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Research, Catalysts, and Discoveries
He finally had a few days to relax. He'd been running since the show had wrapped, and Michael was just plain tired.
Between the cons, the interviews and the appearances, he just felt wiped. He'd been looking forward to a few days to himself, a few days to wander around LA and do a whole lot of nothing.
LA was a great place to get lost in. The crowds provided anonymity, there were wonderful shops and restaurants to patron, and the weather was great.
He'd eaten lunch at a little cafe. When he'd first gotten into the business, even after he wasn’t too poor to eat at restaurants, he never gone out, because he didn't like eating alone.
Lately, he couldn't get enough time alone.
Of course, that didn't mean he still *wanted* to eat alone. A simple meal with a good friend sounded like heaven. Unfortunately, everyone he knew was either out of town or busy. Sam was off, gallivanting about the Caribbean, desperate to get away from any landlocked location. Allison was using the show's hiatus to disappear for a few days with her fiancée, and Kristen, the last time he saw her, was off to do a few more photo shoots before heading home to her family.
As for Tom? Well, the less said about his maddening co-star the better.
Michael’s drink and the lazy sun were the only possible reasons for him to be lingering on thoughts about Tom. Pretty, gorgeous, utterly fuckable Tom. It just wasn't fair, really. Hair made to be held onto like reins, lips that begged to be bit, and a body that was made to be spilled across blood red sheets. Michael cursed himself, squirming in his seat at the images.
The flirting had been defense. No, really, it was. It was either flirt outrageously with the man to cover his real feelings, or throw himself naked at Tom, hoping the other man would take him up on the offer.
Oh, yes, he could see that going over well.
Michael sighed, casting his eyes along the street, a sign proclaiming "Condom Sense" catching his eye. He grinned. Schneider was celebrating his anniversary soon, and a gag gift from a store like that would be perfect. His grin widened and after a wave and a twenty-dollar bill later, he headed for the shop. But he froze when he saw a familiar figure slip inside.
No way.
~*~*~*~*~
The little bell tinkled as he opened the door. Michael smiled at the bored-looking guy behind the counter and carefully surveyed the shop. No sign of Tom. Maybe he was crazy.
He passed the front, where they had mostly novelty items for bachelor and bachelorette parties, excessively priced lube and nasty flavored condoms for the video room, with its aisles and aisles of crazy, crazy porn.
Michael liked to read the titles and look at the covers because it made him giggle. He never rented anything because he would totally forget to take it back, and besides, he could find porn online if he was in the mood. Lately, though, he hadn’t needed porn, what with is excessive fantasies about Tom.
He scanned the above sections, looking for ‘other’, because that was where the funniest titles were. In the back corner, underneath the ‘gay’ banner, the top of someone’s head was barely visible. He had dark hair. Michael wondered if he’d been right and it *had* been Tom, but why would he be in *that* section?
He had to be wrong. It couldn’t be him.
Michael slowly made his way around the room to the back corner. He couldn’t rush back there; there were unspoken rules for sex shops.
When he rounded the corner, he recognized the tennis shoes, familiar shoulders, the same hair cut he’d been looking at for a couple of years. Even if all that gorgeous hair was currently stuffed under a dirty base-ball cap. And, damn, Tom had a nice ass.
Tom whipped around when Michael cleared his throat and whispered, “Clark, what would Jonathan Kent think of you in a place like this?”
Michael burst out laughing when he saw the look on Tom’s face. Fear, horror, and embarrassment marked his features. Poor Tommy.
"Ah, Mike --"
"So, what is a boy like you doing in a nice place like this?"
"I was, uhm --"
He leaned back, taking in the eyes that touched upon everything but his face, hands that clutched the hem of his white button down shirt with a white-knuckled grip. God, the kid was freaked out of his mind. "Hey," he murmured softly, stepping close enough to run gentle fingers across Tom's clenched hands. "It's okay."
"Mike, I . . . ."
"Shhh, its okay. Let's just get out of here, okay?"
Tom's bangs flopped as he nodded.
~*~*~*~*~
"All right, spill."
"Gee, hi, Mike. How you doin', Mike. I didn't know you were in town."
"Very funny, Tommy. Now spill." He turned, staring right into his friend's eyes. "What were you doing in the gay porn section?" So, okay, maybe he shouldn't be demanding answers, but damnit! Tom looked like he was about to faint he was so freaked out and anything that made him look that scared . . . .
