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"The hazel-green eyes studied him seriously with a look that touched Lex in places that almost made him nauseous. Lex didn't know if he could accept the things he saw there. But he wanted to...he wanted this for as long as he could have it."

"One day He did not leave after kissing me" ~ Rabia

Chaper One
Tangled Up

This was too good. Clark pressing Lex into the couch, holding him there with his weight, legs entangled, bodies moving together, the rasp of cloth preventing their skin from the relief of touching. Too fucking good. Clark buried his face in Lex's neck and moved against his leg in earnest, breathing heavily as his face broke in orgasm. The only bad part of the last month had been having to wash his jeans a lot.

Lex's hands petted his hair and calmed him, the warm voice speaking to him softly, words that slid across his brain with no meaning. It still amazed him that Lex was so careful with him after every encounter. People who thought Lex was cold never knew him as a lover. Immediately remembering Lex pressed against and in other bodies, Clark had to amend his thought; they didn't know him as Clark's lover.

If that is what they were. Clark wasn't really sure if making out and coming in his pants every day qualified him as Lex's lover, but he knew for sure that Lex wasn't currently seeking physical gratification anywhere else. That was something.

He could feel Lex's hard-on pressing against him through the pants and jeans. Lex hadn't gotten off from their make-out sessions for a week or more. The realization that Lex hadn't come yet killed a little of his post-orgasmic buzz. Gently he moved a hand between them to cup the prominent bulge. Lex moaned, a sound that cut Clark some place deep inside. He needed to hear that again. Now.

Clark lifted his head to see Lex's mouth, swollen and open, a few red kiss marks sucked into his neck just below his open collar. Lex's eyes were slit nearly shut and his breath was a little ragged, want and need marking his face with sensual grace. So fucking gorgeous. Clark shifted his weight trying to free his hand enough to grasp the zipper of Lex's slacks.

Lex came back to himself then, tension and energy returning to him like a soul returning to a lifeless body.

"What are you doing?" Lex's voice was still raspy with lust.

Clark gazed down into the blue eyes looking up at him with confusion. "I want to touch you, Lex."

Lex began shaking his head, moving beneath Clark, trying to get out from under him. Clark's heart rate shot up, his confidence of only moments before shot to hell. Lex wasn't supposed to pull away like this, this wasn't how it was supposed to work.

"Lex?" Clark relented when Lex began to push at him forcefully, scooting off to sit at the end of the couch. He ran a hand through his tousled hair and knew his face was still flushed. He was a mess. His pants were a mess and now he felt like his brain was a mess too.

Lex sat up, smoothed his wrinkled dress shirt, ran a hand over his head, buttoned the buttons at his collar and, finally, stood, the evidence of his arousal visible, but shrinking.

Clark could feel his pulse racing through his body. This wasn't how he imagined it. This was wrong. This was not good. His brain chanted a litany of insecurity. He couldn't look up at Lex's face; instead he studied Lex's black socked feet before propping his elbows on his knees and burying his face in his hands.

Finally, unable to stand the silence a moment longer he took a deep breath, muttering between his fingers, "If this is over, tell me fast, okay? Don't draw it out."

Lex crouched in front of him then. Clark heard the rustle of fabric and felt the heat of Lex's body dropping down to his level before the strong, gentle hands were prying his fingers from his face.

"Clark, what are you talking about?" Lex's voice sounded genuinely concerned and perplexed.

Clark opened his eyes to see Lex's face right there, head cocked and focused on him. The way Lex's face would always be if Clark had his way.

"You aren't going to break this off?" His voice sounded small and far away and too young even to his own ears.

Lex smiled a little and touched his cheek softly, "No. I thought we should talk about this."

"What's to talk about Lex? I want to touch you." Clark searched his eyes earnestly. Lex seemed to be searching him as well. He hoped to God Lex found whatever he needed to let Clark unzip his pants and jack him off. This fully-clothed humping was getting really old.

"When we first started this you were unsure how far you wanted to take it. If we are going to move on then I want to discuss the parameters of our relationship."

Clark squirmed a little in his uncomfortable and messy jeans. Lex seemed to take in his predicament and pulled back a little.

"Go home, Clark. We can discuss it tomorrow."

The panic began to thrum beneath Clark's skin again as Lex stood, moved over to his desk and began to thumb through papers, effectively dismissing him.

"I don't want to go home, Lex. I want to know where we stand." Clark stood and tried to look as mature and imposing as possible with his hair still skewed and his untucked shirt a wreck.

Lex looked up from his papers and smiled softly, "We are the same place we were this morning, Clark. Go home. We'll talk tomorrow."

Clark sat down on the steps of the mansion. He should go home. His pants were uncomfortable and he should just go home, like Lex said. But he felt ill. It had been so good, so right and then Lex had pushed him away. He had dismissed him like a servant or a prostitute. But that was all backwards because Lex hadn't gotten off. No, he'd dismissed him like a kid.

He didn't know what to make of that. Lex was so weird with him about sex. Insisting they take it slow, asking Clark questions after they finished making out. Had it been okay? Had it been what he wanted? Sometimes Clark wondered if Lex was afraid he was going to freak out and tell his parents what they were doing. Surely he knew that Clark would never put him in jeopardy that way. Right?

And Lex was so different with him. There was no way that Clark could admit to the knowledge he had of Lex's sex life. No way to say that he knew how rough Lex was with other people...with people he didn't care about. And that said something, didn't it? It said a lot more than Lex would ever admit.

Clark fought the juvenile urge to go back inside and try to make Lex talk now. He didn't want to look like an emotional kid. He stood up and started walking home at normal speed. He'd do his homework and call Chloe. Her ramblings would probably take his mind off of this stuff with Lex and she always seemed to like it when he called.

He'd been relieved when Chloe had said that she just wanted to stay really good friends. He had felt really bad about leading her on at the dance and then leaving her there. He hadn't wanted to ruin the friendship even more by being the one to play the "friends card". But he wasn't ready to tell anyone about Lex yet, either. Telling his friends that he was gay seemed like something that would probably change everything and he didn't need any more change right now.

Change. Well, that was something that came along and swallowed the entire town whole and then spit it back out again. Three tornados had ripped through a month ago and everyone was still reeling.

So much change in such a short time. Lex's dad's injury, the beginning of this new more-than-friends relationship with Lex, the death of that reporter, the fresh start between Lex and Clark's dad...and that had only been in the first few days after the tornados. But things continued spin out of control. Clark was learning to deal with that. He just didn't want to invite in any more changes at the moment.

Then in the midst of everyone else's turmoil, it amazed him to see the amount of control Lex exercised over himself, over other people, over things and events. It was like Lex was addicted to it.

And that's all this sex thing was...more for Lex to control. That was okay, so long as Clark could find a way to get past his defenses soon because his attraction to Lex was only getting stronger as time went by. He needed more than this. Sometimes he thought he was going crazy with lust or might even die from it. He was surprised that Lex didn't see that. But maybe it was a good thing because then Lex might panic and pull away even more.

When he was well away from the mansion and no cars were in sight, Clark broke into his speed and raced through the fields. He wanted to get home and call Chloe so he would, hopefully, stop thinking about Lex. Besides, he wanted to get his jeans in the washer before his mom got back from her class.

Chapter Two
Fear

Lex carried the plate of heated food into the entertainment room. He flipped the television on and let the stock ticker scroll across the screen until he saw the day's close, then changed the station. The History Channel would be slaughtering the story of Napoleon Waterloo any minute now.

He propped his feet up on the ottoman and tasted the meal his cook had prepared. The chicken was delicious and spiced just right. The vegetables were a little mushy but that was probably from being heated in the microwave. All in all, it was a meal prepared for nutritional value and simplicity. Lex didn't like food enough to want something fancy or hard for him to re-heat later.

He settled back, nibbled at his dinner and considered this afternoon with Clark. Not for the first time he questioned his sanity in becoming involved with a fifteen year old virgin. The fifteen year old part wasn't really the problem, although it was a pretty damn big problem. But that wasn't what worried him now, that wasn't why he had pushed Clark away this afternoon. It was the virgin part that was preying on his mind. He took another bite of chicken and found it difficult to swallow.

He didn't know how to do this virgin thing. He had never really been a virgin, never really had a first time. Not that he admitted aloud. Not that he discussed or even thought about. Although occasionally he still dreamed about it. He had categories in his mind. First blow job, first time with a girl, first time topping a guy. But loss of virginity? The first time-first time? His mind didn't go there, well trained to avoid that landscape.

Clark would want to know wouldn't he? That would be like Clark to ask, to want him to share what he'd felt, what he'd thought. It was hard enough just to express emotion that wasn't anger, much less to try to express this. He couldn't and he wouldn't and Clark would have to understand.

He needed to decide now what to tell Clark, how to broach this subject. He'd known it was coming when the initial eroticism of simply touching Clark had worn off, when he didn't want to come in his pants like a kid anymore, when he knew that it was going to have to progress. Maybe that was the reason why he'd stopped getting so turned on, knowing this was coming soon.

Lex didn't know how to deal with this. He'd never been in a relationship with a man. He'd fucked men; he'd fucked a lot of men but that wasn't like this. And women were different. He'd been a couple of girls' first. But it was...different. Then he'd been in familiar territory, fairly certain he wouldn't hurt them badly, wouldn't scare them off from ever wanting to try it again. Lex knew how to prepare a woman. He knew how to prepare a man. But this was Clark, this was his first time and Lex never bottomed, never bottomed, which meant that Clark would...

Lex swiped a hand over his face, surprised to find sweat there. God, this was making him nervous just contemplating it. He put his dinner aside, barely touched; it was making him feel sick now.

Okay, so if Lex admitted he had a first time, the only thing he could say was that he wanted Clark's to be nothing like it. And he could do that right? It couldn't be that different from the times it had been a girl. Lex could be gentle. But he knew that bottoming was never really pain free and there was no way Clark's first time wouldn't hurt. God, what if he lost him over this? What if he hurt him and Clark didn't want to be in this relationship anymore? What if Clark wanted him to bottom? What if Clark wanted to know what it felt like to top? Lex should give him that...but he couldn't.

And sure, maybe he should just keep his thoughts from that end game. Hell, he hadn't even touched Clark's cock or allowed Clark to touch him yet. They still had blow-jobs to explore and maybe rimming or fingering and here he was panicking over the fucking. The fucking that was surely still months away.

Lex had never felt this way, this protective urge to make things right for someone. But it was Clark and Lex had to make sure that he enjoyed it, to make sure that he wanted it too. God, and Clark wanted it. He was so sweet in his pleasure with the little noises he made, the frantic kisses and the way he snuggled in tight when he came. Jesus, Clark wanted him. Lex had to adjust his cock thinking about the sweat that would break on Clark's brow as he reached orgasm, the noises that he would try to fight back in that young way, the way Lex did before he grew up enough to just not fucking care how he sounded, just wanting to feel it everywhere. God, so fucking gorgeous. And, yeah, Lex wanted him too.

And that was the problem as well. How long could he hold back once they started down that path? How could he keep them on some sort of teenage track that reflected the small town values of "bases" to be run? He couldn't. He knew his limits and once skin started showing he'd be fucking Clark's ass within weeks.

He had to talk to Clark tomorrow. Set the parameters, set some rules, draw some boundaries that they would both need to follow. For Clark's sake. For Lex's sake...because Lex couldn't lose him this soon, he'd only just got him.

And, Jesus, it wasn't like Clark was a puppy.

Lex shook his head, realized that he was more than half-way through the Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo and he hadn't heard a word. The scent of the left-over food made him ill and he had to get away from these thoughts. He stood, leaving the plate where it was, and headed up to his bedroom. He'd take a pill with some Scotch and go to sleep. He'd deal with this tomorrow. When Clark showed up and forced him to talk.

Chapter Three
Open Sesame

Clark paused outside of the door to the library. He could hear Lex murmuring to himself and he had to stop and listen, just for a minute. He never got tired of Lex's lectures and he found it especially amusing that Lex lectured himself as much as anyone else.

"Dante met Beatrice at the age of nine and remained devoted to her throughout his life. Then there was Abelard and Heloise, although they are perhaps not the best example since her family castrated him. So, on to Alexander and Hephaestion..."

Lex, reciting the history of lovers, this could be a good sign. Clark smiled and stepped into the room interrupting Lex's murmurs. Lex looked up from a stack of papers he was paging through. Clark came to a halt by the leather chairs and looked over the glass top desk at Lex who eyed him with an interesting mix of satisfaction and trepidation.

"I brought something for you." Clark grinned hugely while fumbling in his book-bag.

Lex smiled in return, stood and stepped around his desk, teased, "Is this part of some elaborate plan? 101 Ways to tell Lex that you like him?"

Clark pulled out a Snickers Bar and laughed. He tossed the candy to Lex who caught it neatly.

"Thank you, Clark." Lex studied the candy bar in his hand, avoiding Clark's eyes, and turned back to his desk. He sat the Snickers bar on the edge of his desk, positioned it as though it were a picture or some flowers and then turned back. "Now, what can I do for you today?"

Great. Evasion of the issues. Clark rolled his eyes. "You can let me touch you, maybe? You can take off all of your clothes and let me take off my clothes and..."

Lex stopped him with a raised hand. Clark sighed and flopped onto the leather chair in front of the desk. He looked up at Lex through his bangs and really wished he could do something better with his hair.

Lex looked down at the floor and then up again, face calm and full of resolution. "This is perhaps not the best place to discuss this. Come on."

Clark stood up and followed him down the hall. Not a bad view at all. And Lex walking like that? Clark had to see if he could get Lex to stop walking like that in public...he might jump him at the Talon one day. If this conversation didn't yield fruit in the touching arena soon then he might not be able to control himself and God knows what might happen. Maybe that could be his talking point. Probably not.

Lex glided into a room which, along with the office, had been the first focus for the repairs and renovations after the tornados. The newly refurbished entertainment room. They'd made out a few times in the last week on this leather sofa instead of the one in the office. Mainly because they were supposed to be watching movies together. Ha! Clark hadn't seen a single thing on that big screen tv...although he did like the way the light from it had flickered over Lex's scalp. It made him want to see it flickering over all of Lex's skin...everywhere.

Lex gestured for him to sit and Clark perched on the edge of the leather sofa. Lex sat on the opposite end. Very far away. Way down there on the other side of the couch. This conversation already sucked.

"Clark..." Lex arranged himself elegantly, crossing his legs and twisting just enough to see Clark clearly while running an arm along the back of the couch. Apparently he wasn't going to be round about because, "What do you think sex with me would be like?"

Clark's eyebrows crinkled in confusion, "Um...Good?"

Lex smiled. "Well, thanks for the vote of confidence, Clark, and I hope that it would be. But sex, the first time, especially, isn't always good."

Clark's brows were still lifted, "I know that Lex. I've had The Talk with my parents you know. I know the first time can be awkward and weird and stuff. Which is all the more reason it should be with you. I know you know what to do."

Lex bit down on his lower lip and looked away, "I've been with a lot of people. You deserve to know that before we go any further."

"I knew that already." Clark smiled brightly. That was a good statement, that implied some progress.

Lex nodded thoughtfully, "Yes, my reputation precedes me, I'm sure." Lex stared at the black television screen, "If we do go further, I'll take every precaution with you. But I'm fairly certain I'm clean. I was just tested recently."

"I trust you, Lex. You wouldn't hurt me."

Lex stiffened. "We need to discuss the types of sex we will be engaging in...if we move forward." His voice was even more remote and business-like. Clark didn't like it and the continued use of the word 'if' didn't go unnoticed. Clark couldn't decide what he had said to make Lex withdraw even more. Wasn't it good that Clark trusted him not to hurt him? Shouldn't Lex be flattered by that? Lex was so confusing.

"Well, any sex would be fine with me, Lex."

Lex glanced at him, "Well, then maybe we shouldn't be having this conversation, because what we are already doing qualifies as sex in some circles."

Clark had to refrain from rolling his eyes and it was a struggle.

