The Memoirs

The buildings looked so much cleaner then the last time Dominic had been there. The filth had been scrubbed off the outside of the walls, the debris filling the courtyard cleaned out and the sidewalks hosed. The grass hadn’t been mowed yet as it was still too cold for that, but... it looked so much cleaner. And Dominic puffed up in pride as he dug his fingers deeper into his wool pea coat, cozying under his scarf as he shivered and stayed close to his lover.

Lionel had burnt his long greatcoat after the day he'd used it to cover Clark and his grandson. Instead, he wore a three-quarter length wool overcoat, leather gloves over fingers that had just started to ache, and a scarf tied warmly around his throat. "You did an excellent job, Dominic, having this place cleaned up. It looks almost habitable, after another round of power washing."

He chuckled softly, burrowing under his scarf and nodding. "Aye, doesn’t it? The lads are coming back in a few weeks when it gets warm to scrub down the walls one last time. They couldn’t do it this past week because the water kept freezin'." A soft yawn, cuddling closer to Lionel as they walked.

"You are going to bed early tonight, little cricket," Lionel chastised softly. "No more late night television for you, I don't care what Leno is doing." He slid his arm tightly around Dominic's waist. "Mr. Ross should be here soon."

And that was just funny. He grinned up at him, rolling his eyes behind his glasses for his lovers sake and pulling his arm closer about his waist, tucking himself to his husbands side and sighing. "Remind me to tell you about the time I didn’t sleep for nine days, okay?"

"I'm almost afraid to ask." He leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to his lover's temple.

And wouldn't you know that's the first thing Dogwood saw when he walked into the buildings. Couple of old guys makin' out in the middle of the room, and his first reaction was... "Aww, man, c'mon. Get a room already!"

Dominic looked up, startled, eyes wide as he gazed at the man walking in. A year or two younger than him, and he looked exactly like Shayla's young man. Which in the grand scheme of things would be accurate, as it was Dogwood Ross, but it left much to be desired as he felt a flush creep up his neck and his head ducked.

Lionel muffled the automatic grin at his beloved's reaction, and instead turned his gaze onto the young man who'd just entered. Cocky and arrogant, they were qualities that Lionel could appreciate. "Mr. Ross, I presume? I'm Lionel Luthor; I own this building, and every room in it. I have a room, and you are standing in it." He held his hand out to be shaken. "I'm very interested in your artwork."

Dogwood held out his hand and shook Lionel's. "Sorry 'bout that, Mr. L." He looked around, smiling as he remembered working. "Tell me you're not gonna bulldoze it."

Dominic fell right into place as Lionel’s assistant, following Dogwood's gaze around the building. The painting was truly magnificent, and Dominic took a moment to appreciate it, wondering vaguely in the back of his mind of his lover, beloved husband, would start lecturing on all the Greek gods.

Because if he did, he was going for a burger and a coke.

"I have no intention of bulldozing these beautiful works of art, Mr. Ross. In fact, I'd like to hire you to restore them. All the buildings in the plaza. You'll be in charge of the entire restoration unit; hire as many people as you like, and you will have an unlimited budget to do with as you please. I want these buildings back in their prime."

Dogwood blinked. That was news. "Lemme get this straight. You wanna pay me more money than I can imagine to restore these paintin's in alla these buildings?" He shifted his weight from his left foot to his right, and tugged at the wide collar of a shirt that looked as though it'd be more at home at a disco.

Hee. There was his man. Dominic did calculations in his mind, already thinking about how much it would cost, considering it would be done with most of Smallville’s resources. They'd need a small restoration crew.... twenty people, and it would take, with all eight buildings, about eight weeks all together. A week per building. Yes, that was about right, and Dominic studied the younger man with the sharp eyes of a person who'd spent his life gauging peoples personalities.

The man was definitely a free spirit, a painter. An artist. And in it, he didn’t resemble Pete at all. Pete had come off, to him at least, as a reliable sort of boy who would be more at home in politics than art. But Dogwood had devoted his life to it, and it was a testament to Gloria Ross that she'd let him do it.

"Mr. Ross, let me make this perfectly clear to you. I am going to be moving my entire corporate headquarters to this plaza. As such, the buildings must be in the finest conditions possible, and that includes the vitality of these paintings. There is a decade or more of age on these paintings, and while they have not totally degraded, it is evident they have not been well cared for. I am willing to give you a seven or eight digit budget in which to accomplish the restoration of every piece of your artwork in these buildings. You will have near-limitless resources and free reign to do as you like, provided the paintings and sculptures are not destroyed, deformed, or improved upon in any way."

"In two words, he likes them and he'll pay you a bitch to make them grand again." Dominic added quietly, almost shyly, though his grin was quick, hands tucked in his pockets.

"You gonna fuck me over, Mr. L? Like you did my daddy and my uncle?" Dogwood stared at the two men, wide collar laying over a lemon-yellow and black jacket that made him resemble a bumblebee on crack. "Cause if you are, you can stick your money where the sun don't shine and find another sucker."

Oooh shit. Dominic got quiet again, brow raised as he stayed just a step behind Lionel, wincing softly.

"Mr. Ross, I don't know what your family has been passing around about me, but I gave your father and his brother a fair price for the factory. I did find that fertilizer was a more profitable endeavor than creamed corn, however, especially considering the decline in corn production in this state, and I merely did what was profitable for myself, my company, and it allowed many people to stay employed at the factory when otherwise, I would have laid them off. By all means, if your antipathy towards me will keep you from adequately performing the restorations, tell me now and I will have no trouble finding someone else to do so. However, I do prefer the original artist when at all possible."

Take that, Paint Boy. Dominic thought silently, face blank as he did a little internal dance for Lionel, gazing at the younger man quietly.

Dogwood just kept gazing at Lionel. "You got balls, Mr. L. And you got taste. And you got yourself a painter." He held out his hand to Lionel.

Lionel accepted the hand that was offered to him, and he shook it firmly.

And then stumbled when Dogwood pulled him into a homeboy hug. "Mr. Ross... release me this instant."

"Oops. Yeah, sorry, Mr. L." Dogwood wasn't at all sorry. "Call me DW; it's the best of the bad." He held his hand out to Dominic next. "Don't leave me hangin'."

Heaved. Sigh. of. Relief. Because as much as Lionel had said they could have found an artist, their plans would have had to be pushed back at least another month, and it was something they simply count afford. But he smiled then and offered his hand back, shaking it firmly. "Hi, Dominic Senatori. Its a pleasure to have you on the team."

"Pleasure to be on the team, man. Heard about the plans and I just knew you guys were gonna trash all my hard work. Glad to see that's not the case." Dogwood just smirked. "Damn glad to see it's not the case."

Lionel was merely stunned into speechlessness for long moments, and then drew himself up stiffly. "Mr. Ross, if you'd care to sign the contracts, I can file them immediately and by tomorrow morning, you'll be issued a LuthorCorp expense account to cover your crew, supplies, and anything else you need."

"Lionel’s no' a stingy man, so you should be able to get what you need." Dominic added, though it was shy again, glancing out over the building. "The paintings are marvelous. Clark and Pete told us that you did it all by yourself?"

"Sure thing, Mr. L. Pass 'em on, I'll sign my life away." He dug into the pocket of the yellow and black ugly jacket and pulled out his favorite silver pen. "This baby's always been nothin' but good Karma for me. Show me the line, baby. Show me the line." He grinned widely up at Dominic. "Sure did, Sugar. Did every last one of 'em, flat on my back on the scaffolds. Lotta work, but man, it was worth it. First big job, and it got my name out there."

Dominic smiled back. "They’re beautiful. You did an excellent job, though Lionel knows more about them than I do. He's truly a history buff... I’ve got the feeling you both will get along grand." Dominic nodded and turned, and as he didn’t find a place for the brief case set it on the floor, crouching and opening it as he took out all the documentation and handing it to his lover. "There, we are."

Lionel pulled out his pen, scrawling his name on each of the eight sheets, one for each building. "If the need arises, I'll contract you again for a ninth building, as I believe I'll need you to at least oversee the decoration of the new tower, so that it will fit in with the other buildings in the plaza."

Dogwood's eyes boggled. There were about five zeros on every page. "I'm makin' this overall?"

"No, Mr. Ross... you're making that per every building you do. Your expense account is over and above that; this is strictly your salary."

Dominic couldn’t help grinning, chuckling softly from his crouched position as he slipped a few papers in place and rose. "I told you he isn’t a cheap man, Mr. Ross. I can only hope they paid that much to you originally... these paintings are amazing, and worth the price."

"Ho-lee shit, Mr. L. What the hell m'I gonna do with that all money?"

"That, my dear sir, is entirely up to you." Lionel tapped his pen impatiently on the contracts.

"My mama didn't raise no fool." Dogwood scribbled his signature on the papers wherever Lionel said. "Nah, man, didn't get paid half this much." He straightened after the papers were signed, and handed them back to Lionel. "There you go, Mr. L. Where you want me to start?"

"This building, of course. The murals and the dome, specifically. You'll oversee the restoration of the statuary, but the paintings are your main concern."

Dominic nodded, as he listened. He had an old friend coming in from Cobh the following week to clean up the statuary, especially the broken and cracked ones. Not that Lionel knew yet, but he'd break the news soon enough. He listened quietly, glancing up at the cracked, fragmented, dirty paintings and then down at the gorgeous creamy tile underfoot, thinking.

"You got, Mr. L. These babies will look so good, you'd think I'd just painted 'em." Wait until his mama got a look at the money he was gettin' paid for this. "Gonna want me here in Smallville, or can I commute from Metropolis?"

Lionel shrugged. "I don't care, Mr. Ross. The details are entirely up to you. If you wish to stay in Smallville during the restoration, do so. If you wish to stay in Metropolis, please do so. My only concern is your work."

"My mama's gonna have you over for cake and coffee, just so you know. She does shit like that, and she's gonna die when she gets wind of this."

Lionel put his arm around Dominic's shoulder. "And that is where you come in, my little cricket."

Dominic grinned again, down at his shoes. Yup. Gloria as fun. And he smiled at that, as PR leapt about in his heart like a particularly happy child. Gloria was going to share with her sewing circle, and the sewing circle, also known as the Smallville Quilting Bees, had every wife of every influential man in these parts, and OOOOOO. Hee!

He barely restrained the dance.

Instead he looked at his lover, startled again out of his thoughts but he grinned, raising a brow at him. "Why does that sound like it could bring some sort of psychological harm to my person?" But another grin at him, and he snuggled in as discreetly as he could. "What do you need?"

"For you to give my sincerest apologies to Judge Ross and her family, but I'll be unable to join them for tea. However, you will be going in my place." He patted Dominic gently on the shoulder. "I will be... detained elsewhere."

