The lightening streaked across the sky and Clark could hear the electricity crackling in the atmosphere. He couldn’t believe his truck had broken down again. It was embarrassing enough that he had to drive that thing to Lex’s house, but then to have it break down a mile from the castle was just another blow. He would have run high speed to get out of the heavy down pour, but he didn’t want to risk getting caught.

Just as the castle came into view Clark felt the soft ground give way under his foot. He didn't even have time to catch himself before he fell face first into a mud puddle. If he'd been a normal sixteen year old, the impact probably would have broken his nose, if not knocked him unconscious. As it was, it merely left a slight impression in the soggy ground.

He managed to get up to his knees and groaned when he saw the state of his clothes. He was covered head to toe in mud. His mom was going to kill him when she saw his new jeans. "Fuck…" he muttered.

Suddenly, there were hands on Clark's body, running over him seemingly checking for injures. "Christ, Clark. Are you alright?" Lex asked breathlessly. He'd been watching from the house as Clark made his way closer. He'd seen his friend go down hard and had rushed out to check on him despite the raging storm.

"Yeah… I’m fine," Clark said, stumbling to his feet in the muddy patch. He made a face when he felt mud squish in his shoes and pants. "I’m just wet and I’ve got mud everywhere."

"Let's get you up to the house," Lex said, placing a steadying hand on Clark's arm. "You went down pretty hard."

"Ahhh… it just looked hard," Clark rushed out, hoping that Lex would drop it.

"Right," Lex said, still holding onto Clark. They were almost to the house when Lex's own feet betrayed him on the slick grass and he went down almost as hard as Clark had into a nearby mud puddle. Luckily, he landed on his ass rather than sprawled on his front like Clark had.

Clark immediately turned around and tried to pull Lex to his feet, but he just ended up slipping, falling on his ass this time, half sprawled on Lex. He looked up from his place on Lex’s lap and the stunned look on Lex’s face was enough to make him burst out laughing.

"Very funny. However, you weigh a ton, Clark, so could you kindly get off of me?" Lex asked, trying to keep a straight face as he did so. The mere thought of having Clark sprawled across his lap was doing wicked things to his libido and the last thing Lex wanted was for Clark to notice.

"I’m not that heavy," Clark shot back, pausing only a moment before he grabbed a handful of mud and whipped it on Lex’s head. "And you’re far too clean."

"Clark!" Lex shouted, wiping mud from his face. "Did you hit your head or something? Never mind, scratch that. You did hit your head. We're going to drown if we stay out here so get up already."

"Spoilsport," Clark grumbled happily. "We might as well stand out here until we get the mud off. Anyways, look on the bright side… I’ve heard mud is good for your skin… it should be good for your nice, shiny head."

"You know, Kent, you're really pushing it," Lex grumbled as he tried to stand. As soon as he put weight on his left ankle white hot pain shot up his entire leg. He bit down on a scream and would have ended up flat on his face if Clark hadn't grabbed him.

"Whoa there," Clark said, wrapping arms around Lex’s waist. "You’re hurt."

"I think I twisted my ankle," Lex hissed as he leaned against Clark, using the younger man to steady himself. "I don't think anything's broken, but it hurts like hell."

"Jeez… I’m sorry," Clark winced in sympathy. "Let’s get you back in the house."

"Yeah, okay," Lex agreed. He felt Clark's hand tighten around his waist as he limped painfully toward the house. By the time they got there the majority of the mud had been washed away but they were both soaked through. They entered the side door and Clark eased Lex into a chair, careful of his injured foot.

"Shouldn’t we take you to the hospital or something?" Clark mused as he bent down to examine Lex’s foot. It was still encased in an expensive pair of Gucci shoes that were now ruined. Gently, Clark began to unlace the shoe and pulled it off of Lex’s foot.

"In this?" Lex asked. "Thanks, but I'd rather not add another horrific car accident to my currently sprained ankle. Besides, it's nothing a little ice and a few aspirin won't cure."

"I can get you that stuff…" Clarke offered eagerly. It was his fault that his friend was in pain and he wanted to do anything to make him feel better.

"And track mud all through my house?" Lex snorted. "I think not. That’s what servants are for."

"Then why don't you summon him or whatever it is you do so we can get your ankle seen to," Clark grinned. "Not to mention getting you out of these clothes before you catch pneumonia."

"Uh huh. Now hand me my cell phone," Lex motioned to the nearby side table. Clark looked at him funny and then handed him the cell phone. Lex pressed a number on speed dial and they barked a few quick orders and hung. Clark looked at him with ever growing confusion that made Lex laugh. "What you think I have a magic bell I just ring and a butler pops out of a secret doorway? They’ve got the night off and I had to call them from the servant’s quarters. They’ll leave us both a change of clothes and the aspirin outside the door and go back to watching some insipid TV show. I only hope what I bought you fits."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Clark said, a teasing light in his eyes. "You really gave them the night off? I mean, how will you ever cope? You'll have to get your own dinner and everything."

"They prepared me something earlier in the evening and all I have to do is warm it up," Lex answered with all seriousness. "I’m sure there’s enough for two. My cook is always making too much."

Clark was about to comment when he heard the servant dropping off the items Lex had requested. He walked to the door, trying not to track too much mud on the floor and quickly retrieved the items. He was relieved to see an ice pack as well as a bottle of aspirin on the top of the pile.

"Catch," Clark called out and tossed the bottle of aspirin at Lex. Lex caught it and popped the lid, swallowing three pills dry. Clark made a tsking sound. "I was gonna pour you a class of water. My mom says you should never take more than two of these things."

"Well, it's a good thing your mom's not here, now isn't it," Lex replied. "Of course if she was you probably wouldn't have tried your hand at mud wrestling."

Clark made a face at Lex. "She would have agreed you looked so cute smeared with mud."

"Gee thanks," Lex deadpanned as he began unbuttoning his ruined shirt. "Bring the rest of that over here. I'm want to get out of these wet clothes."

Clark looked through the pile of the clothes and looked puzzled at two expensive pairs of dress pants and silk shirts. "I thought you said they brought me something to wear?"

"They did," Lex replied. "Oh come on, Clark. A silk shirt won't kill you."

"You bought this for me?" Clark asked in disbelief holding the blood red silk shirt like it was something nasty.

"Uh huh. Red is your favourite colour, isn’t it?," Lex smiled. "I bought it last time I was in Metropolis. I had a sneaking suspicion the day would come I may need them. Now be a good boy and pass me the robe I know they had to include. I want to dry off before I change. Nothing is worse than wet silk."

"Um, yeah," Clark said as he passed Lex the robe. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask why he couldn't just put on a robe while he waited for his clothes to dry but he didn't say it. Instead, he pulled his wet t-shirt off over his head and bent down to unlace his boots.

"There should be one in there for you, too," Lex commented as he pulled his own shirt off gingerly, trying not to jostle his foot.

"Um, Lex... there's not another one," Clark said, looking up from taking off his boots. "Look, why don't I just get you settled then head on home? I don't want to be a bother or anything."

"Head home in what?" Lex question. "I assume your beater broke down again. And your parents would kill me if I let you walk home in this."

"I'll be fine," Clark said, starting to fidget. He'd come here with some very definite plans about what he wanted to do with his friend. Now, he was fast losing his nerve. The best thing to do would be to go home and pretend this day never happened.

"It’s not fit for man or beast our there," Lex chided. "So you might as well forget arguing, farmboy."

Clark opened his mouth to reply then closed it again. Shaking his head, he toed off his muddy boots and stepped away from them. He wasn't going to ruin Lex's clothes by putting it on his wet body so he opted to just walk around shirtless for the time being. There was no way in hell he was taking his pants off, though. He didn't care how wet and uncomfortable they were.

"Exactly how long are you planning on walking around in those mud soaked pants?" Lex questioned.

"Most of the mud got washed off," Clark defended as he knelt down to help Lex out of his other shoe. "If you want, I can stand outside until the rest of it's gone. If I put those expensive clothes on you had brought down I'll just get them all wet."

"Then just walk around in your boxers. You don’t have to worry about the servants, it’s just me," Lex shrugged and gave little hiss when his foot was moved.

"I... um... I'm not so sure that's a good idea," Clark muttered. He picked up Lex's injured foot and began to massage it gently. He rubbed tiny circles into his ankle, hoping to ease some of the pain. Lex had gotten hurt because of him. It was only right that Clark do his best to relieve some of that pain.

"It’s nothing I haven’t seen before," Lex teased with a little laugh. "I’m always amazed at how innocent they grow them out here. Oh shit… keep doing that."

"Uh huh," Clark said, blushing at the very thought of wandering around practically naked in front of Lex. There was no way he was taking his pants off. Not if he wanted to keep Lex's friendship. Because with just the two of them in the house, it would be pretty obvious who was the cause of Clark's hard on.

Lex saw Clark blush and thought it was sweet. "I’d lend you my robe, but… well, it doesn’t matter. I can call the servants to bring another."

"No, you keep it. You need to get warm," Clark said. "Um, do you think you could stand up so I can, uh, help get your pants off?"

"Actually I’m quite fine here," Lex said. "Thank you." Even though he was sitting in soggy pants, he did not want the boy’s hand on him, lowering his zipper and tempting Lex in a way that was not good for either of them.

"Lex, you're soaked. At least let me help you stand up so you can get out of your clothes, okay?"

Lex looked up into a big pair of pleading hazel eyes and knew he was lost. Whenever Clark gave him that look he could never say no. "Fine," he sighed.

Clark took Lex by the arm and helped him stand up, careful not to let him put any weight on his injured ankle. It was tricky and Clark ended up wrapping one arm around Lex's waist to hold him steady as he undid his pants and let them fall to his feet. With his free hand, Clark snagged the robe and helped Lex into it before carefully lowering him back down onto the chair.

Lex intentionally leaned on his injured ankle and used the stabbing pain to distract him from any possible pleasure he had gained from Clark’s gentle touch. He pulled the robe closer around his body and took a deep breath to centre himself.

Kneeling once more, Clark pulled the pants free of Lex's feet. "You want a snack or anything while we're in here?" Clark asked.

"I’m not hungry," Lex admitted. "But you’re a growing boy, so feel free to raid my fridge."

"That's okay. Maybe later. Let's get you settled in front of the fire so you can get warm. Your feet are like ice."

"It’s a permanent condition, I’m afraid," Lex smiled. "Luthor’s are cold blooded."

Clark only gave his friend a strange look and stood once more to help him to his feet. "Come on. You can either lean on me or I can carry you. Whichever you like?"

"You would do it to, wouldn’t you?" Lex grumbled, but held out his hand.

Clark merely smiled at him and took the offered hand. He pulled Lex up and quickly slipped his arm around Lex’s waist again, telling himself that it was only to help Lex walk, not to feel the warmth of the other man's body. Slowly, they made their way into the other room not stopping until they were in front of the fire.

"Just sit me down on the floor," Lex said. He always loved to sit in front of the fire, as close to the flames as he could get without being uncomfortable.

"Okay," Clark said as he lowered him down, mindful of his ankle. "Now wait here while I go get the ice pack."

Lex wanted to comment and tell Clark not to fuss, but he knew that would only hurt his friend. Clark was one of the few people who did things for Lex and asked nothing in return. He watched as the young man hurried back into the kitchen to get the ice pack. He let himself dream for a moment, wondering what things could be like if Clark was just a few years older. And if Clark's father didn't hate him. That was the real problem, more so than the age difference really. Clark was over the age of consent and that was all the really mattered on that front. But Clark's father... now that was a *real* problem.

Clark knelt down in front of his friend and ran his hand up Lex’s leg with the intent of holding him still as he placed the ice pack on it. Lex’s skin was so smooth that he had to stop himself from moving his hand ever farther up. "At… at least you’re warmer now," he managed to stammer.

"Thanks to you," Lex sighed. He glanced at Clark out of the corner of his eye and noticed the teen still wore his wet jeans. Lex wished he had told them to bring a robe for Clark just so the young man could get warm and dry.

"It was my fault you got hurt in the first place," Clark shrugged and shifted uncomfortably. The mud was drying and making his jeans nearly unbearable. "If I hadn’t come here tonight, you’d still be fine."

"Maybe," Lex conceded. "But then I wouldn't have the pleasure of your company. Trust me, Clark, a sore ankle is worth it."

"So you don’t mind me coming over?" Clark hedged. "My Dad says you’re a busy man and that I shouldn’t bother you so much."

"I always have time for you," Lex replied. "You're normally the one bright spot in my day. I actually look forward to these little visits."

"I’ve even thought about skipping school once or twice to surprise you," Clarke admitted, shifting a little closer to Lex. "I’ve never played hooky before, but you’d be worth it."

"Don't go getting yourself in trouble now," Lex chided. "You father hates me enough as it is. If he thinks I'm corrupting you he'll never let me see you."

"You act like I’m completely innocent," Clark grumbled. He was tired of Lex treating him like a naive farm boy.

"In all the ways that count, you are," Lex replied quietly. "There's nothing wrong with being innocent, Clark."

"I’ve done… well, I’ve at least thought about stuff that’s not so innocent," Clark shot back with a little sulk.

"I'd expect you had by sixteen," Lex laughed. "I think I'd really be worried about you if you hadn't. So tell me, just what have you imagined about the beautiful Miss Lang?"

"Lots of stuff…" Clark admitted. "But that was mostly when I was younger. I’ve always had a crush on her, but I’ve grown up a lot now and realize the difference between friendship, lust and love. I love her… she’s my friend, but I don’t lust after her like I should."

"Sounds like you're growing up. So who's the object of your erections these days, if it's not Lana?" Lex asked, trying to keep the banter light. Hearing Clark talk about lust and love and friendship had gotten to him more than he wanted to admit.

"Ummm…" Clark blushed and immediately averted his eyes. Suddenly the mud on his pants was very interesting.

"Come on, Clark. You can tell me. What are best friends for if not to share really embarrassing secrets?"

"This one is really embarrassing," Clark mumbled and started to pick the drying mud off his jeans.

"Quit picking at your pants and tell me already," Lex scolded, smiling as he did so to take the sting out of the words. "I doubt there's anyone you could name that would shock me. Surprise me, maybe, but never shock me. If you want, I could try to guess..."

"You can try…" Clark brightened a bit. Maybe Lex already knew.

"Let's see. It's probably somebody you know. I don't see you as the type to fantasize about complete strangers. And I doubt if it's anybody famous so that eliminates Brittany Spears. Hmmm... Whitney?"

"God, no…" Clark sputtered, staring at Lex in shock.

"Okay, not Whitney, then," Lex laughed. "The lovely Chloe, perhaps?"

"Chloe’s just a friend even though I think she likes me," Clark said. "Why did you think it was a guy?"

"I didn't really," Lex admitted. "I just picked the absolute last person I thought you'd be attracted to and named him. Is it a guy?"

"Would that be a problem with you?" Clark asked back, testing the waters.

"Why should it? I've had my share of male lovers, Clark. Being bisexual is nothing new to me. I suspect it might be for you, though. Is that what you're trying to tell me? That you like boys as well as girls?"

Clark nodded seriously. "I think I like boys better than girls. Actually, I like one boy… a man… more than anyone else."

"Any...anyone I know?" Lex asked, the words sticking in his throat. He prayed to whatever God was listening for Clark to please just say it was him that he wanted.

How could a man like Lex really return his feelings? Clark closed his eyes, not wanting to see the inevitable pity in Lex’s eyes and whispered, "It’s you."

"Clark, look at me," Lex whispered. He waited until those hazel eyes held his, staring into them for long moments. He wanted this so very badly, but not at the price of Clark's friendship. "Are you sure?"

"Yes… I even came here tonight to tell you," Clark admitted, his voice starting to waver. "I tried to keep it a secret, but secrets hurt. I just can’t lie to you about this… I’m sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Lex said quickly. "Please, don't ever be sorry. I... oh Christ, Clark, you're so fucking young and I'm... I'm a fucking *bastard*, but I want... I want you, too."

"You do?" Clark choked out, a goofy smile forming on his face instantly and he launched himself onto Lex, pinning him to the ground and started to kiss his face. "You don’t know how happy…" He placed a sloppy kiss on one cheek. "…that makes me…" Another wet kiss followed on his forehead. "…to hear you say that."

"Clark... Clark, we need to talk about this," Lex gasped out as Clark proceeded to place clumsy kisses all over his face.

"I don’t wanna talk…" Clark complained, not budging an inch, but instead working his hand into Lex’s robe to caress his chest. "I’ll be real careful… I promise. I didn’t even hurt your foot, did I?"

"No, my foot's fine. Clark... are you sure you want this? Hell, do you even know what I'm asking you if you want?"

"I want to love you… I want you to love me…" the words rushed out. He only hoped Lex would understand because he didn’t understand himself right now. "I want everything… I want…"

"Shhh... easy now... one thing at a time," Lex soothed. "Come on, let's sit up and talk about this. I'm here and I want you but we need to make sure we're on the same page. I won't hurt you and I won't sacrifice our friendship for this. You mean too much to me to lose, Clark."

"I don’t want to let you up," Clark said with an evil little smile. "You feel good under me."

"As much as I'm enjoying our current position as well... We. Need. To. Talk. Now let me up."

"Nuh uh," Clark shook his head and leaned over, kissing Lex on the lips this time.

"Clark!" Lex said sharply, knowing the tone alone would hurt the boy's feelings, but needing to get control of this before they did something that couldn't be undone. "Just because I'm not a woman doesn't mean it's alright for you to ignore it when I say no."

Clark froze, the adoring smile falling from his face and turning into a mask of self-horror. He rolled off of Lex and scrambled to his feet, using a touch of his super-human speed in his haste to get away. He was half way across the room before Lex blinked. "I’m s-s-sorry…" Clark stammered.

"Apology accepted," Lex said as he righted himself on the floor. "Now come back over here and sit down so we can talk."

"No…" Clark countered, backing away closer to the door.

"Clark, you didn't hurt me. You didn't even frighten me. I knew you'd stop if I made it clear I was serious about wanting you to. Now come back over here so we can talk. Please?"

"Lex… I could have hurt you," Clark said. "I have to go now." Go before he hurt Lex anymore. He just had to leave before he lost control again.

"You'd never hurt me. I'd stake my life on that. Now are you going to come over here or am I going to have to hobble over there after you?"

"Stay put…" Clark demanded, he didn’t want Lex hurt and he knew his friend was stubborn enough to chase after him. "I can talk from over here."

"Nope. I want you close enough to touch. So, if you won't come over here..." Lex trailed off as he began to struggle to his feet. He doubted if Clark would let him get all the way up before coming back over but he was being careful anyway. He'd really upset his friend and that hadn't been his plan at all.

"Lex…" Clark gasped out, forgetting his fear and self-doubt when Lex made a small grunt in clear pain. Clark was beside him in an instant, wrapping his arms around Lex’s waist to support his weight.

"Think you could... help me to the couch?" Lex asked, his face a mask of pain. His ankle might not be broken but he wouldn't be walking on it any time soon.

Clark scooped Lex up and carried him over to the couch. His mind wasn’t on hiding his super human powers or his own discomfort, only making Lex feel better. He settled Lex onto the couch and started to fuss, putting a pillow under his ankle. "Is that better? Are you still in pain?" he asked quickly, still keeping his eyes adverted.

"It's much better," Lex said, then smiled a bit. "I didn't realize you were so strong, Clark."

"Huh?" Clark answered dumbly, still distracted. He didn’t register Lex’s words and finally decided Lex was too cold, he pulled a blanket from the back of the couch and settled it on Lex’s lap.

"I guess it comes from working on a farm," Lex mused, offering Clark on out. His friend was upset enough as it was. There would be plenty of time later to worry about what secrets Clark kept from him. Right now, he needed to worry about making sure the two of them would indeed have a "later". "Come on and sit down with me. There's plenty of room."

"I can sit on the floor," Clark said, shaking his head and then reconsidered the whole situation. "But… I really should be going. You’re comfortable now and we’ve talked… so I can go."

"Clark," Lex said softly, reaching out to grab the young man's hand before he could get too far away. "Please stay. I'd like to spend some time with you."

Clark didn’t remove Lex’s hand from his own, but instead stood frozen with his head tilted, staring at it. "Why do you want to spend time with me, Lex?" Clark asked in a monotone voice.

