The Courtship of Martha's Son     The Courtship of Martha's Son

 by Cheryl Forbes

 

 

  

 The Courtship of Martha's Son 

 "Anyone but him!" 

 Martha gave her husband a tolerant smile as she lifted the quilt and
crawled into bed beside him. With all that had happened in the last few
days, she understood how difficult her choice would be for Jonathon to
digest. He was only just now coming to terms with Clark's unexpected
declaration over dinner the other night. 

 "You agreed to the plan," she admonished. 

 "Yes, but-" 

 "And how necessary it is to protect him." 

 "Martha-" 

 "Jonathon." She scolded lightly, tucking under his shoulder and wrapping
one of his big muscled arms around her. "He has the money and the power.
If anyone can keep his secrets safe, it's him." 

 "I know, I know but I still don't trust him. I..can't." 

 "But you'll try for Clark." It was more a statement than a question. She
waited patiently, rubbing her husband's chest through his well worn tee
shirt until he accepted the difference. The inevitable surrender came with
a whoosh of air. Martha tried not smile. 

 "Dammit, woman, you know I will. If this is what the boy wants, this is
what the boy gets." 

 "Clark doesn't know he wants him yet but he will, given time. They're
already best friends. It's a good, solid start." 

 "You're sure?" 

 "It worked for us, didn't it?" 

 Jonathon laughed. It was a pleasant sound and something she'd missed
around the Kent household as of late. "I hate to tell you this, Martha but
I never wanted to be just your friend." 

 "But you were until I let you kiss me." 

 "Are you saying it's the same for him? That he...oh, damn...wants our son
that way?" 

 "I think he cares deeply for Clark, Jonathan but values his friendship so
much that he'll hide the depths of his feelings to prevent losing him. I
didn't choose him based on money alone, you know. I want Clark to be loved
as well as protected." 

 "By him. A Luthor." Jonathon snorted and Martha hugged him close knowing
she'd won him over. He made the same disgruntled sound when she served
creamed corn from the can but ate it anyway. 

 "He's more than his name." She cooed trying to make it easier for him.
"Lex hasn't done anything but good things since he arrived two years ago.
Look what he's done for the plant and the community." 

 "Yes but is he good enough for our son? Good intentions or not, that's a
bit of leap, don't you think? Clark's not a business. He's a boy-" 

 "A man." She corrected gently with nothing more than a soft nudge to his
ribs. Clark was seventeen and a little more than year over the age of
sexual consent in the glorious state of Kansas. There were other laws,
specifically one that might cause difficulties later on but she chose not
to think about them right now. 

 "Fine, okay, a man. Either way I don't like the thought of him being
managed by someone who was taught money was the be all and end all of
life. My son is not a profit and loss statement, Martha." 

 "Lex is not his father and if he has Clark, he never will be. I know it's
hard but you'll have to trust them both. We have to do this, Jonathon. The
alternate is unthinkable." 

 And it was. 

 It was more than motherly love that inspired Martha to control her son's
love life to what most would consider an unhealthy degree. She was not
trying to tie Clark to her apron strings permanently. It was nothing as
selfish as that. When the time came, she was ready to let her son go and
let him live his life, but she had to do so responsibly. 

 Clark was special, different and in the wrong hands, dangerous. 

 Love made one do stupid, foolish things and Clark, with his gifts could
afford to do neither. He didn't have the same luxury normal adolescents
had to make mistakes. 

 Martha knew if all those years ago a tall blond and rakishly handsome
Jonathon Kent had asked her to do anything, no matter how immoral or
illegal, she would have. She loved him that much and without question. It
scared her that Clark might find someone that might make him feel the same
way. And it scared her more that it might not be someone as good as her
husband who would have never dreamed of asking her to cross any lines she
didn't feel comfortable with. 

 No one could be hurt. No one must be hurt and she would do anything to
make sure that didn't happen. She had to have a plan. There was really no
choice. 

 It might not be the best one and it was a little archaic but she was
doing her best. It wasn't like there was a book she could get parenting
tips from. Dr Spock didn't have a chapter on raising gay alien sons. She
was on her own here. 

 Her husband sighed beside her. "So when do we tell him?" 

 "Clark? We don't. He deserves romance, Jonathon. He doesn't have to know
his marriage was arranged." 

 "Christ, Martha! Marriage! Couldn't they live in sin or something less
blasphemes? This is Kansas, after all." 

 "Tolerance starts at home, Jonathon." 

 Another grumble and snort. 

 "Did I say I didn't like him?" 

 "Yes, now go to sleep." Martha reached over to click off the bedside lamp
and then snuggled down. Jonathan made a few more inarticulate sniffs and
huffs before settling down with her. 

 This end of the discussion was over. Tomorrow she would close the deal.  

 "Mrs Kent." Lex minimized all the windows on his computer, locked it with
a password and rose from his chair to greet her properly. She was one of
the few people he knew that deserved the courtesy. "Is there something I
can do for you?" he asked, genuinely hoping there was. She waved an errant
hand as she took the seat on the other side of his desk. 

 "Sit, Lex," she said with an air of familiarity that tweaked the corners
of his mouth. "And call me Martha. I think we've known one another long
enough for you do that." 

 "Yes, ma'am." Lex responded with deference. Even with permission, he
didn't feel he'd earned this woman's respect enough to call her by her
given name. He probably never would. It wasn't a dig. The formidable Mrs
Kent didn't think herself above anyone. She was a good person, down to
earth, the best. In Lex's opinion, even the President didn't have the
right to call her by her first name. "What brings you out to the castle?"
he asked, unconsciously smoothing out his clothing with a hand from breast
to knee before sitting back down. 

 Martha tucked her hair behind her ears and shifted nervously in her
chair. Lex felt his palms begin to sweat as she stared steadily at the
colored blocks of glass in the windows over his head. A prickly feeling
along his spine told him this was not a friendly visit. 

 "How do you feel about Clark?" she said abruptly breaking the stillness
of the room. 

 Damn. No, not friendly at all. This was dangerous territory. 

 She was looking at him now, holding him easily with her eyes and waiting.


 "He's my friend." The answer was inadequate but safe. Lex didn't think
Martha was prepared to know the true extent of his feelings for her son.
Hell, Lex wasn't even sure he was ready. 

 "Could he be something...more?" 

 There were no definitions needed. They were both adults and Martha Kent
nee Clark was originally from Metropolis, where all types of more were
practiced. Lex knew her history as well as she most likely knew his.
Hence, he supposed, the question. 

 "He's not." Lex said coldly, not missing the irony that nothing heated
him more than thinking of something more with Clark. But that was not a
subject to be discussed even with the boy let alone his mother. It was a
secret, a guilty pleasure. Lex only dwelt on it himself when he was alone
and with a lot less clothing than he was wearing now. 

 Oh fuck, that was a mistake. 

 Thinking 'naked" and 'Clark' in the same thought bubble never failed to
transpose the blood from his brain to his groin at warp speed. 

 Lex carefully folded his hands in his expanding lap and wished he had the
foresight to buy a solid teak or mahogany desk instead of embarrassingly
transparent glass. When he noticed Martha's knowing stare, Lex brought up
his hands quickly and picked up his Monte Blanc, playing with the slim
instrument idly. The move came too late, but what the fuck. 

 "But you would like him to be more, wouldn't you, Lex?" 

 The pen went flying across the room. 

 Martha's eyes were soft and held an air of satisfaction Lex didn't
understand. It was confusing. The world was upside down. She should be
throwing things at him, ranting and not smiling sweetly like he'd just
told how much he enjoyed her pies. 

 "Mrs Kent," there was no way he could call her Martha now, "Clark and I
are simply friends. There is no more and I promise you there won't be.
You're son is safe with me. You have nothing to worry about. You have my
word I'll never hurt him." 

 "I know that, Lex." Again with the sweet, unnerving smile. "That's why
I'm here."  

 "Dad!" Clark yelled down from the loft. "I'll be up here if you need me!"


 With a tight lipped smile that hurt Clark to see, his father appeared at
the bottom of the stairs. "You're time's your own until your mother gets
back from...ah...her appointment." 

 "You sure, Dad?" Clark didn't want any extra chores but would do anything
to make his father's life easier right now. After all, he was the one that
kept coming with ways to make it harder. 

 "It's Saturday afternoon. Relax, son." 

 "Kay." Clark said to his father's retreating back. The slumped shoulders
made him wish for the thousandth time he'd kept his mouth shut about his
most recent self discovery. 

 It hadn't been like they had forced him to tell. They would probably
gotten along quite nicely not knowing their only child was gay but like
every other new development about his alien and ever changing body, the
news had popped out before Clark had time to think how different this
revelation was from the rest. It hadn't been until he'd seen their wide
eyes and slack jaws that he realized his mistake. 

 But he had wanted to tell, needed to tell. And there really had been no
one else. 

 The girls he discovered he was not attracted to, his high school buddy or
his best friend in the castle were not the ones he wanted to come out to
for the first time. With them there would be questions he didn't yet have
the answers to. He first needed acceptance and foremost understanding.
Clark was scared as hell and had as usual, run to his parents for comfort.


 "Fucking moron!" Clark cursed, flopping down in the hammock. He didn't
swear often, well not the really bad ones, but this was a special
occasion. 

 So the idea of being filled instead of filling turns you on. Did you
really need to share that bit of information? And with your parents? Oh,
god, you're an idiot Clark Kent. 

 In a little more than a year he'll be away at university in Metropolis,
god willing. He should have waited until then to find some one to share
his sexuality with and until then continue to surf the net one handed.
He'd been doing it awhile now. Why couldn't he have done it awhile longer?


 Guilt. 

 Honesty was something the Kents had taught him from day one. They also
taught him necessity of lying but that was selective and only to the
outside world. 

 As a family, maybe to make up for the secrets they had no choice but to
keep, they tried to keep the lies between them to a minimum. Clark always
had an open and honest relationship with his parents. Hiding his sexuality
from them hurt. Okay, so he needed the release from his fears too but the
overwhelming sense that he was doing something wrong was probably the main
reason he blurted out he was gay over mashed potatoes and gravy. 

 In retrospect they had taken the news pretty well, no screaming or
fainting but he supposed that came from a lifetime of dealing with a
'problem' child. 

 Of course, he hadn't gone into to details either. 

 Clark hadn't mentioned his late night masturbation sessions while logged
on to HOTGUYS.com or the wet dreams of being penetrated anally by
something long, hard and hot. He wasn't that much of an idiot. No, he just
told them liked boys instead of girls. 

 After regaining their composure, his mother had asked the usual questions
like are you sure? How long? And did he have a boyfriend? After a yes, a
non committal shrug and a definite no to the last inquiry to which his
father sighed loudly, things seemed to be okay. Clark had slept better
that night than he had in weeks. It was only this afternoon with his
mother's conspicuous absence and his father's poorly concealed moping that
he had started to regret his admission. 

 Maybe he should have had the balls to tell Lex first. 

 Coming out while in Smallville was not at the top of his 'to do' list. In
fact it didn't make the list at all and revealing himself to his best
friend felt a little like doing that. Lex was apart from the family
spectrum and a little closer to the real world. 

 And like everything else, Lex would have pushed. 

 It was easier to keep this secret along with all the others. And if that
was wimping out...well, so be it. Clark Kent was not ready to take on Lex
Luthor. 

 Lana, Chloe and especially Pete wouldn't have been fun to come out to
either but Lex, oh god Lex, would have been terrifying. 

 The younger Luthor knew about sex. He'd probably even been with a guy
before and would ask, without pulling punches just the kind of things
Clark was a little too embarrassed to talk about right now. 

 Just because he was gay didn't mean he forgotten how to blush. Clark was
still a seventeen year old boy. Geez, he was blushing now just thinking
about Lex and sex. Clark shifted uncomfortably in the hammock. Oh, damn.
He was also aroused. 

 Pressing the heel of his hand to the base of his cock through his jeans,
Clark tried to think non sexy thoughts by calling to mind every nasty
mutant he'd ever had the misfortune to meet. If he came in his pants
thinking of his best friend, he'd never be able to face him again. 

 Not Lex, not Lex, not, oh god, Lex. 

 The hard pressing turned into furious rubbing. 

 Oh fuck, yes Lex, yes Lex, yes-- 

 "Lex!" 

 The hammock swung and the support beams creaked as Clark's back arched
and he filled his boxers with wet, sticky heat. 

 The unexpected force of his orgasm was an embarrassing surprise. He laid
staring at the rafters and picking at the fly of his damp jeans trying to
make sense of it. 

 Before now he had never fantasized about Lex. Never. Lex was attractive,
yeah sure, all pale and creamy goodness but he was also just a guy. A guy.
A hot guy. A really, really hot guy. Oh, damn. 

 Clark had a hard-on for his best friend. Well, wasn't that just the
stupidest thing in the world. 

 This would be one revelation he would not share with his parents. This
would also be one more secret he would not share with Lex.  

 "Let me get this straight, Mrs Kent. You want me to date your son?" That
couldn't have been what she asked. 

 Martha sat calmly, her jitters apparently gone now she had stated the
purpose of her visit. 

 "Actually, I'd like you to do a lot more than that, Lex. I'd like you to
court him." 

 "Court him?" Fuck, this had to be some big cosmic joke and any minute
Martha was going to turn into Monty Python's version of God. "Court
Clark?" he asked again when it appeared she wasn't going to shape shift
any time soon. "You're not serious?" 

 Martha chuckled. "It's funny how much you sound like Jonathon at times
but yes, I'm dead serious." She sat forward in her chair. "Recently
Clark's made his sexual orientation known to both me and his father and as
responsible parents we have chosen you as the right person to guide him
along this path. And before you ask 'why me', let me say we all know how
special Clark is and how easily his abilities can be exploited in the
wrong hands." Martha paused and her features soften. "You care for him,
Lex. I know it. I feel it. I can't believe you'll hurt my son and I trust
you to protect him." 

 "I did hit him. That day on the bridge, I ran him over, didn't I?" 

 Martha sat back and pulled in on herself in the typical Kent fashion Lex
knew so well. 

 "I can't answer that. Clark's secrets are his to tell." 

 Lex nodded. 

 Okay, okay, fair enough. The woman was offering her only son to him, he
couldn't expect her to hand over the family secrets as well. Not yet
anyway. But there was one thing she might reveal. Lex's throat tightened
convulsively. Asking might give away at least one of his secrets but he
had to know. 

 "Does...does he love me?" 

 "Clark? I don't know, dear." Oh Christ, she called him dear. She did know
how deeply Lex felt about her son. Her earlier statement wasn't a guess.
He wasn't revealing anything new. "You'll have to find that out for
yourself." 

 "Then why did he agree to this?" Clark was one of those people that led
with his heart. It was a beautiful rarity and one that Lex was coming to
appreciate. Clark wouldn't agree to something this important for the
protection his money could provide alone. "And with his parents of all
people?" 

 "He didn't. Clark doesn't know I'm here. If he did, I'm sure he'd quite
angry that I was trying to arrange his marriage without his permission." 

 Lex gasped. Sans Holy Grail deities or not, this still had to be a joke,
or maybe some drug induced flashback. 

 "You want me to marry your son?" Lex stood and slapped his chest. His
white DKNY dress shirt stuck to his skin. "Me? Aren't you afraid of what
people will say? Dating a man and coming out of the closet will cause
enough of a scandal but marriage to a Luther as well? This is Smallville,
Mrs Kent. Not Metropolis." 

 "Yes, I do and no, I'm not. If Clark accepts your proposal, then that's
the end of it. As a family, we'll deal with whatever prejudices arise. Now
please sit down, Lex." 

 Lex obeyed the calmly given order, collapsing more that sitting. His head
was swimming. 

 Fantasy was fast morphing into a sharper reality than he ever could have
imagined and the neurons in his brain were having a hard time keeping up.
They were flashing chaotically. Lex dug the heels of his hands into his
closed eyes trying to calm the fireworks within. He could feel a headache
coming on. 

 "Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck." Lex moaned while getting himself under
control. Eventually he raised his throbbing head. "This is all up to him,
isn't it? Clark, I mean." 

 "For the most part, yes." Martha smiled kindly and reached out to pat his
hand across his desk. "That's where the courting comes in, dear. You have
to win his heart for this to work, and to keep him safe. And should you do
so, there will be some legalities to be dealt with but I'm sure for you
that would be no problem. I'm certain you have influence enough to stretch
the Vermont state lines and marriage laws to as far away as Kansas." 

 Influence: right. A Luthor: right. He could do this. Lawyers had to be
good for something other than getting you out of a bind. Theoretically
speaking, they should be able to help you get into one too. 

 Putting on a front, Lex stared blandly at his future mother-oh god-in-law
and steepled his fingers under his chin. Be the level headed man she came
here to see, goddammit! 

 "Possibly," he began in his best no nonsense voice. "But it would be
tricky. I would need both yours and your husband's consent for the union
at the very least to start. And of course sodomy laws here in Kansas would
prevent consummation but I suppose that could be achieved while still in
Vermont." His mind spun. "Afterwards, it's highly unlikely anyone would
dare stop me from fu-" 

 Martha cleared her throat, interrupting the indelicate line of thought.
"You've thought of this already, haven't you?" 

 "What? Marriage?" his bravado faltered an instant. He hadn't, had he?
"No, of course not." Lex said firmly after a hesitant pause. "That would
be...foolish." 

 "Lex, it's okay." 

 "It can't be. I'm the bad guy," Lex said calmly before the terrible truth
of his words sunk in. Bitter bile along with anger rose abruptly in his
throat. "I. Don't. Get. This!" Lex roared, slamming his hands so hard on
his desk, his palms stung. Martha didn't flinch. 

 "Get what?" she asked calmly, suffering his tantrum stoically. 

 Infuriated by her unaffected composure, Lex was up and pacing the room,
his arms flailing. "The girl, or rather, the guy, the happy ever after,
all of it!" He stopped and stared at Martha. "I'm Lex Luther and you," Lex
jabbed a finger at her. "You should be chasing me with a shotgun for even
thinking about having sex with your seventeen year old son!" 

 "Actually, that would be Jonathon with the shotgun." 

 "Mrs Kent!" 

 "I'm joking, dear. Jonathon's on board with this, really." 

 Lex shuddered. Oh Christ, the Kent family humour was going to be the
death of him. 

 With a great amount of will, Lex forced the beating of his heart to slow
and drop out of stroke range. "Really?" he asked. 

 "Okay, so he's not real happy about it but he is trying." 

 "No shotguns?" Lex wheezed. 

 "No shotguns." 

 "And Clark has no idea?" 

 "None." Martha got up and stood before him. She was beautiful and sweet,
and oh god how he could love this woman if he wasn't already head over
heels and totally insane for her son. "Look Lex, nothing has to be decided
today. I know my proposal is a bit...unorthodox. Think about and then,
come to dinner tomorrow night." 

 "With an answer?" 

 "No, I don't need an answer. My husband and I have made our intentions
known and that's end of our participation. What happens next, if anything,
will be between you and Clark." 

 "I'll keep that in mind, Mrs Kent." 

 "Martha," she corrected. 

 "Martha." 

 It was easier to say this time.  

 "So, is he going to do it?" 

 "Yes, Jonathon." 

 "He told you that? Came right out and said it?" 

 "He didn't have to."  

 "Need help?" 

 Clark yelped and spun on his heels. 

 The mashed potatoes in the bowl he was holding lost their fluffy white
peaks to spread in a fan over the fine knit of Lex's navy blue pullover.
Clark stood a moment admiring the pattern until realizing he was
fascinated more by the way the blue molded the older man's pecs than the
white. 

 "Sorry," he mumbled. Ears burning, Clark carried the bowl over to the
kitchen table and turned back to Lex. His friend was by the sink wiping
away the mashed potatoes with a dish rag. Clark deliberately stopped
himself from becoming too embroiled by the mundane action of Lex cleaning
himself and asked, "What are you doing here?" 

 "You mother asked me to dinner." 

 "She did?" 

 "Yes, Clark. I saw her yesterday in passing and she was kind enough to
invite me." Lex dropped the rag in the sink and took a step forward.
"Should I have said no?" 

 "No, of course not but my dad..." Clark let the sentence trail off. Lex
knew what his father thought of the young Luther heir. He didn't need
reminding. 

 If he was offended, Lex didn't show it. He nodded his head thoughtfully
and one side of his mouth rose slowly. His whole being seemed to be fixed
on nothing but Clark as he strode forward and closed the gap between them.


 It was funny but Clark got the absurd feeling his friend was stalking him
in his own kitchen. 

 "A necessary evil." Lex said softly while gazing up at him with steel
gray eyes that seemed to darken by the second. 

 "My Dad's not evil." Clark responded indignantly although there was no
force behind the protest. His chest was tight and his breath, uneven. With
his alien abilities, it shouldn't happen but it was. He could do nothing
but whisper. 

 The man before him was intensely powerful. He could feel raw energy
coming off him in waves. Clark had never been so aware of how much so
before now. He had a vague feeling the spontaneous orgasm in the loft
yesterday had something to do with his new found heighten awareness but
that was a peripheral thought. He really couldn't think about anything
with Lex standing close enough for Clark to smell the citrus tang of his
cologne. 

 This Lex was more than just his all weather friend and confidante. This
was the man the business world feared, a predator, ruthless when he wanted
to be. 

 Dangerous. 

 A heat somewhere between fear and desire pulsed low in Clark's belly. The
feeling was new and he liked it. A lot. 

 "Mmm. A thorn among roses, then?" 

 "Well, he can be a pain sometimes." Did that sound dumb? Oh god, he hoped
not. 

 "Ah, yes. Are we alone, Clark?" Lex purred, his mouth near enough to
Clark's ear he could feel the warmth of his breathing. Clark's eyes
fluttered closed. Lex's increased proximity was becoming too much to bear.
His skin felt super tight and too hard everywhere. 

 "Lex?" he whispered. Clark didn't understand the question. 

 "Is it just you and me for dinner tonight, my beautiful farm boy?" 

 Beautiful? 

 Clark opened his eyes surprised to see Lex was leaning casually back
against the kitchen counter again looking cool, calm and totally
collected. It wasn't fair. 

 "Oh...ah...no," Clark ran a hand through his hair. His fingers came away
damp. "Mom's getting peaches from the root cellar and Dad's upstairs
changing," he replied, wiping his hands on his jeans and hoping his voice
hadn't cracked. 

 "Pity." 

 Pity?	

 Dinner was more pleasant than he could have imagined. 

 After confirming that yes, Clark was attracted to him and he something to
work with, Lex thought spending time with the elder Kents would be a
torturous, plebian affair. 

 It wasn't. 

 While Clark was disappointingly silent for most of the meal, Mrs
Kent--Martha--conversed quite intelligently regarding matters of business.
Lex congratulated his father silently for choosing such an excellent
assistant and Mr Kent--still Mr Kent--for his part, said nothing overtly
insulting. Lex was almost sorry when the dessert plates were cleared away.


 "Hey, Lex." Clark called, getting up from the table. "Do you want to come
up to loft for awhile?" 

 To see your etchings? Strip you naked? Suck your cock? Let me fuck you? 

 Oh, god, Clark. 

 Yes! 

 "Thank you, Clark but I have an early meeting tomorrow." Lex said,
pushing back his chair and folding his napkin neatly before placing on the
table. "I really must get back home to prepare." 

 Damn. Why was that so hard to say? 

 "Walk me to my car?" Lex offered with a sideways tilt to his head. 

 "Okay." 

 After saying good night to the Kents who, if the twinned smiles on their
faces were any indication, seemed quite pleased with his self control even
he wasn't, Lex rose from his chair. Clark gallantly held the screen door
open for him as they exited the house through the kitchen. 

 Sweet. 

 "You should come to dinner more often." Clark said when they reached his
car. His hands were stuffed in the pockets of his oversized jeans and his
cheeks were tinged pink. He was absolutely edible and Lex was already
full. "It was nice, Lex." 

 "Nice, Clark?" Lex leaned back against the driver's door of the Ferrari.
The metal had cooled in the late August night but the heat wave standing
in front of him with the pink cheeks offset the chill deliciously. "Is
that what you want from me? Nice?" 

 The younger man's breath hitched suddenly and his eyes darted up over
Lex's head. 

 "Yeah, I guess. Maybe." Clark lost interest in whatever he saw in the
night sky and stared back down at him with an intensity that would have
made Martha Kent proud. "What else is there, Lex?" 

 "Good question." Lex said with forced calm, slightly surprised by Clark's
directness. "We'll get to that in time." 

 "Will it have something to do why you called me beautiful in the kitchen
before dinner?" 

 "I did that?" Oh, fuck. And here Lex thought he was the one in control. 

 "Yeah, you did." 

 "And how do you feel about that, Clark?" That's right, Lex. Stall. Get a
grip. Stall. 

 In the last day Martha Kent had dropped a bomb in his lap and although
Lex wasn't totally unhappy with it--he was actually unLexianly giddy the
truth be known--he was still leery. Wanting Clark was one thing. He'd done
that from the moment he'd risen from the dead, wet and shivering on a
river bank but marrying Clark as his mother wanted, was something else all
together. He really hadn't, as he told her, thought about it and doing so
now made him something he hadn't truly been since he was nine years old. 

 Scared. 

 Clark shifted back forth on his feet in a 'ah shucks' kind of way and
then gazed at him shyly through long, dark lashes. "I liked it." 

 And so it begins. 

 The bottom of his world had dropped out. 

 Lex was doomed. 

 He was going to marry Clark Kent.  

 "I liked it." 

 Oh, damn. Did he just say that? 

 Clark looked closely at his friend. The other man had slumped against the
car with his eyes tightly shut. Yep, he did. Well so much for keeping his
feelings under his hat. 

 "Lex? You okay?" 

 Slowly, with elegant precision the older man opened his eyes. "Do you
know what that means, Clark? Liking it when another guy says you're
beautiful?" 

 "We don't have Net Nanny, Lex. I know what it means. And I've been hard
all night thinking about what it means coming from you." 

 "It means I want to fuck you, Clark." Lex said gruffly. "Can you handle
that?" 

 "Yes." 

 "Just like that? No doubts? No fears?" 

 "I'm shaking in my boots, Lex but I'm pretty sure I want...that too.
You're sure you don't want to come up to the loft?" 

 "Oh, I do, Clark. I most certainly do but not yet. If we're going to do
this, we're going to do this right. I'm going to want more." 

 "More?" Oh, here it comes. Clark should have known they couldn't have a
conversation without Lex bringing up the secrets he was hiding. 

 Clark readied himself for confession. He didn't want to fight anymore.
This time he would tell if Lex asked him straight out. 

 "No quick fucks in the straw, Clark. There are many things we have to do
before we get to that point." 

 Oh...oh. 

 "Because you want to make sure I really want it before we get there,
right?" He guessed and Lex nodded. 

 Sex. 

 Lex was talking about sex and not his alien abilities. 

 Greatly relieved and no less aroused by the subject, Clark stepped into
Lex's air space. "I will, you know," he said breathing in the sweet
mixture of coffee and peaches that was Lex exhaling. "Oh god, Lex, I want
to feel you, kiss you, have you inside me and, and--" 

 "Whoa, Clark. Slow down." Lex pressed him back with the tips of his index
fingers to his chest. "I'm quite pleased to know you want me, but will you
want your friends knowing that too?" 

 Clark blinked. "You want me to come out first? Tell my friends I'm gay
before we become lovers?" It had been amazingly easy to tell Lex. He'd
just done it without even thinking but his friends... 

 "If our relationship changes, Clark, I'm not going to hide it. People are
going to know you belong to me. It might be easier for them to hear that
from you first before the rumors start." 

 "That's blackmail." Clark blurted, regretting the accusation immediately
when he saw Lex wince. He raised a hand to Lex's cheek to soften the bite
of his words but Lex caught it and held it to his starch stained sweater
before Clark's fingers reached their target. Lex squeezed them tight and
Clark didn't insult him further with a fake 'ow'. Lex knew enough about
his powers to know it didn't hurt. 

 "No, it's a commitment...to me." Lex growled. "I'm a Luthor, Clark. I
don't take half of anything. If we're going to be together, I'll want it
all, in bed and out of it. And if you can't handle that, it's better that
we stop this now before either of us gets hurt." 

 Lex changed the death grip on his hand into a gentle hold, his thumb
drawing soft circles in the well of Clark's palm. Clark watched the
feather light caress while he digested what the older man was trying to
say. 

 Sex and friendship, Lex wanted both. Okay, Clark wanted that too. Lex
also wanted to own Clark and again, that was okay. Surprisingly Clark
didn't mind that as much as he thought he would. It was strangely
titillating thinking about being possessed by the rich and powerful Lex
Luthor. 

 Being his. 

 Realizing what it meant, all of it together, Clark closed his fingers
over Lex's. The hot, tight feeling rose again. 

 "Wow," he breathed. "You want to be my boyfriend. Holding hands and going
to football games together and stuff." 

 An easy smile formed on Lex's lips. When it went all the way to his
steely blue eyes, Clark's stomach did a small flip. "I could live without
the football games, Clark but the holding hands part sounds," Lex's mouth
twisted. "Nice." 

 Clark grinned like a fool. 

 Yesterday he would have never imagined standing under the stars, holding
hands and joking with Lex about the terms of a sexual relationship. He was
in gay alien heaven. Clark glanced down briefly to make sure he wasn't
floating. 

 "And are you going to ask my parents for permission to court me?" 

 "You're making fun of me now." Lex scolded but the reprimand held no
weight. The other man was beaming and looking much younger than his twenty
three years. 

 "No, really," Clark said, not able to let the joke go. He felt too good.
"This is Smallville, Lex. We do that around here." 

 Lex dropped his hand and his innocence waned, aging him years before
Clark's eyes. "I...I've spoken to your parents, Clark or at least your
mother. They've accepted my intentions." 

 "You're kidding?" Clark choked. His parents knew? Oh, damn. 

 "I am not a funny man, Clark." Lex was frowning but ooh, there was a
smirk on the edges of his lips just waiting to be exploited. Clark
promptly forgot about his parents. He couldn't let the small bit of mirth
go to waste. 

 "No, but you are a hottie, Lex." 

 "A hottie?" 

 "And a sexy beast." Clark growled hoping he sounded seductive but just in
case he didn't, he placed an arm on either side of Lex's head, resting his
hands on the roof of the Ferrari. Lex eyed their placement and then, gave
him an amused look. 

 "Okay, now that's one I've heard." 

 "From who?" 

 "Clark..." 

 "Hey, I just wanna know who's coming on to my new boyfriend." Boyfriend.
Damn. He liked the sound of that. "What's wrong with that?" 

 "So you're going to tell your friends you're gay?" 

 Whoa-kay, subject change. Might as well get it over with. 

 "Well, I was going to wait until I went away to university but I don't
think I'll last that long before spontaneously combusting, so yeah, I
will." 

 "That's a good farm boy." 

 "So...ah...Lex. Do I get a reward now?" Clark pressed forward and rubbed
his hard cock into Lex's belly. It was blatant but he wasn't getting
anywhere with subtle. "Like an incentive or something?" 

 "You can kiss me good night." Lex hissed as he hooked his fingers into
Clark's belt loops and yanked him closer. Apparently actions spoke louder
than words with the normally reserved older man. Clark would have to
remember that. 

 "Are...are my parent's watching out the window?" he croaked. Lex's cock
was burning a brand into his hip, occasionally sliding against Clark's own
and making it difficult to speak. 

 "I would think so. Does it matter?" 

 "No." 

 "Good boy." Lex chuckled and nipped a trail down Clark's cheek stopping
at his mouth. Nudging it open with his tongue Lex scissored their lips and
kissed him tenderly. 

 The soft press of lips surprised Clark. He had been unprepared for a
touch so gentle. With all the power that Lex possessed, he had expected
biting, nipping, a lot of tongue thrusting--a manly kiss, a desperate
kiss--something Clark needed. This slow, lazy tasting was driving him
nuts. 

 Mindful of his strength, Clark angled his head and lunged forward tongue
first. He felt a thigh shoved between his legs as Lex parted his lips
wider and let him in. 

 Oh yeah, this was it. Lex began sucking his tongue obscenely and grinding
his thigh into Clark's groin. Oh yeah, this was fucking it. This was what
Clark thought kissing should be. 

 Clark kissed Lex back wildly, doing his best to match the thrusting in
his mouth stroke for stroke without slobbering and started to pump against
the hard thigh between his legs. It was all so good. 

 So good in fact that Clark didn't care if his parent's were watching. He
was going to proudly mess his pants doing this totally amazing thing
with...oh-my-god...wait for it people--Lex! There were no ifs, ands or
buts. He was going to come where he was standing. 

 Had to, actually. 

 The heat in his belly was focusing, moving downwards and as it was about
to leave, needle out and explode, Lex tore his mouth away abruptly. 

 "Fuck, Clark. Stop it. Your parents!" 

 "...don't care...don't care..." It was too late. "Lex!" 

 Burrowing his forehead into Lex's shoulder, Clark trembled as his hips
bucked erratically and his cock gushed hot liquid. 

 For awhile, he didn't think he was going to stop, that he was going to
come against Lex's leg for all of eternity. He was an endless fountain of
good feeling. But eventually he did, soaking through the fabric of his
cotton shorts, his jeans and on to leave a black, golf ball sized spot on
the fabric of Lex's dove gray pants. 

 "Sorry." Clark mumbled, eying the stain through lowered lashes. Lex
brought his chin up with his fingers. 

 "Don't be." Lex kissed the tip of his nose and grinned. "That was one
hell of a good night kiss, farm boy." 

 "But I wrecked your pants." 

 Lex laughed. "Coming so beautifully in my arms more than makes up for the
dry cleaning bill, Clark." 

 "You don't mind?" 

 "I'm...flattered." Lex said softly as he ran his thumb over Clark's
bottom lip. "And," Lex huffed before dropping his hand, "You're the one
that has to walk past your parents with a wet lap, not me. I only have to
go by Enrique with a hard on and since I've moved to Smallville, that
sight has lost its novelty a quite some time ago." 

 "Oh, damn." Suddenly the damp stickiness in his boxers started to cling
uncomfortably in the night air. 

 "I tried to warn you." 

 Clark rolled his eyes. "Yeah, good job." 

 With an unrepented smirk, Lex twisted him around and shoved him towards
the house. "Grab a shower and go to bed, Clark. I'll call you tomorrow to
ask you out formally." 

 Clark gave him a wide smile over his shoulder, anything less was
impossible at this point, pulled his tee shirt out and over the front of
his jeans and then turned to walk the parental gauntlet.  

 Enrique was not going to get a show tonight. 

 The musky smell of Clark's semen on his pant leg was permeating the small
compartment of the Ferrari and aggravating the painful state the sloppy,
virgin kiss had left him in. His hard on was practically bumping the
steering wheel as he drove. Lex wasn't going to make it home before
ruining a very fine pair of trousers. 

 Turning the wheel hard to the right, Lex parked the car on the side of
the road at a careless angle and quickly killed the engine. Not wanting to
be front page fodder for The Inquisitor, he didn't bother with the hazard
lights. Getting rear ended was preferable to Officer Bob catching him with
his hands in his lap jerking off. 

 The Ferrari had barely stopped its low thrumming before Lex was biting
off his driving gloves and fumbling with the fastenings of his trousers.
While cursing loudly the torturously high quality of Helmut Lang's
workmanship, the zipper screeched and eventually came down. 

 Simultaneously licking the palm of his left, Lex used his right hand to
yank down his black silk boxers and shimmy his pants mid thigh. He hissed
when his fingers finally wrapped around the shaft of his cock. The
overstrained organ was throbbing painfully like a toothache. 

 One pump, two and it was over. He was coming. He'd never been this easy. 

 "Oh, shit...Clark!" he cursed as a stream semen sprayed up towards the
direction of his chin. After few more softer strokes to draw out the
feeling, Lex sagged against the steering wheel, panting. He was pleasantly
wasted. 

 Lex had played it cool around Clark but the evidence that he'd been just
as strongly affected by their touching was now overlaying the mash
potatoes from this evening's supper in a questionably artistic smatter.
The expensive blue sweater was unsalvageable but he'll probably keep it
somewhere safe where the servants can't take it for cleaning. 

 "Oh, isn't that a supremely sappy idea." 

 Damn him, Clark Kent was making him into a romantic. Not necessarily a
bad thing but he did miss the loss of identity in a fleeting kind of way.
Lex laughed, the sound was loud in the close confines of the car. 

 Billionaire playboy brought to his knees by Kansas farm boy, a special
boy mind you with very intriguing secrets but a boy none the less. 

 Christ. 

 Clark was only seventeen years old and a virgin. He shouldn't be able to
bring down a man that most of the debutantes in the western hemisphere
hadn't been able to bag. Lionel would laugh if he saw him now. 

 Lionel. 

 Unless one of Clark's mutant abilities, other than being inhumanly
strong, Lex had seen the pictures before he'd destroyed them, was the
ability to procreate, his father was going to be royally pissed when he
found out the Luther line stopped with his son. 

 Demanding full disclosure from Clark went both ways. He saw that now but
at the time it was a way of testing Clark's resolve and he admitted, a
form of insurance, a way of keeping him Lex supposed. 

 Clark was still one step behind. He had no choice. 

 Lex had experienced lust and at some undistinguishable point, had gone on
to love. Asking Clark to come out of the closet in a town where the only
gay man he knew was Lex, was a way of guaranteeing the beautiful young
farm boy would have no one else to turn to when he made the eventual,
deeper transition. It was solid planning, good forecasting, decidedly
calculating and--Lex laughed again--had quite efficiently turned around to
bite him in the ass. 

 The editorial vengeance of The Daily Planet, The Inquisitor, The
Smallville Ledger and even The Torch didn't frighten him nearly as much as
Lionel Luther's real and potentially lethal wrath. Wrapped up in the
desperation of making his romantic dreams come true, Lex had forgotten the
nightmare of his father. 

 He would have to be careful. He would have to be cunning. He would have
to ruthless. 

 To keep Clark safe, he would have to be the son his father wanted him to
be and the man Jonathon Kent despised. 

 He would have to be a Luthor.	

 "They were kissing, Martha." 

 "I think they were doing a little more than that but yes, Jonathon. Lex
and Clark were kissing." 

 "That's a little fast, don't you think? I mean, we only gave him
permission to court our son yesterday." 

 "Did you see the smile on Clark's face when he came in?" 

 "Barely. He was past me and up the stairs before I got a good look." 

 "He's happy Jonathon. I think we made the right choice." 

 "Well, if he's happy..." 

 "Exactly. Now go to sleep, dear." 

 "Yes, ma'am." 

 "Good boy."  

 "Tell me again why my parents came along on our first date, Lex." 

 "Because I want people to see me interacting with your family, Clark.
It's good for them to see us together in a nice, wholesome setting." 