Lex turned more and curled his arm on the back of the sofa, rested his head on the fisted hand, "No, I can see you don't want that. So, what do you want to do, Clark? Name each thing and we'll discuss it."

Clark didn't know where to start. He wanted to do so many things. He'd seen a lot over the months he'd spied on Lex and he wanted Lex to do all of those things to him. He flushed a little as the visuals summoned went straight to his cock. He looked away from the steady, narrow gaze that regarded him intensely.

"Lex...this is really turning me on."

That got a chuckle. Clark looked back up then and Lex's eyes were half shut, his mouth smiling and the light in the room emphasized the scar on his lip that Clark loved so much.

"I want to touch you, Lex." He swallowed and continued a little breathlessly, "I want to touch your skin, your chest. I want to see you without your shirt and..." He stopped because his voice was breaking just imagining it.

Lex looked oddly strained as well. "And?"

Clark licked his lips and continued, "And run my hands over you and feel the muscles under your skin, without all those clothes in the way."

Lex nodded, his eyes glazing over a little, "We can do that."

Clark's cock jumped, moving against his jeans, "We can?"

Lex seemed thoughtful, "Yes. That we can do."

Awesome. This was good. Now they were getting somewhere. Clark wanted more though, there were a lot of things he wanted.

"And I want you to let me touch your cock. I want to make you come with my hand."

Lex took an awkward breath and nodded. "Okay. That sounds good."

Clark grinned. This conversation was not sucking any more. "I want you to do me, too."

Lex smiled softly, "I can do that."

Clark bet he could. Clark bet he really could. And, God, why was his brain shorting out now of all times? Now, when he needed to ask for more? Like more naked Lex and more touching and more kissing...right. Okay. Yeah.

"And I want to put my mouth on your cock...I want to, um, suck you off."

Lex's breath visibly hitched, there was a long pause and then Lex adjusted himself in his pants. God, that was hot. Clark's own cock was screaming for some attention, preferably of the kind they had been discussing giving each other. Hell, if Lex kept saying yes, he might just come in his pants from the relief of permission.

"That requires more discussion. Until I'm sure that I'm clean, I don't want you to swallow at all or to go down on me if you have any cuts in your mouth."

Clark frowned, "How long until you know if you're clean?" It frustrated him to wait at all when he knew Lex couldn't make him sick. He was more afraid that Lex would be ill, that something bad might happen from sleeping with all of those people.

"I'll feel confident if my tests are all negative next month."

"Okay, so if I agree to that, if I say I won't swallow your come or suck you if I have any cuts in my mouth...then can I?"

Clark felt odd. He was discussing, no, negotiating, in no uncertain terms exactly what things Lex would allow to happen between them. It was alternately exhilarating and distancing. One moment he felt like he and Lex were going to just jump each other right then and the next they were placing items on the table for acceptance or rejection. Clark couldn't really wrap his head around it.

Lex seemed to seriously ponder this question before answering, "Yes. Yes, you can do that."

Clark looked down at his own fingers fiddling nervously with the seams of his jeans, he cleared his throat, "And, would you want to do that to me?" His voice cracked a little. That was a little more difficult to ask, in all of his spying he'd never seen Lex go down on anyone. Maybe he didn't like to do that.

"There are few things on this earth that I'd like more."

God, that was a relief. Clark's face broke into a delirious grin, "Can we do that now?"

Lex chuckled, "Yes. If that is all you wanted to discuss doing, then I feel good about that."

Wait. No. That wasn't all Clark wanted. Lex sat passive across from him as though waiting for Clark to make the first move. But Clark wasn't done after all. He took a deep breath, "That's not everything, Lex."

Lex swallowed and some of the heat that had been reaching out to Clark from across the couch seemed to cool. Lex licked his lips. "What else then?" His voice was cool, distant and removed.

Clark had to risk it; he wanted this the most. It frightened him but he felt like it was important, a final step, something he'd fantasized about for months. He steadied himself, "I want you to fuck me."

Lex stared at him with some mixture of lust and horror that Clark had not expected. "You want me to fuck you." Lex repeated like he couldn't believe Clark had asked for it.

"Yeah...um, you know. I know you know, Lex."

"It could hurt, Clark. Doing that is pretty intense. I'm not sure you're ready for that."

Clark didn't know what to say, everything else had been so easy. Lex had only had a few stipulations but otherwise he'd readily agreed to everything.

"I am. I'm ready for that Lex. You won't hurt me."

Lex shook his head, "I will. It will hurt you. You might not like it. It could hurt a lot." Lex wasn't looking at him again, instead staring at the television screen.

He remembered the look on Lex's face when he'd described how he wanted to touch his skin, the lust that had glossed over his features and literally pulsed across the couch. He gathered his thoughts.

"I want to feel you like that, Lex. I want to hear what noises you make when you are in me..." he stopped. He wasn't sure where this inspiration was coming from but a wave of heat drifted toward him again. "I want to hear what noises I make. I want a lot of things, Lex. I'm ready for that. I am. I can handle the pain. I promise."

Lex looked at him out of the corner of his eye. "We have to use condoms for at least six months."

Clark nodded, "We can do that." He grabbed his own cock and gave it a squeeze. Oh, Jesus, that sounded like a yes. Could he move closer now? Could this conversation be over? No. One last thing.

"I want to fuck you too, Lex."

Lex went utterly still. Clark's heart stopped and then raced. He knew he'd make a mistake.

"No."

That was it. No explanation was offered and Clark had to bite his cheek to keep tears of rejection from welling in his eyes. He was surprised at the depth of his hurt. Lex didn't want to feel him that way. Lex didn't want to know what it was like to have Clark inside of him. He hadn't thought that he'd feel so cut.

"Why?" He had to know. Maybe Lex didn't feel the way Clark thought after all.

Lex was silent for a long moment before saying simply, "The last time I was the bottom, the last time anyone fucked me, I didn't like it very much." He shrugged, "Since then, I don't bottom."

He looked at Clark and there was something there that Clark could almost see, some sort of request for understanding, for something.

"It hurt. You didn't like it."

Lex tensed before he replied, "Yes. It hurt. I didn't like it."

Clark felt suddenly sick. He had a suspicion in his gut and he didn't like it at all. Lex had been hurt...he was sure of it.

"We won't do that then." Clark spoke softly, his erection flagging with little hope of resuscitation.

Lex looked at him again, "I don't want to hurt you, Clark."

Clark scooted closer, tentatively. Yes, he must have been hurt badly, because Lex seemed fragile right now. It frightened Clark to see him this way. He was relieved that Lex didn't draw back and seemed to welcome his closer proximity.

"We'll go slow. If it hurts, we'll stop." Clark sounded reasonable and logical to his own ears.

Lex seemed to think so too because he nodded. "If you ever don't like anything we're doing, Clark, we'll stop."

Clark smiled then and closed the rest of the distance between them, whispered in Lex's ear as he wrapped arms around him, "I know, Lex. You tell me that all the time."

Lex was tense in his arms but gradually seemed to relax as Clark placed soft kisses on his temple and massaged his neck gently. He watched as the tension seeped out of the body beside him, all of those sharp points and angles melting a little under his hands. He felt an urge that was familiar to him now. The need to keep Lex safe. He pulled the smaller body into his arms.

"Thank you for being so careful with me, Lex." And he meant it. Not everyone had someone like Lex who wanted to make sure it was good for them. Not everyone was so generous with their lovers. Clark knew now that it was genuine concern for his own experience that had delayed their sexual advancement. The more he thought about that the more it turned him on. Lex cared about him. Lex wanted him to feel secure. God, that was...wow.

"This couch is uncomfortable."

Lex chuckled again, "You didn't think it was uncomfortable Saturday."

"Let's go hang out on your bed."

Lex laughed out right at that. "Go 'hang out' on my bed?" He wrapped an arm around Clark's waist, turned to look him in the eye before whispering, "Okay, sure."

Chapter Four
Stars For Arms Like Orion

Lex's bedroom was a smaller room on the second level of the mansion and he kept it rather sparse. Only a few of his weaknesses were revealed here, in the very soft and worn blue coverlet, in the single photograph framed and propped on his dresser, in the way he had aligned his shoes so carefully by the bed. He kept it that way on purpose, less to be exploited and everything in its place.

Sunlight from the lightly draped window filtered across the bedroom highlighting particles of dust in the air. The mood wasn't how Lex had imagined it. But there was sunlight and the sweet feeling of something that didn't have to be hidden in shadows any more.

Lex sat cross-legged on his bed and watched Clark putter around his bedroom touching things. Clark seemed a little nervous now that they were in Lex's room. He also seemed curious. Clark stopped and picked up the picture of Lex as a baby with his mother at the beach. It was his favorite.

"Red hair, huh?" Clark asked, smiling brilliantly while ghosting a finger over the picture.

"Yes. Quite." Lex sighed as he remembered that he should probably tell Clark beforehand, "That's something else I should warn you about."

Clark looked up curious. Lex continued, "There is no hair there...or anywhere."

Clark shrugged, "Yeah, I kind of figured that."

Lex lifted a brow, "Really? Most people are surprised."

Clark put the photograph back down and began fiddling with some cufflinks Lex had left there the night before. "Haven't you figured out that I'm not most people?"

Lex shook his head indulgently as Clark strolled over to his closet, glancing Lex's way before opening the double doors. "Damn, Lex."

Lex leaned back on the heels of his hands and stretched his legs out straight, the blue coverlet soft under his palms. "Yes. I have a lot of clothes."

Clark started laughing. "Um, yeah. So why do you wear the same five or six things all of the time?"

Lex shrugged, "I have favorites, just like anyone else." He didn't let himself smile at the revelation that Clark noticed what he wore. He wondered if Clark had preferences. He'd have to ask sometime.

Clark shut the closet doors without having entered its mammoth depths. He waved a hand toward the other set of doors and said, "Big bathroom?"

Lex nodded, "Very big." He dug his fingers a little harder into the coverlet, wondering how this would start, if Clark was going to back out now that he was here.

Clark turned then and walked over to the bed looking suddenly shy. "Can I sit here with you, Lex?"

"I thought that's why we came up here? To 'hang out' on my bed?"

Clark sat next to him and looked down at his boots. Lex looked at them too. Brown leather with brown laces, good, working farm boots.

"Take those off, Clark. Make yourself comfortable." Lex scooted back on the bed and reached for a remote control on the bedside table. He recognized that Clark was feeling awkward and nervous, like he didn't know how to be totally comfortable right now. Lex wanted to show him that they didn't have to do anything at all. Besides, he was feeling a little awkward too, he had never been in a situation like this. The imminent activities seemed to hang in the air and separate them.

He leaned back on the pillows, turned on the tv and flipped until he found the music video station. He paused, pleased to find they were running an 80's retrospective. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Clark getting his boots off and as the bed dipped with Clark's weight moving across it, Lex pressed the mute button and began to speak.

"You know, Clark, there are various interesting theories about the psychological impact of music on mmmpff..." words were cut off by a large teenager flopping onto his chest. The weight was suffocating and Lex nearly panicked, feeling a strong need to push Clark off. But he reminded himself that this was Clark. This was not coercion. This was okay.

He pushed himself down further on the bed to make himself more comfortable. Clark moved with him finally coming to rest with his head nuzzled into Lex's neck and his hips between Lex's splayed thighs. Lex lifted hands to stroke the warm, soft cotton t-shirt covering Clark's back and felt oddly at peace. They had discussed and agreed on how far they would go and how they would comport themselves. It had put him at ease with most of this.

After several long, comfortable moments, Clark lifted onto his elbows and pulled himself up to look into Lex's face. The hazel-green eyes studied him seriously with a look that touched Lex in places that almost made him nauseous. Lex didn't know if he could accept the things he saw there. But he wanted to...he wanted this for as long as he could have it.

Clark kissed him softly, lips just touching his and so sweet. Lex remembered their first kiss in the hospital, the clumsy way Clark had finally just done it. Lex would never complain about that kiss, but Clark was so much more skilled now. So much more of...something that was impossible to grasp when he was already so hard. Sometimes it embarrassed him how his higher thinking skills could short out with Clark's mouth on his. He moaned softly as Clark's soft tongue grazed over his lips, reaching in to glide over teeth, to slide against his own tongue. Breath sweet and warm, filled his nostrils and a stubble rough chin scraped against his cheek.

Lex closed his eyes, lost in a world of mouths and tongues and soft material that really was in the way. Clark was right to want to get rid of it. He groaned at the feel of fingers clutching at his shirt and moving to the buttons there. Opened his eyes to watch the hands fumble with the pearly fasteners and accidentally rip a few off. It was okay, he didn't mind, but, damn, those were strong fingers. He should offer to help, but he didn't want to unclench his hands from Clark's shirt, wanted to watch as Clark became desperate to get to his skin.

Clark sat up, straddling Lex's hips, putting pressure where Lex needed it so damn much and he moaned just a little in appreciation. Clark's eyes sparked at the sound and the hands trying to open his shirt grew frantic, buttons popped and spun through the air, spattering on the floor. Clark peered into his face uncertainly and Lex just stared back, no questions right now. Lex knew enough about asking questions.

Clark's eyes pulled from his and down to the skin exposed as he peeled back the shirt. Clark's breath hitched and his hands ran over the expanse carefully. Lex had wanted to feel caresses like this his whole life, tender and gentle and so focused on him, all give and no take. Just give, give, give. He was quivering inside, feeling quite vulnerable at the desire peaking in him and the need that filled him but wasn't even close to enough. Clark's hands were soft and dry. Lex could almost hear the whisper of them gliding over his skin. He wanted more, a stronger touch but he tried to contain himself, to just let Clark explore. He could feel his heart beating in his throat, in his wrists, and it was unreal that he could get so turned on by hands skimming over his chest, over his stomach. Clark's eyes followed the path of his hands, tracking over each curve of muscle. He licked his lips and lifted his eyes meet Lex's. The expression was a mixture of awe and lust. Lex had to close his eyes against it...too pure to be for him.

Lex let his own hands map Clark, trailed his hands up the soft t-shirt, over shoulders that fit so well under his palm, down to smooth his fingers across the edges of the short-sleeves, brushing the skin just there and then running the tips of his fingers down to Clark's inner elbow caressing the softer, tender skin.

He guided Clark to sit further back between his legs, sat up and positioned Clark's legs on either side of his waist. Clark's hands immediately resumed their quest, sliding over his back and over his shoulders. The wet, slick, slide of kisses resumed and Clark was nearly incoherent murmuring and moaning and running his hands over Lex's skin like he'd die if he stopped.

And Lex didn't want him to stop, but he wanted Clark's skin, too and he finally had to break the kiss to pull the t-shirt off. Clark panted softly as Lex grappled with the most complicated t-shirt ever, and the tingly, moist breath in his ear wasn't helping him to figure out how to get it off, until finally, finally he managed to get it over Clark's head. He looked up to Clark's eyes and found them trained on his stomach, apparently watching the flex of his muscles as he strained to get the t-shirt free with no help from it's owner. Clark's expression was so fucking hot, so fucking hungry. He looked like he was going to suck a kiss mark onto every inch of skin and Lex was entirely willing and eager to oblige. Hands slid down his arms, removing his silk shirt. Out of the corner of his eye he saw it being thrown to the floor, heard the light thwap.

Clark's hands were everywhere at once, huge and powerful and gentle. They smoothed over each rib and into each valley of muscle; they whispered over his flesh and then dug in deeper with a touch that let Lex know how easily Clark could bruise him. Sounds so hot and real, sounds of wet lips together, friction of pants and jeans, soft slap of skin on skin and grunts elicited from the exquisite pressure on his cock. Clark muttered things under his breath so softly that Lex could barely make them out. "Beautiful... freckles... need... God..." And then that hot mouth tracing down his throat and against his chest. Clark seemed to be wallowing in him, smelling him, tasting him and eating him alive.

"Fuck, Lex. You smell so good."