"Because you're my friend," Lex replied sincerely. "Our mutual desire notwithstanding. You're still the best friend I've ever had. I enjoy your company. And... I'm not adverse to picking up where we left off."

"No…" Clark answered quietly. "I won’t make that mistake again."

"What mistake was that?"

"I acted like a fucking dog," Clark said, the swear word he rarely used spat out. "I had no control. I jumped on you, drooled on you and could have nearly raped you."

Clark could only stare when Lex threw back his head and laughed. "Clark," he gasped as he got himself back under control. "You acted like any normal sixteen year old boy would act. And you couldn't have raped me if your life depended on it."

"So what, you expect me to go around humping your leg next?" Clark spat. He hated it when people laughed at him when he was trying to be serious. Lex more than anyone could aggravate him.

"I'm not doing this very well, am I?" Lex asked, his smile dropping. "I care about you, Clark. Probably a great deal more than I should considering our ages and your father's opinion of me. Neither of those points changes how I feel about you, though."

"But why would a man like you care about a… boy like me?" Clark asked again. He wanted to think he was a man, but his behaviour here today had proved he wasn’t. "You could have anyone. Hell, you even had beautiful woman like Victoria panting after you."

"Why does anyone fall for the person they do?" Lex asked, not really wanting to try to figure out exactly why he cared for Clark the way he did. "And yes, I could have anyone, but I *want* you."

"It doesn’t make sense," Clark said quietly. None of it made sense. He was the one who had hurt Lex and now all he wanted to do was hear Lex say it would all be alright. He wanted Lex to make it all better.

"Life rarely makes sense," Lex told him. "Now will you please sit down so we can talk about this? I'd actually like to get back to the kissing part sometime tonight but we need to talk first. I won't hurt you for anything in the world. And I refuse to sacrifice the one true friendship in my life for sex. Sex, I can get anywhere. Your friendship is more valuable than gold to me."

Clark responded to the subtle command it Lex’s voice and sank to floor next to the couch. He pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms them. "You’re my best friend, Lex. I know what I want, but whatever I have to do to keep you in my life… I’ll do it."

"Why don't you start by telling me what it is you want. Then I can see if we're on the same page here. Okay?"

"I want… I want what my parents have," Clark said seriously. "With you."

"We can have that without ever having sex, Clark," Lex said matching the seriousness of Clarks' tone. "Hell, we're halfway there already. How about if I make this easier on you? What if you tell me what you *don't* want?"

"I don’t want to be treated like a child. What I feel for you… it’s not puppy love. It hurts when I’m not around you. I think about you all the time. I know it’s selfish, but I don’t want you with other people. I hate it when other people touch you."

"Alright," Lex said. "I don't think I treat you like a child, but if I do just tell me. And what goes for me goes for you, too. No more Lana. No more Chloe. I don't mind you being friends with them, but that's as far as it goes."

"It’s never gone beyond friendship with either of them," Clark denied, the words slipping out. "Well… I almost kissed Lana behind the gym in fourth grade, but that’s it, I swear. But it doesn’t really count because we weren’t friends yet and it was just big group of us playing spin the bottle… the bottle just missed her… I was supposed to kiss the girl next to her, but I ended up tripping over the bottle when I got close to Lana and fell flat on my face… And after that, I only kissed Chloe a few times… only as a friend and mostly on the cheek… I never even really got to first base, let alone past it."

"You've never really done anything have you?" Lex asked, starting to feel like he really was corrupting an innocent.

Clark looked at Lex sincerely with wide eyes and smiled. "I was waiting for you…"

"Oh Clark," Lex whispered. "I'm glad you waited. But tell me, are you sure you really want to have sex with me?"

"Fuck yeah!" Clark blurted out, then turned away in embarrassment, blushing beet red. "Sorry… I forget to watch my language sometimes…"

"That's alright," Lex laughed. "You don't have to watch yourself around me. I'll take you just the way you are."

"But you’re… special, Lex," Clark denied. "I don’t want to embarrass you ever. You must get tired of me acting like a bumpkin sometimes."

"I never get tired of you and I don't recall you ever acting like a bumpkin. And in case you haven't noticed, I don't embarrass easily. One of the few things I can actually thank my father for."

"I still don’t know what you see in me," Clark insisted yet again. He didn’t want to be left behind when Lex moved on. He didn’t want to be a dirty little backwoods secret that Lex only fucked when he was on vacations from Metropolis. Or even worse, he didn’t want Lex to get tired of him one day.

"I see a man who risked his life to save me. I see a friend that's stood by me no matter what anyone else, including his own father, had to say. I see someone I trust more than I've trusted anyone since my mother died. And I see someone that trusts me in return."

"Trusting you is easy," Clark insisted, laying his head on the couch near Lex’s chest. "And you really think of me as a… man?"

"I have since the day I met you," Lex said truthfully. "You're still young, still learning a lot of what it takes to be a man, but you're not some little boy who needs his mommy and daddy to watch over him."

"But I like it when you watch over me, Lex…" Clark hedged.

"I could say the same thing about you. You make me feel safe, Clark, and that's something I've rarely felt in my life."

"I could do that the rest of your life," Clark said barely above a whisper. He couldn’t help but talk about forever. For the past few weeks and months, he’d slowly only felt complete when he was around Lex.

"Clark... be careful," Lex cautioned. "You're still young. You've got your whole life ahead of you. Don't tie yourself down like that."

"Why wouldn’t I?"

"Because people tend to get tired of me," Lex said. "I don't want you feeling obligated to stay because of something you've said."

"I wouldn’t do that," Clark denied. "And I wouldn’t ever get tired of you. You’re the most interesting… beautiful person I’ve ever met."

"Beautiful?" Lex snorted. "I don't think so. But... I think we've talked enough for one day. What do you say we get back to the kissing?"

"Yeah…" Clark said cautiously. He reached out and slowly brought Lex’s hand to his mouth and gently kissed his palm. "You *are* beautiful, Lex."

Lex shuddered at the feel of Clark's lips on his hand. He wanted to pull the boy over and kiss him senseless but forced himself to lie still instead. This was Clark's show. He wasn't about to push the virginal young man into something he wasn't ready for no matter how much he said he was.

"I don’t think you believe me…" Clark chided. "Maybe I should show you…"

"Do whatever you want," Lex said. "I'm yours."

"Can I touch you?" Clark asked. He would always ask now and never assume.

"Please do," Lex replied, understanding Clark's sudden need to make sure first. He'd have to work on that, but for now he pushed it to the back of his mind.

Clark shifted on the floor until he was kneeling and looking down at Lex. He moved his hand cautiously to Lex’s chest and ran his fingers under the label caressing Lex’s skin. "I love how you feel," Clark commented.

Lex groaned at the feel of Clark's fingers caressing his chest. He reached down and fumbled with the tie of the robe. With the tie gone, the robe fell open a bit to reveal more of Lex's chest and he had to bite his lip to keep from begging Clark to touch him.

"You’re so smooth," Clark breathed reverently, his fingers caressing a nipple.

"Jesus, Clark," Lex gasped out, arching up into the touch helplessly. He'd dreamed of this between them for so long. To finally have Clark touching him like this, like a lover, was his every fantasy come true. "Oh fuck..."

"You’re more responsive than other people…" Clark noted absently, repeating his previous action. He could hear Lex’s heart speed up and feel small goose bumps raise up on his skin.

"Always... have been..." Lex managed to say. He didn't bother to tell Clark that most of his lovers never took the time to notice that... or particularly care about it. But with Clark, it was like the boy was trying to pull every moan and gasp he could from Lex. He was doing a damned fine job of it, too.

Clark wanted to see how responsive Lex really was. He leaned over and began to suck on Lex’s nipple gently. When he felt Lex buck, he placed his hand on Lex’s hip to make sure this didn’t move and hurt his foot.

"Clark... Clark..." Lex moaned. "I'm too fucking old to cum in my pants..."

Clark lifted his head just enough to mumble, "You’re not wearing pants." He shifted and began to suck Lex’s other nipple.

Lex decided it was time to suit actions to words. Reaching down he tangled his hand in Clark's hair and pulled upward. Hard. He wanted to taste Clark's mouth and he wanted it now. He was seconds away from embarrassing himself like a schoolboy and if he was going to ruin his favourite boxers then he would at least have the joy of Clark's mouth on his when he did it.

Clark happily latched onto Lex’s mouth and let the other man lead the kiss. Lex was playing with Clark’s hair, running his hand through it, using his grip in it to angle his head. Lex could still feel Clark's hand on his hip, holding him down, and it turned him on even more. He couldn't stop himself from thrusting up as he pushed his tongue into Clark's mouth. His balls were starting to tighten and Lex knew he was going to cum in a matter of seconds if he didn't stop. Instead of stopping, Lex gripped Clark's hair even harder and stroked the other boy's tongue with his own.

Clark opened his mouth wider and sighed contentedly. Lex was beginning to smell different to Clark and he focused on that difference. It would be easy to become addicted to that smell. Even the taste of Lex thrilled Clark beyond belief. Suddenly, Lex stiffened and groaned into Clark's open mouth. He thrust his hips again as he came in his shorts, his hands clenching in his lover's hair as he rode out his orgasm.

Lex’s entire body went lax as the last waves of the orgasm subsided. He felt Clark move away and nuzzle against his neck. He felt Clark’s tongue caress his skin and he groaned.

Clark licked the sweat from Lex’s body and knew he wanted more. He sniffed deeply and was happy to smell the sweet scent that he could only identify as Lex. He moved his hand from Lex’s hip recognizing where the scent was strongest. Clark worked his hand into Lex’s boxer and scooped some cum onto his fingers. With his head resting on Lex’s chest, he brought his fingers to his mouth and licked them clean.

"Fuck, Clark! Are you trying to kill me?" Lex asked as he watched Clark licking his cum from his fingers. He couldn't believe it, but his cock was twitching at the sight, eager to rejoin the fun.

"I wanted to taste you," Clark said earnestly, sounding a little hurt. "I would’ve used my tongue, but your hand is in my hair."

"It's okay. I'm not mad, just... shocked, I think," Lex said, loosened his grip on Clark’s hair, but still running his fingers through it. He was quickly developing an obsession for Clark’s hair. "Yeah, shocked about sums it up. And I'm getting hard. Again. Which only adds to the shock factor."

"That’s normal," Clark said with confidence. He usually had to cum at least two or three times before he could calm down.

"For sixteen, I don't doubt it," Lex snorted. "But for twenty-two, it's highly unlikely. At least for me anyway."

"I don’t believe you," Clark said, knowing Lex’s cock was already attempting to make a come back. "You’re teasing me again."

"Trust me, Clark. It normally takes a little bit before I'm ready to go again. Although, I think that might be different with you. I can't seem to get enough of you." Lex untangled his hand from Clark's hair and stroked his face. "But what about you? What can I do to make you fly?"

"I don’t know…" Clark said. "You should rest. I can take of myself in the bathroom."

"Don't even think about it," Lex said. "This is about us. You and me. Together. Now get out of those pants so I can have my wicked way with you."

"Well, you have been trying to get me out of my pants all evening…" Clark teased and kissed Lex’s chest.

"Ah, you've found me out. I nearly broke my ankle just to get you out of your pants. Personally, I think it was a damned good plan on my part."

"All you had to do was ask… and look at me that way," Clark brightened up and moved so that he was sitting on his knees in front of Lex. He unbuttoned the top button and began to work the zipper down.

Lex watched as Clark stripped off his pants. He smiled when he saw Clark blush a little. Then his eyes fixed on the erection Clark was sporting and he could understand why he had blushed. The boy was *hung*. Carefully, Lex reached out and wrapped his hand around Clark's hard shaft. He grinned even wider when his lover bucked helplessly at his touch. Oh, this was going to be fun.

"Lex…" Clark hissed. "Please…"

"Come closer," Lex told him. As soon as Clark took an unsteady step forward, Lex leaned over and covered the head of his cock with his mouth. He felt Clark buck hard, driving into him deeply, then those strong hands were on his head holding him there while Clark thrust into him over and over again.

"Shit…" Clark groaned, cumming in Lex’s mouth with out any warning. He couldn’t believe he’d cum so quickly and when he felt Lex began to choke, he pulled out immediately. "Shit… I’m sorry. Lex, you alright?"

"I'm fine," Lex replied after a minute. "Just caught me by surprise, that's all. I should have expected it, though. That was your first blowjob after all."

"Yeah…" Clark mumbled. His hand went to his cock and pumped it slowly to try and take the edge off. He was still hard and Lex’s now red lips were so tempting.

"You're still hard," Lex noted, his brow quirking. He could remember being sixteen but he could not remember a time when an orgasm didn't soften him to some degree.

"It usually takes me a few times before I can calm down," Clark mumbled. He wondered if Lex was going to think he was a freak.

"Then by all means, let's see if I can get you calmed down some." Lex leaned forward and took Clark's cock in his mouth again. He could taste the faint remnants of cum and it made Lex's own cock stir again. He couldn't wait to be buried balls deep in this boy but for now, this would have to do.

"Lex…" Clark managed to croak. Lex had a mouth like a Hoover and he didn’t want to think about how he’d learned his technique. He didn’t want to think about Lex with anyone else. Instead he concentrated on Lex’s wet mouth trying to suck his very soul out through his dick.

Lex was ready for Clark's sudden thrust when he brought his hand up to cup and caress the boy's testicles. He rode it out and grinned around the cock in his mouth as Clark began to thrust once more. It was wild to have Clark fucking his mouth, taking what he wanted from Lex while Lex laid there and let him, all the while cradling his balls like they were made of glass.

Clark caressed Lex’s head, holding him gently in place. As his pace began to speed up he groaned, "I think… I think I’m gonna cum again."

Lex began to suck harder at those words and brought his free hand around to grab Clark's ass. He didn't want his lover pulling out or anything equally foolish. He wanted to taste that hot flood of cum on his tongue and know it was *Clark's*.

"I’m gonna be part of you again," Clark whispered happily as he came deep in Lex’s mouth.

Lex swallowed everything Clark had to give, not choking at all this time. He wondered briefly about the slightly tingling feeling as Clark's cum slid down his throat but he pushed that thought away. Now was not the time for analysis.

Clark pulled out of Lex’s mouth when his cock was at least half hard. He sunk to his knees between Lex’s open legs and rested his head in Lex’s lap. "Thank you," he said softly.

"You're welcome," Lex said. "You know, I think I could get addicted to this. Think we could bottle this flavour? We could make millions off of it."

"I’d rather bottle your smell," Clark noted, rubbing his face against Lex’s thigh.

"God, Clark. I want you so bad I ache right now," Lex told him, absently stroking his hair as Clark continued to rub and sniff his thigh.

"I could take care of you?" Clark offered, leaning against Lex’s hand. More than anything else he wanted to taste Lex, but he wouldn’t do it without Lex’s permission.

"Tell me what you want, Clark. Name it and it's yours."

"I need to taste you. It’s the only thing that’ll tide me over until we make love for real."

"Then taste me," Lex whispered. "Anything you want, it's yours. You can have any part of me you want. I swear it."

"You could fuck me now," Clark hinted, but he was already moving onto his knees and pushing the robe out of his way.

"Not until you fuck me first," Lex said, enjoying the shocked look on Clark's face. "Besides, I think we should work our way up to that. Don't you?"

"I’ll take whatever I can get," Clark countered, kissing Lex’s pale thigh. "But I don’t think I can wait too long."

"We won't..." Lex said, his words turning into a gasp when Clark mouthed his cock through his boxers. Together they quickly shed the silk separating Clark from his prize then Clark's mouth was taking Lex in and sucking hard.

"Fuck…" Lex gasped as Clark deep throated him immediately.

Clark brought his hands up, insinuating them between Lex and the couch. He gripped Lex's ass hard, squeezing it as he fucked his mouth on Lex's cock. He wanted to be joined with his lover. Needed to be joined with him like he needed nothing else in this world.

A small hint of doubt creeped into Lex’s mind when he realized how good Clark was. The boy had deep throated him immediately and he hadn’t come up for air since. Someone who sucked cock like a whore most likely wasn’t a virgin. Had Clark been lying to him? Playing him for the fool? Lex wound his hands in Clark's hair again but couldn't bring himself to pull him back. He was on the brink of cumming for the second time that night and nothing, not even the possibility of Clark's deceit, was enough to stop him now. Holding Clark's head, he began to thrust slowly, being careful not to choke his lover as he pushed into the boy's throat.

Clark moaned with pleasure at the treatment and let Lex do want he wanted. He wanted this to last forever, but he also felt a pain in his gut that he knew would only be satisfied when it was all over. He began to suck heavily, not knowing that the pressure he was using was more than any normal man or woman could produce.

"Fuck!" Lex screamed as Clark sucked him *hard*. Then he was cumming again, spilling his seed down Clark's throat and it was all he could do to keep from ripping at his lover's hair as he rode it out.

Clark easily swallowed Lex’s cum and continued to suckle as his penis softened, intent on getting every last drop. Something deep inside of him was content and he closed his eyes and rested his head against Lex’s thigh.

"We've really got to talk some more, Clark," Lex managed once he could speak again. His hand stroking Clark's hair once more, eased the sting of the words, though.

Clark knew they had to talk. He knew that he'd let Lex see too much tonight, but there was nothing he could do about it now. And if he was completely honest with himself, he didn't want to. He loved Lex and he wasn't going to lie to him anymore. Reluctantly, he let the cock slip from his mouth. Lex was still playing with hair and he wished they could stay in this moment forever. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, you didn't do anything wrong," Lex said carefully. "But I think you’re lying to me. I don’t like it when my lover’s lie to me."

"I... I didn't lie," Clark said, his gut tightening at having to lie to Lex now of all times. "I'm sorry. I'll go."

"You’re such a bad liar, Clark," Lex shot back, his temper getting the better of him. "I can tell you’re lying to me now."

Clark didn't reply. What was there to say? He wanted to tell Lex the truth, but his parents had trained him too well. Still, his stomach clenched as he tugged up his jeans and turned to go.

"All you have to do is tell me the truth now," Lex urged, his voice softening, not wanting to loose Clark over this. "Tell me and we can move on."

"I want to... I need to think," Clark said. "I'll... I'll see you later." With that, Clark turned and ran. He was careful to keep his speed to within human parameters. He could hear Lex calling after him, but he tuned it out. He had to. If Lex asked him for the truth one more time Clark knew he would give it to him.

<><><><><><>

The sun was just breaking into the sky when Clark stumbled into the Kent’s farmyard. There’d been no sense of time for him after he’d left Lex’s mansion. He’d just kept walking, his tears blending with the rain. He was a sad sight when he dragged himself on to the front step, his feet and chest were bare, the jeans stained and torn.

"Clark!" Martha shouted when she saw her son. She ran toward him calling her husband's name as she did. Jonathan raced out of the barn and froze when he saw Clark collapse on the porch. Then he was running, too, scared to death that something had happened to his son.

Martha reached Clark first and dropped to her knees wrapping her arms around him. They’d been frantic looking for him all night. When they phoned the cops, the sheriff had said Clark was most likely out getting drunk with the other boy’s since it was Friday night. The Sheriff told a near hysterical Martha to call again if Clark hadn’t come home by morning with his tail between his legs. Well it was morning and her baby was home, but something terrible had happened to him. Clark clung to her, begging her with red, tear stained eyes and croaked, "Mom…"

"Clark, are you alright?" she asked. "What's is it? What's wrong?"

"Mom… I can’t tell you…" Clark shook his head. "It was all my fault."

"It's alright, Clark. Whatever it is, it'll be alright." Martha looked at Jonathan, fear evident in her eyes. It was obvious something bad had happened while Clark was missing. Their son didn't appear to have any injuries and that scared her even more. Whatever was hurting her boy was on the inside.

"Clark, what happened to the rest of your clothes?" Jonathon asked carefully. The boy didn’t have any physical injuries he could see, but that wasn’t a surprise. He was more likely to be torn apart by hurtful word than a car crash.

"I... I left them at Lex's..." Clark mumbled, his face buried in his mother's lap.

Jonathan had watched Clark’s fascination with the Luthor boy grow and was disturbed when it was returned in a disconcerting mutual obsession. Now that bastard had taken advantage of his son. Clark was too young, too sensitive and too beautiful for his own good. He might have the body of a man, but Jonathon only saw his little boy crying in wife’s lap.