 "To get them in right mind set about us. Yeah, I get it but can't we
ditch the old folks for awhile and go necking behind the cattle sheds?" 

 "Luthors don't 'neck', Clark." 

 "Okay, I'm open for suggestions." 

 "I think your father would like to check out the John Deere exhibit..." 

 "Don't even think about buying him a new tractor, Lex. He's just starting
to tolerate you." 

 "Killjoy." 

 "Well, if it will make you feel any better, you can buy me a Pogo stick
with lots of ketchup. The booth's only here once a year and it's one of my
favorite things about the Labor Day fair." 

 "Is food the only way to your heart, Clark?" 

 "No, there's another way but you already said no." 

 After feeding his growing boyfriend, they strolled the exhibits behind
the elder Kents. Lex did not buy Clark's father any new farm equipment but
he did take the salesman's card for future reference just in case. Even in
this day and age, there was such a thing as a dowry. 

 There were the usual sundry of fair rides but Lex flat out refused to
ride any of them telling Clark they were a lawsuit waiting to happen.
Clark did managed however, to get him to go through a walk through haunted
house although Lex suspected his main intention was to get him alone in
the dark for a quick kiss. Lex hadn't needed all that much convincing and
both of them had exited grinning like fools. Martha Kent had looked
extraordinarily pleased when she asked them if they enjoyed the ride. Lex
had surprised himself by blushing. 

 The main event, as the sun went down and colored lights lit up the
fairway, was a concert in the band shell. Clark and Lex had their own
blanket a discreet distance away from Martha and Jonathon on the soft
grass. 

 While waiting for the band to start playing, they sat drinking iced tea
out of plastic cups and talking about the demise of summer. The school
year started in a few days and Clark was excited about being a senior. Lex
fell in love with him all over again watching his eyes sparkle and his big
hands dance through the air as he spoke. 

 It had been a good day and Lex hoped, an ever better night.  

 "Do you want to hold hands?" 

 "Are you sure, Clark? Chloe's sitting just over there. It's dark, but she
still might see." 

 "I want to touch you, Lex and she's mostly watching the band anyway." 

 "She's not the only one out here." 

 "Well, speaking of 'out'..." 

 "You don't have to do this tonight, Clark. The seed we planted today has
barely had time to germinate." 

 "I promise not kiss you, then. However, all bets are off during the
fireworks later." 

 Not waiting for an answer, Clark reached over and took Lex's hand into
his lap. The look of pride in the older man's eyes as he wound their
fingers together made Clark's mist. He had to look away quickly before he
broke his no kissing vow. Lex squeezed his fingers gently and together
they watched the band in silence.  

 "Martha, can you see that? They're holding hands." 

 "So are we, Jonathon." 

 "Yeah, but..." 

 "It's dark. No one can tell unless they're being nosy or overprotective."


 "Oh hell, Martha." 

 "Watch the band, dear."  

 "Clark!" 

 In tandem he and Clark turned to see Lana, Chloe and Pete strolling
towards them. Fuck. They had lost the parents only to be found by the
friends. 

 Clark greeted them collectively with a 'hey, guys' while Lex politely
asked each of them if they were enjoying the fair. He wasn't happy they
were here, Lex was looking forward to a certain promised kiss but he
wasn't foolish enough to let it show. These were Clark's peers. Community
acceptance of their relationship would come initially through them. 

 As a group they made their way to the fallowed field next to the
fairgrounds where the fireworks would be set off. Hoping to get a
gratuitous look at Clark's ass, Lex hung back a few feet. Unfortunately,
his lecherous plans were derailed by Chloe Sullivan, who matched her pace
with his. 

 "Did you like the concert, Lex?" 

 "It wasn't the Metropolis Philharmonic but it did have its merits." 

 "Yeah, I could see that. You and Clark were sitting awfully close." 

 "Fishing for a story, Miss Sullivan? I thought The Torch didn't
officially reopen until Tuesday." 

 "No, not really. I was just wondering how Clark's 'How I Spent My Summer
Vacation' essay would read. You spend a lot of time with him, don't you?" 

 "We enjoy each other's company immensely, Miss Sullivan." Lex gave her a
pointed look. "Is that a problem?" 

 "Not if we were in Metropolis." 

 Any retort Lex would have liked to make was cut off by their arrival in
the field. Lex stopped by the wooded edge and watched as the inquisitive
Miss Sullivan joined up with her friends. After a few moments she merged
into the crowd with Lana and Pete in tow. With a smile, Clark walked back
to where he was standing in the shadows. 

 "Where are they off to?" Lex asked when Clark was near enough. 

 "The Breaks. It's a bunch of large rocks with lots of flat spots for
sitting." 

 "Aren't we joining them?" 

 "Naw, it's pretty dirty. Chloe suggested I take you over the other side
of the field. There's a fence we can use as bench to watch the light
show." 

 Lex made a mental note to give Gabe Sullivan a raise.	

 "I don't see a fence here, Clark." 

 "Of course not, Lex. They don't put fences in the woods. Nothing to keep
in." 

 "Then why--oomph!" 

 Using his greater strength but not too much, Clark pinned Lex to the
closest tree and proceeded to kiss him senseless. Like the genius he was,
Lex caught on quickly, pulling him tight and raking his hands under the
back of Clark's sweatshirt. 

 After the initial rush, the kissing slowed down to a more leisurely pace.
Clark allowed Lex a breath and Lex took advantage of the break by moving
his lips down the column of Clark's throat. Clark threw his head back and
hips forward. 

 "Oh, geez, Lex...that's good." 

 "Yes, it is. You taste like honey and sunshine, Clark. I want to lick you
all over." 

 Pulling the front of his shirt up, Lex dragged his tongue over Clark's
exposed chest. When teeth scraped a nipple, Clark cried out. 

 "Oh, god!" 

 "Hush, sunshine. You don't want people running in here seeing what I'm
going to do next." 

 Next? 

 Clark's eyes went wide when Lex dropped to his knees and began to mouth
the head of Clark's erection through the denim of his jeans. There was a
dark spot just below the brass button and Lex paid special attention to
it. He was gasping by the time the older man effortlessly opened his fly,
pushed down his boxers and brought his aching erection out into the cool
night air. 

 "Fuck you're big, Clark." Lex licked the slit of his cock. Clark stared
in fascination as the drops of pre-come on its tip were collected on Lex's
swirling pink tongue. It was more erotic than anything he'd ever seen on
the Internet. Lex sat back on his heels and smiled up at him. "And sweet."


 "Please...Lex..." Clark pumped his hips, the wet tip of his cock narrowly
missing the older man's cheek. 

 "Hold on to the tree, Clark. I don't want you falling me when you come." 

 Clark's brain hardly had time to process Lex's warning, before he was
swallowed whole. He grabbed the tree quickly and tried hard not to close
his eyes in pleasure. This was his first blow job and he wanted to watch. 

 The heat of Lex's mouth was wonderful. Because of his alien nature, he
couldn't be damaged but Clark felt like he was being branded, marked.
Every time Lex's head pulled back, Clark was sure he saw burns but it was
only the red flush of blood as his cock filled further. When Lex started
humming as he sucked, Clark caught fire all over. He reluctantly slammed
his eyes shut so nothing else would. 

 "Lex...oh god...Lex...I'm going to..." 

 As his orgasm started to pulse out of him, Clark half heartedly tried to
shift his hips back but Lex's fingers held him firm. Purring now, the
older man drank him in until he had nothing left to give. It was a
fantastic feeling, coming in his boyfriend's mouth. Without checking,
Clark knew instinctively that there was at least an inch between his boot
soles and the leaf littered ground. 

 When the night air once again chilled him, Clark opened his eyes to see
that had Lex fallen to the side on all fours. 

 Heaven met earth abruptly. 

 For a moment Clark thought Lex was retching until he saw the flurry of
activity at the fly of his tailored pants and a stream of white hitting
the forest floor soon after. 

 Lex had come from making him come. Cool. 

 Prying his fingers out of the trunk of the tree, Clark zipped himself up
and kneeled down by his convulsing boyfriend. 

 "You okay?" 

 "Dammit all to hell, Clark." Lex swore. "I hate it when you make me do
that." His head was hanging loosely between his outstretched arms. 

 "Have an orgasm?" Clark asked confused. He had quite liked his. 

 Lex moaned. "No, go off like a fucking teenager." 

 "Sorry?" 

 Lex peered up at him smiling. "Don't worry about it. I'll deal." 

 Smiling back, Clark held out his hand and helped him up. Lex did up his
pants and then brushed the knees. There was a drop of semen on the hem of
flustered man's black sweater and without thinking twice, Clark used his
index finger to wipe it off. 

 Faster than someone who was born on this planet should have be able, Lex
snatched his wrist and held the white coated finger to Clark's lips. 

 "Taste me, Clark." Lex whispered, his voice low and throaty. 

 Clark did. 

 It wasn't sweet like Lex said his was, it was actually a little bitter
but it was okay because it was well...Lex. Clark dutifully sucked his
finger clean before lowering it. Watching intently, Lex's silver eyes
glittered in the dark. 

 "Jesus, fucking Christ, Clark. Now kiss me." 

 And Clark did that too. 

 As soon as their lips touched, Lex's tongue was in his mouth mixing their
fluids and blending them into one. This time there was no question. It
tasted great. They tasted great. Clark flicked his own tongue into Lex's
mouth to show his appreciation and Lex's hugged him tighter in response.
Finally so they could breathe, although that wasn't really a concern for
Clark, Lex broke the kiss and pressed their foreheads together. 

 "You're incredible, Clark. Do you know that? You drive me insane. You're
so fucking incredible and I...I care for you so fucking much." 

 And I think I'm in love with you, Clark wanted to say but didn't want to
sound like a stupid kid after his first blow job. 

 "Me too," he said instead. 

 Lex grinned and hooked an arm around his waist. "How's about we go see
some fireworks?" 

 "Yeah," Clark agreed. 

 It would be the perfect ending to a perfect first date.  

 A low rumble interrupted Lex's thoughts. He looked up from his computer
screen over to where Clark was sprawled reading his latest homework
assignment on the couch. School had started two weeks ago and the
scholastic deluge had begun. 

 "Hungry, Clark?" 

 "Sort of." 

 "You know where the kitchen is. Help yourself." 

 "Want anything?" 

 "Maybe after I'm done with this." 

 "Work?" 

 "Working for pleasure would be more precise." 

 "Okay, that sounds interesting. What is it?" 

 "When I'm done, you'll know." 

 "Can't I know now?" 

 "Go eat, Clark."  

 "You're going to pay Clark's way into everything?" Clark's father roared,
slamming down his Personal Digital Assistant or 'PDA' on the kitchen
table. When Lex compiled this report, he knew instinctively that
particular recommendation would bother the proud, older man. 

 "Yes, Mr Kent that's what rich boyfriends do." Lex said evenly, sticking
to his guns. If Clark's 'coming out' was to go smoothly, certain
guidelines needed to be followed. Appearance was everything. "I'll also
buy his coffees, lunch, dinner, whatever when we're out together. And he
will see only me. No girlfriends. Not even rumored ones." 

 "What about social events like a school dance, for instance?" That was
from Martha. She was scrolling through the information on her PDA
thoughtfully. Lex had provided one of the small hand held devices for each
of them. 

 "That's trickier in the early stages. We don't want to shock the good
citizens of Smallville by having Clark bring me to his senior prom. But I
suppose I could volunteer to be a chaperone to gain attendance. If the
event is in Metropolis, it won't be a problem. I'll display Clark openly
as my date." 

 "You don't want me to go out after dark!" Clark squeaked holding up his
PDA to Lex's face. 

 And here was Clark's sore point. 

 "Only for your own good, Clark. I don't want you to become a victim of
gay bashing." Lex heard Martha gasp. "On the farm here, no problem but be
careful while in town after dark." 

 "Lex, I can take care of myself." Clark said while giving him a steady
gaze. There was information being offered in those big doe eyes but now
was not the time to partake of it. Knowing Clark's secrets were secondary
to keeping him safe. 

 "Yes, maybe." Lex allowed. "But I'd rather you avoid violent
confrontations. If you find yourself involved in one, do your best to walk
away. Don't rise to insults." 

 "That sounds like something Dad would say." 

 Lex looked at Mr Kent and gave him a nod of genuine respect. "It's good
advice. Follow it." 

 "Chloe knows?" Martha asked. It was Clark who answered. 

 "Yeah, Lex says since Labor Day but I haven't talked to her about yet. I
will though. Soon. And I'll ask her to help me with Pete and Lana." 

 "Good idea, Clark." Lex reached across the table a briefly squeezed the
hand that wasn't holding a PDA. He didn't touch Clark often in front of
his parents but the younger man's participation in this brain storming
session pleased him. After reluctantly pulling back his hand, Lex picked
up his own PDA. 

 "There's one factor we haven't addressed yet and it's a big one," he
said. 

 "Lionel Luthor." Mr Kent mouthed it like was a curse. It was. 

 "Yes. My father won't be pleased I'm dating a male high school student
but not because of public embarrassment. Luthors don't care what others
think--" 

 "He wants grandchildren." Martha said cutting him off. "And adoptive ones
are not an option." 

 "Yes, ma'am. That's correct. The bloodline must be continued to assure
immortality." 

 "What about you, Lex? Do you want children?" 

 "Mom!" 

 Unaware how in depth the agreement between Lex and his parents was, Clark
was understandably outraged. Clark didn't know Lex intended to propose and
make him his life. Talking about children most likely seemed strange to
the young man at this point. Lex couldn't look at him without revealing
how at ease he was with the topic, so he focused on his mother. 

 "Honestly, Mrs Kent, I haven't gotten that far in my thought process but
I can tell you I don't have a problem with adoption." 

 "Good enough, Lex. Now back to Lionel. What can he do?" 

 "A number of things. One, he can try to attack me financially but that
would be the most ineffective. With the creation of LexCorp, I have become
financially independent. There have been some set backs, but I've learned
from them. I'm stronger now. He can't easily take my money away." 

 "I have a rich boyfriend. Cool." 

 "From anyone else, Clark, that statement would have me running for the
hills but yes, you have a very rich boyfriend." 

 "The second item you have listed is 'public embarrassment'." Mr Kent said
pointing at his PDA where it remained on the table like a pariah. "I
thought you said that didn't matter to Luthors." 

 "It doesn't. I can take it as well as I give it but that does not extend
to the people I care about. Lionel may try using blackmail, possibly in
the form of compromising photographs to force me into stop seeing Clark
and that only hurts me, through him. I will not have Clark's reputation
sullied." 

 "So you won't touch my boy." Mr Kent said with a snort of satisfaction.
Lex hated to burst his bubble...well, perhaps 'hate' was too strong a
word. 

 "I'm sorry to offend your sensibilities, Mr Kent but I have touched your
boy and will continue to do so. Whether you care for it or not, he is my
lover." Out of the corner of his eye, Lex could see Clark squirming his
chair. "But I do promise to be discreet and treat him with respect." 

 "Fine. I suppose I can't ask much more than that." 

 "But that doesn't mean Lionel won't obtain pictures." Lex took a breath.
He was about to unleash a side of his personality he fought against every
day and was uncomfortable displaying in front the Kents. "If he does, I'll
deal with him in kind. I have access to the same resources he does and I'm
not above using them to protect my own. Lionel taught me well." Lex
finished, hoping it was enough to belay their fears without completely
repulsing them. 

 Lex didn't like acting a Luther around these good people. It was bad
form. 

 "We understand, dear." Martha said gently. 

 "Thank you." Lex replied softly, grateful of her generosity of spirit but
not surprised by it. He took a slow peek at Clark, instantly terrified of
what he might see. 

 The younger man was looking at him across the table with obvious
sympathy. Big eyes watery and a silly, lopsided grin on his over ripe
mouth. Oh god, how he loved this boy. It was appallingly frightening how
much. Lex swallowed hard and managed a tight smile in return. 

 "Is that it?" Clark asked, impatiently. He was taking it well, but it was
obvious to Lex the younger man had reached his limit of people picking
apart his love life. 

 "Other than the police being called in, the Smallville chamber of
commerce revoking your father's business license or the odd brick or two
being thrown through your front window, I suppose it is." 

 "You don't paint a very pretty picture, Lex." Martha said, rising from
the table. 

 "I know, ma'am," Lex tore his eyes from the breath taking image she
called her son to give her a grave look. "But I believe in being
prepared." 

 "Well, we are that. Now, who's up for pie?"  

 "You're my knight in shining armor, Lex." 

 "No, I'm more like Darth Vader who knows how to wield the Force to his
advantage." 

 Clark laughed. Lex was such a sci-fi geek sometimes. Good thing. Very
good thing. 

 "Yeah, well, either way I'm glad you're on my side." 

 After his mom's apple pie, Clark dragged Lex up to the loft to cheer him
up. Lex got snarky when talking about his father, the senior Luthor and
Clark was resolved to break him of his foul mood. He slipped off the couch
to kneel at Lex's feet. 

 "Lex?" 

 Lex pinched the bridge of his nose and snapped, "What is it, Clark?" 

 "Can I suck your cock?" 

 "Huh?" Lex stared down him. His finely delineated eyebrows, the colour of
ripened wheat were arched and his coral pink was mouth was slightly open,
the fuller bottom lip parted a little from the jagged line of the upper. 

 It was a good look for him, Clark mused. It brought the older man down to
his level. Lex looked impossibly young when he was bewildered and Clark
liked that. It made him feel strong in a way his alien powers didn't. 

 Placing his hands on the tops Lex's thighs, Clark parted his knees with a
not so gentle push and moved between them. "Can. I. Suck. Your. Cock?" He
repeated slowly. 

 For a long moment Lex searched his face gently with his eyes. Simmering
with the urge to just take what he wanted, Clark waited quietly and
suffered the without batting an eye. 

 Finally Lex brought up a hand to stroke his cheek and whispered, "Yes." 

 Permission at last. Oh, god. 

 In the last couple of weeks Lex had blown him five times, yes he
remembered exactly but had not allowed Clark to return the favour. It was
milestone in their relationship, Clark knew and only hoped he could mark
it properly. 

 With fingers that felt like over stuffed sausages, he undid the fly of
Lex's pants as Lex continued to watch him silently. When they were opened,
Clark got his first real look of his boyfriend's genitals. He gasped in
pleasant surprise. 

 Lex Luthor had hair. 

 There wasn't a lot of it but there was enough to dust a fine copper mist
along the base of a long, sturdy shaft. Beyond that, Lex was neatly cut
and the head of his cock was appropriately tinted a deep royal purple.
Clark found the whole package almost pretty. He smiled up at Lex. 

 "It's beautiful." 

 "Thank you." Lex replied in the same hushed tone he'd used earlier. 

 Putting his desire on the back burner, Clark took a moment to contemplate
the man's bearing. This was a bookmark in their life after all. He wanted
to remember it. 

 Lex's eyes and mouth where soft, his forehead smooth and his shoulders,
rounded. The older man looked so exquisitely serene and trusting, Clark
was moved. Lex didn't give this away to anybody and Clark knew it.
Something inside him broke. Changed. Became stronger. 

 "All of you," he added in his own breathy whisper. "You're beautiful all
over, Lex." 

 This time he got a slight smile in thank you and another light caress to
his cheek. Bursting with happiness, Clark leaned into the delicate brush
of fingers on his way down to Lex's lap. 

 Trying to recall how Lex did this to him, Clark covered his teeth with
his lips and sucked in the crest of Lex's penis into his mouth. The tang
of pre-come dragged across his taste buds as he moved downwards. He
stopped and breathed deeply through his nose when soft red hair tickled
its tip. Lex moaned and threaded his fingers into Clark's hair. 

 "Hold still, sunshine." 

 Thankful of the direction, Clark looked up at Lex and hummed what he
hoped would be taken for assent. 

 "Jesus..." Lex hissed and then started to pull his cock out of Clark's
mouth. 

 For a moment Clark thought Lex was going to leave him entirely and
disappointment was fast becoming a very tangible thing until he was once
again filled. 

 Oh, now he got it. Lex was going to fuck his mouth. Okay, his ego and his
super powers could handle that. 

 Clark hunched further forward to better line up Lex's cock with his
throat. The movement garnered another noisy thrust from his boyfriend. And
another. Soon the hay loft was filled with Lex's low throaty growling and
the creaking of rusty couch springs. The unorthodox song brought Clark's
own cock to life. It was hard and pulsing in his jeans. 

 "Clark...oh, fuck...Clark...do you want to swallow? Please...oh
fuck...fuck...fuck...tell me you want to swallow. Please!" 

 Not sure how to answer yes with his mouth full, Clark placed his hands
over Lex's where they cradled his head and prayed he got the message. He
did. After a few more long thrusts, Lex came with a keening wail in his
mouth. 

 Super powers or not, Clark still had a gag reflux of sorts. The incessant
pounding hadn't sparked it but the tickling sensation of Lex shooting warm
semen down his throat did. Clark only managed a few deep swallows before
pulling back to suckle the rest of Lex's come from the end of his
sputtering cock. By the tightening of the fingers in his hair, it seemed
he wasn't being blamed for his failing. 

 "Oh, my god!" came a high pitched scream too coherent to be Lex. His
boyfriend was screaming but he wasn't forming words. 

 Once again utilizing his alien biology, Clark released the softening cock
in his mouth, wiped his chin clean and faster than the human eye could
register, stood in front of Lex, blocking him from their unexpected
visitor's view like a pillar. 

 "Chloe!" Clark exclaimed to her back, incredibly and deeply mortified. In
modesty, she must have turned around the moment she realized what was
happening in the loft but he still wondered how much she seen. 

 "Are you done, guys?" 

 "I am." Lex reported from behind him. He peered back over his shoulder to
see Lex doing up his zipper and smiling smugly. Clark gave him a sour look
before turning back to Chloe. 

 "It's okay now, Chloe. You can turn around." 

 Chloe was smiling brightly when she did. "Well, that was one hell of a
confirmation." Her eyes lowered and her head tilted to the side. "Oh,
Clark." 

 Confused, Clark followed her line of sight. It ended at the crotch of his
jeans where his erection was clearly delineated in faded denim.
Embarrassed, Clark spun and started doing up the lower buttons of his
flannel shirt. Lex was laughing. 

 "You're evil." Clark hissed down at him. It didn't matter much to him now
that Lex was in a better mood. 

 "I know." Lex agreed with a smirk and hooked a hand around Clark's bicep,
tugging him down beside him on the couch. "Please, Miss Sullivan, pull up
a bail of hay." 

 "Straw." Clark corrected through clenched teeth. 

 "Straw." Lex acceded with a graceful nod of his head. 

 Bouncing across the wooden floor of the loft like an excited puppy, Chloe
took a seat. The eager look in her eyes chilled Clark and wilted his
erection. He huddled against Lex hoping he would do most of the talking. 

 "So, you're a couple now, huh." 

 Totally composed and looking more together than someone who had just
screamed out an orgasm at the top of his lungs had the right to be, Lex
answered without the tiniest hitch in his voice. "Yes, although it's
generally not known for obvious reasons. Besides yourself, Clark's parents
are the only others aware of the fact." 

 "Wow. They know about the sex?" 

 A dry nod and the tiniest of smiles. "They haven't had a private viewing
as you have, Miss Sullivan but yes, they do." 

 Chloe grinned and clapped her hands. "Lucky me." 

 "Chloe!" 

 "Oh come on, Clark." She tossed her blond head at him. Pert was fast
becoming annoying. "Guy on guy sex is totally hot." 

 "Yeah, for the guys." Clark snorted and then blushed. He was getting
better at not doing that at every turn but geez, this was Chloe. 

 "And for the girls. Especially when they look as good as you two. Haven't
you ever heard of slash, Clark? It's written and read mostly by women." 

 "Are you telling me watching me have sex with my boyfriend turns you on?
Ew, Chloe!" 

 "Get with it, Clark." Chloe mooned at him and then halted. "Boyfriend?
This is really real, isn't it?" 

 "Very." Lex said succinctly while reaching over, taking Clark's hand and
giving the back of the knuckles a soft kiss before weaving their fingers
together and placing the enfolded possession in the lap of his expensive
trousers. "Although coming out may present a problem here in Smallville,"
he said finishing the possessive display and focusing his cool stare on
their excited inquisitor. 

 "I can see that," Chloe said in a rush, her eyes brighter than they were
before. "But it might not be so bad as you think. I mean, people see you
two together all the time. It's always Lex and Clark did this, Clark and
Lex did that. How much of a leap can it be to find out you're lovers?" 

 "It's the reaction after the fact we're worried about." 

 "Do you really care? If you love each other, what does it matter what
anyone else thinks?" 

 Clark felt Lex stiffen at the mention of the "L" word but the older man
relaxed again before Clark had time to wonder about it. 

 "That's an attitude I can afford, Miss Sullivan. Clark cannot." 

 "Because you're the big bad city slicker and he's the small town boy? Oh,
please. That one's been flogged to death, Lex." 

 Clark glanced over Lex. He looked a little bit surprised. 

 "So you think we should just do it?" Clark asked his bubbly friend. 

 "Be subtle, no make sessions in the Talon or anything but, yeah. I'll
help by running a little interference. You know, talk about how cool you
two are together. That sort of thing." 

 "No articles in the Torch?" Lex asked. 

 "Tempting but that can wait, provided you give me an exclusive once
you're all the way out of the closet." 

 "I don't do interviews and neither does Clark. Not about this." 

 "Oh hell, it was worth a shot." 

 "But we both appreciate your understanding and your offer to help." Lex
said with honest sincerity. He wasn't playing Chloe as Clark had seen him
do many times with others and it made Clark proud. 

 "No problem." 

 Chloe grinned widely at them both and Clark felt himself start to relax. 

 The first step had been taken towards an open relationship with Lex.
Maybe the rest wouldn't be so hard.  

 "Put that away, Jonathon and turn off the light." 

 "In a minute, Martha. Did you know I can get the latest market prices on
this thing?" 

 "Yes, dear. You just have to plug it into the Internet." 

 "And I can keep track of breeding schedules, fertilizing timetables?" 

 "Did you say thank you to Lex for giving it to you?" 

 "What? Oh hell, Martha." 

 "Jonathon." 

 "Tomorrow. I'll say thanks tomorrow." 

 "I know you will. Good night, Jonathon." 

 "Night. Hey, is that a card game?" 

 "Jonathon!"  

 "Did they arrive?" 

 Entering the library, Enrique glided towards Lex and placed a cream
colored envelope on his desk. Lex checked its contents, two tickets to the
Metropolis Philharmonic Opening Gala this coming Saturday night. 

 From September through out November they'd been playing it cool in
public, sharing intimacies only when they were alone or with Clark's
parents, although at a much lower key and with a lot less heavy breathing.
Jonathon Kent still looked lovingly at the shotgun mounted over the
fireplace whenever Lex came within a foot of his son. 

 Like the rest of the town, Pete and Lana were still not aware of the
complexity of his relationship with Clark and Lex had not pressed it. No
one knew of the times they spent kissing each other to orgasm in his car
or the quick blow jobs in the loft before the 'folks' came home from the
feed store. Similarly, Smallville was also unaware of their all night
movie fests at the castle where they talked more than paid attention to
what was on the big screen or the tranquil evenings Lex spent watching
Clark study on his couch in the library when he should have been decoding
spreadsheets. 

 Romance was something not yet associated with Lex and Clark or Clark and
Lex as Chloe Sullivan continued to call them. They were simply close
friends who were rarely seen without the other. And if anyone perceived
that was odd, no one said so. Of course, this was a town where man eating
cows didn't make the front page in the local paper. So, go figure. 

 Despite enjoying having Clark Kent solely to himself, Lex knew this grace
period was vital to building the solid base they would need to withstand
the prejudice that would eventually make itself known once they came out
as lovers. He had purposely initiated it. 

 Rampant mutants were one thing in Smallville but faggots in the god
fearing rural town were bound to be quite another. However, if he wanted
more than the Kents and Chloe Sullivan to attend his wedding reception,
the hiding had to stop. It was time to give his beautiful farm boy up to
the rest of the world and begin the good fight. The gala event in
Metropolis would be the opening bell. 

 Lex put down the envelope and looked up at his manservant. The tall, well
dressed man was elegantly polished like most everything else he owned. 

 "Has Clark's tux been to delivered to the Kent farm?" 

 "Yes sir," Enrique replied crisply. "Along with the shoes. The cufflinks
came this morning from the jewelers but I thought perhaps you might want
to deliver those personally." 

 "I do," Lex confirmed. "And you got my list about what to stock the limo
with? Lots of fruit, Clark loves fruit." 

 "Cook has made it her personal mission to see that Master Kent has
everything he needs during the trip to and from the city." 

 "She has?" 

 "Yes, sir. She's quite fond of the lad. As are we all. He's an excellent
choice." 

 Lex looked sharply at the other man. Apparently the staff had categorized
Clark's place in his life without asking. And if it was anything remotely
close to Victoria, Lex would be doing mass interviews in the near future. 

 "Would you mind explaining that last comment, Enrique? Choice of what?" 

 "I believe the politically correct term is life partner, although Cook
insists on calling Master Kent, 'your young man'." 

 "Oh." 

 Lex was stunned. 

 Most of his household staff, with the exception of Enrique were locals
and the majority of those, older women with families. Such tolerance of
his gay relationship with one of their own was unexpected, as were their
powers of observation. Surprisingly, they had correctly guessed he was
courting Clark and not simply trying to get him into his bed for a quick
fuck. 

 Perhaps that was the difference. 

 Also remembering Miss Sullivan's eager acceptance, Lex was beginning to
believe he had given the inhabitants of Smallville less credit than they
deserved. 

 "Will there be anything else, sir?" 

 "No, that will be all. Wait." Enrique halted at the threshold of the
library and turned. "Please inform the staff that my private life is not a
topic of gossip." Lex stopped and thought. "Unless it is discussed
discreetly and with respect." 

 "Of course, sir. I understand, sir." 

 "And tell Cook, thank you. I'm sure 'my young man' will appreciate her
efforts. I know I do." 

 With a silent nod and an atypical Cheshire cat smile, Enrique bowed out
of the room. 

 Mulling over the latest victory in his war to win Clark's heart, Lex
leaned back in his steel mesh chair and stared idly out the window. 

 Treating Clark with respect was paying off--even in his own home. The
lonely nights he'd been enduring were reaping benefits that even his
mercurial mind in all its Lexian glory had not foreseen. 

 From the first, against his libido's loud and frequent protests, Lex had
been pacing his sexual encounters with Clark because that's what 'dating'
was, wasn't it? 

 Sex was secondary to building a trusting relationship or so all the
romance books he'd recently added to his all ready expansive repertoire of
reading material said. Lex didn't have a great amount of practical
experience in that arena. 

 Fucking, he knew. Using sex as a bargaining tool, he was the master. But
being a lover in the truest sense of the word, he was a complete and utter
novice. 

 Lex had never been in love before. 

 Oh, he thought he was once. He'd even married the bitch but he knew the
difference now. Even under the influence of mutant pheromones, a blow job
from Desiree had never felt like a religious experience. 

 It was another unexpected 'Kentian' benefit. 

 When it finally happened, sex with Clark would be glorious. Lex was
certain of it. He also knew he would be no longer able to keep his
feelings to himself. 

 During these last weeks, it had been difficult enough not to tell his
beautiful farm boy how much he loved him. It was a constant hurt, a heavy
weight in his chest. After making love to Clark, it would be impossible.
He would be at the young man's mercy. 

 Lex did not want to be the first to say the words 'I love you'. Just
being in love was scary enough. The possibility that Clark might not feel
as strongly and look at him with sad eyes was horrifying. Lex had to be
sure his feelings were reciprocated before admitting his deepest,
brightest secret. Luthors were not pitied by anyone, up to and especially
the love of their lives. 

 It didn't matter how many times Clark, with his mutant powers had saved
his life, Lex would ruthlessly destroy Clark's if he broke his heart. 

 And that, my friends, would be the stuff of legends.  

 "You gave him what?" 

 "Condoms. At his age, Martha, they're a boy's best friend." 

 "But Jonathon..." 

 "But what, Martha? Please tell me you didn't think they we're going to
wait until the wedding night." 

 "Well...no... but I hoped..." 

 "Well, I hoped it wasn't going to happen at all and look where that got
me. Martha, Clark's a grown boy, and sex...well, its something he's going
to want if he's involved with somebody romantically." 

 "Yes, I know. But did it have to be you giving them to him?" 

 "I know with his biology he probably doesn't need the protection, but
yes, I think so. I haven't been very supportive of this thing with Lex and
he knows it. Every time he looks at me...I feel his resentment. I had to
do something." 

 "An olive branch." 

 "Fancier than I would have put it but I guess, yeah. You're not upset
with me, are you Martha?" 

 "Did you rescind his curfew?" 

 "Hell, no. That bastard better have him right back after the concert and
not a minute later or I'll have his rich butt up on a pole scaring crows."


 "I love you, Jonathan Kent."  

 "They're beautiful, Lex." Clark said, looking across the limo at him. 

 "Does that mean you'll keep them after tonight?" 

 The diamond encrusted, solid gold cufflinks bore the sigil of Alexander
the Great. Clark nervously fingered the raised stylized 's' on the left
one. 

 "My dad will kill me if I do." 

 "That's not what I asked, Clark." Lex said, his voice low and without
inflection. 

 Oh, dumb move Kent. You've insulted your boyfriend when he's just trying
to do something nice for you. So what if the custom made cufflinks
probably cost more than your father's farm? What else did you expect a man
who has millions to buy you? Cheap knockoffs from Fordham's? 

 "You're right, Lex. I'm sorry. This isn't about him." Clark moved to
other side of the limo. "Thank you," he said after planting a light kiss
to Lex's temple. The pale skin was unusually warm and slightly salty. "I
love them and will keep them forever." 

 "Love's a strong word, Clark. Don't you mean you just like them a lot?"
Lex said softer this time. Without the edge. 

 "No, I'm quite certain with you, love's always the right word, Lex." 

 "Then I love that you love them." 

 Right there and then Clark would have given anything to be able to say he
loved Lex too but once again the timing sucked. 

 If you want to be taken seriously, you do not proclaim your feelings
after receiving a really great blow job or an obscenely expensive gift.
Especially to the rich and exquisitely beautiful Lex Luthor who probably
got declarations of love like most people got spam in their in-box. 

 And Clark wanted very much for the man he loved to take him seriously. 

 Beyond what most people thought, the cold hearted business tycoon, Lex
Luthor was a sensitive man. He was not his reputation. He hurt easily and
surprisingly, often. Clark's stupid blunder tonight was a case in point. 

 When he finally got around to being able to tell Lex his feelings there
could be no room for misinterpretation. Lex would know Clark loved him and
that it had nothing to do with sex or gifts. 

 It was all just a matter of timing.  

 Breaking away from an informative conversation on junk bonds, Lex put
down his drink and moved to the end of the bar to watch Clark's return
from the restroom. 

 Quite a number of well coiffeured heads turned as his date strode across
the marble floor of the Grand Tier Room in the Metropolis Concert Hall.
Not surprising. Six feet four, raven haired and breathtakingly gorgeous
tended to do that. 

 "A guy in the can pinched my butt and called me your boy toy." Clark said
when he reached the bar and stood shoulder to shoulder with him. Lex
placed a light but proprietary hand in the middle of Clark's broad back. 

 "Foolish man," he drawled, petting the fine weave of Clark's black tux
like the soft fur behind a kitten's ear. "I'll have him deported tomorrow
if you like." 

 Clark smirked and squinted sideways at him. "I think he's American, Lex."


 "Irrelevant." Lex replied blithely but meaning it. 

 "Nah," Clark laughed, seemingly unaffected by the rude comment. "Don't
waste your time, Lex. It was no big deal. Another guy thought I was a
prostitute. I think that's what rough trade means, right? And that didn't
bother me either." 

 Let's hear it for Kent family self esteem. It was amazing what a loving
up bringing could accomplish. Lex was eternally grateful for his lover's
savoir-faire, if not a little envious. 

 "There are a lot of small people in this very big city, Clark. If you
stick with me, tonight won't be the last time some jerk off thinks you're
some pretty boy I bought," Lex warned. "It will get better the more we're
seen together but it will take time. Are you sure you're all right with
that?" 

 Clark batted his eyelashes. Oh, he was a saucy wench tonight. "Do you
think I'm pretty, Lex?" 

 Pretty? Lex's dick promptly did hand stand in his pants. 

 Lounging back on bar on his elbows, giving a megawatt smile and casually
wearing a four thousand dollar Armani tux like it was a pair of worn out
overalls with a broken strap, his young lover looked like the cover of GQ
magazine. 

 Pretty? Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck. 

 Pretty had nothing on Clark Kent. 

 "Clark..." 

 "No, it's okay, Lex. I'm cool with that." Clark replied earnestly,
getting back on track quicker than Lex, whose physical reaction to the
young man beside him was seriously derailing his equilibrium at an
alarming pace. "I'm just impressed they think I'm attractive enough for
someone like you to spend money on." 

 "Don't' underestimate yourself, Clark. You're...what's the word?" Lex
paused and took a deep, calming breath. He was not going to blow his load
in front of this slew of blithering sycophants. Feeling his balls descend
a safe margin, Lex then gave the boy a determined, full body search with
his eyes and replied under his breath, "A hottie." 

 "You think? Me? Really?" The playful glint in Clark's eyes returned.
"Wanna put your mouth where your money is, Mr Luthor?" 

 "That's really bad, Clark." Lex groaned while suppressing a smile. He
could live two lifetimes and never become accustom this kind of carefree,
simple humour. Compare to the barbed word games he usually parried from
his set, he preferred it. But he was never really ready for it. Clark and
his family almost always caught him off guard. It was a pleasantly
refreshing modification. Lex felt his gripping, sexual tension ease slowly
into the sweet buzz of comfortable companionship. 

 "Doesn't change the question, though. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge." 

 "Are you coming on to me, farm boy?" 

 Clark dipped his head next to Lex's ear and whispered, "On you, in you.
Where ever you want, Lex. Just say so." 

 "In me?" Oh, now that was interesting. Lex had not considered bottoming
for Clark, it simply wasn't his usual preference but remembering the
generous hang of Clark's package, the thought was worth considering. "Do
you want to fuck me, Clark?" Lex asked peering sideways at the suddenly
bold young man. Their noses almost touched. 

 "No, not really." Clark's large front teeth worried one half of his
bottom lip. "But I would mind you doing me. We've been dating more than
three months, Lex. I think it's time we took the next step." 

 A bolt of adrenaline slammed through Lex, destroying his recently won
composure. Sights and sounds became sharper and the world narrowed down to
him, Clark and the three feet or so of wooden bar they were leaning
against. 

