The Memoirs

"Dom... calling..." Clark muffled from Lex's throat, where he was currently sucking and licking at the arched skin. Snuggled in a corner like the kids they were, groping and making out. Licks, sucks, rubs against one another that was both arousing and fun, and Clark chuckled as he heard Dominic muttering about love and Christ and stupid young men. "He's looking for you."

"So's Toby," Lex muttered back, his mouth full of Clark's earlobe. "Wants to get paid. Dom wants to yell. Fuck 'em both... have my aushna'." He sucked gently on Clark's earlobe, hand pressing gently against the small of Clark's back and fitting their bodies together in the corner.

Clark exhaled a low groan, rubbing his lips against the pulse point there for his taking. He grazed his teeth over the trembling flesh, palm circling Lex's tight nipples through his shirt as they groped, licking and lapping in their corner in the upstairs hall. They were snuggled between a door and a potted plant, in shadows, and heeeee. Clark brought his palm down, cupping his lover through his pants as he giggled and moaned into Lex's neck, stroking and sucking as they twisted and turned, so Lex was pressed closer. His hands came back up, around his lovers waist, than one down on his ass, snuggling and rubbing himself against him. "Looking for...oh...you. Been cursing for....ten minutes?"

"So let 'em look." Lex's hands slipped down inside the tight confines of his lover's jeans and his fingertips swept over hot, firm ass as he squeezed gently and pushed his slowly hardening cock against Clark's. His tongue lapped at Clark's earlobe, teeth scraping along his jaw and throat with gentle licks as he nibbled and kissed, his legs spreading just slightly to allow Clark to nestle closer between them.

Clark muffled his appreciation against his lovers collar bone, his thighs growing wet and tight with his need as he arched his back, nuzzling his cock close as they arched and rubbed close. Humping in the hallway, and the sweet orgasm that giggles and naughty touches could bring in such a public place thrilled him. He dropped his head down, pressing the small of Lex's back up so he could suck at his nipple through his shirt, tantalizing little bites at it as the arched position let Lex arch his hips, too, and ohhhhh, his hot breath on his hair and Clark's scalp just tingled.

A pair of pretty blue eyes blinked at the couple making out in the hallway. A shock of blond hair peered between them. "Hi Clark! Hi AJ! Not that I don't mind the public show, and all, but if you're gonna fuck? Do it in your room and not in front of mine, kay?" Shayla just grinned at her two friends.

Clark didn't hear her at first, so in tuned with making out with his lover was he. However, he tuned in after the "you're gonna fuck?" part, his eyes widening as he let go of Lex's nipple and glanced up.

Blushed. Eighteen shades of red. And buried his face in Lex's throat, facing away from her and cringing in embarrassment.

Lex grunted as he felt Clark stop, and glared at the reason why. "Shayla Marie... I am going to kick your ass if you don't go away and let me finish what I'm doing."

"Does that mean I get to watch?" Shayla blinked it innocently, popping cherry-flavored chewing gum.

Clark snorted, loudly, from Lex's shoulder, and turned to look at her, even as he blushed. He was half hard, lowering now that they'd been disturbed, but he didn't dare move from his squeeze against Lex. If they separated, she'd be sure to see just how aroused they were, and oh, he blushed even HARDER.

"No. You don't get to watch. Go away and let me fuck Clark in peace." Lex stroked Clark's hair and kissed his blushed cheeks.

Shayla just squealed. "Oh my God. Pete was right, you are totally adorable when you blush!!" She pinched one of his cheeks and then kissed it. "But, you can't get rid of me. Pete also gave me the responsibility of getting you two to the party tonight, so you're stuck with me until then." She beamed up.

"You know, I can get rid of annoying growths like that for you," Toby said, leaning against the banister at the top of the stairs. "Otherwise, don't let me stop. By all means, finish. And, oh, Lex? Your stepdad's bellowin' for you."

Clark sighed, letting his head fall back as he straightened, just a little, thinking unsexy thoughts so his cock would go down. It was still...very interested in Lex's, so he had to pull away. No cock for you, Little Clark. He thought glumly, looking from the blond to Toby and back again. "Lex? Go with Toby. I'll keep blondie occupied." Though he grinned, turned to give him a peck on the lips, and sighed, grasping Shayla's petite shoulder... then her waist, and hauling her very small body up onto his very large shoulder. He hung onto the back of one thigh, waved at Toby, and trooped down the hall to the other flight of steps leading into the kitchen.

"CLARK KENT PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT!" Shayla shrieked, but she didn't try to escape. Instead, she just enjoyed the ride, but the shriek echoed behind her.

