Lex caught his eye and smiled again, that rare, brilliant flare that had always made Clark want to kiss him. Although, it hadn't been until Metropolis that Clark had realized that the yearning he felt around Lex was to touch, feel, kiss. Even now he found himself astounded by his previous innocence and ignorance.

Lex spoke quietly, "I get the impression from what you've said that you've been facing personal darkness, as well."

Clark smiled softly and nodded. "I have. I do." He shrugged. "I guess I always will."

Lex shifted towards him, leaning in conspiratorially. "Darkness can be a friend, Clark. That's one thing I learned on the island. Darkness can save by hiding us from danger, just as light can save by exposing the threat, allowing us to take action."

Clark looked at the sun still peeking over the horizon and noted the shadows that grew around them every moment. "Darkness can hide a lot of things."

Lex nodded and raised a hand to his damaged lower lip, briefly touching the sun-poisoned flesh.

Clark needed to know. "Does it hurt?"

Lex shrugged. "After nearly starving and going days with out water before I finally found a fresh-water stream, after seeing my skin peel off in long, burnt ribbons--these little scabs are nothing."

Clark made a low noise in his throat at the image of Lex alone and broken on the shores of an island far, far away--too far for him to hear Lex's call for help. Without thinking, Clark gently pressed his fingers to the puffy, swollen skin beneath Lex's lower lip, smoothed them over Lex's red, blistered cheeks, and briefly touched the burnt end of Lex's nose before skimming back to cup the back of Lex's head. He met Lex's shocked, blue gaze and pressed their foreheads together.

"You're beautiful," Clark said, thinking that he wouldn't be able to hold back laughter if Lex looked any more confused.

"Clark?"

"I want to kiss you."

Lex sucked in a breath. Clark gently took Lex's chin in his hand and tilted his head. He was gentle; Lex's lips were still red and broken. He gently licked and sucked, tasting the mouth that had haunted his dreams for the last three red kryptonite-laced months. The quiet hitching of Lex's breath with each kiss, the shudder that ran through Lex's body when Clark slid his tongue over the roof of Lex's mouth, the eager way he turned to Clark and the desperate clutch of Lex's hands on Clark's shoulders told him everything he needed to know about reciprocity.

Clark pulled back only far enough to lay soft kisses on every scab and blister he could find, silently whispering a healing word, 'love', in Kryptonian against each injury. Lex accepted Clark's show of longing, adoration and relief with barely concealed amazement.

When Clark moved his mouth to Lex's neck, Lex whispered, "Is this your darkness, Clark?"

Clark kissed his way back up to Lex's ear and murmured, "Yes. You're my darkness--and my light." He kissed Lex's earlobe. "You can hide me and reveal me. I want to reveal myself to you, Lex."

Lex groaned. "Don't, Clark. There is too much that needs to stay hidden."

Clark didn't fight it when Lex pulled away and stood up, his mouth glistening with evidence of their kisses in the last rays of the sun. "Darkness serves its purpose." He stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I need to go."

Clark nodded and licked the traces of Lex from his lips. "Okay."

Lex leaned in and kissed Clark again. "Never doubt that I--" He broke off, frowning. "Words get tainted."

Clark stood up and took Lex into a hug. "I won't doubt it. And I'll give you new words one day."

"When it's time for the light." Lex agreed as the evening descended in full.

Clark let him go. Now it was time for darkness.