 He wanted this. He was hungry for it, starving. And now it was being
offered. The only problem was Clark had yet to tell him he loved him. Lex
had vowed to himself that he would not take Clark to his bed until the
younger man had verbalized his devotion. 

 But all that said, could he really say no to this pretty young god? 

 In the reception bar of the most prestigious concert hall of all of
Kansas, if not the whole of the Midwest, Gotham included, Lex was being
proposition by a man, that had he been raised in Metropolis, would have
the city at his feet by now. After one night, Clark was already half way
there. 

 Clark's time among the Metropolitan elite had been brief, a handful of
minutes and with the exception of a jealous few, the young farm boy from
Smallville had charmed the most jaded with his over large smile and his
guileless answers to their blunt and often caustic questions. 

 Could he really afford to say no to this pretty and imperially candid
young god? 

 Given the ground his handsome young date had already conquered, it would
social and political suicide to do so. Not that such vulgar concepts
mattered to Lex personally, but he was a businessman with a fledgling
corporation to run. It would be fiscally irresponsible to throw away such
an obviously valuable asset because of a sappy romantic agenda. So would
he? 

 No. 

 Not even if he had a choice. 

 But before anyone's dick was in anyone's butt, Lex would do his best as a
Luthor to elicit an 'I love you' from the only creature that had ever made
him think twice about the motivations that had governed the last ten years
of his life. 

 In some macabre fashion he would stick to the twisted ideals and goals he
had adopted as a matter of survival and keep his heart intact. It would be
the epitome of multitasking. 

 Ironically, while his father would despise his choice of life mate, he
would also be insufferably proud of his cold hearted and calculated
tactics to secure him. Fuck him. It made Lex hate the blind old bastard
even more. 

 "You might be right, farm boy." The bar lights dimmed twice briefly and
Lex checked his mother's watch. Intermission was almost over. "Do you want
to stay for the second half of the concert?" 

 "No, I want to go home and...fuck." Clark answered, stumbling adorably
over the last word. Lex gave him bonus points anyway. 

 Fueled by the expectant passion of final consummation, Lex reached up to
wind his fingers into the hair at the nape of Clark's neck and yanked his
head down for a quick but stinging kiss. "Let's go, sunshine," he ordered,
taking a sweetly stunned and attractively mussed Clark Kent by the hand. 

 This was all his and he was going to take it. 

 Finally. 

 Carefully. 

 Thankfully.  

 The long limo ride back to Smallville was anti-climatic. 

 Although Clark was geared up for something more, Lex had done nothing but
hold him and tell him boring stories about the people he'd met that night
when they finally made to the car. Clark had tried to be attentive but had
fallen asleep before the limo had left the Metropolis city limits. 

 "We're home, sunshine." 

 "Wha?" Clark yawned and dragged his knuckles across his heavy eyelids.
When he noticed the moonlight was shining through the limo windows at an
odd angle, Clark realized he was no longer sitting up. Sometime during the
three hour trip he had curled into a fetal position and was using one of
Lex's thighs as a pillow. 

 Remaining horizontal, Clark rolled on his back and straightened his legs
until his heels hit the far side of the car's cab. Lex's lap was warm
under his neck. 

 "Are we at the castle?" 

 "The farm." 

 Clark frowned. "But you said we were home." 

 "You are. Come on, get up." Trying to get him to move, Lex flexed his
hips but Clark refused to budge. 

 "Come in with me," he asked softly. 

 "It's late, Clark and you need your sleep." Lex gave him a replica of one
of his mother's sterner looks. It was kinda weird seeing it on his
boyfriend's face but not enough to move him. 

 "I need you more," he pleaded. "Send the car home and stay the night with
me." 

 "That's not a good idea." 

 "Why not? My bed's small but it will fit both of us if we cuddle." 

 "I can't sleep with you and not touch you, Clark. We've gone beyond
that." 

 "I'm not asking you not to, Lex. I want you to touch me. I want you enter
my house, go through my kitchen, scoot around the Lazy-Boy in the living
room, come up the stairs to my room holding my hand..." Remembering how
sinfully tactile the older man was, Clark snuggled the back of his head
deeper into cradle of Lex's lap. He was not above seduction to get what he
wanted. "And fuck me in my bed," he finished in what he hoped was a sexy
drawl. 

 "Your parents will hear..." Lex hissed through his teeth. Under his head,
Clark was pleased to feel something long and solid taking shape. 

 Score one for the horny seventeen year old virgin. 

 "Yeah, so but they expect us to have sex," Clark paused and wondered
briefly if he should tell Lex about his father giving him a box condoms.
Nah, mentioning Dad would probably kill the mood he was working very hard
at trying to create. "And if I'm not mistaken," he continued, not missing
a beat, "They've already given you permission. My virginity is already as
good as yours. Why not take it?" 

 Clark reached up and pulled at Lex's bowtie. The black silk strip
unfurled and Clark undid the top button of the crisp white collar. "You do
want me, don't you?" he asked stroking the pale flesh of the now exposed
neck lightly with his fingertips. 

 "That's not up for debate, Clark." Lex shrunk back into the limo's
leather seat, taking his neck out of teasing range. "Stop that." Lex said,
the order slipping so softly from his lips, Clark knew he couldn't
possibly mean it. 

 "Make me." Clark challenged as he moved to undo the rest of the buttons
of Lex's dress shirt. "Come inside and make love to me, Lex." 

 "Love?" 

 Like the other night when Chloe mentioned the word in the loft, Clark
felt Lex's body stiffened only this time the other man didn't relax
immediately. Except for the flaring of his nostrils, he sat stock still
and staring straight ahead. It was creepy. Clark sat up. 

 "Yeah, love," he said shyly, hoping hadn't picked the wrong time to
finally speak his heart. Unsure of himself, Clark shrugged his shoulders
and offered with a weak laugh, "Like it could be anything else, Lex." 

 Lex turned his head slowly to look a him. His eyes were narrowed. "Are
you absolutely sure?" 

 Clark swallowed hard and nodded. "Does that scare you, Lex?" 

 "Does it scare you, Clark?" Lex shot back. 

 "Yes...no....both. I don't know. Does that make sense?" 

 "More than you know." Lex said softly, breaking off his killer stare.
Sighing, he threw an arm around Clark's shoulders. "Please understand that
I do want to make love to you...badly. A few hours ago I was ready enact
the cheesiest of clich's and fuck you in the back of this car," Lex gave
him a twisted smile. "But then, thank god, I recalled I had more class
than that. I think we should wait until tomorrow night, Clark," he
continued, the smile and the sarcasm fading. "I don't want to rush this.
Everything has to be perfect." 

 "This was what you were thinking about while I slept, wasn't it? You want
our first time to be special." 

 "You can pack a bag and come home with me after Sunday dinner. We can
make love for the rest of the evening in my much larger bed and then fall
asleep in each other's arms." 

 "But I'll have school in the morning." One night was not going to be
enough. Clark wanted the next day too. 

 "So, I'll make a call and have the bus stop right outside the gates for
you." Lex said, misinterpreting his protest. 

 "I'm not worried about the bus. I don't need a ride to get to school on
time. I've never been late for class, even when I missed it." Clark said
with all seriousness, suddenly in the mood for another admission. "I'm
pretty fast on my feet when I want to be, Lex." 

 "Careful, Clark. Your secrets are showing." 

 "Well, maybe it's about time. There are things about me you should know."


 "And as much as I want to know them, Clark I'm not sure the limo with
Enrique sitting in up front is the best place. He won't listen, and we can
most likely trust him if he does, but like sex, I want whatever secrets
you have to tell me to be just between us. All your intimate details
belong to me and only me, you understand? They're mine and I won't share
them with anyone, Clark." 

 "Oh." 

 "Yes, oh." Leaning over, Lex gave Clark's forehead a soft and no where
near long enough kiss. "So you understand how important it is for us to
wait just a little while longer?" 

 Clark blinked. Twice. 

 Damn. Lex had done it again. 

 In the course of their short conversation Lex had idealized their
relationship, portrayed what was happening between them into larger than
life proportions or in Lexian terms, made it legendary and Clark would bet
the man hadn't even noticed. 

 It was just the way Lex Luthor was. 

 The young, self proclaimed conqueror to be, did everything off scale and
way out of whack from what was considered normal for most mortals as a
matter of course. Maybe because of his empirical upbringing--hell, the guy
lived in a castle for crying out loud--Lex didn't know how to behave any
differently. It wasn't a complaint. Being from the upper side of whacked
himself, that suited Clark better than fine. He gave his lover his biggest
smile. 

 "Sure, I get it. You're a romantic, Lex." 

 "I am not." 

 Nope. The rich bald guy didn't have a freakin clue. 

 "Oh, yeah, sure you are. You're sensitive and sweet. A big old mush ball
of warm fuzzy feelings." 

 "Clark..." Lex growled. Damn, he was sexy as hell when he did that.
Clark's cock stiffened in his overpriced pants. Clark tilted his head and
parted his lips. 

 "Kiss me good night, fuzzy." 

 "That's not an especially appropriate nickname for me, Clark." Lex
huffed. Ooh, stuffed shirt. That was even better. Clark loved getting
under Lex's skin. It rarely ever happened and it was a thrill for him to
be the perpetrator. 

 "Mushy, then?" Clark purred, his voice purposely dropping an octave. 

 "Do you want a kiss good night, my young Master Kent?" 

 "If you won't make slow torturous love to me, then yeah, I'd like a
kiss." 

 "Slow?" Lex's voice caught. "That's how you'd want it, Clark? You'd want
it slow?" 

 "A hard fast fuck would be good too. I dream at night about wrapping my
ankles around your neck and feeling you pound into me." 

 "Damn you to hell, farm boy. Come here." 

 So Clark didn't get all he was asking for that night but still, the kiss
was pretty damn good. It was wet and sloppy and given by a man that most
definitely wanted him and almost certainly loved him. 

 Oh, yeah. 

 Pretty damn good, indeed. 

 Afterward, while he took a much needed cold shower and readied for bed,
Clark's heart beat out the sonata he heard the orchestra play earlier that
night in the big hall. He hummed an aria aloud while checking his emails
before hitting the sack. 

 Besides the regular and much hated spam, there was only one of
importance. There was no salutation or sign off but from the addy, he knew
the message was from Lex. 

 The older man must have sent it from his cell phone in the limo for Clark
to receive it so quickly. His heart caught in his throat when he read the
short note. It was a quote or maybe a poem. He didn't know by who but it
was so beautiful, it didn't matter. Clark wallowed in a pool of incredibly
good feelings while printing it so he could place the loving missive in
his knapsack for safe keeping and future pawing. 

 On the fifteen inch screen, he read the message over and over again as
his aged printer wined. 

 *"A few light kisses, a few embraces, a reaching around of arms, The
atmosphere is not a perfume, it has no taste of the distillation, it is
odorless, It is for my mouth forever....I am in love with it, I will go to
the bank by the wood and become undisguised and naked, I am mad for it to
be in contact with me. 

 This is the press of a bashful hand, this the float and odor of hair,
This the touch of my lips to yours, this the murmur of yearning, This the
far-off depth and height reflecting my own face, This the thoughtful merge
of myself, and the outlet again."* 

 It was better than any kiss. Way better. 

 Oh god, he if wasn't in love with Lex Luthor before, he was now. 

 Desperately so.  

 "And where the hell are you off to? Get back in this bed this minute,
Martha Kent!" 

 "I was only going to call over to the castle and check to see if he has
everything he needs." 

 "Like what? His pj's? I'm sorry, hon but I don't think he's going to need
them tonight." 

 "Jonathon!" 

 "I know, I know, take my word for it, I know." 

 "Oh, Jonathon, he's only seventeen." 

 "Yes..." 

 "And Lex is twenty three." 

 "I've done the math too. Believe me, Martha, it doesn't do much good to
dwell on it." 

 "I'm being silly, aren't I? I mean, if it weren't for me, Clark wouldn't
even be there." 

 "You're being the concerned mother you have every right to be and
Martha..." 

 "Yes?" 

 "I wasn't going to say this before but...ah..." 

 "Out with it, Jonathon." 

 "You've seen the way they look at each other. I don't think wild horses
would have kept them apart. I don't think it was ever up to either of us."


 "You think they were fated to be together? That Clark was always going to
be drawn Lex no matter how much meddling I did?" 

 "Don't like it much but, yeah. And Clark is happy. Didn't you once tell
me that was all that mattered?" 

 "I did at that. You're a smart man Jonathan Kent and I love you very
much." 

 "Well, since we have the house to ourselves for the first night in
fourteen years, I think I'd like you show me just how much...in
the...ah...kitchen?" 

 "Ooh, a very smart man."  

 "Wow, I could live ten years in this room and never starve!" 

 "Well, there's not usually so much fruit..." 

 "What about the flowers? Geez, Lex. They're everywhere!" 

 "Again, not usually." 

 "Did you do this all for me?" 

 "I would have given a chance." Lex grumbled under his breath. However,
after one word to his staff that Clark would be spending the night, 'his
first real night', the conversion of his bedroom into a virtual cornucopia
of sensual delights had begun from the moment he'd given the news. Clark
hadn't gotten around to noticing them yet, but there were also flannel
sheets on the bed instead of the usual 800 thread Egyptian cotton. Lex
wondered briefly who on his staff had preempted that particular kink. 

 "Are you pleased, Clark?" 

 "Yeah, how could I not be? Come here, you." 

 "If you insist." Lex said with a shrug while trying not to run like a
madman into Clark's outstretched arms. 

 "I do." 

 A momentary thrill ran up Lex's back at the mention those two small
words. One day very soon, he vowed he would hear them again but in another
room and in an entirely different state. He'd heard Vermont was lovely in
springtime. 

 "You make me feel like the most important person in the world." Clark
sighed as he engulfed Lex in a grizzly sized bear hug. "Thank you." 

 "You're welcome, sunshine." 

 "Sunshine." Clark kissed him gently beside his left eye like a cherish
toddler. Lex would have bitched at the indignity if it hadn't felt so
good. "I like it when you call me that, Lex. It reminds me of that night
in the woods." 

 "Ah, yes," he muttered, wrapping his arms around and nestling unabashedly
into his own bigger than life, six feet four, plush toy. "Your first blow
job." 

 "No, the first night I tasted us together. It was the absolute best so
far, Lex." 

 "Oh, so who's the romantic now?" 

 Clark laughed. "Guilty, yeah but you're still the master, fuzzy." 

 "You know if you call me that in public, people are just not going to get
it." 

 "I'll explain, if you like? Or show them. I have how you feel in writing
now, you know." 

 "Pass," he said into Clark's shoulder as he remembered with embarrassment
the sappy attack he'd had last night after dropping Clark off at the farm.


 Quoting one of Donne's most intimate of sonnets in an email was a knee
jerk response. But the boy had all but said he loved him in the limo. What
the fuck else was he supposed to do? Dammit, Lex had just reacted. "I'm a
Luther," he huffed now he that he had a little time and distance from the
event. "I'd rather people fall to my feet in abject fear than laughter." 

 "Okay, then I'll just show my mother. Knowing her, she'll absolutely love
the poem." 

 "That, I don't have a problem with. I'd fall to her feet if she asked me.
I would kind of like it if you did show her." 

 "Oh, Lex, you're such a softie." 

 "Then do something about it. Isn't that what you came here tonight to
do?" Lex had already decided that the telling of Clark's long hidden
secrets could wait. It would be love before disclosure. Compared to what
was happening now, they weren't all that compelling. 

 Hell, everyone was a mutant in Smallville to some degree or another. It
was no big deal. Lex, hairless as he was and his body's uncanny ability to
mend a three inch gash in the time it took to heal a paper cut, was a
mutant himself. Whatever Clark could do wouldn't knock him off his feet.
It would be interesting but that's about it. 

 The younger man had hesitated at the postponement but had eventually
agreed that tonight would be for touching and tomorrow, talking. 

 "Make me hard, Clark," he said, grinding his pelvis forward. It was a
mute point. Thinking of what was to come, Lex had been hard all the way
through Sunday dinner and had made creative use of his napkin. 

 "Get me naked Lex and I will." 

 "Done." He replied breathlessly to the big man holding him but didn't
move. This next step was going to be large. He was good where he was and
wasn't in any mood to hurry. When he went off the high board this time, it
was going to be one hell of a dive, and into the deepest waters of his
life. 

 Lex was about to commit a major felony and not give a big furry mutant
rat's ass in hell. 

 Making love to Clark was not about cold steel on his wrists and being
taken away for ten to twenty. It wasn't about abusing membership
etiquette, or breaking laws, which is what most people who didn't have
money called it. 

 Lex didn't need to do that anymore. He'd reached his bullshit limit years
ago and learned that aspect of rebellion wasn't all that satisfying. If it
was even supposed to be. The thrill he craved from Clark wasn't anything
like that. It was a whole other world of different. Being with his young
lover didn't feel wrong and it didn't feel empty. 

 Clark was not a possible plaintiff in a major court action. He was a man.
A big, oh so beautiful man who maybe, almost definitely was in love with
him and was older than Lex in so many fantastic ways that Lex couldn't
begin to count them and dared any one else do so. 

 Clark was not a violated minor. He was not a confused child. Not a victim
but a consenting partner, and if the hungry look in his hazel eyes was any
indication, an eager and willing participant. Ensconced firmly in his
supposed victim's arms, and withstanding the gentle caress of his soft,
full lips against his neck, Lex had no doubts. 

 Lex found it hard to believe there were actual laws against this
particular kind of wonderful but sadly, there were. 

 Clark was young, seventeen years young, and not legally responsible for
his actions for another seven months. If Lex took him now, as he was most
certainly going to do tonight, he would be the only one charged by the
state of Kansas for the illegal act of sodomy. Lex would do major jail
time and Clark would do at the most, counseling. 

 It was a dicey situation, fraught with dire circumstances and certain
angst--but only if you thought about it--something Lex had no intention of
doing. Mental acuity was not on the agenda tonight. 

 And if he had to, he wouldn't think the rest of his life if it meant
keeping his most cherished farm boy by his side forever. 

 He was a never look at a price tag and hate your guts just for having
more, obscenely, scandalously rich man. That had to be good for something,
somewhere, somehow. If he wanted to, couldn't he turn off the whole
fucking world and stop the need for thinking all together? Couldn't
Enrique find a way to do that for him? 

 No, probably not. The odds weren't good. 

 But for Clark Kent, anything was worth a try. 

 Because he was...everything.  

 Clark had cleaned himself in and out to be ready for this. 

 The 'in' part had kinda of squicked him but Clark hadn't let the
indelicacies of the procedure be a deterrent. Being at his best for Lex
was far too important. 

 Reading the instructions on the Internet, he'd held the bag up and filled
himself so full of warm soapy water he thought he was going to explode.
When he had removed the nozzle, and had anally expectorated, the relief
was so intense he'd almost come. 

 Almost. Not quite. 

 But with the thought of Lex's seed filling his anal cavity instead of the
cleansing mixture he'd carefully made and thoroughly flushed his bowels
with to prepare, Clark had painted the tiles in the shower with his
ejaculate like graffiti on an alley wall. 

 The fantasy had felt good. Wonderful. Better than drinking Lex's warm
natural fluid into his mouth. It was only an image but it was more
visceral, more real, more there. 

 Having Lex come inside his ass, meant something. It was bigger, sharper.
Clark didn't have the faintest idea why but there it was. Anywhere else
seemed a wasted effort now, a shadow of what could be, an indistinct fog.
He didn't get it and really didn't care. He just wanted it. 

 It was something that had to be. 

 From day one, Clark had always wanted this. He knew that now. Everything
else had been a build up. Figuring out why was trivial. It was all about
being filled by Lex. It was what they both wanted, so who cared? Not him
as long as got it. Did Lex? The older man wouldn't even know how important
it was unless Clark told him. 

 No, he wouldn't know. 

 Clark had brought his father's condoms. They were in a red and blue box
nestled under a fresh pair of underwear in his knapsack and Clark vowed
with a vengeance that surprised him, that's where they would stay. 

 The sweat of his body is going to cover me. His desire is going to coat
my insides. He owns me even before he touches me. Clark wondered if Lex
had any idea. 

 No, Clark thought. He didn't...couldn't. He's never said. Didn't know
how. 

 But Clark did know that the condoms would be a trip in a steady step, a
pothole in the road, a big honking deterrent. They would spoil everything.
He didn't want them and Lex didn't have to know why. 

 He didn't have to know. 

 It wasn't exactly a secret, just something he wasn't going to tell right
now.  

 His dreams had fallen. 

 They were no longer in his imagination but had been plucked from his
unconscious to be pressed insistently into his waking world violently
enough to make his head spin. 

 Clark Kent wanted to make love. 

 With him. 

 Christ. Oh, Christ. 

 Broken from his fugue by the incredibility of his own good fortune, Lex
slid his hands up the front of Clark's flannel shirt and pushed gently. 

 In a slow half circle, the young man released his soft, wet mouth from
Lex's neck, nipped at his earlobe and kissed his temple lightly before
taking a small step back. The big arms still held him but now there was
space enough between them to look into each others eyes. 

 "Naked." Lex croaked. "Remember?" 

 "Not something I'm likely to forget. I want it too much " Clark leaned in
and placed another feather light kiss to the side of his face. It was the
young man's favorite place to touch him, Lex realized with queer fondness.
There were bigger, more obvious places but his temple was where Clark's
lips gravitated time and time again. "I want you too much, Lex." 

 "Then strip for me, Clark. I want....please," His breath caught in his
throat. It was only when Lex tried to refrain from trembling, he realized
he already was. "I want to watch you," he whispered. 

 "For you." Clark said, taking a step back and crossing his arms to catch
the tails of his shirt. "And only you," he promised while giving Lex the
classic Kent glare. 

 In a whoosh of fabric, the upper portion of Clark Kent was revealed. The
younger man hadn't bothered with buttons. He had pulled the garment,
undone over his head. Lex gasped when he saw there was no undershirt to
spoil the view. 

 Even half naked, Clark Kent was something to look at. 

 The muscles of his upper torso weren't perky or gym sculpted but heavy,
solid and practical. There was a healthy substance to his large form that
made Lex want to grab and hold on to it. He instead grazed a rounded bicep
the roughly the size of his skull lightly with his fingertips. 

 "Magnificent," he praised, genuinely awed. 

 "You think so, Lex?" Clark hung his head shyly and picked at the button
of his jeans. "I'm not as buffed as some of the guys on the football team
are." 

 Tell him you want to stick your dick up his ass, Clark was all lips and
permeating stares. But tell him he was beautiful, he blushed like the
school boy he was. Weird in a way but also undeniably sexy. 

 "I don't want to fuck a football player, Clark." Lex growled, learning
the lesson. "But I do want to fuck you." 

 Clark's button popped and sailed across the room. "Oh, geez, Lex." 

 Ducking the small brass projectile, Lex bit his bottom lip and tried not
to laugh. 

 He, the man who'd been a member of Mensa since he was fourteen, was about
to make love someone who used the word 'geez' frequently in normal
conversation. It wasn't really funny, a little surreal maybe, but not
definitely not funny. Lex blamed his inappropriate giddiness on nerves.
Nerves? Christ. That wasn't funny either. Nor true. In the bedroom,
Luthors were never nervous, goddammit. 

 "The jeans, Clark," he prompted, wiping his damp palms on the soft knap
of his trousers and making a mental note to tell Enrique that the
beginning of December was definitely too early for the castle's heat to be
on. Who cared if there was frost on the windows? It was a bloody furnace
in here. 

 "What? Oh, yeah. Right, Lex." 

 Bending over, Clark undid his boots, heeled out of them and then, pulled
off his white socks. When he returned to his pants, Lex noticed he looked
momentarily dazed to find his button gone, but after the short pause,
regained his equilibrium, undid his fly and shucked the jeans to the side.


 "Naked, Lex." Clark announced, his arms hanging loosely at his sides. The
blush remained but now the heated gaze had returned. Its honesty intensity
burned Lex and he looked down and away to the young man's center. 

 Between strong thighs, was Clark's sex, firm, upright and leaking cream.
His mouth watering, Lex inched forward intending to catch a drop but Clark
seized him by the biceps before his knees could kiss the carpet. 

 "No." Clark said forcefully in a baritone so low, it surprised Lex. "I
don't want to come until I'm filled with you. No blowjobs tonight, Lex
Luthor." Seeing his shock, Clark loosened his iron grip and added softly,
"Please?" 

 With his heart in his throat, Lex nodded his acquiesce. He wasn't
frightened by the young man's sexual aggression, just too fucking turned
on to speak. 

 Fucking was good. Making love was better. But the idea of being able to
do both with Clark went beyond that. It was...was...oh, fuck, Lex cursed
under his breath. If it wasn't so close to 'thinking', Lex vowed he would
have come up with a sufficiently apt description. 

 Smiling, Clark let him go and walked over to the bed to recline lazily
back on his elbows, his back arched and legs splayed open suggestively.
Lex's ever attentive balls contracted and did a tri-axel in his silk
boxers. 

 As he disrobed quickly under Clark's ravenous stare, Lex wondered briefly
if Martha Kent had any regrets about giving him her only son. 

 He hoped not, because after tonight, there was no way in hell she was
ever going to get him back.  

 "Are you sure about this, Clark?" 

 Lex was hovering above him with his arms straight, splayed hands planted
firmly on the indigo comforter by Clark's shoulders and his slim hips
nestled behind the backs of Clark's thighs. If his cock were inside Clark
instead of uselessly spit polishing the vee of his groin, it would be a
good mating position. Needing something of Lex inside him, Clark ignored
the stupid question, wrapped a hand around the base of the older man's
skull and brought him down for a wet kiss. 

 Granting his unspoken wish, Lex unlocked his elbows and proceeded to fuck
his mouth with his tongue. He was talented, his experience telling and had
often made Clark come from kissing alone. 

 But not tonight. 

 Before the heat in his groin went critical, Clark slipped his free hand
between their bodies, the knuckles remaining dry while his palm slid
easily along Lex's sweating chest and belly. Careful to avoid touching his
own, Clark fisted Lex's erection and stroked it roughly. The older man
released his mouth and shouted. 

 "Jesus, fucking Christ, Clark!" 

 Lex was a very vocal lover and Clark appreciated the guidance. Being a
novice, it helped to know when he did something right. 

 Breaking from Clark's grip, Lex's got back up on his hands and threw back
his head. Neck and teeth bared, taut stomach fluttering and pale skin
shining in the low light of the bedroom, he grunted into Clark's sweat
moistened hand. His fixed desire was incredible to see. 

 Nothing human could look this impossibly beautiful. So slight and slim
but moving with uncanny power and grace. Sometimes Clark wondered if Lex
Luthor was an alien himself. 

 While watching the other worldly display, Clark snagged a bottle from the
nightstand and flipped the lid with his thumb. Lube, he hoped and was
rewarded positively when he squeezed and a clear, slick substance oozed
over his fingers. Dropping the bottle on the now rumpled coverlet, he
quickly switched hands. The motion got Lex's attention, and his hips
stilled. 

 "What are you doing?" The older man's breath was raspy and his eyes,
glazed. 

 "Getting you ready to enter me," Clark replied, continuing to coat Lex's
cock with lube with singular determination. There had been condoms on the
night table as well and Clark hoped to get his boyfriend too worked up to
remember them. Gasping, Lex went down on one elbow and pulled his hand
away. 

 "That's my job, Clark." 

 "You were busy." 

 "Distracted is more like it." Lex snorted and then reached for the bottle
Clark had abandoned. "It won't happen again." 

 His mouth once again claimed by his lover's lips, Clark felt warmed oil
spread over the puckered entrance to his body and then, a slim invader. In
anticipation, he spread his legs and moaned. 

 "Hurt?" Lex asked, breaking the kiss. 

 "It can't." 

 "Can't?" Lex mouthed softly before his eyebrows raised in understanding.
"Can't hurt," he repeated firmly as he pumped another slick digit into
Clark. Watching his face closely, Lex's eyes narrowed. "But can it feel
good?" Another jab. Another greasy finger. Now there were three. 

 "Yessss," Clark hissed as his butt left the bedspread. Damn, but wasn't
his boyfriend full of stupid questions tonight? Considering where his
fingers were, couldn't Lex feel his insides quivering? "More," he pleaded
when he touched back down. 

 "Yes, more." Lex laughed, "I've always wanted more from you, Clark." 

 Slightly put off by the other man's untimely mirth, Clark bellowed, "Shut
up, Lex and fuck me!" The busy fingers playing in his ass had stolen his
patience as well as his sense of humour. 

 Following his orders with a frown, Lex silently removed his fingers and
took hold of his purple tipped cock. 

 His body shaking with need, Clark watched as Lex angled his long shaft
down into position, closed his eyes, and while biting his bottom lip from
coral to blood red, shot his hips forward without mercy. 

 This time it was Clark who screamed.  

 It should not feel like this. 

 It wasn't bad, oh no, it was damn fucking glorious, no where near bad,
but it shouldn't feel like he was being sucked off at the same time as he
was fucking. It had been awhile since Lex had done this with a man. How
long had he'd been in Smallville? But he recalled squeezing as orgasm
neared was normal, not suction. The farm boy had muscles he shouldn't. 

 The velvet walls of Clark's anal passage were literally rippling and
massaging the come out of him. Absurdly curious about what else was
different about his lover given the fact he was cock deep in him and had
better things to think about, Lex lifted his eyelids. 

 Under him, Clark was writhing and his hands opening and closing
spasmodically on the coverlet. His heavy muscles were pulled tight across
his chest and abdomen and he grimaced appropriately each time Lex pounded
his cock deeper into his ass. Intoxicatingly beautiful certainly, but
fairly normal. Clark looked liked he was being fucked good and hard,
except for one thing. Besides a faint line of moisture making his dark
locks curl along his hairline, the younger man hadn't broken a sweat. What
wetness there was on his body, came from Lex, who was sweating like a pig.


 "Lex?" Clark's large eyes were open and glistening. The sparkling dew on
his lashes fascinated Lex, who had suddenly become a strange aficionado of
his lover's bodily fluids. 

 "What?" he asked while dipping his head down to kiss away a pretty tear. 

 "You've stopped." 

 "I have?" Lex quickly looked down where his body joined Clark's. The boy
was right. He had. His stomach muscles were rolling in waves but his hips
had gone stagnant. When had that happened? 

 "Don't...please." Clark whimpered softly, catching his immediate
attention. "I need you so badly. Please move...please..." 

 Before Lex could apologize for his lapse, a powerful pulse of sensation
pulled at his entire groin making his vision waver and his head spin. And
regardless of blinking eyes and reeling mind, his hips snapped to and
suddenly remembered how to rock. Without waiting for the rest to catch up,
they drove his very happy cock repeatedly in long jabs into his
supernaturally demanding lover. 

 Once he collected up enough of his gray cells, Lex quickly understood
that he might be the one at the wheel but it was definitely Clark doing
the driving. 

 Again, not normal his clinical mind pointed out annoyingly but his
blissed out body, apparently wasn't interested. It was too busy
overloading on the special connection which was becoming less unusual as
the weird fluttering tapered off and the tightening he had pondered
earlier began. 

 His beautifully strange love was about to come. 

 "Oh, fuck!" Lex screamed as a bolt of sympathetic lightening shot down
his spine and into his over sensitive balls. 

 Desperate for release, Lex hunched over Clark, grabbed his large
shoulders, purchase made easier by the young man's lack of perspiration
and plowed faster. He was so near, so fucking close. The kicker, the extra
push came when Clark braced his big arms on the bed and lifted his hips to
match his frantic pace. Enthusiasm was always a turn on. 

 As the flannel sheets snapped free from the corners of the mattress,
Clark merely grunted, making small, whispery sounds while Lex cries became
so murderously loud, Lex knew the staff would be high fiving each other
for a month. 

 Eventually, Clark's silent body stiffened and it was only when he felt
the cherished heat of semen splash his belly, did Lex remember he'd
forgotten to wear a condom. A thread of fear wove through him at his
inexcusable oversight as he helplessly joined his lover in orgasm and
filled him with copious amounts of his possibly tainted issue. 

 He'd tested okay but tests could be wrong, his mind ranted even as primal
instinct took over. There was such a thing as a false positive, couldn't
there be a negative? His brooding was interrupted abruptly when the
crushing grip on his kidneys ceased and Clark's heels bounced on the
mattress. 

 Oh, Christ, Lex cursed while the pain he hadn't noticed a moment ago
faded. He thought too much even when he did his best not to. He was his
own worst enemy. Even the ever resourceful Enrique couldn't help him with
that. 

 Gulping great lungfuls of air, Lex pulled out of his sated lover, taking
amusement but not surprise from the way his softening cock was gently
skimmed clean by the tight hole, and tumbled beside him in a sweating heap
on the bed. 

 "Thank you, Lex." A shining Clark kissed him full on the mouth. "It was
great." 

 Great? 

 Now greatness was something Lex aspired to every morning he woke up, but
in terms of making love to Clark Kent, the word was sorely inadequate. But
since he didn't have another readily available, he didn't disabuse the
younger man of his choice. 

 "It was us making love, Clark." Lex said simply while struggling to fit
the bulk of six foot plus teenager under his shoulder. It would have
worked better the other way, with Clark cradling him, but dammit. This was
his bed. 

 "Making love." In an easy twist, Clark slipped free from his arms, and
rolled over on to Lex's chest. Clark's come squished between their bellies
and sealed them together in such an obscenely decadent manner it made Lex
grin like an idiot and not care. "Does that mean you love me, Lex?" 

 His smile dropped. Just when he thought he had things under control... 

 Lex bit the inside of his cheek and nodded mutely. It wasn't quite the
same as saying it first but Clark's question deserved a response. "I...I
have for sometime," he said, carefully watching the younger man for the
slightest hint of a wince. It didn't happen. Clark sighed loudly and
smiled. 

 "Me too. You're all want. You're all I need. Oh god, Lex. I've wanted to
tell you for ages." 

 Words to die for--kill for if need be. 

 "Then tell me now." Please. 

 The younger man kissed him and then keeping his mouth where it was,
whispered against his lips. "I love you." 

 "Christ, Clark." Lex cursed, while looking deep into his hazel eyes. He
could not combat honesty with lies. Not Clark's kind. Even to protect his
precious pride. "I love you too, every freaking, mutant bit of you," he
said, vaguely aware that he was gushing and still enough of a Luthor to be
remotely pissed about it. 

 Clark pulled back his head so Lex could see the whole of his face. "I'm
not a mutant, Lex." 

 Lex laughed. "No, you're just your run of the mill Porsche proof, beep,
beep, Roadrunner kind of guy who's allergic to green meteor rocks." Lex
didn't bother to mention the amazing tricks Clark could do with his ass.
Can we spell overkill, boys and girls? 

 "You don't understand..." Clark shook his head and sat up. He wasn't
laughing back. He was frowning. Feeling a little lost, Lex grabbed the
damp cloth he'd placed on the night stand earlier and then righted himself
so he was sitting shoulder to shoulder with Clark. 

 "It's all right, sunshine," he cooed first wiping the drying come from
the distraught younger man's front before doing his own. "I'm a mutant
too," Lex said, tossing the dirty cloth to the side. "It's no big deal." 

 Clark rubbed his belly just under his navel with his the heel of his
hands like it hurt. "I can shoot lasers out of my eyes," he whispered,
staring downward. 

 "Lasers?" Lex shook his head, genuinely concerned. The boy had seen one
too many cheesy sci-fi flick. "No, Clark. I don't think--" 

 "And can see through things with my x-ray vision." Clark looked up at
him, jaws tight and his Kentian gaze at full throttle. "Tell me, Lex," he
snapped, his tone full and strong and reminiscent of his 'fuck me' voice.
"Can a mutant do that?" 

 "A powerful one, maybe." Lex granted and then thought about it. Kents
always told the truth. "Shit, Clark. What were you doing? Grazing in that
field when the meteors came down?" 

 "No, landing in it." 

 "Tell me you didn't just say that." 

 "I'm an alien, Lex. Love me now?"  

 Love me now? 

 He really shouldn't have added that last part, but Lex's disbelief had
really been pissing him off. Clark hadn't expected that. The older man had
said loved him. It wasn't right. He should believe him. The snot nosed
challenge couldn't be helped. 

 "I said I love you and if you don't apologize to me within the next few
seconds, Clark Kent, you can haul your alien ass out of my bed right now."


 What? 

 Oh wow, the man was angry at him. Stunned and a little afraid, Clark
peered indirectly through his lashes at Lex. 

 Still as stone and with eyes harder than granite, Lex sat staring coldly
at him. The soft fuzzy edges Clark had become accustomed to these last
months, were no where to be seen. They weren't in this bedroom, this
state, country, world or universe most likely. And Lex wasn't merely
angry. He was all out furious at Clark for not, what? 

 Believing in him too? 

 And hurting him. Oh, yeah. Hurting him big time. 

 Suddenly Clark understood how just much Lex Luthor cared. 

 "Lex, I didn't mean...," he started before being cut off abruptly. 

 "Apologize, Clark." Lex demanded. "Or leave." 

 Right. That's it then. No explanations. Just get to the point. 

 "I'm sorry." Clark said with all his heart and as predicted, Lex's
transformation was immediate. 

 "So am I." Lex said softly, his hands reaching out to pet Clark's face
and neck. "But please don't ever doubt me again, okay? You can break me in
two or fry me with your laser beam eyes. I'll even tolerate you sleeping
around on me, whatever but don't ever believe I don't love you." 

 Clark's eyebrows shot up. "You'd let me have sex with someone else?"
Considering the circumstances, it was an insane thing to ask, but it was
the only the part of Lex's statement that sounded odd. 

 "Well,...no." The older man's lips twisted briefly. "I lied about that
part but not about the rest." 

 "Good," Clark rubbed his belly where he could feel Lex's seed still
melting and warming his bowels. "Because I don't want anyone else. Ever.
I...I don't think I could anymore." 

 "I was that impressive, eh?" Lex hugged him and laughed. The sound was
joyous. "Even when I took a siesta halfway through?" 

 "Yeah, that was funny. What happened?" 

 "I realized I was fucking an alien. You're different inside, Clark." 

 "I am?" An awful thought hit Clark. Lex had been screaming. Was it more
than usual? Using his x-ray vision, he scanned downward, sparing a brief
grimace for the livid bruises on the older man's biceps and hips. They
were pretty in a terrible kind of way but they weren't what he was looking
for. Clark looked back up when he could see no evident damage. "I didn't
hurt your...ah..." he stammered, embarrassed but needing to ask. 

 "My dick?" Lex laughed again, something the serious man had been doing a
lot as of late and always at the most inopportune times. "No, but you did
confused it. I've never experienced so many distinct sensations at once.
There was no pain but it did take a moment to assimilate but once I did,
it was fucking glorious. You have a very talented ass, Clark and you've
spoiled me forever. I don't think I could fuck a normal human being again
and come." 