"Take care of Clark," Jonathan said as he stood up and headed into the house. A quick phone call later and he was walking back outside to stand beside his wife. "Come on, let's get him inside before Tom gets here."

"I’m sorry I didn’t come home sooner," Clark babbled as Jonathan dragged him to his feet. "I just couldn’t. Please, don’t be mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you, son," Jonathan said. "Let's just get you inside so your mother can help you clean up. Tom's coming around to take me to get the truck."

"I never told you were it was," Clark said as he stumbled into the house, leaning heavily on his father.

"You don’t need to tell me. There’s only one road leading to the Luthor place. That’s where it is, isn’t it?"

"Yeah," Clark said. "I was visiting Lex. We got caught out in the storm. That's what happened to my pants... why they're muddy and stuff."

"I need you to tell me what else happened," Jonathon pressed. He could see his son was barely holding it together, but he needed to know. He wanted to inflict every bit of pain and humiliation on that bastard that his son had endured. He couldn’t only imagine how that asshole had taken advantage of an infatuated, inexperienced teenager.

"We... we had a fight," Clark said. He wasn't about to tell his father that he and Lex had sex. That was just between them and wasn't something he wanted his father to know. "He said I was lying to him. He was right, though. I've been lying to him since that day on the bridge. I... I took off. I didn't know what else to do. It just... it *hurts* inside."

"I know, buddy," Jonathon tried to sooth his son, patting his cheek. He had to fight the urge to call an ambulance and the police, but the doctors could never get their hands on Clark. From experience he knew the boy was healed physically, but the mental scars would take longer to heal. No one should have to see their child live through this. A part of him wondered why Clark let Lex do anything to him, but then he remembered how many times he’d lectured the boy about never harming another person. He was the one who told Clark to rein in his strength and not use it against people. Luthor had probably talked and used Clark’s affection against him. Now it was up to him to protect Clark from that ever happened again.

The sound of a car pulling up outside interrupted them and Jonathan pulled away reluctantly. He hated leaving his family right now but there was no way in hell Lex Luthor was getting away with this. He kissed Clark on the forehead then quickly headed for the door. He considered grabbing his shotgun on the way out but decided against it. As much as he'd like to, his family needed him here, not rotting in prison somewhere.

Tom accepted the explanation of family business when Jonathon asked to borrow his truck. He left Tom with the broken down truck, knowing the other man would fix it or arrange to have it towed. Right now he was glad to have a reliable vehicle to get him to the Luther mansion as quick as possible. He torn through the front gates, barely noting they were open and skidded to a stop in front of the main door.

Lex heard someone pounding on the door and frowned. He'd been sitting by the phone hoping that Clark would call him. He hadn't meant to frighten him off like that. Looking back, he could easily see how Clark could have taken his words for something other than what they were. Right now, Lex didn't give a damn if Clark had been lying to him about being a virgin or not. As long as he knew the younger man was safe and that there was still a chance for him then Lex would be more than satisfied.

Lex hobbled to the front door and flung it open, calling out "Clark?" hopefully.

"What the fuck did you do to my son?" Jonathan demanded angrily as he grabbed Lex by the shirtfront and shoved him back into the foyer. He kicked the door closed behind him, not wanting anyone to drive up and see him pounding the shit out of a Luthor. He didn't want the cops showing up until he'd done what he'd come here to do.

"What?!" Desperate thoughts of Clark lying on the ground bleeding rushed through his head. "What happened to Clark?!"

"Don't play dumb with me, Luthor," Jonathan spat as he slammed Lex against the wall. The sound of the man's head hitting the hard wood made Jonathan smile. "I know you did something to my son. He staggered home this morning half dressed. He said he'd left his clothes here. Tell me why, damn it! Why did you have to do that to my son?"

"We just had an argument," Lex tried to explain, his ears ringing. "When he left here he was upset."

"And what did you argue about? Clark not want to put out for you? Was that is? Was that why he came home practically naked, you son of a bitch?" Before Lex could even begin to reply Jonathan drew back his hand and backhanded the young man.

Lex went down hard, the metallic taste of blood in his mouth. He tried to get to his feet but a well-placed kick from Jonathan sent him sprawling on the floor again and clutching his ribs painfully.

"Or worse… did you rape him?" Jonathon spat, landing another solid kick into Lex’s midsection.

"N-no..." Lex gasped, shaking his head at the thought of hurting Clark like that. God, he'd want to kill any bastard that so much as thought of hurting Clark that way. He could understand Jonathan's rage. But understanding that rage wasn't going to keep him alive.

"Fucking liar," Jonathon accused. "He’s special and you used that against him. Twisted what he feels for you. I know he was making doe eyes at you. I was hoping he’d grow out of it. But now… now I don’t know if he’ll ever recover from this! I should cut your cock and balls off to stop you from ever doing this again."

Lex heard the conviction behind Jonathan's words and tried to crawl away. He didn't want to die but more than that, he didn't want Clark to have to live with the knowledge that his own father had killed him. He heard more than felt Jonathan’s foot connect with his ribs for the third time and he went down again. This time, he didn't even bother trying to get up. Whatever Jonathan Kent was going to do to him, he was helpless to stop it.

He felt Jonathon roughly turning him over. He cracked a swollen eye open and a saw the big man looming over him. "If you ever come near my son again, I’ll kill you," Jonathon growled. He spat in Lex’s face and got up. As almost a last thought, Jonathon brutally kicked Lex in the groin, before turning on his heels and leaving.

<><><><><><>

Jonathan sat in the truck for a moment after pulling up next to the house. He was still breathing hard from his confrontation with Lex. He felt a mild twinge of shame at how badly he'd beaten the young man, but all he had to do was call up the image of Clark half-naked and in pain to push that right out of his head. Suddenly, the urge to check on his family was overwhelming. Throwing open the door, Jonathan jumped out of the truck and hurried up to the house.

"Jonathon, something’s wrong with Clark!" Martha him at the door with tears streaming down her face.

"What is it? What's wrong?" he asked, gripping her shoulders tightly. A thousand thoughts ran through his head and he wondered what more else Lex Luthor could have done to his son.

"He’s in his room," Martha explained. "He started screaming and won’t let me come near him."

"When did this start?" Jonathan asked as he made his way toward his son's room, his wife right behind him.

"After you left," Martha answered. "It was terrible… I checked him. He’s bruised. He’s never been bruised before and he wasn’t when he first got home."

Jonathan turned worried eyes on his wife then looked back at the closed door to Clark's room. "Clark," he called out as he knocked loudly on the door. "Son, unlock the door."

"Go away," Clark croaked out in shaky voice.

"Let us in," Jonathan said. "Let us help you, son."

"You’ve already *helped* enough," Clark answered. He had no intention of opening the door.

Jonathan looked at Martha but she was just as confused as he was. "How long after I left did this start?" he asked her as he considered breaking down the door to his son's room. He had a sinking feeling that he wasn't going to like the answer she gave him.

"About fifteen minutes," Martha said. "He was starting to relax… to talk to me. I convinced him that whatever fight he’d had with the Luther boy, they could work it out. All of sudden he flinched like he was slapped and I saw a hand print appear over on his face. Then he grabbed at his throat and he was choking. Oh, it was so horrible… he clutched his gut and curled into a ball. There was nothing I could do… he’s never felt real pain before."

Jonathan closed his eyes and rested his head against the door. Fifteen minutes. That was about how long it had taken him to get to Lex's and push his way inside. He remembered it all. Backhanding Lex. Choking him. Kicking him. Repeatedly. And somehow it seemed his son had felt every one of those blows. "Clark," Jonathan choked out, his throat tight. "Open this door or I'll tear it down."

"Go ahead," Clark challenged. "I don’t think I can get up anyways to let you in."

That was all Jonathan needed to hear. He pushed Martha back out of the way and laid into the door with his shoulder. It took him three tries but he finally succeeded in busting through the door. What he saw when he stumbled through the ruins of the door nearly brought him to his knees. There, on the bed, was his son. If he hadn't known it was Clark laying there, he would have sworn it was Lex Luther. For the last time he'd seen that battered face, the man he accused of raping his son had been wearing it.

Clark didn’t move from his position facing the wall as he huddled on his bed. "Why did you do it, Dad?"

"My God. Clark... what happened?" Jonathan asked, ignoring his son's question. There was no doubt that he had caused this. What he wanted to know now was how.

"I need Lex," was Clark’s pitiful reply. "He’s in so much pain right now."

"Jonathan... what did you do?" Martha asked, shaking her head as understanding began to dawn. She moved to Clark's bedside, sitting down beside him as carefully as she could. She was afraid to even touch him for fear that she would cause him even more pain.

"He beat us," Clark answered for his father. Martha noticed how Clark use the word ‘us’ and not ‘him’.

"Clark... are you saying whatever your father did to Lex... happened to you, too?" she asked, trying to understand.

"I felt everything that happened to Lex," Clark croaked. "Please, Mom. I need Lex. I don’t know how much longer I can handle this."

"Jonathan, you go back and get Lex," Martha told him. "You bring him here. If he... if he needs medical help, you get it for him first then you get him here."

"Nothing’s broken… I can tell," Clark said, grabbing his mother’s hand in plea. "He’s bleeding, but not on the inside. He doesn’t like doctors. Just bring him here… if anything goes wrong I’ll be able to tell. Please?"

"Martha, you can't seriously want me to bring that monster *here*," Jonathan said, but twin glares from his wife and son told him otherwise. Told him in no uncertain terms that if he did not go and get Lex *right* *now* that Martha would take Clark and go to him.

"Don’t call him a monster," Clark spat. "I don’t know why you did it… if it’s because I love him, this won’t stop me… ahhh shit…" He stopped talking and clutched his gut. "He’s trying to move."

"Come on, Clark," Martha said, jumping up from the bed. If her husband wouldn't bring Lex to them then she'd damn well bring Clark to Lex. Whatever had happened between the boys had... connected... them somehow. That connection was currently hurting her son. And if Lex was as bad off as Clark was, Martha didn't want to find out if the connection could kill her son.

"Whoa," Jonathon called out. "Keep him here. I’ll go get the Luther boy." He didn’t want his son and wife in that bastard’s house. At least with that asshole under his roof, he could keep a closer eye on him.

"I-If you hurt him again... " Clark trailed off, in too much pain to finish the threat, but it hung in the air between them.

"If I hurt him again, it will hurt you…" Jonathon said on his way out the door. "So that’s *not* going to happen."

"Jonathan," Martha called out as he headed down the stairs. "Hurry."

Jonathon tore downstairs and out into the yard. He was glad he had Tom’s new truck as he squealed down the lane. The sooner he got there, the sooner he could get home to tend to his family. He was glad he hadn’t killed the Luthor boy…

The door was still standing open when Jonathan got there. He entered the house carefully, watchful for servants or police. He stopped when he saw Lex trying to crawl across the floor toward the phone. Blood was running out of his mouth and Jonathan felt his stomach roil. He'd done this and not only to Lex but to his own son. He quickly closed the distance between them and knelt down beside the young man. He didn't blame him for flinching once Lex realized who it was beside him.

"Come to finish the job?" Lex managed to croak, trying to maintain some dignity in what he thought were his last moments. He would not beg for his life.

"No," Jonathan said as he tried to figure out the best way to get Lex up without causing further damage. "I came to take you to Clark. I'm going to have to lift you, Lex. I'm not sure I can do that without hurting you, though."

"Leave me alone," Lex said. This man had to be lying. Why would he bring him to Clark?

"Luthor’s are so pig headed," Jonathon growled and bent down to pick up Lex.

Lex screamed as the pain ripped through his body. His last thoughts before he slipped into unconsciousness were of Clark. "Clark…" he mumbled as Jonathon hoisted him into his arms.

Jonathan kept expecting to hear sirens behind him as he sped home. You simply did not walk into a billionaire's home and carry his unconscious body out without somebody trying to stop you. Even in Smallville. Still, Jonathan was grateful to whatever God watched over stubborn fathers simply trying to protect their sons. He pulled up as close to the house as he could get and did his best to lift Lex without causing any further pain. He wasn't sure if Clark was unconscious, too, but he didn't want to take any chances.

Lex groaned in pain when Jonathon lifted him from the seat, but remained unconscious. The young man was deathly pale and for the first time Jonathon noted how young he looked. He didn’t look like a malicious child molester now, instead he looked like a child himself. A child bruised and bloodied from his own fists and boots.

"Jonathan," Martha called from the stairs as he carried Lex into the house. She had expected him to be unconscious since Clark himself had passed out a few minutes ago. It had scared her half to death to watch her normally invulnerable son lapse into unconsciousness.

Martha watched Jonathan carry the boy upstairs, aghast at his injuries. Clark sported bruises, but Lex was covered in blood. "I can’t believe you did this…" she accused. "Just set him down next to Clark and get away from both of them for now."

"I didn't know," Jonathan said, laying Lex down beside Clark. "I thought... I thought he'd hurt Clark. I was just trying to protect him."

"I know…" Martha shook her head. "I knew you were going to do something when you tore out of and I didn’t stop you. But I can’t think about that right now. I have to worry about them. Go to bathroom and grab me some towels and basin of hot water. Bring the first aid kit after that."

"I never meant to hurt Clark. You have to know that, Martha," Jonathan said, needing to know his wife believed him, believed in him still.

"I know you didn’t mean to, but you did," Martha said, her eyes glued to the boys. She watched as Clark stirred just enough to pull Lex into a protective embrace.

Jonathan opened his mouth to say something else, but closed it at a sharp look from his wife. He headed for the bathroom, intent on getting the supplies she had asked for. Maybe once Luthor was cleaned up the damage wouldn't be so bad. Jonathan knew he was fooling himself, though. He'd worked Lex over to just short of killing him. They'd have to watch him carefully for signs of internal injuries regardless of what Clark said.

When he came back into the room, Martha had already carefully unbuttoned and worked off Lex’s shirt. "So it’s true then," he commented, handing over the supplies. "He doesn’t have a scrap of hair on him."

"Get. Out." Clark growled, his eyes snapping open to stare at his father. Jonathan could see the pure rage directed at him by his son and took a step backward.

"Just go, Jonathan," Martha said. "I'll be downstairs as soon as I get Lex cleaned up. We'll talk then."

Jonathon turned and left the room without another word. He’d never seen that look on his son’s face directed at him before. Apart of him was crying inside that he’d lost his son and it was all Luthor’s fault.

It was almost an hour later when Martha finally came downstairs. She looked more drained than Jonathan ever remembered seeing her. He went to her and led her to the couch, sitting her down before taking his own seat. By the look on her face, he knew he wasn't going to like what she had to say.

"He would barely let me touch Lex," Martha reported. "He kept hovering over me, watching every move I made. I don’t know if he trusts us anymore."

"Do you have any idea what happened?" Jonathan asked. "I thought... when he came home like he did... I thought Luthor had *hurt* him. Used some of the meteorite or something from that damned company to subdue Clark. Or hell, if not that, Luthor’s the love ‘em and leave ‘em type. I don't understand this. What's going on?"

"There’re connected somehow," Martha answered not very confidentially. "He says it feels right to be near Lex. It has to be something to with his… heritage. Maybe they mate differently wherever he’s from?"

"Mate!" Jonathan spat angrily. "So Luthor did rape him."

"Oh shut up, Jonathon," Martha said in a cold tone. "He didn’t rape our son. Whatever they did was mutual, if not initiated by Clark. Mate as in ‘mate for life’. We don’t know half of his powers or abilities. And it only makes sense that his people would handle hitching up differently."

"Are you saying that Clark is stuck with Lex Luthor for the rest of his life?" Jonathan asked, stunned. There would be no way for Clark to keep his secret if that were the case. Maybe it would have been best if he had killed Lex when he had the chance. Clark would probably have lived through it. Now... now it was too late. Clark was never going to let him close enough to Lex to take care of things. Well, he'd die before he let his son end up in some Luthor Corp lab.

"I don’t know," Martha answered with a sigh. "But he’s already so devoted to Lex. He said he started to have the same feelings for Lana but just knew she wasn’t the right one. It’s like he was looking for someone. He said the need to find someone started when he was about 15. Maybe his people mate at that age?"

"I won't allow it," Jonathan said stubbornly. "He's too young. Luthor's convinced him of this somehow so he can get to Clark and use him. I'm not going to let that happen."

"I don’t want to loose him, Jonathon," Martha countered. "Would you believe he actually growled at me when Lex flinched? I’m his mother and he threatened me!"

"That just goes to show how unhealthy this is," Jonathan said. "I'm going to put a stop to it right now." He got up from the couch and headed for the stairs intent on ending this bizarre relationship between Lex Luthor and his son.

He opened the door and what he saw enraged him even more. The two boys were laying on their sides, curled around each other with their limbs entwined and kissing.

"Get away from my son, you bastard," Jonathan hissed as he moved toward the bed to pull Lex away from Clark.

"Don’t touch him," Clark growled, getting up and putting himself between Lex and his father.

"Clark, I don't know what he's done to you, but this ends now," Jonathan said. "You can't trust a Luthor, son. You know that."

"He belongs to me…" Clark said in a low voice. "I won’t let you take him away from me."

"You're my son and you'll do as I say!" Jonathan snapped. He wanted his boy away from Luthor. It was obvious Clark's mind was somehow being affected. Jonathan wasn't about to let this go on.

"I may be your son," Clark said, "But I *need* him. I won’t let you hurt him anymore."

"He's using you, Clark. He's done something to you to make you think you need him," Jonathan insisted. "You have to trust me on this. I know what's best for you."

"He’s best for me," Clark shook his head. "Don’t make me chose between you and Lex."

"Clark..." Lex called from the bed, having forced himself to sit up as soon as Clark had left the bed to stand between him and Jonathan Kent. "Give him some time. Don't back yourself into a corner where you end up throwing away your family over me. I'm not worth it."

"You’re worth it," Clark said desperately, turning back to face Lex. "I love you. There’ll never be anyone else for me. You do want me, don’t you?"

"Of course I want you," Lex said, sparing Clark's father the briefest of glances. "But I don't want you to trash your relationship with your dad because of this. Your father cares about you, Clark, and that's something I've never had. Don't throw it away like it means nothing."

"I… I don’t want to push away my parents," Clark said, moving to sit on the edge next to Lex. He reached out a shaky hand and traced Lex’s cheekbone. "But I *need* you, Lex! Can’t you feel it?"

"Yeah, actually I can," Lex admitted. "I think I felt it that first time I just didn't realize what it was. I'm not going anywhere, okay? No one has the power to make me leave you except for you. Your father can rage all he wants, put me in the hospital, whatever. It still won't make me leave you. But, Clark, there are some things we need to talk about. Some things I need to know. Are you ready for that or do you need some more time to... ground yourself first?"

"I won’t talk about our personal lives with my Dad here," Clark countered. There were things he wanted to say and do to Lex that he would only do in private.

Lex barked a laugh then grimaced when the action caused the pain in his ribs to flare to life. "I wasn't exactly planning on that," Lex said. "Do you want to come back to the castle with me? Or do you want us to stay here?"

"You aren’t taking my son anywhere!" Jonathon interrupted. "I’ll call the cops if I have to."

"Mr. Kent I suggest you calm down before you force your son to do something you'll regret," Lex said, his voice cold and hard. "If I wanted to I could have you thrown in jail right now. Assault with intent to kill is a very serious charge. The only thing stopping me is Clark. So before you say anything else about having me arrested you should seriously consider just how far away I could get Clark by the time you managed to arrange bail."

Jonathon knew the kind of power money could buy. His defence might be that he was protecting his son and the local law enforcement would be behind him until the Luther name popped up. No one challenged a Luthor and won. Hell, no one hardly ever challenged a Luthor. "So you’d take him away from his home and his family? And do what with him? Make him your plaything? Or make him a laboratory rat? I won’t let that happen. We’ve protected him all these years and I’ll lay down my life before I let that happen."

"Stop it!" Clark shouted, jumping from the bed and shoving his father back hard. He remembered to check his strength at the last moment and only managed to slam Jonathan into the wall rather than through it. "You're the one forcing things here. Not Lex. So quit trying to shift the blame to him. You're the one that threatened to call the cops. Not the man you beat half to death. Think about that, *Dad*."