"Really?" Dominic took on a wicked look, though his face was cheerfully blank. "It so happens I’ve got your planner, darling, and theirs nothing booked for the next week. We should be alright... you could come perhaps for just an hour or so?" A slight quirk of his brow and his eyes said 'you better say yes.'.

"Unfortunately, we've a trip to Tokyo next week or have you forgotten?" Lionel quirked his own brow in return. "There's quite a few last-minute meetings I must attend to put things in order before the flight over. Groundwork must be laid, and the acquisition contracts must be set up to be signed when we arrive."

Bloody liar. His glare was a soft crinkling around his eyes, but the look vanished as he turned his gaze at Dogwood. "I'll be pleased to join you, Mr. Ross. Your mother is a good friend of Lancy Childer, correct?" Another glance at his lover, before back to the younger man. "We're having her head the construction of the new Children’s Library on main street that Lionel is going to have made next month. Perhaps, if you'd like to, you could paint its walls as well? Smallville is in need of a good place for kids to go to after the school day."

Take that, butthead. Dominic thought quietly, his smile smug at his lover.

"Damn, that biddy still kickin?" Dogwood massaged his temple. "Sure thing, man. Love to do the library. But man, you gotta get Berluce in here for this. That boy does things with a sketch pad and a piecea charcoal that'll make you cry. He can do you up some charcoal prints for the walls to match whatever Ima paintin'."

Now that’s wonderful. Your brother, is it?" And he gave a kind nod for the big families. "Perhaps he and my sister would do well together..." He turned to look at his lover. "Lionel, Lindy could come help with the sketching. She draws so very good... I think she'd love getting a library for kids up, and out of ugly Vancouver." Another sweet smile... as the Children’s Library hadn’t even been on the agenda. Oh, well. If Lionel wouldn’t pay for it, Dominic would.

"Yeah, Ber's my bro. But he's damn good... theresa copy of one of his charcoals in the Venus buildin', or used ta be anyway, over the entryway. Built that room around it."

Lionel smiled. Widely, at that. "Dominic... I do believe that is the best idea that you've had all day." Bringing Lindy to Smallville would in turn draw out that bastard of a ex husband, and the sooner he was drawn out, the sooner Lionel's men could disappear him from the face of the earth. "Perhaps she'd like to come down, after all."

Uht oh. Dominic caught the sly look and an eyebrow elevated, high, at that sneaky look. He'd seen it before. And the day wouldn’t end without him asking his lover about it. But for now... "Thank you, Mr. Ross." Dominic offered his hand, again. "Especially for coming out here in this cold weather at this hour."

"Not a problem, man. Means I can sneak in th'house and surprise Mama and Pops 'fore they get on to work." Dogwood shook Dominic's hand, and then pulled him into the same hug he'd pulled Lionel into earlier. "Meet you guys here tamorrer at the same time?"

Dominic had been expecting it though, and hugged back, nodding as he shook his hand again and let go. He glanced at Lionel, looking for his okay as he crouched down to close the brief case and get the paperwork in order.

Lionel nodded at Dominic. "We'll meet you here in the morning. In the meantime, I'll have heaters and a coffee urn brought in, so that you can begin your interviews as soon as we're done with our meeting."

Dominic nodded it... though he was itching to show his lover the surprise he'd managed to rig up without his lovers knowledge, and that in itself was a mystery. But he smiled again, nodding and staying quiet for the two men to talk.

"You're all right, Mr. L."

Lionel had had enough. "Please, Mr. Ross. My name is Luthor."

"See, no. That's not gonna work. Mr. L. works just fine, cause you ain't gonna hear me say that name." He nodded. "I'll see you in the mornin'." He took his copies of the contracts and folded them up in his pocket, tucking them in the lining of the bumblebee jacket. "Peace," he yelled over his shoulder, then put on his helmet as he kick started his motorcycle.

Dominic grinned, broadly, as the young man hummed off in his beauty of a Harley Davidson.

An innocent blink up at his Lionel, and a raised brow. "Getting out of tea? Sly."

"I wouldn't call it getting out of tea, exactly." Lionel stretched. "It was more... a strategic withdrawal." Then he changed subjects. "Your sister? Is going to fit right in with that clan."

"My Lindy needs someone." He said softly, shaking his head as he snapped the brief case shut and closed it tightly, climbing to his feet. "I’ve got a surprise for you. Come on...oh, by the by, the elevators work again."

"I actually meant your hellion of a sister, Shayla. But aye, I think Lindy would fit in quite well as well." He looked at Dominic in surprise. "How did you get the elevators working again?" He followed his lover as they made their way over to the small bank of elevators that led up.

"Pfft." Loud snort. "Shayla won't be marrying any time soon, thank you very much." A little grin, as he stepped over the lovely tile and pushed the button up. "Mr. Rubenstein actually came over and helped me get them connected. Seems the wires were just tangled up... they work marvelously. If not, we'll get stuck and end up rotting and dying in one." Cheerfully spoken, as he stepped in and reached up to loosen his tie, still beaming.

"If not, I trust my son to notice we are missing after a few days and institute a search for us," Lionel snorted. "And I do hope you mean one of the younger Rubenstein's, as they are only half the population of Smallville."

Dominic turned a grin at him again, shaking his head. "No....it would be the 96 year old one. He got down on the floor and everything, old goat. His son and I got it working, though. Did you know he has some thirty odd grand children?"

"No, I didn't know, but I must say I'm not at all surprised. He seems to have quite a few progeny, and they have multiplied like the proverbial rabbits."

"Indeed. And speaking of," The elevator gave a cheerful twerp and Dominic climbed from the newly greased, silent doors as they opened...and suddenly grinned like an idiot. "Lionel?"

"Yes, Jiminy?"

"I wasn’t scared." Oh. He did a little dance. "Of the elevator. I just realized it. No crashing, no dying." And he looked so pleased with himself as he grabbed Lionel’s hand and all but dragged him down the hall, still beaming.

"Oh, that's right! You weren't afraid of the elevator! That's progress, beloved! That's excellent progress!" He followed as Dominic dragged him. "Dominic, why are we going to the offices?"

Dominic was grinning like an idiot, and he turned, walking backwards with his fingers hard on Lionel’s biceps, his face split with his smile. "Oh yeah. Dominic Senatori isna' a lout any longer, wouldn’t you know it."

"Now, if we can just get you and Herbert acclimated to air travel, then we will have it made," Lionel smirked in answer to his lover's grin.

Okay, as horrible as it was, that was funny. He kissed his lover once, twice, three times as he laughed into his lover’s lips and let go. He scooted around his lover and pressed his palms to Lionel’s eyes, burying his cheek and nose in all that lovely hair as he stopped him in front of the door. "Don’t peek."

"I do not peek, Dominic." Lionel closed his eyes. "My eyes are closed, you can remove your hands at any time."

"Can’t do that. I like the smell of your hair." And he gave a soft sniff in response, as he opened Lionel’s office door, and pushed it open with his foot.

It was completely redone, in rich colors and soft fabrics. The carpet had been washed and dried, and paintings adorned the walls. Leather couches, and the desk, magnificent for a magnificent man, already loaded with all of Lionel’s things from the Metropolis branch. And through it, it all had a distinct Greek influence, down to the lighting and the drapes on the enormous window.

Dominic had taste, and it was damn lucky he and Lionel shared a lot of the same. But he smiled regardless and stepped in, moving his lover just a little as he pulled his hands from Lionel’s face.

Lionel laughed softly as Dominic sniffed his hair. "It's merely shampoo, Dominic." But he allowed himself to be led into the room, feet carefully seeking their way on the carpeted floor.

Carpeted? But he bit down on his curiosity until Dominic's hands were removed from his eyes, and he looked around in amazement. "I don't know how you managed this, Dominic." Lionel ran his fingertips over the mahogany desk, over the gold and platinum desk set, over the drapes on the window. Much warmer in color than his previous office, Lionel fell in almost immediate love with it. Even his computer sat on the desk, wrist rest and all intact, mouse pad arranged just so.

Dominic grinned, broadly. Seeing the raw pleasure on Lionel’s face turned his belly to gooey goo, and he smiled in joy. "I like seeing you happy, Husband. Ms. Bird helped more than a little, and we got it all set up for you."

"Well, then I owe the dear lady a raise, and you, my little cricket... I owe you something... but I don't know what I can give you that's equal to this." He swept his hand out grandly around the office. "You've made me very, very happy."

"You don’t have to give me anything. I don’t want anything. Just seeing you happy... its all that I could possibly need." A little grin. "And seeing you in your element makes me happy."

"Well... I am definitely in my element." Lionel sat down behind the desk, sighing as his body was cradled by the familiar, comforting contours of his desk chair. "Aaaah... that is wonderful."

"I thought you'd enjoy it." Another smile, shy as he rubbed his cheek, and plopped into the familiar chair in front of his lover... heaving a soft sigh. "Yes, well. Isn’t that a sin."

"Oh, yes." Lionel flipped his computer on experimentally, and was surprised to see it booting up. "You've even got the computer ready. Oh, that's going to be nice not trekking to Metropolis every day." He settled back in his chair, steepling his fingers as his eyes lit up. "Dominic... come here."

"Wait. Hold on. Your little techno-brain is about to elate." Dominic sniggered, like the true technology dork he was, and rubbed his hands in glee. "Underneath the desk there are two buttons. The one closest to me... push it."

Lionel obliged, slipping his hand under the desk and pushing the one close to his lover.

And behind Lionel, the wall separated, a television came down, and suddenly the empty board room filled the screen. Microphones opened from each side of the wall, as well as large speakers where everything in the room could be heard and seen. And Dominic smiled. "So you can keep a better eye on your board members, love."

"Dominic, Dominic, Dominic. I'm going to have to give you a deviousness bonus." He felt again. "What does the other button do? Open up a crocodile pit?"

Oh, he laughed. "Lex told me something regarding Austin Powers, but you're not that much of an evil genius. Push it, beloved."

"Yes, I am actually that much of an evil genius." But he pushed the second button anyway, waiting to see what else his lover had installed for him.

The two doors in the room locked with a soft click, and Dominic blushed. "I got tired of getting up to lock the door."

Lionel had to laugh at that. "My ingenious little cricket." He couldn't stop the laugh at the blush. "I don't blame you at all. They're much more secure and much easier to use than manual locks."

"Plus, really handy when you’re having a private meeting, you know? Like last year, with the Chancellor from France. That was kind of embarrassing." Another grin, and he tipped his head as he sprawled out comfortably.

"Embarrassing, yes, that's one word for it." He watched his lover's comfortable sprawl. "You're a very good man, Dominic. Invaluable."

