SunnyDale Or Smallville-Nor So Different After All

SunnyDale Or Smallville Ch4

Xander was on his way to his next class when an older man- who looked like he had been a football player in his heyday-fell in step with him. Further adding to the former player feeling, Xander noticed that his jacket said 'Coach' on it.

"I'm Coach Walt," said the man introducing himself, "and I want to talk to you."

Xander nodded and wondered if the Quarterback from earlier had gone crying to the coach about what happened. They stepped into a small alcove in the hall.

"I want you on the football team. From that throw I saw in the quad earlier today- well you have a good throwing arm-our team could use you," said Coach Walt.

Xander couldn't help the small laugh that came out, and then he saw the look on the Coach's face. "You're serious?" asked Xander.

Coach Walt nodded, "Son, when I comes to football I'm always serious."

"I'm flattered really but football? So not my scene." Said Xander, "And besides this," he said motioning to his patch, " kinda keeps me away from school sports."

"That can be worked around," the Coach told Xander, "You could be a real asset to the team."

"Mmmm, let me think," Xander said with a thoughtful look, "No," he answered shaking his head.


"I really want you on the team, with an arm like that, you could go places." Said Coach Walt becoming agitated with the boy's negative answers.

"Yeah, my next class." Xander said. As he started to walk away Coach Walt grabbed his arm.

"Things could become," the coach, said softly, "difficult for you if you refuse."

"Are you threatening me?" Xander asked the coach in disbelief.

"Of course not," Coach Walt said letting go of Xander, "I'm just asking that you keep your options open." Then he turned and walked away. Xander stared after the coach for a moment then continued on to class, never realizing he had reached up and was rubbing the spot on his arm where Coach Walt had touched him.

*********


Chloe was on her way to class when she saw Xander in the hall and was going to go talk to him. She saw Coach Walt go up to him, she couldn't hear what was being said but could see the confusion on Xander's face. Chloe then saw Xander motion to his eye and refuse whatever Coach Walt asked with a shake of his head. She watched as Xander turned to leave and the coach grabbed his arm. Could see the shocked look cross Xander's face. When the coach left, and had Xander started on the way to his next class. Chloe had to wonder what Coach Walt would want with Xander.


*********

Xander sighed it had been a long day. But not as bad has it probably could have been. No bodies fell out of any lockers today unlike Buffy's first day at good ol' SunnyDale High. That thing with Coach Walt had wigged him out some though; the guy had even felt strange now that Xander thought about it.

He threw his math book into his open locker. He had homework in that class.
'Yeah, right,' he thought with a snort, 'like he was actually going to do it.'

Xander did find out that he had some classes with the people he'd had lunch with, and they were nice. A thump that rattled the lockers startling him out of his thoughts. He froze at the sound, he knew that sound and knew it well. It wasn't one you forgot. It was the sound of a body hitting the lockers. It was usually followed by...

"I thought I told you to stay away from Lana, Kent."

Xander backed up slowly so he could see past his locker door. He saw Whitney Fordman holding Clark by the shirt against the lockers.

"Gee, Whitney why don't you tell me how you really feel." Clark said.
Xander listening in had to grin at the flippant remark.

"I thought you would have learned your lesson." Whitney practically hissed at Clark.

"Guess, I'm just stubborn." Clark told Whitney which caused Whitney to ball a hand up into a fist and was about to hit the other boy when Xander slammed his locker closed. The loud and sudden appearance of the new kid caused Whitney to let go of Clark in surprise. Xander then leaned against the locker nonchalantly.

"So, why don't you want him around Lana? Is it her or is it him. 'Cause from the way you've been hounding Clark, I'm beginning to doubt your intentions, Quarterback." Xander said slyly. For a second Xander was met with blank stares.

Then a horrified look crossed Clark's face as he realized just what Xander was implying.
Xander then looked at Clark and asked, "Do you need anything out of your locker?"
Clark nodded and then turned to open the locker next to Xander's.

Xander saw Whitney still standing there and said, "Don't you have practice or something?" Whitney blinked then glared at them both viciously before stomping away for the second time that day.

As Clark finished putting his books in his backpack, Xander asked meaningfully, "So,"

Clark blinked, and then clued in, " Whitney? Eww! No, just no!" he said shaking his head vigorously.

"Yeah, well, at least the football player after you is somewhat pretty," Xander said offhandedly to Clark earning an odd look as they started walking down the hall. " The one at my old school that had been after me...not so much."