 "The alien thing doesn't bother you? I mean, you've said it, Lex. I'm not
human." 

 "And you're not a monster either, Clark." Lex said reading his thoughts.
"Of the two of us, I probably garner that description more." 

 "Don't believe your own press, Lex." Clark settled back against the
headboard and brought Lex with him. The need to comfort was strong. He
forgot about feeling bad. "You're a fuzz ball, remember?" 

 "Only with you or perhaps...because of you." Lex twisted his lithe body,
hooking a leg over his hips, and rested his hands on Clark's collar bones.
"Which demonstrates my point exactly. So you're not human, Clark, so
what." Lex gave his cheek a brief kiss. "You're special. You're better.
And maybe because you are an alien, you have the ability to make me, a
Luthor, human. I'd say that makes you 'super' human." 

 "Really?" 

 "Fuck if I know." Lex smiled broadly. "I'm winging it here, sunshine. All
I know is that I love you, whatever you are and..." Lex paused and
blinked. "I don't think I'm scared anymore." 

 "Or grossed out?" 

 "Hardly." Lex snorted. "Just looking sideways at you, Clark, makes me
horny." 

 "What if I told you I can still feel your come inside me and it feels
like warm butter?" 

 "It doesn't hurt, or sting?" Lex swore under his breath. "I should have
used a condom. I meant to, Clark. I did. I just...forgot." 

 "I would have punched you, if you had, Lex. It feels wonderful. Like it's
supposed to be there." Clark said hoping to erase the frown that had
appeared on the older man's face. It didn't work. Lex continued to scowl. 

 "It's not--doing--anything, is it?" Hesitantly, as if afraid of being
burned, Lex touched the skin just below Clark's navel with his fingers. 

 "Doing?" Clark asked, confused. "Like what?" 

 "How much do you know about your biology, Clark? Are you a male or a
female of your species?" 

 "Male...I think. I landed here when I was very young. I don't know much
about who I am or where I came from. I...oh, wait. Ew, Lex. I'm not
pregnant, if that's what you're asking." 

 "How do you know?" 

 "X-ray vision, remember?" 

 "So you've looked?" 

 "Well, no but I don't think..." 

 "Look, Clark. Now." 

 To appease Lex, who appeared worried for the first time this evening,
Clark focused his vision on his abdomen but had no real idea what he was
looking for. What does an alien baby look like anyway? He didn't have a
clue. All he knew was that he didn't feel pregnant and that if he was,
looking would be unnecessary. He would just know. Know? That meant, oh
geez. Clark halted that horrifying thought dead in its tracks. He had
enough to deal with. 

 "I'm clear, Lex," he said brightly trying to mask his own worry. "You
didn't get me." 

 "No baby?" The older man's voice was even, his expression, unreadable. 

 "Nope, just the regular insides of a happy alien with a trace of his
outrageously handsome boyfriend." 

 "Just a trace?" Lex asked, one side of his mouth tweaking up. "It felt
like more at the time." 

 "Well, there was more but I'm...ah...sort of absorbing you." 

 The look of wonder on Lex's face was priceless. "I think that's the
hottest thing anyone has ever said to me, Clark. Come, here my freaky,
alien lover." 

 Clark did. 

 And soon after, they both did together.  

 "So when did you move into the big house, Clarkbar?" 

 "I didn't." Clark took another bite of the sandwich Cook had made for him
this morning. He had one more in his knapsack along with a mountain of
fruit he couldn't possible eat. It was funny how she was always throwing
apples and oranges at him. "It was just a sleepover, Pete." 

 "In a rich man's castle?" Pete snorted and snagged an apple from Clark's
bag. "Well, I suppose the rich part explains why the county changed its
bus route at a moment's notice but what's up with the guy walking you to
the gate? I heard in English class, he kissed you good bye." 

 Clark choked, but not because it wasn't true. Lex had kissed his ear but
to anyone watching from the bus, it would have looked like he was
whispering a secret. What had lodged his corn beef on rye is his throat
was the fact people were saying he did. It explained the myriad of odd
stares he was getting this morning. Clark wasn't sure how that made him
feel. 

 "No one saw Lex kissing me, Pete," he replied honestly. "Its just
gossip." 

 "I thought so. I mean the guy's, Lex Luthor." Pete spat like that said it
all. "I know he's your friend, but he's older and a bit of a pervert from
what I've heard and that's not gossip. My dad's said as much and as a
lawyer, he should know. He's dirty. He likes doing...you, know...stuff
with guys. You wouldn't let someone like that touch you, would you Clark?"


 "You sound like my father used to, Pete." 

 "Why would your father...oh, shit, Clark! Lex? Oh, shit, Clark!" 

 This wasn't how Clark had planned on telling Pete he was gay but he
couldn't deny the opening. 

 "He's in love with me, Pete and there isn't anything perverted about it."
Clark said, putting down his sandwich to show he meant business. "I let
Lex touch me anywhere and any time he wants to. It isn't dirty. It's hot.
You want details?" 

 "Ah...what kind of details?" 

 "About the sex." 

 "You're not a virgin?" 

 "No, Pete." 

 "You've done it with him?" 

 "Yes, that explains the non virgin thing, Pete. Remember?" 

 "But he's a guy." 

 "So?" 

 "Where does he put his...ah....I mean, I know where but does it
feel....you know...good?" 

 "On a scale from one to ten?" 

 "Okay." 

 "Sixty-nine." 

 "Sixty--oh, shit, Clark!" 

 "Yeah." 

 "You love him back?" 

 "Oh, yeah." 

 "Cool." 

 And that was the end of his coming out with Pete Ross. 

 The idea that Clark knew what it was like to have sex seemed to drown out
any further concerns. His virgin friend--by his reaction, Clark was pretty
sure he was no matter how much he talked the talk--didn't care who he'd
had sex with, just that he was a lucky bastard who had. Clark wasn't
certain how much the love part had sunk in. 

 They talked about football after that.  

 "Did Clark tell you?" 

 Jonathon and Clark were out doing chores, while he and Martha sat at the
kitchen table lingering after dinner. This time alone with his lover's
mother was one of Lex's new guilty pleasures. He ate supper at home as
rarely as Clark slept nights at the farm. 

 "Tell me what?" Lex asked and then blew a cooling breath over the rim of
his coffee cup. It wasn't about the alien thing. Martha already knew Clark
had confessed all to him a couple of weeks ago. Keeping with tradition,
they had told the elder Kents over dinner the following evening. It had
been spaghetti with meatballs that night. 

 "In a week, on the twenty first, there's the annual Christmas dance at
the school." Seeing his surprise, Martha gave him a soft look. "He didn't,
did he?" 

 "Does he usually go?" Lex wracked his brain trying to remember last year
but came up blank. All that came to mind during that time period was his
father trying to screw him out of LexCorp. Lionel had shown his hand too
early and had been supremely unsuccessful. It hadn't been a very merry
Christmas in the Luthor household that year. 

 "He went with Chloe last year--as friends. I think he was already
interested in you by that time." Martha added kindly, obviously trying to
soften the blow that her son had once dated girls. Did he mention he loved
this woman? 

 "I can't go with him. Even if people knew the nature of our relationship,
it would be bending the small town rules of propriety to the snapping
point. Clark knows that. So he didn't mention the dance." 

 There. That sounded good. 

 "What about going as a chaperone? As I recall, that was once an idea of
yours." 

 Snorting his coffee through his nose, Lex swallowed the burn and nearly
shattered his cup when he dropped it back down on the table. "And watch
half the high school drool over him?" His guard was down, but with Martha,
he was safe. "What the hell was I thinking?" 

 "That you want to be with him in any way you can. That you want to share
his life, not alter it." Martha's voice had softened sweetly. Lex was
surprised she hadn't called him 'dear'. 

 "You're right. I want him to have 'normal' but only because it's
important to him. Me? I don't give a rat's ass. I like his differences.
Just being near him makes me..." Lex choked and sputtered to a stop. "I'm
irrevocably in love your son. A lost cause." He looked at his table mate
and gave her a small, depreciative smile. 'But you've always known that,
haven't you." 

 "From the moment I asked you to court him, I knew instantly that you
loved him. You were pretty obvious about it, Lex." 

 "I was not," he huffed ineffectually. Indignant didn't work on Martha any
better than it did on Clark. The only discernable difference was that
Martha only smiled brighter at him while her son for some unfathomable
reason, usually took it as signal to jump his bones. 

 "Are you taking him to the Christmas party at the plant?" Martha asked,
changing the subject. 

 "I haven't decided. It's not really a party for me, a lot smoozing and
kissing cheeks, you understand." She did of course. She knew the drill.
Martha was still Lionel's assistant. "He might get bored." 

 "Or your employees might think he's your date." Martha corrected, hitting
the mark right on the money. She was too good for the old man. If it
wasn't so important to keep tabs on Lionel, Lex would have the trenchantly
efficacious Martha Kent working for him--at twice the salary and weekends
off. 

 "You think I should?" he asked, implicitly trusting her judgment. 

 "Why not? Alright, I know why not but you have to start somewhere.
Clark's already been suffering rumors at school that he's gay and--" 

 Lex's chest tightened painfully. "Suffering?" he croaked. Was this
something else his lover was withholding from him? 

 "Oh love," Martha quickly took his trembling hands in hers. "It just a
figure of speech, dear. I'm sorry. He's okay, really." When Lex started to
breathe like a normal human being and not a small rodent, she let go his
hands. "His classmates have been gossiping, some of it hasn't been nice
but I don't think Clark's been bothered too much by it. He hasn't kept
that from you." 

 "No, I know about the talk. The dirty looks. I don't think he wanted to,
but Clark has told me." Lex took a sip of his coffee to wet his parched
throat. "I also know he doesn't respond either way to it." 

 "He will have to, if you take him to your Christmas party. He'll have to
stop hedging and make a stand." 

 Having a cohort made his heart beat a little easier. Martha wanted the
same thing he did. Lex allowed himself to feel better and quipped, "Are
you trying out your own son, Martha Kent?" 

 "No, I'm trying to get him one step closer to married." 

 "Oh." Lex started. Martha was talking about the big picture, something he
was well versed in. As well she should. She wasn't just his friend and
coffee buddy. Sometimes Lex forgot that. She was Clark's mother. She had
every fucking right. Martha took a sip of her drink while looking at him
with something that resembled doubt. 

 "You are still thinking about that, aren't you, Lex?" 

 "Saturday, April 5." Lex announced happily answering her question and
giving himself a headshake. Besides assuaging his good friend's fears, it
felt good to tell someone other than his lawyer and the caterers about the
wedding. With the exception of Enrique, his staff merely suspected. They
knew there was to be a party at the castle but Lex had not told them the
reason for the occasion. However, it was possible the three tiered, white
cake he'd asked Cook to bake could have been a give away. 

 The lot of them had been smiling excessively as of late. And his bedroom
never lacked for flannel, fruit or flowers. Even during the rare instances
when his raven haired angel wasn't snuggled into his side, Lex felt like
he was in some biblical garden each night he went to sleep. 

 "Oh, Lex, really?" There were burgeoning tears in her eyes and like
sirens, they called to ones in his own. The Kents, no matter which one,
always managed to appeal to the sap in him. It was a fault he didn't know
he was prone to until he moved to Smallville. Only a sharp sniff through
his nose kept his embarrassing romantism at bay. 

 "It's been arranged. All I have to do now," Lex ginned weakly, "is
propose." 

 "Ah, the hard part." Martha said, reading him like a book. 

 "Just the start of it. Granting I find the courage to go down on one knee
and Clark accepts, there's still Lionel. It scares the hell out of me I
haven't heard one peep from him about the man I've been squiring around
Metropolis lately." 

 "I expect it every time he calls me into his office, but he hasn't said
anything to me either." 

 "He must know. I don't hide what Clark is to me in the city. Christ, I
barely hide it here." 

 And he didn't. 

 Lex didn't touch Clark overtly, no necking or petting but he was glued to
his hip when ever they were together in public. It was not unusual to see
them sitting on their favorite couch at the Talon--the one in the corner
away from walk through traffic, rubbing shoulders and whispering, their
lips a hair's breadth away from a kiss. And Lex did pick Clark up in one
flashy car or another after school most days when work allowed. Anyone
with two brain cells to rub together should be able to discern that they
where more than casual friends. They were lovers. Martha was right. It was
blatantly obvious how he felt. The people of Smallville had to be morons
not to see what he and Clark meant to each other. 

 "If there's anyone here that has reason to oppose this union..." Martha
said in an officiously low voice and one hand over her breast before
trailing off with a shoulder shrug and a sigh. 

 "Oh, Christ. That would be the blind bastard's style. He'd love to ruin
my wedding day." 

 "You'll have to head him off, Lex." 

 "I know." Lex drew a deep breath through his nose. "I will." 

 "So when? Clark, not Lionel." 

 "Is a ring at Christmas considered bad luck?" 

 "You bought him a ring?" 

 "No, I had my mother's altered and no, I'm not telling you how. You'll
have to wait to see it on Clark's finger." 

 "One or two? You can tell me that much." 

 "Two. Both for him. One for when he says yes, and one for when he says I
do." 

 "An engagement ring will raise a few eyebrows, Lex. I guess you had
better invite him to your Christmas party." 

 "Yes, I suppose I will." 

 Each wrapped up in their own dreams and nightmares, they finished their
coffee in contemplative silence.  

 "Did you tell him?" 

 "No, Jonathon. We talked about something happier over coffee. Lex has
enough to worry about." 

 "If it's about Clark, it won't matter. He'll want to know. He should
know, Martha." 

 "Because he should be aware of how much his affection for Clark is going
to cost our family business?" 

 "Hell yeah, and dammit woman, before you go all righteous on me, hear me
out. I'm not heading for a told you so. I think Lex should know because
he'll want to the right thing. He'll want to help." 

 "You'll take money from a Luthor?" 

 "No, but I will take financial advice from my future son-in-law. If he
takes Clark to that office party of his, our produce is going to go sour
as fast as attitudes. Now I know with some people our son's alternate life
style isn't going to matter but we're barely getting by as it is. We can't
afford to lose even one order." 

 "Ah...and Lex knows people in the city." 

 "He does take Clark to a lot of fancy restaurants and I thought maybe..."


 "He'd help you expand into the Metropolis market." 

 "Well, it is a family business and since the boy is going to marry our
son, he should do something productive to help out. God knows he's a
disaster in the barn. A ranch in Montana, my ass." 

 "I'll talk to him...but in the new year. Let's have a happy Christmas
first." 

 "Works for me." 

 "Yes, with all that he is, I'm certain he will."  

 "This just came by messenger, sir." 

 Lex glanced up from the Smallville High's student files when Enrique
entered the library and then erring on the side of prudence, closed the
window on his computer. When he saw the unmarked manila envelope in the
tall man's hand, Lex signed off the network all together. He'd been
waiting for this and later suddenly became a more officious time to decide
which university scholarship Clark was going to be miraculously awarded
for the fall term. 

 With a look of unmistakable sympathy, Enrique gingerly placed the
envelope on his desk and then left the room without comment. Leaning back
in his chair, Lex tented his fingers under his chin and stared at the
seemly innocuous piece of mail. 

 It was from Lionel. Had to be. A response from his father was long
overdue. Sucking at the inside his bottom lip, Lex considered the timing. 

 It was late but perhaps it had been calculated to be so. It was possible
that whatever warning the plain brown envelope held, had been delayed
purposely to give he and Clark time to become closer. Separation would
hurt more. The lesson would be sharper and not forgotten nor repeated.
Lionel may be a heartless bastard, but he was also extremely clever. 

 Lex leaned forward and flicked a corner with his fingers. The eight by
eleven harbinger had weight and stiffness. Photographs then. Predicable. 

 For a moment Lex considered tossing the envelope unopened into the fire
place--pictures of him fucking Clark would not deter him from his
course--but curiosity won out. Lex slit the end open with a neat
fingernail and dumped the contents on his desk. 

 There was only one photograph, a black and white with a yellow post it
note affixed to the center. Without reading the small square, he removed
it, stuck it absently on the lower corner of his flat screen monitor and
scanned the picture. 

 "Fucking incredible," was his immediate response. His second was, "You've
been holding on to this one for a while, haven't you, old man." 

 Edged in white and displayed artistically in monochrome, was Lex
clutching the back of Clark's neck in the Grand Tier Room of the
Metropolis Concert Hall and exploring the depths of his sweet mouth with
his tongue. Their first public kiss, ah yes. Impeccable timing. Kudos to
the photographer. Caressing the shiny finish fondly with a fingertip, Lex
remembered what he'd been thinking at the time and couldn't help the
resulting smile. 

 Sex, love and proprietary rights. 

 It was the night Lex had vowed to claim Clark Kent both in body and soul.


 "Whatcha looking at, Lex?" 

 School must be out. Winter break had begun. Lex looked up to see his
fellow subject in sepia enter the library. 

 "Us." 

 Clark dropped his knapsack and jacket in one of the chairs on the other
side of the desk and came around to hover over Lex's shoulder. 

 "Wow, Lex. That's really hot." Clark slid his big hands down the front of
Lex's puce dyed dress shirt, skimming lightly over his groin. "Where'd you
get it?" he asked before kissing his temple using more tongue than lips. 

 "It's a present from my father." Lex said evenly trying to ignore the
electric charge Clark's mouth cycled through his body. Sex could wait.
Shake it off, Alexander, said a voice he'd not heard in a long while. This
was something that needed discussing now. 

 "Oh?" Another sloppy kiss beside his eye and then, a predatory bite to
his earlobe. Clark was getting worked up and it was effectively
obliterating Lex's urge for conversation. Oh, when had the boy become a
man? The picture slipped through his fingers when Clark cupped his balls
and ran a thumb over his growing erection. "Funny, I don't remember seeing
him that night, Lex." 

 "It was taken by a professional, Clark. Lionel doesn't do his own dirty
work." Lex didn't bother to mention that blind men made horrible
photographers. A horny farm boy was not a logical farm boy. When Clark's
dick was up, his IQ invariably went down. 

 "You think the picture is dirty?" Clark asked, his voice low and throaty
sending chills down Lex's spine. 

 "No, not at all. In fact, I'm thinking about getting it framed. It would
look good on my desk at work or maybe blown up on the wall over my bed." 

 "Well, I think it's kind of dirty." Abruptly, Lex's chair was swung
around and he was hauled unceremoniously to his feet. "And sexy." Clark
added, pulling him close for a yet another wet kiss but this time square
on the mouth. Giving up on talking, Lex allowed the eager boy to manhandle
him backwards on to the desk. 

 Since Clark had discovered the joys of gay sex, he'd been insatiable and
rarely took no for answer. Not than Lex had any desire to refuse him--he'd
rather fuck his beautiful farm boy than breathe--but he did understand
that when Clark's quick silver desire rose high, any meaningful discussion
had to wait until his not so normal lover was filled with and absorbing
his come. The last part was kinky. But it was Lex's kind of kinky. 

 The idea that Clark's alien biology allowed him to incorporate something
of himself directly into his system thrilled Lex. Since he couldn't mark
his lover with a hickey or the raking of his nails down his broad back
failed to leave red, swollen welts, the strange mingling of their DNA was
the next best thing. No, that was a lie. It was better. With a smile, Lex
would service this beautifully altered boy any time he asked and always
would. 

 Clark didn't like discussing it, he hedged and hawed when ever Lex
brought it up but the possibility that they were striving towards
something other than orgasm intrigued Lex. Clark would not allow him to
wear a condom so perhaps the Luthor line wouldn't stop with him. There was
nothing to stop it. Barebacked and raw, Lex happily injected him at least
once daily and unlike Clark, was enamored with the potential consequences
of his seminal infusion. 

 "Oh, god, Lex...I need you inside me. I want to hear you come..." Clark
said while nibbling a delicate chain of bruises around his neck through
his opened shirt collar. Lex wasn't an indestructible alien. His pale skin
marked just fine. He knew Clark, although the young man had yet to admit
it, loved physically marking Lex as his territory. "Fuck me...scream for
me...please, oh please...scream, Lex...it's so beautiful...I need to hear
you scream..." 

 The younger man was pleading between his legs, holding Lex's hands over
his head and pumping his cock against him in long, sure strokes. It was
ironic. The position was the perfect image of topping although Lex doubted
Clark was any state to notice the subtle, backwards humour. 

 "Are you sure you don't want to be in me?" Lex asked, throwing it out
there just because. "I'd be a tight fuck, Clark, almost virginal it's been
so long and happened so rarely. You might find you'd like it." Lex was
starting to think he might too. 

 "No," Clark said adamantly and then let go of Lex's hands to reach over
his head for his knapsack. Pinned to his glass desk by six foot four of
horny teenager, Lex watched helplessly as Clark fished and came out with
of all things, lube? 

 "Where the hell did you get that?" he asked surprised. 

 "The pharmacy." The fog from Clark's hazel eyes cleared as his brows
furrowed. "Why?" 

 "You just walked right in and asked Mr Pharmacy Guy," Lex didn't know the
white coated gentleman's name. He'd been in the store but Enrique always
carried the shopping basket. "For a bottle of Astroglide?" 

 "No, I got it from the shelf." Clark bumped foreheads with him
affectionately. "I also managed to buy some Chapstick all by myself too,
Lex." 

 "Very funny, farm boy." Lex snarled feeling a little stupid at once again
being caught unawares by the dastardly Kentian humour. 

 Clark grinned. "Yeah, I have my moments." The pleasant curve of his mouth
turned wicked. "Want to see another? I've been practicing at home when I
don't sleep over. It's new." 

 "I suppose," Lex agreed cautiously. Foresworn was forewarned. Right? 

 "Hold on." 

 Before he could ask on to what, he was naked from the waist down, on top
of and lying between Clark's similarly unclad legs. Through the
transparency of his desk, Lex could see their pants, socks and shoes in a
pile on the rug. Crowning the top was the black and white photograph. 

 "Well, that was interesting." Lex said once his heart dropped out of his
throat. 

 "And helpful." 

 "Uh-huh. And are you all greased up for me as well?" 

 "No, I like it when you do it." 

 "Ah, so I still have some usefulness." 

 "Leeex...." 

 "Hey, I can have moments too, farm boy." 

 Clark rolled his eyes. And then his hips. 

 "Shut up and fuck me, Lex."  

 "Christ, sunshine. You feel so good inside." Lex said purred while
lapping at his neck like it was a bowl of milk. 

 "Please, Lex...harder." he begged in reply. Clark was ready to come, he
was tingling all over and burning up but if Lex was still making sense, he
obviously wasn't. He needed the other man to go ballistic and lose it.
Screw these long lazy thrusts. Lex was concentrating and Clark needed a
pounding. 

 "Then pull me." Lex leaned forward, his hips moving in a slow figure
eights and kissed Clark's opened mouth. "You know what I'm talking about.
Grab my dick with your ass and pull me in. Do it to me, Clark...do it...do
it..." 

 What his lover was asking for, Clark couldn't perform on command. He
didn't have that kind of control over his extra alien muscles. Contrary to
what he thought, Lex was the one that spurred the cascading spasms. Like
an orgasm, it was involuntary response to lovemaking. It happened when it
happened. Clark was, however, happy when it did. 

 "Oh yeah...like that...oh fuck...yeah!" Lex shouted as he gripped Clark's
thighs and drove fiercely into him, unleashing from his deceptively slight
form all the immense power his strong willed heritage afforded him. 

 Yes, very happy. Clark hooked his ankles at the base of Lex's back to
bring him closer. 

 "I'm...oh, Christ...I'm...I'm..." Lex cried out, stabbing at Clark with
his dick like a madman. His steel gray eyes had rolled back in his head
and he was babbling at the top of his lungs. If Lex saw himself this
strung out, Clark would bet he'd hate it, calling it undignified but to
Clark it was magical. He loved seeing his controlling lover snap and go
crazy with lust. It was so incredibly hot. Now he was really ready to come
and when a fine boned hand fisted his cock, he did. 

 "Lex!" he managed to squeak out as his seed burst forth between them.
While Lex's thrummed like the strings of an electric guitar, Clark's vocal
cords froze when he came. Even when he felt the sweet warmth of Lex coat
his bowls, he never emitted more than a satisfied gasp or moan until it
was over and his boyfriend was, as he was presently doing, wheezing on top
on his chest. 

 "One of these days I swear you're going to fucking kill me, farm boy." 

 "You always recover, Lex." Clark chided finding his voice easily. He was
filled and fulfilled. The aftermath of sex always generated a low level
hum in his body. Unlike the boneless man draped over him, lethargy didn't
hit until after his insides had completely soaked up Lex's precious
essence. 

 "Barely." Lex snorted, trying to raise himself on his hands. His sweaty
palms slipped on the smooth surface of the glass desk but Clark caught him
before he crashed. With care he gathered up the man he loved beyond all
else into his arms and moved them both to the comfort of the leather
couch. 

 "Sleep." Clark said, once again cradling Lex to his chest. 

 "No, not yet." Lex tugged at his sticky purple dress shirt--the only bit
of clothing Clark had allowed him to keep--trying to straighten out the
creases before giving up after a few half hearted tries with a disgusted
sigh. Clark would never say so for fear of offending him but he found the
older man's fastidious adorable. 

 "You want to talk about the picture, right?" 

 Far from drowsy, Lex finally settled on his side between Clark and the
back of the couch. "It was a warning from my father, Clark." 

 "I don't see how, Lex. I mean, we were both had our clothes on, no naked
butts or anything." Clark brushed his knuckles along the side of Lex's jaw
and down to the rising bruises long the base his neck. The older man's
eyes closed briefly at the light caress. "I thought it was nice." 

 "I believe that was the point. The picture wasn't crass or obscene
because our relationship isn't. It's an interpretation, or perhaps a
mirror is a more accurate term." Lex's hand slid down the front of Clark's
shirt to reached under and lay flat against his belly. "Like this, this
incredible thing we do together," Lex whispered, his tone dropping into
hushed softness before perking up again. "It's about love, Clark, not sex.
And by sending me such an obviously romantic illustration, Lionel is
announcing that's he's aware of the difference." 

 "Are you sure? That's pretty twisted. Why wouldn't he just come right out
and say he knows how you feel about me?" 

 "Finesse." 

 "Whatever. Okay, so he knows I'm more than your sex slave, so what? It's
not really a secret. Geez, Lex, even Pete knows you're in love with me." 

 Lex's fawn coloured eyebrows rose. "He does?" 

 "Yeah, it sort of came out when I did a couple of weeks ago. I told you
about that, remember?" 

 "Like when you told me about the Christmas party at the school? It's
tonight, I believe." 

 Sometimes it was a pain in the ass having such a smart boyfriend. Clark
felt Lex's long, lank body go rigid against his. Oh, geez. And a prickly,
sensitive one too. 

 "I didn't want to go." Clark said weakly. He knew the explanation
wouldn't pass muster, but it was better than telling the truth. Lex was
too fearless to understand. 

 "Uh-huh." Lex nodded slowly and then rolled out of the niche between
Clark's side and couch to tower above him perched on ramrod straight arms.
If Clark turned his head either way, he could kiss a pearly knob of wrist
but resisted. Lex was in snarky mode. The intimate gesture probably
wouldn't be appreciated. "My party at the plant is tomorrow." Lex snarled,
his head dipping and long neck, ringed in love bites, curving in a
graceful arc downwards. Clark licked his lips and shuddered. Running his
tongue over those pretty bruises probably wouldn't be prudent at the
moment either. "Do you want to refrain from attending that social event
with me as well, farm boy?" 

 Lex was royally pissed and he was getting turned on. Seeing his lover
meant business, Clark willed his erection to wilt but even his super
powers couldn't stop it from hardening and curving up behind Lex's butt. 

 "I thought we were talking about the picture from your father." Clark
said evasively, having trouble meeting those iron blue eyes. 

 "We are, my beautiful but oh so hesitant love but that's one harbinger of
doom I've haven't figured out yet." 

 "Oh, right." Clark huffed while trying to translate 'harbinger of doom'
into normal speak. "And this one you have?" 

 "You're afraid of taking the final step, Clark." His perfect white teeth
bared, Lex sat up to straddle him and then, crossed his arms. His shirt
was a bunched sticky mess on his stomach and it spoke to how truly angry
Lex was that he didn't try to smooth it out. Lex glared down at him.
"Walking away from someone who calls you Lex Luthor's whore is infinitely
easier than turning around and saying 'yes, I am', isn't it?" 

 "You were the one that told me to avoid confrontation, Lex." 

 "And you were the one that told me you could take care of yourself,
Clark." 

 "And I can. Look, Lex, if anyone came up to me and asked nicely if I was
your boyfriend, I wouldn't lie." Clark said speaking his heart. It hadn't
happened and he wasn't looking forward to the day it did--Clark didn't
relish being ostracized any more than the next guy but it was the truth.
His love was so big and so totally huge, there was no way he could deny
it. 

 "Bullshit." Lex spat into his face and then pushed at Clark's chest
trying to rise. 

 Okay, enough was enough. If he believed, the snarky, spoiled rich boy had
better too. 

 Before Mr Sensitive could disengage from his body, Clark lifted him with
a roll of his spine and threw him back on his cute but indignant ass on
the couch. "I would, Lex." Clark seated himself heavier over Lex's hips
when he started to buck. "I'd look them in the eye and tell them even
though sometimes he's as dense as tree bark, he's my whole fucking world!"
he yelled into the startled 'o' of Lex's face. "Otherwise, it's none of
their friggin business! Screw'em if they can't recognize true love when
they see it!" 

 The seconds passed in eerie silence as they stared at each other, their
eyes locked in an orbital stand off. Joined in the battle of will, were
their cocks. Both were tall and defiant and pulsing side by side in tune
with their ragged breaths and the tick of the grandfather clock in the
corner. The tension was mounting. Escalating, becoming brittle. They were
either going to tear each other to bits in a moment or fuck each other
senseless. 

 "Marry me, Clark Kent." Lex said deadpan, not moving a muscle on his
finely crafted face. 

 Clark blinked first. "What?" 

 "You heard me, farm boy. Make it permanent. Be my husband. Spend the rest
of your life with me." 

 "You're proposing? We're fighting and you're proposing?" Clark shook
himself in an attempt to wrap his head around what had just happened. The
man who used drama like most people sprinkled salt, had struck again. "Oh,
geez, Lex," he moaned. "Can't you do anything ordinary?" 

 "At this most auspicious of times I will not point out how incongruous
that statement is coming from you, alien boy but humbly and patiently
await your answer to my most heartfelt question." 

 "Pretentious bastard." 

 "Yes, I am and always will be. It's in the blood. But I am also in love
enough with you to hope you won't hold it against me." 

 "I won't, Lex. By now, I'm kind of used to it." 

 Clark waited for that beautiful twist of a smile Lex usually sported when
he tried to say something funny but it didn't come. Lex's mouth remained
straight lined. What passed for a heart in Clark's alien body, stopped.
Good god, he meant it. The proposal wasn't a diversionary tactic to gain
the upper hand. Not that Clark had really thought it was, Lex didn't joke
about the serious stuff, but... 

 "Clark...sunshine..." Long fingers tip by perfectly buffed nails
fluttered up to clutch at his shirt. "Answer me...please." 

 Oh, damn. This had to be real. Lex Luthor didn't beg either. 

 "You want to marry me?" Clark asked, checking to be sure. 

 "That was the point of asking." The crooked smile was there now, but
Clark barely noticed. He was too freaked. "However, I did plan on doing it
on one knee and not flat on my back." 

 Marriage. Oh, geez. 

 They were two guys and this was Kansas. Would it even be legal? And if it
were, was Clark ready to bind himself to one person forever. Lex was the
only man he'd ever been with sexually and he was after all, only seventeen
years old. He was just beginning his journey into adulthood. What if there
was somebody better out there? And holy cow. What would his parent's
think? They been pretty cool so far about the dating but marriage? His
father was sure to burst a gasket. And then there was school. If he
thought he stood out now, what would it be like being the only married
senior in his graduating class? 

 "Yes, Lex." 

 "Yes?" Lex repeated, alerting Clark to the fact that he'd spoken aloud
and was now suddenly engaged to the hottest man in the western hemisphere.


 Engaged to be married. Engaged to be married to Lex Luthor. Married to
Lex Luthor. His husband. His partner. His...mate. 

 Yes, his mate. 

 Yes. Yes. Yes. 

 "God, Lex." Clark moaned, catching his intended up in his lap and falling
back to sit up right on the couch. 

 Nothing could ever frighten him if he could have this. Being blackballed,
and labeled as gay didn't matter. He could brave the insults now. He had
Lex's proposal of love to shield him. It wasn't a pretty poem or a vow
made in the heat of passion. It was a promise of forever. For the first
time in his life, Clark truly was invincible. There was nobody else who
could make him feel this way. 

 This. Was. It. 

 "Yes, Lex" Clark kissed into the sweet spot beside his lover's right eye,
brushing his tears along his smooth cheek. "I'll marry you." 

 Lex curled his lanky body to rest his head on Clark's chest. His shoulder
fitted under Clark's like a piece in a puzzle. "I love you, farm boy and I
promise to do everything in my power to protect you." 

 "I know, Lex." Clark pulled his mate to him like a blanket. "You all
ready have."  

 "So what do we say when they call tomorrow, and you know they will,
Martha. Clark's going to the plant party tonight is going to set not a few
tongues wagging. Gabe will probably be the first on the phone come
sunrise." 

 "Just what Lex said, dear. That we are fully aware of his romantic
interest in our son and we don't have a problem with it. We tell them the
truth." 

 "The truth. Why is it that seemed easier six months back?" 

 "It really shouldn't be all that hard now. We're fortunate. Our son's in
love with someone who loves him back." 

 "A rich, successful someone." 

 "Yes, and if Lex were a woman..." 

 "He is, sort of." 

 "You've lost me, Jonathon." 

 "I know it's not politically correct to assign gender to a homosexual
couple but Lex does seem have the softer role. He is smaller than
Clark...and weaker." 

 "For crying out loud, Jonathon. Lex is six feet tall. Not a giant
compared to the rest of the men in this family, but he does tower over
most people. And as far as weaker, I'm not even going to bother answering
that one." 

 "I know all that, woman! That's not what I'm trying to say!' 

 "Then what?" 

 "Oh, damn. I saw bruises, Martha." 

 "Bruises?" 

 "Nasty ones. On his neck. Clark hurts him, Martha. Lex hides it mostly,
but this morning, when I couldn't talk him out of helping me in the barn,
he undid his collar when he got hot and...I saw." 

 "Did...did you confront him?" 

 "Yeah, but he brushed it off, did his collar up right quick and said it
was nothing, that it sometimes happens when Clark's a little on edge.
Hell, Martha, if those were nothing, I hate to see what our son does to
the rest of his body when he's really worked up." 

 "You're scaring me, Jonathon." 

 "Don't mean to but...what if it's Lex we should be looking out for and
not Clark? What if our boy's too much for him? He's a Luthor, bullheaded
and stubborn as they come. I don't think he's going to admit failure in
any capacity. He's not going to back away just because something's not as
easy as he first thought. Lex might need saving despite himself." 

 "Otherwise he'll suffer the abuse quietly out of pride? It's more than
that. It has to be. Lex loves Clark, Jonathon. He plans on proposing to
him at Christmas." 

 "You're kidding. Really? How long have you known that?" 

 "A week. It was sort of a surprise. And maybe it's not abuse. Maybe Lex
likes what Clark does to him. Have you thought of that?" 

 "Likes being hurt?" 

 "How do you know it hurts? Lex has told me himself he likes
Clark's...ah...differences." 

 "Well, pain during sex would be definitely classed as different." 

 "If you'd like, I'll speak to Lex, make sure he's okay?" 

 "No, no, Martha. That's my job. It's a man thing. I'll speak to the boy,
see how he's doing. But I swear, if he's even the least bit scared of
Clark, I'm calling this whole courtship thing off. That was the point
after all, making sure nobody got hurt, wasn't it?" 

 "Yes, dear. It was. It just turned around a little differently than I
expected." 

 "Don't worry yet. You could still be right. This pain thing however
weird, might be mutual. I'll catch Lex tonight when he comes to pick Clark
up for the party. Take him out to the barn for a little chat. It shouldn't
be hard. Gods knows as much as I would like to, I can't keep the boy out
of there." 

 "Cross your fingers." 

 "Crossed and tied, love. Crossed and tied."  

 "If you'd lend me a pair of coveralls, I'll feed the cows their straw." 

 "Hay, Lex. Hay." Jonathon winced and dragged a hand down his face. "Cows
eat hay not straw." 

 "Hay not straw. Noted, Mr Kent. Now about those coveralls..." 

 "Sit, boy." 

 Frowning, Jonathon Kent pointed to a bale of something coniferous, and as
if on cue Lex's knees immediately unbuckled and his ass slammed down on
the tightly wrapped bundle. Lex studied the ground and then quickly jammed
his hands into the pockets of his overcoat. Stray pieces of barn debris
had adhered themselves to the hem of his black pants and he was not about
to look like a faggot poof by brushing them clean. Clark's father was a
man's man, a good old boy who drank his beer from the bottle and would see
it as a weakness. 

 "I take it we're not out here to do chores, then?" 

 "No, Clark did them earlier." 

 Lex chanced a look up, squinting respectfully. "You're not hiding a
shotgun under your jacket, are you?" he said jokingly but...not. 

 "What? Hell, no. I stopped carrying Bessie around months ago." Seeing his
jaw drop, the older man laughed and took a seat beside him. "I'm kidding,
Lex," he said, bumping an alarmingly large shoulder into his somewhat
smaller one. 

 If Lex didn't know better, Jonathan Kent, could be Clark's biological
father. The hair was a different shade but along with the same warped
sense of humour, they were both freakishly huge and built as solidly as
the proverbial shithouse. 

 "Then is this has to be The Speech?" 

 "Speech?" 

 "You know, the one where you tell me that if I hurt your son, you'll
string me up by my own ass hairs." 

 "You have hair?" 

 "Mr Kent..." 

 "No, no, no. Not The Speech. But it is about hurting." 

 Jonathan ran a finger around his neck and smiled depreciatively. Lex
understood the pantomime immediately. The hickeys. Ah, yes. While
following him out to barn this morning in an effort to demonstrate to the
older man he was 'real folks', he'd been careless. Lex's gloved fingers
went involuntarily to his neatly buttoned shirt collar. 

 "It's not deliberate. And I don't tell him to stop." Lex dropped his hand
and eyes to his knees. "I...I enjoy the way Clark kisses me." 

 "Uh-huh. Martha said that might be the case. Is the bruising confined to
your neck?" 