"I told you, you could never trust a Luthor," Jonathon said sadly. "They steal your land… your money… your pride… and now your family."

"I didn't steal him, Mr. Kent. I fell in love with him," Lex said. "You're the one forcing him to choose."

"It’s not right," Jonathon countered. "He’s just a baby."

"I'm sixteen, Dad. Or at least that's what we thought. I could be older than that. I'm sorry if you think I'm too young or too stupid to know who I love. I love Lex. Nothing you say or do is going to change that."

"What about him?" Jonathon asked. "Do you think he’s thought about what he’s taken on? A sixteen year old farm boy has bonded with him for life. Is he willing to fit you into his life? Will he stop fucking around? Can you two even be apart?"

"Um, excuse me," Lex broke in. "Bonded for life? What's he talking about, Clark?"

"I told you," Clark answered with a smile. "I love you. Forever."

"I know you did," Lex said, realizing the need for care here. "But what's this bonded stuff? I'm not quite sure I understand."

"I *need* you," Clark said. "There will never be anyone else for me. It hurts when I’m away from you. My Dad didn’t beat me… I got these marks from when he beat you. I can feel what you feel. That much I understand."

"You got these bruises from what he did to *me*?" Lex repeated, incredulous. "Clark, please... tell me you didn't know this would happen. Tell me you didn't know about this before we made love."

"I knew," Clark answered proudly, his eyes wide the way that drove Lex mad.

"Damn it, Clark!" Lex snapped, rising from the bed too quickly but ignoring the flare of pain in his side. "Don't you see what you've done? He hurt me and you felt it. Do you not realize how many times I've been beaten up since coming here? I can handle dying, Clark. I could handle it when I thought it would be at your father's hands. What I can't deal with is the knowledge that I'll take you with me."

"Then you’ll just have to let me protect you," Clark countered reasonably. He was happy about the bonding.

"Clark, please don't take this the wrong way but if I had known I never would have let you do it," Lex said, then rushed on before Clark could indeed get the wrong idea. "I love you. But I would rather spend the rest of my life alone than know I was the cause of your pain."

"Dad, please leave us alone…" Clark croaked. "We… we need to talk."

Jonathan was about to protest then thought better of it. If he pushed, he knew Lex would take Clark to the castle. At least here, he retained some semblance of control. "I'll be downstairs. Your mother and I want to talk to you when you're done."

"Yeah, thanks Dad," Clark answered distractedly, the anger drained from him. He waited until he heard the door behind his father before taking a deep breath and continuing. "It’s only this bad because we never finished. We can stop right now. If you don’t touch me and we don’t see each other any more, I think it’ll go away. You’ll be free."

"I can see why you wanted him out of the room for this," Lex said, stalling. "If he doesn't know it's not permanent yet, he can't try to force you to let it go, right?"

"Yeah," Clark said, rubbing his face with his hands. "You can walk away now and I won’t hate you, Lex. I understand… really. I never asked you if you wanted this. It was just another form of rape… I forced the bonding on you with out asking. If you walk away, you’ll be free. I’m so sorry."

"Stop it," Lex said gently. "Yes, you should have asked me, but if I was in your place I probably would have done the same thing. And you're giving me an out now, so there's no need to feel guilty about *forcing* anything on me. I... I don't know what to do, Clark. I want this. I want it very much. But I'm scared to death that I'm going to get you hurt. Are you sure you want to take that risk with me?"

"I’d rather die with you, than spend the rest of my life alone," Clark almost sobbed.

"Hey, come on, calm down," Lex soothed, pulling Clark into his arms and trying not to wince. "I love you and if you want this then so do I. Okay?"

"It’s not fair you’re stuck with a freak," Clark sobbed, burying his face against Lex’s neck. "That’s my secret. I’m a freak. I’m a freak who ties the person he loves most in the world to him, no matter what they want."

"Go ahead and cry if it'll help," Lex told him. "You're not a freak, though. Or, if you are then I'm one, too. And you did give me a choice, Clark. You're offering me a choice right now. I choose you and whatever else goes along with that. I choose you."

"You don’t even know what you’re choosing," Clark denied. "I… I have something to tell you before you choose."

"Alright," Lex said. He hoped by staying as calm and in control as possible it would help Clark to find his footing. He didn't like seeing tears in his lover's eyes. Didn't like it at all. As a matter of fact, Lex thought he might end up devoting a good portion of his time to making sure that he *never* saw that again.

Clark took a deep breath. He had to be strong. Lex deserved to know the truth and Clark had to be prepared if Lex decided to turn away from him. He would always feel Lex was part of him and there would never be anyone else, but it would be worth it to know Lex was happy. "I’m not human," Clark whispered.

"Come again," Lex said, shaking his head a bit. Did Clark just say he wasn't human?

"I’m the one responsible for this," Clark said, running his hand over Lex’s head.

"Clark, the meteor shower was responsible for this," Lex said, still not getting what Clark was trying to tell him. Or maybe it was more a case of not wanting to get it.

"I was in the meteor shower," Clark said softly. "My parents found me wandering around a corn field. They also found my space ship."

"Space ship... You're an... alien?"

"Surprise!" Clark gasped out with a twisted little laugh.

"Wow. That's, um, some surprise, Clark," Lex said, running a hand over his head nervously. A space ship. Clark was an alien. No wonder he'd guarded his secret so fiercely. "So, you've been lying to me."

"Yes," Clark didn’t even try to deny it anymore. "Just like you said last night. I… I just couldn’t tell anyone, Lex. My parents said people would come and take me away if I ever did. That I’d end up in some freak show or governmental lab."

"That wasn't what I was referring to last night," Lex said. "But that kind of pales compared to this. I have to tell you, I don't like the fact that you've been lying to me since day one. I do understand it, though. Just as long as it stops now. No more lies, Clark. Ever again. Not if you want this to go forward."

"There’s more," Clark said quickly.

"Tell me all of it, Clark. No matter what. I promise, nothing you say to me is going to make me walk out on you. But I have to know the truth. Now."

"I’m not human and I can do stuff no human can. I’m much stronger than I look, Lex," Clark offered.

"I kind of figured that," Lex said. "It's the only way you could have pulled me up on the catwalk. You're also fairly indestructible, aren't you? That's why your mom was so freaked about the bruising, right?"

"Uh huh." Clark nodded. "And I can run really fast. Other stuff if popping up all the time. I’ve woken up floating above my bed before. Maybe one day I’ll be able to take you flying like you’ve always wanted…"

"Is that all?" Lex asked, hoping it was. He learned more than he was truly ready to deal with as it was.

"There’s one more thing," Clark said. This was the ultimate show of trust. "The only thing that can hurt me is meteorite stone."

"You're trusting me with an awful lot here, Clark. Are you sure I won't use it against you?"

"I’ve told you everything I know now. Although that’s not much. I trust you with my life, Lex."

"I really really love you, Clark," Lex said suddenly. "Your father was right to warn you about telling your secrets. I swear to you, though, that I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe, to make sure no one else finds out about you."

"You’re the best thing I’ve ever pulled out of that river," Clark half laughed, holding onto Lex tighter, but watching his injuries. "I don’t think… I’ll throw you back."

"Thank God for that," Lex laughed. He let Clark hold him for a moment then pushed his lover back. "Now that I know everything, are you going to tell your parents? Or would you rather skip your father's next rant?"

"You know, you did hit me on the bridge that first day," Clark noted, caressing Lex’s bare shoulder lightly. "I ripped the roof of your car off to get at you. The first time I touched you, I knew you were the one. I guess we both fought it… but we were always trying to protect each other. So, yes, I want my parents to know… I’m proud of what we have."

"Alright," Lex agreed. "But if he comes down on you too much I'm taking you out of here. I know he's your dad and you don't want me to have him arrested so I won't. That doesn't mean I won't threaten him with it if he gets to upset. Okay?"

"Yeah… fine…" Clark agreed absently, busy carefully kissing Lex’s bruises.

"You ready to head downstairs and get this over with?"

"I’m not letting you get out of bed," Clark says with a gentle shove pushing Lex back down. "You’re in recovery. If they want to talk with us, they can come up here."

"Are you sure? It might be better to meet them on a more neutral front than your bedroom."

"Will you let me carry you down?" Clark asked sceptically.

"If it will make you feel better, yes," Lex said. "Besides, I'm not sure if I could make it down the stairs on my own without falling on my face."

"Well, I kind of thought that was obvious. I just didn’t think you’d let me carry you."

"Right now I think I'd let you do just about anything. Clark..." Lex hesitated. "Go easy on your dad. He really is worried about you. This can't be easy for him, finding his son now essentially married to the son of a man he despises."

"Say it again," Clark beamed at Lex.

"Which part?" Lex asked, smiling back at Clark.

"The part about us being married…"

"Well, it's true, isn't it? I mean, there can't be anyone else for you and there won't be anyone else for me. So I guess that means we're married."

"Maybe we could get some rings or something?" Clark asked hopefully. He wanted Lex marked as his own.

"We can get whatever you like," Lex told him. "Custom made, just for the two of us. It might be prudent to wait until you turn eighteen, though. I know that seems like a long time but it won't do to rub things in your father's face before then."

"Then I’ll be a legal adult and live with you," Clark added. "And nobody will be able to say a thing. Not my father or… or your father… Lex, what about your Dad?"

"Let me worry about my father," Lex said, his voice going hard for a moment. "I've got some things on the bastard that I've been saving, just in case I ever needed him to back off of something. I can handle my father. As long as I promise to give him a grandchild, that's all that will matter to him."

"You want kids?" Clark hadn’t seriously considered a family before, not even sure he could even get an Earth woman pregnant.

"It's more a case of what's expected of me," Lex explained. "My father will expect an heir. He'll leave us alone as long as I promise to provide him one and make good on that promise. But that won't be for quite a while."

"I like the idea of a little Lex or Alexa running around with blue eyes and… what colour was your hair anyways?" Clark asked, looking far too romantic for Lex’s taste.

"Red," Lex replied. "Bright fucking red. I hope for the kid's sake, he or she gets your hair."

"Lex…" Clark laughed. "I may be an alien, but as far as I know I can’t get pregnant."

"That's not what I meant," Lex said, laughing too. "But I am a biochemist, Clark. I'm sure I could come up with some way to make the child part of both of us. But that's years from now. Which is good because I'm going to need those years to find a way to make it happen. But even if I can't, we could always adopt."

"Adoption’s good," Clark agreed. He certainly couldn’t argue how lucky he had been. "But… I think I want a long time with you alone."

"I think we can manage that," Lex said. "But first we have to get through the talk with your folks. Let's get this over with, okay?"

"Okay…" Clark nodded and moved, stopping when he didn’t feel as much pain as he had before. He pulled his shirt up and looked at his torso. The once vivid bruises had already started to fade and his ribs didn’t hurt as much. "Damn… I think being around you better is making me heal more quickly."

"Good," Lex said as he got to his feet. "I don't like the idea of you feeling my pain. Just wish that quickened healing extended to me, too."

"Maybe it will after we’ve been together for a while," Clark shrugged his shoulders and moved closer to Lex. "I’m disappointed though. I wanted to share your pain."

"You can share my pain without having to endure it," Lex said. "Though I do have to wonder what sex will feel like for you."

"I don’t know…" Clark blurted out and blushed. "What we did last night felt good. But it’s all a matter of control."

"Absolutely. I still wonder what it'll feel like for you the first time you fuck me, though. Will you feel the same burn and stretch that I do? Or will you just feel the pleasure of sinking inside me for the first time?"

"Lex…" Clark sighed with embarrassment. "Not in my parent’s house."

"Alright," Lex laughed. "Come on. Let's get this over with before I lose my nerve altogether."

Clark moved forward and scooped up Lex into his arms. "You need to eat more, you’re too skinny," Clark chided.

"I'm perfectly proportioned for my height," Lex told him. "You're just overly tall."

"Sure, Lex," Clark rolled his eyes and started down the stairs. He was sorely tempted to poke Lex in the ribs to prove his point, but didn’t dare while he was still sore. "I’ll just sick my Mom on you."

"Not sure that's such a good idea right now. She might try to poison me. Clark, take it easy on the stairs. My ribs feel like they're on fire."

"I’m sorry," Clark said and shifted Lex in his arms. He started back down the stairs more carefully.

"Not your fault," Lex said through gritted teeth. "Just... don't sit me next to your dad, okay?"

"I wouldn’t mind sitting you in my lap," Clark whispered in his ear as they reached the bottom step and headed for the living room.

"Don't tempt me," Lex whispered back. "Just put yourself between me and your parents for now and I'll be satisfied."

"We can have the love seat all to ourselves," Clark teased, brushing his lips against Lex’s ear.

"Clark, do you really want me to have this conversation with your parents with a hard-on?" Lex asked.

"You’re so easy," Clark whispered just as they crossed the threshold of the living room and saw his parents sitting staring at him.

"Gee, nice to see you think I'm easy," Lex shot back. "You can put me down now, Clark. It's bad form to appear weak before your enemies."

"We’re not you’re enemies," Martha said, fighting the urge to get up and fuss over her son and Lex.

"Forgive me, Mrs. Kent, but it certainly felt like that earlier," Lex said as Clark carefully set him on his feet.

"I’ve had nice talk with my husband and he’s realized the error of his ways," Martha said and elbowed her spouse who was slumped next to her, glaring at Lex. "Haven’t you, Jonathon?"

You do realize they're having sex, don't you?" Jonathan asked his wife, unable to believe that she could side with a Luthor.

"No dear, I expected Clark to remain a virgin the rest of his life, just like his father… who was purest of the pure at the same age," Martha replied sarcastically and then signed. "I’m not happy about it, but I’ll have to learn to accept it. He seems happy enough and it could be worse."

"I'd like to know what you think is worse than being Lex Luther’s whore," Jonathan snapped. It was all he could do not to lunge across the room and choking the living shit out of the boy.

"Jonathon!" Martha gasped in shock. She couldn’t believe her own husband had just called their son a whore. "Why don’t keep your mouth shut and let me do the talking. Because if I hear one more ugly thing come out of your mouth about him, I’m packing our bags and I’m sure Lex would be happy to put us up. And just for the record, I think it would be far worse to have Clark show up saying he’d gotten Chloe or Lana pregnant."

"Y-you think I'm a whore?" Clark asked brokenly. "Because I-I-I slept with Lex?" He couldn't hide the pain his father's words had caused. He could understand his dad being upset. He'd just found out his freak son was even more of a freak, after all. But this... this hurt.

"Sweety… no," Martha tried to calm her son. "He was just being a jackass. He didn’t mean it."

Lex clenched his hands into fists and fought down the urge to punch his prospective father-in-law. "You know, I would have expected Lionel to say something like that," Lex said coldly. "I expected better from you."

"Don’t compare me to your bastard father," Jonathon growled back.

"Then stop acting like him," Lex shot back. "And if you insist on hurting him, I *will* take him away from here."

"And I’ll go with them, if they’ll have me," Martha added.

"You'll always be welcome in our home, Mrs. Kent," Lex said, trying to get his temper under control. "But we're getting ahead of ourselves here. We need to talk about this. All of it. And decide what, if anything, we're going to do."

"Well I can tell you one thing," Martha said. "He may be old enough for a relationship, but he’s too young to be on his own. And you certainly aren’t ready to be a lover and a parent, Lex. He has to finish high school and I want him to lead normal life. This is his world and I won’t have him taken out of it until he’s ready."

"I agree," Lex said. "But, what about this bond? Clark made it clear that being apart was... painful... for him. I won't have him in pain if I can help it. If that means I have to remain within a certain distance then so be it."

"It was worse when you went to Metropolis," Clark offered. "I think as long as you’re close enough so that I could get to you if I had to, I’ll be fine."

"But won't the bond be stronger now that we've... consummated it?" Lex asked. "And I won't go to Metropolis without you again. I'm sorry, Clark. I didn't know."

Clark leaned close to Lex and whispered so his parents couldn’t hear. "I think it will get better after we’ve… consummated it fully. I feel like it will settle down a bit after we’ve… been together. Maybe it’s a commitment thing?"

"I'll have to trust your judgement," Lex said. "But if it gets worse or something, you let me know immediately."

"Well it makes sense," Clark argued. "People from wherever the hell I’m from couldn’t be expected to stick to each other’s side all the time. I mean, you still have to go to work and I have to go to school."

"Clark!" Jonathan shouted, trying to silence his son. From the looks on the two boys faces it was too late. Lex's lack of surprise at Clark's statement only proved that he already knew all his secrets.

"He knows, Dad," Clark said, looking at his father stubbornly.

"Damn it, Clark! What the hell is wrong with you?" Jonathan raged. "He'll use you for everything he can then discard you like so much trash. It's what his kind do. You'll end up on some slab somewhere being dissected. Is that what you want? Is it?"

"He wouldn’t do that!" Clark yelled.

"How do you know," Jonathon shot back. "His old man destroys lives everyday without blinking."

"Because I just *know*… I can *feel* his intentions and emotions… sometimes even his thoughts…" Clark burst out and then stopped when he realized what he just said.

"Clark?" Lex queried. "Didn't we just have the complete honesty talk upstairs?"

"I… I didn’t realize I was doing it till now," Clark stammered. "It just was part of the bond. It’s just getting strong enough for me to detect it now."

"Easy, love," Lex soothed. "I believe you. I thought it might have just slipped your mind or something. A lot's happened in such a short time. But Clark, don't be afraid to tell me something. Even if you think I won't like it. Okay?"

"I can tell you’re mad…" Clark said nervously. "…and worried. But you don’t have to worry, I can’t read your mind or anything. Your secrets are safe. I just get your emotions and the occasional stray word or thought, especially when you’re close or emotional."

"Yes, I'm angry, but I'm not angry at you. It's more directed toward your father than anything else. I am worried, though. I'm worried about you, what this will mean for you. I'm worried about you choosing your mate for the rest of your life at sixteen. I'm worried about you never speaking to your father again. I'm worried about a lot of things."

"You worry too much," Clark teased nervously with a crooked smile. "And I can’t control what my body wants. It wanted me to find a mate. Actually, I think I was pushing it too long by waiting till I was 16. I know that sounds crazy… kids my age aren’t supposed to settle down, I know that, but I’m not normal. I have the body of an adult… I’m even bigger than you, Lex."

"Clark," Lex gasped, turning red. He cast a quick glance at Mrs. Kent and smiled when he saw her hiding her mouth behind her hand. "I think that was more information than your parents really needed."

"Ah jeez," Clark mumbled and buried his head against Lex’s shoulder. "I meant I was taller than you."

"Oh," Lex said. "Well, I guess that was my fault then. Anyway, back to the topic at hand. What are we going to do? Clark, how close do you need me to be? Does it need to be a constant thing or can you get by with a few visits a week? Help me out here, Clark. I need to know what we're up against."

"I can’t believe how well your taking this," Clark mumbled against Lex’s shoulder. Being with Lex was like being on a roll coaster going full tilt and backwards. One minute he could embarrass the hell out of you and do a complete 180 degree turn. Well Clark had no intention of coming from his hiding place until he’d at least stopped blushing.

"Neither can I," Lex snorted. "But I'm not going to leave you so running screaming from the house isn't an option. Besides, you'd be surprised what a few cracked ribs can do for your outlook on things."

"You’re ribs aren’t cracked," Clark mumbled. "They’re just bruised."

"And you know this how exactly?" Lex asked, careful to keep his voice light. He didn't want Clark thinking he was mad again.

"Ahhh… x-ray vision?" Clark offered, still hiding. Things just kept getting better and better.

"You have x-ray vision, too?" Lex asked, then turned his attention to Martha. "Mrs. Kent, other than being really strong and really fast and damned near invulnerable is there anything else Clark has forgotten to tell me? Other than the x-ray vision thing?"

"Oh dear," Martha said. "Did he tell you about the flying incidences?"

"I believe he mentioned floating," Lex said. "He can fly, too?"

"Floating leads to flying," Clark mumbled. "I just can’t control it very good yet."

"Ah. Well, I guess we'll have to work on that, won't we," Lex said. "But first we've got to figure out this bond. You already said that as it stabilizes distance won't be an issue. So, what about time together? Do we need to be together every day to keep the bond stable?"