"The stresses of being a good husband." Dominic heaved a melodramatic sigh, but his lips curved and dimpled as he winked. "I knew it would please you, my love."

"It pleases me very much." He turned in his chair and spread his legs wide. "Come here, Dominic," he said softly. "Come here."

Oh. Ohhh. Oh.

A hot chill ran down his spine...his spine goosebumped, and his belly flipped about in his gut as he swallowed and rose. Oh. When Lionel's voice got that soft, that deep, it...oh. He swallowed and walked around the desk, offering his hand as he looked down at him.

Lionel took Dominic's hand in his own, and tugged him over, between his legs. Lionel turned in the swivel chair, nudging Dominic along with them until Dominic was standing behind the desk and Lionel was sitting behind him. His hand stroked down his lover's back and over his ass, squeezing firmly.

A long, soft breath shuddered out of him and his skin flushed a soft shade of pink as he swallowed, hard. Oh. "Oh." He whispered, trembling as he shivered. Oh. Okay. Hello.

Lionel used his grip on Dominic's waist to pull himself to his feet, and he tucked himself along his lover's body. His hands slipped around to Dominic's zipper, slowly lowering it as he opened the fastener to the slacks.

"What...." A heavy swallow, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he closed his eyes, relishing in the feeling of his lovers hands on his body as he grasped Lionel’s biceps softly. And oh, they were hard and tight and marvelous, weren’t they? "What are..."

"If you have to ask, then I'm obviously not doing something right."

He grinned, sideways, at that, but arched just a little as oh, Lionel’s fingers slipped right over where he was hardening. "I’m j...oh. Just wondering why... why here?"

Lionel gripped his lover's cock firmly, stroking with easy touches. "Because you went through all this work to make this place perfect for me, and then only thing that could make it more perfect is if I had you here. Now... I do." He nipped the back of Dominic's neck as he continued to stroke.

Oh, God. He groaned and let his head fall back, grasping tighter now as he arched, gasping in startled pleasure as his skin flushed hard and his nipples peaked under his shirt. Oh. And Lionel’s body was so hot and close and strong and hard, and he let himself melt against him, pulling all their limbs into contour as he moaned. "Lionel, good Jesus." He whispered, thrusting up into Lionel’s fingers as he trembled.

"Yes, Jiminy?" Lionel's deft fingers kept stroking as his other hand unbuckled Dominic's belt and started pushing fabric down. "Spread your legs," he whispered, rubbing his beard against the back of Dominic's neck.

He did as he was told, immediately. It felt so good, fingers around him, moving and stroking and the sudden arousal was fierce, sent his blood to singing. He grasped Lionel’s hair in both hands, tugging him close and biting at his neck and throat, ear and cheek, nipping all along his jaw and kissing as he grunted. All he could reach at this angle but it was enough because Lionel tasted so good.

Lionel tugged down on Dominic's slacks and underwear, watching it pool on the floor and stroking the bare flesh of his lover. "You want to be on your back? Or like this?"

Lionel inside.

Oh, God.

He let out a harder moan, half grunt and half gruff reply, as he turned, tried to anyway, to get to Lionel’s clothes. Off, down, away, where he could be inside, and missing having him like this was fierce as he felt pre com moisten the tip of his erection. Oh, close, so close, wantful, and he groaned, hard.

Lionel gripped Dominic's ass firmly, lifting him up onto the desk, laying him on his back. He pulled his lover's shoes off, then wrapped Dominic's legs around his waist as he opened his own fly and pulled out a hard cock and tingling balls. "There... like this, Dominic? Is this what you want?"

"Yes, oh God." Dominic pushed Lionel’s stapler out of the way, groaning as he pushed his fingers under Lionel’s shirt, sitting up enough on the edge of the desk to lift the cotton upwards. His mouth wrapped around the first pink and tense nipple he found, the one without the ring, sucking hard at it as his fingers wrapped around and through the ring, and tugged. For every tug he bit, his legs tightening around Lionel’s waist, ankles hooking to tug him close.

Lionel's hands unbuttoned his shirt, letting it hang open so that Dominic could lap at his chest. He cupped his hands on the back of Dominic's head and pressed him closer, even as he shifted closer to his lover. Their hard, wet cocks skated together, and Lionel dragged open the top drawer of his desk. There was the small bottle, and he thanked God that Dominic was a perfectionist. "This is going to be cold," Lionel warned, and squirted the cold, slick gel onto his lover's stomach.

He jumped, and did something very unexpected. Moaned. Hard, around Lionel’s nipple. He had this thing. This thing, with his belly button. And the cold lube had hit him right there, and oh, he shivered in pleasure as he scraped his teeth around Lionel’s nipple, licking around his pecs as his hands slid up Lionel’s back. He dragged his short nails down his lovers back even as he arched his back, rubbing against his lover and trembling. Oh.

Lionel hissed in pleasure as the moan vibrated against his chest. He pushed his nipple deeper into Dominic's mouth as his fingers dipped into the warm gel on Dominic's stomach, and then skated his cock through it as well, slicking it. He moved his hands down, spreading Dominic's cheeks open, and firmly thrust his index finger the full length inside his lover.

"Guh!" He cried around soft flesh, gasping and arching. He was still half seated and oh FUCK that felt GOOD. He squeezed as hard as he could, drawing him deeper even as his fingers grew frenzied, skating down over a soft bare ass, squeezing it hard even as his legs tightened. He bit on Lionel’s nipple, hard, sucking it into his mouth before going on to the other one. He sucked the ring and all in his mouth, looping his tongue through it and flickering the tip of it across the hardened nub. Lick after lick, sucking hard, and he moaned in pleasure as he squirmed.

When Lionel felt his finger being drawn deeper, he added a second, shuddering as Dominic's tongue slipped through his nipple ring. Hard shudders, rocking thrusts as he trembled, his fingers pushing deeper and scissoring together as he stretched the tight passage open.

"Want, want, w--..." Dominic moaned, letting go so he could lay back and offer himself. He brought his legs up higher, knees drawn in tight as he bared himself for his lover, grunting in pleasure. Tight and full, too long, too long, and he groaned as he reached down, squeezing his cock and fisting himself into hard strokes as his hips moved with each of Lionel’s movements.

Lionel moved forward, sliding a third finger in and teasing his lover with it as he put his free hand on Dominic's shoulder, holding him down and keeping him from skating across the desk... yet. "Legs around my waist, Jiminy."

"Yes, yes, oh, God," He whimpered, doing as he was told. He felt full, lanced deep, and it had been a while since his lover had been inside. His body had tightened up, and the healthy burn of re-admittance felt so good. A deep, shuddering sigh of pleasure, squeezing his lover hard inside of him as his fingers tightened around his cock. His free fingers slipped under his own shirt, pinching and kneading his favorite nipple.

As Dominic's legs tightened around Lionel's waist, he removed his fingers from Dominic's body and stroked them over his cock, spreading the lubricant from earlier all along the shaft. He slicked the head especially well, and leaning forward, he slowly, but firmly, penetrated his lover, easing the thick shaft deep in a single, long push. He shifted his weight as he pushed in, not stopping in his thrust until his balls were pressed tightly against the curve of Dominic's ass, and then he gripped his lover's hips tightly. "Ready, little cricket?" he asked huskily.

Oh. GOD. Heavy, hot groan of pleasure as he arched his back and his hips, allowing his lover in. Oh. Fuck. His skin felt so hot, his lips swollen from biting them, and he rearranged his body, scooting closer. Each movement sent lust as hot as lava boiling in his veins, which only made his legs around him hold on for dear life. "So hot, so full, please Lionel, please!"

Lionel transferred his grip from hips to shoulders, using the slick back of Dominic's shirt and jacket to slide him on the desktop, pushing him down on the cock that started to thrust deeply inside him. Dual fistfuls of material forced Dominic down on Lionel's cock as he thrust forward, leaning over to mate their mouths together in hot, sloppy, frenzied kisses.

"OH GOD!" Dominic nearly screamed, arching as Lionel’s mouth covered his. FUCK! And oh GOD! Lionel’s cock was forcing its way in, and Dominic’s muscled locked in surprise, which only made him pushing in so good. He threw his head back, fingers scrabbling for something to hold on to and sending stapler and pencils everywhere as his back arched in ecstasy. He helped, as much as he could, working his hips downward to meet the hard, hot cock. Yes. Yes. YES. He grabbed Lionel’s hair, kissing him hard, tongue stroking inside hard... tongue following the thrusting of their hips as his cock burned with want between them. Too much, too much, and he brought his hand down to stroke until could find that spot.

Lionel let go of his lover's shoulder and caught the questing hand by the wrist, raising it over Dominic's head and holding it there as his hips thrust faster, kisses becoming harder and more erotic, sucking and biting harder as he pounded into his lover's arching body. His other hand stayed on Dominic's shoulder, pulling him down, sliding him across the desk to use the extra leverage to slam hard into his lover each time, seeking his prostate.

Dominic let out a cry of frustration and need, tugging at the hand that had him pinned tight, and oh, GOD that was so hot. Pinned, controlled, and he let out a cry of pleasure as he twisted his hips up for Lionel to--ohh yes.

His eyes blanked white with pleasure, electricity slamming through his head and heart and loins when Lionel hit that bump. He let out a near scream of pleasure, thrashing and twisting his hips with each thrust, crazy with lust. Everything on the desk, save the computer, was now on the floor, and oh GOD it was so hot. Fuck. He was making short "Uh!" noises with each thrust, voice gruff and deep. Yes, oh, God yes!

Lionel grinned wolfishly, tightening his grip on Dominic's wrist as he thrust forward, rocking the entire desk with the power behind his hammering thrusts. He pounded against Dominic's prostate with each one, watching his lover's hips twist up to meet him. "Only when you're about to lose your mind," Lionel drawled out softly. "Then you can touch." He leaned down, licked over Dominic's throat, licked each nipple, then back up to kiss again.

"L-l-Uh!-my MIND!" Dominic cried, wrenching his hips, accepting this ecstasy as sharp as the edge of a blade and it was so very GOOD that he sobbed with pleasure. "Please! Uh, God," Oh, God, and each hammer against his prostate was delicious agony but he couldn’t, couldn’t get off, not without touching himself. He was close, so very close to losing it, losing it, twisting his hips as his legs flexed, the muscles in his ass flexing with each movement of his thighs and oh, GOD, tightening around Lionel’s cock.

The flexing of Dominic's ass around his cock started a roar building in his chest, and he let go of Dominic's wrist. "Do it, Dominic, you beg so beautifully, do it, touch, now, goddammit." He kept pounding hard, feeling sweat starting to mat his hair and roll down his back.