 "Christ," Lex swore softly into his chest. The Speech would have been
easier to suffer than this. Lex was tempted to announce that Clark had
agreed to marry him just to change the subject. Clark couldn't hate him
forever for breaking his own promise to wait until Christmas to break the
news, could he? 

 "Look at me, boy!" Jonathon demanded sharply. Almost wrenching his neck,
Lex obeyed immediately. 

 Although embarrassed by his puppy dog obedience--he'd didn't jump for
anybody--Lex was also somewhere deep inside faintly amused at his
reaction. Even Lionel hadn't been able to evoke this kind of instant
submissiveness from him in years. Before speaking, he swallowed the
perverse smile that threatened along with the cobwebs in his throat. "I
don't think this something you want to hear, Mr Kent." 

 "No, probably not but it's something I need to ask. Clark marks you.
Okay. He's a passionate boy. Always has been. And believe it or not, even
a country hick like me understands why that might be something you'd both
enjoy. What I need to know is the extent of it. So, tell me. Does he
bruise you in other places?" 

 "Yes, but not always." Lex answered candidly. This was not a conversation
he could bluff his way out of--Jonathan Kent had an honesty that was home
grown and could spot a liar at a hundred paces--so there was little point
in trying. 

 "Where?" 

 "Besides my neck, my wrists, my arms and sometimes my hips when he...when
he...oh, Christ. He likes to pin me down." Wait. That sounded wrong. Lex
sputtered and tried again. "Clark's a very affectionate lover, you see. He
likes to hold me near when I'm...you know, so depending on the position
when he lets go, if his legs drop from my shoulders when he...or when
I...fuck!" Lex pounded his knees and stared helplessly at his inquisitor.
"Mr Kent, I cannot tell you this!" 

 A strong hand landed on Lex's shoulder. It was warm and comforting. "He
hurts you when he climaxes? Is that it, son?" 

 "Yesss." Lex whooshed out, his breath making white plumes in the cold
night air. He was inanely glad he didn't have to say the word 'comes' out
loud to Clark's father. 

 "Do you like it, Lex?" 

 "Sir?" Please, oh please tell me, Jonathon did not just ask if he liked
fucking his son. Lex felt bile rise in his throat. 

 "The pain, Lex. Do you...get off on it?" 

 "Oh, of course, the pain," he choked. "I don't generally notice
it...until afterwards. And I heal quickly so the effects are passing." Lex
turned on the bale so he was facing Jonathon head on. If he could not
tell, he could show. 

 Reaching up, he moved aside his scarf, let it's tasseled ends fall to his
chest, loosened his tie and undid the top two buttons of shirt. Curling
his fingers in his collar he peeled back the starched white material to
reveal the evidence of Clark's passion. Only pale yellow smudges showed.
"As you can see, Clark does not damage me permanently." 

 With his calloused fingertips, Jonathon boldly touched what was left of
the angry, purple welts from this morning. His rough touch smeared the
makeup Lex had applied to conceal them. 

 Lex gritted his teeth and tried to remain completely still during the
clumsy examination. Under his suit his skin was alive with shivers. He
been fondled by a hundred men this way a thousand times but that was
history. This liberty he granted only to Clark now and his body seemed to
know it. It gone through a rebirth of sorts and was rebelling at the
unfamiliar touch. Jonathan dropped his hand quickly when Lex finally gave
in to a shudder. 

 "So you don't like it." 

 Oh, fuck. The man was like a starving dog with a bone. 

 "That's not entirely true. I do, in a way." While putting his shirt
collar to back rights and neatly folding his scarf around his throat, Lex
gauged Jonathon for signs of disgust. When he saw only impatience, he
promptly continued. "Clark marks me because he loves me and during sex he
can't help but to show it passionately and yes, sometimes he does go
overboard. What you can't see is that he can also be very gentle." 

 "To make up for what he's done?" 

 "No. If he knew, I'm certain he wouldn't touch me at all. Clark is so
tenderhearted, he'd be appalled to discover he'd injured me while we were
loving each other. Mr Kent, please. I don't care about the bruises. A
little pain on the outside is secondary to how glorious he makes me feel
on the in. And I do enjoy the hickeys," he added brightly. "The rest is
not a deterrent enough to prevent me from making loving to your son. It's
a non-issue." 

 "But is it a necessary evil?" The hand on his shoulder tightened. "Now
son, you're going to have tell me the complete and utter truth here. Does
he frighten you?" 

 "Clark? No. Never. Besides, I understand." 

 "Understand what?" 

 "That it will get better. That in time, Clark will learn control. And if
he doesn't, I'm certain I can. Pain has never been a big part of my sexual
repertoire but I have indulged in a scene or two in the past. Rough play
is not completely foreign to me. If done properly and with the right
motivation, it can be...ah...rewarding for both parties." 

 "You'll change your entire make up for him?" 

 "No, he'll do it for me." Lex laughed softly. "He already has. Six months
ago I wouldn't have been this absurdly shy about talking about my sex life
with another man." 

 "Well, I am the boy's father." 

 "It wouldn't have mattered. I've done worse. Much worse and not cared." 

 "That's not a ringing endorsement, Lex." 

 "No, I don't supposed it is but I do not intend to hide either the good
or the bad about myself to the parents of the most important person in my
life. I want you to see who I am. I will not cheat you with lies. You
raised that big hunk of boyish wonderful I love so much and did so
incredibly well. You deserve nothing less than the truth." 

 "Oh, geez, Lex." 

 "Ah, that's where he gets it from." 

 "Gets what?" 

 "His charm."  

 Sitting alone at a table in corner, holding a red plastic cup of spiced
punch, Clark let his dinner settle and played voyeur. He was having a
surprisingly good time. 

 The plant cafeteria was Christmas nightmare. Lex had allowed the
employees decorate the room themselves telling Clark it was good for moral
and increased productivity. 

 Armed with a LexCorp platinum card, the Social Committee had raided
Fordham's of every set of white mini lights, every plastic Santa
centerpiece, and a sundry of fake holly, garland and mistletoe. The
natural beauty of snow falling outside the windows was nearly obliterated
by synthetic white crap spelling out the season's greetings on the glass.
Even Clark's small town sensibilities were offended. In a curious reversal
of roles, Lex had been delighted when they walked in. 

 The turkey dinner however, had made up for the cheesy atmosphere. Cook
had overseen its preparation. Clark had eaten his and most of Lex's. Clark
looked through the crowd of partiers for the older man. After the plates
had been cleared, he'd removed his double breasted jacket, folded up his
shirt cuffs and gone off to mingle. Smoozing Clark had called it. Public
Relations, Lex had corrected with an affectionate pinch to his chin. 

 In preparation for slow dances and midnight gropes, the lights had been
lowered. Clark couldn't see Lex in the sickly glow of the white
mini-lights and battery illuminated Santas. 

 "Enjoying yourself, Clark?" Glass in hand, Gabe Sullivan took a seat
beside him. His breath told Clark he been imbibing freely of the open bar
and would be riding home in one of the mini-vans Lex had hired for the
evening as taxi service. 

 "Yes, sir. It's a good party." Clark said, giving the same polite answer
he'd given to everyone who'd stopped briefly at his table. There had been
a lot. Clark was smoozing as much as Lex but Gabe had been the first to
join him. 

 "Here on a school project or scouting employment opportunities? The staff
are wondering." 

 "No, I'm here with Lex." Clark announced proudly. He was coming out to
the plant manager and didn't care. He wasn't one bit afraid of being
called queer and was kind of having fun. "He invited me to come with him."


 "As his escort?" 

 Clark finally spotted the missing Luthor across the room standing with
group of giggling women suspiciously near a piece of mistletoe hanging
from the ceiling. Lex acknowledged Gabe at his table with a raised eyebrow
but made no move approach. 

 "Yes, sir. We're together. Have been since before Labor Day." Clark said
to Gabe after giving his fianc a wink that also produced an amused smile. 

 "If I go back with that, nobody's going to believe me. They'll think I've
had too much to drink." 

 "They could ask me themselves." Clark offered trying to be helpful. Gabe
looked at him in horror. 

 "That you're dating the boss?" 

 "And sleeping with him." Oooh, he was on a roll. It was amazing what a
proposal of marriage could do to one's self esteem. 

 "Holy mother of God." Gabe took a healthy swig of his drink. The plastic
Santa in the middle of the table wobbled when the glass set back down.
"This is a good place to work, Clark. No one's going to risk their job by
suggesting you're doing the man that signs their paychecks." 

 "Good point." Sometimes Clark forgot who Lex was to the rest of the
world. "I suppose I could show them?" 

 "How?" 

 Clark pushed his chair back. "Watch."	

 Lex Luthor, son of Lionel was firmly entrenched in the holiday spirit and
loving every minute of it. 

 The god awful room with its decorations tacky enough to give Martha
Stewart a stroke, the odd butt pinch by a alcohol empowered employee and
the second rendition of 'Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer' by the boys
from the midnight shift, did nothing to sour his festive mood. Even bad
taste was good tonight. Lex felt made of tinsel and twinkling lights. And
all because the best present he could have ever wished for, sat drinking
punch on the other side of the cafeteria. 

 Merry Christmas to me, Lex thought. Santa brought me a Clark Kent. I must
have made the 'nice' list this year for a change. 

 "So, where are you spending Christmas, Mr Luthor? Aspen?" Lex looked away
from his pride and joy and down into a pair of fluttering eyelashes. He
broadened gaze. Actually, six pairs. He was surrounded by the secretarial
pool. "Or some other exotic place like Florida, maybe?" 

 Florida? Exotic? 

 "I'll be right here in Smallville with lovely people like you," Lex
paused and searched his impeccable memory. "Norma." 

 "Oh, Mr Luthor," she tittered. He was being only half assed charming. Lex
saved his best flirting for someone with big puppy dog eyes and the
ability to strip him naked in under a nano-second but Norma, along with
the other girls, erupted in delighted laughter regardless. With his
temporary harem momentarily distracted by his questionable wit, Lex slid
his eyes across the room. 

 Gabe Sullivan was sitting with Clark. Interesting. Lex wondered when his
foreman would decide he'd drunk enough to approach his 'date'. He'd heard
the speculative whispers all through dinner. Gabe, as the highest ranking
among them had been elected to solve the mystery of Clark's attendance to
the all employee function. 

 How would his lover answer? Would he deny or confirm their relationship? 

 Refusing to rescue him from what was probably an awkward situation, Lex
stayed with his girls and watched Clark's reaction to the up coming
interrogation closely. Clark caught his scrutiny and....winked? Turning
back to his table mate, the saucy young man said something Lex wished he
could hear when Gabe Sullivan went white. 

 Oh, good farm boy. He'd told the truth. Lex smiled his pride across the
floor to him. Clark had ceased being afraid. Poor Gabe however, was
another story. 

 The older man's agitation grew the more Clark spoke. What exactly was the
boy telling him? Lex was imagining all sorts of personal topics ranging
from their favorite sexual position to pet names when Clark rose from the
table and strode towards him. The girls stopped their chatter. Apparently
they'd been watching the exchange as intently as he was. 

 Turned out handsomely in a light blue chambray shirt and beige Dockers,
his future everything wound a path through suddenly quiet partygoers to
Lex's half of the room. By the bar, even the loud and off key midnight
boys shut up. Their silence was inconsequential. By the time Clark reached
him, only sound Lex could hear was the rushing of blood in his ears. 

 Lex nervously licked his lips. "What's up, Clark?" 

 Stepping into his air space, the young man smirked and gestured up with a
flick of his wide, hazel eyes. Lex followed his gaze to a green ball of
leaves dotted with white berries hanging from the ceiling and then,
squinted back down. 

 "You wouldn't dare," he growled under his breath. 

 Immediately after issuing the challenge, Lex's face was caught between
two meaty palms, and his head was turned gently to the side. His next
breath was sucked in by six foot four of rebellious alien. 

 Not chaste by any means, the kiss that landed on his mouth was deep, wet
and decadent. Lex's eyelids fell closed as his body drew up to Clark's
lips and darting tongue. He was being ravished on tiptoes. 

 Boxer's damp with pre-come and chest heaving, Lex was abruptly let go.
Strong hands on his biceps kept him from keeling over. 

 "Merry Christmas, Lex." A smug looking Clark Kent breathed into his
flushed face. 

 "Fuck you, farm boy." Lex swore before grabbing Clark's collar, and
yanking him forward into another searing kiss. When he felt Clark's
erection knock his hip, Lex let go. "Now it's a Merry Christmas," he
rubbed his thigh into Clark's expanding groin. "Complete with hard
packages to open." 

 "Can we go home now, Lex?" Clark asked, his sassy voice reduced to a
breathy whisper. "I think we've made our point. Unless of course for our
next act you'd like to make love in the middle of the dance floor?" 

 Oh, Christ. The party. 

 Gathering up what was left of his decorum, Lex sniffed, unfurled his
fingers from Clark's shirt front, smoothed it down and while taking a
respectable step back, straightened his necktie. It wasn't out of place
but it gave him something do while he thought of something to say to his
dumbstruck employees. Swinging an upraised fist and yelling 'Party On'
wasn't going to cut it. 

 "Everyone..." Lex bowed deeply to his audience. "My boyfriend, Clark
Kent. Clark...I think you know everyone," he said, using humor as his
opening gambit and then, to the sound of nervous laughter, moved out into
the middle of the decked out cafeteria. Clark made to follow him but a
shake of his head stayed his feet. Shoving his fists in his pockets, Lex
began. 

 "A few years back I came to this town lost, lonely and without direction.
My father, you all know Lionel," A rumble of yeses and a few curses went
through the crowd. "Well, good old dad thought small town life would be
good for me and I hate to say it. Believe me, I really do but the old boy
was right. In Smallville I found a home, learned that 'community' was more
than a word and finally when I least expected it, I discovered of all
things..." With a throwaway hand from his chest to where Clark stood eyes
shining, Lex made a production of his feelings. "..love." 

 "And loyalty." Lex cleared his throat. "Let's not forget that. I
certainly haven't. You've all been very good to this rookie and you didn't
have to be. You've worked hard and through the difficult times, trusted my
leadership at the expense of your lives and the lives of your families.
You're good people, the right stuff. This party tonight is my small way of
showing appreciation for all you've given me. And I promise that I will
cherish those gifts forever. You are my home, my family and I thank you
for letting me in. But most of all I thank you for Clark. 

 I'm not worthy of him. I know that. No devil deserves an angel but as
I've told Martha, it's too late. Now that he's mine, I have no intention
of giving him back. Ever. I was honoured by her blessing and relieved when
Jonathon put the shotgun away." 

 A lone bark of joviality emanating in the direction of the bar sparked a
chorus of laughter. Lex let it run its course before finishing off with a
demure 'Merry Christmas' and walking straight into Clark's open arms. 

 "I love you, Lex Luthor." Clark kissed his temple. "You're a good man." 

 "Give me good enough and I'll be happy." 

 "Then this is your lucky day." 

 With an arm around his shoulders, Clark walked him out of the cafeteria
and took him home. 

 In the limo, Lex curled into Clark's lap and then, promptly passed out in
nervous exhaustion. Two nail biting confrontations in one day was one over
his limit. In the morning Lex would learn that Clark had carried him from
the car to bed.  

 "I love it, Clark." Chloe reached across the table and around the creamer
to take Clark's hand. "Thank you," she said with a squeeze. 

 Clark blushed and untangled his hand. "The palm pilot's from Lex. He said
it's to help you fish. Didn't get that part." 

 "Well, tell him I do and thank him for me but it's the poem on friendship
on the display that I value more. You wrote that, didn't you?" 

 "Yeah. Lex says presents that come from the heart and not Fordham's mean
more." 

 "My, god. He used Fordham's as an example? He really must be going small
town." 

 "Actually he said Tiffany's." 

 "And the universe shifts back into place. So..." Chloe cocked her head in
the direction of the Talon's coffee bar where a waifishly built brunette
stocked shelves. "What did you get Lana?" 

 "A gift certificate from Kent's. I offered to muck out Tyson's stall
until I went way to school but she said it wasn't necessary." 

 "She refused? Clark, the girl doesn't even like to clean her room. Why
would she say no?" 

 "She's moving her horse down the road to the Rawlings' farm in the new
year. She said it would be better for everyone all round." 

 "What is that suppose to mean?" 

 "She wouldn't talk about it but considering the timing, I think she's
upset about me and Lex being together." 

 "Well, come to think of it she was pretty quiet after Dad told us what
happened at the party last night. Me, I was bouncing off the walls wishing
I could have seen Lex play Romeo but Lana, she just sort sat there playing
with her Cheerios. You don't think she's jealous, do you? I mean, after
all those years of you chasing her, you end up brushing her off for
someone else, and a 'guy' someone else to boot." 

 "I haven't got a clue what she's feeling. She won't speak to me." Clark
glanced towards the bar. Lana had gone on from straightening the inventory
to rearranging the baked goods in the display case. "She won't even look
at me." 

 "Well, I can't say I'm surprised. You wounded her pride, Clark. Your
mooning over her wasn't a secret. It was common knowledge in Smallville
and to have that myth so publicly blown apart in one night..." Chloe
paused, her eyes filming and gleaming like oil. "Believe me, nobody likes
to be thrown over for someone prettier and have the whole world know it." 

 "Lex isn't pretty." Clark joked hoping to make her laugh. Somehow he
thought he ought to. That he was supposed to. Like Lex in his arms after
sex and not the other way around, the fit was easier, made more sense.
Lana was the injured party but it was Chloe he wanted to say sorry to. 

 "No, he's rakishly handsome in a Machiavellian sort of way but that's not
the point and you know it. Quit playing dumb, Clark Kent. In plain terms,
you hurt her and she's angry." 

 "So, what am I suppose to do about it?" Clark cried in frustration. He
hadn't wanted to hurt Lana but hadn't known how not to. How do you tell
someone you've moved on and be nice about it? "I won't apologize for
falling in love with Lex, Chloe. It's not going to happen. I'm happy with
him. I'm fucking delirious. And besides, I'm...gay." Clark replied
hesitantly but not without some pride. After months of playing it cool, it
was just a little strange to openly proclaim it in public. "If it wasn't
Lex, eventually it would have been some other man. Lana and I were never
going to happen. How do I say sorry for my sexual orientation?" 

 "You don't, not for that but you should have let her know before your
debut at the plant Christmas party." Chloe said, telling him what his
conscience and good manners already knew. "I'm not saying it would have
hurt any less, but you could have been there to help her understand. You
blew it, Clark and now you'll have to give her the space to adjust on her
own. And she will you know. Just don't flaunt Lex in front of her. Cool
the face sucking in crowds for awhile." 

 "Not a problem." Clark smiled. "Except for the rare exception, Lex isn't
big on PDA's unless they come with email and spell check," he laughed
softly, sending Chloe's palm pilot spinning on the table with a flick of
his finger. 

 "Too bad. I could use some fresh material for my fantasies." Chloe's eyes
twinkled dangerously. "I'm starting to forget how loud Lex screamed while
you were on your knees in loft. Is he always that vocal or only when you
blow him?" 

 "Blow...oh, geez." Clark moaned and then, glared at Chloe. "You do know
how much that grosses me out, don't you? My sex life is not fuel for your
fantasies, Chloe Sullivan." 

 "Right, right, of course." She nodded somberly. "It's personal." 

 "Damn straight." 

 "None of my business." 

 "None at all." 

 "I shouldn't pry." 

 "No." 

 "Uh-huh. So who tops? You or Lex?" 

 "Lex, but I've been thinking..." Clark stopped and stared at her smiling
face, an inch away from using his heat vision. "Dammit, Chloe!" 

 Unafraid and unawares, she finally laughed for him. 

 It was good.  

 "Another one?" 

 "Sorry, sir. Shall I leave downstairs on your desk?" 

 "No." Lex gestured with his fingers. "Give it here." 

 Waiting until Enrique left his bedroom, Lex swept aside the Christmas
cards he'd been reading, scattering them to the floor and dropped the
manila envelope on the coverlet. 

 "Christ, Dad," Lex cursed, giving the mess beside the bed a glance.
"You're one hell of a fucking mood killer." 

 Taking a rare moment to himself, Lex had been sitting crossing legged on
his bed and going over the unexpected dearth of well wishes he'd received
from his employees that day. Like the blasted envelope that was obviously
from Lionel, they'd had been hand delivered, some with the Smallville
equivalent of an affectionate shot in the arm--baked goods. 

 The plant was closed and would not reopen until the first Wednesday in
January. 

 The holiday break was a LexCorp first. It had nothing, well next to
nothing, to do with the fact they were operating in the black and could
afford it. His most recent sap attack was largely due to the other
recipient of the cards, the taller, good looking one with hair. He looked
again to his latest message, lying unopened on his bed. 

 Feeling suddenly alone, Lex's hand went automatically to the phone on the
night side table. Just before hitting the autodial to the Kent farm, he
stopped, put the receiver back down in its cradle and laughed. 

 "Nice try, Lionel. But this year, Christmas is mine." 

 Lex refused to let his father upset him. Whatever pictorial warning the
envelope held, Lex would approach it with diffidence, break it down to
manageable factors and handle it. He'd been doing much same all day, this
piece of crap would be no different than the rest. 

 The first problem to be dealt with had come when Clark had zipped back
within moments of leaving his bed for the farm this morning. During the
night someone had spray painted derogatory epitaphs on the red washed
walls of the Kent barn. 

 Using the same security company that kept the castle safe from unwanted
visitors, Lex had requested motion lights and alarms installed around the
perimeter of the farm. Being the day before Christmas he'd been quoted a
price twice the normal, but it was of no concern. The anger and fear
twisting his guts had loosened his pocketbook and muddled his money sense.
He had ended paying once more on top of that to ensure the job was done
right. 

 Jonathon hadn't liked turning his home into a fortress but had acquiesced
when Lex had the service extended to the cover the crank calls that had
been plaguing them. The phone that was installed had a range that could
change the orbital trajectory of satellites if need be. Along with a
tracking system, call blocking was the least of its capabilities. The
Kents would not be bothered again. 

 The next issue came to Lex independently while watching the workman
install equipment around the greenhouse. 

 The farm was more than a home to the Kents, it was a business. And with
Jonathon's pride in mind, Lex had slipped home with the excuse of work to
spend the remainder of his day on the phone in his bedroom. Using the
yellow pages as his guide, every restaurant he'd ever patronized in
Metropolis now knew the benefits of organic produce. If small town
prejudice prevailed, the Kents would not suffer for lack for orders. They
would be financially independent until the day they retired. 

 Feeling that his precious corner of the world was sufficiently safe from
evil for the moment, Lex had taken a break to munch on the pound cake his
personal assistant at the plant had dropped off and to open the many
coloured envelopes that Enrique had been delivering to the end of his bed
during his save the Kents campaign. There was just one more. 

 "Okay, old man. What have you got for me this time?" 

 With the same small black comb he'd used to open his Christmas cards--it
was Clark's, his raven haired lover kept it in the bathroom--Lex slit the
end of the manila envelope and let the picture slide out on to the
coverlet. It was a yet another kiss. 

 "Fuck!" 

 In colour this time, not black and white the candid was of Clark holding
him and kissing his temple while a circle of people gazed on. The quality
sucked. It must have been taken by an amateur with a disposable camera but
the location was clear enough to be defined. 

 The plant cafeteria, Lex's home turf. 

 During the Christmas party, one of his own fucking employee's had
captured the shot. The betrayal rankled and rubbed. 

 Lionel had infiltrated his camp. 

 Howling in fury, Lex rose up on his knees and whipped the manila envelope
across the room. A flicker of yellow caught his eye and he dived for it,
bouncing on the bed and snagging it with his fingertips. 

 A yellow post it note. 

 It read, in his father's unmistakable scrawl, Phase Two?. Lex didn't have
to run downstairs to the monitor in his library to know the first one he'd
neglected to read probably said Phase One?. 

 Wiping the tacky midge of paper from his fingers on the grainy picture
with the disgust it deserved, Lex rose from the bed to pace and think. The
sparse messages changed his take on his father's motivations. 

 Phases, phases, phases? 

 The photographs still had to be a warning but of what kind? Where the
first had been predicable in spite of its tameness, the second picture was
a surprise despite its nature. Lex had expected the next communication
from Lionel to be a verbal or at the least, a written reprimand, a clear
and concise message to stick his dick back in his pants and stop messing
around. 

 No phone call. No letter. A photograph. What was he up to? 

 Phases were what? Stages? Steps? 

 Okay, Lionel was watching yes, and from more than one vantage point but
beyond than that, he was paying attention, seeing Lex's encounters with
Clark as a steps in a plan of action. Observing the process and waiting
for its completion. 

 Think wicked. Think clever. Think perverse. 

 Lex halted abruptly in his tracks. "You can't want me to win him?" 

 The same prickly feeling, reminiscent of that fateful but wondrous day
Martha Kent had come to him and asked him if he could feel something more
for her son buzzed up Lex's spine. His mouth went dry. 

 This was dangerous territory. 

 Something was seriously wrong and Lex couldn't wait for the next picture
to find out what it was. Going on the offense was the only option. He had
too much to lose to sit back and let his father play Double Jeopardy with
his life and adopted family. 

 "This is my show, Lionel," he snarled. 

 He was *Alex * and he was the one who got to ask the one thousand dollar
questions from now on. And they were going weren't going be a two word
phrase that fit on an one by one and half inch post it note. His back
molars grinding against his uppers, Lex straightened in his shirt and
pulled at his belt. 

 It was time to go into the lion's den and declaw the son-of-a-bitch.  

 "Tonight? You're leaving for Metropolis tonight? Geez, Lex. It's
Christmas Eve!" 

 "No, sunshine, I'm taking the Humvee into the city first thing tomorrow
morning." 

 "Then you can stay the night. I have something special planned. A sort of
present." 

 "Does it involve sleep?" 

 "Ah...no." 

 "Then it will have to keep until tomorrow." 

 "But we're opening your presents tonight." 

 "I know but I have to be fresh to face Lionel in the morning. You saw the
picture and the notes. I can't let this thing go on." 

 "I'm being a baby, I know, Lex but..." 

 "It's our first Christmas Eve together as a couple." 

 "As an engaged couple. Unless you intend on stringing me on for years,
we're not going to get another one." 

 "Not to preempt my gift to you but you're right, this is it. I'm sorry,
Clark." 

 "Me too. Kiss me before we go back in?" 

 "Anything my heart of hearts. Your happiness is my benchmark for
greatness." 

 "Just the kiss, Lex." 

 "Just the kiss."  

 "Go into the kitchen and send your father in." Lex said, fighting back
tears. 

 "You're kidding, right?" Clark said and then, licked him in one long
swipe from jaw to temple. Licked. Oh, Christ. This kiss was wet and messy
and new and hot. Lex went hard immediately. "Now, Lex? When all I want to
do is fuck you and make you mine?" 

 "Fuck me?" Lex croaked, only remembering his own name because Clark had
just said it. 

 The big ball of squirming teenager sitting astride his hips who now wore
Lillian's transmogrified engagement ring on his left hand and knew the
date of his impending wedding, ducked his chin to his chest and stilled. 

 "Is that what you want?" Lex muzzled his lover's baby soft hair with his
lips as he spoke. "Jesus, Clark. After all this time? You want to fuck
me?" He asked again as a thrill he didn't expect went through his body.
"Say it again. Tell me you want me. Oh, Christ, Clark. Tell me....please."


 Without looking up, Clark jumped off his lap like it was on fire. "I'll
get Dad." 

 "No, wait." Lex said, his hands reaching out for flannel but ending up
with fistfuls of nothing. 

 Lex was about heave his ass up off the living room couch and follow Clark
into the kitchen when Jonathon took his air space and entered the room.
Thinking about cold rain and engine troubles, Lex settled back down. As
the older man took a seat on the matching easy chair, Lex grabbed the
afghan from the back of the couch to wrap around his shoulders and conceal
the confused erection in his pants. 

 "Cold?" Jonathon asked. "Do you want me to throw another log on the fire,
Lex?" 

 "No, sir. It's fine. I'm fine." 

 Bobbing his blond head and pursing his lips, Jonathon stared towards the
grate. The dancing flames were hypnotic. Besides the Christmas tree, which
sat a safe distance to the right, they were the only light in the room. In
silence, Lex and his lover's father sat awhile just watching. 

 "I proposed." Lex said finally, keeping his eyes locked on the fire. 

 Jonathon answered evenly, his tone as dead as the field stones lining the
hearth, "I gathered." 

 Lex flinched and looked at the older man. He hadn't moved to the sound of
his voice. He was still watching the fire. "You did?" 

 The corner of his mouth twitched. "His feet weren't touching kitchen
tiles a moment ago." 

 "So, you know he said yes." 

 "Uh-huh." 

 "Is that...acceptable?" 

 In painfully slow increments, or so it seemed to Lex, Jonathon's head
turned towards him. His breathing went up a notch. When the older man
smiled, Lex almost stroked out. There was too much blood pulsing in his
temples 

 "More than, son." Jonathon's low, comforting voice rumbled. 

 "Oh, Christ." Lex pulled his legs up and hugged his shins. He hadn't
since he was nine and never, ever with company, but he was about to cry
into his kneecaps. 

 "Lex?" 

 "I'm sorry, Mr Kent," Lex sniffed and in one long stroke, wiped his runny
nose dry with his sleeve. The silk Mikado shirt was ruined but not a write
off. It would probably find a friend in the back of his closet with a pair
of semen stained Helmut Lang pants he'd been hiding from his staff. "But
you can't imagine what I would have done if you didn't agree to me
marrying Clark." 

 Clark's father looked at him like he had two heads. "But I did that
months ago. Didn't Martha tell you?" 

 "Yes, sir, she did but you're you and I'm me. It's still a little hard to
for me to comprehend." 

 "You're not your name son. You're a good boy...a good man. Didn't know
that before, but I do now." 

 Lex laughed. "Maybe I should send you to see my father tomorrow. You'd
probably scare the piss out of him." 

 The older man straightened his shoulders and leaned forward. "If you
want." 

 "Oh, fuck, no." Lex protested, genuinely touched by the offer. It was
heartfelt and he knew it. "I called you in here to give you a gift, not to
offer you up to the wolves." 

 "It had better not be a tractor." Jonathon squinted at him. "Don't think
I didn't see you talking to that John Deere salesman last fall." 

 "Unless it fits in this," Lex handed him a thin, square cardboard box
covered with more tape than purple foil. He had given Enrique the night
off and had wrapped it himself. "I'd say no. Although all bets are off
come your anniversary to that wonderful wife of yours. She's worth a fleet
of farm equipment." 

 "Low blow," Jonathon grumbled and then opened his present. "What's this,"
he asked holding up a thin metal disc the size of his palm. The underside
flashed iridescent in the fire light. 

 "My ruin conveniently burned on a CD." 

 "Excuse me?" 

 "You hold in your hand the means to put me in prison for a very long
time, Mr Kent. It's a video confession, a computerize media file of what
I've done to your son. I don't expect you to watch it and recommend that
you don't--it's quite graphic--but if you ever feel the need, if I hurt
your son, you have my permission to show it to the authorities." 

 "In lieu of ass hairs?" 

 "It's admissible in court. Even if I wanted to, I can't protest it. My
lawyer has made sure of it." 

 Jonathon stood up, gathering the cardboard and the foil along with the
disc into his big meaty hands. "Thanks?" 

 "You're welcome, sir and Merry Christmas. Now if you could please ask Mrs
Kent to come in." 

 "Sure. I can't wait to hear what you got her." 

 Passing by the fireplace, the older man tossed the rubbish he'd been
holding into the hearth. It made quite a flare and smelled horribly. 

 When he left the room completely, Lex noticed the big man was empty
handed.  

 "So, April 5th." 

 "He showed you the ring." Lex said to Martha who was snuggled up beside
him on the couch sharing the afghan. The handmade cover's initial purpose
had been mute since Jonathon had volunteered to take on his father. "Did
you like it?" he asked timidly. 

 "Two emeralds and a diamond the size of the nail on my pinky sunk into a
platinum band? It's beautiful, Lex" 

 "The emeralds remind me of his eyes." 

 "And the diamond?" 

 "That's all her." 

 "Your mother. You're sharing her with Clark." 

 "Quid pro quo." 

 "Stop it, Lex. You'll make me cry." 

 "It gets worse." 

 "Worse? My present?" 

 "Actually, when I think about it, I'm not sure if it's only yours but you
were the first person I wanted to tell after I did the math." 

 "You're going to tell me a secret. I didn't think us Kents had any of
those left." 

 "There's one." Lex hugged her for including him the clan. "Clark knows
and maybe he should be here too but I asked him for permission to tell you
alone. For a lot of reasons, I wanted it to be me to give you this gift,
this hope. Call it payback." 

 "Stop the dramatics, and tell me, Lex." 

 "He can have children, Martha. My children. One of these days I just
might make you a grandmother." 

 "No." 

 "Yes." 

 "But how can you know? Did the ship tell you?" 

 "I haven't seen the ship, Martha. Never had the need funny enough but now
that I know it talks..." 

 "It doesn't really but it does react to Clark on occasion. I think
somehow it protects him." 

 "Now there's a conversation I'll have to bring up with my husband to be."


 "Back to babies, Lex. How do you know you can get Clark pregnant?" 

 "Ever watch any Star Trek, Martha? Especially the episodes concerning Pon
Farr?" 

 "Clark reacts to your love making instinctually? Is that it?" 

 "There's a purpose to it beyond enjoyment. There has to be, it's so
intense. I'm convinced when the timing's right or when he's mature enough,
we'll conceive. That frightens Clark but it excites me. I want to father
his children. It doesn't matter when." 

 "I hate to ask this but you don't take him against his will, do you? You
did say he was frightened." 

 "What? No, of course not. I'm helpless in his arms. A willing victim. Sex
doesn't happen unless he wants it and he wants it...often." 

 "What about birth control to relieve his worries. Ever hear of condoms,
Lex?" 

 "He won't let me wear one. I've tried or at least meant to in the
beginning. Unless he switches, sooner or later I'm convinced it's going to
happen, Martha." 

 "Switches?" 

 "Fucks me. I've offered, hinted but he's never responded before tonight.
I think he wants me, Martha. Can you believe it? Oh, Christ. Clark Kent
really wants me. You can't know what that does to me. To be claimed by
him...taken. He's so goddamn beautiful, so goddamn fucking perfect. I
didn't think it mattered until he brought it up but thinking about it...to
be accepted and feel his love inside me...oh, geez. It's driving me nuts.
I need him so much it hurts." 

 "Oh." 

 Oh? Why, oh? Oh, fuck. Of course. 

 "Too much information?" Damn, he was a blithering idiot. Lex wiped his
foolish mouth with his hand, did a full face wince and then, looked one
eyed at her. "Sorry, but with you, I tend to forget I'm talking to my
lover's mother. You've been so good to me." 

 "No, no, it's okay. I think." Her pretty little mouth pursed as her
auburn lashes fluttered. "You love Clark, want him. That comes across.
It's important to you. And it's important to me. It's why I came to you. I
knew it would come to this. Counted on it...hoped...prayed." 

 "But a little hard to take when it's thrown in your face? 

 "A bit. Clark's still my little boy, Lex and over six thousand cups of
coffee, you've become my friend and peer. It's hard to equate the two of
you. My son's your lover. And you're my friend. Can I still be a little
funny with that?" 

 "As long as I am." 

 "Are you?" 

 "Yes, ma'am. When I find the time to pull my head out of my ass and think
about someone other than him. A waste of time really. There is no one
else. I've known prettier but not better. He's the only one I think about
and it isn't easy. Clark confuses me like no one ever. He makes me say and
do the sappiest of things, stupid stuff, romantic even." 

 "Behavior unbefitting a Luthor." 

 "Yeah. You can't imagine and what little pride I have left prevents me
from telling you. But I can say he spins my brain and messes with my
identity. Makes me know right from wrong, left from right and back again.
He doesn't give me morals but makes me sees the ones I already have. Funny
but when Clark smiles, I forget I am a Luthor." 

 "You know, I like that you love him so much you forget yourself." 

 "I do it a lot. All the time. It's scary." 

 "I'll bet." 

 "Anyway, Martha, about the baby thing, that was my present. Merry
Christmas?" 

 "Yes, I believe it is. Thank you for telling me, Lex. The reality of it
hasn't hit me yet but I do appreciate the information." 

 "Enough to tell Jonathon for me?" 

 "Oooh, now. Let's not jump the shotgun, if you get my meaning. Perhaps we
should let Clark do that if and when the time comes. Agreed?" 

 "Agreed." 

 "Good, now let's have some cocoa before Enrique comes to fetch you." 

 "Cocoa sounds great." 

 God, he loved this woman, pragmatism, heated chocolate beverages and all.


 Jonathon Kent was as lucky as he was.	

 "Are you sure he's old enough to be married?" 

 "Clark's a sensible boy, Jonathon. Mature beyond his years." 

 "No, Martha. I'm talking about Lex. He seemed so young tonight. I mean,
this morning he was strutting around giving orders in that cool voice of
his, putting the fear of god in men twice his age and then,
tonight...hell, Martha. I think I made him cry." 

 "It's a compliment, dear. Lex acts himself around you. He respects you,
likes you even. Don't be surprised if he asks you to be his best man." 

 "You sure? I thought he'd ask you to stand up for him." 

 "He can't. I'm the mother of the bride." 

 "Martha, that's not funny." 

 "It is, a little. Admit it." 

 "No. My son may prefer men but he is not a woman." 

 "Clark laughed when I said it to him." 

 "Clark laughs at everything lately. Even that damn picture Lex brought
over." 

 "I know. It's nice, isn't?" 

 "Yeah...but the bride thing, still not funny, Martha." 

 "Good night, Jonathon."  

 Lex had come last night with his fingers up his ass. 

 Not the most appropriate thought Lex mused as he walked into his father's
office but it did give him a reason to keep the meeting brief. There were
questions that needed answering in Smallville. 

 Unusually evasive, Clark had refused to walk him to his car the previous
evening, kissing him good bye at the kitchen door in clear view of his
parents. The room was small. Sound traveled. It was bad enough he was
covertly rubbing the erection under his coat into their son's thigh while
they sat three feet away drinking cocoa. Lex couldn't ask about his
lover's desires within their earshot. Martha had heard enough of his sex
life, and Jonathon, well...Lex was horny not stupid. Not all of his brains
were below his waist. He had kissed Clark hard, gave him a look that said
he knew what the boy was doing and left, limping. 

 Once home, Lex had flown up the stairs to his bedroom, stripped off his
clothes with less care than he normally took and fallen back on the bed,
his dick in hand before he hit the mattress. Jerking his cock, he'd rammed
two dry fingers into his hole and had screamed for Clark to fuck him. He
had exploded into orgasm at the first touch to his long forgotten
prostate. 