~ * ~

"Got a way with the broads, I gotta admit." Toby raised an eyebrow expectantly.

"Come on then." Lex was not thrilled with having his time with Clark interrupted by anyone. "You'd think that with all the goddamned rooms in this house, people would stay OUT of the hallways."

Toby laughed at that. "C'mon, Lex. You know that sex attracts onlookers. Used to have to drag your ass off enough stages to prove that."

Lex walked into their old bedroom, and over to one of the brightly decorated walls that still hid the wall safe. He dialed the combination, and swung it open.

"Holy shit. This is like Martha Stewart's wet dream," Toby noted as he looked around the cheerful room. "You actually sleep in this hellhole?"

"No," Lex said shortly, counting out thirty five thousand dollars, and tossing the banded bills to Toby.

Toby caught the money reflexively and stuck it in his black bag. Then blinked, pulled it out, and counted it. "There's 35 G's in here, Lex."

"Yeah, I know. I can count just as well as you can."

"What about the peyote?"

Lex shook his head. "Sorry. I don't deal in that anymore. For anyone. That's what the extra ten is to make up for."

Toby shrugged. "Bout fuckin' time somebody wised your ass up. I got enough of that shit to make fifteen gallons of tea and people want money for medicine now; you can't trade drugs anymore."

Lex just shrugged. "Don't care about that, Toby. Just... I promised Clark I wouldn't, and I won't."

"Glad somebody's put some sense into that bald head of yours," Toby snorted. "Not everyone can be paid off by a high. Listen to him; he's a good kid, Lex. Good for you too."

~ * ~

Clark snorted, loudly, jostling her up higher as he walked down the steps, taking care that she wouldn't hit her head on the top of the steps as he entered the kitchen. He crouched and lowered her enough to enter, offering a smile at Dominic's back, as he grunted, and peeked up at the little chicklet he was hauling around the house. "I'm sorry? I don't think they heard you in Persia."

Dominic looked over his shoulder, sighed at his sisters ass and Clarks smile, and turned, putting two more cups on the tray he'd set there. A full pot of coffee, four cups and a plate of soda crackers. "If she's being a little bint, you can toss her out on her ass. tis a bloody shame there aren't snow banks anymore."

"'m not bein' a bint an if you toss me out in my arse, Gideon'll run over your toes as sure as shit!" Shayla shrieked it again as she squirmed on Clark's shoulder, and she stuck her tongue out at her brother. "Bite me arse, Morgan."

Dominic rolled his eyes heavenward, giving her ass a hard pinch as he walked around her, going into the pantry for coffee filters.

A little chuckle as Clark gently and easily brought Shayla off his shoulder, depositing her sitting down on the counter top, and waggled a finger at her. "Remember that old saying? if the rooms a rockin'? Same principle. If you hear grunts, and see us going at it? Turn and run the other way, cause next time we won't stop."

"Really?" Shay asked, attention perking up. "You mean that? I'd get to... you know, watch? Like I did with Dick?"

"Ew! Shayla!" Clark rolled his eyes at her, and plopped into a stool, picking up one of the soda crackers, getting his hand slapped for it by the newly returned Dominic, and munching anyway. "No, not like... Dick? You... oh, Chloe told me. Yeah, that's kinda gross." Though it amused him greatly, as he gazed up at her. She was a really sweet girl, and he enjoyed being around her. Her temper matched his own, and he respected her for it. "She also told me you and she..."

"Im no' hearin' this." Dominic growled, at the both of them, glared, and picked up his tray, walking out of the kitchen.

"Yeah, we did. What's it to you?" She grinned right back at him, swinging her legs from the counter. "Yeah. I got to see Dick and Pete go at it in the backseat of Dick's Camaro, and yeah. It was... scorching. and... WUSS!!!" she yelled at her brother's departing back.

"Nothing at all." Clark set his chin in his hand. "There's a lot of history you don't really know about in our group, Shay. Its cool though, cause its always fun to recount it. My friend, Lana, she cheated on Whitney with Chloe. She and Chloe... they did a lot of stuff. Not all the way stuff, but yeah. I was kind of like Lana's sounding board... and then Chloe's. It got to the point where they felt so guilty over it that they stopped, and weren't as close as they used to be, when Lana died. Chlo' carries that guilt with her. Whitney... he was clueless until recently, and after she insinuated to me about you..." Clark shook his head gently. "Its good for her. You're closer to her than all of us... cause we're brainless boys, you know? its good for the both of you." And, he added innocently, "And if random fucking enters the equation, let me know so I can come watch."