"I don’t know, Lex," Clark tried to explain. "This is all new to me. It’s not like I have any information to work with. I just know that as long as your close enough that I could get to you if you got in trouble, I feel more comfortable. I was a nervous wreck when you were gone. Maybe when and if I can fly, it won’t matter where you are. And I want to spend as much time with as I can, but know how busy you are…"

"I'll never be too busy for you. I promise. You already have access to the castle. I'll make sure you have it at the plant as well. Even if I'm working, you can come and be close to me. Would that at least help?"

"Yes," Clark said, lifting his head from Lex’s shoulder, but his arm circled Lex’s waist for the physical comfort.

"And what about when Clark goes to university?" Jonathon spoke up, trying to keep his temper in check. He’d watching this interaction quietly, planning his strategy for the future.

"I don't see how that would be any different than him going to high school," Lex said. "Except he'd probably have more free time. Where Clark goes, I go, Mr. Kent. If he wants to go to Metropolis University, then I'll relocate back to Metropolis. If he wants to go somewhere else, then I'll relocate there. I'm really quite adaptable."

"And when he grows up…" Jonathon continued, virtually ignoring Lex’s response. "Are you willing to let the world know you’re a fag? Or are you going to keep him as a dirty little secret?"

"Mr. Kent, I'm willing to put a ring on your son's finger right now," Lex said boldly. "I don't care what the world thinks of me. Hell, I don't even care what my own father thinks of me. All I care about is Clark. As long as he's happy then I'm happy."

"God, you young people never think things out," Jonathon grumbled. "Have you ever thought of the attention Clark will get as your lover? Too much attention. From the press… from your father… from your enemies."

"And just what would you have me do, Mr. Kent?" Lex asked, truly puzzled. "Hide him away like I'm ashamed of him? I won't do that. I can't."

"We’ve been hiding him for years to keep him safe," Jonathon countered. "We were never ashamed of him."

"So what would you have me do? Do you really want me to keep him as some secret while I fuck some socialite on the side? Is that really what you want for your son?"

"I want him to stay safe! He’s our only child."

"And how do you propose I keep him safe?" Lex asked. "Tell me, because I'm fresh out of ideas and you haven't seemed to like any of the ones I've had so far."

"Keeping him away from you would be a start," Jonathon shot back.

"So you'd rather see your son alone and in pain than with me, is that it?"

"No…" Jonathon growled in frustration. He rubbed his face with his palms. "I only want to keep my family safe and happy. You were not in picture."

"Well, he's in the picture now, Dad," Clark broke in. "He's my lover. And one day he's going to... to be my husband. If you can't handle that then, well, I guess I'll have to leave the farm. I don't want to, but I'm not going to leave Lex. I couldn't if I wanted to. There's no reversing this now. It's too late for that."

"You are not leaving home until you’re ready. And you’re sure as hell not ready. You can’t even take care of yourself yet and you shouldn’t have to at your age. If that means I have to tolerate him…" Jonathon said, waving his arm at Lex. "…then I’ll do it, but that doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it."

"Maybe not," Martha interjected before Clark could. "But it does mean you have to be polite. I won't have you sniping at Lex and making him feel uncomfortable. Can't you see that every hurt you inflict on him Clark feels? I know this isn't what you wanted for him, Jonathan, but it's how things are and there's nothing you can do to change it."

"I don’t even mind it’s a another boy so much as that it’s a Luthor," Jonathon grumbled, saying Luthor like it was a swear word. "I’ll be civil, but I’ll be keeping an eye on him. If he hurts Clark, he’ll be hearing from me. I wouldn’t be much of a father if I didn’t try and protect my son."

"Fair enough," Lex said. He squeezed Clark's hand when his lover was about to protest. "Let it be, Clark. He can watch me as closely as he wants to. If he's waiting for me to betray you or hurt you he's going to have a long wait."

Jonathon turned to his son and asked, "Does he love you as much as you love him?" He was used to his Clark’s exceptional talents and accepted the empathic and physic aspects of the bond without questioning.

Clark seemed to concentrate for a minute then smiled blindingly at his father. "Yes," he said softly. "Yes, he does."

"I’m happy of that," Jonathon finally conceded gruffly. "But don’t think that just because you’re dating a billionaire or a boy, that the rules will be any different than we’ve discussed. You still have a curfew and I expect him to treat you right. No driving up like a maniac and honking the horn. And when you’re under my roof… you’ll behave yourselves. If I see him getting overly fresh with you…"

"Excuse me, Mr. Kent, but I didn't fall in love with Clark overnight," Lex said. "I haven't treated him disrespectfully so far and I have no plans to start. We'll respect your rules, but you'll have to respect this bond between us and the fact that Clark and I are going to need time alone together. I'm sorry if you don't like the thought of us having sex, but I won't see Clark in pain simply to satisfy your moral convictions."

"Shit…" Jonathon hissed, pinched the bridge of his nose. You weren’t supposed to talk about this kind of stuff with your parents or your in-laws, no matter what those new agers said. He still remembered the good old days when you pretended your girlfriend was a virgin around her father and then parked in lover’s lane.

"I'm sorry to be so blunt," Lex apologized, casting a glance at Mrs. Kent. "But I don't want any misunderstandings. This entire situation is stressful enough for everyone. I don't want to have to go through this again. If you'd prefer we didn't... do anything... here, then we can restrict those activities to the castle."

"That’s what dates are for," Jonathon growled. "You’re *dating* my son, not just… well you know."

"Mr. Kent... I hate to be so blunt in front of Clark's mother, but... I'm doing a hell of a lot more than fucking your son," Lex said. "I. Love. Him. Dating him, as you put it, will be a joy. But I want you to understand something. This goes far beyond dating. I plan on marrying Clark once he turns eighteen. If he'll have me, that is."

"A wedding?" Martha perked up, intentionally ignoring Lex’s language.

"Yes, ma'am," Lex said. "I meant it when I said I wanted to put my ring on Clark's finger and his on mine."

"I love weddings," Martha almost purred. She was happy to know that even though her son was bonded with another man she would still have this experience.

"Well then you'll have to help us plan it," Lex told her, smiling.

"You’ve got to call me Mom," Martha smiled back. "After all, you’re part of the family now. And don’t worry about Jonathon, he’ll come around eventually. My father hated him when we were dating."

"He still hates me…" Jonathon interrupted.

"Shush now," Martha cut him off. "You know that’s not true. Anyways, you’ll be spending a few days here, so we might as well get you comfortable. Do you need anything from your house? I can send Jonathon for it. And isn’t there anyone we should phone and let them know you’re safe here? They must be worried to death."

"You want me to stay here?" Lex asked, surprised. "For a few days?" He never expected this. Begrudging acceptance by Mrs. Kent and hostile toleration by Mr. Kent, maybe. But not this. It was surreal.

"Of course," Martha said. "You’re hurt and we’re going to take care of you."

"He can stay in the spare room…" Jonathon said and stop when Martha glared at him. "Well, Clark’s bed *is* a single."

"Then we’ll buy him a double when we can afford it," Martha said, continuing to glare at her husband. "If you don’t mind sharing with Clark that is. He’s always moved around in his sleep a lot and then there was whole floating accident... maybe it would be best if you did sleep apart until you’re healed a little more."

"No, please..." Clark said suddenly, reaching out to grip Lex's hand tight. "I'll be careful. I won't hurt him."

"It's okay, Clark. I trust you. Your bed will be fine. And I'll pay for the new bed, Mrs. Kent. It's my fault he needs it."

"Well… we’ll see who pays for it," Martha tutted, taking in Lex’s lean frame. "It’s not like you’ll take up much room. You’re far too skinny. Some time here will do you good."

"I don't doubt that," Lex smiled. "If I could use your phone I'll just call and let the servants know I'll be gone for a few days. I'll have someone bring me round some clothes, too."

"Something comfortable and warm," Martha insisted. "And what are your favourite foods? Clark’s a bottomless pit and will eat pretty much everything." She was already planning a course action to spoil the boy rotten and fatten him up.

"Anything is fine," Lex replied as he stood up to make his phone call. As he did, the world seemed to tilt on it's axis and he suddenly found himself sitting down again, this time in Clark's lap. "Wow. Guess I stood up too fast."

"Hold it right there," Martha ordered. "Clark, take him back upstairs. He can phone using the cordless… from bed."

"Really, I'm fine," Lex protested. "I can phone from down here. I just got dizzy for a moment. One too many blows to the head, I guess."

"Clark, you heard me," Martha said in her patented mother’s tone. "Now get."

Clark rose from the couch easily lifting Lex as he did so. It was nice not to have to hide his gifts around Lex any more. He took the stairs slowly, aware of how much pain Lex was still in. It was like a dull ache in the back of his mind now and he didn't want to add to that pain if he could help it.

"Is she always like that?" Lex asked through gritted teeth. He barely remembered his own mother sometimes and Martha Kent was like a surreal dream.

"Pretty much," Clark said as he laid Lex down on the bed. "Are you in much pain? Maybe we should take you to a doctor."

"I hate doctors," Lex said. "If I was at home, I’d just get my own painkillers."

"I hate him for what he did to you," Clark whispered roughly, the anger surging up in him at the sight of his mate in pain. The bruised face. The damaged ribs. The swollen and aching testicles from where he'd been kicked. Clark knew about it all and it all made him so angry he just wanted to go downstairs and *shake* his father for what he'd done.

"I wish my father loved me half as much as yours loves you," Lex whispered back.

"Just because loves me doesn't excuse what he did," Clark said, the anger still there. "If it wasn't for me, he'd be in jail right now. Maybe that's where he belongs. Maybe then he'd realize that he can't go around hurting people just because he doesn't like them."

"Don’t judge him too harshly," Lex urged. "We’ve all made mistakes. I’ve hurt people before."

"Did you go to someone's home and beat them?" Clark asked. "Did you kick them while they were down and couldn't get away? Did you threaten to... to cut their balls off if they came near your family again?"

"No… but I’ve given people drugs and watched them snort their lives away. I’ve watched people be beaten and done nothing," Lex said sadly. "I’m not an innocent like you, Clark. I’m too much my father’s son for that."

"So that means I'm supposed to forgive him for what he did?" Clark asked, the anger replaced with confusion. "I don't know if I can. I don't think I'll ever trust him to be alone with you again."

"He’s your Dad," Lex said, understanding what Clark was going through. "You may not like him right now, but you still love him."

"If he ever touches you again, I'll kill him," Clark vowed, dropping his voice so no one but Lex could possibly hear him.

"Hey now, don’t say that…" Lex shushed Clark. He brought his hand up to Clark’s head and gently pulled his head down until it rested on Lex’s upper chest. He stroked Clark’s face as silent tears fell.

"I could feel what he did to you. Every blow. Every kick. I could... could feel how scared you were and... and how much you hurt inside for me. You knew what it would do to me if my own father killed you. You weren't scared for you, you were scared for me." Clark didn't try to hold back the tears then. He let them pour out and be absorbed by Lex's shirt.

"I know, love… I know," Lex cooed. "Let it out."

A few minutes later Martha walked in with the cordless phone. She felt her heart break as she watched her son crying his eyes out on Lex's chest. "He'll be okay," Lex told her. "He just needs to get this out."

"I brought you the phone," Martha explained and handed to cordless to Lex. She bent over and kissed the top of her son’s head. "He’s always been so sensitive."

"Thank you," Lex said. "For everything. We'll be down again shortly. I think Clark really needs to talk to his father."

"Yes and you need your rest," Martha agreed, speaking just as much to Clark as to Lex. "I just wanted to tell you a few things first. No matter what Jonathon says or does… I think you’re good for Clark. Maybe not who I thought who he’d bring home, but I’m beginning to warm up to you very fast. And about your family… your father may be… well, he may lack some social graces, but I remember reading about your mother. I think you’ve inherited a lot of her qualities."

"Thank you," Lex said. "Your opinion means a great deal to both of us. I never wanted to take him away from his family. Please believe that if you believe nothing else."

"I do, dear," Martha nodded and leaned over and kissed Lex’s forehead.

Lex watched her close the door as she left them alone. He was stunned. He'd never expected this. Never expected to have anything close to a mother ever again. Then again, he never expected to have a man that he loved more than his own life, either.

"I think she likes you," Clark half laughed, half sobbed, wiping his runny noise with the back of his hand.

"I think she loves you so she's willing to tolerate me," Lex replied. "You feeling better now?"

"A little," Clark admitted. "I can’t believe I acted like big baby in front of you."

"It's been a rough 24 hours for you. You needed to let it out. There's nothing wrong with that." Lex picked up the phone Martha had left and dialled the castle. He informed his staff that he was fine and would be staying with the Kents for a few days. He asked for some clothes to be brought around for him then hung up and put the phone back down.

"I want you to change into one of my shirts," Clark finally said. Lex was still wearing the shirt he had worn last night. It was covered in blood and he just wanted to get rid of it. He loved the idea of Lex swimming in one of his shirts, marked with his scent.

"I have some clothes on the way over," Lex said. One glimpse at the look on Clark's face and Lex knew he was a goner. "But they probably won't be here for an hour or more so why don't I borrow one of yours?"

Clark beamed at Lex. "I’ll give you one of my favourites then." He stumbled in is his haste to get up and it was then that Lex noticed that the bruises were almost completely faded from Clark’s skin. Clark ruffled around in his closet and pulled out a faded blue, cotton t-shirt proudly marked "Kansas State Fair 1999" and a picture of a smiling cartoon tomato on the front. "I got this the year I won my category for the biggest tomato. I was so happy, I wouldn’t take it off for nearly a month. It’s tight on me, so it should fit you a little better," Clark said proudly.

"Thanks," Lex said as he took the shirt. He began unbuttoning his own, realizing that it was destined for the garbage can. There was no way all that dried blood was ever going to come out. "You won a contest for biggest tomato, huh?"

"Grown organically," Clark nodded, helping Lex get the shirt off, spying a little something. "Purple’s your favourite colour, huh?"

"That would stand to reason and yes, purple is my favourite colour. It was my mother's favourite, too. I guess I wear it for her mostly. To remind myself of her."

"I just wanted to know how many purple boxers you own?" Clark smiled innocently and ran his fingers under the line of purple silk that showed under Lex’s low riding pants.

"About a dozen pairs," Lex replied, his voice catching as Clark caressed his skin. "The rest are black."

"I like you in silk…" Clark purred, his fingers inching a little further until he had Lex’s hip encased in his hand. "And black… looks beautiful next to your skin. I love you in purple, too. It’s very… regal, like you."

"Clark..." Lex moaned. He wanted nothing more than to let this progress as it would, but the ache in his testicles told him that was not an option. "We can't. I'm sorry. I just… hurt too much."

"I know…" Clark said with a patient smile, his hand never moving, but his thumb caressing slowly near Lex’s cock. "I just need to touch you."

"I like having you touch me, too. But getting me aroused right now is a bad idea. Why don't you just lay down with me and hold me instead?"

"Alright…" Clark conceded, moving his hand, but only as far as Lex’s fly. "But I think we should take your pants off… just make sure you’re more comfortable."

"We can do that," Lex gave in. He knew that a big part of Clark's inability to take no for an answer had to do with the bond. It was probably what made him push things so much at the castle. Lex wasn't about to make the same mistake again. If Clark truly had to have this now then he'd find a way to endure it.

Clark carefully undid Lex’s zipper and gingerly removed his pants. Then he crawled in next to Lex and proceeded to examine every nook and cranny of his lover’s body. He kissed every bruised and satisfied himself that nothing life threatening affected Lex. Finally after smelling and licking nearly every inch of Lex’s body, except what was covered by the flimsy boxer’s he settled down next to him, drawing Lex close to his body. He worked his hand up into the shirt, gently caressing a nipple and nuzzled Lex’s neck. Something about having Lex in his bed, wearing his clothes and in his arms was enough to allow Clark to relax.

Lex sighed and sank down into Clark's arms. He was grateful his lover hadn't pushed things. He wanted their first time together to be good for both of them. He was, after all, committing himself for the rest of his life with the act. He wanted to at least be able to enjoy it.

"Go to sleep…" Clark mumbled sleepily. "I marked you as mine… everything’s fine for now."

Lex smiled and closed his eyes. He thought Clark's blatant statement of ownership should upset him, arouse that famous Luthor ire, but it didn't. It only made him feel safe and loved for the first time in a very, very long time.

<><><><><><>

Lex woke up with a heavy groan. He was stiff, every part of his body aching and his head pounded. He hadn’t felt this bad in years. He heard someone snoring next to him and for a spilt second wondered who it was, then it all came rushing back.

He smiled at the memory of falling asleep in Clark's arms, then grimaced as fresh pain shot through him. His morning erection was making itself known and it was causing white hot pain to shoot through his entire groin. Biting back a groan, Lex slid out of bed, nearly crashing to the floor when his knees buckled.

Only sheer will made sure he didn’t fall flat on his face and he steadied himself with an arm on a nearby dresser. He let his head hang for a few seconds and then took a few more determined steps. Propping himself against the dresser he decided he need to centre himself before he could go any farther. Besides, it would give him an opportunity to get a bearing on his environment. His eyes darted over to the bed and he smiled gently. Clark was spread out on the bed, dead to the world and drooling on his pillow. Some time during the night he must have gotten up and stripped down to his boxers. God, but the boy was beautiful.

Lex caught sight of his own reflection in the mirror and winced. Clark's blue and red sweatshirt simply did not go with lavender boxers. But if it made Clark happy then Lex was willing to go with it. Besides, no one other than Clark would be seeing him like this anyway. Taking a deep breath, Lex headed toward the bathroom again.

Clark moved around in the bed, sensing something was wrong. He reached his arm to pull Lex next to him and felt the bed was empty. His eyes shot open and he called out, "Lex?"

"In here, Clark," Lex called back. He was carefully peeling his boxers away from his body so he could take a leak. As he did, he caught sight of his penis and winced at the dark purple bruises that mottled it as well as his testicles. No wonder his groin ached so badly. Lex was almost afraid to piss for fear of seeing blood, but there was nothing he could do about it now.

Lex almost stumbled over the bowl when he felt a whoosh of air and then realized Clark was standing next to him. Those superhuman powers would take a lot of getting used to.

"You shouldn’t be out of bed," Clark fussed.

"I know," Lex agreed, "but I had to take a piss. Just didn't expect it to still hurt this much."

Lex felt Clark’s hand settle on his bare hip to steady hip. Clark maneuvered around so he could a good look at the damage and hissed, "Fuck!"

"It looks worse than it is, I'm sure," Lex said, trying to reassure his lover. He wasn't at all sure of that, though, and the uncertainty in his voice came through loud and clear. It would be ironic if Jonathan Kent had managed with one well placed kick to ensure that his son and Lex could never be "proper" lovers.

"It looks like some one did a jig on your crotch," Clark hissed, shaking with rag. "And I know exactly who’s to blame."

"Clark, let it go. What's done is done. As long as I'm not pissing blood there's nothing to really worry about," Lex reasoned.

"Are you?" Clark asked in a tight voice.

"I don't know yet," Lex said with a short laugh. "I'm kind of afraid to find out."

Clark moved behind Lex, his body pressed protectively against and looked over his shoulder. "Do it."

Lex shuddered at the commanding tone of Clark's voice. Any other time it would have been arousing as hell but right now it only served to bolster his courage. Taking a deep breath, Lex did as Clark ordered. He immediately had to bite down on a scream. It felt like acid was pouring from his cock as he pissed a horribly pink stream into the toilet bowl. He felt Clark's arms slide around his waist and hold him tight as the stream gradually turned from bright pink to the faintest of oranges. Eventually the stream end back to a normal shade, but Lex could Clark tense behind him.

"I’m taking you to the hospital," Clark growled.

"No," Lex said. "It stopped so I'm not still bleeding. That was probably from the original injury. I hurt like hell, but I'll be just fine."

"I can feel your pain," Clark hissed. "Will you ever be able to… get it up again?"

"I'm sure I'll be fine," Lex said again. "I just need some time to heal, that's all. A single well placed kick from your father is not going to affect us. I won't allow it to."