Tom's hair flew as he shook his head. "Look, can't we just forget about it?"
"No."
"Mike --"
"No. What were you doing?"
"Research, all right? Research!"
Michael looked around and pushed Tom towards a bench that was a couple of stores up.
“Here, sit.”
Tom did, and stared down at his tennis shoes. At his really large tennis shoes. Michael closed his eyes and then looked back at Tom.
“So. Research, huh? What exactly were you doing research for?”
Tom didn’t answer him. He took a couple of deep breaths, clenched and unclenched his hands.
“Tom, I promise you, that whatever it is, it’s completely okay. You don’t have to feel ashamed, or embarrassed, or whatever. I’m your friend, and you looked so freaked out and I just want to help.”
Tom looked up at him slowly.
“I think you can figure it out, Mike. I’m far away from home, in a sex shop, looking at gay porn. What do you think I was researching?”
“No conclusions, no assumptions, man. For all I know Jamie is a huge fan of Queer as Folk and she sent you out to find something similar.”
Tom laughed, he folded on himself and laughed so hard, Michael started to worry about him. When he sat up and wiped the tears from his face, Tom was still grinning.
“It’s safe to say that Jamie is not the reason I was there. But you can keep guessing or we can go somewhere else to talk about it. I’m not going to do it on a street corner.”
Michael nodded. That was understandable. And his hotel wasn’t far away.
“Okay, let’s go back to my hotel, unless you want to go to yours.”
Tom nodded back. “Let’s go to yours,” he agreed as he stood up and hailed a cab.
“Are you quitting Smallville and starting a life as a gay adult film star?”
Tom laughed as he opened the door of the taxi. “That wasn’t my agenda either.”
“Oh, oh! I know,” Michael exclaimed as they got inside the car. “You’re going to start writing those horrible stories about our characters and needed a point of reference.”
Tom’s laughter filled the car as they pulled away from the curb.
At least he’d gotten Tom in a better mood. And just maybe he’d get to the bottom of this.
~*~*~*~*~
"Come on in. Mi hotel room, es su hotel room!" With a grand wave, Michael ushered his friend in, then knew this was serious when all Tom did was offer a bland smile before curling into a corner of the couch. "Tom?"
"There's this guy. I - I think I like him."
He numbly nodded, dropping heavily next to him. "So. Research."
"Yeah."
"Anyone I know?" He asked, expecting "NO! OF COURSE NOT!" He nearly fell off the couch when Tom nodded.
"He . . . he works on the set."
"Oh." His mind raced. It couldn't be another cast member could it? A member of the crew? He knew a lot of the guys loved watching Tom, made it a point to be on set if Tom was shooting any of his shirtless scenes. Hell, *he* did, didn't he? "Who--"
He was interrupted by loud pounding against the door.
"Hey, Rosenbaum! You in there?!"
Tom jumped and Michael cursed. "How did they find me?" He smiled apologetically. "Some of my friends. They must have tracked me down somehow."
Tom nodded, quickly standing, eyes suddenly very serious. "Mike, I gotta go. Promise me you won't say anything?"
"Tom --"
"Hey, Rosenbaum!"
"Please, Michael?"
"I, of course, but --"
The door burst open, people spilled in, and Tom slipped out.
~*~*~*~*~
Three Months Later
Michael prowled the set, the hem of one of the Lex-coats swishing by his knees. 'Where the fuck is he?' For months now, every time he thought of Tom, he thought about their last conversation. And every time they met at a promo shoot or other function, Tom studiously avoided him. For someone so tall, the boy could disappear like nobody's business.
He hated being avoided like the plague. And Tom was avoiding him like the plague.
And of course, it didn't help whenever he saw Tom talking or laughing with anyone from the set. Everyone, from the lowest gopher to Al and Miles, got suspicious glares if Tom so much as looked at them.
No, Michael wasn't a jealous man. Simply a curious one.
"Michael."
"Annette!" He whirled, smiling brilliantly at the tiny red haired woman. "It's great to see you!" He leaned over, enveloping her in a hug. "How are you? How was your summer? Mom says 'hi', by the way!"
"Fine, fine. 'Hello' back to her. Now, why are you stalking that poor boy?"