"Pete and Whitney already have." Shayla grinned. "Chloe taught me how to get myself off, and then, we started doing it the other day." Her smile was just as sweet as his tone was innocent. "She's a great lady, even if I did hate her guts when I first met her." Her heels still drummed on the cabinets. "Is it true that you guys had sex here in the kitchen? Cause Ms. Bird was saying something about it while she was cleaning up but I didn't hear everything."

Oh, shit. Clarks eyes widened, and he blushed, hard, cheeks reddening as he ducked his face away. He and Lex had fallen asleep after their hard crying jag, and... completely forgot about cleaning the kitchen. FUCK. Clark winced, glancing down the counter where Clark had taken his lover hard, and gave a little shiver as he winced, looking at Shayla again. "No. Of course not. No sex where food is prepared." Cough.

Oh. Sudden moment, and hot jealousy squirmed through Clarks mind. Whitney, Pete, Shayla and Chloe?

No. Okay? No.

And he sent that thought to his lover, as he watched Shayla talk.

Lex shook his head. "Sorry. I don't deal in that anymore. For anyone. That's what the extra ten is to make up for."

Toby shrugged. "Bout fuckin' time somebody wised your ass up. I got enough of that shit to make fifteen gallons of tea and people want money for medicine now; you can't trade drugs anymore."

Lex just shrugged. "Don't care about that, Toby. Just... I promised Clark I wouldn't, and I won't."

OH! OH! And Clark heard THAT through the open channel and he suddenly grinned, broadly, and lay his hand down on Shayla's thigh. "No drugs."

Lex caught the thought that slid through his mind, and oh... no. That was not good. That wasn't going to happen. Whitney and Chloe were their friends, and just... hell no.

Shayla caught the blush and squealed. "You SO did!! Clark Kent, ewww!!!! Thank God Ms. Bird loves her bleach bottle!!!!!!!!!" Then she looked at him, head cocked to the side. "Who the hell is doin' drugs?" She didn't flinch at his hand on her thigh cause she trusted Clark, and well... okay, cute guy touching and flirting is definitely good. Even though he wasn't Pete.

Clark was just beaming. Beaming. And his touch was nothing more then a gay guy joyfully needing contact from his friends, his grin just... enormous, beaming like all hell. Heee. "Lex. He didn't...oh, never mind." He let go to hug himself, beaming at Shayla as his eyes shined over. "I love him, you know."

"Yeah, I know you do. You goofball." She hugged him too, just grinning. "He loves you too, it shows."

He grinned and hugged back, though he could feel Lex's anger at the friends thing, so he looked up at her, asking, "What all happened with you, and Chloe and Whit?"

"Nothing much." Shayla scooted herself down on the counter, and patted it so he could sit beside her if he wanted to. "First thing was, she just taught me how to get off. Cause... okay, I know, I'm an idiot, but nobody ever taught me how to get off before. Poor Whit, I thought he was going to blow a gasket watching. She was so great. She told me just what to do, how to do it, what felt good, everything. And she only touched me once, when she kissed me." Wolfish grin. "Second time was different. She was so... sad. Sad about something, crying, everything. So I took her upstairs and got her calmed down and we just... we started making out. Kissing, touching, everything like that. Never went that far, though. She left, really, before anything happened, her and Whitney. But Pete walked in on me and her, and Chloe made him go get Whit so they could watch us and know that we weren't like, cheating on them or anything."

Clark hiked himself up on the counter top... then immediately looked at Shayla at the mention of Chloe crying, sad, and his face fell, his heart squeezing tight in his own sadness. "Oh." He swallowed, hard. He... he'd neglected his sha'nauch, and they'd made vital mistakes, because they didn't understand. But something in Shayla's tone had Clarks eyes changing, his gaze going over her as his eyebrows knit in thought.

She was shifting... nervous. Her fingertips kept tapping the counter, her tongue worked over her teeth.... she was biting the side of her lip. "You know, don't you?"

"Know what?" she asked brightly. No way was she going to tell Clark that Chloe told her. No way in hell.

"That..." He could barely strangle the words out. Chloe hadn't told her, Clark felt that in his heart and in his link with his life friends. But Shayla had found out, in her usual sneaky way, and he swallowed at the lump forming in his throat. "You know... about the baby."

At that, her face fell. "Yeah. I know. Chloe didn't tell me, so you can't let Lionel kill her. I just... I was sort of sneaking around. And overheard."