Lex ran his hands into the hair tickling him as the mouth left wet kisses along his abdomen and then back up over his chest, his shoulders, down the inside of each arm. Lex was overwhelmed with desire and a feeling he never wanted to name aloud. It coursed through him, it was begging him to let go, to bury his face in Clark's neck, to push him on the bed and just move. Just take in that mouth and the skin and the strong chest that he really couldn't fucking believe he was touching after all this time. And, forget it, forget the softness and fuck the whole gentle thing, just take and rub and move. He felt himself giving in, tumbling them to the bed, found his hand cupping Clark through his jeans, jerked a little, startled at the size there.

He didn't understand why, but there it was rushing through his memory like fire, eating up all the space that was Clark's only an instant before and he gasped at the intensity of it. Body jerking at the remembered pain and it made no sense. Not now, not now. Not now.

"Lex, are you okay?"

Lex was silent, stunned by the cruelty of his own mind. He had been so hot, so there with Clark, this was wrong, these memories were wrong. Not now.

"It's okay, Lex...calm down, it's okay."

And isn't that just the way it would be? Clark comforting him, Lex Luthor, the too experienced slut, before initiating a *hand-job*. God, this relationship was fucking with his mind. Lex opened his eyes, surprised to find he had them so firmly closed.

Clark peered at him, "Your heart is racing." The hazel shifted a bit to a deeper green, an odd nervous emotion fleeing through them, "I can feel it beating against my chest."

"I'm fine. Are you okay?"

"I'm amazing."

Lex smiled a little, he knew what he should say; he should agree that Clark was, indeed, amazing. But he couldn't. Instead he blew his own mind by snuggling into Clark's arms and burying his face in Clark's neck. The heat had dissipated a little but the warm comfort that he wasn't even close to taking for granted was here instead, holding him and stroking his back with tenderness he had previously only imagined.

"Lex, can I tell you something?"

"Sure, Clark, anything." Breathed it right into the soft, gold skin.

"I want to take care of you."

Lex didn't know what to say to that. Didn't want to admit that he wanted it as well. Too ashamed to say that out loud. But he didn't fight as Clark pressed him back onto the bed. Hands gentling him, words whispered in his ear, body covering body and Lex felt himself being pulled back from the dark corners of his mind into the warmth of Clark's mouth.

Clark's palm, resting over his heart and he reported in a soft voice, "Your heart has slowed down now. See? It's okay."

Lex nodded and claimed Clark's lips. No more thinking about that, no more worried look on Clark's face. He took his time and kissed Clark long and deep. Passion arcing between them in seconds just the way he'd known it could from the beginning.

Clark finally broke the kiss, hands moving to the fastenings of Lex's pants before they moved to the button of his own jeans and then back again. Lex knocked Clark's hands aside unbuttoning and unzipping the jeans and then moving to do his own pants as well. Clark moved off long enough to shuck the pants and then looked back at him a little shyly before stripping the blue cotton boxers too.

Lex froze in pulling his own pants off, taken aback by Clark in his naked glory. So very naked. Long legs leading up to an ass that couldn't be any more fuckable, back curving up to shoulders that looked as though they could hold the weight of the world and never want to shrug it off. Clark turned and Lex stared at the black curls trailing from his navel down to the mat of black hair and the huge, beautiful cock that stood up from it...for him, because of him. And Lex could have this, could take it because Clark wanted that too.

Lex barely noticed that hands were on his pants and then they were gone, fingers hooked into his boxers and they were gone too. Lex would have been frightened by the rapidness, the loss of control, but tender, concerned eyes were trained on his, keeping him grounded in the present. And then the weight of Clark's body dipped the bed and stretched out beside him, just lying there watching him, running eyes over his body, waiting for him to teach, to instruct. Waiting for Lex to make the first move.

Or maybe not...because Clark was running a hand down his side and goose-bumps erupted over his skin. God it felt good and he'd only been wanting this since...well, fuck, it seemed like he'd wanted it his whole life. Lex turned onto his side, slid a leg up over Clark's, hair scraping smooth skin in an erotic tease. He lifted up on his elbow and ran a hand over Clark as he sank into a kiss. Clark's lips opened and welcomed his tongue as Lex's hand stroked lower and lower, brushing finally, gently over Clark's shaft and then sliding down to cup his balls.

Clark gasped and arched into him. It wouldn't take much to finish this.

"Do you want this, Clark?" Lex asked.

"Yes. God, yes. I told you already." Clark's eyes were desperate, lips open and panting.

Lex pulled his hand away. Clark's eyes flew wide, "Wait. Don't stop, Lex, please..."

Lex smiled and kissed him softly, sweetly on the lips, "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere." He licked long wet stripes up his palm and fingers before again capturing Clark's cock. It was heavy, thicker than his own and it flexed in his hand as he began a slow stroke. Clark tried to bury his face in Lex's neck, his hips struggled against moving into the rhythm and he stifled his moans.

"Don't hide your face, Clark. I want to see you."

Clark, flushed from arousal, managed to blush more. "I'll look goofy."

Lex squeezed a little and Clark's face distorted with the effort to keep from crying out. Lex smiled, "You'll look hot and sexy and it will get me off."

Clark started to shake his head but Lex shifted so that his face was right over Clark's. "Relax, Clark. Just let go, think about how good this feels. Don't fight it."

And, oh Jesus, it was fucking insane how much it turned him on. Clark groaning and whimpering his name from just his hand. God, just wait until he sucked him. Wanted to suck him now but sucked on Clark's tongue instead. Sweet sensation as tongues slid together and lips caressed lips. He pulled back to watch as Clark struggled against orgasm. Lex thought he was a brave little fighter, trying so hard to make it last, trying not to come too soon.

Lex spoke, his voice husky, "It makes me so hot to see you letting go like this."

And Clark lost it, his hips bucking without restraint into Lex's hand, hands fisted into the blue coverlet, every muscle straining and his face twisting up so gorgeous. Noises that would make a priest collapse to his knees in shame and lust issued from Clark's throat. Lex found that he was grinding his dripping cock into Clark's hip and moaning as the pleasure shocked through both of them. God he might come too...and he wanted to come too.

Then Clark froze, choked out his name and his face was so fucking beautiful as hot spurts of come fell on them both. Lex felt his own cock jerk and he murmured in Clark's ear, "It was just like I said, so sexy, so beautiful..."

Clark whimpered, apparently non-verbal. He opened his eyes after a few moments and looked at Lex, full of meaning and lust still there...not sated. Lex smiled and trailed his hand over Clark's stomach allowing his fingers to dip into the come. "I'm going to taste you, okay?" Lex asked softly.

Clark nodded and watched wide eyed as Lex brought his own fingers to his lips and licked them. Nice, better than most, a little different than any he'd ever tasted. Lex smiled and said, "It's good, want to taste?"

Clark swallowed and asked, his voice shaky, "Should I?"

Lex finished licking his fingers before answering, "No. You don't have to do anything, remember?"

Clark nodded and then dipped his own fingers into the come pooled on his stomach, brought them to his lips and tasted. He looked interested but didn't move to lick off more. Lex took his hand and licked it off for him enjoying the salty mix of fingers and come. Clark smiled hugely and dispelling the moment of discomfort that seemed about to fall.

Lex leaned in and licked the rest of the come away. As soon as he finished, Clark wrapped warm hands around his arms and pulled him down.

"Now, you." Clark whispered and Lex felt himself being rolled so that Clark's still hard cock ground against his own. He reveled in the lush slide of skin on skin. Then Clark's weight was gone as he rolled to his side and positioned himself on his elbow, as Lex had been.

"I won't be as good as the other people you've been with," Clark said shyly even as he lifted his own hand to his mouth to lick it.

Lex shook his head, "Clark, shhhhh." How could he explain that Clark was already better than anyone he'd ever had? That would be revealing too much, he couldn't ever say it. He closed his eyes against the hazel ones and tried to relax into this moment.

Out of the blackness, a huge, wet hand was suddenly stroking him, strong and good pressure, not too light and not too hard. Clark's body curved around him, a leg thrown over both of his, locking him in place as the hand kept a steady beat. And then he felt the mouth, oh God, Clark's mouth on his nipples and he arched up towards it. Noises he wasn't expecting so soon tore from somewhere in his chest. Too good, so good. His hips bucked up into Clark's hand and he twisted into each stroke. God fucking damn, he was going to come faster than Clark.

He shuddered as Clark ran a thumb over the head of his cock and shivered at the soft breath on his neck when Clark asked, "Was that okay, Lex?"

Lex couldn't find his voice to tell him that it was, that it was much more than okay, that it just might be the best thing that had ever happened to his cock. Clark licked and kissed his ear, drowning him in moist hot breath. Lex trembled from the sensation and the sweet words that Clark whispered over and over, words that he wished he could accept and maybe he would one day, but maybe not. The hand tightened and the thumb ran over the head of his cock a little harder, so sensitive he could feel the friction of the fingerprints.

Clark's mouth was gone from his ear and he heard Clark whisper, "Look at me, Lex."

He opened his eyes to green-hazel fusion and came hard and fast, spurting onto his stomach and crying out his release.

When he could focus again, Clark loomed over him with amazement in his eyes, "You were so hot, Lex. So fucking hot."

Lex smiled softly and his eyes fell shut as a sensation of peace descended on him. He couldn't think, his brain had completely shut down, the only thing that seemed to come to mind was Clark's name on a continuous loop. His eyes jerked open again when he felt Clark's tongue on his stomach. "Clark?"

Clark stared at him, a dreamy expression on his face, "You're right, it tastes good."

Lex laughed before he sobered, "We'll use a tissue to clean it up, though. Remember, we have to wait for my tests."

Clark looked disappointed but only for a moment. He grinned in the most silly and endearing way before he climbed over Lex and out of the bed, sauntered over to the tissues on the dresser. Lex openly admired Clark's body as the not-so-bashful-now teenager returned with tissues and cleaned him up.

Clark then climbed into the bed next to him, curled up against him, face nuzzled into his neck. It had been a long time since Lex had enjoyed post-orgasmic closeness. And Clark was obviously a snuggler. He could live with that. Clark never needed to know how much he liked it. He was falling into a light sleep when Clark whispered into his neck, "I'm so in love with you."

Lex turned into the embrace, it was the least he could do at the moment. "So you keep telling me."

Chapter Five
Big Sky

Clark glanced around the Talon. No one knew what he'd done yesterday. It was another secret, but one he loved keeping. No one knew that he had been naked with Lex in bed. Or that Lex had jacked him off and that Clark had called out for him. No one knew that Lex had licked come off of his stomach and hands. Lex was so sexy, so much hotter than anyone Clark had ever laid eyes on. He hadn't known how he would react to touching that skin, it had been like some sort of drug and he couldn't stop thinking about it. Couldn't stop thinking about Lex touching him, Lex coming for him. And no one here knew it.

He wriggled in his seat, ran his eyes over the Talon's patrons and wondered who else had gotten a hand job yesterday...or given one. Definitely not Pete. Not Chloe or Lana. Eric and Leslie maybe. Mark and Jennifer probably, they made out all the time and everywhere. He smiled. No one else got one from or gave one to Lex, though. Just him.

His mind flashed to Lex on the bed, hips thrusting up into Clark's fist, face skittering through sensation and emotion and finally crashing into the most unbelievably...

"Earth to Clark! Come in, Clark!"

His cheeks flamed as he looked up to Chloe's slightly amused eyes. "Care to share exactly where you were just now?"

"Um, no."

Chloe rolled her eyes, "Never mind. I can guess."

Pete chuckled, "Heh, yeah, I can guess too. Lana in her underwear again?"

Clark laughed, "Sorry Pete, but my fantasy life is off-limits." And his sex life, too. Now that he had one.

"Ugh." Pete made a face that didn't seem to be related to Clark's potential fantasy life. Although, the disgusted face probably would have applied had Pete known the details of Clark's fantasies. But since he didn't, that meant Pete was disgusted about something else.

"What?" Clark followed Pete's eyes out the Talon's front windows and saw the silver Ferrari parked out front and tried hard to keep his smile from growing as wide as Texas.

"Oh. Lex is here." He tried to sound casual, normal, didn't want to give away the fact that he jacked off Lex Luthor yesterday afternoon...after sucking on his tongue and giving him a hickey or two. Nah, didn't want to be too obvious about that.

Lex got out of the car and stretched his long arms across the top, reading the marquis over the Talon with a bland expression. He wore the thin blue sweater Clark liked so much. But, best of all, he had been naked in a bed with Clark less than twenty-four hours ago! Clark couldn't stop himself from thinking it and, damn, the big old smile was there and Clark really wished he had better control over his lips.

"Try not to look so much like his lap dog, Clark." Pete growled bitterly.

Clark ignored him and stood up, giving some sort of excuse that he wasn't sure made any sense and exited the Talon at his normal pace. He spent that extra time trying to remember why it would look really uncool if he ran to Lex. His freakish ears picked up Pete bitching to Chloe that Lex and his cars were like magnets made just for attracting Clarks. He heard Chloe's snarky rejoinder that at least something attracted Clark. But he didn't care, his skin was alive and his heart was soaring.

"Hey, Lex!" He really was trying not to smile all goofy; he really was! But Lex...naked...licking Clark's come...which had splattered on his chest due to the hand job...that Lex gave him...well, who wouldn't smile?

Lex shook his head and chuckled, face quirking into a smile as he said, "Get in the car, Clark." Not really a request, but Clark didn't mind being ordered around if it meant being crammed into a small space with Lex.

Fitting his body into Lex's cars was always difficult, but he would never complain because, duh, it was a Ferrari, so what's a little leg discomfort, really? He sat back, buckled his seat belt, looked pointedly at Lex until he did the same and prepared himself for blast-off. Lex didn't disappoint him, exploding out of his parking spot like there wasn't a gaggle of high school students milling around, most of them kids of his employees.

"So, how did you know I was in there, Lex?"

"It's Friday, it's 4:00, where else would Clark Kent be, besides ogling my business partner and drinking coffee with his friends?"

"I wasn't ogling your business partner." Clark suppressed the smile that threatened to engulf his face again. Lex was still jealous of Lana. That was so cute. Lex would really not appreciate being called "cute" even in the privacy of Clark's head. So he did it again. He thought, as loudly as possible, Lex is cute.

"A hundred dollars for your thoughts?" Lex asked sincerely.

"They're free. I was just wondering what you wanted with me today. Don't you have pressing LexCorp business? Or did you have other pressing concerns that you need my help with?" Clark teased.

Lex smirked and shifted gears, "Actually, I have to go to Metropolis tomorrow. I'll be staying for two weeks to finalize some things that will permanently sever my business ties with my father."

Clark didn't know how to react for a moment, part of him wanted to kick and scream at the idea of Lex leaving for two weeks and part of him knew how much this meant to Lex. He plastered on a smile and said, "That's great! I'm excited for you."

Lex nodded. "Thanks. I hope I know what I'm doing."

Clark stroked the hand on the gear shift and said, "You know what you're doing. You're going to be great."

"Yes. I intend to be great."

Clark rolled his eyes and smothered a chuckle. "You always get what you want, Lex."

Lex was quiet a few moments before clearing his throat, "So before I leave for two weeks, I thought maybe you would like to come over and have dinner with me tonight. Possibly watch a movie or two."

Clark grinned. "I'll call Mom when we get to your place. It shouldn't be a problem."

Lex didn't respond for several seconds. "Do you think you could spend the night?"'

"Maybe. I'll have to ask Mom and come up with a good reason to stay over."

"You don't think she'd see the necessity of you sleeping in my bed while I paw you for hours and suck you off repeatedly?"

Clark's cock absolutely saw the necessity of that and his voice broke as he replied, "No. I don't think she'd get that."

Lex laughed and shifted gears as he pulled into the mansion's drive, "Yes, you're probably right."

Chapter Six
River Inside

Lex was looking at him. Just sort of taking him in and Clark let him. It was unreal. And so real, so very, very real. And totally cool. Naked and just being studied like a piece of art or maybe the business reports that Lex spent so much time pouring over. Clark wondered if he had some sort of secret script on his skin because it seemed like Lex's eyes were intent on covering every inch.