"I’m trying to resist…" Clark said in a low voice, caressing Lex’s hip. "The need to touch you is getting stronger. If we can’t because of him…"

"He's not going to stop us," Lex said firmly. "If you need to mate, then we'll mate. I didn't want to top the first time anyway. I don't want it to be about what you give to me but rather what I can give to you. I don't need to be able to cum to bottom."

"No…" Clark denied, reaching over and tucking Lex back into his boxers. "Whatever we do, we do it together. This… biological imperative… or whatever it is, can wait."

"I don't want you hurting," Lex protested. "Let's see how it goes. I might feel better in a few hours. I don't want to put this off, Clark. I want to finish it. I can handle a little pain if it means binding us together for good."

"No…" Clark said firmly and bent to pick Lex up. "As long as you stay near me, I’ll be fine."

"I can walk, you know," Lex said with a smile

"I like carrying you," Clark protesting, trying to pout a little.

"I know you do and I'll let you carry me later. When we're alone. I know this is hard for you to understand, but... I can't let you make me look weak in front of your father. Never show your enemy your weakness. That was one of the very first things my father ever taught me. I can't just disregard that now."

"Letting me take of you is a weakness?"

"No," Lex explained patiently. "Letting you take care of me is a joy. Appearing too weak to stand on my own two feet is, though. Your father nearly put me in the hospital. I can't show how badly I hurt. That gives him power over me. I won't have that."

"Oh… okay…" Clark said, a little appeased. As long as Lex was mad at his father and not him. He had plans to have a little talk with his father, but first he wanted Lex comfortable. "I can tell Mom made a big breakfast, so I hope you’re hungry."

"Famished," Lex smiled. He let Clark help him into his pants then fuss over him as they made their way to the kitchen. He leaned on his lover as they walked, glad to have Clark beside him. He was still weak and sore but with Clark there he felt ready to take on just about anything. Including Jonathan Kent.

Clark deposited Lex on a chair, noting with satisfaction that his father was absent from the kitchen. He grabbed two plates and proceeded to heap them with pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs and thick toast. He topped the whole mass off with maple syrup and deposited it in front of Lex. He’d already stuff half a pancake into his mouth when he noticed Lex staring at him. "Whaaa?" he managed to mumble with a full mouth.

"Clark, exactly how much do you think I can eat at one time?" Lex asked, bemused. The mound of food in front of him looked like enough to feed a small third world country. For about a week.

Clark swallowed. "I’m hungry," he said, with a shy smile. "I thought you’d be, too. Don’t worry if you finish that up, Mom always makes enough for seconds."

"I don't think I could finish this if I spent all day on it," Lex mumbled. "Nothing against your cooking, Mrs. Kent."

"No offence taken, dear," Martha answered. "Not everyone is a bottomless pit like Clark here."

"Hey!" Clark said, trying to appear offended as he downed a sausage. Then he eyed Lex’s plate. "I can always finish what you don’t."

"It's a good thing you're still living at home for the time being," Lex laughed. "I'm not sure I could afford to feed you."

The comment made Martha laugh. "You’d better eat before he finishes off his first plate. He eats more than any sixteen year old I’ve ever seen. He’ll go through at least three helpings in one meal. Must be his metabolism."

"Ah, that must be it," Lex said. "The speed and strength alone probably burn up who knows how many calories. Not to mention the strain this bond has probably put him under."

"Eat, Lex," Clark said, grabbing another stack of pancakes. "I can feel you’re hungry. And no… I don’t know if I’ll ever grow out of this."

Lex blinked at him for a moment then turned his attention to his food. He didn't know if he'd ever get used to Clark being able to pick up on his thoughts like that. It was the one thing that disconcerted him the most. He was used to his privacy. Now, it appeared he would have none at all.

"You’ll get used to it," Clark smiled reassuringly at Lex.

"Clark, be nice," his mother warned. "This is all very new to Lex. And knowing his... his lover... can read his mind has to be difficult."

"Yes, Mom," Clark answered dutifully, but stared at Lex under his lashes. He was watching Lex lick syrup from his lip and having very naughty thoughts.

They were just finishing breakfast, Clark helping his mother to clean the table while Lex sat back and watched them, when Jonathan came in from outside. The tension in the room increased ten-fold as Lex eyed the distance between himself, his attacker, and the nearest door.

"Don’t bother coming in, Dad," Clark said in a low tone. "We have to go out in the barn and talk."

"Clark, maybe you should talk to your dad in here," Lex suggested. He didn't like the thought of Clark and the elder Kent having any sort of discussion in private right now. Lex had seen the anger in Clark's eyes this morning. He wasn't altogether sure it was safe for Jonathan to be alone in his son's presence.

"No, Lex," Clark said firmly. "This is between us."

"Clark..." Lex began, but one look at his lover's set face stopped him. "Don't do anything that can't be undone."

"This has to be cleared up now," Clark said, getting up and kissing Lex lightly on the lip.

Jonathan hesitated, wanting to say something about the casual display of affection between the two boys. One look at Clark shut him up fast. He backed out the door, knowing Clark wouldn't risk leaving him alone in the room with Lex for even a second. Once outside, he headed straight for the barn.

When they were finally alone in the barn, Clark turned and asked his father, "What would you do if someone had beaten Mom up?"

"What?" Jonathan asked, taken off guard by the question.

"You heard me… what would you do to someone who’d beaten Mom within an inch of her life? What if they’d violated her, too?"

"I... I suppose I'd want to kill them," Jonathan admitted, running a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, son. I thought... well, I thought he'd hurt you, molested you. I was just trying to protect you."

"I know, Dad," Clark said his voice shaky. "But that doesn’t stop how I feel… what I felt when you beat him. Do you understand what I’m going through at all?"

"I'm trying to," Jonathan said. "When I think about what it would have done to me to have someone hurting your mother like I hurt Lex and be forced to endure her pain without being able to help her... I don't know how I'd handle it."

"I still love you," Clark said. "I can’t help it, you’re my Dad. But God help me… if you ever touch him again…"

Jonathan met his son's eyes and knew that Clark meant it. If he ever laid a hand on Lex again, Clark wouldn't be responsible for his actions. He'd protect his mate any way he had to from any one he had to. His own father included. "I won't put my hands on him again. I promise," Jonathan said, not knowing what else to do that would allow him to keep his son.

"He’s not like his father," Clark said. "He fights his father everyday in his head. He doesn’t want to be him… Not like I want… wanted to be like you."

"Son," Jonathan began then faltered. "I... Is there any way I can make this right between us?"

"I don’t know," Clark answered. "Just be the man I always thought you were."

"I can try," Jonathan said. "But that's a lot to live up to. I won't stand here and say that I like the choices you've made with Lex. I won't stand here and say this is what I would have wanted for you. But that choice isn't mine to make. It never was."

"I didn’t choose this either," Clark countered. "I’ve loved Lex since the moment I saw him. But he wasn’t in my cards. I didn’t want to settle until I was older, but now it’s all I want. He’s all I want."

"I won't lie to you. If there was any way for me to change this, I would. I guess I missed my chance at that, though."

"What are you talking about?" Clark faltered.

"Nothing, son. It's too late now anyway," Jonathan replied, wishing he had kept his mouth shut. It was one thing to entertain the daydream that they'd all be better off if he'd finished the job on Lex the first time around. It was quite another to voice those thoughts aloud to anyone.

"How far would you have gone?" Clark took a menacing step forward.

"There's nothing I won't do to protect my family," Jonathan said, meeting his son's deadly glare. "You've lived with me long enough to know that. But I didn't kill him then and I won't do it now. No matter how much I believe you'd be better off without him."

"Maybe you’d be better off with out me, too" Clark spat. "I’m starting to think living with Lex is sounding better and better."

"Clark, please. I'm trying to be honest with you. I don't want to lie to you, even if what I'm telling you is something you don't want to hear. I give you my word I won't raise my hand to him again. I... I was wrong to hurt him in the first place. I spent all your life teaching you that violence doesn't solve anything and then I turn around and give you a prime example of just how much it can fuck your life up."

"You gave me the truth, so I won’t lie to you," Clark said, turning his back on his father. "I don’t know if I can ever trust you again."

"Something else I tried to teach you was that trust was something that had to be earned," Jonathan said, refusing to give up. He would not lose his son over this. He refused to. "If you give me a chance, I'll earn yours again. And... and Lex's, too."

"You told Lex you’d be watching him. Well, I want you to know I’ll be watching you, too," Clark said, wrapping his arms around his chest. His Dad had been his hero is entire life, now that image was shattered. "The sad part was Lex actually envies me… even now."

"I can believe that," Jonathan said. "From what I've seen of Lionel Luthor, he's not the most doting father. You're my son, Clark, and I love you. You can watch me all you want. I won't break my word to you. Lex is... he's welcome here any time he wants to come. I... I'm trying, Clark. Doesn't that count for anything?"

"It’s a start," Clark answered.

Hesitantly, Jonathan closed the distance between himself and his son. He let his hands come to rest on Clark's shoulders and squeezed. It was as close to a hug as he dared get right now. Somehow, he'd find a way to make this right again with Clark. Even if that meant accepting Lex Luthor as his son-in-law.

<><><><><><>

After spending four days on the Kent farm, Lex was ready to scream. Luckily, he had Clark to keep him company since his Mom had called in sick for him. Amazingly enough, he was starting to suspect the bond was having strange affects on him. Clark might share his pain, but now Lex thought he shared some of Clark’s healing power. He should still be laid up, but the swelling had gone down and the bruises had nearly faded in under a week. Maybe now he could get back to his own home, though the thought of leaving Clark did *not* appeal to him. Still, he had a business to run and if they didn't want this thing between them to take over their lives, they needed to put some effort into returning to their normal routines.

"Lex…" Martha’s voice cut through his own thoughts. "Supper’s ready. You’d better come… Clark’s eyeing the food already."

"I'll be right there," Lex replied, smiling despite himself. He really would miss Mrs. Kent. He had a feeling he wouldn't get to miss her too much. Something told him if he wasn't here then Clark, and probably his parents, would be at his place.

"C’mon, Lex," Clark urged, nearly bouncing in place. "I’m hungry. Mom made fried chicken, fresh corn and cornbread."

"I'm coming," Lex laughed. He quickly washed his hands and took his place at the table. After four days he could walk past Clark's father without flinching now. As long as the man didn't make any sudden moves.

// Not the kind I want, but I’ll fix that soon enough. // Clark plopped down on his chair and grabbed a fist full of fried chicken. "Mom makes the best fried chicken," Clark said, tearing into the chicken and watching Lex’s crotch as he sat down. "Gotta love white meat."

Only years of being a Luthor allowed Lex to sit down without embarrassing himself. He snatched a quick glance at his lover, but Clark was wearing his "angel" face. Lex, however, didn't buy that for a second. His lover was up to something and Lex wanted to know what it was.

"Thigh?" Clark asked Lex, rooting around on the plate and Lex felt a bare foot brush against his inner thigh. "Or drumstick?" The foot move a little higher and caressed his cock.

"Clark, you are positively evil," Lex laughed, making Jonathan and Martha frown in confusion. "Drumstick, please."

"Good choice," Clark said innocently handing Lex the drumstick. He then proceeded to remove his foot, but started to suck on his fingers. "Be careful, they’re juicy."

Lex shook his head and smiled at Mrs. Kent. She was blushing slightly but smiled back giving him permission to play the game Clark so obviously wanted to play. "Thanks for the warning. I wouldn't want to make a mess. So tell me, are the breasts nice and plump? Because you know how much I appreciate nice plump breasts."

"I stay with the drumstick if I was you," Clark actually growled and narrowed his eyes. // Because if you so much as look at woman, I’ll tie you to the bed. //

// Promises. Promises. // Lex was just biting into his chicken when he realized what he'd done. He'd heard Clark's voice in his head and he'd responded to it in kind. // Do that again! //

// You mean remind you that your ass belongs to me now? // Clark smiled sweetly at Lex from across the table.

// I mean talk with your mind instead of your mouth. I already know my ass is yours. Are you really hearing everything I think? // Lex stared, wide-eyed. He couldn't believe it. Telepathy. He could communicate telepathically with Clark. Oh this was just getting better and better.

"Close your mouth, Lex," Clark said with a smirk. "The flies might get in." // And there’s only two things I want going in your mouth, food or my dick. //

"Clark, didn't your mother teach you not to use that sort of language at the dinner table?" Lex asked sweetly, his grin widening when Clark began to blush.

"You’re the one that was born with an obscene mouth," Clark countered, grabbing the bowl of potato and scooping some onto his plate. // Obscenely fuckable. //

"Clark Kent, you stop that right now," Martha said, surprising both young men. "I may not be able to hear you, young man, but that doesn't mean I don't know exactly what you're saying. Now, do I need to get the soap out again?"

"Mooooom…" Clark whined. "I didn’t *do* anything…." // Not even you, Lex. Recently, that is. We’ve gotta fix that. //

// Agreed. But if you don't stop your mother is going to wash your mouth out with soap and I'm going to watch. //

// I don’t know how she knows. Mom’s are spooky… //

Lex chuckled and turned his attention back to his plate. From the way things were shaping up he was going to need his strength. He was almost completely healed now and more than ready to take that next step with Clark. However, they had the small problem of being under his parents' roof. Lex didn't want their first time to be filled with stifled moans and worried glances.

"Well are you going to tell me or do I have take away your dessert?" Martha threatened.

"Mom?" Clark questioned, confused.

"I might be able to guess what’s going on between you two, but I want you to tell yourself." She’d been watching the boys through dinner exchanging one to many meaningful looks and smirks.

"Mom!" Clark gasped. He couldn't tell his mother this. It was too personal.

"I think it might be time for Clark and I to spend a few nights at the castle," Lex replied when it became clear that Clark was not going to be able to. "It's not that we don't want to be here, but..."

"But I don’t need a heart attack," Jonathon cut in.

"Something like that," Lex said, his voice losing some of it's warmth. "I wouldn't want to offend Mrs. Kent."

"You two have been acting strange," Martha cut off her husband before he could say anything. Watching his son flirt with Lex had been testing his limits. "The bonds gotten stronger… it’s affecting you now, too… isn’t it, Lex?"

"Yes, ma'am. I can hear his thoughts... talk to him in my head. It's strange, but kind of... nice. Comforting. I'm not sure how much of this you really want to know."

"That’s enough," Martha supplied. She’d just wanted her suspicions confirmed. "Why doesn’t Clark sleep over for a few days? It is Friday, but I want him back in school on Monday."

"Alright," Lex said, surprised at how agreeable she seemed. That was half the dragon down. Time to deal with the other half. The fire-breathing one. "Mr. Kent, do I have your permission for Clark to spend the weekend at the castle with me?"

Jonathon knew if he didn’t say yes, he’d have both his wife’s wrath and son’s disappointment to deal with. Besides, he wasn’t blind. Maybe if the boy’s got some time alone together, maybe they would stop acting like two horny dogs. "Yes," he said through clenched teeth.

"Thank you," Lex said simply. He glanced down at his food and sighed. Even the short-lived tension between him and Clark's father had robbed him of his appetite. Still, he did have something to look forward to. The entire weekend alone with Clark at the castle. Lex planned on dismissing all the staff until Monday morning. He didn't want any interruptions.

// Are you gonna eat that? // Clark was eyeing his plate. He’d already finished off his own chicken and the prospect of spending time alone with Lex just made him hungrier.

Lex silently pushed his plate over to Clark, smiling at his lover as he did so. He'd have to remember to apologize to Mrs. Kent for not eating very much. But right now, he had other things on his mind. Like what it really would feel like the first time Clark made love to him.

"Lex…" Clark hissed and blushed. // I have to get up from this table in front of my parents… stop that! //

"Sorry," Lex said, making Martha giggle. // But I still want to find out. //

"Sometimes you’re such a bastard," Clark said and then realized he’d said it out loud. This trick was going to need definite self-control.

"Clark Kent..." Martha scolded, only to have Jonathan touch her arm and stop her mid-rant.

"Let it go. He didn't mean to let it slip," he said. Like all of his other gifts, Clark was still learning how to use the mind speech he shared with Lex. Jonathan was certain his son never meant to say that word in front of his mother.

"Sorry, Mom," Clark mumbled, looking down at his plate.

"That's alright, Clark," she said. "Just try to watch it from now on. Okay, Sweetie?"

"I will, I promise…" he said, knowing his mother wouldn’t hesitate to pull out the soap. "Do I still get dessert?"

Lex leaned over and whispered just loud enough for everyone to hear, "You can have mine."

"Yeah?" Clark beamed at him and then can turned to his mother looking like a twelve year old. "Can I have two, Mom? Please…"

Lex wiped his mouth to hide his smile and nodded at Martha to give Clark his dessert. He really didn't feel much like eating, especially if they were going to be engaging in... other things... back at the castle. And it was a joy to see Clark acting so young and carefree. Even if it did make him feel like a bit of a cradle robber.

"I don’t act like a little kid," Clark pouted, but it was hard to take him serious when he was wolfing down chocolate cake and had somehow managed to get some on his cheek.

"I never said you did," Lex defended, trying hard not to laugh. "I was merely thinking how nice it is to see you acting so carefree."

"Sure, Lex," Clark countered, narrowing his eyes at his lover. // I’ll show you how grown up I am we’re outta here. //

// Like I said before. Promises. Promises. //

<><><><><><>

Lex felt like a dirty old man driving Clark back to the castle, with his lover dragging a ratty old back pack with him that his mother had packed. She had been holding back tears at the door as she’d kissed her son and clung to him, while her husband had hovered in the background scowling. The term ‘shotgun wedding’ more than once came to mind.

As much as Lex was overjoyed at the prospect of finally being able to make love with Clark again, he was dismayed at the way they were going about it. This was, for all intents and purposes, Clark's first time. There should be some romance, some spontaneity, involved. Not this preplanned, almost contrived arrangement they had right now. He wanted this to be special for Clark and this didn't feel special at all.

"Can we order pizza?" Clark asked conspiracy. His mother always insisted on a home cooked meal.

"You're still hungry?" Lex asked, already trying to remember which pizza place Clark liked best. If his lover wanted pizza, he'd get pizza. Whatever Clark wanted this weekend, Lex intended to give to him. Preferably on a platinum platter.

"Well… it’s gonna be lunch in a few hours," Clark hedged.

"Potesta's is your favourite place, right? For pizza?" Lex asked, making it clear that he'd planned to indulge Clark from the moment he'd asked. "Or did you want to try someplace new?"

"Wherever you what to order from is fine with me," Clark answered truthfully. He was just so happy to be with Lex and be pain free that he’d happily munch on cardboard with no protest.

"I'll let you handle the pizza ordering," Lex said. "Just get it without onions. Anything else is fine. Oh, and extra cheese."

"Extra cheese, no onions… gotcha," Clark echoed. "Ummm… Lex?"

"Yeah, babe?" Lex asked absently, trying to give the road the majority of his attention. The last thing he wanted was a traffic accident now.

"We don’t have to get pizza… we can get whatever you want," Clark said. // I know you’re used to getting what you want… and unless you’re gonna get yourself in trouble, I’ll let you want… and I’m not talking about food. //

"Pizza's fine," Lex replied. "This weekend, it's not just about you or me, it's about both of us. You want pizza so that's what we'll have. Let me make this special for you, Clark. You only get one first time. I want it to mean something."

"Being with you is special enough for me," Clark argued. "It’s not like I know what I’m doing anyways."

"I'll help you with that," Lex said. "We've got all weekend after all. Clark... I want you to know, nothing has to happen this weekend if you don't want it to. I don't want you to feel like you have to do anything. We can just spend time together. The sex, it's not really that important."

"Oh… it’s important alright," Clark blurted out. "If I don’t touch you soon, Lex… I’m gonna burst. I’ve been hard for like almost two days straight… ever since you started getting better."

"Then we'll certainly do something about that. I don't want you suffering, but I don't want you to feel pressured into this either. I can wait until you're ready." They pulled up to the castle and into the garage. Lex was glad that Enrique had dropped off his car along with his clothes. He couldn't imagine what driving back here with Jonathan Kent would have been like.

Clark watched Lex get out of the car and opened his door, taking a quick look around to make no one was around. The minute his feet hit the floor, he bounced like a spring over the top of the car, landing behind Lex. He immediately pinned Lex to the still warm hood and growled, "I think I’m ready now."