 "Merry Christmas, son." 

 "Dad." Lex said dryly, not returning the greeting. Laconic was his word
for the day. He would not raise his voice or display emotion. He would
give nothing away. 

 Watching his father track his progress with a tilt to his head, Lex
wandered over to perch his ass on the corner of Lionel desk. He left his
coat on. He wouldn't be staying long enough to become too warm. "Phase one
- the city. Phase two - the town," he dropped, waiting for the old man's
reaction. 

 Behind his dark glasses, Lionel's dead eyes sparkled. "And phase three,
the final step - me." 

 "You? Why would I bother trying to convince you of my love for Clark?" 

 "Oh, come now, Lex. Love? We both know there's no profit in it. Besides
the obvious, I've heard the lad is quite fetching, you're after something
else. I want to know what it is." 

 "Did you love Lillian, Lionel?" 

 "You'd compare your mother with that farmer?" 

 "Love is love, Dad. Perhaps your blackened heart can't understand this
but it's reward unto itself." 

 "Sentimental crap and you know it. You can't fool me, Lex. I know I've
raised you better than that. You've discovered something special about
Clark. You fucked him for it." 

 "I'm leaving now, Dad." Lex slid off the desk and headed towards the
door. He was sick of hearing his lover's precious name on his father's
lips. He was nearly there when Lionel yelled at his back. 

 "He's not human!" 

 Lex froze, fear filling his veins in an instant. He recovered quickly.
Had to. 

 "I've seen, touched and tasted every inch of his body." Lex called over
his shoulder. An army of ants marched up his spine. He pressed his nails
into his palms and ignored them. "He's human enough." 

 Hoping that was the end of it, Lex stretched his fingers and resumed his
course out the door. 

 "Explain his strength then." Lionel said quietly and Lex stopped. There
was no need to yell this time. The older man knew he still had his son's
attention. 

 Carefully monitoring his breathing--blind men had big ears--Lex turned
and said with all the exasperation he could muster, "Dad, he's from
Smallville. So yes, sometimes when Clark's frighten or angry the mutant in
him makes him a little stronger than ordinary. Big deal." Lex tossed off.
"It's nothing compared to what others in that town can do. Clark can't
morph or bend others to his will with his breath. His aberration is boring
and because it's sporadic, useless. I've checked it out, believe me." 

 "It's not his only aberration, Lex." 

 "It's the only one worth noting." 

 "Lying to the handicap is below you, son." A sharp snort. "Of course, so
is fucking a freak. You could have anybody and yet, you chose him. You
even went so far as to woo him. And don't tell me you were motivated by
love. We're both too old for fairy tales. Clark Kent possesses some hidden
value and you want it. I want it." 

 Lex laughed bitterly. "I doubt it since the only thing of value Clark
possesses is my happiness. Meaningless to you granted, but surprise,
surprise, important to me. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a turkey dinner
to attend," Lex said while walking, his purpose firm but his gait
unsteady. 

 "Yes, well...say hello to wonder boy for me, will you?" Lionel rang out
joyfully as Lex finally crossed the threshold. 

 He ran all the way to his car.  

 Seeing the number on the display, Clark caught the call on the first
ring. 

 "Lex?" 

 "Hi, sunshine." 

 "Where are you?" 

 "In the Humvee. Parked." 

 "Okay...parked where?" 

 "Outside my father's office building. It's snowing." 

 "Are you all right?" 

 "I am now." 

 "Come home, Lex." 

 "Yeah...and Clark," 

 "What?" 

 "I love you." 

 The line went dead.  

 "He thought it easier to believe there were aliens among us than the
possibility of his own son falling in love. What does that say about him?
God, Clark," Lex moaned and bashed his head back on the cushions of the
couch. "What does that say about me?" 

 "Nothing, nothing at all." Clark said, hating Lionel. He pulled the
brooding man beside him on the couch closer and cradled him to his chest
to silence any further questions. He wished his mother had not gone bed.
It seemed she always knew what to say to Lex when he waxed philosophical
Luthor style. 

 When Lex went over his meeting with Lionel at dinner, she'd been logical
and brisk, asking smart questions and debunking fears. His mother was a
lot like Lex when he thought about it. 

 Lionel may have suspicions about Clark's heritage and that was worrisome
but according to his mother, nothing new. Months ago she seen his 'Kent'
files and had burnt them at the first opportunity. Lionel had never
mentioned the loss and at that point, she'd been certain his obsession had
run its course. Lex's interest in him had revived it but she assured, only
temporarily. Eventually Lionel would find other nit to pick. She knew the
man. He'd lose interest and move on. 

 It had been a rational argument that even Lex seemed to accept although
throughout the meal he had been skeptical. He didn't trust his father to
let him be happy and was still bothered by the traitor working for him at
the plant, berating himself for not asking Lionel who it was when he had
the chance. It was only when Clark's mother squeezed his hand over the
table and told Lex everything would be okay had his lover finally relaxed.
Lex had smiled gratefully at her then and had looked so beautiful in his
trust that it had quite taken Clark's breath away. 

 As a family they had cleared the table and washed dishes before
adjourning to the living room to finish the ritual of opening presents.
Clark pressed lips gently to the side of Lex's face and then looked down
at him. 

 Staring quietly into the fire, the older man wore of sweater of steel
gray blue, the same colour as his troubled eyes. Besides the numerous
dropped stitches, it was an imperfect fit, sleeves too long and in need of
rolling up. Cooking was definitely his mother's forte but none less Clark
thought Lex looked handsome in the well meant gift. 

 "You're the sexiest man I know," Clark said speaking his thoughts. At the
sound of his voice, the older man turned to him, the pain and self doubt
in his eyes replaced with wry amusement. Maybe Clark didn't need his
mother. 

 "You think so, farm boy?" Lex drawled, his mouth twisting laconically in
the way Clark loved. 

 "Yeah, and you know what else?" Using his alien strength, Clark hauled
his amused lover to sit astride his hips, careful to line the crotch seams
of their pants up just so. "I'm glad you're mine," he growled while
curling his tailbone up. Lex emitted something between a gasp and a laugh.
It was such a sweet, perfect sound that Clark became instantly hard in
worship. 

 Lex wound his arms around Clark's neck, leaned forward and whispered,
"Not completely yours but you did mention something last night that could
remedy that." 

 "Making love to you?" Clark said into Lex's cheek eliciting a shiver from
the older man that vibrated deliciously through the denim of his jeans and
straight into his swelling cock. Inspired, he palmed Lex's butt cheeks in
preparation and murmured, "Fucking you?" Clark was very glad his mother
wasn't here when he was rewarded with another full body shudder. 

 Very slowly, Lex pulled his head around until Clark could see his face.
His eyes were half hidden by dun coloured lashes. "Would you like to?" The
question was asked softly as if the older man was bracing himself for
refusal. It heartbreaking and wondrous to see the omnipotent Lex Luthor
look so young and unsure. Moved that this shy beauty was all for him,
Clark nearly answered before remembering. 

 "Come, on." Clark rose from the couch and set Lex down on his feet. The
older man hung on to his biceps and blinked furiously trying to get his
bearings. "It's time for my present." 

 "Another one?" Lex said and then, flushed. 

 "Lex, I haven't given you anything yet." 

 "Oh, Christ, Clark." Lex scowled when Clark tilted his head in confusion.
The old Lex was back but that was okay. He loved the snarky one too. With
thinly veiled desperation, Lex wrapped his long elegant fingers around
Clark's left wrist and lifted his hand to his face. "Don't make me say
it." 

 Clark stared a moment at the ring. The gems sparkled brilliantly in the
firelight causing a chain reaction in his brain. Oh. Now, he got it. Mush
time. No wonder the man was making such a fuss. "Oh geez, Lex, that's
really sweet." Clark hugged him close and planted a wet one on the purple
vein pulsing beside his right eye. "I'm your present." 

 Clark didn't understand Lex's aversion to romance and probably never
would. Not that it mattered. It was just one of the older man's quirks
like his relentless pride, taste for the dramatic and obsession for
neatness. It was trite and Clark knew it, but it was made Lex, Lex and
worst still, Clark wouldn't have it any other way. He loved the
megalomanic son of bitch, eccentricities and all. 

 Clark's chest hitched when heard Lex's low and throaty voice rumble, "A
gift unto itself." and thought, was that romantic? A nip to his ear and a
murmur of something about love. Clark's cock spurted a little in his
pants. Oh yeah, romantic and hot. Despite his acceptance of his lover's
quirky personality, it gave Clark a certain thrill when occasionally Lex
threw his dignity to the side and willingly slipped. 

 "Come out to the barn with me, Lex." It was time to go and it was time to
go now. 

 Lex levered off his chest and squinted up at him like a petulant five
year old. "It's cold out. Your folks have gone to bed, can't we make out
like couple of hormonal teenagers by the fire?" Lex tried to push him back
on to the couch--god, how this man loved his creature comforts, he white
knuckled them to keep them close but Clark remained firm. "I thought you
liked 'necking', sunshine." Lex purred. The sulking child was gone and
replaced by something feral and Clark did waver just a bit. 

 "It's fine in the loft. I've fixed it up with the spot heaters we use for
winter calvings before you got home. They're infra-red lights that warm
the air. It should be toasty up there by now. And besides, Luthors don't
'neck', remember?" 

 "Luthors don't but Lex does." With his fingertips, the older man found
his erection and smirked in surprise like he hadn't known it had been
there for the last five minutes. "I might even let you get to second base.
Third, if you're lucky." 

 Okay now the man was being ridiculous. Morose, Clark could handle, snippy
too but silly? Not when he had a cock he could plow fields with. He wasn't
in the mood for teasing and he was trying to make a freakin gesture here.
He had a present he'd thought quite a lot about to give. 

 "On the couch? Oh, yeah, right. What if Mom or Dad came down for a glass
of milk or something?" 

 "That could be a problem." Lex chided as he rubbed his groin against
Clark's. It was hot and hard and Clark's got wetter. "They might demand I
marry you to preserve your honour." 

 "This is stupid." Clark muttered and then gave up talking. Bending over,
Clark seized Lex by the back of his thighs and stood, throwing the now
sputtering man over his shoulder. 

 He had enough with trying to give. 

 It was time to take.  

 "You did this for me?" Lex asked, gazing about the loft in sort of a
detached wonder. It was brightly decorated with small twinkling lights
twisted into branches of evergreen. The room had sweet tangy smell and was
warm like Clark promised but Lex shivered anyway. 

 "Yeah, call it atmosphere. Now shut up and strip before I do it for you."


 His hands burrowed in the hem of his Christmas sweater, Lex looked
sharply up from the couch where Clark had plopped him. Not surprised, the
younger man was already blissfully, beautifully naked. Lex felt no guilt
for not paying attention. Around Clark, if you blinked twice, odds were
you'd miss something but he did have some regret. Lex had a feeling
tonight was important. He didn't want to miss a thing. "You're going to
fuck me, aren't you. That's my present." 

 Confirming his suspicion and granting his wish, Clark nodded, his eyes a
deeper shade of green than Lex had ever seen. Ironically, they were
flecked and glowed almost like the meteorite that was Clark's bane. "Hard,
Lex. I'm going to fuck you, very, very hard." 

 Lex felt like weeping. 

 "I love you," he said as he stood, removed Martha's present and laid it
over the arm of the couch, folding with small careful movements. He was
biding his time. Lex was twenty three and not a virgin in any remote sense
of the word but was startled to find he was nervous. 

 Inside, in the house, Lex had known that this was what Clark was
offering. He wasn't that obtuse. The small snatch of conversation the
night previous and Clark's aversion to extrapolate had fed the knowing and
the part of him that wanted this so badly. He was scared and honoured.
Touched and so deathly afraid that Clark would somehow be disappointed.
His lover had given his virginity, his most precious self. What did Lex
have to tender in return? He had not been well used, Lex had topped more
often than he bottomed but he was still yet, used. It would not be a fair
trade. He was unbuttoning his shirt by remote when Clark caught him up in
his arms, pinning his hands to his neck. 

 "I love you too," the boy whispered. "You're my everything, Lex. My
absolute everything." 

 Jesus fucking Christ, he didn't deserve this. 

 Making a decision, Lex tulipped his arms upward, arched his neck and let
his backbone go lax against Clark's wide palms. "Take me," he said, giving
the one thing he did have left...his subservience, his will, his pride.
"Strip me, own me, Clark. Shove your cock up my ass and make me beg to
come." 

 "Luthors don't beg. I don't want you to beg." Clark protested, his voice
thin, breaking and lying. He was already slowly tearing Lex's clothes from
his body, ripping seams and bruising the skin where the fabric pulled when
they both knew he could have Lex naked in a quick silvered instant. Sharp
teeth bit, not nibble his neck, sweeping thumbs rubbed his nipples raw and
a demanding cock slid between his legs and jerked up under his balls. 

 Seventeen, alien and a power house of untapped lust. 

 This boy may not yet know it but he craved what Lex offered. Each
movement screamed ownership and demanded surrender. Clark needed to fuck
him and Lex, turned on by his lover's savage hunger, needed to be fucked. 

 "Mine...mated...mine..." Clark growled, the slick head of his penis
breaching Lex's unprepared hole with every upward thrust, wetting the rim
and making it quiver. 

 "Fuck me...oh Jesus, Clark...please." Lex howled, no longer offering but
pleading. The almost penetration was killing him. He needed more. 

 With a grunt, Clark pushed him back down on the couch and fell between
his knees on the planked floor of the loft. While his young lover snagged
the lube tucked conveniently between the cushions, Lex curled his hips
forward and spread his legs wide in open invitation. Lex's cock, hard and
leaking arched over his navel, poked under his ribs and dribbled down his
belly. 

 Kissing him for the first time since they'd entered the loft, Clark
sucked at his lips, and traced his teeth with his tongue. Startled by the
intimacy, Lex was ridiculously unprepared when two fingers, cool and
slick, scissored into his ass. He yelped and grabbed the base of his prick
to head off the fluid warmth traveling down his spine and into his balls. 

 "Coming..." he croaked into Clark's mouth. 

 "Oh god, Lex. Not yet." Clark cried, quickly removing his fingers. 

 Expecting Clark to slam home between his legs, Lex's orgasm was
momentarily thwarted when he went airborne and was pulled forward off the
couch. Another yelp escaped his lips when he landed squarely on the tip of
Clark's over large prick and was in one smooth thrust, impaled. 

 "Holy fuck, Lex!" With his waist in the vise grip Clark called hands, the
younger man began bucking up, pulsing into his hole, seeking a rhythm and
then, playing the hell out of it at a frantic pace when he found it.
"Oh...Lex...oh, fuck...oh, fuck...fuck!" Clark swore like Lex had never
heard before. 

 Clark wasn't trying, he didn't have the experience or the presence of
mind, but without fail, each bold stroke up hit Lex's long neglected
prostate. It hurt a little, Clark was a large man to accommodate and Lex
was long out of practice, but each thrust to the little nub sent electric
jolts of pleasure through his body. The orgasm that he'd tried to stave
off earlier followed the sexually charged lines and surged back with a
bang. Lex literally saw stars, bursting explosions and fireworks behind
his eyelids. Despite the pain of being so roughly taken, his inner thighs
convulsed and with a howl, he laced Clark's rippling belly with ropey
strings of come. 

 "Leeex!" His suddenly vocal lover screamed as he slammed Lex down on his
lap, nearly dislocating his hips. Lex could almost feel his pelvis
stretching as Clark's hands fumbled and scratched across his skin to seat
him deeper. The tension increased when his Clark's generous cock swelled,
creating an opposing force and flooded his insides with thick, alien
ejaculate. Lex was pulled tight beyond pain into pleasure both inside and
out. 

 In the last moments, Lex went limp like a rag doll and let Clark ream out
his orgasm in complete and total control. His submission garnered him the
sweet music of a few deep throated grunts of what sounded like his name
and then an exhausted, long drawn out sigh. If he could find someone to
score it, the noises Clark made while he fucked him would be a beautiful
symphony, a Metropolis Concert Hall sell out. Lex smiled and tried to hum
the proposed tune as black dots danced before his eyes and the white in
his peripheral winked out. 

 The curtain went down. 

 When he came to he was no longer astride Clark's lap but on the couch,
laying face down across a thickly muscled torso and secured in place by
big farmer's hands on his ass. An old but soft blanket covered his other
side. There was no stickiness. Clark must have cleaned him before laying
him out. 

 Yawning and stretching his legs, Lex molded himself into a more
comfortable position, sliding himself until he was wedged into the tight
cocoon between the back of the sofa and Clark's side. Feeling warm and
safe under the curve of his lover's shoulder, Lex closed his eyes
intending to go back to sleep. 

 "Hey, sexy." 

 "You're awake. Dammit, Clark. You're not supposed to be awake." 

 "Why not?" 

 "Because I don't want to be." 

 "Oh." 

 Silence. 

 "Why didn't you tell me, Lex?" 

 "Tell you what?" 

 "How good it was from this side." 

 "Don't know. I suppose it's one of those things you have to learn about
from doing." 

 "Oh." 

 More silence but not enough. 

 "Did you like it, Lex?" 

 "Oh Christ, Clark. Like what exactly?" 

 "Having me inside you." 

 "Yes." 

 "Really?" 

 "Clark, I passed out when I came. I've never done that before." 

 "Cool." 

 Silence again but this time it was too loud. 

 "Clark?" 

 "Yeah, Lex." 

 "You did say you liked it, right?" 

 "Uh-huh but I didn't pass out. I don't think I can." 

 "But if you could?" 

 "Boom, out goes the lights." 

 "Is it better?" 

 "I don't know, Lex. Different, maybe." 

 "So, no preferences?" 

 "I'm not sure. It was more intense at the time but it does lack something
after." 

 "Why's that?" 

 "Because now I can't feel you melting inside me and I've got to tell you,
that feels pretty damn good. I miss it, Lex, big time." 

 "I miss the possibilities." 

 "I can't knock you up." 

 "It's not likely. I'm not rigged the same way you are, Clark." 

 "So, which do you like better?" 

 "Tough question." 

 "Yeah." 

 "Sleep, now?" 

 "Sleep sounds good. Love you." 

 "Mmmm."  

 Lana hadn't come. 

 Clark stuffed his hands in the pockets of the jacket he didn't need
against the cold and walked along the side of the barn until he hit a
stack of bags filled with frozen fertilizer. He sat down and watched the
back of Sam Rawlings' horse trailer as it made a right in the laneway. It
was winter so the top doors were shut. With normal vision, he couldn't see
equine cargo it contained. 

 "She's probably waiting to stable him once he gets there." Clark said to
the retreating vehicle, slumping his back and turning his gaze towards the
hills in the direction of the castle. He didn't want to watch it leave all
together. He didn't need that memory. It was too final. 

 Lana wasn't ever going come again. 

 She hadn't waited until the new year. It was only three days past
Christmas. The early retrieval of Tyson, Whitney's old horse from the Kent
farm, was not a good sign. Lana must have been anxious to cut all that
tied her to Clark. She was not going to forgive him for Lex. Without
further discussion she had ended their friendship. 

 Clark had hoped to speak to her when she came to pick up the horse, to
explain if not apologize. He'd even gone so far as to risk a fight with
Lex and had asked him to go home for the first time since Christmas so he
and Lana talk alone. As predicted, the banishment to castle had not set
well with his lover. 

 Before he reluctantly left, Lex had grumbled through the Humvee's driver
side window that he was wasting his time, saying deposed despots did not
forgive the serfs that toppled them. Clark had protested both the
unnecessarily cruel title and the negative opinion but Lana's failure to
show told him without a doubt that Lex was at least partly right. She
wasn't going to adjust to his choice of lover as Chloe promised. She
wasn't even willing to try. It was over. Clark had lost her. It would be
him doing the adjusting now. 

 "A penny for them." 

 Clark blinked and sat up straight. "Hey, Mom." He hadn't been aware of
her approach. Clark hadn't heard her footsteps crunching in the snow over
the brooding cacophony of his troubled thoughts. She took a seat beside
him on granite hard fertilizer bags. The blue parka she was wearing was
his father's. It was long enough to protect her from the chill. 

 "Tyson's gone?" she asked. 

 Clark slumped back down and nodded. He didn't trust his voice. The
question asked too much. 

 They sat awhile, thinking their own thoughts and watching their breath
flume rolling patterns in the cold. 

 "Your grandfather bought me a horse once." His mother said suddenly. 

 "He did?" Clark asked, his problems momentarily forgotten, curiosity
getting the better of his funk. His mother rarely talked about her
pampered upbringing in Metropolis. It was a thing with her. He was truly
interested. 

 "It was trained in dressage. Beautiful it was. Sleek and glossy and it
could dance better than I could, the only problem was that I liked running
the barrels. That's a totally different seat, Clark. Hard and fast
compared to graceful and precisioned. It even comes with a different
saddle." 

 "So did you switch for him?" 

 "Switch?" His mother gave him a funny look and then, laughed.
"Interesting word. No, even back then I preferred the country fairs with
their 4-H meets as opposed to the society club events. Dad hated what he
called my slumming but I did what I wanted and rode the pretty horse in
the rough and tumble games. Unfortunately, it couldn't learn the change in
gait. We rarely placed in competition and neither of us had any fun." 

 "What did you do?" 

 "I was sixteen with a bit of the wild in me, so I bravely gave the pretty
creature back. The horse was more my father than me." 

 "Did grandpa understand? I mean, the horse wasn't the style you wanted.
It wasn't you. Didn't that mean something to him?" 

 "No, he was furious. He called me bullheaded and didn't speak to me for
days. He thought I should at least try wearing the felt hat and gray
jodhpurs before I threw them away for jeans and cowboy boots." 

 "But you knew they wouldn't fit." 

 "Instinctively I knew they would make me happy. My passion was different
from his and he couldn't understand that." She pulled up the collar of her
borrowed coat, caressed the fur along the hood gently, breathed it in and
sighed. "He's never understood any of my choices, Clark. Not one of them."


 "And it hurts." 

 "Yes, but only when I think about it." 

 "So don't think about it. Be happy in spite of him." Clark said hugging
his mother in more than support. He felt good and better about losing Lana
although he was not sure why. There must have been a lesson in that blast
from the past somewhere. As always, she'd fixed the something he hadn't
known was broke. If he was lucky, he'd figure it out later. Otherwise he
wouldn't care and just go with it. He wasn't as anal as his lover. Clark
didn't feel the need to pick apart everything as Lex did. 

 "Good advice." She gave him quick, one armed hug back. "Are you going to
call poor Lex back for dinner? That was reason your Dad sent me out here.
He's hoping to quiz him about the financial feasibly of building another
greenhouse over roast beef and mashed potatoes." 

 "If he'll talk to me. I was sort of an asshole to him earlier." 

 "If you call, he'll come." His mother smirked and brushed a finger over
the white ring on Clark's left hand. "I have it on good authority the
boy's head over heels crazy for you." 

 Trying not to smile like an idiot, Clark curled his bottom lip over his
teeth. The blush couldn't be helped. "You don't think it's just your
cooking?" He bumped his mother's shoulder gently with his own. "You know,
sometimes I think he pays you more attention than me." 

 "Only in the kitchen, Clark. You have all the rest." 

 "I do, don't I? God, Mom. I do. He's the fine boned, standard bred
designed to lift his feet lightly and I'm the stocky quarter horse that
likes go rip snorting around the barrels. How did we ever manage to blend
the two?" 

 "If I knew that Clark, my last name wouldn't be Kent." 

 "Mom?" 

 "It's okay, Clark. I never wanted the pretty horse. I gave him back,
remember? He wasn't for me but that doesn't mean he isn't for you." 

 "Lex is for me. He's all I ever wanted even before I even knew I wanted
it." 

 "Precisely what I told your father once upon a summer ago." 

 "After Lex came to you to for permission to date me? You know, he's never
told me about that day. He said he asked, but not much more than that. Did
he ply you with expensive champagne and quote livestock prices to Dad to
impress him?" 

 His mother stood up and tugged his father's coat tight around her
shoulders. She looked towards the house. "Does it matter? We came to a
mutually beneficial agreement." 

 Clark chuckled. "You sound like Lex closing a business deal." 

 "Speaking of which, shouldn't you call him? Supper's in less than an
hour." 

 "Yeah, I guess...but..." 

 "But nothing. My roast beef waits for no one. It's medium rare or ruined.
I think it's time we both went in." She announced abruptly and stalked off
towards the house not waiting for him. 

 More than a hundred percent sure he had missed something this go around
and equally certain he wasn't going to figure it out any time soon without
more clarification, Clark shrugged his shoulders and followed her.  

 Lex Luthor hated Lana Lang for everything that was currently wrong with
his life. 

 He hated her because she wasn't talking to Clark. He hated her because
her silence bothered Clark. He hated her because it bothered him that
Clark was bothered. And most of all he hated her for having him sent from
the warm cradle of the Kent farm back to the cold, lifeless walls of the
castle. 

 This wasn't home anymore. It hadn't been for months. He hated being here.
Even the library that he had one time so lovingly crafted, didn't welcome
him. He stood at its threshold, looking with distain at his crystal desk
and cursed. 

 "You had better be fucking nice to him, bitch." His eye caught the
forgotten square of yellow tacked to the corner of his flat screen monitor
and his mood darkened further. "Nice or the Talon will be a sole
proprietorship." 

 With staggered steps, Lex avoided the mesh chair behind his desk and
headed for the brown leather couch. This was where Clark studied while he
worked. It still echoed some warmth. He plopped down on it, kicked off his
shoes and pulled his knees to his chest. To the left, at the far end was
floor to ceiling fireplace, its cold grill a blatant mockery to the grate
that always burned sweetly scented logs in the Kent household. 

 "Enrique!" he cried, not caring that he sounded like a petulant child. "I
need a fire!" 

 Within moments the tall, somber man entered the room and flicked a switch
on the mantle that activated the gas insert. Blue tinged flames sprung to
life over the ceramic logs. It wasn't a real fire and the warmth was
barely passable but it was a close as he was going to get. 

 "Forgive me, sir." Enrique said after finishing his task. "We did not
foresee your immanent return." 

 "Neither did I." Lex grumbled wishing for an afghan. He had planned on
staying at the farm and sleeping with Clark in the loft until after New
Year's. 

 "You haven't quarreled with Master Kent, have you?" 

 Not long ago Lex would have deemed a personal question coming from one of
his staff impertinent but then not long ago, his staff hadn't been his own
personal cheering section in his war to win Clark. He merely snorted
instead of lashing out. 

 "Lana is picking up her horse. Clark wanted to speak to her alone." 

 "Then it is very good of you to give him this privacy. Young master Kent
will think the better of you for it." 

 "You think?" Lex prompted, thinking asking dating advice from his butler
should seem more ridiculous. 

 "Indeed, sir." Enrique nodded and sat on the arm of the leather couch.
"Trust is very important between a man and his paramour. Vital if a more
meaningful future is wished for." 

 "It is. Christ, Enrique, you know it is. You picked up the goddamn
rings." 

 "And did he accepted them?" Enrique asked one eyebrow raising. Was it
Lex's imagination or was there just a tremor of excitement in the man's
normally steady voice? 

 "Yes, if you can believe it." 

 "Ah, good. And yes, I can believe it. Your pursuit of the young man has
been sincere from the onset. No other outcome was possible." 

 "Good begets love." Lex quoted, for once unable to remember the author.
"Not quite a sure thing when you throw a bad assed Luthor into the mix." 

 Enrique's stone cold features softened. "You have never been bad, sir.
Misunderstood, perhaps. Suffered for lack proper guidance most certainly,
but never bad. Your father however..." 

 "Is the devil incarnate. Now that's something I don't have trouble
believing." 

 "Nor I and with that in mind..." Enrique stood abruptly, turning back to
his stoic self and cleared his throat. "I have debated the wisdom of
giving you this during the holidays, sir--especially since they are
particularly joyous this year but now that you're home, I fear it would
imprudent to wait." 

 When he reached into his waistcoat, something in Lex's stomach twisted.
Enrique's tone and delivery had told him it wasn't a belated Christmas
present. "Oh, Christ. Not another picture?" he moaned. Although it was
foolish to do so, Lex had hoped his visit to his father had put an end to
the old man's interest in Clark. No such fucking luck. 

 With the steady lick of artificial flames caressing ceramic logs the only
sound in the room, his manservant presented him with a small jeweler's
box. It was an unsteady hand that accepted the dreaded gift. 

 By itself the box was innocuous. Lex had received a hundred before. Given
a hundred before. It was a trifle, just a bit of cardboard covered in
black velvet. However for no other reason than his father was the bearer,
this one dripped malice. It became an ugly, malevolent thing. He fought
the urge to toss it away. 

 "Shall I leave, sir?" 

 Lex's eyes shot up. Bless him for asking. In the past, Enrique would have
silently slipped from the room without his leave. His concern now was a
measure of how much their employer/employee relationship had changed.
Thanks to Clark, it had deepened into something like friendship. Lex shook
his head no. He didn't want to be alone with this. He needed a friend. His
eyes returned to the box. 

 Too small for a picture. 

 Reaching for his earlier jealousy for one Lana Lang, Lex used the
virulent, proud emotion as an anchor to tether his courage. Feeling
sufficiently bolstered, he cracked open the box. 

 "No." Lex slid to the floor, clutching the box and staring aghast at it
contents. "Oh, god. No, no, no." 

 Glowing softly in the folds of black velvet was a tiny nugget of green.  

 "Come on, come on, come on," Clark panted. Lex was between his legs, his
slick chest sliding along Clark's and his cock gliding in and out of his
ass with insufferable tenderness. Lex almost always started their
lovemaking this way, soft and gentle and so controlled. His lover's
restraint was inhuman. Tonight was no exception. The carefully measured
pace drove Clark wild with need. Maybe that was the point. "Harder... come
on, Lex, I want it...give it to me..." Clark moaned, his hips lifting
upwards seeking more definite contact. Lex moved back with him keeping the
pounding Clark was aching for just out of reach. 

 "Easy, sunshine. I don't want to hurt you." 

 Clark laughed at the absurdity of the warning and reached for his
cautious lover's hips. His grip was hard and his fingers would leave
bruises on the pale flesh but Clark was too deep in rut to care.
"Goddammit, Lex!" he roared jerking him close. "Quit screwing around and
fuck me!" 

 In what had seemed like an unbearable amount of time, it had taken a
whole lot of coaxing and eye batting to get Lex from the dinner table at
the farm to the big bed in the castle. Lex had forgiven him for sending
him away but his solemn demeanor had suggested he was still a little
miffed. Clark couldn't blame him, and had extended his apology into the
bedroom. 

 Making love always made both of them happier. 

 "No...I can't..." Lex sobbed as he flattened his hands on Clark's chest
and pushed. The new angle of his lover's spine changed the trajectory of
the hot length inside him. The friction increased and Clark felt the walls
of his passage begin their tell tale quivering. His orgasm was close and
Lex's should be right beside it. Not wanting to lose the new position,
Clark held Lex still, planted his feet firmly on the bedspread and fucked
himself on his lover's thick cock. The hands on Clark's chest balled into
fists. 

 "Stop!" Lex shouted. 

 As the shock of the command hit his brain, Clark's body convulsed in
ecstatic bliss. Suffering the strangest orgasm of his life, he unfurled
his fingers and let Lex go. 

 Once freed, the older man withdrew his still hard penis from Clark's
twitching hole, rolled off the bed and darted for the bathroom. On his
back with legs splayed open and his cock pulsing sticky ropes of come on
his stomach, Clark watched through stunned eyes as Lex closed door. He
jumped, his shoulders lifting from the sheets when a moment later he heard
the lock click and then, in the midst of shuddering explusion, closed his
eyes and winced. Until he finished coming, Clark knew that would be the
extent of his movement. 

 As he waited for his body to give him back control, Clark screamed his
lover's name in confused frustration.  

 "Lex!" 

 "No, no, no." Lex whispered through the door of the bathroom, his
forehead pressed against the hand still clutching the handle. He'd had
fallen to the floor on his knees the instant he locked it. The impassioned
cold from the white marbled tiles traveled up his legs and shriveled his
oil slick genitals into a greasy, limp mass. 

 What the fuck was he doing? 

 Running. 

 Hiding. 

 Running and hiding from the only thing in his life that made him truly
happy. He was insane. He was unhinged. And he was frightened of being
alone again but above all, he was absolutely shock-shit terrified of green
rocks that glowed. 

 Green was not Clark's best colour and Lionel knew it. 

 Clark's frailty struck him the moment the young man had asked Lex to fuck
him harder. He wouldn't hurt him but he could. Lex knew how and so did his
father. 

 A decision had to be made. And he'd made it. 

 It was at first impulsive, seemly too quick and not to be trusted but it
rang true from the second it popped into his brain until this horrid,
lonely moment. He had only think of Martha and her quest to protect her
son for it to take root and become all encompassing. And in the name of
life, love and the big picture, he was so bound to it, it made him sick. 

 "Lex?" came a soft call from the other side of the door. "Please tell me
what's wrong?" 

 "I love you," Lex snorted, suddenly pissed off at the way things had
ended up to be gracious or kind. 

 A soft chuckled through the wood. "And that's bad how?" 

 "My love can hurt you, Clark." 

 "That again? Nothing can hurt me, Lex. Not rough sex, not nothing. You
weren't hurting me. I liked it. I'm an alien. I'm invincible." 

 "That's a lie." 

 Another soft chuckle. "No, I'm pretty sure it isn't." 

 "I got a present from my father today." Lex said getting to the point. 

 "You did? What?" 

 "Green meteorite. He knows, Clark." 

 "Oh." 

 "Yes, so you see, my love can hurt you." 

 Without missing a beat, Clark answered. "No, Lex you're wrong. That's
your father's hate, not your love." 

 "They're linked. As long as I'm with you, you're in danger. He's won
Clark and there's nothing we can do about it." Lex said sadly knowing in
an instant that it was true. He couldn't be what Martha wanted him to be.
He couldn't even be what he wanted him to be. Lex couldn't be Clark's
salvation. 

 "There's a way out. There has to be. Let me in, Lex and we'll figure it
out together." 

 "Go home, Clark." Lex closed his eyes and pressed his hand against the
door. "Be safe." 

 "I am home!" Clark's indignant pronouncement vibrated the door and
shimmied up Lex's spine like veins in the wood. "I live here more than the
farm. My clothes are here. My books are here. The school bus picks me up
here outside the gates every morning." Clark said like that was proof
positive. "This is my home, Lex. Maybe you haven't noticed, but it has
been for awhile. I have nowhere else to go. Nowhere I want to be. Open the
door, please." 

 "Not until you leave." 

 "How can I? You're going to be my husband. I love you. I belong with
you." Clark's fist hit the door hard enough to make the hinges squeak and
Lex's eyes squinch shut in sympathy. "Dammit Lex, I belong to you." 

 "You don't," Lex wheezed. The pain in Clark's voice was ripping him
apart. "From this moment on, you're free." 

 "I don't believe it!" Clark roared. "You're breaking up with me through a
bathroom door? This is stupid, Lex. Open the fucking door or I will. You
known I can, if I want to." 

 "Get out, Clark. Don't make me call Enrique for help." 

 "But you love me." Clark said softly, the anger in voice from a moment
ago gone. "Oh, geez, Lex, please. You love me. You said so." 

 More certain than ever that he was insane, Lex didn't answer the
passionate plea and tried to think of something else to drive the
determined, love sick boy away. 

 Pleading futility was proving unsuccessful. 

 Lionel's meteorite threat brought out the hero streak in his young lover.
Clark didn't know defeat. The sunny side of the street was too ingrown.
Pulling his Kentian ideals around him like a shield, Clark was ignoring
the danger and was insistent on finding a way to fight the beast that was
his father. Clark didn't know what the old man was capable of, but Lex
did. Lionel would lay them all to waste to get what he wanted. That could
not happen. Lex would not let him destroy the Kents to get at the secret
of their son. 

 God love him, Clark was morally unable to understand that kind of evil.
That's why he was still on the other side of the door. He was too good,
too trusting and that, Lex realized, was the key. Pleading futility is and
was, well...futile but there was something Clark's alien powers or apple
pie upbringing wasn't impervious to. No one's was. 

 Disillusionment. 

 Lex sank completely to the floor and turned around so his back was
resting against the door. Tears streamed down his face and his stomach
rolled. He hated himself for what he was about to do. 

 "It doesn't matter how I feel," he sighed quietly confident that Clark
could hear him. "I've failed. Go home, to your real home and tell your
mother the deal's off." 

 The door beneath his shoulder blades shifted. Clark had sat down on the
rug in the bedroom and was mirroring his pose. "Deal? What deal?" Clark
asked. 

 Lex took a deep breath. "Our marriage was arranged, Clark. Your mother
asked me to court you. Dating you was not my idea. I would have never
entertained the idea unless she proposed it." 

 "You're lying." Clark said slowly like he was unsure of the accusation.
"Mom didn't know I wanted you. And she wouldn't have never ask you to date
me without finding that out first. She's a romantic, Lex. She didn't pick
the pretty horse. She would not have bartered me off for without knowing."


 "Don't you understand, Clark?" Lex wondered briefly about the horse
reference and then, plowed on before the distraction changed his mind.
"Christ, sometimes you're too small town for words. Thank god, your mother
is not. Don't you fucking get it? She would do anything keep you safe.
Whether you wanted me or not was irrelevant. That I had the money and the
influence to protect you, was. Your feelings even had she known them were
not why she approached me. They were never part of the bargain." 

 "No...no...no..." Came the denial with matching knocks to the door. Lex
assumed correctly it was the back of Clark's head thumping out his refusal
of the truth, or Lex's bastardized form of it, against the wood. 

 "Grow up, Kent." Lex reached between his legs and twisted his flaccid
penis in self flagellation. It hurt and he felt better. "Get a grip." He
said, trying not to laugh hysterically at the irony as he twisted his
genitals into a painful knot. 

 "And why did you agree? What were you supposed to get from this bargain?"


 "The right to fuck your delectable ass without your father shooting my
balls off with a shotgun." 

 "And now you're reneging. Is that it?" There was distain in his lover's
voice. Good. 

 "As I said, I failed." Lex stated firmly, his confidence inanely
bolstered by Clark's growing hostility. He unclenched his fingers and let
go of his abused cock. At this point it wasn't good for much of anything.
It hurt as much as everything else. It was a bruised mess. "I cannot keep
you safe." Lex hissed through his teeth tasting pain and feeling the
better for it. "I did not live up to my end of the deal, so I therefore
forfeit the prize." 

 "You mean, me. And it means nothing that you fell in love? You're still
going give me back?" 