He was on his back, on Lex's bed. Lex was naked too, sitting beside him, not touching, just looking and memorizing. Clark did his own visual exploration of the flushed, pale skin, freckles like brown sugar specks and the dark, swollen, rather intimidating cock. The scent of their sex filled his nostrils, it amazed him how good they smelled together and he wondered if Lex could smell it too. Warm, sweet scents that mixed and melded, nearly overwhelming him because it smelled like the warmth in his heart, the tingle in his stomach.

At some point it had started to rain. The otherwise silent room filled with the constant, never-ending patter of water on the window. And Lex still wasn't touching him. The blue coverlet, clean from yesterday, felt soft under the pads of his fingers and he stroked it in the absence of Lex's skin. Blue eyes shining with heat and affection crept up his chest, his throat, over his chin, mapping his nose, cheeks, forehead, and hair before coming back and settling on his eyes, gaze steady and stealing into him.

Finally Lex moved, two fingers brushing up the inside of Clark's leg with gentle, liquid strokes that just grazed over the hairs there. It almost tickled, raising goose-bumps and eliciting a small shiver. Eyes never leaving his, Lex trailed the fingers up, over hip, up to his chest, body following hand until Lex was stretched out in the crevice created by Clark's arm, one leg hooking over Clark's and head nestled onto Clark's shoulder. Clark couldn't resist curling his arm up and around Lex's waist pulling him closer, feeling the cock grind into his hip and hearing Lex's quickened breath, feeling it on his neck and chest. Hot, wet breath, warm, moist mouth. He hadn't kissed him in at least five minutes. Too long. Turned his head and pressed a kiss to the soft skin of Lex's scalp. He wondered when he had become infatuated with the veins the curled just under the skin on the sides of his head. Wondered who had first loved the strength and vulnerability the bald scalp represented. Probably Lex's mom and one day Clark would find out more about her.

But right now his cock, well, his whole body, was really wanting some attention. He turned and twined himself into Lex, wrapped his arms and legs around him and held on. Some part of him hoped to somehow merge like their scents. Lex's mouth open against his neck, suction on the sweet spot beneath his ear and a moan unfurled from his throat. Clark felt the strong hands on his back, on his chest as Lex's mouth sucked tighter and stronger, God , it felt so good.

He needed more and he pulled Lex on top of him, aligning hips and spreading his legs so that Lex fell between. Closed his eyes at the sensation of his cock sliding next to Lex's and balls touching his balls. Lex's teeth scraped along his neck, before sucking hard at the juncture of neck and shoulder. Clark felt it in his toes, in his cock, felt it coil in his belly and he arched up, whimpering. Lex pulled back and seemed to examine his throat for a moment, but Clark just wanted more and he felt a haze creeping into him, blurring the edges of things. Making the room smaller and bigger all at once. The bed, the rain, the sound of skin brushing over skin, so close in his senses. The chair where he'd placed his clothes, so far away. It would take him a year to reach it at top speed.

He felt Lex's lips pressing onto his eyelids and realized his eyes were closed. Didn't know when he'd let them fall shut. Opened them to a soft, warm gaze that was nothing like the hard, cold look Lex had most of the time. Exactly the way Lex's eyes should always be, always warm and focused on him. Clark didn't know when he became so greedy, but he didn't want to share any of this and he wanted it all the time. Lex, his, warm, pliant in his arms and kissing him again.

He wrapped his hand around Lex's head so gently, had to be careful not to bruise, especially in obvious places. Tongue sweet and strong swirling into his mouth and tasting him. He felt tasted and that made it so much better for some reason. Lex moved against him and Clark gasped as their cocks pressed together; he could feel Lex's cock jump against his stomach and the slick slide of their mixing drops of pre-come.

Lex was sliding down him now, licking and kissing his chest and Clark couldn't help that his legs were moving, that his toes were clenching when Lex's mouth lowered to his nipple. It felt incredible, felt like something electric that sang through him and down to his cock. Could hear Lex's chuckle although he wasn't sure what was funny. Maybe because Clark was arching off the bed trying to get more? Maybe because Clark was whimpering and really kind of starting to lose control? It didn't matter because Lex was soothing him with his hands and whispering in soft, tingly rushes against his skin. He heard every syllable, every sibilant hiss.

"Yes. Let go, Clark. Relax. It's okay."

And it was okay, because Lex was so sure, so strong and he knew what he was doing. He let himself go even more, just reining in enough to remember not to clutch at Lex or to squeeze him too tightly between his thighs, but the noises coming from his chest were his and he didn't even know he could sound that way. Lex slid down and down and a wet mouth was on his hip. Clark gasped at the cool air that replaced Lex's body heat against his cock. He worried only briefly about whether or not he wanted this, because he did. He really fucking did and he wanted it so much he couldn't think straight and any butterflies dancing in his stomach could be chalked up to anticipation and not to fear.

His fingers clenched into the coverlet when Lex's hand encircled him and gentle fingertips grazed over his balls and the rushing coil of sensation racing up his spine had him tense and gasping for air.

Again, Lex was soothing him, touching him softly and whispering, "It's okay, Clark. Relax."

Oh God, tongue. Tongue and lips on his cock, on the shaft, wet and soft and his cock jerked and he was pretty sure that whining noise came from him. Lex lapping at him, up over the tip, licking away the drops there and swirling his tongue around the head. It felt too good, it felt like words that Clark wasn't sure existed.

He wanted to touch Lex but he was afraid and he just balled his fists tighter into the blanket. His legs seemed to take on the role of touching Lex as they slid against Lex's smooth sides, relieved that the movement took some of the edge off and he thought he might last longer than two seconds now. But he wasn't sure again when Lex's mouth moved down, opening wide to suck lightly and gently roll his tongue against his balls.

Lex urged him to lift his legs and Clark complied mindlessly, wanting more and trusting Lex to know what would feel good. Heard the sound of Lex sucking on something, but it wasn't him and tried to pry his eyes open to see, but they wouldn't cooperate. Felt a slick finger circle his asshole and press gently at it.

Clark could hear Lex's heartbeat as clearly as his own but nearly missed the words under the rush of their pulses, the rain on the window and the ache in his cock.

"Is this okay, Clark?"

Couldn't make his mouth work right now, just wanted to feel and he needed to come so badly he thought he might cry. Managed to nod his head when he realized Lex wouldn't keep going without an answer, and God, he needed him to keep going. He needed him to do something that would make him feel, that would make him come, that would keep him from dangling on this exquisite precipice of pleasure forever.

Shocked by the finger that slipped past the ring of muscle at his entrance. His gasp giving away his surprise and Lex was murmuring, soothing and using his other hand to massage the rim of his hole. Clark relaxed into it and lifted his knees a little higher, heard Lex murmur approvingly and press soft, chaste kisses to his inner thighs and the skin behind his balls.

Lex's finger began to move in and out a little and Clark found his hips responding, he barely noticed when Lex shifted from between his legs and was surprised by the sudden wet heat of a mouth on his cock. The finger in his ass continued to move slowly, matching the suction and sensation ripped a cry from his throat.

He wanted to hide his face, to silence his struggling noises but he couldn't and wouldn't because Lex liked it. He wanted to see, wanted to see his cock in Lex's mouth and opened his eyes despite the weight that seemed to hold his lids.

Oh, God, Lex was looking up at him and the heat in his eyes swallowed Clark whole. He wasn't expecting to feel like this, this rush of passion and love was filling him, curling in his balls and...Clark tensed, eyes squeezing shut and crying out as he pulsed into Lex's throat. He shuddered and shuddered and couldn't seem to stop the shaking even when Lex released him and withdrew his finger.

He couldn't look at Lex. It was too much and he felt so exposed. He kept his eyes shut, heard Lex pull a tissue from the bedside table and then Lex was next to him, whispering to him and gently running his hands over him, calming his shakes.

"Clark?"

But he couldn't answer so he turned to Lex and kissed him. And that was his taste in Lex's mouth, he recognized it from the day before. He didn't like the taste much better this time, but it was in Lex's mouth, because Lex had swallowed it, for him, to give him pleasure and Clark found his kiss becoming rougher. His hands operated on their own, having at some point released their death grip on the bedspread and now moved to plunder Lex's body.

Clark managed to break the kiss and didn't even recognize his voice when he said, "I want to suck you."

Lex's eyes dropped shut for a moment before he was nodding and pulling away from Clark, which was just wrong and he found himself grabbing at him a little too roughly. Lex winced and Clark let go.

"It's okay, Clark. I just want to do it a different way."

Clark nodded. "Whatever you want, anything."

Lex smiled and backed off the bed, standing beside it looking down at Clark. "Okay, on your knees."

Clark swallowed and slid from the bed to the hard, wood floor, not even trusting his legs to stand for the time it would take to kneel. He'd seen this. He'd seen Lex do this to people and he had wanted it for so long he was didn't know why he was afraid now that it was happening.

Lex crouched down in front of him and Clark met his eyes. Lex's face quirked in affection. "You know how I feel about you, right?"

Clark nodded.

"Tell me."

Clark swallowed thickly before whispering, "I'm your favorite person."

Lex nodded, "Okay. This is how I like it. I hope this is okay."

Clark tried to smile around his nerves, "It's all okay."

Lex stood then and Clark leaned in to nuzzle his smooth legs. He tried not to look at Lex's cock now, it was intimidating; he wasn't sure he could take it all in. He wasn't surprised when strong hands tangled into his hair and pulled his head back. He closed his eyes and opened his mouth, shocked when Lex leaned down to press a kiss onto his forehead. Then Lex's fingers were opening his mouth more and he felt the blunt nudge of a cock on his lips.

Clark kept his eyes closed, embarrassed and excited and scared. He opened wider and felt the slide of Lex's cock on his tongue, he instinctively wrapped his lips over his teeth. Lex moved shallowly in his mouth and Clark tried to open up so that Lex would go deeper. The taste of pre-come rubbed over his tongue and it was good because it was Lex.

Hands tightened in his hair and held his head still as Lex thrust. Clark gagged and tried to snort a breath through his nose. He opened his eyes in a panic, looking up at Lex for reassurance but found the blue eyes closed and mouth open in pleasure. Lex thrust deeply and Clark gagged again.

One hand released his hair and came around to stroke his face gently, Lex kept his eyes closed but murmured, "Relax for me. Open your throat."

Clark tried to do it, relaxing his throat, letting his adam's apple drop. Lex thrust again and he didn't gag, was shocked to feel the head of Lex's cock slip into his throat and he had to steady himself by gripping Lex's legs.

Lex groaned and the hand that had been stroking gently, suddenly gripped his face as Lex let go of restraint and fucked into his throat. Clark struggled to breathe and not to gag again. He stared up at Lex's face as it raced through sensation and he wasn't prepared when Lex thrust deep, held his head tight, then pulled back, ripping his cock from Clark's mouth just as it pulsed, come splattering onto Clark's chest, onto Lex's stomach and on the floor. Lex grunted heavily as he came, his face unguarded and wracked with pleasure. Clark had to grab his own cock which was hard again already.

Lex opened his eyes slowly as if afraid to look down at Clark. When their gaze locked Lex smiled and relaxed his hands in Clark's hair. Clark stood slowly, his knees still wobbly, and Lex pulled him close, apparently not caring about the come that smeared between their bodies. Then he maneuvered Clark down to the bed where he kissed him until he couldn't breathe.

Chapter Seven
Sinking In

"Did you have fun at Lex's last night, honey?" Martha asked as Clark helped her make sandwiches for lunch.

"Um. Yeah. We watched Star Trek 5, the one where they come back to modern day earth to save the whales?" Clark fought the blush valiantly and thought he might have won.

Of course they hadn't actually watched the movie, although they had lounged on the floor in front of the tv while it played and Lex had demonstrated his blow job technique again. Clark had practiced too, because practice makes perfect, or so he's been told his whole life.

Fuck, he was getting hard remembering it.

"I love that one. It is so cute, don't you think?"

Clark nodded, added turkey slices to his sandwich but only saw Lex's face in orgasm, Lex's slender hips bucking as come splashed over his chest and stomach.

"Although it doesn't seem like a movie Lex would like very much."

Clark grunted in response, thinking of Lex kissing him gently on the sofa, pushing him to the floor, Lex's finger in his ass, Lex's mouth on his nipple.

"Clark?" Martha was studying him, "You look flushed."

"I'm okay." Lex's lips around his cock. Lex's eyes looking up into his from between his legs. Lex's hands soothing him as he trembled down from the heights of orgasm.

She wiped her hands on a towel before touching his forehead as though she could gather some sort of information from his skin. "You're warm. Are you feeling okay? You've been distant all morning."

Clark brushed her hand off, "Really, Mom, I'm just tired. We stayed up late." Lex pressing a kiss onto his forehead before pushing his cock past his lips.

"How late?" Martha's voice was edged now. Clark heard the suspicion, the concern and he knew he had to come back to this room fast.

He turned a grin on her and said, "Oh, around 3:00 a.m. We played on his PlayStation, then he taught me some more about pool, then we went swimming and talked about stuff. He told me about Metropolis U and his time at Princeton. You know, boarding school sounds like it would suck..."

Clark was amazed at the lies tripping off of his tongue. Yeah he lied to other people, but not to his parents. This was something he was willing to do, though, to keep Lex.

"I think he's just a big kid, Mom. It's kind of sad that he's had to grow up so fast."

His distraction technique appeared to have worked on both his mom and his cock. She spread the mustard on his dad's sandwich and agreed with him that boarding school might not be the best experience for all kids and that Lex had probably missed out on a lot of things in his life.

Clark nodded, glad that she was rambling in a sympathetic vein about his boyfriend. Boyfriend. Wow. That was what Lex was, right? He'd have to ask Lex if that is what they were. He could see Lex's amused grin now. Yeah, he'd ask him just to see that if for nothing else.

Chapter Eight
Hand to Mouth

Martha was surprised when the phone rang at 10:30 p.m. a little late for the Kent household, but Clark dove for the phone nearly shouting, "It's for me!"

She went back to her crossword until the buzzer on the dryer went off a few minutes later. She glanced over at Jonathan reading a journal article and said, "I'm going to go fold that last load."

He nodded absently and murmured, "Have fun."

She chuckled, fairly certain he hadn't even heard what she had said.

Clark was speaking softly into the phone in the kitchen when she passed him on her way down to the laundry machines in the basement. It was cool down there and since the summer had been growing unbearably hot, she was glad to feel the cool, damp air on her skin. But not for long, as soon as she opened the dryer door the room grew a little warmer and a sweat broke over her body.

She hadn't meant to listen to Clark's side of the conversation. She hadn't even noticed before how clearly the vent between the laundry and the kitchen conducted sound. At first she hadn't paid attention but some interesting words caught her ear.

"Have you already forgotten that I love you? Do I have to get it tattooed on your ass?"

Clark's voice was so tender, she assumed he must be talking to Chloe...or Lana. She hadn't realized that things had progressed this far with either girl and she tuned in to listen.

Clark chuckled and then said the words that stopped her heart, "Because, Lex, I'm not the rebellious one. I don't do tattoos."

She sank to the floor, half-folded shirt in hands forgotten. This wasn't possible...was this really what she was hearing? This could mean anything. Love. Love could be friendship. Clark was like that. A generous, giving boy and he'd give love to his friends. But, still...she'd never heard him tell Pete that he loved him. Just called him "man" and slapped him on the shoulder, sometimes tried to hug him all manly and one-armed. This...was different.

"Yes, I did have my eyes open.....Yes, I saw that your skin is ink-free." There was more laughter from her son and she shook her head, not really believing what she was hearing. Her mind divided into concerned questions and reasonable replies. When had Clark seen Lex's skin? The swimming pool. But his rear? Maybe they had changed together.

"Well, yeah, I've got your cell number."

Martha wondered what was being said at the other end of the line during the next stretch of silence.

"Okay. Sure."

Another pause and then he commented in a slightly outraged voice, "I don't go there to see her. Lana is just a friend, Lex. Maybe I'll have that tattooed on your ass."

Martha wanted to cover her ears because she really didn't want to know this. Her stomach twisted and knotted as she took some deep breaths.

The conversation was wrapping up, "Good luck with your business stuff. I know you're going to be great at this."