Oh, thank you sweet Jesus. He reached down and grasped himself, hard, swollen with blood and lust and began to jack himself off, hard, hot strokes and he was close, close, but trying in vain to prolong the awesome pleasure. He stopped going so hard once he got close, pounding, pounding, his body pulsing around the hot, delicious intruder until he couldn’t take it anymore. He jerked, hard, fast, and let out a cry of warning and pleasure, hips and upper body thrashing as he suddenly gasped and arched, hard, letting out a roar of rapture as he came.

All over his belly, thighs, chest, hand, he came like he'd never stop, jerking and orgasming as hard as he'd done in a long, long time. The pleasure was intense and his body grasped Lionel’s cock, not letting go as his eyes squeezed shut, body arched until he fell, all at once, and gave a hard, rasping moan.

Lionel's outcry was drowned out by Dominic's, but his orgasm was just as intense. He bit down hard on his lip, feeling the contractions of Dominic's sheath around him milking him dry. The come was being ripped out of him, and he could feel each jet pumping deep inside his lover. He didn't even attempt to slide out until Dominic's body relaxed and released him, dropping his head on his lover's shoulder, panting hard.

Oh. God. Dominic moaned, a long, loud moan of orgasm, his body still tingling and his skin raw and exposed. Lionel’s body felt like heaven on him, but he groaned as Lionel slipped away. Oh. God. He felt hollowed out, exposed, delicious. And his body gave a hard, wracking tremble as his fingers lifted to thread into his lovers hair.

Lionel could not help the grin that spread across his face as he rubbed his cheek into Dominic's shoulder. "Was it good for you, baby?" he asked, right before giving in to the soft chuckles that were all he had the energy for.

Muuuuuuh. Sore, used, GOOD. He trembled again, hard, murmuring his pleasure because he couldn’t find words, and moaning again, legs weakly falling from around his back. "Mmmmmmmmm."

"I take that to be a yes." Lionel propped his chin up and looked around the room. "I do believe we have properly... christened the office now."

"Mmmmmm." He muttered again. Eyes closed, face relaxed and pleasured and sleepy, his skin still pink. His body was flushed tight against Lionel’s, slick with sweat, and he cracked open glassy eyes still stormy with pleasure as he gave a cocky grin. "Canna resist my ass."

"That does seem to be the case," Lionel teased gently. "It's an irresistible ass." He straightened, then sat back down in his chair and pulled Dominic with him. "Thank you." He kissed Dominic's face softly, gently.

"Why?" Dominic plopped unceremoniously on his lap, legs on either side and cozy as he pressed close. "I can't believe that such a beautiful, wonderful man is going to sleep next t'me from now until forever." He murmured sleepily. He pulled each long, lovely arm in close, snuggling up against a furry chest and a cozy embrace... and yawning, hard. "Mmmmm. Now I’m sexed out and sleepy. Take me for food?" A sudden wicked giggle, as he lifted his head to cup Lionel’s cheeks and look at him. "If you reacted like this to your office, wait until you see your bathroom."

"Did you install a hot tub for me? Whirlpool, perhaps?" Another soft kiss as Dominic snuggled. "I'll take you home for a hot shower and a change of clothes. Then I'll take you for food, then we come back and work."

He wriggled wet hips, slickened with lube and his lovers orgasm. It was the best feeling in the free world, and the fact that he'd get to enjoy it, whenever he wanted to, made him beam. Just...beam. Like a hundred watt light bulb, he brightened considerably and grinned like an idiot. "The fact that we can do this... is so..... cool."

Lionel had to laugh again, and then hugged his lover as he set Dominic on his feet. "Cool? You are beginning to sound like Clark, and that is an entire line of thought that I don't wish to pursue. You would make me a very, very happy man if you would simply erase that word from your vocabulary."

"Of course. How about... this definitely rocks? And you, with your handsome self, and me, with my dorky self, and I realize that my mouth is flapping in babbles but oh." Another grin. "I’m a happy Dominic." He straightened, naked as a jay bird but for his opened shirt and suit jacket, and yeah, it was amusing cause he grinned and snorted. A rub at a concave belly and his hip bones...then his ass, rubbing it to cool the streaking from the table. Mmmmmm. He reached down and grabbed his pants, beginning to tug.

Lionel couldn't resist a firm slap to the ass that was so appealingly presented to him.

A yelp and he straightened...eyes wide. No pain... just pleasure. And his poor, abused cock gave a pulse. Oh. Heee. Dominic turned in surprise, eyes wide...then snorted and cocked a brow, reaching over to give a wet, hot, naked cock a jacking tug. "There, now we're even."

"You have this irritating thing about being even, don't you, Dominic?" Lionel re-dressed himself quickly, fixing the wrinkles in his clothing and tucking himself away. "This office is going to be a wonderful place to work."

"Indeed I do. Simply because in an office not quite like this, I never could be. Now you get to be irritated." Dominic grinned, pulling up his trousers and zipping, buttoning, as he plopped down in Lionel’s chair to get his socks and shoes on. "I think so too. I made it for you to enjoy, beloved."

Lionel leaned against the desk, hitching his hip against the edge. "And I do enjoy it, Jiminy."

"I know." Wicked giggle and a cheeky smile, as he reached up to kiss him. "Thank you, Husband. This... oh. I feel so..." A grin and a chuckle. "Goo-ooo-oood."

"Then my work for the day is accomplished, for I live for no other reason than to serve your innermost carnal desires," Lionel said very dryly. "Let's get moving, Romeo. We have things to accomplish today, and you have a phone call to make."

"I’m serious, Lionel." Dominic nodded it, but looked away to get his tie, hanging off the computer, and start getting it back on. "I didn’t think we could do this anymore. Not after..." A swallow. "And the therapy session. So..." A glance up, and he smiled a little. "Thank you."

Lionel paused in mid-reach for that, his hand hanging in the middle of the air for a moment before he dropped them completely. "Why would you think that, Dominic? Why?"

Uht oh. Dominic swallowed, looking up. "I just thought… maybe you wouldn’t... I w... we wouldn’t be ready, for this, yet." A nod, and then another for good measure.

Lionel growled softly. "You didn't believe me when I told you that I held nothing that you said against you. You were afraid of me, afraid that I'd be angry with you and not want to be with you. Dominic... I do not know what more I can do to show you that is not the case! It wasn't then, and it will not be!!" He turned and walked to the chair in front of his desk and dropped into it. "I just do not know."

"No, L..." A hard swallow, shaking his head. "No. That’s not it, not at all. A little, but that part is usually bloody irrational. I meant... after... I didn’t...please don’t be angry, Lionel. I thought, after Lex and Clark. Its still... and we didn’t... at my apartment, it was sweet and soft. But here... and I just d-didn’t..." A swallow. "I don’t mean to make you frustrated, Lionel. This... is just the way that I am."

Lionel looked up. "Dominic... I am not frustrated." He sighed. "I'm just... worried. About Clark and my son, about growing a year older and dragging you along with me when you could have so much more of your life."

"Why? Why would you ever worry about that? You're my husband. Mine. And no one, not even you, are going to take you away from me. Clear? Don’t worry about those types of things, they’re not needed, not warranted." Dominic leaned forward, and grasped Lionel’s hand in his, hard. "We have each other, and a baby some day. That’s all that matters."

"I can't help worrying," Lionel said softly. "Look what happened to Clark and my son. Neither of them asked for that; it wasn't something they deserved, and yet, it happened to them anyway, out of anyone's control. I can't help but worry that you're not getting the most out of your life with me."

Dominic’s throat worked, hard, and he looked down at his lap, where his tie sat waiting for him. "I have shortcomings." He said carefully, quietly. "But... going to Elaine helps. And I'll keep doing it, so I can enjoy my life with you."

"As for Clark and Lex... it was out of their control. But that won't happen to us, Lionel. We'll make sure it doesn’t. And if for any reason it does, we'll pull ourselves back together and start again."

Lionel shook his head. "No, Dominic. If it happens to me again... there will be no more pulling myself together. I did it once, too late. And it was the hardest thing I have ever done. I did it again for my son when he needed me. I won't go through it a third time."

"If it happens again, you'll simply cease to be? You'll throw everything you and I have away, Lionel?" Dominic asked quietly, looking up at him.

"Dominic, you don't know what a shattering thing it is to go through." He returned the steady gaze of his lover. "I do not quit; I loathe the idea of it, in fact, and yet, I know I simply cannot go through it again. Does that tell you, even a little, of infinitely, intensely painful it is?" He blinked. "You know what you've seen, what you have helped to deal with, and I don't degrade that. I am merely saying that the experience of it is far, far worse than anything you could have ever imagined."

He nodded, once, and looked down at his tie again, studying it, tracing the design on the front of it. "Yes, I know its painful. And you're right, I can't imagine how painful it is." And he looked up, to speak of his mind. "But if having a child, and risking that that child will die and take you away from me, than I'd rather not have a child at all."

Lionel shook his head. "I won't let you give that up, Dominic. You've wanted that for as long as we've been together; it was one of the first things you asked for and it's never changed."

"But you don’t understand, Lionel." Dominic rose to his feet, and looked at him as he walked around the desk. "I love you, not a child that has yet to be." And what a lie, because he adored his child with everything he was. "And if the risk is your love for what we have, and for me, then I won't risk it. Because its not worth the risk. Do you understand?"

He loved his unborn child. But he loved Lionel much, much more, and he'd never...no. And if not seeing his dream realized meant that, it was okay. He'd had lots of dreams unrealized, and this would be one of them. He was just grateful for what he had and who loved him, and risking that wasn’t worth it.

Lionel straightened in the chair and put his hand on Dominic's cheek. "I understand what you're saying, Dominic. I just disagree with you. I believe that the light in your eyes when you hold your little girl or your little boy, is worth more than anything else in this world, because you'd never be happier than you would be in that moment."

A shake of his head. "When I die and God comes to claim me, and he asks me what the happiest moment of my life was, I'll tell him that you looking at me, any day of the week, with everything you feel in your eyes, will be the happiest moments of my life. I don’t need children to make our love realized. Its realized all the time, Lionel." Dominic touched the palm on his cheek, squeezed and let go before setting his tie around his neck. "Come on, lets go."

Lionel stood up, and quickly wove Dominic's tie into an intricate Windsor knot, setting it in place with a pat to his lover's chest. "You know that nothing will happen to our daughter, Dominic."

"No, I don’t." The seed of doubt had been planted and growing strong since finding Clark swimming in his own blood. "You just have to believe it. I’m a hypocrite, but you have to have faith. And yes, I have faith our child will be healthy and beautiful. But if we lose her, then I lose you too. And I won’t risk my family for a child."

"A child is your family, Dominic." Lionel wrapped his arms around his lover. "I won't let Lex stop his work; I won't let you give up your dream."