 "Yes, it would be bad form not to." The rebuttal came out smooth as
butter. Lex was finding his stroke. The lies came easier now that he found
his zone. "I did not earn my reward." He said flatly picturing the
Boardroom at the plant and ignoring in throb in his lap. "The contract is
nullified." 

 "Bastard." 

 "If I were, we wouldn't be having this conversation." 

 "Cold hearted prick." Clark spat through the two inch of oak, trying
again. 

 "Now that one I'll answer to." Lex said with a joviality he expressed
easily but had a hard time feeling. "Give your mother my apologies, Clark
and ask Enrique to come up here on your way out." 

 Lex listened carefully for a response but only silence reigned. Clark had
gone. He'd done it. By being more Luthor than Lex, he'd driven the light
of out his life. 

 Falling forward on his hands, Lex crawled to the toilet and promptly
threw up.  

 "Three weeks is damn long enough. I'm not going to spend one more day
watching Clark mope around the farm. First thing tomorrow, I'm going over
there." 

 "To do what, Jonathon? Storm the castle with a shotgun and force Lex into
marrying our son?" 

 "He made a promise to the boy, Martha. He can't back out of it now.
Firearms are definitely an option if he doesn't come to his senses and
cooperate." 

 "Okay, and supposing he does--which by the way I seriously doubt. What
are we going to do about Lionel? He sent that meteorite to Lex as a
warning. If he hears the wedding is back on, he might act on that threat."


 "He doesn't know Lex proposed. Nobody does except us." 

 "But he knows they're together. I think by now, everyone knows that." 

 "Maybe Luthor doesn't know what the rock does exactly. He could have been
bluffing." 

 "I thought about that but I'm not prepared to chance that he doesn't.
Lionel Luthor is far too complex a man for me to figure out." 

 "Only because he's insane. Crazy people are impossible to predict." 

 "My point exactly. Nobody knows what he knows and it may be nothing." 

 "So what do we do about Clark? The boy's heart broken, Martha." 

 "I don't know that we should do anything, dear. Clark has said in no
uncertain terms that he doesn't want us interfering in his love life
anymore." 

 "So he was a little upset when he found out but he got over it. He knows
we only arranged this thing with Lex for his own good. He isn't angry any
more." 

 "No, not with us but we do have to respect his wishes. He wants to be
treated like a grown up, Jonathon. And he has a right to. He deserves it."


 "He deserves Lex Luthor." 

 "Jonathon Kent! I do not believe you just said that!" 

 "Well, don't get too worked up. Remember what I said about crazy people."


 "Call the Daily Planet. I'm in love with a mad man with a heart of gold."


 "No, just a guy who has a son that's driving him nuts with worry." 

 "Oh love, it will be all right." 

 "You think so? Cause I hope so. You really think so?" 

 "Yes." 

 "Why?" 

 "Because it has to."  

 "You know that isn't good for the insert, sir. It was made to burn gas,
not paper." 

 With his arm raised in mid throw, Lex sneered at his manservant. He'd
been tossing wedding invitations into the fire like playing cards into a
hat. It was cathartic. He didn't need a critique. "Don't you have some
silver to buff somewhere?" He snapped before clicking his wrist and
finishing his throw. It fell short and drifted down on the flagstones. The
pile of missed shots had been growing exponentially with the amount of
scotch he imbibed. Lex shrugged and reached for another cream coloured,
gold engraved, useless envelope. Enrique moved the half empty box out
arm's length. 

 "You didn't eat your dinner. Cook is concerned." Enrique sat on the arm
of the couch and lovingly nestled the box of wedding invitations in his
lap like they meant something. "We all are." 

 "I wasn't hungry. Now give me back my fucking box and get the hell out." 

 "You should call him." 

 That got Lex's attention. He looked up hopefully. "Why? Has he called
me?" 

 "Not that I am aware and I don't expect he would." Enrique sniffed. "Nor
should he. You're the one that missed the step." 

 Lex slumped back down into the couch. "You haven't any idea what you're
talking about." 

 Lex debated getting up and snagging one of the envelopes that littered
hearth but couldn't seem to get his limbs to move. 

 "Not specifically, no." Enrique replied with his smooth as silk voice.
"Would you care to enlighten me? Perhaps I could help." 

 Lex took a rather large swig of scotch and pointedly ignored the offer.
"Has Gabe Sullivan called?" 

 Enrique shook his head at him as Lex took another drink. "Yes, sir. He'll
be here tomorrow at ten. The lawyers will be here a half hour before." 

 "Good." Lex said absently as he stretched out a toe. Maybe he could kick
one of the invitations into the fire. The end of his loafer fell short a
couple of inches so he relaxed back down into the leather couch and
concentrated on what he did have at hand. His drink. 

 "You could start with flowers." 

 "Whaa?" Lex asked, his drink halfway to his mouth. Some it's amber
contents dribbled down his chin and on his shirt. 

 "Roses, red. Master Clark looks brilliant in that colour." 

 "Master Clark looks brilliant in just about fucking anything but that's
beside the point." Lex glared at the stain on his shirtfront with more
disgust than it deserved. "I'm not buying him flowers. An education, yes.
And his father a greenhouse before I go. And Martha, oh fuck. What do you
give the woman who has everything?" 

 "A married son?" his manservant offered with a hopeful lilt in his voice.


 "Fuck off, Enrique. I'm not going to marry him." 

 "Pray tell, why not? You love him. That much is patently obvious. You
haven't been this much of a spoiled brat since you were nine." 

 Sticking his tongue out would have felt so, so good but he refrained. Lex
had no desire to prove Enrique's point for him. He settled for sneer. Much
more grown up. "So?" 

 "You don't love easily, Alexander. You never have." 

 Oh, Christ. Complete first names. Enrique had not dared since Lex had
crashed head first into puberty. And if history meant anything, he was in
line for a lecture. Lex emptied the contents of his crystal glass and
hefted his sluggish body up off its leather enclave and stumbled in the
direction of the bar. First names meant truth, a truth he most likely
didn't need to hear. Lex decided what he probably needed more of if
anything, was scotch older than the man badgering him. 

 "Have you ever considered that I'm not good enough for him?" Lex asked
after his glass once again full and he'd sampled the contents generously.
"I'm a cold hearted prick or haven't you heard?" 

 Enrique walked over to him, bracketed his shoulders with his big hands
and gently positioned him on a barstool. "You under value your worth,
Alexander," the older man said softly. 

 "My worth...no." Lex snorted. Scottish whiskey burned his nasal passages.
"Never that. I know who I am and how much money I have in the bank. I know
I have an intellect that the scions at NASA would give their first born to
tap into. I also know that I have a sexual quality super models pant over
and in the closet leading men would risk an Oscar over. But my worthiness
in respect to Clark Kent, Kansas farm boy at large...well, that's an
entirely different matter." 

 "It was the green rock, the gift from your father." Enquire stated flatly
and Lex's hand tightened on his glass. If he had a hairline, his eyebrows
would be in it. 

 In no mood for dissembling, Lex let go a mountain of pent up hurt and
rasped out, "Yeah, it was fucking rock." 

 It wasn't a confession. Enrique was uncannily perceptive but had no real
idea of what he was talking about. Lex wasn't giving away Clark's secrets
his fuzzed brain assured him. He was just tired and lonely and needed to
share his grief with somebody who cared before he flew apart at the seams.
He would be careful not to say more than he should. 

 "The gift frightened you." Enrique said. 

 "Nearly enough to make me ruined a very fine pair of trousers." 

 "Bloody, fucking hell." 

 "You swore." Lex said numbly as he watched his normally staid butler
round the bar to procure a glass and fill it from the same decanter Lex
had been imbibing from. 

 Enrique pulled up his own bar stool and took a healthy swig of
appropriated scotch before speaking. "It is totally unacceptable that he
should have this kind of fucking control over you." 

 The innate weirdness of his elegant manservant swearing and swilling
scotch like a drunken sailor irrigated the inebriation saturating his
brain. Lex's natural sharpness bled through his alcoholic fog and returned
crisp enough to make his eyes water. Or so he told himself when he felt
wetness on his cheeks. 

 "There was nothing I could do, Enrique," Lex said, sniffing hard. He
refused to wipe his nose on his sleeve. "Lionel has me by the short hairs
such as they are and that's saying a lot. I had no choice but to leave
Clark." 

 "All because of a green rock in a black velvet box." Enrique said
somberly searching Lex's eyes with his own. Lex steeled himself against
their soul ripping intrusion--Clark was the only other person he'd allowed
this uncomfortably close--and tried to return the gaze as honestly as he
could. 

 "Because of a rock, yes." Lex said, his heart beating in his throat.
"Don't ask why. I can't tell you." 

 "I assure you, Alexander, I do not need to know the exact means of your
father's coercion to be repulsed. I just need to know that it is." The
butler refilled his glass, leaving Lex's empty and took another swallow. A
tangible shadow of sadness passed over his normally hard to define
features. "Your mother would have never stood for this." 

 Until he mentioned her, Lex had forgotten Enrique had been in service as
far back as when Lillian was alive. He'd been a kid then. Servants like
Enrique simply were. One didn't take notice and Lex hadn't. He didn't know
this man, not back then and not especially now, but he kinda wished he had
or did. The loyal Luthor retainer cared profoundly and had depths of
intellectual reasoning Lex was only beginning to comprehend. If Clark were
here, he would have called the older man 'cool'. Feeling the ground under
his feet become firmer, Lex braved a twist of a smile. 

 "Nah," he drawled. "She would have probably had the old boy knocked off
way before now." 

 "Never. She had more class that than that." Enrique said with cold
conviction. "If she hadn't become ill, Mistress Lillian would have
eventually ruined him financially in a messy divorce and then walked away
smiling with you in tow." Enrique gave Lex a soft smile. "You were all she
talked about in her last days. She adored you beyond all else." 

 "I know." He conceded. Lex remembered his mother's smiles, so wide and
full of warmth. Fifteen years later, and they still managed to make him
feel loved with barely a thought. She had only one rival. 

 "And she would have adored Master Clark. Cherished him on sight." 

 Lex laughed. "How could she not. Once exposed, it's extremely hard not
to." 

 "True. He is..." The butler tipped his head to the side and raised his
eyebrows. "Special, shall we say?" When Lex nodded a silent yes, Enrique
finished his second drink in one go and continued. "Now about your father.
You have to confront him." 

 "Excuse me?" 

 "Tell him you're not afraid." 

 "I can't." Lex said, his eyes wide and full of panic. "I am." 

 "Your father is a bully, Alexander. He will back down." 

 "You don't understand, Enrique and I can't enlighten you but the
knowledge Lionel holds could destroy Clark utterly and completely. I
cannot and will not fuck with that." 

 "And you're absence from Master Clark's life is not destroying him now?" 

 "I wouldn't know." Lex snarked. His inner petulant child had returned.
"Farm boy hasn't called to say so." 

 "As well he shouldn't." Enrique sniffed. "Master Kent has quality and a
degree of discernment beyond the measure of the Metropolis social
register. You're the one-" 

 "I know. I know, that missed the step. Yeah, I get it. I'm the one that
fucked up." 

 "To put it mildly. Be your mother's son, Alexander and not your father's.
Claim your future." 

 "And damn the consequences?" 

 "What your father knows, he knows already. Nothing can change that.
Whatever it is, it's fact. It's happened. What he needs to be informed of
now is that you know what he knows and it doesn't matter." 

 "Call his bluff." 

 "Precisely." 

 "But he's not bluffing." 

 "Then it's your job to show that him that he indeed is." 

 Lex nodded thoughtfully. As circular as the logic was, the idea did make
of strange sort of sense. And since this whole situation was off the wall,
it might be doable. 

 At Christmas Lex had flatly denied he was with Clark solely to obtain his
secrets but what if he tucked tail between his legs and confirmed it now?
Lionel believed in avarice over love and expected his son as a good
'Luthor' to believe the same. It wouldn't really come as a shock to the
old man to hear he was right. Lionel's over inflated ego would demand no
less. 

 Grumbling and growling about wasting his time, Lex would admit that the
Kent boy had nothing of value to offer other than being a good lay. In
follow up, Lex would report quickly that he'd cut his losses and dumped
the farm boy three weeks ago. That should make the old man proud. Lionel
lived for the days when Lex bowed to his greater wisdom. They came so
rarely anymore. Lex doubted his father would give his sending of the green
meteorite a second thought. He'd be too busy celebrating his lost boy
coming back to the fold. 

 "So I let him think he was right about the wrong thing. That plan has a
fair chance of working but a good portion of its success is based on the
dissolution of my sexual relationship with Clark. My father has to believe
I don't have reason to want him." 

 "And love is not a reason?" 

 "In his eyes, not a credible one. Lionel's heart is too hard to
understand the softer emotions." 

 "The end defeats the means." Enrique muttered, focusing inward. "Yes, I
can see how that would be a problem. His disinterest is based on yours.
There must be an another way." 

 It was at that moment, while watching the man that was more friend than
employee furrow his eyebrows in deep thought, Lex realized there wasn't
another way. Lionel was never going to become disinterested. The old man
plotted Lex's life as carefully as his own. Lex gently squeezed the arm of
Enrique's pristine black jacket to get his attention. 

 "Enrique, please." Lex pleaded, his voice tight with emotion. "I
appreciate what you're doing more than you can know but it's over. There
is no solution. Clark is not my future. I.." Lex choked and bit his lip.
Only after a long moment was he able to continue. "I have to let him go." 

 "That isn't fair, Alexander." Enrique protested, his cool eyes flashing
hot with indignant fire. 

 "Yeah. No, shit. But I'm all out of options. I'll go to Lionel with my
pack of lies to keep Clark safe, that's still the wisest course but I
won't pursue him after." 

 "Don't give up, Alexander. There will be a wedding this spring." 

 Not having the stomach or the heart to argue, Lex rose from his barstool
and gave the big man a rare hug. 

 With purpose in his step, he left the library without looking back and
headed up to his bedroom to pack. After tomorrow's meeting with Gabe
Sullivan, he would be leaving for an extended stay in Metropolis.  

 "Give it a rest, Pete." 

 "Oooh, somebody needs to get laid." 

 "One more word, and I'll drop kick your ass out the loft window. Just see
if I won't." 

 "Shit, Clark. Loosen up, will ya? All I did was ask about the ring. It's
from Lex, isn't it? What is it? You've been wearing it since New Year's.
Everyone in school has noticed and been wondering. It's on your ring
finger. It has to mean something." 

 "It means nothing." 

 "Yeah, right. Nothing, right." 

 "He dumped me, Pete. The going got rough and Lex got going." 

 "What? No way." 

 "Way." 

 "And he gave you a ring busting full of diamonds the size of my eyes as a
send off?" 

 "No, he proposed first. Lex asked me to marry him a week before
Christmas." 

 "And you said yes?" 

 "Yeah, I was a stupid idiot and accepted. I might have even cried." 

 "So what? In celebration, you broke up? Okay, not quite getting the whole
guy on guy thing here. Okay, I'm never going to get the whole guy on guy
thing but isn't that kinda weird? Isn't he supposed to be like your fiance
now or is this some kind of gay ritual I'm not familiar with?" 

 "He bailed. No ritual. He didn't need one. He hid behind his morality or
perhaps I should say business acumen and left me." 

 "So in other words, you're saying he freaked and got cold feet. You're a
high school student, Clarkbar. Kinda hot, maybe a little bit sexy--which
is not to say I've noticed but you're seventeen years old, a kid, young.
Did that have something do with it?" 

 "No...well, not really. It wasn't my age that made him back away but he
did treat me like a kid when he did." 

 "Loops and loops here." 

 "Something happened, Pete. Something bad and Lex unilaterally decided
we'd be much better off separated before even asking me what I thought
about it. It was like my opinion didn't even count. It was done. Over.
That's it." 

 "Did you try to talk him about it?" 

 "I would have but he pissed me off. The thing about loving someone is
that you let them in. They know exactly what makes you happy and what
makes you not. Lex is smart--brilliant even--and he got that. My
insecurities were the first thing he went for. I see that now. It was
pretty effective. I was angry at the wrong person for over a week." 

 "And now you're just pissed at me by default." 

 "Shit, am I? I'm sorry, Pete." 

 "It's okay. You miss him." 

 "Yeah, big time." 

 "Does Lex know that?" 

 "He should." 

 "That's not what I asked, Clark." 

 "I'm not going crawling on my hands and knees to tell him, Pete. Fuck
him. If he wants me, he's going to have to come to me." 

 "Cool. You have the richest man in the country by the balls and you're
going to twist them. My hat's off to you, Clark Kent. Shit, Clarkbar, when
you decide to do something different, you really do something different." 

 "I don't have him by the balls. I couldn't. They're too big to get a grip
on. And I don't want to be different. I want normal. God, do I. I know
it's stupid but I want the white picket fence. I want the quiet nights
after a long hard day's work. I want the arguments and I want the make
ups. I want loving him to be easy. I don't want it to be this hard. Shit,
Pete. I just want to be with him." 

 "Wow, Clark." 

 "Wow?" 

 "Yeah, wow. You know if you feel this way, you should do something about
it. I would." 

 "I can't. It's complicated." 

 "Oh yeah, the kid thing. He's not treating you like a grown up. Almost
forgot with all your wining." 

 "Fuck you, Pete Ross." 

 "And that was real mature. No wonder Lex treats you like you're ten years
old." 

 "Stop it. That's not fair. You don't know everything." 

 "Like I haven't been telling you that all along. Hetro remember?
You--gay--Lex. Three things that equal the same and I don't get one of
them. Say something sane, Clark and make me understand." 

 "I love him and I'm nothing without him." 

 "Kinda scary but good enough." 

 "Now what do I do?" 

 "Swallow your pride and tell him?" 

 "He already knows how I feel. I've told him I love him a thousand times."


 "Yeah, and that's why you're spending Saturday night with me. Tell him
again, Clarkbar." 

 "It wouldn't do any good. He doesn't want me. He told me to take a hike
through the bathroom door. I didn't even see his face when he broke up
with me." 

 "Shit, that's cold. Through the bathroom door? Really?" 

 "Really." 

 "Well, fuck him then. You know what you should do? You should find the
hottest guy in school and suck his dick." 

 "Pete!" 

 "What? Did I get it wrong? You like that kind of thing, don't you?" 

 "Sucking dick? Trust me, Pete. You do not want to have this conversation
with me." 

 "No?" 

 "No." 

 "Right. So Mr Kent, what have we learned today?" 

 "Don't talk about blow jobs with Pete Ross. He couldn't handle what I
know." 

 "Fine, I'll go with that. What else?" 

 "Talk to Lex?" 

 "No, I've changed my mind about that one. Try again." 

 "Ah...don't talk to Lex?" 

 "And? Remember what I just said?" 

 "What? Suck someone else's cock? Oh come on, Pete. I can't do that." 

 "Why not? What's one dick from another?" 

 "You want me to suck yours?" 

 "What? Hell, no!" 

 "You sure, Pete? I'm pretty good. I guarantee I can make you come in
under a minute." 

 "Clark! You wouldn't!" 

 "Of course not, you dolt. You turn me on as much as Pamela Anderson and
believe me, that's not saying much. Big hair and bigger tits don't do a
thing for me." 

 "Oh, very funny. You're comparing me with a surgically enhanced white
girl. That's sick, Clark." 

 "So is imaging I wouldn't care who's cock was in my mouth. Point taken,
sweetheart?" 

 "Point taken and don't call me that. Look, suck dick or don't suck dick,
what you've got to do is make Joe Billionaire pant for your attention by
thinking someone else has it." 

 "I suppose I could flirt." 

 "There you go. You've got it now. Flirting. That's the ticket." 

 "But with who? How many gay guys do you know in Smallville?" 

 "Besides you and Lex? None. That could be a problem." 

 "Ya think?" 

 "You could go to one of those gay bars in Metropolis?" 

 "And Lex would see me how? There are tons of them." 

 "Did I say I had this figured out? Give me a minute." 

 "Don't' bother. I don't want to make him jealous, Pete. It'll hurt him." 

 "I thought that was the point." 

 "It's not, not really. He hurt me, that's true but knowing what that's
doing to me, I don't think I could do that to him. It would be cruel and
he really doesn't deserve it." 

 "Okay, then just make him beg. What harm could that do?" 

 "Beg? Lex Luthor beg for me, Clark Kent?" 

 "Yeah, what of it?" 

 "He'd never do it. He's too proud and besides, I wouldn't care to see him
sink that low." 

 "Why not? It would be way too cool." 

 "Way too cool? Well, maybe. Having someone as hot as him beg for me could
be I suppose." 

 "You think he's hot?" 

 "Fuck, yeah. I've got a hard on just thinking about him." 

 "Ew, Clark." 

 "You asked." 

 "Yeah, and remind me not to do that again." 

 "You got it. So who do I flirt with?" 

 "Lana at the Talon?" 

 "You've got to be kidding. Even if she'd let me close enough to talk to,
Lana ranks right up there with you and Pamela." 

 "Damn, you're difficult. No wonder Lex is pissed with you. Fine then, try
Chloe. She's still on speaking terms with you, isn't she?" 

 "Yeah, but still a girl last time I checked." 

 "Then it might make him wonder, right? Make him think twice about whose
team you're playing for." 

 "Oh, please. Lex is bi-sexual. I'm the gay one. I don't do girls. He
knows that." 

 "You're sure? You've come right out and told him?" 

 "Well, no. Not right out." 

 "Then we have a winner ladies and gentleman." 

 "Pete..." 

 "I'll talk to Chloe. She'll understand. I don't get it, but she loves
seeing the two of you together. Sometimes she almost squeals. It's weird."


 "Don't remind me." 

 "What?" 

 "Nothing. So when do we do it? Lex and I don't exactly travel in the same
social circles." 

 "Two days? Friday? It's the Talon's two year anniversary. As part owner,
he should show." 

 "Okay, it's date." 

 "Whoa, man. Nobody said nothing about a date." 

 "Get a grip, Pete. I was talking about Chloe." 

 "Knew that. Right. A date. With Chloe. Knew that." 

 "And repressed or not, I know you're a good friend, Pete. Thanks." 

 "No problem. Repressed? I don't get it. Clark?" 

 "Never mind, Pete. Never mind. One sexual crisis at a time." 

 "What? Okay. Okay, Clark?" 

 "Yeah, buddy. It's okay." 

 "Yeah?" 

 "Yeah."  

 "You're lying." 

 "Excuse me?" Lex almost dropped his water bottle from where it was poised
an inch from his lips. They were in his father's private steam room, Lex
on the top tier and Lionel on the bottom, clothed in nothing more than
white towels around their hips and an air of barely masked hostility. The
relaxed atmosphere was surface only. He took a quick sip and tucked the
vessel into the slats of the bench he was sitting on. 

 "Do you take me for a fool, Alexander?" 

 "Of course not, Dad." A familiar tingle of doom went down Lex's spine. It
wasn't a super power like Clark's but it was reliable enough. Lex
concentrated on his breathing and tried not to fidget. "Which part of my
story don't you believe? Perhaps I can extrapolate." 

 "You didn't leave wonder boy." 

 "I haven't seen him in weeks," Lex said, biting the inside of his cheek
for control. "Call your assistant if you need proof." 

 "The lovely Martha Kent? Unnecessary. I know you haven't been with her
boy since she returned to work the beginning of January. She's been
unusually somber these last weeks. For some unfathomable reason, I think
she's upset about the break up." 

 "I treated her son like a whore. I think she has a right to be." 

 "You care about what she thinks?" 

 "Not at all. Just stating fact." 

 "Another lie. I can hear the tension in your voice, Alexander. It
troubles you." 

 If keeping Clark safe wasn't so important, Lex would have told his father
to stuff his perceptions up his ass. Playing the obedient son rankled. 

 "It wasn't a pretty break up, Dad. I didn't handle it well. It
was...messy." 

 "I'm sure it was. Tell me, son. Did he let you down gently?" 

 "Me?" 

 Lionel chuckled and shook his head. "You didn't think I'd figure it out,
did you? I'm old, son but not senile. My memory is intact. You been
rebuffed by a Kent. I know the symptoms intimately." 

 Jesus fucking Christ, the man may be a bastard but he was also truly
amazing. Lex should have known he couldn't pull the wool over the old
boy's eyes and in retrospect, was foolish to expect he could, but
this...oh, damn. This was too much. While trying to convince his father he
did not love Clark, he had achieved the opposite to the extreme and had
made him believe Clark did not love him. The inference that Lionel had
been rejected by his lover's mother barely registered. Laughter bubbled up
in his throat. He didn't quite know how to feel but hysteria seemed an
appropriate reaction as any. 

 Lionel frowned and canted his head in Lex's direction. He was two feet
below so Lex couldn't see the dark emotion in his father eyes and was not
inclined to try. "Alexander?" Lionel prompted when Lex failed to respond
immediately to his accusation. 

 "Martha?" he blurted not having a better response readily available. "You
went after Martha Kent?" 

 "Is that surprise I hear? If I remember correctly, she's quite the
handsome woman." 

 "Yes, Dad, she is. I've had a thought or two about her myself." It would
disgust Clark to know, but yes, Lex thought his mother a desirable woman.
To Lionel, however it was an easy enough admission. "But she's married and
loves her husband pathetically. If I'm surprised at anything, it's you
deliberately setting yourself up for failure." 

 "I know. Appalling, isn't it? I've always had a weakness for red hair but
it was a momentary lapse, I assure you. I got over it." 

 Now that was a lie. Lex knew from personal experience you did not stop
loving Martha Kent once you had started. It was infection without a cure.
The same went for her son. Lex followed his father's lead and jumped on
the denial boat with him. He didn't know where it would head, but it had
to better than where he was. 

 "I'll get over Clark." Lex responded, his words flying off the cuff. If
he didn't think too hard about what he was saying, he could sound like he
meant it. It wouldn't do for his father to realize how important Clark was
to him. 

 "Ah...so, you admit it. The Kent boy did leave you dangling in the wind
and it hurt. You were telling the truth when you came here last Christmas.
You were with him because you'd fallen in love." His father barked out a
laugh, putting the maniac in maniacal. "That was the secret you didn't
want me to know. How could I have been so blind?" 

 "I don't love him." Lex asserted with barely a hitch in voice. Picturing
Pete Ross in his head as he spoke made it possible. He could not have said
the words otherwise. "I told you not ten minutes ago, I seduced Clark
because I thought there was more to his mutant ass than met the eye." 

 "That might be how it started but it didn't end up that way. Even when
you found there was nothing spectacular about him, you stayed. You didn't
want to let him go, did you?" 

 "I'm ambitious, Dad. Not a homosexual." Lex stated confidently bolstered
in the knowledge that this time he wasn't lying. He liked fucking women as
much as men. He had just never fell in love with one. 

 "Fine. Tell me you don't want Clark Kent in your bed and we'll let the
subject die." 

 Shit, shit, shit. Lex didn't have enough of an imagination to get around
that one. Despite the danger to Clark, there were no half truths he could
mutter or imaginary scenarios he could conjure in his head. There was only
one answer and it was out before he had time to reconsider. 

 "I want him," Lex ground out. 

 "I thought so. Lex, Lex, Lex. When will you learn you can't fool your own
flesh and blood?" 

 "Obviously never," he snarked. 

 "And you'd do well to remember that. Another thing you should remember is
that we Luthors turn weakness into strength. Defeats into victories." 

 "Got it, Dad. Excuse me a moment while I jot that down in my PDA." 

 "Sarcasm doesn't become you, son." 

 "You asked a question and I answered." Lex said tersely. He was quite
fond of sarcasm at the moment and didn't feel like giving it up. It was
the only defense he had. "Now tell me why." 

 "I want you to take him." 

 "What?" Lex gasped. He stared in shock at the top of his father's head. 

 "Go after him. Win the Kent boy. Make him yours, completely and wholly.
Do not take no for an answer." 

 "Is this because you lost Martha? Are we in some way regaining the family
honour by me pursuing Clark, another Kent?" 

 Slowly, Lionel turned, his sightless eyes locking on his son. "Do you
object?" 

 "No, just asking." Lex flipped back as smoothly as he could. Gazing back
into those bottomless depths, he wondered briefly if his father had lost
his mind along with his sight but perhaps that was presumptuous. 

 How ever difficult it was to comprehend, it might be possible that Lionel
did have a hard nugget of a heart and Martha Kent had managed to crack it.
"How far into enemy territory do you want me carry the Luther pennant?" he
asked smoothly, willingly offering himself up as the method of his
father's revenge. 

 "All the way. Brand him with our name, Alexander. Make him one of us."
Lionel finished, his voice steely and hard. 

 "Jonathon won't be too pleased to have me as a son in law." 

 The sly smile that Lex had learned to fear at a very young age formed on
Lionel's thin lips. "No, he won't be, will he." 

 "What about heirs? If I marry Clark, he's not likely to produce any." Lex
said, once again bending the truth. He wasn't a hundred percent sure he
could impregnate his beautiful alien lover but he was hopeful. 

 "I'm not asking you to be faithful, son. I'd actually prefer it if you
were not." Lex unclenched his teeth when the old man lounged back against
the bench beside Lex's thigh on his elbows. He was grateful to no longer
be in direct line of those dead eyes. "When the time is right, choose a
woman you think befits your status and we'll work out the legalities of
parental rights later." 

 "Is April 5 a good day for you?" Lex quipped hoping he didn't sound too
anxious. It was possible that if his father learned how truly happy his
spiteful request made his son he might relent. Lionel knew the benefits of
keeping one's adversaries wanting and on edge. He'd be displeased to learn
he'd given Lex everything in a fit of pique. 

 "So soon?" Lionel paused and once again tipped his mangy head of hair in
his direction as if he didn't need eyes to see his son. "Is he that
important? I do recall hearing a tape of a speech you made not long ago.
It was at the shit factory Christmas party in front of your employees, I
believe. Something about him being your home, your family? Please, tell me
it wasn't true." 

 Lex bristled. Having an in house spy still bothered him. He wanted a name
but now was not the time to test his father's patience. "Does it matter if
it were? Productivity has been higher this month than when the plant
opened." 

 "Indeed? Then, kudos. There's nothing like working the crowd once you get
the hang of it, is there? You make me proud, son." 

 "Thanks, Dad, now if you'll excuse me, I really should be getting back to
Smallville. In light of recent events, I have some calls to make." 

 "Your lawyer being one of them, I hope. A detailed pre-nup would not be
out of order in this instance." 

 Lex stifled the urge to laugh in the old man's face. This morning he had
met with his lawyers and had, among other codicils, made Clark his sole
beneficiary in the case of his death and that was without the promise or
hope of marriage. In the unlikely case of a divorce, Lex was willing to
give him more than the law allowed. If he was coerced into a prenuptial
agreement, it would be a legal document that forced Clark to walk away
with half his worth, not fractured parts of it. Clark was his everything.
They didn't have to be together to deserve his all. His father would freak
if he knew how much he was willing to give, with the Kents right along
side him for company. 

 "I'll keep that in mind," Lex said, dropping his towel and his faade of
indifference on his way out. He was grinning broadly. He had come here to
today to lose but had somehow won. The smile on his face was so wide it
hurt. 

 He was going home. 

 Home to Clark. 

 The smile faltered. 

 Lex prayed to who was ever willing to listen, he was still welcome.  

 "Martha? Are you all right? You look sick. Who was on the phone?" 

 "Lex, looking for Clark." 

 "Lex? Did he say why?" 

 "He said quite a lot actually once he got through apologizing. He was
stuttering, Jonathon. I've never heard him do that before. It
was...unnerving. He sounded like he was terrified and Lex is never
terrified." 

 "Yeah, falling in love can do that to the best of us. And it's scary as
hell when you find it's with someone that's your better." 

 "I don't understand." 

 "You never did. You couldn't. It didn't go both ways. That's just how it
worked." 

 "All right, then, Jonathon Kent. Pretend I'm dumb and explain it to me." 

 "Lord, woman, you're as bright as the sunrise and that's sort of the
point. You could never be dumb but being from the other side, I don't
think it's possible for you to understand. You weren't me and you aren't,
not definitely now, Lex. You and Clark are the beautiful ones. You're
special. Lex is more like me. We know that we don't deserve either of you
and spend every waking moment trying to convince our selves we do." 

 "Nonsense. I loved you from the moment I saw you, Jonathon. Without an
ounce of hesitation." 

 "Yeah, I know you did but then again, I didn't. Not really and not for a
very long time." 

 "Clark feels the same about Lex. I'm sure of it." 

 "Yeah, probably but Lex hasn't had enough time to believe it. He wants
to, Martha but he's still frightened." 

 "His voice didn't tremble when he asked where Clark was tonight." 

 "That's good. It's sounds like Lex has made up his mind and found enough
courage to go after what he wants. About time. For awhile I thought I read
the boy wrong. I hope you put him out of his misery and told him Clark was
at the Talon." 

 "Don't you care what Lionel will think?" 

 "Can you remember a time when I have?" 

 "No, but this is different and you know it." 

 "Lex is sure it's okay?" 

 "He seemed to be. He said Lionel wasn't a threat anymore. Oh, Jonathon,
what if he's wrong?" 

 "Lex wouldn't put our boy in danger." 

 "I know that. I'm pretty sure I do." 

 "Then what's the problem?" 

 "You're not afraid, are you? Lionel has the power to ruin all our lives."


 "Not if we don't let him think he does." 

 "That's what Lex said on the phone." 

 "Really? Then the man has more horse sense than I thought. It's gonna
work out, Martha." 

 "How can you think that?" 

 "Because once upon a time ago, a pretty red head with a heart full of
hope told me it had to." 

 "Oh, love. And here I thought you weren't listening." 

 "I always listen to you, my sweet darling. Only this time I heard." 

 "Will miracles ever cease?" 

 "In this household, not anytime soon, I'd imagine. Miracles happen every
day. Anyway Lionel isn't the real problem, Clark is. I've got my fingers
crossed right now hoping the boy won't deck Lex before he has a chance to
speak his peace." 

 "Clark wouldn't hurt Lex, Jonathon." 

 "No? The boy's been spurned, Martha. He's gone from mad to moping and
right back to mad these last few days. There isn't a battered fence post
on the farm that can't attest to it. If this thing with Lex isn't solved
soon, the cows are going to grazing the public gardens in front of City
Hall before long. There won't be fence enough to keep them in." 

 "I see. Do you feel up to going to town for a coffee? I hear in
celebration of the Talon's two year anniversary, they're free tonight." 

 "Is there a band we can sit, listen and hold hands to?" 

 "That's what the flyer said." 

 "Then I might be persuaded. We can even stay for the fireworks." 

 "Fireworks? The paper didn't mention anything about that. Are you sure?" 

 "Lex and Clark in the same room?" 

 "Ah, yes. How foolish of me." 

 "Woman, you're a lot of things, but foolish? Not since you married me. I
love you more than corn, Martha Kent." 

 "Say creamed corn, and I'll believe you." 

 "Hate the stuff." 

 "But you'll eat it for me." 

 "I'll eat it." 

 "Then grab your coat, Jonathon Kent. We're about to see a another
miracle."  

 Roses, red. 

 Lex had always hated how the small town caf tried to emulate an Egyptian
oasis, but tonight he was thankful for it. The gold and the green and the
over indulgence of ferns went well with the twelve dozen of the twelve
dozen ruby coloured roses with buds the size of his fist he had ordered
special for the celebration. 

 The reds were hybrids, oversized and plastic. Living and beautiful and
yet, devoid of aroma. They were a mere decoration he had imported from
Metropolis. To compensate Lex had interspersed the large reds buds with
small tufts of Smallville yellow. Enrique had been pleased by his
inspiration and that had pleased Lex. 

 The yellow roses were smaller, understated but purebred and honest. Their
scent was sweet, light and battled successfully with the heavy aroma of
brewing coffee. Lex bent his head to smell the clean yellow rose in his
lapel. If it was an affectation he would have chosen a larger red bud to
go with his dark blue suit and crisp white shirt but tonight was not about
appearances. Discounting the probable groveling and begging, it was
largely about truth. 

 A romantic notion perhaps, and dare he admit, sappy? Lex spied Clark
sitting across the room with Chloe. Immediately his breath shortened and
knees weakened. He was wearing jeans and a long sleeved red tee shirt
edged in yellow around the neck. 

 Jesus fucking Christ. 

 Yeah, he was a sappy, romantic fool and for once he was okay with it. 

 How's that for truth?	

 Roses, red. 

 "What colour do you want, Clark?" 

 "Light brown with sugar. Three teaspoons." 

 "Get with it, Kent. I'm not talking about your coffee. What colour rose
do you want?" Chloe plucked a thorn stripped red rose from the crystal
vase in the middle of the low table and smiling brightly, tucked it behind
her ear twisting the ends into her spiky blonde hair. "Can't you see?
They're all over the place in the official colours of Smallville High.
Everyone's wearing one. They're gorgeous." 

 Sitting, slumped down on the battered couch in the most furthest point of
the Talon, Clark looked around the room but was hard pressed to see what
Chloe did. She didn't know it but he'd seen better. 

 The Talon with its bounty of flowers reminded Clark of Lex's bedroom
minus the apples and oranges. It was pretty but in direct comparison, the
coffee shop lost. It lacked a certain pale skinned centerpiece to really
make it beautiful. When he heard Chloe squeak, Clark guessed the
centerpiece had arrived. 

 "Oh, god, Clark." Beside him on the sofa, Chloe sat on her bare feet, her
four inch wedgies were discarded under the coffee table and craned her
neck. "I think he's here. I can't see the front door for bodies but it has
to be Lex. It wasn't sure he'd show," she mumbled speaking his thoughts.
After bouncing a few times on the cushions for a better look, she turned
to him and smiled. Her blue eyes were unnaturally bright. "Quick, Clark.
Pick a flower for your hair." 

 Purposely ignoring the commotion at the door--gods, he so wanted to
look--Clark leveled his gazed at his excited friend. A point needed to be
made. "Chloe, I'm gay but not that gay. I'm not wearing a flower in my
hair." 

 "Between your teeth?" Chloe sang and then, pouted. "No, you'd have to be
naked and stretched out on his bed for that to work." 

 "Chloe!" Clark yelled when her face went suspiciously vague and her focus
drifted in familiar way that made Clark squirm. 

 "Right!" she snapped and then, blushed deeply. Clark's cheeks went red in
sympathy. "If I'm your girlfriend tonight, I guess you won't need a flower
to get his attention." Chloe got off her heels and tucked them under her
skirt. "Do you want to put your arm around my shoulders?" she asked,
looking up at him, her side pressing against his ribs, her knees in his
lap. "It would, you know, make it look believable." 

 "Oh, okay." With effort Clark lifted his arm, it felt like a dead weight
and Chloe ducked underneath. She grabbed his hand, the one by the flower
in her ear and pulled him closer. He expected it to feel weird. It didn't.
Having Chloe this close felt nice, comfortable. Clark placed his free hand
under her thigh just below one bent knee, pulled her into the enclave of
his lap and left it there. 