To this Clark could only laugh.

***********

Some of the students outside of Smallville High paused in whatever they were doing when they heard the screech of tires coming from two different directions. Loud pounding music was heard before the cars came into sight, it got louder as they turned into the parking lot from opposite sides. One car was a silver-blue porche, the other a black souped-up version of an older looking car. The two cars were going at a neck-breaking speed and showed no sign of slowly down as they barely missed each other as they passed. With a squeal of brakes and smoke pouring from the abused tires, the cars slid into their chosen parking spaces.

Slowly the door of the porche opened and an elegantly dressed young bald man gets out. A young looking man kicked the door of the other car open he had bleached blond hair and wearing a long black leather duster with a pair of black Rayban sunglasses.

The blond leaned against his car and pulls out a Zippo lighter and a pack of cigarettes. He lit one then looked over at the other man, letting his eyes slowly trail over the man and Porche from behind the sunglasses. "Nice car," he said with an exhale of lightly tinted blue smoke.

"Ballsy," Lex Luthor murmured to himself, "not to bright but ballsy." He then raises his voice, " Desoto, right? Interesting choice," trying to make conversation.

The blond took off his sunglasses and hung them from the black t-shirt he was wearing. He glared at the students who are staring and whispering. Lex hissed in a breath of air at the sight of the other's face- pale skin, sharp cheekbones and the darkest blue eyes Lex had ever seen.

The blond just nodded disinterestedly at him.

"She sounded good," Lex ventured after an uncomfortable silence, "you made modifications on her?"

"Yeah," was all Spike replied. Frustrating Lex who wanted to know more about the fairly rare automobile he had seen around town the last couple of days. Lex growled softly under his breath.

Spike gave him a narrow look, he had that ones number already, a rich boy with way too much time on his hands.

Lex calmed down getting this guy to talk was turning out to be a real challenge-and Lex had never backed down from a challenge in his life. He crossed the parking lot towards the silent blond and his car as he asked, "You mind if I have a look," he motioned to the hood of the Desoto.

"Yes." The other snarled at Lex, "Now-piss off."

Lex was surprised by the oblivious English accent from the other man; the few words he had said really hadn't been influenced by it.

"C'mon," Lex tried to cajole, "lemme have a peek."

"No!"

"Why not? She's a beauty, I would think you would want to show her off."

Spike tore his gaze away from the school then spun on his heel, " Listen you-bugger off. I know she's a beauty and she's mine! If you're so bloody hot to get your hands on a Desoto, go and get your own-you've obviously got the dosh for it. This one is off limits, understand?"

Smiling Lex raised his hands in a surrendering gesture and backed away. He leaned on a neighboring car casually and asked with the little amused smile still on his face, "So as I'm pretty sure you're not a student, what bring you to the highschool?"

"Picking up my boy, now ain't I." Spike said in what was a decidedly not paternal tone. Lex's eyebrow flew up.

"Your...boy?" Lex asked.

Spike just smirked then asked, " What about you, mate? What brings you to the land of the teenyboppers?"

Lex's amusement died and he replied coldly, " I'm waiting for a friend," and glared at
the other. Spike just hmmmmed. But their staring contest was cut short as a bell was heard and students began to pour out of the out of the school. Among the crowd were two
young brunette boys more like than not, though the one with the eye patch was shorter than the other.

"Clark!" Lex hollered to his young friend.

And at the same time his blond companion hollered out, "Xan. Eh, Xander!"

The two boys making their way down some stairs stop in their conversation at the shouts of their names. Clark smiled brilliantly "Lex!" he called back and waved.

Spike saw the soft smile come to Lex's face, 'So that's the way the wind blows,' Spike thought.

Xander hearing his name called looked over and saw Spike standing by the side of the guy Clark had answered. 'Great,' he thought with an eye roll as he and Clark walked over, 'I just know Spike is going to embarrass me somehow.' He decided to get his own back first, " I so owe you for throwing me out of the car this morning, Spike!"
Clark who had been eying the bleach blond in the duster relaxed as Xander spoke.

Lex looked absolutely confounded, " Wha?" He had barely asked when Clark began to laugh then started to explain it all.