"Lionel, dammit. I don’t think you understand how much you are to me, what kind of man you've made me become. How much you mean to me. I married you... we have our rings. I’m here, with you, for as long as you'll have me. And I’m not going to do something, that even possibly, could destroy that. Because if you leave me because of it, I won't make it."

"You will make it." Lionel said it firmly. "Because you are strong. Stronger than you know, stronger than anyone else knows."

"What a lie. Until you and I started seeing one another I was just so tired. Tired of eating, tired of sleeping, tired of life. Just bloody weary, and I’ve no doubt if I went back to that, I'd die. Of all of us, you’re the strongest one, Lionel. I’m proud to call you my own. You’re so strong, sure of yourself, you put away your own pain and deal with others first. You are a testament to the human condition, even when I want to box your ears."

Lionel wrapped his arms around his lover, and pulled him in close. "I'm not strong, Dominic. If I were, I wouldn't be afraid. But I am. I am frightened of losing you, frightened of losing our child, frightened of the pain inherent in both of those, and I know, I know I am not strong enough to survive either of those."

"You're beautiful, Lionel. You'd survive it, because you had to survive it before. But now...I hope you know there are people who love you." Dominic gazed up at him, tracing his jaw line softly. "Like Lex. Lex adores you."

"And I love him, Dominic. He is my son, and there's nothing I wouldn't do for him." He sighed. "Don't listen to me. I ramble on my birthday; it's a habit."

"You just... you’re so powerful. So beautiful. Everything you do moves me, beloved. Everything. I see you and its a reflection of everything you were, everything you are, and everything you've yet to become. Lionel, there’s peace in you." Dominic said quietly, looking up at him. "There’s peace, and strength. People look to you for guidance, for help, for leadership. You’re just...you’re so beautiful."

"I am not a peaceful person, Dominic. It is not in my nature. But if people find peace with me, then I do not have a problem with it." He closed his eyes, and let his head rest again on Dominic's shoulder.

"You have no idea what its like to be me looking at you. I wish you could, Lionel."

"I don't." Lionel raised a hand to stroke the back of his lover's head. "I'm content knowing what it's like to be me looking at you."

"I should tell you I wish I were a better man for you." Dominic nodded. "Elaine said honesty. So...honestly, I wish I were better for you. I wish I wasn’t the kind of man who you fear I doubt what we have. I wish I didn’t look at everything like it was gloom and doom."

"Dominic... it's not that. It's not you. It's... me. Every good thing that I have had in this world has been at some point ripped away from me. I'm not asking for anyone's pity; I'm not complaining like that insipid brat of Nell's. I am merely pointing out that cosmically, my track record.... sucks."

At that Dominic cracked a small smile. "It sucks, indeed. You just need to know that for rain or shine, sleet and snow, I'll be here. I’m not going anywhere... I haven’t anywhere to be. I don’t drive like a bat out of hell, I don’t smoke much, and I drink even less. Aside from a cosmic bolder falling on my head, I’m not going anywhere."

"Good. And I will do my utmost to protect you from those cosmic boulders." Lionel didn't release his lover. "Forgive me for being an insecure idiot."

"Lionel, for such loving, kind people as we are...we have trust issues. I’m sure Elaine will be pleased." Dominic smiled again. "Well, duh. Of course, there’s no need for forgiveness. If you can forgive my sulks, I can forgive whatever you want me to forgive. Not that there was anything in the first place."

"We do not have trust issues, Dominic. I trust you implicitly, with my life, and my son. I have no problem trusting you."

"Not with one another, darling. With ourselves."

Lionel blinked. "Now that is an understatement."

Dominic smiled again, nodding as he wrapped an arm around Lionel’s waist, the other palm in his pocket. "If it helps, I love you dearly."

"I love you dearly, Dominic. More, perhaps, than I can express." He pulled Dominic's arm as tightly around him as it could reach.

"Good. Because you're stuck with me. Even when I get fat and bald." He groused, though it amused him greatly, smiling at him. "I’m glad we didn’t fight, Husband. Fights with you usually mean my throwing things at you, and you glaring like a pit bull."

"No, you only threw one thing at me today, and that was something I was very glad to catch."

"Threw? What did I--....oh." And he grinned. "Well thank God for small favors."

Lionel grinned in return. "It wasn't all that small, Dominic."

Oh, heee! "Thank you, and it'll be good of you to remember. And pass it around to all your male friends."

At that, Lionel scowled. "I'll not be passing anything around, not about you."

"Why?"

"Because you're mine, and I don't intend to share you. At all. I may brag about how good you are, but that's it."

"I plan on gloating about you to my mates. One of which is coming to town tomorrow. You’re worth gloating. And I sort of hired him to do the statuary work. Did I mention you're really pretty?" A wince, as he expected the bellow.

"As long as Mr. Ross has no problems with him, then I have no problems with him. And as for your gloating... as long as you keep our sex life out of it, you may gloat to your heart's content."

"Gideon. Gideon Gallagher, from my home town. A master at his craft, I assure you. He's done a lot of work for Queen Elizabeth and such... and he was my best mate when I was a lad." Dominic added, smiling. "He's a good guy. And excuse me, I don’t gloat about my sex life with anyone but you. And possibly Lex, but that’s just to get a rise out of him."

Lionel sighed. "And he is such an easy target, isn't he? I just... wish things were easier on him. Not you, Dominic. I don't mean that. But yes... I wish he could more easily accept things."

"I know it." Dominic shook his head a little bit, frowning as he gazed at his shoes. An arm was about his lovers waist gently, his eyes trained on the wall, and he heaved a quiet sigh. "I know it, beloved. But Lex....Lex was meant for these things to happen to him. They’re going to make him strong..." Glance up. "Of all of us, he's going to be the strongest."

"And yes, I hope he does grow stronger because of this. But I'd like to think that my son was never meant to suffer like this."

Dominic’s mind, because of his strict, devote upbringing, immediately thought of Christ, strangely enough. But in a way it fit...Lex would, without a doubt, be a very powerful, influential man not so far into the future. He might even fill his dream, and become the president of the United States. And if suffering now meant strength and wisdom then, than Dominic was able to accept all that his young step son was going through.

Regardless, he didn’t say a word, simply nodding at his lover and reaching down to lift up his wallet that had fallen out of his pants. Oooh. Tingly.

Lionel had taken him like a furious, impassioned animal. And it had been sexy as hell.

Lionel looked down at his quiet lover. "Dominic, what are you thinking? I can all but hear the wheels turning in that pretty head of yours; you're thinking something rather large, if the grinding and squeaking is of any indication."

Dominic glanced up and yeah, grinned, eyes dancing at his lover. "I never thought I thought that loud. I really need to get that taken care of."

"You merely need to get your wheels oiled." He squeezed Dominic's waist tightly. "What are you thinking?"

"Mmm. That things happen for a reason, and its not up to us to try and pick them apart." He nodded softly, opening their office door and stepping through, and his arm around his lover snuggled him in as they walked.

Lionel just thought quietly and carefully until they got to the elevator. "I won't debate that with you, Dominic. I would just like to know the reasoning behind the universe's decision to do this. I hope that Lex survives it."

"He will. And I think the reasoning is that Lex, one day, will not have one life to protect, but millions. And what he takes from now will serve him than... lead him on the right path for himself and his people." Dominic said quietly, as the solid, lovely tile underfoot led them to the elevators.

"I certainly hope that's true." Lionel pressed the button for the elevator and waited for the doors to open. "Lex... has always had a very special destiny. I just never dreamed that this pain would be a part of that."

"It'll serve him well someday." Dominic stepped into the elevator as soon as the metal doors opened, and offered his hand to his lover. "I really do love that kid."

Lionel took the offered hand, winding their fingers together. "I know that you do. I love him too, and I am sure that he loves you, in his own... fashion."

Snort. "Doubtful. But that’s alright, I don’t mind. As long as he doesn’t go about trying to kill himself, or hit poor, defenseless cows just minding their own bloody business, I'll be happy."

Lionel hugged his lover tightly. "He loves you, Dominic, or he wouldn't have let you help him. At the least, he trusts you."

"Mmm." A soft yawn as he pressed his cheek into Lionel’s jacket, snuggling him closer. "I love you, Lionel."

"And I love you, my sleepy little cricket." He stroked Dominic's hair as the elevator slowly lowered them to the floor. "If you'd like to sleep this afternoon, I can handle the plans for Tokyo."

"Of course not. Lionel, I’ve gotten more sleep since we moved to Smallville then I’ve ever gotten in me life." A grin up at him, full of dancing eyes. "You make me lazy. I'll be there, wit' bells on and all."

"Yawning throughout the entire conversation, I imagine." He snickered at the grin. "I do not make you lazy, I merely make sure that you get your rest and take care of yourself."

"And I you." A smile up at him, as he set his chin on Lionel’s shoulder. "We have to take care of each other, Husband."

"Yes... we do." He nuzzled his lover's cheek gently. "We have to take care of each other... which means I'm going to tuck you into bed so you can sleep."

Snort. Loud. "No. You're going to tote me along and I’m going to tease you every step of the way. And tonight, you won't tire me out so much. Though, I should say, I feel right bloody relaxed right now." And he gave a little stretch and heaving sigh of pleasure. "And sore. Mmmm."

Sore? That stopped Lionel in his tracks. "Did I hurt you?"

Dominic's face broke out into a grin, and he gently shook his head, reaching up to kiss Lionel’s cheek. "No, lovely one. Its a good type of sore.  I still feel you inside me. Made me so wet. And I’m truly rotten for teasing you this way, but its a delicious feeling."

"Don't scare me like that." He grinned back at his lover, and pulled him out to the car. "You are truly rotten, but I adore you anyway."

He followed, quickly locking the building and winding his scarf around his neck, snuggling into it and into his love. "You're just as evil. Christening your office, indeed."

"Every building needs an appropriate christening, beloved." He smiled. "And since we didn't have a bottle of champagne to break against the door... we merely improvised in the method."

He glanced up, eyes flashing wicked. "By busting my ass over your desk?"

"Exactly." Lionel's glance back was as innocent as Dominic's was wicked. "It worked, either way, as there were... eruptions involved."

Dominic threw his head back and burst out laughing, cracking up as he gave his lover a teasing push. "Oh, now that was just bad! For shame, shame!" But he kept right on laughing, walking beside him to the cars.

Lionel blinked innocently. "I have no idea what you are talking about, Dominic. I merely drew an analogy." He looked at his lover over the car roof, standing on the driver's side of the black sedan. "Where do you want to go for lunch? And if you say Denny's, I will have to hurt you."