 "You like this," she said, her words breathing hot tufts just above the
collar of his shirt. 

 Clark looked down. Chloe was already looking up. "Yeah, you feel good in
my arms." 

 Chloe trembled. "Define good." 

 "Pleasant. Nice. Warm." 

 "Warm but not hot?" 

 Clark smiled and softly kissed the nose so close to his lips. "I wish it
did. It would make my life easier if I could fall in love someone as
wonderful as you." 

 "I wish it too." 

 "Chloe..." 

 "Clark, stop. You don't have to say it. I've accepted how you feel a long
time ago. I don't like it, but I have. You can't love me." 

 "But I do." Clark squeezed her and brought her deeper into his hold. It
was a very intimate, very heterosexual gesture. The crowds of people
milling around them were bound to get the wrong impression but Clark
didn't care. The woman in his lap was more important to him than gossip.
"I do love you, Chloe Sullivan. If you weren't my friend, I'd be very sad.
Please tell me I'm not being cruel by holding you and liking it. You
comfort me. I need to feel you." 

 "God, Clark." Chloe ducked her head and rubbed her cheek into his chest.
"What the hell am I suppose to say to that?" 

 Clark stroked her hair and whispered, "I don't know. That you need me
too? Please say you do. Please, Chloe, please. I want it so much." 

 For a long moment, nothing was said. Clark held Chloe and Chloe held
Clark. The celebration, the roses and the complimentary coffee were
forgotten. The heartbreak and confusion he'd felt these last weeks were
made bearable in what he was surprised to discover was his best friend's
arms. Lex was his love, Pete was his chum and buddy but Chloe was his
lifeline. This small, tow headed blonde whose sparkling personality
annoyed him to no end was his true confidante, the one he wanted to
confess to. The one he wanted absolution from. The one whose opinion
mattered. If he hadn't fallen in love with Lex and hadn't felt all the
same things to the max and more, he would have chosen her or tried to.
Angelic looks aside, Lana Lang had nothing on Chloe Sullivan. The woman
was much greater than the girl. 

 "Clark?" 

 "Yeah, Chloe?" Clark rubbed his nose into her hair. It looked sharp and
spiky but was amazingly soft. He breathed deep. And it smelt good. 

 "Let up. You're swishing my rose." 

 "Oh, sorry." Smiling ruefully, he sat back and let his arms fall from her
back to coil down into a lose hold around the base of her spine just above
the top of her skirt. She was still in his lap but now she could move out
it if she wanted to. 

 "It's okay, Clark." 

 "Yeah? Really?" 

 "Really, yeah. It's nice here." Chloe ran her hand slowly down his
stomach. Her inquisitive fingers stopped just short of the waistband of
his jeans. Flicking the brass button with her nails, she smirked and
looked side ways at him. Clark's eyebrows went into his hairline. "Nice
stuff. I can see why Lex likes it so much." 

 Feeling in the mood to be generous and knowing her tastes, Clark smirked
back. After what he'd put her though, she deserved an illicit treat. For
her, he could swallow his embarrassment. "I'm nothing." Clark laughed.
"You should see him, Chloe. Naked, he's absolutely beautiful. Long, hard
and oh, my god...sleek. Lex moves like nothing I've ever seen. Sometimes,
he makes me forget how to breathe." 

 "Is he a passionate lover?" 

 "Yeah, but he hates it." 

 "What? He hates being passionate?" Chloe asked obviously puzzled and
Clark considered that. 

 "In a way, I guess. Lex hates losing control. Even during sex. It takes a
lot before he lets go. When we make love, he always starts off slow and
careful. It drives me crazy." 

 "So all isn't blissful in Luthorland. Lex isn't the perfect lay. Hmm,
that's comforting." 

 Clark looked down his nose to chastise her but when he saw her blue eyes
flashing and the small smile curving her lips he knew she wasn't being
vindictive. She was being the woman she was, forgiving, kind and quick
witted. She'd may be hurting but she was dealing remarkably well. The
indestructible Chloe Sullivan had once again risen above. Clark wasn't
really surprised. With her quirky hair and her own sense of what was
normal, she did it all the time. Loving the warm feel of her body against
his, he gave her a squeeze. There was only one thing better than this. 

 "He is the perfect lay, Chloe. Don't get that wrong. Once he's revved up,
he's an animal. He blows my brains out every time." 

 "Only because you love him. You're a nice guy, Clark. You forgive a lot."


 "Not because. He is really, really good." 

 "Do you top?" 

 "What?" 

 "You know what I'm talking about. Have you done it to him?" 

 "Yeah, once." Clark said slowly, looking and not finding Lex through the
throng of bodies. He wasn't sure he should have answered. 

 "That's all? Only once? You were together for six months and you only
fucked him once?" 

 "Holy geez, Chloe!" 

 "Don't 'geez' me, Clark Kent. I'm sitting in your lap and you've just
told me you're lover's a great lay. It's too late to be modest." 

 "Yeah, but really, Chloe..." 

 "Clark..." 

 "Okay, okay. Pete would hate to hear this or...well, maybe not and Lex
would freak if he knew I was telling you, but yeah, I've only topped
once." Clark nervously scanned the crowd for his lover again. "It was
good, a different kind of good but I prefer being on the bottom. I only
switched because I thought he might like the change. It was sort of a
Christmas present," he said quietly when his search came up empty 

 "So how did he do? Did he lose the famous 'Luthor' cool faster when you
topped?" 

 "Uhh...I suppose so. But he didn't really have a lot of choice. I was
pretty determined and it was a special occasion. I don't know, Chloe. I
haven't really given it a lot of thought." 

 "Maybe you should." 

 "Why? I like the sex how it is." Clark frowned. "How it was." 

 "Man against man or maybe I should say, man into man, whatever. You have
to meet him as an equal if you ever want this thing with Lex to last.
Nothing else is right. Top or bottom, you can't hold back and more
importantly, neither can he. It isn't healthy. You have to get to him to
open up." 

 "What?" he laughed. "Now you're telling me how to fuck?" 

 "Yeah, I'm telling you how to fuck. It's damn good advice and that's what
friends are for. If you want me to watch and give pointers, I'm
available." 

 "You wouldn't." 

 "I might, Clark Kent." She raised her hands and twisted her fingers into
his hair. With a slight tug she brought his head down. "So don't push it,'
Chloe said into his face. Clark parted his lips and tilted his head. When
he leaned forward, Chloe didn't lean back. The kiss was inevitable after
that. 

 It wasn't deep. It didn't ignite the fire in his belly like Lex's kisses
did. But it was good. It had been so long since Clark had felt this close
to anyone, he wasn't able to do anything but sink into it. It was warm and
made him feel wanted if not desired. Although, it would only take a bit of
tongue and shifting of his hips to change that. He started to turn... 

 "Clark!" 

 His whole body going into a spasm, Clark jerked at the sound of that
voice. Chloe bounced off his lap. Lips bruised and hair ruffled from
kissing, he looked up at the man who'd called him out. Guilt ruled his
senses. He barely registered Chloe giving her apologies, grabbing her
shoes from underneath the table and skittering away. Looking up into the
face of his accuser, Clark's cheeks burned red. 

 "Hi, Dad."  

 "Don't leave. There has to be an explanation." 

 "I know there is. Forgive me for not wanting to stay to hear it." 

 "Lex, don't go." Martha pushed him into the alcove between the stairs to
his little used office and the public bathroom. In the tight, dark corner,
nobody could see them and they were unable to see anybody, including Clark
and Chloe. 

 Caught, Lex looked down at her in defeat. "Martha, you're son just made a
fool of me in front of the whole town. Don't ask me to stay. I can't." 

 "You can't leave yet." 

 Damn her all to hell for not letting go of his sleeve. As long as Martha
held him, he would do nothing aggressive to break away. He was incapable
of hurting her. 

 Martha's free hand came around, the one not holding his wrist immobile
with a feather light touch, and clutched at the collar of his jacket. Oh,
great. Now he was twice bound. The yellow rose in his lapel crumbled to
the floor. At its destruction, Lex fought the urge to cry. His feelings
were on the knife's edge. It was a battle not to scream at the slightest
infraction no matter how superficial. He was raw and open. Seeing the
yellow petals fall to the floor hurt more than they should. Helpless to
hide his feelings, he looked up at Martha with pleading eyes. She had no
idea what she was doing by making him stay. 

 "Please, he doesn't want me. This is pointless. Let me go." 

 "You have to hear his side." 

 "He was kissing Chloe. There is no side I care to hear." 

 "You're the only one he loves." 

 "You can't know that." 

 "Between you, me, Jonathon, the cows and the fence posts, I most
certainly do." 

 Lex tugged gently at his pink manicured bonds. With a soft lilt to her
head, Martha gave him a kind, indulgent look but did not let go. 

 "Stop it, Lex. You're staying. You're going to talk to him. You're going
to work this out." 

 "Why?" 

 "Do you really have to ask that?" she said and out came the Kentian
glare. 

 "Yes, I do." Lex replied trying very hard not to duck his head. He didn't
know which was more terrible, his father's leer or Martha's determined
stare. For different reasons neither was easy to endure. "Please, don't
worry," he said quickly hoping to stop her from tearing him to pieces with
her eyes. Clark's laser vision couldn't be any worse. "Your son has
everything now. My money. My influence. And the girl. He's safe, Martha.
No one will ever know who and what he is. I'll do everything in my power
to make sure of that. So, please, please, please. Let me go." With his the
final plea, Lex knocked his head back against the door to his office in
frustration. It hurt, but only for a second before the hand on his lapel
came up to tenderly rub the sore spot. The small fingers of Martha's other
hand still held his wrist. He was being treated well but was no less
imprisoned. 

 "Tell me how you got here tonight, Lex.." Martha asked softly. "Tell me
about the roses." 

 "They're flowers," he said flatly. 

 "No. To you, they're more than that." 

 "Don't do this...I can't..." Lex squeezed his eyes shut so he didn't have
to look her. The care on Martha's face was too apparent. It made him care
and he didn't want to. 

 "You feel too much for Clark to leave him again." 

 "This time it isn't about my leaving." 

 "No?" She stopped petting his head and placed both hands around his
wrist. Her thumbs went to his pulse point and rubbed. "You went days
without seeing him. Did you miss him, Lex? Did you have trouble sleeping
at night? And how did you get through the day? Tell me how you felt." 

 Lex slowly lifted his lashes. "Besides it being none of your business, I
know what you're doing." 

 "Do you?" 

 "You want me to say I'm in love with him. Well, fine. I am. I love him. I
love Clark. That's not news to you. You've always known how I felt about
your son so don't stand there and fucking patronize me." 

 "If you feel that way, then why are you putting up with me?" 

 "You're holding my wrist. I can't move." 

 "And if I let you go?" 

 "I'll leave." 

 "Without speaking to him?" 

 "There's little point. Clark has no sense of logic. Hormonal teenagers
seldom do." 

 "So like last time, you'll conveniently forget he is the man you love and
dismiss him out of hand like child." 

 "Clark isn't a child. I am aware of that. He's a young man with a healthy
but mostly untried libido. So it's not surprising he thinks with his dick.
He did that with me and he's about to do that with Chloe if hasn't
already." Lex paused and squinted at her, trying for his own brand of
frightening glare. "And stop it. You're doing it again." 

 Unperturbed by his attempt at visual browbeating, Martha nodded
thoughtfully, a small smile playing with her lips. "Patronizing you...ah,
yes." 

 "And attempting to manipulate me. Neither will help. No matter how much
you want it to." 

 "You're right. This isn't about what I want. It's about what Clark wants.
Have you ever stopped to consider that?" 

 "Yes, and in the last few minutes that exercise hasn't been particularly
pleasant. It's obvious he has feelings for Chloe. Good ones. Healthy ones.
You saw that tonight. And I saw that tonight. Why are you fighting this,
Martha? Are you afraid I'll withdraw my support? I told you I won't. He
still has everything I do. If this about who he is, please know Clark
doesn't have to marry me to be safe. He can have Chloe. I won't tell." 

 Feeling fragile and brittle after his speech, Lex sunk back against the
door of his office. It was locked with an electronic pad. He repeated the
code over and over again in his head. It was only four digits to
sanctuary. Four buttons to a place he could curl up and die. Four small
clicks and he could let down the walls and crumble. If only Martha would
let go of his wrist... 

 "Jonathon said you can't believe Clark loves you. That you don't think
yourself worthy. I found that hard to digest at the time but maybe not
now. Is it true, Lex?" 

 "Yes." Anything. "Now please, Martha. Let me go." 

 "You're wrong. You are worthy." 

 Enough was enough. He had his limits. Lex had tried to reason with her
but couldn't take anymore of her circular diatribe. Trashing his vaulted
self appointed honour with a flex of his bicep, he yanked his hand away
from Martha's gentle grasp. 

 "Don't you get it?" he yelled not giving a mutant rat's ass that Lana
could probably hear him from behind the coffee bar. "Clark's with her
because I am not fucking worthy! I'm a cold hearted prick and he has no
earthly reason to want me!" he finished in a high voice, shrieking more
than screaming into her startled face. He was angry. Martha meant well. He
knew that. He truly did. But she had no right to suppose how he felt and
she certainly had no right to suppose what Clark wanted. 

 "Earthly? Perhaps not." Martha said, rubbing her wrist but not backing
away. A crowd had gathered in the hallway but the venerable Mrs Kent
hadn't moved one inch. "I know he loves you," she said her blue eyes
flashing and her shoulder's set. "That's reason enough for anyone." 

 Lex wanted to believe, she made quite the convincing display but there
was the evidence to consider. 

 With his own eyes he had seen Clark pull Chloe into his lap and kiss her.
From experience, he knew how Clark's body moved. He knew what emotions
fueled it. His lover had touched the young woman with gentle care. His
hands on her body meant something. The kiss was not polite gesture. Clark
had been enjoying it. He had wanted it. Across the room Lex had felt his
need. The depth of it had taken his breath away. Until that moment, Lex
had thought only he was capable of evoking such passion from his lover.
Discovering he was not, had effectively shattered his world. Pride goeth
before the fall. 

 Green rocks, his father's hate, and Clark's alien heritage had not
destroyed him. But one kiss had strength over all those hardships. Seeing
his lover's lips on another's had flattened him. He was broken and had no
desire to explain the gory details to his friend and lover's mother. 

 Putting his back to her, he turned and punched the access code into the
lock. The door clicked opened and Lex shoved it wide. Two feet in, he spun
and closed it, feeling safe when he heard the magnetics click in place. It
wouldn't stop Clark should he want in but Martha, with her misguided truth
was now effectively barred on the other side. 

 Finally alone, Lex wasn't sure what he wanted to do. He had options,
raging, screaming, breaking office supplies and crying. Climbing the
narrow staircase and falling in a heap before his desk, he nearly settled
on the last one. 

 Weeping like a child wasn't very Luthor like and he realized, neither was
giving up. It was one of the few lessons his father taught him that didn't
leave a bad taste in the back of his mouth. Putting the past into
practice, he focused the shame of his humiliation into something more
palatable. It didn't take long. Thinking of a time before Clark came back
faster than he imagined. Fortified, Lex stood and slapped the dust from
his trousers. 

 He may feel like shit, but he would be damned if he'd be treated that
way. He was a fucking Luthor. No, dammit. He was Lex Luthor. Nobody had
the right to break his heart. Not even the man that showed him he had one.


 On the other hand, now that he'd hit bottom there was no where to go but
up. He couldn't feel any worse so he'd might as well take a shot at
feeling better. Or at least a shot at Clark. Lex leaned back against his
desk and thought about that. A jagged smile he would have found hauntingly
familiar formed on his lips. 

 Hitting Clark? 

 Yeah, that would make him feel better. 

 Much. 

 Too bad he'd break his hand doing it. No, there was another, less painful
way of saving face. 

 Curling his bottom lip over his teeth and biting into place, Lex pushed
off the desk and headed back downstairs.  

 "Stupid?" 

 "Son, stupid doesn't even begin to describe what you just did." 

 They were sitting shoulder to shoulder on the battered couch, speaking
quietly, with more calm than either of them felt. Like his father, Clark
was rigid, back straight, legs bent at a perfect ninety degree angle and
feet firmly planted on the ground. Both stared straight ahead not seeing
into the throng of people drinking coffee and celebrating the Talon's two
year anniversary. Clark squeezed his knees and took a deep breath. 

 "What do I do now?" 

 "Not a clue." 

 Deep shit. He was in deep, deep shit. 

 "Will apologizing work?" 

 "In my experience when you screw up this bad...no." 

 "Right. I'm in big trouble then." 

 "Yep." 

 "Right. Trouble. Right." 

 "You could beg." 

 "That works?" 

 "No." 

 "Right!" Clark squeaked, almost jolting upright from the couch. 

 At the end of his father's less than helpful answer, Clark had heard Lex
screaming at what he supposed was his mother. She wasn't here. But his
father was. So it figured. 

 The loud and biting words weren't as distinguishable to his father's
human ears as they were to Clark's alien ones but it obvious from the way
his body stiffened that the older man caught enough to know that Lex was
not in the best of moods. 

 "You still love him?" his father asked suddenly after the tempest died
down. Clark broke statue mode to look at him. To his surprise, his dad was
looking back. 

 "Yeah." Clark said honestly with a shrug of his shoulders. 

 "And you still want to do..." His father fumbled with his hand and
blushed. Clark was unnaturally fascinated. "Ah...stuff with him?" 

 "Stuff? What...oh. Do I still want to have sex with him?" 

 "Yeah," his father blurted and then said quickly, "I mean this kissing
thing with Chloe doesn't mean you've changed, has it?" 

 "No, Dad. It doesn't work that way." 

 "Still gay?" 

 "Still gay." Clark affirmed shortly. There wasn't anything more he could
add that would make a spit of difference. 

 "Just checking, son. Just checking." 

 "Oh, okay. Right then." 

 "Right." Jonathon nodded and then turned his head back to the crowd. "So
that's it." 

 "It?" Clark asked his father's profile, totally lost. He was too whacked
at being caught with Chloe in his lap to follow the train of thought
coming from the man sitting beside him so quiet and still. 

 Clark had never felt so wrong before and didn't know quite how to deal
with it. Even when he did break the rules-which he did often if you asked
the local sheriff--he did so with conviction, without this sense of mind
numbing guilt. He couldn't jump to conclusions, fill in pregnant pauses,
read minds. He couldn't grasp what his father was trying to say with his
spare words. 

 Clark was stunned stupid. 

 "You have to give in." His father let out a long drawn out breath before
speaking again. "Do anything and everything Lex Luthor wants, Clark." 

 Clark's eyebrows shot up. "Dad?" In a million, trillion years, Clark
would have never imagined his father him telling him to obey a Luthor. The
man had come a long way these last months, Clark still remembered the
unexpected gift of condoms but total surrender? 

 "And do it with a smile if you want him to forgive you." Grim faced, his
father turned to him. "Do you understand me, son? You don't get that many
chances at happiness. They're rare and only if you're very lucky, you
catch a break and get one. This is your chance, Clark. Don't blow it." 

 With his jaw working uselessly, Clark wracked his brain for an answer
that would do his father proud. At a loss, he was reduced to shaking his
head vigorously and smiling like he'd just been told he'd won the state
lottery. His father grinned back and then pulled him in for a much needed,
two armed hug. 

 "Move that tight ass, Clark Kent. You've had enough coffee for one night.
We're going home." 

 Clark pulled away from his father's embrace and blinked. "Lex?" 

 Clad elegantly in a deep blue suit, his lover stood impatiently rocking
on his heels, his hands thrust into the pockets of his trousers, and
glaring at him. The rest of his face was an impassive mask. Only the eyes
told how furious he was. Their blue gray depths were cold and as hard as
steel. 

 Oh, god. He was scary. 

 And god, oh god. He was so incredibly sexy, Clark's mouth watered just
looking at him. Three weeks was way too long to see something this fine in
any mood. 

 "Do I need to tell you twice, farm boy?" Lex asked, his voice low,
throaty and so deadly that anyone that may have been eavesdropping
discreetly moved away. 

 His father grabbed his jacket from where it lay draped over the arm of
the couch and pushed it into his hands. "Go," he whispered. 

 His heart thrumming in his chest, Clark stood and donned his coat. "I'm
ready, Lex." he said, rounding his shoulders and lowering his eyes trying
to look appropriately docile. It wasn't hard. 

 "Fuck, you're sweet," Lex growled before twisting his fingers into the
hair at Clark's nape and jerking him down for a rough kiss. 

 Shocked at his lover's audacity, Clark's jaw dropped. Its laxed position
gave Lex the opportunity to shove his tongue between his lips. With his
free hand, his usually conservative lover, the one who abhorred flamboyant
displays in bed and out of it, tugged at the waist of his jeans to yank
him closer. Opened mouth and hip to hip, the kiss turned obscene. The
gentle warmth of Chloe's lips fast became a far memory for everyone in the
room. When Lex began to fuck his mouth in short stabs with his tongue,
Clark guessed that was sort of the point. Not that he cared. 

 When Clark lifted his hands to touch the beautifully bald head, Lex
pulled back leaving him desperate with wanting. 

 His lover's coral lips were bruised to a russet red. A jet of pre-come
wet his boxers. Clark wanted to kiss them again to taste the difference.
Absolutely needed to but Lex didn't let him. Strong and sure, Lex ran his
hands down Clark's arms to his elbows to keep him one infuriatingly long
step away. Remembering he had the strength to force him was the only thing
that kept him from not. 

 "Do you want to come with me, sunshine?" Lex asked, his voice a deep
rumble. The steel in his gray eyes had become molten. 

 "Yeah, Lex. All over you," Clark said in what he hoped was a whisper.
People were listening. Oh, geez. His father was listening. 

 Lex laughed loudly and grabbed his hand. "Good boy." 

 Thinking there was nothing funny about him panting like a dog in front of
an audience, Clark twisted his hips to adjust his swollen package and
followed head down, hiding a shy but happy smile.  

 The Humvee was comfortably warm before Lex thawed enough to speak.
Neither of them had said a word since leaving the Smallville city limits
ten minutes ago. 

 "Tell me. Are you fucking Chloe?" he asked, the question dropping between
them a like a lead balloon. Lex didn't look at his lover but kept his eyes
on the snow covered road and both hands clutching the wheel so hard his
knuckles ached. The big yellow car was a three speed automatic. Unlike the
Ferrari and he didn't need a free hand to shift. 

 "Nice language." Clark cracked and then, "No." 

 "It didn't appear that way." Lex snapped, the anger welling in his gut
boiling up. 

 "It wasn't supposed to go that far." Lex heard Clark sigh. "I was stupid.
I'm sorry, Lex." 

 Lex tore his eyes from the windshield to look at his lover. For safety
reasons, the glance was brief but the interior was too dark to catch much
more than shadows. He was unable to see the expression on Clark's face.
For better look, he would have to pull over. 

 Easing his foot off the gas, Lex pressed the brake gently and maneuvered
the all terrain vehicle to the side of the road. The high drifts were no
problem for its military class tires. The damn things were bullet proof.
Kansas snow was a cakewalk. 

 Parked in the middle of nowhere, Lex undid his seatbelt and turned to
Clark. The young man was staring down at the twist of fingers in his lap,
a perfect picture of guilt. He still wore his harness. 

 "What exactly are you sorry about, Clark?" Lex asked. 

 His focus remaining downward, Clark emitted something between a laugh and
a snort. "You want a list?" 

 No, Lex most definitely didn't. He was afraid of being one of the main
bullet points. Anger and bruised ego withstanding, he didn't want proof
positive Clark regretted being with him. He'd seen it. He had no reason to
hear it. 

 "All right. A different question. Do you want time to explore your
feelings with Chloe?" 

 "There's nothing to explore. I know how I feel about her." 

 "You enjoyed kissing her." Lex said with calm rationality. It was forced
kicking and screaming between gritted teeth but he'd got it out. Lex
didn't want his rage at being thrown over for a woman to degrade this
conversation into an argument. He didn't have the emotional control for a
screaming match. He'd lose hands down. In this instance, Clark was the one
with edge. His sweet, home grown farm boy was used to wearing his heart on
his sleeve. He'd been fortunate to have the soft toothed Martha as a
teacher not Lionel. 

 Clark shifted his large body in his seat making the soft tan leather
squeak. Lex tried hard not to imagine what muscles were required to flex
for the movement. 

 "Yes, Lex. " Clark said calmly. "I love her. Of course I liked kissing
her." 

 Lex slammed his rationality and his fist into the dashboard. Both
shattered. Squeezing his eyes to the sides of his nose, he cradled his
damaged hand to his chest. 

 "Fuck, oh, fuck," he hissed, sniffing back tears that came easier than
they should have. 

 "Lex!" 

 Before he could say piss off, Clark had unsnapped his seatbelt and was
pulling gently at his wrist. Lex had visions of Martha at the Talon and
tried to shy away. 

 "Stop being a baby, Lex and let me see." Clark's admonition was gentle as
his touch. Looking like an angel, his big eyes were kind and his full
over-red mouth was curved in a placid smile. 

 With a glare, Lex proffered his damaged left fist before he kissed him. 

 Cradling his hand like a newborn kitten, Clark's face drew in as he
focused. Lex tried to ignore the tremors of something other than pain that
lanced up and down his arm as alien lover examined him with his x-ray
vision. It should have struck him as weird but didn't. 

 "The pinky's broken," Clark reported after a moment perusal. 

 "No, shit," Lex spat. 

 Clark big fingers caressed the underside of his hand, ghosting his palm
with light soothing strokes. The tremors in his arm spread across his
chest and went southwards over the hills and valleys of his trembling
stomach. Lex squirmed in his bucket seat. 

 "Does it hurt bad?" Clark asked softly. 

 "What?" 

 "Your finger?" Clark's breath brushed Lex's cheek. When had the boy
gotten so close? 

 "Oh." Lex licked his lips and whispered, "Not much." 

 "Good. I don't like it when you hurt." 

 "Yeah..." Lex said against Clark's mouth before falling into it. With a
deep throated moan, and a cupped palm to the back of Lex's head, Clark
caught him. 

 Clark's kiss was surprisingly savage. The boy's hunger evident as Lex's
lips were sucked and mercilessly bitten. Sitting in the dark cab of the
Humvee, Lex was quickly becoming undone by sheer volume of his lover's
lust. 

 Anger, pain and Chloe Sullivan were forgotten as he arched up into molten
core of his alien love. When a hot tongue pushed between his lips, Lex
laid himself bare, relaxing his jaw and greedily welcomed it in with his
own. 

 Oh, sweet heaven he had missed this. He wanted to be eaten up by this. He
wanted to submerge himself and die in this. 

 Kissing Clark Kent was one of the greater pleasures in life that money
could not buy and Lionel could not subvert. It was priceless and pure. A
prize he had almost foolishly given up. 

 When his boy wonder broke away from his mouth to lick across his cheek
and kiss gently at the pulse point beside his right eye, Lex almost cried.


 "I want you, Lex." Clark said into his temple. His big hands were
traveling up and down Lex's sides at a frantic pace. The tourmaline
buttons of Lex's expensive jacket popped off in sympathy. "I need you to
fuck me." 

 "Christ, Clark. Here? The Humvee has bucket seats." Lex said realizing at
once how asinine his near refusal was. Obviously love, lust and logic did
not go hand in hand. 

 Clark stopped pawing him and looked around the adjustable headrest
beneath Lex's neck. "In the back? Yeah, that will work. In the back."
Clark said in a rush and then looked back down at Lex. A hard Kentian gaze
and a wide smile held Lex breathless. "You are going to fuck me in the
back seat." 

 "No." 

 Christ, did he just say that? Was he out of his fucking mind? 

 Clark's eyebrows shot up and froze. "No?" 

 "No." His traitorous mouth said again. It took the hurt look on Clark
face for the tumblers of his brain to click into place and fall in line
with the rest of his body. Lex snagged the shirt collar of his crestfallen
lover with his good hand. "No, Clark Kent. I'm yours. You are going to
fuck me."  

 "Lube? Oh, Christ, Clark. We need lube. I love you but I'm not letting
you take me dry." 

 They were on their knees facing each other naked in the back of the
Humvee. Their clothes were in jumbled mess on the floor behind the front
bucket seats. The windows had been fogged up by their labored breathing
and Lex had said he loved him. Four really, really good things. Lex's
panic was a bad thing. 

 "I have some in my jacket." Clark said sheepishly as he leaned down and
retrieved a small plastic vial from his pocket. He hadn't been sure how
this evening was going to end. Flirting with Chloe on Pete's advice had
not been a sure fire way of getting his lover back but he had been
hopeful. 

 Lex smiled, his gray eyes bright and sparkly. "Holy Monty Python, Clark!
I love you. Do you know that?" 

 "Yeah, Lex. That's one of the good things." 

 The grin on Lex's face got wider. "Would sticking your dick up my ass be
another? Cause in my books, that would be a fantastic thing." 

 "Yeah." Clark agreed and was surprised to discover he meant it. 

 In what seemed like another reality he distinctly remembered telling
Chloe he preferred having Lex top. Sitting here now with a vial of oil in
his hand and having Lex panting for him to fuck him, made Clark think he
might have been a little too hasty in that assessment. 

 What it came down to was that any position with Lex was hot. Topping
might mean missing the satisfied burn of his mate's semen deep in bowels
but Clark wouldn't trade that for the heat he saw smoldering in the man's
eyes now. Lex's raw desire to be fucked made him sweat in ways he didn't
know his alien body could. His cock was damp and his balls were
practically dripping with moisture. Soon, the small tube in hand would be
a mute point. 

 "Tell me again." Clark begged, his voice cracking on the last word. 

 Moving with grace, even one handed, Lex lowered himself down to lie flat
on his back on the leather seats. He wrapped his long supple legs around
the back of Clark's knees. "Fuck me," Lex grounded out, consonants hard
and rigid. 

 His joints assailed with a previously unknown weakness, Clark fell
between Lex's opened legs and kissed him hard. He loved this thin scarred
mouth, snide comments, snarky observations, constant cursing and all. He
tasted it thoroughly before leaning to one side and propping himself up on
one elbow. Latching his lips to the pale skin of Lex's throat just above
his collarbone, he popped the lid of the lube and squeezed. From the top
and the sides a thick viscous substance coated his fingers. Clark placed
the cracked container in the coffee holder in the car door for later
reference. 

 With one hand cupping Lex's neck and softly rubbing the hard nub at the
base, Clark slipped the other under Lex's pretty red furred balls. Mindful
of his strength, Clark ran light fingers over the puckered opening behind.
Lex moaned and bucked up under touch. 

 "Please, sunshine, please..." 

 Lifting his mouth from the deep red welt on Lex's neck, Clark placed his
cheek on the panting man's chest to see what his fingers were doing. He'd
only prepared Lex once for fucking and as he recalled, not very well. He'd
been more preoccupied with getting his dick in Lex than savoring the rite
of preparation. Clark wanted to do better this time. And he wanted to
watch. 

 The sight of Lex's long elegant cock curled up from a sparse thatch of
red almost broke his concentration. He rubbed his aching dick against
Lex's hip and moaned. 

 "You're perfect...so perfect...I want to fuck you...shove my cock inside
you..." 

 A mangled hand, swollen to the wrist came up to his lips. Clark kissed
the bruised knuckles lightly. 

 "Christ, Clark. Stop talking." Lex lifted his head from the Humvee's
leather seat and rasped. "You'll make me spill." 

 "No, Lex. Not yet." 

 "Then stop fucking around and hurry Clark..." The pristine bald head
glazed with sweat dropped back down with a thump. "Hurry...oh,
Christ...hurry..." 

 Taking his lover's plea to heart, Clark shoved two fingers into him. Lex
bore down on them with a strangled cry. Clark pushed deeper hoping to hear
more. He loved his lover's screams. 

 "Oh...damn. That's good, now spread them...yeah...so thick...so full. Now
fuck me with them, Clark...oh, god...yeah...fuck me." 

 Honouring father's advice in his own way to give Lex anything and
everything he wanted, Clark did as he was bid and was instantly rewarded
for his obedience. Seeing the tightly controlled Lex Luthor whip his head
back and forth in the throes of unchained sexual ecstasy was a gift beyond
measure. No one ever saw this. This was his. 

 Clark was fascinated watching Lex writhe on his hand and for a few
moments, reveled in it but eventually a stronger interest arose. His dick
where it lay hard and uncommonly wet against Lex's hip became jealous of
his fingers. 

 Lex seemed ready, the head of Lex's cock was wet and glistening but Clark
added a third finger to be sure. He fucked Lex with his fingers until the
man was moaning steadily. At last he pulled out his busy digits, slathered
more lubricant on his cock from the broken vial in the door, and lifted
Lex's legs over his shoulders. He paused just in case there were any
last-minute qualms, although if Lex changed his mind at this stage Clark
would most likely die of sexual frustration and longing. Rolling around in
green meteorites while singing the praises of Luthorcorp would be more
pleasant. 

 "Oh, Christ, Clark. Do it. Do it. Do it!" 

 On the last exclamation, Clark shoved pass the tight ring of muscle and
shot home. He leaned over Lex afraid to move. He hadn't meant to go this
deep in the first thrust but the silky sleeve of Lex's ass had seemed to
suck him in. Clark needed a moment to adjust or he would blow his load
with the next flex of his hips. 

 "You okay?" Lex asked with more calm than was fair. 

 "No. I'm in trouble." Clark squeezed his eyes shut. "I can't move, Lex." 

 "You can't...oh, god. No...no, okay. It's all right. It's all right,
sunshine. You don't have to. Just put your hand on my dick and jerk me
off. When I come, you come. Understand?" 

 Clark lifted a shaky hand to touch Lex's straining erection. He closed
his fingers over it. "Do you promise to come quick?" 

 "It will be the easiest promise I ever made, farm boy. My orgasm it
sitting on my back teeth as it is." 

 His back taut and locked in place, Clark began to stroke his lover's
cock. Lex screamed and spurted almost immediately. 

 "Now fuck me, Clark. Oh, Christ in hell! Move! Fuck me hard!" 

 Grabbing on to the Humvee's door handle with both hands, Clark shoved
deeper into his lover. The force of his orgasm was overwhelming. He felt
it in his stomach, his spine and in a fiery explosion at the base of his
balls. Babbling what he sure was nonsense and hearing in the most outer
portions of his brain the cracking of plastic, Clark rammed his cock into
Lex's ass like it was the best and worst place he wanted to be. Lex
screamed again, the sound reverberating in the small confines of the car's
cab and sprayed the space between their bodies with hot, sticky wetness.
He'd kept his promise. Clark never doubted he would. 

 Unable to help himself, Clark collapsed full force a top Lex's long
delicate body like a sack of frozen fertilizer. He'd apologized three
times in head before pulling his limp cock out of him and slipping his
weight to the side. In an instant Lex was cuddled up to his chest and
pressing small kisses to his mouth. Whatever apology he wanted to make was
cut off by those soft persistent lips. Clark's heart, soul and body melted
into them. They had just fucked and now they were making love. When Lex's
mouth released him, 'I love you' was the first thing Clark said. 

 "I love you too, sunshine but sometimes I wish I didn't." 

 "I understand. It's not easy loving an alien." 

 "No. The alien bit I can handle. It's the eighteen year old boy that
repeatedly causes me grief." 

 Clark sat up and hovered over Lex. With a light push to his shoulder, he
had the man back flat on his back. "Maybe I should have told you this
before, but I'm gay, Lex." 

 "Christ, Clark, I should hope so or my ass is going to suffer a major
identity crisis." With a chuckle, Lex tried to roll back into his chest
but Clark's spread fingers didn't let him. When Lex shivered, Clark
snagged his coat from the floor and quickly covered his upper torso while
still holding him firm. He had something to say and didn't want to yell
over the sound of his lover's chattering teeth. 

 "Don't make fun." Clark said once his charge was sufficiently warm. "I
mean it, Lex. I'm not bi-sexual like you. You need to know that I'm
absolutely, positively gay. The centerfolds in Playboy don't do it for me.
However, the just the smell of the boy's locker room after a big game
gives me a stiffy." 

 Under their makeshift blanket, Clark felt Lex's ribcage hitch and then,
shudder. 

 "You're saying you don't want to fuck Chloe?" Lex asked quietly and then
bit fiercely at his bottom lip. Clark rubbed it with the pad of his thumb
until he let it go. 

 "I want to hold her." Running a gentle hand down his face, Clark looked
deep into Lex's eyes. He wanted to reach him. He needed Lex to understand.
"I want touch her. Feel good in her arms but I don't want what we just
had. That kind of passion belongs only to you, Lex." 

 With a great intake of breath, Lex's lashes fell close. The pale auburn
hairs were stuck together in wet spikes when they flickered back up a
moment later. "Lionel demanded I marry you. I acquiesced." Lex said with a
tight edge to his voice. 

 "Works for me." Clark quipped. He didn't get why their union was suddenly
all right with the senior Luthor but if Lex didn't have a problem with it,
he wouldn't either. Giddy with trust, Clark smiled and pulled up his left
hand. "I've still got the ring. I never took it off." 

 "You've should have. I behaved abominably. Your mother said I treated you
like a child. She was right." 

 "Yeah, you were a insensitive dick but you didn't mean to be." 

 "Doesn't matter. You should have moved on and forgotten me." 

 Clark kissed Lex's mouth softly and quoted against his lips a poem he
received well before he fully understood it. 

 *"A few light kisses, a few embraces, a reaching around of arms, The
atmosphere is not a perfume, it has no taste of the distillation, it is
odorless, It is for my mouth forever....I am in love with it."* 

 Nose to nose, Clark couldn't help but to see the tears that had been
threatening in the corners of Lex's eyes finally fall. With a choked sob,
Lex hid his wet face in the crook of Clark's arm. 

 The delicate verse told a hard truth. 

 Clark didn't have the heart of poet like sensitive man who had sent him
the beautiful missive at a time when he most needed it, but he did
understand it's meaning. It was about finding the best thing in your life
and not being able to define it but only knowing that it was. 

 Yeah, he got that. 

 Clark loved Lex for no good reason other than he always had and always
would. 

 And he was cool with that. He was, according to the poem, in love with
that. 

 Clark kissed the top of Lex's smooth head and held him closer. 

 In the back seat of a big yellow car, in the middle of nowhere with his
bear ass hanging out, and holding on for dear life to a skinny white rich
guy who thought one day he'd rule the world, he got all that. 

 Lex was odd, not near normal and definitely alien. But no matter. So was
he. 

 And was in love with it all. 

 His mother would be ecstatic if she knew. 

 THE END   
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