Another long stretch while Lex apparently talked. "Well, all right. Goodnight. Call me soon, okay? You know, just to tell me how it's going."

A pause and then, "Bye."

The sound of the phone being placed in the cradle was shortly followed by footsteps down the stairs to the basement and Clark appeared around the corner.

"Want some help, Mom? I can have these folded in no time, if you want." The smile he had been wearing faded. "Are you okay? Why are you sitting on the floor?" He crouched down, worried.

Martha felt the large palm on her forehead. She could have laughed at the mother hen technique she had just employed earlier that day on her little boy. "I'm fine, Clark. I just wanted to rest for a moment. I had a long day out in the sun and it is nice and cool down here."

He sat down next to her and picked up a flannel shirt that they just bought on summer sale for the next school year.

She cleared her throat as they began folding together. Clark moved at normal speed. Maybe he wanted to spend some time with his mother because he was in no hurry? Maybe he wanted to confide in her? Maybe she should just ask.

"Clark, who were you talking to?"

Clark's mouth stretched into the bright smile that he'd been wearing for a month, "Lex. He's gone to Metropolis to finalize the deal that will make him free of his dad."

He frowned a bit then as he rolled some socks, "He'll be gone two weeks. He wanted me to tell you that he won't need the regular produce deliveries until he gets back."

"Honey..." Martha was struggling here. She didn't want to make more of it than it really was, there was probably a good explanation for all of it and she didn't want him to think she had been eavesdropping. She wanted to believe that he would come to her if he was...gay. Was that the word for it since he wasn't even human? They knew nothing about his sexual development.

Clark had his head cocked looking at her expectantly. Finally she said, "I heard some of your conversation and it sounded...a little...odd."

Clark looked confused, glanced around and saw the air vent. Understanding dawned on his face. He blushed a little and said, "What did you hear?"

"I think I heard you say that you love him." Martha said it as steadily as she could, watched her son's face and it didn't change at all. No evidence of lying or deception written there.

"I do love him. He's great, Mom. He's really a good friend to me." Clark said it as though she should already know that.

She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips, continuing, "I heard you say that you would tattoo it on his rear end."

"Yeah, well, it is either that or print up bumper stickers." He laughed, folding the clothes a little more rapidly the only evidence that he was uncomfortable, "Really, Mom, I was just kidding with him."

"So you're just friends?" Martha studied him and prayed he wouldn't lie.

Clark crinkled his brow and looked at her earnestly, "What do you think, Mom? Of course he's my friend."

She noticed he didn't deny it. She noticed that he didn't seem offended by her implications. But, Martha just nodded. She didn't want to hear anything more than that.

So she didn't.

Chapter Nine
Dream Instead

Only three days into his trip and Lex was awake staring at the ceiling of his Metropolis penthouse bedroom. It was very late. Or maybe very early. A glance at the clock told him that it was 4:00 a.m.. Clark and his dad would be getting up in an hour...possibly even sooner. In contrast Lex had just come in from a night of parties. It had been a long night.

On the bedside dresser a small, white envelope lay open with a letter laying out next to it. Lex picked it up to read it again.

Dear Lex,

I'm in class. I'm going to mail this on my way home. The guy at the post office told me yesterday that you should get my letters within twenty four hours since the mail from Smallville goes straight into Metropolis.

I ate at Chloe's last night. Her dad said everything is going great at the crap factory. He likes that he's going to be an owner. He seemed all puffed up about it. I thought it was cool and that you'd want to know.

You know what I want to tell you, but I know it isn't the smart thing to do. So I won't. But remember it, okay?

Your friend,

Clark

He studied the easy print, no cursive for the very straight forward Clark Kent. Well, if you could call a bald faced liar 'straight forward'.

Lex knew that the lies between them were unavoidable now. He knew that Clark wanted to tell him the truth, he could see the green eyes shifting darker and guilty every time Lex asked something awkward. But little things constantly gave him away, even more now that they were lovers. The destroyed buttons on Lex's shirt, the bruises on his hips and arms that had Clark murmuring apology after apology, the obvious lack of bruising where Lex had applied intense suction on Clark's neck, inner thighs and stomach.

Meteors, mutations...it was everywhere in Smallville. Of course Clark would fear the repercussions of telling anyone about himself and Lex wouldn't force him right now. But he would keep up his research, he knew how to find someone of a higher caliber than Nixon, someone who also knew how to be subtle and responsible with his findings.

No matter what Lex found out about Clark he knew it wouldn't change what he felt. It wouldn't change the fierce protectiveness that shot through him at the very thought of someone taking advantage of Clark or the strange abilities that he tried so clumsily to hide. It amazed him that the people of Smallville were so willfully blind.

Lex sat the letter back on the nightstand and shifted in the bed. He closed his eyes to let his mind wander over a scene that had wanted to play in his head all day. He'd had to shove it back many times over the course of his business meetings and during the parties.

His hand slid down his bare chest and under the covers over his naked hips and down to his cock. He didn't touch it yet, although it was already hard and waiting for release. It had been hard from the moment he first read Clark's letter and pictured him in class writing it with a steady hand and thoughtful face.

No need to fight the image off now. Lex let it roll through his mind, beautiful and sexy. Clark on his knees, face skittering and frightened but a brave show plastered across it. Clark opening his mouth, closing his eyes and just waiting. God, Lex hadn't expected that...

Lex gave in and touched his cock, reliving the first blow job from the sweetest mouth he'd ever seen. He stroked hard, fast and came, gasping Clark's name.

Chapter Ten
Devils and Deeds

The Talon was empty except for Lana, the other waitress and Clark, who was desperately trying to figure out how to make his coffee taste like Lex's had at breakfast the other morning. He'd watched Lex put the sugar in first, lots of sugar. Then he'd mixed in a lot of cream. A lot of cream. And it had tasted so good and sweet when Clark had stolen a sip. Lex hadn't seemed to mind when he drank the whole cup; he'd just made more and smiled.

It had only been three days and he missed Lex. It was like his body somehow knew that Lex wasn't in Smallville and it was left craving. He was desperate for a fix. Clark wished he'd taken some of Lex's clothes from the mansion to stuff under his pillow or in his book-bag. Just to have something he could smell as a reminder.

Clark seriously suspected Lex of taking his flannel shirt from the loft last week. He'd taken it off before Lex arrived because it hadn't been as cool an evening as he'd anticipated. Then after Lex left, it had mysteriously disappeared from the desk. He didn't mind too much because it wasn't a favorite. He wondered if Lex would ever admit to it. It was the most juvenile thing that he'd ever known Lex to do. Secretly it pleased him that he could be the cause of such a gesture. He decided not to mention it unless one of his favorite shirts went missing.

Three days. Lex should have received two letters by now. He'd kept them very short and not at all strange. Well, not additionally strange. He made sure to mention the words "crap factory" at least once in every letter because it amused him endlessly. He didn't even care anymore if Lex found it funny too.

"Clark, mind if I have a seat?"

Clark looked up from the twenty packets of sugar he was contemplating dumping into the bitter coffee to see Lana standing at his table. His eyes ran over her form and he had to blink a little. She was wearing a tight halter with spaghetti straps and low riding jeans. She was really too pretty to look at sometimes. Since meeting Lex, she had seemed strangely asexual to him. But not today.

"Um, Clark?"

He shook his head and grinned. "Sorry. Sure have a seat." He blushed and mumbled, "Nice shirt."

Lana smiled, revealing the odd little teeth that Clark used to interpret as additional proof that they were destined to be together. He had even told Pete once during a late night sharing of secrets. Pete had laughed at him.

"What's up?" He asked and opened four more packets of sugar dumping them into the mug.

"Have you heard about Lex?" Her voice was soft and concerned.

Clark's heart rate skyrocketed and his head jerked up. "What about him?" Lex had been in an accident, he was dead, he was hurt and Clark hadn't been there to protect him.

"Apparently he was out at some party last night and things got out of hand. I was just wondering if you knew the details." Clark calmed down a little, Lana seemed merely curious and not all that worried.

"What do you mean by 'things got out of hand'?" Clark asked quietly, his gut now wrenching in fear and some suspicion. He knew Lex's history too well, he knew his sex drive intimately, had spied on him for nearly a year. He knew Lex had a history of drug use and abuse. Millions of ways for things to get 'out of hand' came rushing to his mind.

"Well, the rumor is that his date overdosed on something." She shook her head in disapproval.

Clark tried to keep from twitching at the word 'date' and moved on to somehow confirming that there was even any truth in this before he panicked. "Who is this 'someone' who said this?"

"Mitch, you know, his assistant?"

"Mitch told you this?" Clark's eyebrows shot up. If Mitch was telling this stuff then he was as good as fired...and it was as good as true.

"No. His son, Adam, remember him?" Lana shoved a stray piece of hair from her eyes and continued, "Well, he's twelve now. He was in here earlier blabbing about how Lex had called Mitch in the middle of the night all in a panic."

Clark had believed worse sources in his life and he couldn't seem to doubt this story even though he really wanted it to be untrue.

Lana leaned forward and said, "I really think Lex is trying to change. You know, the way he's going to bat for the town over the plant, but apparently he still has a wild streak."

He had to talk to Lex. He needed to talk to him now.

Clark stood up. "I have to go."

Lana nodded, "Okay, well if you find out the details, let me know what happened." She stood up and pushed her chair under the table. "At least let me know if the girl was all right."

Clark stumbled from the Talon and managed to find an empty street before racing home.

The cell number was going straight to voicemail. Clark paced the kitchen after he tried the LexCorp number and was told that Lex was in a meeting. That meant Lex was okay, he was safe and he wasn't in jail. That didn't mean he wasn't on a date last night, that didn't mean that things hadn't gotten out of hand. He didn't leave a message with the secretary and he didn't ask to speak with Mitch. He'd left one message at the cell number because he didn't want to look like the desperate fool he obviously was.

The phone rang and he dove for it.

"Kent Residence." His voice breathless.

"Clark." Lex's voice was calm and easy.

"Hi, Lex." Clark didn't really want to admit it but he was angry and it was evident in his voice.

"Clark? I got your message. I called as soon as I could." He could hear the sound of cellophane being unwrapped at Lex's end of the line. Probably a Snickers Bar.

Clark paced and stretched the phone cord as far as it would go in either direction, "Thanks."

Lex was silent at the other end of the line, finally he asked, "Is there something wrong?"

"Yes. Yes, there is something wrong."

There was a short pause and then Lex spoke with some distance in his tone. "Tell me what it is, Clark. You have my full attention."

Clark x-rayed the house, just to make sure no one was around. Finally he accused, "You were on a date. You went out on a date."

"It wasn't a date. The girl is the daughter of a business associate. I was entertaining her for the evening." Lex sighed, "What did you hear?"

"Mitch's son told Lana that things got out of hand with your date, that you were at a party, that she overdosed." Clark paced faster, nearly at the level of a blur.

Lex groaned, "Kids. Clark, she didn't overdose. She had too much to drink and passed out."

"Adam said you were in a panic, that you called in the middle of the night."

"I called at 2:30 from the party. Yes, I was worried. I wanted to make sure that the papers didn't print anything unfavorable about her or about me. I didn't want them to stretch the truth and make things difficult for me or for my business associate." Lex paused and added, "I'm going to have to make sure Mitch gets a separate, private line...Jesus."

"So, you were not on a date?" Clark slowed down a little. Lex sounded so reasonable and calm, it was affecting Clark's heart-rate, lowering it and relaxing him.

Lex laughed, "No. Have you gone on any dates?"

"No. Besides its been school nights." Clark added the last a little petulantly.

"Clark...were you jealous?" Lex chuckled.

Clark stopped entirely. "Yes. I was. Why? You wouldn't be?"

Lex stopped laughing. "Don't make me have someone killed." He sounded pretty serious but Clark chose to believe he was joking. "I just find it quite amusing that you were more concerned about whether I was on a date than whether or not the girl I was with overdosed."

"I knew she was fine or it would have been in the papers." Clark muttered, embarrassed at his apparent moral lapse.

Lex was quiet for a few moments, he cleared his throat, "Clark, listen. Being with me is difficult. People say things all the time, the papers print stuff whether it is true or not. Over the next week and a half, while I'm away, I want you to think very seriously about whether you can handle being with someone who is under so much scrutiny."

Clark sat down on the closest chair. "That sounds an awful lot like you don't..." he trailed off.

"Don't read into it, Clark. I just want you to be happy and if my lifestyle makes you unhappy, then..."

Clark used his x-ray vision to check the house again before whispering, "I don't want to break it off."

"Just consider what I've said, okay? Don't worry about it. I'll call you tonight."

Clark nodded before realizing Lex couldn't see him, "Yeah. Okay."

"Bye." And Lex disconnected the call.

Clark sat staring at the phone in his hand for a few moments, overwhelmed and tired from the emotional roller-coaster he'd been on since the Talon. He hung the phone in the receiver before sitting back down at the table and resting his head in his folded arms.

Chapter Eleven
Heart In Teeth

Clark was shoveling the straw and cleaning the general mess in the stable area, humming along to some song his mom would love. His dad had tuned the old analogue radio in the barn to the adult contemporary station and Clark hadn't bothered to change it when Jonathan left to run into town for a fast errand. To be honest, the lyrics were sort of appealing to him, too, in his little Lex-inspired daydreams. He sang the final chorus just above his breath, startled and embarrassed when clapping followed.

Spinning around, the grin almost broke his face when he saw the slim black and purple figure standing far back from the cloud of dust raised by Clark's pitchfork.

"Lex!" Sometimes he wished he didn't sound so eager, but Lex always seemed to appreciate his enthusiasm, as though he always half suspected that Clark might not be so glad to see him someday.

"You're early. I thought you wouldn't be in town until tonight." Clark looked down at his filthy clothes and dirty hands as he spoke, no way he could touch Lex right now. He moved forward anyway and stood a couple of feet from him.

"Finished up early and broke the sound barrier on my way home."

Clark frowned. "You need to drive more slowly."

Lex closed most of the distance between them. "Where's the fun in that? It gets me home more quickly. That's a bonus, right?"

"Yes. No. I mean..." Clark grinned. "You know what I mean. I'm glad you're home, but I want you to slow down."

"And I want you to come over for dinner." Lex smiled and lifted a brow. "Maybe stay the night? I've got Star Trek 6 and 7 that you still haven't seen. And then the entire Next Generation series. We could try to make a dent in those."

Clark blushed a little and looked at his shoes, before looking back up at Lex. "I'll have to ask Mom. I don't know if she'll let me." He sighed, embarrassed to tell Lex about his mistake. "She overheard a conversation with you and she's a little suspicious."

A frown creased Lex's brow. "What exactly did she hear?"

Clark mumbled, "That I want to tattoo 'I love you' on your ass."

Lex's eyebrows shot up. "What did she say about that?"

"Not much. I told her it was a joke. But..." Clark shifted his weight to his other hip, "You know, it isn't that big a deal. I think she's just a little suspicious is all."

Lex sighed deeply, frown lines marring his face.

Clark's eyes cut to the stable door. "My dad just pulled up."

"I should go. Call me later." Lex turned on his heel and moved to leave.

"Don't go. Please." Clark was embarrassed by the note of pleading in his voice but he needed Lex to stay. Lex halted in his retreat and turned back to Clark, a look of caution still written across his face.

Whistling and footsteps proceeded Jonathan's entrance to the barn. He halted when he saw Lex and spared him a grimace-like smile. "Lex. I guess you're back from Metropolis."

Lex's presented a plaster mold of his actual smile. "Good to see you, Mr. Kent. I see you have Clark hard at work as usual."

Jonathan chuckled, "Well, he makes good time and it looks like he's almost finished here."

Clark turned his killer grin on his dad. "Hey, Dad? Lex wanted to know if I could come over tonight for dinner and to watch the rest of the Star Trek movies."

"Sounds okay by me."

"Since it's Saturday, I thought I could spend the night there. You know, so I don't have to worry about waking you and mom up when I come home?"