"Clark, you have no idea how many fantasies I've had of you, me and the hood of this car," Lex breathed. "But not for your first time. Your first time will be in my - our - bed."

"I need to taste you again, Lex," Clark said, already unbuckling Lex’s belt. He was honouring Lex’s wish to talk aloud most of the time. The mind talk unsettled him, but that didn’t stop Clark from sending a wave of the lust he felt through the bond. "Give me this now and I promise you can fuck me in or on your car whenever you want."

"God, Clark," Lex gasped, pulling Clark into a hard, fast kiss. "Can you... can you talk to me... with your mind while you do this? I want to hear your voice while you suck me."

"Yes…" Clark croaked, dropped to his knees. // I love your cock. //

"Oh yeah," Lex moaned, letting his hands card through Clark's hair. "Suck me..."

Clark engulfed Lex’s cock, deep throating him immediately. // I know why you thought I wasn’t a virgin now. //

"No virgin can suck cock like you. Fuck! It feels like I'm all the way down your throat." Lex fisted his hands in Clark's hair and pulled him tight against his groin. He couldn't get over how good this felt. Better than it had ever felt before and Lex was no stranger to blowjobs.

Clark sucked harder. // No human virgin can suck cock like me…but there’s no one else, Lex. No one before you and no one after you. You own me. //

"Do you have any idea how hot that makes me?" Lex asked, struggling to get words out. "To know no other man has ever touched you... will ever touch you. My cum is the only cum you'll ever taste. My body is the only one you'll ever worship like this."

// You’re perfect… so beautiful… why would I want anyone else? // He was so excited that even thinking was hard. He could sense how close to the edge Lex was and his own cock throbbed his pants.

"God Clark. Suck me. Fuck, yes. Just suck me." Lex gripped Clark even tighter and began to pump into his mouth. He was seconds away from a complete meltdown. He wanted to pour himself down his lover's throat so he could get his own mouth around Clark's aching cock. He could feel it through the bond, how Clark ached and throbbed for him and it made his own experience seem so much... more.

// Give it to me… please. So much closer to being complete. //

Clark's quiet plea in his mind was all it took to push Lex over the edge. With a strangled shout he came, flooding Clark's throat with his cum. He sagged back against the car as his knees threatened to give way. It felt like his very soul was pouring out his cock.

Clark continued to suckle gently on Lex’s cock and only when he sure Lex was done, he closed his eyes and shuddered, cumming in his pants.

Lex moaned when he felt Clark cum. "I would have taken care of that for you," he told his lover as he stroked his hair lovingly.

// I was riding your orgasm. // Clark leaned into Lex’s touch.

// I can't wait till I have you riding something else. // Lex smiled as Clark's face went from startled to embarrassed to turned on as hell all in the space of a few seconds. "But that's not until *much* later."

"I don’t know if anything can top what I just felt…" Clark whispered. "I felt everything you did… what it was like for you to… take my mouth."

"It was heaven," Lex said. He stopped petting Clark's hair long enough to help pull him to his feet. "And next time we'll switch places so you can see what it's like from my end. Just think about it, Clark. Me, on my knees for you, sucking your cock..."

"Lex…" Clark whined, his half hard cock surging to full length at the mere thought of Lex sucking him. He wondered if Lex had forgotten how easily he got excited.

Clark’s eyes drifted down Lex’s back to stop on his ass. He was fascinated with how the fabric clung to the curves in just the right places. Lex always dressed so well, now his only two concerns would be how to get him undressed and into tighter pants when he eventually let him get dressed again.

"I do have a pair of jeans," Lex laughed. "Nice and tight across my ass. I'll wear them for you when I take you to school on Monday."

Clark stopped in mid stride. "*You* own jeans?!"

"Yes, Clark. I do own jeans. I just don't get to wear them much. But for you, I can make an exception. Now come on. I thought we'd build a fire and have some wine before we went upstairs. If that's alright with you."

"I’m not legal," Clark answered, still enthralled with the idea of Lex bringing him to school in one of his fast cars and tight jeans. Pete would be jealous because of the car and Chloe because of Lex.

"I thought you were sixteen," Lex said, suddenly freezing. This was hard enough with Clark being so young. Lex wasn't sure he could go through with it if the boy was even younger.

"Yeah… that means I can’t drink for another three years," Clark nodded. "My mom would kill me."

"Thank God," Lex sighed. "I thought you were talking about sex. I don't think anyone's going to say anything about you having a glass of wine with me. Even your mom. Here, in our home, you can do as you wish as long as you don't endanger yourself."

"Lex…" Clark shook his head. "I’d be breaking the law."

"Not if you have the permission of your parents or your legal guardian. Being your mate, I think that makes me your guardian and able to take responsibility for your welfare. You don't have to if you don't want to, Clark. I won't be hurt if you don't."

Lex obviously trying hard to make this special and he was only being difficult. But he’d always remembered his father’s lectures about responsibility. He wasn’t a normal boy and he couldn’t experiment with alcohol... just like with football. He might hurt someone. "It’s not that I don’t want to…"

"Clark, say no more," Lex said, silencing his lover. "How about some sparkling cider instead? I'm sure my staff has some chilled. Enrique knew you were coming home with me so he arranged a few things for us. He knows you're only sixteen so I'm sure he took that into account."

Clark blushed, thinking about the Lex’s staff knowing he was coming here. He wondered what they thought about that? Maybe that he was a gold digger or another of Lex’s conquests.

"Clark, I can hear your thoughts," Lex reminded him. "They think you're my friend. The only one who knows there's something more to that right now is Enrique. In time the others will know as well. If any of them have anything to say about it they're welcome to find employment elsewhere. I do plan to speak to them all shortly and inform them that you have the same power here as I do. They'll be your servants just as much as mine."

"Servants?" Clark croaked. "What in the hell am I supposed to do with servants?"

"The same thing everyone else does with servants... order them around," Lex laughed. "Really, they're just here to make your life easier. They look after the place. Cook and clean and all that. Enrique's the only one that's more of a... personal assistant, than anything else."

"Servants sound like having a Mom," Clark noted and appeared to be thinking. "I’ll make you breakfast in the morning, Lex."

"And while that sounds lovely, with servants you can have breakfast in bed." Lex risked a glance at Clark and smiled at the blush that image invoked. He couldn't stop himself from twisting the knife the tiniest bit. "I'm fairly certain you don't want your mother bringing us breakfast in bed."

"Lex…" Clark whined. He did not like to talk about his mother and sex in the same sentence. Hopefully Lex would take the hint when he changed the subject. "I can make you breakfast in bed. Mom packed me a jar of peanut butter and I’m sure you’ve gotta have bread around here some where."

"Clark..." Lex began. The devilish glint in his lover's eyes told him Clark was teasing him. "If your mother really did pack you peanut butter than she and your father get up to a lot more fun and games than his general mood would lead one to believe."

"Lex…" Clark gasped. "She did pack me some… but she thought I might get hungry and wasn’t sure what kinda strange foods you were gonna feed me."

"Uh huh. Just keep telling yourself that. I'm sure you'll believe it eventually. I, on the other hand, have a new and rather twisted respect for your mom." They walked through the castle until they ended up in Lex's study. A fire was already lit for them and two bottles sat chilling in ice buckets. Enrique had indeed thought of everything. If he kept this up, Lex was going to be forced to give the man a raise.

Talking about his mother had lessened his erection somewhat, but he was still half hard and nervous. He knew less about romancing a billionaire playboy than he did about sex and her hardly knew anything about sex.

"Don't tense up on me now," Lex whispered as he pulled Clark into the room and led him over in front of the fire. "This isn't too different than sitting in your fortress of solitude looking up at the stars. I'll have to get you a telescope for here. We can mount it on the roof so you can gaze at the stars whenever you're here. Would you like that?"

"Uh huh," Clark nodded smiling at his lover. "I’ll even clear space in barn for when you come over. That way your car won’t get wet or anything."

"The car doesn't matter," Lex said as they sat down together. He grabbed the sparkling cider from the bucket and poured it into the two glasses that had been discreetly placed nearby. He handed one to Clark and took a deep breath. "To all those who try to come between us, I say fuck ‘em… And to us… I say, this friendship, in all its new forms, is forever."

"I like the sound of forever," Clark beamed at Lex and took the Cider, downing it in one gulp. He hiccupped when he finished and tried like hell to hold off a belch.

Lex downed his own glass and set it aside. They'd been prancing around each other for days now. Ever since he'd been taken to the Kent home. He didn't think either one of them could wait much longer. This bond needed to be completed. Lex could even feel it pulling at him now. He could only imagine how strong the pull had to be in Clark. "You ready to go upstairs?" he asked, wanting to give Clark an out... just in case.

"Yeah… we can do this romance stuff later," Clark said hastily. "I promise."

"We've got lots of time to do everything both of us want," Lex said, trying to reassure his nervous lover. "I can feel the bond pulling me. I know it has to be a hell of a lot stronger for you. Let's take this upstairs. I want to make love with you."

Clark got to his feet and literally bent over, putting his hand on Lex’s hips, and placed him on his feet. He kept his hands on Lex’s hip, rubbing idly. "The bond’s been there for me since the river. At first I just wanted to see you again… and the need got stronger. Then I wanted you to touch me. When I came here the other night, I just wanted you to fuck me… but now the bond wants me to touch you… claim you before it’s too late."

"Fuck," Lex groaned, closing his eyes at Clark's huskily spoken words. "Do you have any idea how hot that sounds?" Lex didn't wait for a reply. He took Clark by the hand and led him up the stairs to his - their - bedroom. He closed and locked the door behind them, knowing Clark would feel more at ease if someone couldn't simply walk in on them. Then Lex was leading him to the king-sized bed resting against the far wall.

"How are we gonna do this?" Clark asked in a rushed tone, his pupils growing larger.

First, we're going to get naked," Lex said, teasing his lover a bit by beginning to slowly unbutton his shirt. "Then we're going to get in this bed and you're going to take me. I'll walk you through it the first time so don't worry about that. You'll have to stretch me before you can fuck me but I'll help you with that, too."

"Right… naked, I can do naked," Clark mumbled and moved until he was in front of Lex. He reached out and ripped the shirt off of Lex, mumbling again, "You weren’t getting naked fast enough."

"Then... then tear them off me," Lex gasped, his desire suddenly spiralling out of control at having Clark *rip* his clothes off.

"Done." Clark unzipped Lex’s and in one fell swoop, tore his pants off, leaving Lex standing in pale lavender silk boxers. He reached out and palmed Lex’s cock through the silk. "Don’t wanna rip these. I like them too much."

"I have others... I'll get more..." Lex wanted that, wanted to feel Clark using his extraordinary strength to strip him naked. He wanted to feel other things, too. Like Clark using that same strength to hold him down and fuck him through the mattress. That, however, would definitely have to wait until his virgin lover gained a bit of confidence.

Clark sensed what his lover really wanted and couldn’t help but comply. The silk ripped easily in his hands and Lex stood before him completely naked. "Get on the bed," Clark said in a husky tone.

Lex inhaled sharply and did as Clark said. He didn't want his lover to rush things and end up hurting him so he made sure to lay down on his back. Getting on all fours right now would just be begging for trouble. As it was, he couldn't stop the fine tremors that ran through him as he watched Clark carefully strip off his own clothes as he eyed Lex.

// I would never hurt you. // Clark thought, moving onto the bed. // I would rather die. //

// I know. But passion isn't something you're used to. I didn't want to make a mistake and end up hurting you. //

// You are my passion. // Clark was now hovering over Lex, inhaling his scent.

// Then indulge yourself. // Lex spread his arms wide in supplication. He wanted his lover to feel free to sample him in any way he wanted. Now that they were at this point, there was no real need to rush things. It seemed the bond understood that they would make sure it was completed properly before leaving this bed. They could take this as slow or as fast as they wanted.

Clark started to touch Lex’s body, running his hands over the smooth plains. He always seemed be drawn back to Lex’s cock and balls, obsessed with their lack of hair.

// Does it bother you? // Lex asked, for the first time in his life, self-conscious of his appearance before a lover.

"No… you’re perfect," Clark insisted in a hushed reverent whisper. His fingers tickled Lex’s testicles. "So smooth…"

"I'm glad you like it," Lex said, the relief clear in his voice. "And you're the perfect one. All tan and strong and beautiful."

"You forgot alien and awkward," Clark added self-consciously. "I hope you don’t expect much, Lex, even though you deserve the world."

"If this is your idea of awkward, I'd hate to see what standard you set for graceful," Lex said, gasping as Clark explored his body. "And I don't care that you're an alien. You're mine. That's the only thing that matters to me."

"Say it again, Lex…" Clark begged suddenly, starring at his lover is with wide, shining eyes.

"You're mine," Lex repeated, knowing instinctively what Clark needed to hear. "You belong to me and no one else. You will for the rest of your life. The same way I belong to you. God, Clark. I *never* wanted to settle down. Never wanted to marry. Now, I can't think of anything I want more."

"If I ever see you with anyone… I can’t be responsible for my actions," Clark warned. "Tell me it’s just us… forever… before there’s no turning back for you."

"There's already no turning back for me," Lex told him. "I'll never let another touch me, man or woman, as long as I live. I give you my word. And if I break it, I hope the last thing I see is your face as you snap my neck."

"I… I would never hurt you," Clark said in a shaky voice, his hand running up and down Lex’s inner thigh. "No matter what you did to me, I would take you back. Maybe that’s why I’m so scared. I need you so much."

"I need you, too," Lex gasped, Clark's hand on his skin doing wicked things to his body. He wanted to grab the boy and pull him down on top of him, but he kept his arms outstretched. This was Clark's show. He'd let him have all he wanted.

Clark’s hand ghosted down between Lex’s leg uncertainly brushing between his cheeks. // I need every part of you. //

// It's yours. // Lex spread his legs wider, giving Clark all the access he could in this position. // There's lube in the drawer. Take some and put it on your finger, then push it inside me. //

"Right…" Clark breathed out quickly and in a flash he was back beside Lex. He squeezed some onto his fingers and stopped to let out a little laugh. "Purple lube?"

"I *like* purple," Lex laughed. "And don't knock it. It's passion fruit flavoured."

Clark filed tidbit away, but now he wanted to feel Lex around him, even if it was his finger. He moved his hand between Lex’s legs and began to circle his hole.

"Just push it in, Clark. Not too fast, but you don't have to go too slow either. I... I'm sorry, but you know this isn't my first time. I wish I could give you that, but I can't."

"Don’t talk about anyone else," Clark growled, pushing his finger in slowly. He didn’t want to think of his lover with anyone else.

"Oh fuck... I won't..." Lex tried not to squirm as Clark slowly impaled him on one impossibly long finger. He struggled to keep his arms and legs spread wide. He wanted to be completely open to Clark and that was the best way he knew to do it for the time being.

"I can give you anything you ask of me in bed," Clark growled, his fingering moving in and out. "No one else. Maybe I can’t give you anything else, but I can give you that."

Clark grunted in agreement and slipped two fingers into Lex. He copied his earlier motion, pulling them in and out. Then he remembered something he’d read about on the Internet on some dirty smut site, he dug his fingers in gently looking for it.

Lex nearly catapulted off the bed when Clark brushed his fingers over his prostate. It was all he could do to keep from pushing his lover onto his back and simply impaling himself on the boy. Instead he took a deep breath and concentrated on relaxing as best he could. "Clark, enough," he ground out. "Let me turn over and we can finish this."

"It has to be from the back?" Clark asked, almost disappointed. He wanted to see Lex’s eyes.

"It would be easier if it was. Safer, too. But we can do it face to face." Lex couldn't bring himself to disappoint Clark. Not in this. He wanted this to be special for Clark. He could handle a little pain if it brought his lover joy.

"We need to be able to see each others eyes," Clark tried to explain. The bond was telling him this was the way to do it.

"Alright," Lex said. He could feel the bond singing through his veins. He knew Clark could, too. If Clark said this was the way it needed to be then Lex would follow his lead. "Clark... you know this isn't my first time... what I'm trying to say... I don't want anything between us. Not even a piece of latex. I'm clean. I just had a check-up last month."

"No… of course, we wouldn’t have anything between us," Clark shook his head. The thought hadn’t even crossed his minded. He wanted to be as close to Lex as possible.

"I promise you, there will never be anyone else. I'd die before I'd let another man take me," Lex vowed, his voice soft and serious in the quiet of the room.

"God… yes," Clark growled, moving between Lex’s legs.

Lex pulled his legs back, baring himself to his lover's fierce glare. The look in Clark's eyes made it clear that he couldn't wait any longer. They could talk later. Right now, they needed to finish what they'd started long days ago on Lex's couch. "Do it," Lex prompted, urging Clark on.

"Tell me what to do," Clark begged, holding his cock in his hand.

"Put your cock where your fingers were then push inside me slowly," Lex told him. "You'll feel some resistance but keep pushing unless I tell you to stop."

"Yeah… okay," Clark nodded and did exactly as Lex told him.

Lex gasped when he felt Clark place the head of his cock against his hole. Then Clark was pushing inside him and Lex was biting his lip to keep quiet. He felt the stretch and burn as his body tried to accommodate the flesh spearing it. He knew they hadn't spent enough time getting him ready, but they simply couldn't wait any longer. And there was no way in hell he was telling Clark to stop *now*.

// I wish I could stop. // Clark moved Lex’s legs onto his shoulders and continued to push into him.

// I don't. Do it, Clark. We both need it. The pain won't last long. Don't even think about it. Just take me. // Lex was beginning to like this mind-speak thing. It was so much more intimate than normal speech. And it took less resources to do. Resources that were needed if he was going to get his body to relax.

Clark moved his hands onto Lex’s hips. He lifted him off the bed until only Lex’s shoulders were touching the bed and ground into him. // I need you. Fuck, I need you, Lex. //

Clark began to fuck Lex with determination, his eyes locked with his lover. // Can you feel it? // Clark’s voice demanded, ringing through Lex’s mind.

// Yes. I can feel it all. // And he could. He could feel the bond humming to life between them, becoming stronger and stronger the harder Clark took him. He could feel himself changing, throwing away the last of what his father wanted him to be. And he could feel Clark. He could feel his lover pounding inside him, fucking him long and hard and deep and making Lex nearly weep at the intensity of it all.

// We’re finally one. // Clark gasped out and his body froze as an eerie sense overcame him.

Lex reached up and pulled Clark down. It was awkward and a bit painful, with his legs over Clark's shoulders, but he wanted a kiss. Straining upward to reach, Lex brought their lips together. They really were one. From this moment on neither of them would ever be truly alone again.

The moment their lips met, Clark shuddered and came deep within his lover. His senses began to overload on everything the bond was feeding him. Lex could feel it. He could feel Clark cumming inside him. He could feel the bond surging and through them both. It was like he was touching a live wire and the current just kept running through them both. He snaked a hand between them, realizing Clark wasn't going to have the presence of mind to get him off, and began to stroke himself. It didn't take much with all of his nerve endings seemingly on fire and then Lex was cumming, too, spilling his seed between them as he moaned into Clark's mouth.

With a last twitch of his hips, Clark seemingly had enough sense of mind to pull out of his lover and settle him back onto the bed, before he collapsed onto Lex like a dead weight. Lex realized he was out when he probed with the bond and could only sense a deep-seated satisfaction and utter exhaustion.

Knowing there was nothing else he could do until Clark woke up, Lex closed his eyes and let sleep claim him. He was tired, too, though not nearly as exhausted as his young lover. He had a feeling that Clark wouldn't sleep for long, and when he woke up...

<><><><><><>

Lex couldn’t believe that he’d spent the day catching up on paperwork lying on his bed. Enrique hadn’t even patted an eyelash when he’d told him he’d be conducting the day’s business from his bed. It was like the smug bastard expected this. Still, there wasn't a lot Lex could do about it. He'd tried sitting and the pain had nearly floored him. He was definitely not used to this anymore. He tried to keep what he could of it from Clark, but that was virtually impossible. His lover had been reassured by the fact that Lex wasn't seriously injured just... bruised. But he still hadn't liked leaving Lex home alone while he went to school. Lex had even had to forego dropping him off at school like he'd promised, his ass being entirely too sore to sit behind the wheel of a car.