He kept right on laughing, harder now that Denny's had been involved, and held his belly as he plopped down into the passengers seat. "Don’t you know me by now?" He said between snickers, wiping at his eyes and heaving a chuckling sigh. "You can take me anywhere you want to. Just remember my well cooked, no eyes policy."

"Well cooked, no eyes. You have no idea what you are missing in bloody meat." He heaved a put-upon sigh as he got into the car, and cranked it smoothly. "How would you feel about French fries?"

"My beloved, French fries are a meal for every day of the week." Dominic grinned at him. "But you haven’t lived until you've had a Big Mac."

"No, thank you. I have seen those things, I have seen you consume them, and I believe that I'd like to keep my arteries unpolluted and unclogged."

"But I’m unpolluted! I’m unclogged! Lionel, really. They’re so very, very good. Like sin on a bun. Come on, you can't live without having at least tried it."

"I have lived this long without it," Lionel countered, pulling out of the drive. "I will continue to do so."

Melodramatic sigh at him. "No Big Macs. No pizza. Lionel, you really need to show me what your favorite food is. See Food Rules 1-5 first, however." Dominic grinned, turning to gaze at him. "Come on, theirs got to be something. Oreo's at midnight? Pancakes? Pretzels?"

"Rare steak. It's my weakness, Dominic. At any hour of the day. With just a light spritz of lemon juice." He grinned.

A hard shudder. "Ew. Alrigh'?" He remembered, vividly, the taste of bloody meat in his mouth. And had been very, very happy to have Lionel’s orgasm there instead. "Buh. Buh. ew."

Lionel had to laugh at that. "And that, my dear cricket, is my exact reaction to your offer of a Big Mac."

Okay, so Dominic got that. He grinned, crookedly, snapping on his belt as the heat from the vents blew softly over his skin. He tugged one lanky leg up underneath himself and got comfortable, smiling at him and leaning over to brush his lips with his own. "Than take me wherever you see fit, and let us eat, my darling."

Lionel had a very, very dirty thought at that moment, but didn't elaborate on it. He merely returned the kiss and hit the gearshift. "I'll take you to McDonald's for lunch. Then for dinner... I want to convince Clark and Lex to have dinner with us. Either take them out or have something brought in, but I think we all need the time together."

An eyebrow lifted. High. Because Lionel’s generous lips had quirked, eyebrows had moved, and Dominic became instantly suspicious. "And what was that little smirk for, eh?"

"Nothing," Lionel said innocently.

"Aht. That was a something. You’re trying to have a halo, and can't quite make it." Dominic chided, turning more towards him and wagging a finger.

"Dominic... I'm hurt. My halo is completely shined and in place." Innocent look at his lover as they eased into traffic.

"Hurt my little ass." A little glare, as he poked his husband in the side. "Come on, if my wheels crank, yours creak. What are you thinking?"

"Just... I know a nice place where you can go for lunch.. beverage included."

"What’s that?" Uht oh. One eyebrow went up, and he looked on guard, gazing questioningly at his lover.

Lionel just looked back at his lover, eyebrow quirked.

"Christ, what am I in for? And why do I feel like something IS GOING OVER MY HEAD?" Dominic wailed dramatically, throwing the back of his hand against his forehead and sighing theatrically.

"It should be going... significantly lower than that."

Oh. Oh!

Ohhhh.

He looked at his lover in surprise and sudden lust. "Oh. You know, when you say those things, and look at me like that, I get....my belly..." He pressed his palm to the quivering mess of nerves. "All you have to do is look at me like you're ready to fuck me into next week, darling."

Lionel grinned. "Pace yourself, Jiminy. There's only so much this old man can do at one time."

Oh, he laughed at that, though his cheeks had flushed with a healthy glow, and he shivered. "How long will it take us to get to wherever we're going?"

"Well, we're going to McDonald's. I'd say, ten minutes or less, depending on the traffic."

"Oh, that’s good." He unbuckled his seat belt, slipped his coat and scarf off to toss in the back seat, and leaned down over Lionel’s lap, mouthing his crotch as he twisted his body over the stick shift.

Lionel let his hand slide down to stroke the back of Dominic's hair. "Re--recovery time," he gasped out softly, thrusting up gently.

"You had ten minutes." Dominic muffled around his mouthful, lapping at the black fabric as he nuzzled his nose between the zipper flap and the zipper itself. He caught the little piece of metal with his teeth and tugged down, fingers stroking over hot thighs as the soft metallic sound of the zipper being drawn down echoed in the near silent car. Oh. His prize.

Lionel still smelled like him.

He grinned at that, broadly, ducking his head to lick and lap over the damp cotton of the boxers. Still wet with lube, the cherry flavored kind, and he licked and lapped until he could grasp the end with his teeth and tug the elastic down, as well.

Lionel's hands tightened on the steering wheel, gripping it so that his knuckles whitened. Concentration on the road, and he couldn't help thrusting up into Dominic's mouth. "Dom--Dominic." He trembled a little as he braced his foot against the floorboard.

Oh, and it was hot as hell, as he dipped his mouth down and sucked more inside. Hard and thick in his mouth, the hot spear so familiar, and he felt himself hardening against the gear shift. He undulated his hips and sucked, tongue stroking around the head as he began to suck in earnest. As hard as he could, fast, hard, fingertips roughening on his lovers balls. He tugged, squeezed, rolled them as he moved and pushed more into his throat, eyes closed tight as he sucked. His entire body moved in the thrusts against the spot between gear shift and chair, rubbing against his pants in the ecstasy and pleasure. Sucking Lionel’s cock, feeling the blood pounding between his tightly spread lips, feeling the tip of the hard, blood filled erection rub the back of his throat made him moan, harder, fingers wrapping around what he couldn’t suck to rub.

Lionel shuddered, and barely managed to slam on brakes at the red light. He slammed his eyes closed for a second, his free hand fisting in Dominic's hair and shoving hard down his throat. "Tease, tease, bastard of a tease," Lionel gritted out, holding Dominic's mouth down firmly but gently as he raised up with every stroke into his lover's throat.

Wasn’t hearing, nothing at all, moaning hard as Lionel’s fingers squeezed his hair and used him. oh, YES he loved that and he moaned, harder, eyes slamming shut as he squeezed his fingers around Lionel’s cock, flicking the loose skin with his fingers, back and forth, tugging on it so it tugged on the head with his every suck. On the way up he rasped his teeth against the bottom vein, on the way up he tapped his tongue against all the sensitive spots Lionel had. The spot right before the corona... the left side of the slender slit. He tongued said slit, lapped at it before going down, tongue staying on the tiny split and rubbing, licking all around it.

Lionel came. He couldn't help it, foot slamming down on the gas and shooting the car through the green-light intersection. He thrust up hard, burying his spurting cock in Dominic's throat. His eyes all but crossed as Dominic's teeth raked over him, and his entire body quaked hard. "Dominic!!"

Dominic moaned, loudly, the sound muffled by is mouthful and his current position. He kept right on sucking, swallowing as hard and fast as he could as Lionel came inside of his mouth. He sucked harder, moving him through his orgasm, fucking Lionel’s cock with his throat as hard as he could.

Lionel slammed the brakes on again, whipping the car into the McDonald's parking lot. He didn't let Dominic go until he was parked, and he turned the car off and leaned his head against the headrest, panting softly.

Dominic continued sucking, licking at his lovers spent organ until he could raise his head, just a little. He used his tongue to gently tuck the now well used cock into the soft boxers, tugging the underwear back up, and tucked the pants together again, using his teeth to drag the zipper up.

And redid the button with his tongue.

He lifted his head then, panting softly as he rubbed his cheek, chin, licking his lips softly and leaning back with a heavy sigh. Damn proud one, at that.

"You... you are going... going to be the death of me." He shot a very sated, very comforting look at his lover. "But I mean that... in the best way possible... because I can't think... of a better way to go."

Dominic grinned, crookedly, and gazed at him once before looking out over the some what crowded parking lot, there for the lunch hour.

And despite the fact that the windows were tinted... they weren’t that well tinted.

Oh well. Dominic simply undid his trousers and reached inside, the daring, strong personality that had only recently begun to take shape making him grasp his burning hot, hard cock, and stroke himself off. He was curved to the door, back to the arm rest and hand and cock only shown to his lover as he fucked his hand.

Lionel returned the favor his lover had just given him, leaning over and sucking just the head of his lover's cock into his mouth. He sucked the head hard, tongue teasing the underside as his lips gently kissed his lover's fist as it stroked.

"Fuck." He whispered, grasping Lionel’s hair and trying to tug him closer and off at the same time. "Gonna... let m-me... come, Sir?" Dominic whispered, arching his hard length upwards into the hot cavern of Lionel’s mouth, even as he grasped himself and stroked.

Lionel refused to be moved, keeping his mouth on just the head as he sucked.

"Want... you... t... oh, God," Dominic let out a sob as Lionel nipped at something, something GOOD, and he arched up, the back of his head banging against the glass as he arched. Yes, yes, oh, GOD, and it felt outrageous, his thumb snaking down around Lionel and pressing up inside of him. His little hole opened with ease, from the early hard fuck, and he grunted, then groaned in pleasure, as his free hand wrapped tighter around the base of his cock as Lionel sucked. "Pl...b...oh, G.."

"Come, Dominic, come on." Lionel dropped his mouth back down to sucking the head, teeth tugging the underside as his tongue raked over the slit.

"Close, close," He gritted, shuddering and squirming his hips up, as his thumb pressed deeper. Deeper, inside, fucking, and he squeezed his muscles around his thumb....and came.

All it took was something inside and he was arching, letting out a short cry of pleasure as heat rushed to his cock...and he felt himself explode.

Oh. God. YES.

When he felt the first arch, he shoved his mouth all the way down the length of his lover's cock, burying the shaft deep in his mouth as he swallowed. His tongue licked and stroked as he sucked, and his hand moved to knead his lover's thigh.

He moaned, hard, arching upwards and gasping for breath. orgasm was delicious, hot against his skin, and he deflated like a balloon, gasping as he fell back and moaned.

Oh. Mmmm. And he opened his eyes to gaze down at the back of Lionel’s head... moaning harder for it as he buried his face in his lovers hair.

Lionel licked his lover's cock clean, rubbing his hair against Dominic's cheek.

A hard, short moan and he kissed his lovers head, each ear, and let his lover raise his head up, cupping each cheek and kissing his lover. He swept his tongue in and took the last traces of his own orgasm from Lionel’s mouth, sharing his own as he trembled and kissed.

Lionel slowly raised himself up and looked at his lover with mellowed affection in his eyes, sharing the kiss and the mingled tastes easily. "You have... brought me to the level... of making out in a McDonald's parking lot," Lionel pointed out softly. "For shame."