“I’m not…I’m not stalking anyone.”
She rolled her eyes. “Of course not,” she said. “I can tell by the way your eyes follow him, plus you’ve moved three times to get a better look at him.”
“I just…it’s complicated. I can’t tell you.”
Annette shook her head. “Listen, Mike. You know I love you, honey, but whatever you’re planning, just remember: you guys have to work together. So don’t do anything stupid.”
Michael just gaped at her. She smiled and squeezed his arm before running off. He tried to pull himself together. He had a scene. With Tom. And he was due for blocking.
~*~*~*~*~
He finally managed to corner Tom in his dressing room at the end of the day. Their scene had gone well, which surprised him a bit, but after it, Tom had practically run away from him.
“Hey, Tom. Where’ve you been hiding?”
“Uh, nowhere. Hey, Mike.”
Michael shut the door behind him and sat down on Tom’s couch. “How was your break? I haven’t talked to you in quite a while.”
“Um, it was good.” He sat down on the opposite side of the couch, and ran his hand through his hair. Every instinct Michael had was screaming at him to break the man like a Gulag interrogator, but before he could open his mouth. . .
"Mike, can we get out of here? We-I need to talk to you."
Blinking rapidly, he mutely nodded. "I know just the place."
After a half hour of silent driving later, Tom blinked, then grinned at his surroundings. "Where are we?"
"One of the more deserted make-out hills," Mike answered with a superior grin of knowledge. "Since it's a weekday, no one's going to be up here."
Tom nodded, reaching for the door handle and sliding out. Mike quickly followed to the back of the van where Tom was busy throwing open the doors and settling in back there.
"Great view."
"Yeah." He hopped up, staring over the expanse of Vancouver stretched out before them. He had parked the van backwards, thinking that they could sit in the cab and be able to see anyone approaching them. But he supposed this was good too. "So, Tommy --"
"I think I'm in love with him."
"Oh." Well, that was . . . new. Sort of. He blinked, hands clenched in his own lap. "Does he know?"
"No."
"Are you going to tell him?"
"I don't know."
Michael nodded, dismissing it for now because there was a bigger question waiting to be asked. "What about Jamie?"
"She knows."
"You're shitting me!" He spun, facing his friend. "What did she say?"
"We – she – we're separated right now."
"Oh, Tommy--"
"No, it's okay. I mean, I wouldn't want her to stay if, you know, she didn't feel, you know --"
"Yeah, I know." He squirmed a little, because, yeah, he knew. He could imagine what it would feel like, having to watch as Tom fell for someone they worked with. Having to watch them everyday on the set. Yeah, he could understand why Jamie would want to leave. "What if he doesn't feel the same? What are you gonna do then?"
"I really don't know."
"Is he worth it?" He asked, incredulous. "You don't know how he feels and you're breaking up your marriage for him?"
"I think," Tom licked his lips, wrapping his arms around his knees. "I think that if I even *feel* this way about someone else, I shouldn't be with Jamie. It's not fair to her. And yes, it's worth it. Even if he doesn't feel the same."
'God, he must really be in love with this guy.' He leaned back, wrapping his own arms around his legs. 'God, but I--' He chopped that thought off. No, he was going to be a good friend. He was not going to get jealous. He was not going to get angry. Unfortunately, he couldn't do a damn thing about the spear of hurt piercing him. Taking a deep breath, forcing the spear out of the way, he grinned, bouncing up on his feet. "Okay, then let's go get you your man!"
"What?" Tom's eyes were wide, blinking owlishly.
"We're gonna go tell him! Well, I mean *you're* gonna tell him, but I'll drive you!" He bounced, hands flying. "Or, oooooh, maybe you could seduce him instead." He whirled. "You know, this whole pronoun thing is getting to me. What's his name?"
"Name?"
"Yeah, you know? Me Mike, you Tom, him . . .?"
"Michael."
"No, seriously, I need a name to work with here. I can't just call him Subject A in all my plans, can I? Tom?" He stuttered to a stop, all forced feelings of cheerful "I'm helping my best friend get what he really wants even though it's killing me" grinding to a halt. "Tom?"
"His – his name is Michael."
"Oh." Images of his Tom whispering his name just like that during the throes of passion, but with some faceless stranger, flashed through his mind. It hurt like he never thought possible. "Oh, okay. Michael." He sucked in a deep breath. "Okay, so you need to seduce Michael."