Jonathan messed around with a board and the screws he'd purchased, dropping them into holes and checking their fit. "Sure. I don't see why not. Just be back in time to help me with that fence repair, okay?"

"Okay. No problem."

Jonathan looked up then and smiled at his son, "Go ahead, you can finish this tomorrow. Have fun."

Clark tossed the pitchfork aside and said, "Thanks, Dad." He grinned and motioned to Lex, teasing, "Come on, before he changes his mind."

A shower and a change of clothes later, Clark was sitting in Lex's silver Porsche wondering what other colors this model came in and whether Lex would mind getting one in red. He couldn't really suggest that though because he was pretty sure Lex would get one and then Clark would have that prickly feeling up his spine that seemed like he was taking advantage.

"So, are we going to do something exciting to celebrate your new company tonight?" Clark asked.

"I had actually thought we'd just have a quiet night together. I had too much stimulation in Metropolis. I've become accustomed to a slower pace here."

"Did you have any stimulation in Metropolis that I should be aware of?" Clark asked lightly, hoping he sounded teasing.

Lex was silent and then responded seriously, "I'd like to think that you know I'd never do anything that would put you at risk."

Clark opened his mouth to speak but Lex continued, "I'd also like to think there was more trust between us." Lex looked at him then.

"I do trust you. I do. Really." Clark wished he could take the words out of the air and stuff them back down his throat. Stupid, stupid. Now he really looked like a kid and Lex would start to lose interest if he kept this up.

He glanced over and saw the fine line of lips held tight and concerned. "I'm sorry, Lex. I was just joking, you know."

Lex shifted gears and sped up a little, swinging around a corner faster than Clark really approved of. "Clark, I was serious on the phone the other night about it being difficult to be with me. I know that we've managed to avoid and deny these topics thus far in our...friendship, but we really should discuss some things. I've been remiss in not doing this sooner."

Clark swallowed harshly and tried to hold back the tide of fear rising in his chest. He listened over the rush in his own ears, and picked out Lex's heartbeat. It was strong but too fast. Lex was nervous. This conversation didn't sound like something Clark wanted to have. He wanted to go back to the mansion and play pool and make out and suck Lex off and get sucked off. This seemed like the set up for a break up or something. Like Lex was going to ask for something that Clark couldn't agree to and then it would be over. Bam. Just like that. Lex was like that. He didn't give people warning he just acted. He just...oh, Lex was talking and he really should have been listening instead of freaking out.

"...then we have to keep this private. There is no way this can be revealed to your friends, your family. I will do everything in my power to make sure that you are never exposed as my..." Lex trailed off.

"Boyfriend?" Clark asked.

"Yes." Lex looked at him again as he turned up the driveway to the mansion. "We are exclusive, aren't we, Clark?"

Relief rushed through Clark like a warm stream of light and he laughed, "You're asking me that question?"

Lex frowned darkly and Clark back-pedaled. "Yes. Of course. There's no one else that I want to see."

Lex nodded, "Okay, then. I'll make sure that papers print nothing about you and in exchange you'll have to accept that the papers will print many things about me and you'll hear many rumors about me. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Clark nodded solemnly. He was pretty sure he could handle it. He did trust Lex. He didn't know why he had been so jealous.

"You don't need to be jealous, Clark." Lex remarked. Clark looked over at him in awe. How the hell did he do that? Just read his mind like he'd said it out loud. "After all, you're my favorite person, right?"

Clark smiled and clutched his backpack full of clothes even closer. "Yeah."

Lex smiled in return and pulled the Porsche into the garage.

Five minutes later, waltzing into his office with Clark following behind, Lex was frowning again. He leaned back against his desk. Clark stood in front of him waiting and wishing he had something to do with his hands or his feet. He felt very young and very out of control with Lex standing there looking like that.

"Your parents...we need to discuss them."

Clark tried not to scowl. Did Lex think he was stupid? "I'm not going to tell them anything, Lex."

"And if they find out? I could end up in a very sticky legal situation, Clark."

"I'll be sixteen next month. And, besides, my parents wouldn't do anything public anyway."

Lex lifted his brows. "Why not?"

Clark searched for a half-truth. "Um. Because that's just not their style." Suddenly something better came to mind and he continued, "They wouldn't want to brand me for life and anything involving you would be front page news."

Lex nodded slowly and pushed off from his desk, entering Clark's personal space. Clark relaxed a little, closing his eyes as Lex leaned in close, this was a good sign. He focused on the scratching sound of cloth against cloth as Lex's dress shirt brushed against his cotton t-shirt.

Lex's voice was in his ear, "I'm glad you want to stick around for awhile, Clark. I really like you." His tone gave weight to the understatement and filled it with affection, warmth and sex.

Clark's heart pounded in his throat and he couldn't breathe. Lex the seducer had come out to play and he was royally screwed. Luckily he didn't care.

Chapter Twelve
Cross His Lines

Lex leaned into Clark's space, watched the boy close his eyes and take a deep breath. Two weeks with nothing but his hand and thoughts of Clark had him too horny to play this gently. He wanted relief and he wanted it now.

He slid his hands up the soft cotton t-shirt, over Clark's chest and up into his hair. Clark pressed into his touch and his breath quickened instantly. Lex tried not to smirk at the control he had over Clark, but the rush of power filled him from toes to crown. Just a touch and Clark was already moving into his hands, head lowering to steal a kiss from his lips and, like someone on fire, Clark's tongue breached his lips and strong hands grasped his ass, dragging him forward. Lex groaned at the feel of all hesitation draining from Clark's body, replaced with eager need pressed hard into his hip.

Lex allowed the kiss to continue a few moments as his own cock stiffened and responded to the grinding of Clark's pelvis. But he really didn't want to wait. He pulled his lips free and skated his mouth across Clark's cheek, pressing against his ear to whisper, "Suck me. Now."

It sounded crueler than he intended, more like what he usually said to people who meant nothing to him. But Clark didn't hesitate, dropping to his knees immediately. And, God, that was too much for Lex to expect and yet Clark's complicity only enhanced the aching in his cock.

There was no waiting this time, no sweet closing of his eyes and opening of his mouth, instead firm hands worked eagerly at Lex's belt and the fastenings of his pants. Clark's lips parted in concentration and eyes already wet with hot desire. Lex felt like he was staring at a stranger undoing his pants, someone more sure and secure than Clark had ever been. Turned on by the thought and even more turned on when Clark turned a suddenly shy eye on him, whispering, "I thought about this so much while you were gone."

And his cock was free, in Clark's huge, warm hand and Lex bucked into it a little. Sharp sparks of want coursing through his body and his hands moved of their on volition, wrapping in Clark's hair, pulling his face forward with no patience, no gentleness. Clark's face wasn't frightened this time and he watched with lust pooling in the base of his spine. He was shocked at the whimper that came from his own throat when Clark opened his mouth, sucked the head of his cock in and looked up into Lex's eyes with a dare written on his face, challenging Lex to let go and fuck his mouth. No tempering of it with affection, just all lust and Lex let it rip through him.

Kept his eyes open and locked on Clark's face as he grasped his head and thrust. Felt himself bump and cling to the back of Clark's throat at the slight gag, bit back a moan at the look on Clark's face as he closed his eyes and relaxed his throat. Too much, no waiting and Lex fucked into the tight throat with the next pump. He wasn't holding back and he thrust solidly into Clark's mouth, didn't spare a thought for comfort or whether it might hurt, just pumped hard, encouraged by the hands gripping his thighs and pulling him in as much as he was thrusting, grinding into the moans that vibrated around his cock and ignored the jerks of the occasional gagging. Clark would learn and this felt too good to worry about it now.

Hadn't realized that the grunts and words littering the air were his, but they had to be because Clark's mouth was full and that was the thought that sent him over. A tiny voice pushing to the surface of his mind at the last second reminding him to pull out, overridden by a screaming voice telling him to thrust again and again. He couldn't stop and, God, he was coming down Clark's throat, startled hazel eyes nearly all green with lust staring into his as the throat gripped him, swallowing desperately, trying not to choke.

Pulling out Lex dropped to his knees and kissed Clark's swollen lips, tasting himself in Clark's mouth, so good. Tongue lapping and his hands were gentle now. He stroked Clark's face and smoothed his hair and kissed him tenderly. He heard the thoughts in his head, the words he couldn't say and he needed to keep his mouth busy, needed to make sure he didn't say them.

The buzzing in his head cleared enough for the tiny voice of his conscience to berate him. He pulled away and looked into Clark's eyes, saw only passion and affection. "Clark, I'm sorry. I should have pulled out." He shook his head, continuing, "And after I just said I would never endanger you..."

Clark's fingers were on his lips, silencing him. "It's okay, Lex. I'm sure it's okay."

Lex kissed him again because there was nothing he could do about it now. No way to undo it and he didn't want to spoil the evening with his self-flagellation. Plenty of time for that later.

Clark grabbed his hand and placed it on a straining jeans zipper and Lex chuckled into the kiss. It was Clark's turn to be impatient.

Lex pulled back and ordered, "Stand up, Clark."

A brief look of uncertainly passed over Clark's face, but he did as he was told and Lex found that he didn't mind being on his knees for this boy. He looked up into Clark's face, angled down to him as he made short work of the buttons and the zipper, working the jeans down Clark's thighs. Clark's hard cock bobbed up as the boxers were lowered, smearing soft liquid on Lex's cheek. Lex was again startled by the size of Clark.

One glance up at Clark's face showed that the boy was fast becoming desperate in his lust. Lex didn't want to tease when Clark had been so generous with his own overwhelming need. He licked his lips and opened his mouth, slid the cock past his lips, gratified by the soft whimper from Clark and quickly moved to swallow him. Clark squirmed in an obvious attempt to control himself. Lex grasped his ass in encouragement to let go, moved his head up and down the shaft, swallowed and hummed, shuddering at the noises that Clark was trying to suppress. He allowed Clark to slip from his mouth and tried not to grin at the moan of disapproval from above.

"Clark, just fuck my mouth. I can handle it."

Clark's eyes were nervous and unsure. Lex grabbed Clark's hands and brought them up to his own head, enjoyed the heat curling around his scalp. "Go for it, Clark. Please."

Clark nodded, his hands gently caressing and Lex took him in again. Tentatively, Clark pumped in and out a few times and then Lex opened up. He looked up into Clark's face at the harsh gasp when the cock slid past his tonsils and into his throat. Clark's eyes were squeezed shut and his face worked hard against the sensations. Lex slipped one hand into his still open pants to caress himself in rhythm to Clark's movements. The strong hands tightened against his head and Clark began to fuck into his throat a little harder, Lex moaned and worked his throat in encouragement.

Clark sounded frantic above him, noises drifting down to his ears that made him stroke himself faster, relax his throat more, try to take Clark in as far as possible. Whimpers and whines mixed with his own deep moans and Clark's hands were gone from his head as his name was cried out and the thick cock convulsed in his throat. Lex swallowed and swallowed, releasing his own cock to stroke soothingly down Clark's quivering thighs.

Clark pulled himself free and Lex supported him as he settled down to the floor. Hazel-green eyes so intense as Clark whispered, "I didn't hurt you?"

Lex shook his head and fought back his happy laughter as Clark kissed him as though he might never be able to kiss him again.

Chapter Thirteen
Constant as Stars

Clark lay with his arm tossed over Lex's sweaty chest and his leg thrown over, pulling the long, hard body tight against him. Lex was drowsing in and out of sleep. Clark held very still, just watching the change of Lex's face as he dropped into dreams and then drifted back out of them. Subtle shifts but he memorized each one, wanted to know each variation.

Dinner had been simple. Chicken and some sort of vegetable casserole. Clark had been glad to find out early on in their friendship that Lex ate just like anyone else. Well, except he knew the ingredients were all organic, expensive and, honestly, he could taste how much they cost. Lex's food was always delicious.

Star Trek had been nice. They had watched one movie in a relaxed sprawl on the sofa, limbs entwined. Clark's back pressed to the back of the couch and holding Lex against him comfortably.

He'd not seen any of the movie although Lex probably did. Lex had spent much of the time explaining to him how the theories behind the warp drive systems don't really work based on today's science and then had gone on to explain how science was a fluctuating animal and that perhaps one day we'd learn that some of our fundamentals were flawed, throwing off all of our premises and theories.

Clark had listened to Lex's voice undulate, the tone dip and lift and purr. He'd thought about the slow slide of his thick cotton socks against Lex's silky black trouser socks, he'd pondered the scrape of jeans against wool pants and fingered the cuffs and collar of Lex's button up shirt. He spent at least 20 minutes formulating a plan of how to get Lex to watch the next movie with him in nothing but a t-shirt and boxers. He'd lost untold minutes imagining the feel of his legs rubbing against Lex's while the television screen flickered blue on that pale skin. The t-shirt would need to be white for the best effect. And light blue boxers too.

His plan to get Lex down to t-shirt and boxers had devolved into kissing, licking and blow-jobs and that was why they were now sprawled under Lex's faded, soft, blue coverlet. Clark knew there was a story behind this bed linen, but he was waiting for the right time to ask.

Lex stirred beneath his arm and leg, he loosened his grip a little to allow Lex to turn if that was what he wanted. But there was no change in position, just a gentle flex of arms and legs and a flutter of lids opening up. Eyes gray-blue like rain puddles reflecting a blue sky. And when did he turn into a poet? Grinned at the thought of writing a poem for Lex. Something silly that would make them both laugh.

"What are you grinning about?" Lex cleared his throat

"I was laughing at how my plans never seem to work out right."

Lex raised a brow in questioning silence.

"See, earlier, I just wanted to lay on the sofa with you and watch Star Trek in our boxers and t-shirts. Instead we ended up in here sucking each other off. It's crazy how it all went wrong."

Lex smirked, "Yes, too bad you didn't succeed with your original plan. We could have been watching Kirk and Spock instead of having orgasms."

Clark laughed, "Yeah."

He shifted up onto an elbow and looked down into Lex's face.

"Lex?"

Lex's eyebrows quirked at the suddenly serious tone. "Yes?"

Clark stopped and fought for words. It hadn't seemed so embarrassing a minute ago when he first decided to ask for it. He pulled his hand off of Lex's chest and out from under the blue blanket. He ran his fingers along the edge of it, watching the satin edges slip past his fingers.

He took a deep breath and started. "Um... you know how I...well, you know that I...I think I'm really wanting...it's time..." He looked at Lex for help but apparently he wasn't making himself even remotely clear because Lex just looked up at him questioningly.

He could do this. "Lex I want you to..." Damn, why was he such a wimp? He opened his mouth and closed it again. Floundering like an idiot or some little kid.

Realization bloomed on Lex's face and he reached up to touch Clark's cheek. "Tonight seems a little soon, don't you think?"

"No." Clark shook his head solemnly and lowered his head to taste Lex's lips. The subtle tingle and flavor of his come still there mixed in with the warm, sweet taste that was Lex. The lips beneath his own responded with tenderness but Clark could feel that the full focus of Lex's attention was elsewhere. He released Lex's mouth and lowered his head to explore the pale, soft lines of his neck.

"Clark..." Lex whispered but Clark ignored him. Slid his hand back under the blanket and down over smooth skin and muscle, fingers tracing into the dips and angles, down lower and lower. Lex suddenly moved, grasping his wandering hand by the wrist.

"Let's talk about this first, Clark."

Clark kept his mouth busy on Lex's neck, hitting the sweet spots that made him gasp and arch. Finally murmuring, "We've already talked about it. I want it. Let's do it."

Despite the writhing reactions to his mouth on his neck, Lex still seemed to be wary of Clark's request. Clark didn't want him thinking, he just wanted him reacting. Touching him and whispering in that sexy voice and, God, grunting or moaning. Wanted to feel him deep in his ass, as far as he could go. Didn't have a clue what that would feel like, had only experimented with his own fingers and one of Lex's fingers inside. But, he wanted it. He wanted Lex connected to him and in him.

