way away from the venue hoping that Lex wouldn't put out a A.P.B on him before they made it out of the building.

“So did you talk to him? Does he remember you?” Chloe asked while looking around and snapping photos all the while. She was quite the multi-tasker she was.

“Yeah on both questions”

“So what did he say, are you going to meet him later at some super posh after party?”

“No, I plan to take these and go to my dorm room”

“Clark!”

“What?”

“You can't do that!”

“Why not? Lex Luthor is too busy to be talking with the likes of me”

“You don't know that”

 

TBC......

 

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