"Oh, god Lex, this morning was so funny! Spike I guess?" Clark looked at the two newcomers for conformation that he had got the blond's name right they nodded, "He pulled in to the parking lot here and hit the brakes hard, then the next thing we know the passenger side door is being thrown open and I'm guessing a very reluctant to attend school Xander is unceremoniously pitched out onto the tarmac with his book bag. Then no sooner had the dust and smoke are cleared the door is pulled shut and the car raced out of the parking lot again."

Lex's face was a study in incredulity. Clark laughed some more at the sight then continued; "Xander here just picked himself up and his bag, straightened his clothes and dusted off-swearing some pretty creative curses the entire time. Then when he got himself sorted he turned and seeing that he was the center of attention hollered, "What you never seen anyone thrown from a car before?"

Lex started to laugh at that, Spike wore his irrepressible smirk, none of the others noticed the strange look that passed over Xander's face for a moment.

Clark grinned at the reaction he had garnered from his story and then turned to ask Xander, "Hey, Lex and I are going to the Beanery for coffee. Do you and, umm, Spike wanta come with?"

Spike blinked at the invite then shook his head in refusal.

"Sure." said Xander.

Spike frowned, " We got plans, Whelp." He said reminding Xander.

"They can wait." Said Xander. Spike started to say something but was stopped at Xander's dark look, " They can wait, Spike." He repeated in a colder tone.

Lex raised an eyebrow at the byplay, but frowned slightly when he saw the blond was going to give in to the boy. It made him wonder about the exact nature of their relationship.

Clark wondered why a simple coffee invite was turning into a battle of wills. As he watched his new friend and the blond stare at each other, you could almost see the undercurrents coming from them.

Finally Spike sighed and said, "Fine," then looked at Lex, " We'll follow you." Then Spike turned and got in to the Desoto, Xander followed suit with a grin on his face.

Lex and Clark walked over to the porche and Clark wondered, "What was that about?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." Lex said. They got in to the car and lead the way to the coffee shop with Lex making a note to himself watch the other two closely in the future.


**********


In the porche Lex looked over at Clark, "So, the new kid huh? What do you think of him besides his flashy entrance?" he asked.

"He seems pretty cool, and he got the better of Whitney today...twice!" Clark said.

"Really?"

"So what did you think of them, of Xander and his guardian?" Asked Clark.

"Well, Spike...he's dangerous Clark, so watch yourself around him." Lex told him plainly.

"And about Xander?" Clark asked wanting to know Lex's impressions of the other two.

Lex looked at Clark then turned his attention back to the road, " I don't think," he said slowly, " that he is what he appears."

Clark frowned, " Why do you say that?"

Lex shrugged, " Just a feeling."

Clark nodded, "Yeah, he doesn't act like a kid...not really, I can't explain it."

"Well, most kids don't go against their guardians," Lex told him then muttered, "Not that Spike's interested in being a parent to Xander."

Clark made a funny face at the comment then wondered aloud, "What is with the gay comments today?"

Lex raised an eyebrow at that.

"Xander made some strange allusions that Whitney was interested in me today too." Clark said with a small shutter.

A small smirk came to Lex's mouth, " Perceptive of him."

Clark blinked then smacked Lex lightly the shoulder. Lex laughingly cried, " Hey, no abusing the driver!"

Clark laughed saying, " Did I..."


**********


"...Mention dangerous, Whelp." Spike said, twisting the wheel of the Desoto hard to the left.

"Strange, I would have thought you would think Lex was soft." Muttered Xander.

Spike looked at Xander and asked dryly, "Did you think the cheerleader you dated was soft cause she came from money, pet?"

"What? No!" Xander looked as if the question was totally off the wall, "Cordy was a shark, regardless of her monetary situation as it turned out. I swear the girl could smell weakness."

"Well then..."Spike said, "Why would you think this Lex fellow is just because he has more than his fair share of dosh?"

Xander sighed, " I don't know really, its...there's something...I just can't put my finger on it."

Spike raised an eyebrow, "Can tell you what it is, charisma, pet. And that Lex has it in spades. But worst yet, he knows how to use it. So, watch yourself around him." Spike said as Xander nods then asked, " Okay, Whelp now tell me why you're so hot to trot, that we have coffee with these blokes?"

"Don't know, I guess...Clark reminds me of someone..."Xander said thoughtfully, "Yeah, Spike I know I have to train, even with the nifty visions up-grade I got from the PtB's. It's just, no one said I couldn't make friends while looking for the Ziggy dude and the Newmen guy."

It was on that note, which they pulled up next to Lex's porche in front of the Beanery.