"Oh, really?" He ignored Tom's tiny amused smile.
"Yeah, you know; seduction. Do that innocent, shy thing you’ve perfected for Clark. People go nuts whenever you look through your lashes at them. Or you know, you could do that whole, 'intense male model' look that the photographers are always screaming for."
"Which do you like?"
He blinked. "Oh, um, well, both, I guess."
"Really?"
"Yeah, um," he blinked some more, "it's like there's different layers of you to play with, you know? Makes it interesting."
"Ah."
Catching the quick, shy, questioning glance Tom threw at him, Michael frowned. "Tom?"
"Could – could I practice on you?"
He swallowed, opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Instead, he could only helplessly watch as Tom scooted closer, one hand behind his back, the other reaching out to lightly stroke the back of his hand. He watched in fascinated horror at the contrasting shades of ivory and gold, hoping that focusing on that would distract him from the nose and lips nuzzling his cheek. Shivered as his earlobe was nipped by warm lips and licked by an even warmer tongue.
He jerked away, panting for breath. "No."
"No?" Tom's voice was quiet, scared.
Oh God, he'd hurt Tom's feelings. Clenching his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose, he paced, then slowly stopped right in front of his friend. "Look at me." He cupped that strong jaw, and stared into liquid eyes. "Tommy, I love you, but I'm not going to be a substitute, okay."
"But --"
"No, seriously, Tom, I'm in love with you. And I can't handle it. I mean, if you're in love with someone else . . . well, that's nothing new, right? But, I just can't. Please don't ask me to do this, okay?"
"You're an idiot."
"What?"
Tom's grin was bright, happy, *loving*. "For a very smart man, you're incredibly stupid."
"Excuse me?" He couldn’t even resist as Tom's huge hands grabbed his hips and reeled him in.
"I'm in love with you, Rosenbaum. Have been for a very long time," Tom breathed against his lips.
"Oh."
Tom chuckled and pressed his lips to Michael’s. Soft, warm, sweet…everything that Michael had ever imagined. Tom’s hand cupped his face, and he smiled as he pulled away.
“That’s not really our first kiss, you know.”
Tom looked at him like he was crazy.
“No, really. When we filmed the pilot and Clark had to give Lex mouth to mouth…that was basically kissing.”
“You just kept giggling, and it took a billion takes. I was half convinced you were doing it on purpose.”
“Maybe I was.” Michael smiled and pulled Tom to him again. He couldn’t get enough of that mouth, especially now that he had permission.
Tom moaned and opened his mouth, allowing Michael’s tongue inside which he promptly used to his advantage, tasting and exploring.
He pulled back a little reluctantly and smiled. “How much research did you get done, anyway?”
Tom grinned. “I’ve been dying to try it out.”
“By all means, feel free.” Michael scooted back into the van and smiled back at Tom. He scrambled to get the doors shut and crawl in next to him.
His breathing was irregular and fast. “I…I’m still not sure…” He blushed in that completely adorable way the he had. “I watched a couple of movies, and it was really hot when I thought about you…”
“What did you think about doing?” Michael ran his hand down the side of Tom’s cheek.
“Touching you.” Tom’s fingers trailed down Michael’s chest. “Kissing you.” He leaned in and kissed Michael until they were both breathless. “But mostly,” he whispered, “I thought about sucking you.”
Michael groaned and closed his eyes. He could feel fingers touching the skin around the waistband of his jeans and he wanted to arch into it.
“Can I, Mike? Can I suck you?”
Michael nodded. “Yes. Anything. God, Tommy.”
Tom grinned and fumbled with Michael’s belt before opening his jeans. Entirely too slowly. Michael panted and raised his hips so Tom could pull the offending clothing off.
Licking his lips, he stared at Michael who was finally bare. Tom wrapped a tentative hand around his cock and a tremor went through Michael.
Tom stroked him gently and then there was tongue, licking and twirling. Soon warm wetness engulfed him and Michael couldn’t help moaning.
Michael panted, “Tom.” He looked down, but Tom’s eyes were closed in concentration. He let his fingers wrap themselves in his dark hair and tried not to thrust, tried not to lose control and fuck that pretty mouth he’d dreamt about.