When he was better, Lex had every intention of picking his young lover up from school in his flashiest car and tightest pair of pants. It might start some rumours, but it would be worth it to make Clark happy. But for the time being, Lex had paperwork to do and Clark had math class to get though. In another few hours his lover would be home and they could spend some time together. In the meantime, Lex was going to work on both the reports in front of him and on finding a way to, if not block the bond, at least tune it out. If he had to *attend* all Clark's classes with him, he would quickly go insane.

// I just think about fucking you… and forget all about algebra. // He heard Clark’s voice tease in his head. The connection was weaker over distances, but still Clark seemed to be pushing and testing its limits. He knew Clark was checking up on him, he was especially needy now so early in their blooming relationship. Despite the bond and alien heritage, Clark was after all a teenage in his first love affair. // …and last. // Clark had almost made it a game to finish Lex’s thoughts sometimes.

// Concentrate on your studies. // Lex admonished gently. // Your father already hates me. He'd jump on any chance to prove this was bad for you. I'm fine. Enrique's here and he knows I'm... under the weather. You pay attention in class and I'll see you after school. // Lex hated sounding like a parent rather than a lover, but he really did want Clark to do well in school. And he was genuinely afraid that Jonathan Kent would find some reason to separate them. Or try to at any rate. Lex didn't dare give him the chance.

// I am paying attention. // Clark whined. // I have a photographic memory. So I don’t even have to take notes or listen to what he’s babbling about. Oh… and by the way, I couldn’t help but over hear your thoughts on the plant. I think the budget in the Operations sector is off because the Forman’s wife is cheating on him. //

// Clark, don't make me have to find a way to block you. // Lex warned him. // You be a good boy and pay attention in class and I'll make it up to you when you get home. Okay? //

// Will you let me use the rest of the peanut butter? // Clark teased. He knew exactly where he’d left it after he’d made a peanut butter sandwich for his lover as breakfast in bed on Saturday morning.

// Maybe. Though I've heard peanut butter makes a shitty lube. //

// Spoilsport. You’re just jealous because I can cook and you can’t. And… ewww… Chloe just threw a spitball at me. //

// Thank you for sharing that, love. // Lex let his amusement flow through the bond then tried his hand at tuning Clark out again. He really did want to finish what he was working on before his lover got home from school. He had a feeling the Kent’s would be calling sometime tonight. They'd probably already called and made sure that Clark had shown up for school today.

// What was that?! // Clark roared through the bond, his mental voice panicked.

// Clark! What is it? What's wrong? // Lex responded instantly.

// I couldn’t feel you! // It was like Lex had faded away from the bond.

// Shhh. Relax, love. I'm sorry. I've been practicing tuning you out some. Just to be able to give you some privacy if you need it. That's all. I didn't mean to scare you. I won't try it again until you're home. Okay? //

// Lex, I’ll be good… I promise. I won’t bug you anymore. // Clark’s mental voice sounded like a panicked little boy. Lex could feel part of the bond shut down, but their empathic bond still connected them and Lex could sense panic, guilt and fear.

// Clark, don't. // Lex scolded as gently as he could. // I'm not upset with you. I'm just working on getting to know this bond we share and making it work *for* us. You could never bug me. Please, tell me you'll be okay. If not, I'll come get you myself and bring you back here. //

There were several moments of silence when Lex was left with his own thoughts. // I’m fine. //

// I'll be there in ten minutes to pick you up. // Lex told him as he bit down on his lip and struggled to his feet. // I'll have your parents call the school and tell them to let you out. //

// I said I’m fine, Lex. I just get… clingy sometimes. I won’t make the same mistake again, I promise. You mean too much for me to push you away. And don’t you dare move another step… you’re hurt. Don’t forget I can be at the front door dragging your ass back to bed before you get out of the garage. //

// You're not being clingy. The bond is new and we're both still adjusting to it. You couldn't push me away if you tried, Kent, so get that through your thick head now. //

// I’m just new at this relationship stuff. // Clark replied uncertainly. // Do you need more space? //

// No, I don't need more space. This is all pretty new to me, too. I just want to be able to give *you* privacy when you need it. That's all. //

// Why would I need privacy from you? You said no more secrets, Lex. //

// That's not what I meant, love. // Lex told him gently. // But I'm sure your parents are going to want to talk to you about all this. And I know your father would prefer to do that without me eavesdropping on his conversation. Plus, your friends are still going to be there. Anything they tell you in confidence... //

// And you have business stuff I don’t need to hear about. I understand… But I don’t like it. //

// Anything that has to do with the business you're more than welcome to listen in on. I'd prefer if you didn't listen in when my father and I are fighting, just to spare you the grief, but you can if you want to. I have nothing to hide from you. //

// I’m sorry I can’t give you a normal relationship or even privacy in your own mind. I know you hate people messing around in your private affairs. //

// Stop that right now. Don't you *dare* apologize for this. You offered me an out but I chose this. Don't you try to make it sound like a mistake. I won't let you. I love you, Clark. That's the only thing that matters. //

// I love you, too. I should let you get back to work. And don’t you dare move. I’ll be fine. // With that Clark tuned Lex out, just like his lover had been practising.

Lex hissed at the sudden feeling of being cut off. He knew Clark hadn't done it on purpose. He'd just been trying to give Lex his privacy. Still, Lex would be more careful from now on. It *hurt* to have the bond cut off like that.

In the end, Lex did manage to get the work done he needed to. He even let Enrique escort him downstairs about an hour before Clark was due out of school. He expected the Kents to show up any time now and Lex refused to appear weak in front of Jonathan Kent.

He was sitting in an over stuffed leather chair in the den, looking like he didn’t have a care in the world, when he heard Enrique announce. "Sir, the Kent’s are here to see you."

"Show time," he muttered under his breath. He struggled to his feet, waving off Enrique's concern. He could damn well get to his feet on his own. Once he was finally up, he took a deep breath and nodded to his servant to show his "in-laws" inside.

Jonathon walked confidently into the room, evidently not impressed by the splendour. "We’ve come to collect our boy, but before he gets back from school, you and me are going to have a little talk."

Lex paled and took an involuntary step back before he could stop himself. Memories of the other night flashed through his head at the aggressive stance the elder Kent was taking. The glass of juice Lex had been drinking fell from his hand to land with a dull thud on the thick carpeting.

"Everything alright in there, Jonathon?" Martha called as she rushed into the den after hearing the crash. Her husband might have told her to wait outside, but she only listened to him when it suited her.

Lex took another step back, his body moving on instinct before his mind could yell at him for behaving like a coward and not standing his ground against the man that had almost killed him. When his foot tangled with the leg of the chair he had been sitting on, Lex went down hard, a startled yelp slipping out before he could bite it back.

Jonathon moved to Lex’s side quickly to try and help him up, but Lex pulled away and snapped, "Stay away from me."

"Jonathan, don't," Martha said, quickly taking in the scene before her. "Can't you see he's scared to death?"

"I am not," Lex said in a shaky voice, trying to collect his composure.

"Oh, sweetie," Martha said as she pushed her husband aside and knelt down beside Lex. "What have we done to you?"

"Mrs. Kent... " Lex began only to stop, his head snapping up fast. "Help me up. Now. I don't want Clark to see me like this."

Martha managed to get Lex half way to his feet when a red blur burst into the room. "Get away from him!" Clark growled, streaking to a stop.

"Clark, stop!" Lex commanded, surging to his feet. His pain and fear were completely forgotten as he addressed the angry young man before him. "You will *not* speak to your mother that way in this or any other house. Do you understand me?"

"I can feel your fear," Clark hissed, he was still breathing fast from running all the way from school at top speed.

"So what?" Lex shot back. "Your mother wasn't the cause of it and even if she was I won't have you taking that tone of voice with her. You get one mother in this life, Clark. Don't abuse that."

"But…" Clark was going to argue but one withering look from his lover stopped that and he mumbled. "Sorry, Mom."

"That's alright, sweetie," Martha told her son. This was not how she had hoped this would go at all. She knew that Jonathan hadn't meant to frighten Lex but convincing Clark of that would be difficult. All she'd wanted to do was check on her boy. She knew that they still needed time together, regardless of what Jonathan thought.

Jonathon had watched the interaction with horrified awe. He was ready to hit his own son to protect his wife. But he hadn’t needed to. Clark had backed down like a frightened puppy when confronted by Lex. The look alone of[on] Clark’s face would have frightened him alone and the knowledge of superhuman strength, but Lex hadn’t even wavered.

"No. Lex is right. I shouldn't have yelled like that," Clark said, truly ashamed of his actions now that he'd had a chance to think about it. "I just knew he was afraid and hurting and I had to get to him. I didn't stop to think about who might be with him. I would never hurt you, Mom. Please tell me you believe that."

"Of course I believe you," Martha answered. She never believed in a million years that her only son would raise a hand to her.

Clark closed the distance between them and hugged her gently. "I'm sorry," he whispered again. He could feel Lex relax across the bond and sent a silent apology to his lover as well. He knew Lex had some serious mother issues. A few moments later Clark pulled away and turned his attention back to his mate. "What scared you? I could feel your fear even with the blocking."

"It was nothing," Lex coughed. He didn’t want any more discord between Clark and his parents. "Just a misunderstanding."

"Lex, you promised," Clark said, speaking out loud for the benefit of his parents. "No more secrets. Tell me what scared you. I can't fix it if I don't know what it is."

"It was me," Jonathon said before Lex could answer.

Clark whipped around to stare open-mouthed at his father. "Why?"

"Clark, please, let it go," Lex urged quietly. He didn't want this. He didn't want his lover to know how he'd backed away in fright rather than face his father.

"I really just wanted to talk to him. I didn’t mean him any harm. But I understand how he reacted," Jonathon said. "I don’t deny it was my fault."

"Of course," Lex said, the words like bile in his throat. "Please forgive my cowardice. What did you wish to speak to me about, Mr. Kent?"

"We’ve come to take Clark home, but we wanted to talk with you about… a visitation schedule."

"I'm not leaving," Clark said, taking a step back toward Lex. "I can't. Not yet. Not without Lex."

"You have to Clark," Jonathon said stubbornly. "People are starting to talk. You had nearly a perfect attendance record and all of a sudden miss a week of school. We told them you had influenza, but the neighbours and Lana were asking after you. If people find out you’re staying here, they’ll get even more suspicious. Some one could call social services on us and then we’d all loose you."

"I can't," Clark said desperately, turning to face Lex. "Lex, tell him he can't take me. It's too soon..."

"Clark, calm down," Lex said as patiently as he could. He ached from his earlier fall, his body still not recovered from the weekend with his lover. His nerves were screaming to get the hell away from Jonathan Kent before the man finished the job he started a week ago. But that would mean leaving Clark and he didn't think his lover could take that right now. "If you still need me close, I'll go with you."

"Maybe that would be a good idea," Martha cut in. "You don’t look so good. I thought you were nearly healed after you’d left our place?"

"I'm fine, Mrs. Kent," Lex lied, not wanting her to worry about him. He felt like enough of a fool for behaving as he did in front of Clark's father.

"And I’m Mother Theresa," Martha shot back. "Clark, help him sit down."

Clark did as his mother said and pulled Lex over to the chair he had so recently vacated. When Clark pushed him down into the plush leather, however, Lex couldn't stop the hiss of pain that escaped. Even after spending all day on his back, his ass still felt like raw meat.

"Ah… shit," Clark hissed in unison, sharing Lex’s pain as it flared.

"Damn it, Luthor!" Jonathan shouted when Clark cried out in pain. "What the hell did you do to my son?"

"He made a man out of me," Clark shot back.

"Clark, you're coming home with us right now," Jonathan said, wanting to get his son away from the man that had stolen his innocence. "You can see Lex on the weekends. That should be enough to satisfy this... bond... you think you have."

"I’m not some kid who gets visitation," Clark said in a dangerous tone. He wouldn’t let his father deny him his right to see his lover. "I’m as good as married, Dad. Grandma was married was at my age."

"Clark," Lex said softly, drawing his lover's attention away from his father for a moment. "Don't fight him on this. If he wanted to, he could make it so I never see you. And we are married, in every way that counts. If we can't be together all the time right now, then we'll survive. It won't be forever, I promise you that."

"If he keeps you away from me, I’ll just leave the minute I turn eighteen," Clark threatened. "And I won’t come back. I’m proud of what we share. The bond’s complete now and you’ll never be able to take him out of my mind."

"Come on, calm down," Lex said for what felt like the hundredth time. "You're not going to just up and leave your mother. I won't allow that. Yes, the bond is complete now. Nothing your father, my father, or anyone else in this town tries to do can change that now. I'll still be in your head even if we're apart. I know it's too soon, Clark. Okay. I know it is. I can feel it, too. But life is rarely fair. You have to take what you can get and make do."

"And that apparently means taking advantage of a sixteen year old virgin," Jonathon snarled, his paternal instinct on edge. "He did exactly what I said he would. He took advantage of you."

"And just how did I do that, Mr. Kent?" Lex asked coolly. "Please, feel free to enlighten all of us since you seem to know so much about what goes on in this house."

"I won’t say it in front of my wife," Jonathon shot back, his cheeks tingeing with embarrassment. "But my son’s in pain. You can see how that wouldn’t make me happy."

"I'm in pain because Lex is in pain," Clark said before Lex could reply. "I feel what he does, remember? Just like I felt it when you tried to beat him to death. I feel this, too. And if you think Lex fucked me, Dad, you're wrong."

Jonathon groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn’t want to talk to his son about sex, let alone gay sex. "I don’t need to hear this."

"I think maybe you do," Clark continued. "You seem to think Lex hurt me somehow. He didn't. In case you missed it, he's the one in pain. So tell me, just how do you think Lex took advantage of me? I'd like to know."

"Fine… so he didn’t take advantage of you," Jonathon stated with ire. "I don’t want to know about your sex life. Just promise me you’ll… stay safe."

Lex struggled back to his feet, having taken as much of Jonathan Kent's sanctimonious attitude as he could stand. "Clark, I'm going upstairs. Go home with your parents. I'll come by in a few days and see you. Maybe by then you and your father will have worked through some of your issues."

"Hold it right there, Luther," Jonathon said. "This just isn’t about you. If Clark was with anyone… I’d want him to be safe. Things aren’t like when we were kids. I know that. Pregnancy… ahhh… not that that matters here, are the least of his worries."

"I'm clean. I would never endanger Clark like that," Lex told him, careful to keep as much distance between them as possible. "And like I told him, there won't be anyone else. Not for me, anyway."

"I’d expect so," Jonathon said, shuffling his feet. "I did some reading on… this. Apparently not all… ahhh, gay men are… monogamous. But I’m… happy… that you and Clark are."

"Right," Lex said, not sure how else to reply to that. He expected some dig about him being a Luthor and therefore not knowing the definition of the word monogamy. Still, for Clark's sake he was not going to give the man anything else to hold over their heads. He didn't want to actually have to beg to even see Clark.

"And you have to be careful about this… gay bashing stuff, too," Jonathon urged, his eyes locked to the ground. "There was this College kid beaten to death awhile back just because he liked boys."

"I don't think you have too much to worry about, Mr. Kent. Unless they happen to have some meteorite-laced baseball bats, Clark should be safe enough."

"Well, you’re not indestructible… so just be careful," Jonathon added gruffly. He was thinking about what would happen to his son if anything happened to this young man. But regardless, no one deserved to die that way.

"Right. Excuse me." Lex turned and headed for the door. He needed some distance and he needed it now. // Everything will be alright, Clark. Just remember, I love you. //

"One more thing, Luthor. When I said I wanted to talk you… it was about this stuff. About being responsible now that you’re… a married man. I’ve said my piece now and I’m sorry for being a bastard…" Jonathon rushed out quickly. He would have let Lex leave the room with his original intentions unsaid and his pride intact, but he needed Clark to hear this.

Lex paused at the door, his hand on the knob. He could feel Clark's worry humming along the bond and it was an odd comfort. It helped soothe the wild part of him that wanted to turn on Jonathan Kent, wanted to grab him by the shirt and shake him and ask him why he had to try to tear them apart when Lex had never, never done anything to him. Instead, he forced the anger back down and asked as civilly as he could, "What exactly are my... visitation rights... with your son, Mr. Kent?"

Jonathon exchanged a look with his wife and continued when she nodded. "He can spend the night on the weekends… unless we’ve got a family function. In that case you can stay at our place. He can go over to your house after school, but has to be home for supper at least four nights a week. In the summer, he can spend more time over as long as he finishes his chores. And this arrangement can stay the same as long as his grades don’t suffer."

Lex swallowed thickly at the news. A few hours a day, some of which would have to be given to Clark's friends if they were to keep anyone from growing too suspicious, and the weekends. The bond screamed in his head that it wasn't enough, wasn't anywhere near enough, but there was little Lex could do. Without a word, he opened the door and headed for the staircase. He wasn't quite sure how he was going to manage to get up the stairs on his own, but he'd be damned before he'd let Clark's father see how vulnerable he truly was right now.

// Lex, I’m going to stay with you. We could runaway together. I don’t care where, as long as I’m with you! //

// No, you're not. // Lex told him. He'd gotten as far as the first step and been forced to sit down. His backside ached from sitting on the hard step, but he didn't care. // You're going to go home with your parents. I'll see you after school tomorrow. If we run now, we'll be running the rest of our lives. I won't have that. That's no kind of life for you. //

// He just doesn’t understand. // Clark half whined and pleaded. // I don’t care what he wants. I don’t care if we have to hideout the rest of our lives. //

// I care. I want more for you than that. I love you. Listen, if it will help, I'll be close by tonight. I won't tell you where and you have to promise not to search for me, even with the bond, but I'll be close. //

// I could slip out after they’re asleep. //

// No. Do this for me, please. Go home with them. Let your mother fuss over you. Try to talk with your father, if you can. I won't be far away. I'll know if you need me and you'll see me tomorrow, I promise. //

// It’s not enough time, Lex. It’ll never be enough. //

// I know. I hurt, too. But we'll get through this and be stronger for it. Please, love, trust me. Trust us. //

"Clark, it’s time to go," Martha called out. She watched the silent exchange between the two boys with awe. Their emotions were written all over their faces.

// Go with your mother, Clark. Be the good son she's come to expect. She deserves that. I won't be far. //

"He’s still our baby," Martha said in apology, her eyes locked with Lex’s. She wasn’t ready to giver her son up yet.

"And he always well be," Lex said, addressing her softly. "I'm sorry about the earlier scene, Mrs. Kent. This is all still so new for both of us. Please don't be upset with Clark. You can be sure the fault lies solely with me. I'll see to it that we stick with the rules your husband has laid down. I won't give him any reason to take Clark away from me."

"He wasn’t the only one who decided on the rules," Martha said softly. "If we don’t set boundaries… well, then we wouldn’t be good parents. Where you really ready to spend every minute of the day with Clark?"

"He's been in my head since the moment we cemented the bond," Lex told her. "Today was the worst with him being so much farther away. I couldn't hear him as clearly at first. But that's irrelevant. You are excellent parents and as such will set the boundaries you feel are best for your son's well-being. And to answer your question, I'm ready to spend every minute of every day of the rest of my life with him. I love him."

"But you have a business to run," Jonathon cut in, trying to be the voice of reason. "And Clark has as normal life to lead as we can give him. If this were a regular relationship, I’d say you’re spending too much time together. But Clark’s always been special and bent the rules. All’s we’re asking for four night’s a week as a family."

"I've already agreed to your terms, Mr. Kent. What more do you want from me?"

"To understand we love him, too," Jonathon blurted out. "To understand all the mistakes I’ve made is because I thought I was doing best by him."

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Didn't you say that yourself, Mr. Kent?" Lex asked, looking up at the other man from his seat on the stairs. "You tried to kill me because you love your son. I actually get that. I do. And because I love him, too, I have to just pretend that didn't happen. Maybe, in a few weeks, I'll be able to do that convincingly. But it's a little too fresh right now."

"There’s different kinds of scars and victories, Mr. Luthor," Jonathon answered and turned, walking out of the room without turning back. It ate at his soul knowing that he might have lost his son from an act of parental protection. Lex had won Clark’s love in the end. Jonathon knew it would never be the same between him and his son again. He’d lost his little boy and Luthor had won the man.

END.