Clark frowned, deeply, and he looked away from her. Another person, exposed to, and he swallowed, hard, closing his eyes for a long moment. "Does Pete know?"

Shayla hugged Clark tight as she could, and put her head on his shoulder. "Yeah. He knows. I couldn't lie to him, Clark. I tried, but... he asked."

Clark expelled a long, hard breath, his body trembling against hers as he looked up, at the ceiling, swallowing hard. "Shay... I didn't...I didn't want everyone to know. I knew… if they did, things would change. And t... that's why Pete, why he came to apologize to me yesterday, isn't it?"

"He realized he was bein' an ass, yeah. But Clark, he was gonna come before he found out, okay? Believe me. He just... it made him realize he was being Super Ass instead of just... Assy." She rubbed his shoulders. "It ain't changed nothing. I still like you. Yeah, I'm a little worried if you're okay or what, but... yeah. You're still Clark, and I'd still bang you if there wasn't a Pete and a Lex."

A little chuckle he didn't feel, and he swallowed, looking down at her. "You're telling me you're okay with me being an alien, Shay?"

"If you were okay with being a pink-haired little freakjob, then I'd say we're pretty much on the same okay page." She grinned a little. "It ain't changed. Whatever it is... you're still Clark Kent. But... yeah. If you need to hear it, I'm okay with you being... out of this world!!"

"You're a dork." But he set his cheek on her head. "No one can know, Shay. Even the people that already know can't know you know. Tonight... we'll tell the guys. The six of us can know we know. But other than that.." A little shake of his head, as he hopped down from the counter. There was a hood over his eyes, though, a darkness he was trying so hard to battle, and he swallowed softly. "I feel better knowing you know."

She jumped down beside him, and put her arms around his waist. "You know, Clark? You're a lot like my brother Morgan, and I'm gonna kick you both in the arse for it. Neither one of you think you're worth bein' liked, loved, or cared for, and you're both scared that whomever does is gonna run in the opp'site direction. Ain't gonna happen, big brother." She squeezed, and oofed. "Huggin' you is like huggin' Graham. But it's not gonna happen, Clark. I ain't flipped out yet, and I ain't goin' anywhere. I ain't yet, have I? I let you truck me around the house. Wouldn'tna done that if I was scared of you."

"Yeah. Yeah, I know." He grinned down at her, then, a real smile though it was tinged with sadness. "Yeah. So... tell me about this party, will you? What are we going to do?"

"Eat drink and make merry, for tomorrow we diet." She snickered as she left her arm around his waist. "Okay. We're getting presents, pizza, sodas, a cake, video games, all kinds of shit."

"I don't need presents." Clark said, though his voice was soft and shy, as he hugged her around the shoulders and led her, tall guy and short girl awkwardness aside, into the hall, where he could hear his lover coming.

"Well, too late. Cause everybody's gettin' you at least one. Even me." She followed him out into the hallway, and waved up the steps at Lex. "Hey, AJ!!!! Dump the old guy and come hang out!"

"Old guy?" Toby snorted. "Feel for you, Lex. Really." Then he raised a brow. "AJ?"

"Don't even ask." He glared at Shayla as they came down the stairs. "Little girl, we need to talk."

But Clark was smiling at his lover, giving him the easy, comfy look of being with people he liked, instead of the shy, quiet nervousness he sometimes was around his friends. He shook his head, grasping his lovers arm and tugging him close, and he turned his head to wink at Toby. "We'll prolly have to call you again before the weeks over, because he's killed her."

"Hey, I only deal with the livin'. I don't bury bodies." He dug through his pockets and came up with a battered business card. "Here's the guy I told you about. He'll do right by you."

Shayla stuck her tongue out at Lex. "Bite me, AJ."

Clark took it, and nodded his thank you, smiling at him as he tucked the card into his front t-shirt pocket. "Thanks, Toby."

And he discreetly pinched Lex's butt, as his lovers backside faced the wall, thumb tracing the crack gently as he nodded.

"No problem. I'm gonna get out of here. Lex, if your dad needs painkillers, lemme know, and I'll get Percocet for him." Toby shook Lex's hand. "Don't kill anybody. And I'll see you in a week when I come back to look at his ass."

Lex relaxed as he saw Clark's attitude being relaxed, but between the fact that Shayla knew and the fact that Shayla had been with their sha'nauch... no. He wasn't at all happy with the little blondie. "Mmm... I'll try." Clark's hand was soothing on his ass, and he shifted just a little into the stroking thumb.