Hands were all around him, running up and down his thighs, settling underneath him on his ass to squeeze, soft and hesitant cupping his balls. Oh, God. Tom was good.
“Fuck, Tom.”
One of Tom’s fingers brushed across his sensitive hole, and he jerked and moaned. He wasn’t going to be able to last much longer. But before he could recognize what was happening, Tom pulled back and away.
Michael opened his eyes in surprise and stared down. “What are you…Is everything okay?”
Tom’s lips were shiny with spit and Michael’s pre-come. He nodded and grinned. “I just…I want you to… you know.”
A little mystified, Michael shook his head. “Why don’t you show me?” His total lack of understanding could be blamed on Tom’s amazing mouth.
Nodding, Tom shifted and moved to a different angle between Michael’s legs. “I really like this,” he said softly before he took the cock back into his mouth. His hands found Michael’s hips and pulled him forward as he moved down.
Michael moaned in comprehension. He thrust upward and tried not to come when Tom moaned against him. He could feel sweat sliding down his back as heat shot through his stomach.
“God, Tom,” he gasped. “Gonna – fuck, Tommy!” He didn’t even get to warn Tom before he was coming in his mouth.
Harsh breaths filled the van as Michael slowly came back to himself. When he finally opened his eyes, Tom was grinning at him. He sat up to kiss him, mouth hard against Tom’s, tasting himself and Tom together.
Tom was still dressed. And still hard. Michael grinned as he twisted, resting on top of Tom’s body, cock pressed against his thigh. There were places on Tom that just fascinated Michael. And he wanted to touch them all.
“Now, you’re at my mercy. And I can’t wait to play.”
He rolled to the side and set about pulling all of Tom’s clothing off. He needed skin. He needed to feel.
When Tom was finally naked, Michael just looked. Eyes taking their fill before he leaned down to taste. And smell. He was on sensory overload, everything he’d ever imagined right there, straining to get closer.
Michael ran his tongue across Tom’s trembling stomach, slid it in and out of his bellybutton and carefully avoided his leaking cock. After a quick check on Tom, Michael leaned back down and mouthed his balls, reveling in the noises Tom made. Moans and whimpers filled his ears. He *loved* that.
Tom’s begging was the sweetest thing he’d ever heard. Little grunts and whispers of his name, the word please mingled in with it, and the straining was the best demand.
Michael finally took pity on him and licked down the shaft and sucked the head into his mouth. Tom let out a long groan and arched his hips. Michael opened his mouth to accommodate, and let Tom thrust into him.
Heavy, fevered weight in his mouth, gliding across his tongue, slick and bitter, Michael pushed to get more. He slid a finger into his mouth, wetting it thoroughly before teasing it across Tom’s ass.
“Mike. God, touch me. Fuck me, please, that feels so good.”
He pushed the tip of his finger inside his ass as he slid Tom’s cock in and out of his mouth. Tom was babbling now, and Michael couldn’t even make out all the words, but he didn’t care because Tom was coming, painting his tongue.
Tom panted with a little satisfied smirk on his face. Michael stretched next to him and kissed him. “Next time, we do that on a bed.”
Grinning, Tom nodded.
~*~*~*~*~
The sound of metal clanking on metal jerked them both awake.
"All right, loverboy! You and your lady need to get out of here."
"Oh shit." Michael leaned up on an elbow, eyes squinting into the glare of the flashlight. Flipping the blanket over his lover completely, Michael pushed himself up higher. "Officer, hi."
"Well, at least you look old enough," the officer grunted, playing the light over the rest of the van. "Nice digs."
"Uh, thank you?" He slipped his hand into Tom's hair, keeping the younger man in place. "I guess we should be leaving, huh?"
The officer nodded. "Yup."
Michael nodded. "Uh, just give us a minute?"
"Sure." The officer surprisingly, courteously closed the van's rear doors.
Michael waited until the footsteps were too faint to hear before letting Tom sit up.
"Mike --"
A swift kiss stopped him. "Get dressed, farmboy. We've moving this to some place more comfortable."
Tom's grin was brilliant as he stole one more kiss before grabbing his clothes.
~*~*~*~*~
The ‘officers’ waited until the taillights of the van disappeared down the road.
"Pay up, Schneider. You too, Glover."
Annette grinned as the two men grumbled while fishing out *her* winnings.
[ main l rps l fps ]
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