Dominic wasn’t shamed, at all. The feeling of his lovers mouth still resided on his skin and he kissed harder, tongue dipping in and stroking as his fingers tightened on long locks of hair and a beautifully angular cheek. Every time Lionel touched him like this, it just reminded him of how good what they had was, and how much Lionel loved him. Bringing himself down to making out in a McDonalds parking lot with him just made his heart flutter with fierce love, and he grasped his lover tighter, fingers moving to the back of his head to tug him close.

Lionel wrapped his arms tightly around his lover, returning the fierce embrace with hard need of his own. "I am here, Jiminy," Lionel reassured him. "And I love you; I will not leave you." He squeezed his lover tighter. "No matter how many parking lots we make out in."

He laughed then, sharing it in his husbands mouth as he hugged him hard, grinning into his lips as he kissed him once, twice, three times. "The day you make out with me at a Stones concert wearing a black t-shirt and shades will be the day I finally tell you I’ve had enough." Dominic grinned again, kissing him twice more and ducking so their foreheads pressed together. "Though, you in little black glasses and a Grateful Dead t-shirt? Not bad."

"Little black glasses, I can perhaps concede but you will not find me at a Rolling Stones concert, nor shall you find me wearing a Grateful Dead t-shirt. Not even on my deathbed will you see that. Perhaps in your wildest dreams, but I am sure, not even then."

Dominic chuckled wickedly, rolling his forehead on Lionel’s. "Not even in my wildest dreams, my darling man. Its not you. I like you... I like the you that is here with me. I like the you that is okay with eating a two hundred dollar steak in my expensive apartment and then having sex with me on sheets that cost embarrassingly too much....and then giving one another blow jobs in a McDonalds parking lot twenty four hours later. I like that you're okay with things. It makes me very, very happy."

"I'm not okay with things, Dominic... I am okay with you. I do things with you and for you that I would not find myself doing for any other human being on this planet, not even my son." He stroked Dominic's cheek gently. "If you like the me that I am when I am with you, it is because of you being with me that I am the me you like."

Dominic. Just. Grinned. "I like the you you are with me. Its kind of like... peeking into Lionel Luthors big, overflowing heart, you know? Its rather nice, you know. I just like you, because I get to see the inside you. It all comes out when you come around me... I love that. Its what makes me love you so much. And damned if you're not a romantical sort of fellow."

"Lionel Luthor does not have an overflowing heart," Lionel grouched. "Nor is he a romantic. He is merely... a man."

"Yes, because all men take their lover to the beach front to get married, walk with them in the surf back to their hotel, take them upstairs to eat s’mores by the campfire, and proceed to have beautiful love, correct?

"Correct." Lionel nodded firmly. "I didn't do anything that extraordinary. All men spoil their mates on their wedding day."

"You spoil me every day." Dominic murmured, cupping Lionel’s cheeks as he snuggled his nose and cheek against his lovers, nuzzling him softly. "I don’t spoil you nearly as much, but I will."

Lionel kissed the cheek pressed against his. "You spoil me every day that I wake up and find you beside me, Dominic. You spoil me every time you forgive my fits of temper and my moods, my grumpiness and my arrogance. You spoil me every second that you love me."

"Oh. See? And then you ask why I’m mushy." Dominic said quietly, his voice gruff as he hugged his lover close to him, kissing each of his cheeks, his forehead, nose, and lips. "You are the better part of me." Another smile at him as he kissed him once more. "Come on, Husband. Let me go clog your arteries."

"No, let's go and clog your arteries. I think I will stick to my diet of French fries and Dr. Pepper."

Dominic grinned, very broadly, again. "I’m so proud you're mine, have I told you recently?" He opened the car door a crack, reaching back for his coat and scarf, and gave him another long, soft kiss, wet and tender, tongue stroking along his lovers mouth before he let go. "Mmmm. Lionel and French fries. Good taste, so come on."

"Not in the last few hours or so, but it's always nice to hear again." He got out of the car as well, slipping his hands back into his gloves as he shrugged into his jacket. "I must see if I can purchase their recipe for French fries."

"Lionel, if I told you something about them, would you die of disgust?" Dominic asked sweetly, shrugging into his coat and looping his scarf over his shoulders as he walked around the car. One hand in his pocket, the other offered to his lover, and he smirked wickedly.

"I already know they're fried in a disgusting amount of grease and have more sodium than the salt mines of Gomorrah, and yet, I still consume them."

"Uh...." Dominic caught his lower lip between his teeth, and winced at his lover. "Not just that, beloved."

"Then enlighten me." Lionel pushed open the door of Smallville's only McDonald's, and held it open for his lover.

Dominic walked past his lover, sharing a long moment of a look with him for a second before grinning and taking his hand, squeezing gently. "Never mind. I won't ruin them for you. Come on, what would you like?"

"I would like... fries, Dominic. And something to drink." He examined the board. "Do they have anything resembling... salad?"

"Aye. Or, I think so." A soft snort. "I don’t come here for the vegetables. And I meant, do you want big fries or little fries? Salt? None?"

"Large. Super sized, in fact. With a great deal of salt. No ketchup. Dr. Pepper. Salad, or some close facsimile thereof. Whatever dessert captures your fancy."

A flashed smile before he stepped up to the woman. "Hullo, there."

Angie stared. Oh. Hot guy. Times 2. Muuuuh. "Hi, welcome to McDonalds. What can I get for you?"

"Ah, well...something along the... well, two super sized fries. Two Dr. Peppers... is there anythin' resembling salad or the like 'ere?"

More stares. Angie turned, then, to her coworker. "Louis, do we sell salad?"

Said Louis nodded up towards the menu board. "Got them McShakers, or what they're called. They're salad in a little plastic thing."

Salad. In a little plastic thing. Lionel's stomach turned in revolt at the mere thought. "Perhaps we'll skip the salad after all."

Dominic’s shoulders shook with laughter, looking away from the two serious looking teenagers taking their orders and pressing his lips together. Once he'd composed himself, however, he nodded, looking up again. "Well, then. And two... vanilla shakes."

"So, we got yer two super sized fries, we got yer two large Dr. Peppers, and we got yer two vanilla shakes. Like a hot apple pie with that?"

Grin. Just... big grin. "Sure. Why not?"

"All right. C'n I get yer anythin' else?"

"No, I think that’s all the junk food we'll be eating today, thank you." But Dominic smiled, going into his back pocket and getting his wallet.

"Right, that'll be $5.82. Here or carry out?" Louis popped his chewing gum noisily.

Lionel's hand fell very heavily on his lover's shoulder.

"Carry out, please." Dominic almost squeaked, handing over six dollars as he turned to give his lover a thoroughly wicked, sweet look, eyes dancing.

Lionel glared. "They are worse here than at the other one we stopped at," he growled softly. "At least I'm not handing out autographs again."

Louis popped his gum as he counted out the eighteen cents change and passed it over to Dominic. "There ya go, be just a bit on the fries cause we just put a new batch in the fryer."

"Magical. Thank you." Dominic said, accepting the change even as he toned down his sarcastic voice, smiling sweetly at the boy before his grin turned wicked at the edges for his lover. "At least you aren’t signing body parts. Your fingerprints are on my ass, of course, but that’s regardless, yes?"

"I have never signed a body part, nor do I intend to start at this late date in my life." Lionel leaned elegantly against the counter.

"Mmmm." Dominic murmured, watching like a hawk as they made their food. They tended to get orders here wrong. ....A lot. So he kept an eye on the two dim witted children, nodding at his love as his thumb absently stroked Lionel’s wrist.

Louis was whistling as he dropped the fries into the hot oil, and then went to the freezer. There were three walls of hot apple pies, and he got two of the frozen brick-like snacks out, and put them in the microwave. "ANGIE! Check'em fries!"

Dominic was barely keeping himself in check. He watched Lionel out of the corner of his eye, grin twitching his lips. Above some sort of Muzak was playing, and Dominic hummed along to the familiar eighties beat, and stood quiet as they finished his food.

Lionel was leaning against the counter, hip braced against the sticky plastic as elegant fingers drummed against the Formica countertop.

And all Dominic wanted to do was lean down and lick and suck each gorgeous finger. But he said nothing, just sending his lover a sweetly serious look as he gazed again at the cashier.

And murmured, out of the corner of his mouth, "I’m going to tie you up and make you scream next week."

Lionel snorted at that. "I don't scream that easily, little, cricket, but you are welcome to try."

"ANGIE!!!" Louis juggled the hot apple pies as he dropped them into the bottom of the bag, then he pulled the fries out of the grease and dumped salt on them. He shook 'em several times to get the rest of the drippy stuff off, and dumped more salt on them. Then he filled up two super-size boxes and stuck them down in the bag too. "There ya go, and thanks for comin' by."

Ohhh. CHALLENGE! Dominic simply turned a gaze at him, one eyebrow lifted. "Do you think so?"

Angie had been TOTALLY watching the old gay guys fondle each other, but she jumped and turned, opening the bag for the goodies, Dr Pepper and milk shakes waiting in a drink container already as she blinked. "Fag. ...OH!" A gasp, and she turned red as a beat. "I meant bye!"

Lionel's eyes narrowed to mere slits, and when he spoke, his voice was wintry. "What did you just say, you insignificant little insect?" His hands slammed down on the counter, glaring icily.

"I... I didn’t! Mean! THAT!" Angie turned white where she was once red, all the blood draining out of her face as everyone stopped and turned to stare.

"Lionel." Dominic said quietly, gently touching his shoulder. "Baby, its not worth it. Come on, lets go."

Lionel shook the calming touch off. "I want to speak with your manager, right away. I will contact your home office; I am quite friendly with Mr. McIntyre, as we are both heads of large corporations, and if I am not satisfied, I will purchase this entire establishment, as well as every other restaurant in the chain, merely for the pleasure of making sure you are no longer employed in public service. Now, I wish to speak to your manager, and I wish to speak to him right now."

"Lionel." Dominic hissed, tugging on his shoulder. "Come on, let’s go. Its not worth it, and you’re making a scene."

"I-I-I d-didn’t mean anything by it!!!!!" Angie shrilled, eyes wide in a pale face. "I didn’t know! I’m sorry! It was an accident!" She burst into tears, turning to look at Louis. "Go get Manny!"

"I intend to make a scene," Lionel growled back. "I'll not stand to be insulted by some insolent little child who doesn't have the intelligence or the decency to keep her mouth shut."

Louis had jumped straight to attention when the bearded man had started bellowing, and holy shit. As soon as the other guy had called him Lionel, Louis recognized him. That was Lionel Luthor. He bolted for the back, pounding on the door of the manager's office. "Manny!!! Manny! You gotta get out here, now!!" He kept pounding.

Said Manny, nineteen years old and a sophomore at Smallville Community College, poked his head out of the door, nearly getting pounded in the face for it. He jumped, ducked, and his eyes widened. "What? What the hell, Lou?"

"Little child, and you're a grown adult dammit." Dominic hissed. "If you made a scene like this every time Lex opened his mouth you'd both be in jail. Let it go, lover."

"Li--Lionel Luthor! Yelling at Angie! Demanding! Manager!" Louis was panting as he leaned against the door. "Mad!"

"They'll not put me in jail, and if they do, I'll be out within the hour and suing the department for wrongful arrest," Lionel spat out, glaring at the girl. "Accident my wrinkled ass."

Dominic rolled his eyes heavenward, took out his Dr. Pepper, and took a sip.

Holy shit. Manny straightened, fixing his tie, smoothing his little puff of hair under his chin, and hiking up his pants a little higher on his hips as he walked out into the main part of the building.

Saw Lionel Luthor, seething mad. A shorter blond guy...and Angie, sobbing hysterically.

"Hello, Mr. Luthor. I’m Mandran Tresk." He offered his hand. "Can I ask what’s going on here?"

Lionel didn't deign to shake hands. "Mr. Tresk. I want this little child fired, immediately." He rolled his eyes silently as he saw that the manager was no older than the girl he wanted dealt with. "She called my companion and I fags, as she attempted to give us our food. I found that insulting, and I demand recompense, this moment."

Shit. SHIT. Manny cleared his throat softly. "Mr. Luthor, I can assure you the matter will be dealt with. However, I cannot simply fire my best worker for something of this nature. I will deal with it as it is stated in our rule book, and my apologies to you. She will be punished accordingly. However... I cannot fire her, sir."

"You can. And you will. Or I'll see to it that both of you lose your jobs when I speak to Mr. McIntyre this afternoon."

This old fart was threatening him? Fuck that. He dint need this job that badly. "That’s fine, sir. However, I am simply following employee protocol. And I’m sorry to say, I won't fire someone who’s been on my staff for two years just because she had a slip of the tongue. Nor will I fire her because you have threatened me. My integrity, and the integrity of this establishment, won’t permit it. Good day, sir."

Lionel held out his hand to Dominic. "Cell phone please, Dominic."

Dominic had been leaning against the counter, eating his fries, when Lionel asked him for his cell. He wiped his hand on his trousers, dug his hand into his pocket, and came out with Lionel’s cell phone, passing it over to him before taking a sip of soda and staring at him blandly.

"Thank you." He dialed his office quickly, and smiled when his secretary picked up. "Selma. Yes. Get John McIntyre on the phone. Yes, that John. Put him through as soon as you get him." Lionel leaned his hip back against the counter, staring at the young boy and the little girl.

Manny simply cocked a brow. He'd stepped in front of Angie, who was just sobbing hysterically, and watched the older man. Dude, the fucker wasn’t gone? Christ. He was so putting in his two weeks notice today, he didn’t NEED this shit for seven dollars an hour.

Lionel drummed his fingers on the countertop, and then straightened when the phone was answered. "John? Yes. Lionel Luthor. I'm sorry to disturb you--"

"Oh, no, Mr. Luthor. No disruption at all, not at all." John McIntyre was loosening the tie around his throat as he spoke. When Lionel Luthor made a high-priority phone call to you, it was never good. "What can I do for you?"

"Oh, I'm having a little problem at one of your restaurants. The branch here in Smallville. Seems one of your managers thinks that it's perfectly all right to allow one of his workers to call his customers fags. When it's other people? Quite frankly, I don't care how you handle it. When it's me? I want it taken care of. This instant."

That was the last straw, wasn’t it? Manny just BARELY kept from rolling his eyes. What an ASSHOLE. Maybe someone needed to tell him, oh yes. "Mr. Luthor, as you’re on the phone with the owner of this fine establishment? Ask him if he remembers the girl he himself had hired early 2001. He'll remember. She was the one who had Tourette’s syndrome."

Dominic just munched on his fries, sipping coke with a hip propped against the counter.

John swallowed on the other end of the line. He could hear the conversation perfectly. "Lionel, if that's the young lady... let me explain to you the circumstances."

Lionel ignored the boy behind the counter and gave his attention to the man on the phone. "I'm listening, John. And this had better be good."

"The girl, she's disabled. I'm not going to insult you; I assume that you know what Tourette's Syndrome is?"

"I do, but I don't see as how that relates to this, as at the very least, cashiering is not the appropriate place for someone suffering that difficulty."

Dammit. John sighed. "I'm not going to fire her because she had a small seizure. I'm sorry that you were insulted, and I'll have her removed from the front line, but understand--"

"No, John. I know what an attack looks like, and this wasn't it. It was a single insult, not a stream of them, and it was aimed directly at Dominic and myself, not at anyone else as we were the only people at the counter. If the girl has difficulties, I am sorry, but I won't stand for it."

"Wow. You know, I’ve heard things, Mr. Luthor. About you. How you’re helping the town. But you’re a motherfucker just like the rest of them, aren’t you? You don’t give a fuck about anyone in this town, you just want to take it over. You don’t care Angie's handicapped by the disease. You know why I had her up here, Mr. Luthor? Because I’ve only got a staff of four people. That’s why. Louis was helping her, but I know you don’t give two shakes of a fuck. So... Let boss man know I quit, if that’s what it takes to keep Angie. In fact, just let him know I quit period."

Lionel opened his mouth and things escalated. This was the way of it, and Dominic sighed, sipping his soda. He'd been told to shut up...he'd shut up. But every time Lionel looked at him, he glared. Deeply.

It was days like this John McIntyre really hated his job. Despised it, in fact. "Lionel, please. Let me offer you this compromise. I don't want to lose any of my employees over this, but I don't want you to be dissatisfied either. I'll make sure that Angie doesn't work on the front line and I'll issue you an apology from the home office. Would that satisfy you, seeing as how you know the girl's disability now?"

Lionel sighed, looked at the girl, the manager, and then at Dominic. "All right, John. I'll accept that."

A heaved sigh of relief. Thank God. "Let me talk to Mandran, please?"

Lionel held the phone out. "It's for you."

Manny took it, and held the phone to his ear. He was still standing in front of Angie, protecting, shielding her, as it were. "Yes, sir?"

"Manny, shut up and listen. I'll give you a raise if you'll just... smile nicely at Mr. Luthor and not quit. I told him I'll take Angie off the front line, but it'll only be for a week or so, to let this die down."

"No, sir. I’m sorry." Manny almost couldn’t help staring at the phone. "My integrity won't allow me to be bought off, either. I quit, sir. But I'll give you two weeks to find someone else." A slight nod.

Lionel leaned casually against the counter. "You know, it might not be a bad idea to hire that boy," he whispered quietly to Dominic. "Make it happen."

John cleared his throat desperately. "What'll it take to get you to stay?"

"Nothing short of a miracle, sir." Manny said conversationally, reaching back absently to squeeze Angie's hand tightly.

Dominic cocked a brow at him. Ignored him, and kept right on eating his French fries.

"Manny! I'm not going to fire her regardless!" John wailed helplessly.

"You don't think he'd be a good addition to the team?" Lionel cocked his own brow back, and stole a small handful of fries out of Dominic's box.

"That’s good. She doesn’t deserve to be fired because she said something she couldn’t help. And sir, if you were standing here looking at these two men, you'd agree a hundred percent." Smart Mouth was his middle name. Seriously. It was Yughebid. "It was not under her own fault. But as I said... not happening. Thank you, sir." Manny handed the phone back easily.

"I think you’re an ass." Dominic said easily, offering his box even as the boy spoke behind them. "But a good addition, yes."

"Yes, I do agree!" John shouted before the phone was passed back. No hyperventilation, John. "Mr. Luthor."

Lionel reached back over his shoulder and accepted the phone. "Yes?"

"You'll have your apology tomorrow."

"Thank you. And thank you for taking my call." Lionel hung up and calmly tucked the phone away in his jacket. Then looked back at Dominic as he picked up their bag with one hand, and their drinks with the other. "Make it happen, and I'll meet you in the car." With that, he walked out.

Dominic watched Lionel walk out...turned back to the boy, and sighed. "Sorry about that, Manny. Lionel’s go' a permanent you know what lodged you know where. Tis a bloody shame I love him so."

Manny heaved a sigh at his friend. "I know it. I’m sorry for this shit, Dom. Dunno how you put up with him."

"Tis my husband. He gets offended for being called on his homosexuality. I adore him so, regardless. Have you gotten the paperwork in the mail?"

A grin, then, as everyone calmed and continued to eat, as the scene ended. "I did. Does he know you already hired me?"

''acourse not." A smirking grin as he picked up his French fry box and leaned over to give Angie’s wet little cheek a kiss. "Its alright, lass. I'll be seeing you at Rubenstein’s next week for the cookin' show." A nod at Manny, and a handshake. "Talk to you soon. And 'member. Twas Lionel’s idea."

"Got it." Manny nodded, smiled a little and waved as Dominic left.

Dominic put on his best "just did business" face, walking back out with his little red and gold box of French fries, and opened the car door, slipping in and closing it behind him. "Business done."

Lionel swallowed his mouthful of fries. "Excellent. I'm not sure what position we have for that boy, but I'm sure that we can find something for him." The car was warm as Dominic slid in.

"Lovely. Lets get back home, hmm?" Dominic reached over and pulled his seat belt on, then took his vanilla shake and slurped at it. Mmmmm. Vanilla. "Feel better?"

"Much, actually." He rubbed his thumb over Dominic's cheek. "I feel.. like I've defended someone's honor."

Dominic grinned at him, lovingly, and winked, as he turned his face to press his lips to Lionel’s palm. "I’m glad you weren’t here the day she called me a motherless fucking cock sucker."

"I'm glad, too. What is a child like that doing working at a place like McDonald's?" He revved the engine once before pulling out. "Is there anything we can do for her? Have her working and not in a situation where this will happen again?"

"Because no one else will hire her, beloved." Dominic said quietly. "How would you like an employee cursing out your clients like that, without her being able to help herself? And trying to explain to the clients, and embarrass her?"

Lionel considered. "I'll hire her. Do you know if she is good with children? If she is, I will hold her on retainer until the child care center is open, or if that isn't suited, I'll find a place for her in the library. McIntyre's an idiot."

"Aye. I’m glad you know it." Dominic smiled, crookedly, an eyebrow raised as he continued to eat. "Come on, lets go. We've a lot of work and no' a lot of time to get it done in."

"Remind me to send that young woman something special," he said as an afterthought, merging smoothly into the flow of traffic.

-fin-

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