Teasing glance at Lex through long, thick eyelashes, before he turned, waving as Toby skedaddled... and he wound his arm around Shayla's shoulders, holding her close. "Calm, Lex." Because he damn well knew his lover, and he could feel the tension in his body, around his hips, and in the shoulder pressing into his own.

"Me? Calm? Always." Lex put his arm around Clark's shoulders, and kept glaring at Shayla. "We need to find a nice, quiet little room where nobody's going to hear me commit murder."

Shayla ducked behind Clark, and peeked out under his shoulder. "I'm hiding behind you, Clark!! You better protect me!"

"The castle is drafty enough." Clark murmured softly, into Lex's cheek. And didn't blame Shay one BIT for hiding. "Beloved, it was a mistake. She found out from Chloe... our ashikana has been very sad. We did not help them, and now, we have to." Clark nodded, licking Lex's cheek softly, soothingly. "Ashimel, I feel his pain. Now that we can deal with our own, we have to help them. They do not deserve to be scared."

Lex growled softly. "You are not displeased others know?" Soft growling hiss, but he nuzzled into Clark's soft licks and kisses.

"I am very displeased." Clark said softly. "But she is a good friend to Chloe. And if Chloe finds her worthy, she is worthy for us, as well." And she was. If Chloe was friends with her, Shayla could be trusted. "Tonight, when we have the party... I will tell them. It is time, Lex."

He looked up at Lex, quietly, and stroked his thumb very gently over his lovers cheek. "She accepts what I am. Not many people can, Lex. She helped Chloe when neither of us could... she is friend. Please, don't be angry, my lover."

Lex sighed deeply. "If you are not angry, then I cannot be." He put his hand on Clark's forearm and rubbed the mark through his lover's sleeve. "I am not happy, but I cannot complain if you have no problem with this." He looked over Clark's shoulder.

Clark smiled, shaking his head as he nuzzled Lex's nose gently with his own, rubbing his stubble along Lex's baby smooth cheek, and chuckled as he took his hand in his own, tightly, and gazed at Shayla. "He won't kill you...and I'll catch him before he maims you, sweetheart. You can come out, now."

Shayla peeked out distrustfully at Lex. "Yeah, right. I'm staying right here where it's safe."

Quiet smile, as he turned to peek at her. "Go do something for a while." Amscray. Because Clark's eyes were gently sweeping over his lover in interest, and he felt like making love. Lots of it. And his fingers slipped gently over Lex's hand, bringing it up to his heart.

A cocked eyebrow. "You tellin' me to get lost so you can bang your boyfriend, Clark?"

He didn't look at her, though his voice was grinning as he spoke. "You can take a hint."

"Right. Color me disappeared." She slunk out from behind Clark, then popped up between Clark and Lex. "Take pictures and tell me what happens." Then, before Lex could turn around and throttle her, she ran.

"I'm still going to kill that girl."

"I know." But his gentle spirit had him bringing Lex close, and leading him towards the steps. "Come be with me for a while? Before your dad, and Dominic, and probably Bruce start screaming for you?"

Lex climbed the steps right behind Clark. "I'd love to, Clark. I'd love to be with you. Not just for a little while... forever. Let 'em scream for me... I have... more important things to tend to." Each pause was filled with a kiss to Clark's throat as he wrapped Clark's arm around his waist.

"LEX! IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR BLASTED ASS DOWN HERE I'M GOING TO GO FUCK YOUR FATHER ON THE HOOD OF YOUR ASTON MARTIN! NOW GET DOWN HERE NOOOOW!"

Dominic bellowed it so loud the windows rattled.

And Clark burst out laughing against Lex's cheek, looking down the steps at where the voice had come from. "Lex... Instead… wanna have a little… quickie?" He whispered, his voice amused. "I kind of...I like....being where people could, could find us. And.." A soft flush.

"Mmm... I could live with that." He raised one leg to rub his heel against the back of Clark's calf.

"Quickies... are always fun."

"You like that?" Clark whispered, shyly, looking up at him under his long lashes.

"Mmmhmm. Remind me to tell you about the time I was on stage at the Xandria club." He rubbed up against Clark, rocking gently and sliding his hands around to firmly grab Clark's ass.

"Did I tell you... about... about the time, with Whitney?" Clark asked softly, his fingertips cupping Lex's cheeks as he brought him close for tender, soft, adoring kisses, as they snuggled back into their little grove against the wall.

"No, you didn't," he growled softly, feeling his back snuggle against the wall and he raised his leg up higher to wrap around Clark's waist and pull him in. "I'm... rather envious, actually... