Exactly. This is one of the things that always bothers me, this implication that Clark is mercenary for accepting Lex's gifts. It makes me wonder if I'm the only one who remembers all the antipathy towards the Kents in season one because they had the temerity to *refuse* Lex's offerings-- at various times the Kents were labeled paranoid, self-righteous, hateful and *stupid* for not accepting Lex's offers of money in Cool, Obscura, etc. And yet when Clark accepts gifts, suddenly he becomes mercenary, grasping, a 'taker.' Personally, I just don't see it. Look at "Tempest," where Clark comes over to ask to borrow the limo, then doesn't even ask when he sees that Lex is going through some hard times. He obviously prioritizes Lex's peace of mind over picking up his date in a cool car-- for a sixteen year old boy, this is huge!

Or look at Visage, to see how organically Lex works in an offer of help into a normal conversation. They're just hanging out, talking about girl troubles, and Lex offers to bring in a doctor for Whitney. Clark doesn't *ask* for the special favor, and really, why should he refuse? Lex makes it quite clear in "Metamorphosis" and several other episodes (the one where he says it 'stings' that Martha's working for Lionel, for instance) that he's more offended by Kents refusing gifts than accepting them.

About Lex...

He is not Clark's bitch. He has no problem lying to Clark's face, even lying about important things that affect Clark directly. He has no problem showing his irritation when Clark's being a typical fickle teenager ("Skinwalker") yelling at him and telling him to get out when he's an ass ("Suspect") keeping major secrets from him (the Porsche, Nixon, Hamilton, the embezzlement in "Kinetic," the whole Room of Obsession and Vial of Blood debacle) and saying 'no' when he needs to ("Skinwalker," again, and "Red" when he kicked Clark out of the caves.) He does not give Clark "whatever he wants whenever he wants." Gifts of material things are not automatically a sign of intense emotion or pure intentions, especially not when it comes to Lex.

I mean, seriously, at this point, both Clark and Lex are equal on the lying front. I frankly have less sympathy for Lex's lies, because more often he's lying to cover up dumbass things he's done, instead of protecting himself. And yet Lex is the one who's being sinned against, because why? Because he's proven his devotion to the friendship-- by giving Clark lots of expensive presents?

Anyway. Anybody who seriously thinks that all Lex wants from Clark is pure, untainted friendship-- I have to wonder if they're actually watching the episodes, or just reading the fanfiction, where he often doesn't seem to have a dark side at all. (I have taken to bitterly referring to fanon!Lex as Mister Perfect Boyfriend Man. He's sweet, kind, ethical, gives great backrubs, and he definitely never bribes, threatens, embezzles, lies to or spies on anyone. Ever. Yay Mister Perfect Boyfriend Man!) I think it does an incredible dis-service to the character to white-wash him like that, in fiction and in analysis.