Suddenly Lex was responding to his advances with heat and energy that took his breath away. He was vaguely startled at the hunger in Lex's mouth and hands, his arms grasping him, turning him so that Lex was now on top. Lex's eyes burning into his when he dared to look into them. Hot and liquid and somehow like an ocean in their rocking comfort. Lex's mouth on his and then his cheek and soft lips kissing his eyelids and his forehead and tongue tracing down over his temple to his ear and sucking hard.

Lex broke the suction and whispered hot, wet in his ear, "If you want this, Clark. I'm ready."

The permission dropped on him like a weight, tightening in his chest, a cold feeling rushing in his veins and he almost said 'no'; he almost backed out. But he wanted this, even though he was frightened he knew that he wanted it. Felt like this would seal something between them. He fought the tremors that were breaking out over him and whispered, "I want this."

Lex smiled against his neck, pulled back to smooth a calm hand down his chest. The gentle stroke a reassurance and Clark settled into the feeling coursing through his body, tingling at the edges of his nerves and ghosting over his skin...anxiety, fear, excitement. Something that he couldn't name because it was good but it was scary too.

He couldn't speak for a moment when Lex whispered, "Trust me?"

"Yes." He managed to get it past his lips without his teeth chattering.

Lex looked uncertain for a moment but then kissed him tenderly and started to rise from the bed. "I'll be right back. Okay?"

Clark nodded and watched the slim body slip from under the blanket and stroll across the room with no self-consciousness. Lex looked back at him a for a moment before opening the door to the bathroom. He was surprised when he heard water running and a few seconds later Lex re-appeared in the doorway, cock hard and jutting from his body.

"Come on."

Clark stood up and was surprised that his legs were so wobbly under him. He stepped over the threshold and Lex indicated the massive tub. "Get in. I'll be right back."

Clark frowned. "I thought we were..."

Lex chuckled. "We are, Clark. But we've got all night. Let's not rush it."

Lex slipped up next to him, reached a hand to his hair and reminded him, "Relax. I want this as much as you do."

Clark was wound up, his body had responded with fear even though his mind was telling it to chill out.

Lex stroked a hand up his arm. "Come on, get in the tub."

As Clark stepped in, Lex murmured, "It's okay to be nervous. But let me ask one last time, are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Clark croaked. His voice betraying him but Lex nodded and took him at his word.

"Okay, I'll be right back."

Clark slid down into the tub and felt the warm water lap at his skin. Skin...the surface of himself. And that was part of it, wasn't it? Because surfaces could hide so many things. And Clark had so many things hidden under his ordinary looking skin. Things that Lex didn't know and he couldn't tell. And was it another lie to want join with him when they were really so far apart?

He closed his eyes and sank beneath the water, the thunder of the still pouring tap pounding in his ears, the sound of his heartbeat louder under water, amplified and somehow comforting in it's consistency. If they had to live with the lies, then he needed to believe that his love for Lex kept them closer than the lies kept them apart. He replayed moments in his mind. Pulling Lex from the Porsche. Lex injured after the tornados. The photo of Lex and his mother on the dresser. The comforting way Lex held him after the rush of orgasm.

He was relaxing into these memories when suddenly hands gripped his wrists and pulled. Clark came up quickly, blinking water out of his eyes.

"Jesus, Clark. Are you okay? You were under a long time." Lex's eyes were wide, face revealing carefully concealed fear and he was covered in drops of water where Clark had splashed him on the way up.

"Sorry." Clark tried to smile.

Lex's eyes narrowed and then a swallow seemed to dismiss the whole thing. He turned off the tap before picking up two glasses of amber colored liquid. Lex handed one to him, keeping the other as he climbed into the tub. Lex settled down across from him, their legs sliding together under the water. Lex adjusted so that Clark's left foot was resting against his groin and Lex's right foot rested on Clark's inner thigh. Clark could feel Lex's erection against the bottoms of his toes and felt his own cock grow tighter.

"Now, I don't intend for you to get drunk, but I don't want you to be tense." Lex smiled. "I want this to feel good."

Clark nodded. "You think this will help?"

"This will help."

Lex swallowed a mouthful and Clark imitated him. He frowned as the flavor rolled over his tongue. It tasted like it looked, warm, spicy, and dark.

Lex looked at him a little oddly before asking, "Have you had Scotch before?"

"No. Why?"

Lex shrugged. "You didn't have the normal reaction. Do you like it?"

Clark wrinkled his nose. "Not too much."

Lex chuckled. "It's an acquired taste. You'll like it one day."

Clark doubted it. He took another swallow, looked into the glass like it held some sort of answer to what his reaction should have been before asking, "What is the normal reaction?"

Lex shrugged, "Normally people cough, they aren't prepared for the burn."

Clark nodded and pretended like he knew what Lex was talking about. He hadn't felt any burn, just a nice tingle that felt good...maybe slightly ticklish. The sensations were definitely better than the taste. He took another sip and closed his eyes, leaning his head back on the tub's ledge. He could feel Lex observing him and he didn't mind. He could hear when Lex took a drink and he mimicked him, keeping pace.

A calm seemed to be settling in around him and he suddenly really needed to hear Lex's voice. Wanted to feel that deep rumble scraping against his eardrums, echoing in his head. He lifted his head looking into Lex's eyes which seemed to be growing hotter and more liquid by the second.

"Tell me again about science being an animal in flux..." Clark murmured, tasting his drink again. The flavor wasn't really becoming any better but he enjoyed the tickle in his stomach and the fluttery feeling in his veins. He wasn't sure how much was excitement and how much was the alcohol.

Lex chuckled, "Animal in flux sounds like a bitch in heat." Timbre rough and full of want.

Clark liked that he could make Lex sound like that just by being naked and sliding against him in a tub of warm water. Wondered what Lex would sound like if he shifted his foot a little, pressed against the base of his cock...smiled at the whispery gasp and the jump in heartbeat. His eyelids felt heavy and he realized he'd almost finished the drink. He took the final swallow and stretched to put the glass on the floor by the tub, his foot rubbing into Lex and brushing his balls. Lex didn't move but Clark could feel the legs skittering a little against his own. His own cock ached and he couldn't stop his mind from picturing Lex fucking him, imagining the slap of skin on skin, desperate for the release.

He leaned forward and freed Lex of his fragile glass, as well. Skin, sliding along skin, wet and warm, he rose out of the water with more splashing than he really wanted. He crouched over Lex, his knees on either side of Lex's hips and bent down to kiss Lex's lips. Clark arched into the surprise of a soapy, wet cloth sliding over his back, smiled hotly as Lex washed lower, and lifted a little for the cloth to slide between the cheeks of his ass. He knelt up and his position allowed Lex to lean forward and suck the head of his cock into his mouth as he brushed the soapy cloth over his hole. Clark whimpered and pleaded a little, shocked that he could still be so desperate after two orgasms earlier in the night. Lex released his cock and pressed Clark back, finished soaping him and Clark leaned into each stroke of the cloth, eyes closed, his breath hitching.

Clark hummed happily as the cloth ducked beneath the water and stroked over Lex's own cock, bobbing and blood-purple. Lex murmured, "Come on." Indicating that they should stand and Clark found himself responding, loose limbed and relaxed. Raising himself out of the water, pulling Lex with him, devouring Lex's mouth in a kiss, ass in his hands and grinding their cocks together. Lex moaned and Clark reveled in the uncontrolled jerk of Lex's hips into his own. Lex could be desperate after two orgasms too. He did this to Lex, made him want this way.

Careful as he stepped out of the tub and Lex climbed out as well. Soft, plush towel in his hands and he ran it over himself quickly, watching as Lex dried himself, white towel moving over white skin and those muscles flexing with each move, wiry and strong. And his cock wasn't going to last as long as his passion, the desire was pulsing in him and he hadn't noticed it building so fast.

Gentle, strong hands on him and he was kissing and walking and kissing and sucking on Lex's neck. Moving toward the door, through the bedroom, hands on his cock and mouth on his chest, walking backwards was never so dangerous, not sure if he'd make it. He felt the edge of the bed on the back of his thighs with relief and fell onto the bed with Lex on him, hungry and wanting. Lex must have turned down the bed earlier, because the blue cover was gone and the cool sheets soothed his hot skin.

Mouths and hands and stroking skin on skin, all he felt and all he knew. Nothing would separate him from Lex. He'd kill anyone who interrupted them right now, because this was his and for him and, God, didn't he have a right to be selfish? Fingers seeking and finding moist creases in Lex, the folds of his elbows, the line that led to the hole his finger teased. He heard Lex gasp as he pressed slightly against it.

Lex's whisper, "Just one finger, Clark, okay?" as he pressed back on Clark's finger and he felt the tip push past the ring of muscle and Lex was so hot and tight inside. The rushing in his ears was hard to hear over, pulses loud and strong and fast, and he could feel it against his finger.

He whimpered at thoughts of Lex's cock inside him, in his heat and tightness, feeling his pulse and he fucked the finger into Lex's ass gently. Moaned in response to Lex's needy noises. Overwhelmed by their cocks rubbing together and the clenching of Lex's ass around the tip of his finger.

Realized that he'd progressed to begging already and pulled his finger free, wiping it against the sheet before gripping at Lex's hips. His legs were moving on their own...and his hips and his mouth. Lex was stroking him softly, trying to soothe him, calm him a little.

"Now, Lex, now." Clark heard himself moaning.

"All right. Okay." Lex whispered and Clark felt his stomach lurch in anticipation. Butterflies in his gut and his chest, flying through his pulse points. He couldn't seem to open his eyes to watch but heard the flick of a lid and the squirting of liquid. His hips bucked off the bed when Lex stroked a slick hand over his cock. He moaned and tossed his head as Lex continued to jack him steady and sure, a tempo that would have him coming in seconds. He groaned, he wanted to come with Lex in him and heard himself saying, "No, no, no..."

Lex's voice in his ear, soft, "Don't fight it. I need you to come to for me, Clark. So it won't hurt so much when I fuck you."

And at the words 'fuck you' he was coming hard again and it almost hurt, gritted his teeth as his body jerked in after shocks. Shuddering into relaxed post-orgasmic bliss, the edge off, he was able to open his eyes when Lex moved between his legs and urged him to lift his knees. Lex's eyes were the wildest he'd ever seen them, a mixture of affection and lust and desperation.

Watched as Lex rolled a condom onto his cock, slicked it and three fingers of his left hand. Lex looked up at him, "Remember, we can always stop if it gets to be too much."

Clark was so relaxed, alcohol and orgasm running through his system and he wanted more. Lex slipped one finger into him and worked it roughly for several moments. He lifted his knees even higher as Lex pressed another finger inside. Clark could feel himself relaxing around the fingers and opening. He wanted to feel Lex in him and was relieved to feel the third finger work it's way in, moving, stretching. He moaned as the fingers brushed something inside of him and felt his spent cock jerk again. Heard Lex whimper and noticed the death grip Lex had on his own cock, holding off orgasm.

"Are you ready?" Lex's voice hardly distinguishable above the deep sound of their rushing pulses. But Clark heard and he nodded, his throat closing off as the butterflies flew through him again.

Lex's eyes blazed. He removed his fingers, wiped them hurriedly and positioned himself against Clark's ass. Clark had to keep his eyes open, had to watch, felt the pressure start and fought the urge to close his heavy lids. Lex's eyes trained on his face as the gentle rocking began and he felt the large, blunt cock push inside and he gasped, "Lex."

Lex's face was so open, a look of total vulnerabilty sliding over it, followed by affection so strong that Clark thought it was love. Gentle thrusts, Lex's voice rasping, "Okay, Clark?" and his own voice responding, "Fuck fuck fuck" as the stretch really began, thick cock pressing deeper into him. Something like a tingle but harsher in his ass and it was uncomfortable but he wanted more, he grabbed his knees and hitched them higher as Lex slipped in further, touching him deep inside, deep where no one had ever touched and he couldn't stop the words from coming out of his mouth and was glad of it when Lex's face reflected them back.

Felt his ass adjusting around the intrusion and he'd never felt so exposed and open but he couldn't stop it now. Didn't want to stop it and felt Lex's trembling as he rocked slowly into Clark, constantly asking, "Okay? Okay, Clark?" And Clark moaned and groaned and whimpered. He couldn't respond coherently as the stretch grew to actual burn and he felt something like pain for the first time in years and years. He pressed up to Lex and felt the final slide as Lex came to rest against his ass.

Felt Lex flexing inside of him and heard him whisper, "I'm sorry. I won't last."

But Clark didn't care, just lifted his head to be kissed and Lex lowered to meet him. Tongue in his mouth, cock in his ass, he'd never felt closer to anyone, his cock was hard again and his balls ached in protest.

Finally, thrusts...and not as gentle as he'd anticipated. Lex moaned into his mouth, breaking free for leverage and he angled. Something behind Clark's eyes exploded and he screamed in pleasure, hips convulsing, cock spitting what little come it could and he cried out as Lex hit that place over and over. His balls hurting from the agony of trying to come again and he felt his hands gripping Lex too hard, knew it was much too hard when he heard the hurt sound. He released Lex and grabbed onto the sheets he could reach and rode out the most painful pleasure he'd ever experienced. The pain making it better because he could barely remember a time when he'd felt it more clearly. Body on overload and rebelling against sensation.

Lex pumped into him hard, thrusting and twisting. Clark managed to open his eyes again to see Lex fighting against orgasm, fighting, struggling, his face contorting in pleasure. Heard the obscenities over his own moans and the pounding of their hearts and he screamed as his balls clenched at the pure sex of it. Lex opened his eyes again looking into Clark's face as he stiffened, thrust hard and Clark felt the swelling pump of the cock in his ass.

Lex's eyes rolled into his head and the whimper on his lips was "Clark."

Chapter Fourteen
Shelter

Lex was exhausted. His whole body tired and aching, cock and balls spent like they hadn't been in years. Clark curled around him, snuggled in tight and close. Lex was still drowsing in his own after-glow, but he was pretty sure Clark was okay and that he had enjoyed himself.

He moaned a little at the scene that played behind his lids: Clark's eyes clenched shut in ecstasy as he writhed beneath him. Clark stirred next to him at the sound.

"Lex?" Soft voice, quiet and a little worried.

Lex tightened his arm around Clark, pulling him even closer. "Are you okay, Clark?"

"Yes." Clark answered simply.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" Lex murmured, shifting down, trying to see Clark's eyes.

"No." Another simple answer, but Lex was getting worried now, maybe it was too simple.

"Look at me, Clark." The dark head under his chin lifted and hazel, shifting eyes met his, wide and a little frightened. Lex's heart wrenched in his chest and he felt ill. "Did I hurt you?" He asked again.

"No. I..." Clark looked away and then buried his face in Lex's neck.

Lex stroked his hair soothingly. Maybe he'd been wrong. "It's okay, Clark. We won't do it again if you didn't like it." His heart tripped along at a rapid pace and his mind betrayed him with a circling prayer...don't leave, don't leave, don't leave.

Clark was shaking his head, lifted it again to meet Lex's eyes. "No. I liked it. Really, I did." A shy grin broke over his face. "I liked it a lot."

Lex kissed him then to cover his relief but felt the message passed on in the gentleness of his lips. Clark ended the kiss and settled back into his arms. They drifted comfortably for a few minutes, breath synchronized and warmth shared.

Lex wasn't surprised when the hesitant voice lifted again. "Lex? I...I just need you to know that..." Head lifted again and eyes intense, "...that I love you. I mean, really, I do."

Lex swallowed thickly and he brushed the sweaty curls off of Clark's face. "I know," he whispered although he still couldn't believe. But he knew that Clark needed him to say it.

Clark sighed then and said, "And me?"

Lex felt his stomach clench, bit his cheek to get some control and said, "Favorite person." It was enough and Clark nuzzled into his neck again.

He was slipping off into dreams when Clark spoke. "When was your first time, Lex?"

He'd known that Clark would ask. His arm tightened a little and then he relaxed it to stroke up and down Clark's back while he decided what version of the truth to tell.

"I was fifteen years old, Clark."

"You were the same age as me. That's so cool."

And Lex could feel the goofy smile as Clark pressed his face into his neck. The boy stretched his body, the muscles tensing, and then relaxed softly.

He sat up on one elbow so that he could look Lex in the eye. "I hope your first time was as good as mine." Lex stared in to the face, so open, so honest, so trusting. And just because his first time had haunted and scarred him, he wasn't going to let the memory of it tarnish Clark's.

"Yeah Clark," he whispered, running his hand through Clark's hair. "It was just as good as yours."

Clark grinned. "You'll have to tell me some time. But not now. I don't want to think about you with anyone else right now."

Lex laughed, "From now on we can just pretend I've never been with anyone else. Just you." And that brought a smile like daybreak.

Clark stretched a little beside him and then got comfortable with a pillow. "I won't be fifteen for long. Next month...well, two weeks really." Lex felt a possessive leg thrown over his own and the long arm that curled over him and turned him into a huge cuddle toy. "Besides, they don't really know how old I am anyway."

Lex settled in, he would live with this indignity for a little while, it wasn't like he liked being snuggled like a child, but it was Clark's first time and he should allow him this. "They don't know how old you are? Birthdays are usually pretty set things, they don't fluctuate much." He yawned.

"I was adopted. They don't know when I was born. They guessed at my age and made up a birthday."

Lex was too tired to be more than cursorily interested in this, but he did note it as a possible loophole should the question of age of consent ever come up.

"What do you want for your birthday, Clark?" He murmured, fighting the dream images that were persistently dogging him.

"More of this." Clark whispered, sounding equally sleepy.

"That can be arranged."

Clark chuckled, seemed to wake up a bit, "Oh. You have to come to my birthday party. Cake, ice cream and presents at the farm."

Lex groaned, "If you insist."

"I do."

Chapter Fifteen
Sleeve Tugger

Clark could feel his mother's eyes on him as he ate his breakfast. Definitely some suspicion behind them. He'd come home early after only a few hours of sleep, not wanting to be late for chores, not wanting to give his mom any reason to question anything.

Lex had still been asleep when he pulled on his clothes and slipped out the door. He left a note folded on the bedside table for Lex, not wanting to wake him up when he looked so peaceful. He was thinking about the gentle rise and fall of Lex's chest as he slept when he heard his mother's voice.

"What did you do at Lex's last night, Clark?" Her voice was a little tight and even his dad noticed it, looking over at her oddly.

Clark tried not to blush or fidget, he just took a bite of his toast and smiled, hoped he looked innocent as he replied, "Oh. Not too much. Lex was tired after his trip. We just watched StarTrek 6 and then played some pool." He shifted in his seat under the intensity of her study. "Lex's cook made this really good chicken and a vegetable casserole thing. It had peas in it and I had to eat around them."

Martha nodded and cleared her throat. "Did he succeed in getting the plant free from his father's control?"

Clark grinned at that, remembering Lex's face as he'd discussed the details of his acquisition over dinner. Clark hadn't understood a lot of it but he knew that it made Lex happy and that it was going to be a good thing for the town. "Yeah. He did. He's excited."

Jonathan grumbled into his coffee, something about hoping Lex lived up to his end of the bargain. Clark decided to ignore it and to not make any sort of scene this morning. He didn't want any unpleasantness when he still had the scent of Lex on his hands, so faint that no one else would know it was there.

"I invited Lex to my birthday. That's okay, right?"

Jonathan shrugged as he shoveled in another bite of eggs. "Sure, son. Why not?"

Clark was proud of his dad, he'd been trying hard to be decent toward Lex ever since the incident with the reporter. Only Clark knew how much that event had cost Lex and it had angered him whenever his dad began to take it lightly.

Martha shoved a red strand behind her ear. "You did remind him not to buy you anything extravagant, right?"

Clark hadn't really specifically reminded him. Lex knew that only the barest minimum would be acceptable. "I'm pretty sure he remembers me returning the truck as clearly as I do, Mom."

His mother lifted her brows a little at his snark and he felt guilty. He was just on edge. Last night had been perfect and he felt like his mom was ruining it with her looks and her strange attitude. Even though she didn't know there was anything to ruin.

"Well, it's in two weeks, you know." Clark continued, hoping to get away from the topic of Lex.

Jonathan laughed. "Yes, Clark. We aren't likely to forget your birthday, son."

Clark grinned. Martha smiled too and he felt the discomfort from the morning draining away.

Chapter Sixteen
Doubled Up

The night was hot and Clark was drowsing on his hammock. He was sleepy. He hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before and the day had been full of chores. Since it would look odd for the Kent farm to miraculously be back to normal after the tornados when everyone else was still struggling, they couldn't make use of Clark's speed in the repair work.

He'd also been wondering recently where his little ship had gone, whether it had flown into space, possibly returning from where he and it had come, or if it was loose, lost somewhere where someone could find it. No one would ever trace it to him, though. Space crafts wouldn't immediately bring to mind Kansas farm boys named Clark Kent.

He took mental inventory of his very human looking body and thought about the night before. He still felt guilty that Lex didn't know about him, that he'd allowed Lex to give him everything and that he was still holding back.

He smiled at the sound of an engine pulling up the lane. Lex. He didn't move just continued to rest in the hammock and tried to guess what Lex would be wearing. The blue shirt? The grey lightweight sweater? The pale lavender button up?

He heard the car door shut and considered the possible pants. The black jeans that he sometimes wore to the farm? Grey wool pants? Or maybe the black slacks that fell just right and emphasized the really pretty impressive bulge with which Clark was more than a little familiar.

Footsteps on the stairs and he kept his eyes closed. Wanted to make the anticipation last. Okay, underwear. Blue boxers? White boxers? Those sexy black boxers that he'd eyed through Lex's pants one day when he really shouldn't have been looking? Or maybe commando?

"Clark?"

Opened his eyes. The lavender button up, black pants...and white boxers. Felt his cock stir when his eyes went a little too far and he was treated to a view of Lex's dick.

"Hey, Lex." He didn't move, let Lex wander over to the hammock.

"I got your note."

Clark smiled, "Good."

Lex seemed to visibly relax. "I was worried that you'd have...regrets."

"Nope. No regrets." He patted the edge of the hammock. "Think you could get on here without tipping us over?"

"Your parents?"

"Inside. Dinner isn't for another hour. Come on."

Lex looked at the hammock like it was some sort of contraption that was infinitely dangerous and could easily result in bodily harm if not handled properly. He gingerly pushed on the edge with a hand and watched it sway.

Clark laughed, reached up and pulled Lex onto the hammock. It swung hard from side to side but didn't tip as Clark reached out to steady it by placing a hand on the back wall. Lex's legs tangled with his own as they fought for some sort of balance. Clark enjoyed the feel of the soft scalp brushing against his stubble and he deliberately dragged his chin along Lex's head. Lex stilled and shuddered a little.

"Don't Clark. Shit, I'm still exhausted from last night."

Clark frowned. "Yeah, that was intense. Um, I didn't hurt you did I?"

"No. Just a few bruises. It's okay."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so rough."

"Clark, don't apologize." Lex managed to prop himself up to see Clark's face, "And you're sure I didn't hurt you...because I wasn't as gentle as I could have been."

"Lex? Do I look hurt? Do I sound hurt? It was great."

Lex smirked in self-deprecation and let Clark snuggle him down in the hammock.

"The thing about hammocks is that you can't really move around in them too much. So hold still." Clark whispered, kissing the soft scalp tucked just under his chin. They were silent and still for a few moments, enjoying the soft sway of the hammock before Clark disobeyed his own orders, moving carefully and pulling Lex up for a kiss.

It came undone rapidly from there. Somehow they moved to the couch and Clark didn't really know how or when. Lips and teeth and hands all over. He had Lex down on the sofa, pinned beneath him and he couldn't let go of those lips or stop thrusting into his thigh. Clark was startled by the electric sing of fingers brushing over his nipples and his hand flexed on Lex's hip.

"Careful, Clark." A wince in his voice and Clark released him immediately.

"Don't stop touching me, just not so hard, okay?" Soft voice, reaching him through the haze of passion and he tried again, gentle pressure, he didn't want to hurt Lex, a chant in his mind of soft, gentle, careful, soft, gentle, careful.

The evening was hot but the sweat that pooled in the small of his back and in the hollow of Lex's throat just shimmered as an invitation to suck and lick and kiss.

Time slid into slow motion and he lost himself in the moment. Heard himself whisper his feelings, heard Lex whisper something back...Clark was in love and he couldn't stop himself from touching.

Chapter Seventeen
Razor's Edge

Clark was walking Lex to the blue Porsche, eerily like the blue Porsche, when he froze in his steps. "Fuck. Oh. Fuck!"

Lex turned to him, eyes concerned, "What?"

"Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck..." All Clark could see was dirt under his feet, all he could hear was the conversation, no, the argument, inside the farmhouse.

"Clark, help me out here, what's wrong?" Lex was by his side hand at his elbow bracing him because he was teetering, on the verge of collapsing. Lex looked frightened, blue eyes full of anxiety, mouth open in concern.

"They know, Lex. They know." His heart was beating out of his chest and he couldn't seem to catch his breath.

"Who knows what?" His head tilted, eyes searching for some answers in Clark's face.

"My parents, they know, about us."

Lex looked around. "They don't know, Clark. How could they know?"

Clark buried his head in his hands. "My mom...my mom saw us, just now...oh God, oh fuck..."

"Clark, how do you know this?"

Clark snapped out of his daze then. "Leave, Lex. Go home. I'll handle this."

Lex shook his head, "Clark if your parents really know then I need to stay and face the fire with you." Clark noticed the nervous licking of his lips, the give-away hand over his scalp.

The worst thing that could happen would be for Lex to stay. Clark shook his head violently, "No. No! You have to go. Go home. I promise, if you stay here it will just make it worse. Please, Lex, please, please go home."

Lex looked ill, eyes moving between the house and Clark's face, searching for something.

"Lex, if you go in there, Dad will forbid me to see you ever again. Do you understand? You have to leave. I can handle this."

Lex stepped forward and kissed Clark without restraint. Clark was unable to respond before Lex had pulled back. "Remember that, okay? Whatever happens."

Lex turned, ducked into his Porsche, started the engine and pulled away. Clark lifted his hand to his lips and watched the taillights, listening to the fight in the house. He took a deep breath and turned, walking toward the kitchen door.

Martha snapped her dishcloth against the counter with a resounding thwack. "Jonathan! Sit Down!" She snapped, "Sit down and listen to me."

"I always knew that son of a..."

"Jonathan before you go off half cocked and do or say things you might regret," Martha pushed him into a seat, "You'd better hear exactly what I saw...and heard."

"I'm not sure I can stomach this, Martha."

"Well, you are going to stomach it, Mister."

Martha took a steadying breath. Jonathan sat down at the table, head in hands.

"When I went out to the barn, I saw Clark on top of Lex on the couch...don't say a word, until I'm finished!" Martha sighed and smoothed her hair.

"Clark was on top of Lex and it was obvious that they were...making out. Jonathan! Sit down now."

"I told you Lex was a bad influence, Martha. I knew he would try something like this." Jonathan was pacing in the kitchen, tearing at his hair. "God only knows what he's done, how far this had gone."

"Jonathan. Stop it." Martha grabbed his arm and stopped the frantic treading, pushed him back into a chair. "Listen to me, Jonathan, Clark told Lex that he loved him."

Jonathan's face fell, "He's too young. He doesn't know what he's saying."

"Jon, we need to think about this carefully. This is not something to react to with emotion and stubbornness or you could lose your relationship with your son."

"Clark isn't gay, Martha. He's been in love with Lana Lang since grade school." Jonathan spoke calmly but his face betrayed his fear.

"Jonathan, we don't know what is normal for him. He is growing up really quickly and we don't know what it all means."

"I'll tell you what it doesn't mean. It doesn't mean that he and Lex Luthor are going to be making out in my barn...or anywhere else."

"And what are you going to do to stop it? And before you answer that question think for minute, Jonathan. Are you ready to see Clark given over to the kind of scrutiny that pressing charges against Lex would bring? And do you really think that demanding that he stop seeing Lex will actually make him stop?" Martha reached out to her husband, her voice raised but trying to sound reasonable.

Jonathan grumbled, "He's my son and if I tell him to stop seeing him then he will."

Martha sighed, tried again, "He's a teenager. He thinks he's in love. He might be in love for all we know. And if it wasn't for you and your bullying about Lex we would have known about this sooner...perhaps we could have stood a chance of preventing it. Now, I think the best we can do is contain it."

Jonathan buried his head in his hands again, scrubbing at his face. "Contain it?"

"Put limits on it. Give curfews, no more nights at the mansion. That sort of thing." Martha knelt down next to her husband whispered softly, "Clark is stubborn, Jonathan. He's not going to back away from this."

Both of them jumped at Clark's voice from behind them. "You're right, Mom. I won't."

Chapter Eighteen
Breathe In, Breathe Out

Lex leapt for the phone at the first ring. "Clark?"

"Hey Lex." Clark sounded tired, his voice sad and distant. Lex felt bile rising in his throat and he sank back down into the leather chair, reaching for his Scotch.

"So...how did it go?" Lex asked, hoping he sounded the way he should. Not wanting the fear to come through the line, not wanting to sound like he didn't care.

"Better than it could have." Clark whispered. "They are listening, probably, right now."

"On an extension?"

"No, just from the living room." Lex heard Clark's mother call out something in the background. "My mom says that you need to come over for dinner tomorrow night, to discuss the new rules."

Lex swallowed some Scotch. "New rules?"

"Yeah. No more spending the night. Specific nights of the week when we can get together." Clark's voice broke a little when he said, "I'm sorry, Lex."

"Shhh. Clark, God, I'm just relieved that they will still let us see each other."

"Thank my mom for that." Clark sighed deeply. "So, tomorrow? Can you come for dinner? Six o'clock?"

"Yes. I'll be there." Lex shoved down the anxiety that was percolating, more intense than anything he'd expected or experienced in a relationship.

"Okay. Well, I need to go to bed. I have school tomorrow." His voice so sad and resigned.

Lex nodded and said, "Sleep well."

"I love you."

"Favorite."

"'Night."

"Goodnight, Clark."

Epilogue

Clark stood in his driveway watching Chloe and Pete drive away in Pete's new, cool as hell convertible. He tried not to be envious of the fact that Pete got a car for his sixteenth birthday and Clark would be lucky to get a car ever.

Lex was the last remaining guest and he hadn't given him his present yet. Plans had already been made to fulfill his other birthday wish on Wednesday when Clark could again see Lex at the mansion. But, when he arrived, Lex had said he had anther gift for him, but said he didn't want to give it in front of friends or family. Martha had raised a brow at that but when Lex whispered in her ear she nodded and agreed that the boys could have some time to themselves in the barn after the party broke up.

He turned to the front porch where Lex sat on the steps watching him watch Pete and Chloe leave. Lex smiled softly and moved his head to indicate the barn. Clark nodded and Lex rose. They started toward the barn at a respectable distance from one another, not touching until they had reached the loft. Then Clark pulled Lex to him and nearly suffocated him with a long, deep kiss.

Lex finally broke the kiss and took a step back before pulling out his wallet.

Clark looked at him oddly. "Money?"

Lex laughed and shook his head, "No. Here." He handed him a piece of paper. "I should have mailed it...but I decided on it just this morning."

Clark looked at him wryly, "I'm fascinated..."

"...by the mail, I know," Lex interrupted. "Do you want me to take it back and mail it?"

Clark shook his head and stared down at the piece of paper in his hand for a few moments before unfolding it. Spiked writing stuttered across the page:

Dear Clark,

I wanted to find a gift for you that would tell you everything. I searched my memory for presents I had held especially dear and found them all wanting when I considered them for you.

All I could find was a poem. My mother used to quote it to me and I remembered it just this morning. Probably inspired by my panic at the idea of showing up for your birthday empty handed.

One day He did not leave after
kissing
me.
~ Rabia

Happy Sixteenth Birthday.

Always,
Lex

He looked up to meet blue eyes focused intently on his face. Exactly the way it should always be.

Clark smiled. "I won't leave."

Lex smiled back. "I'm not leaving either."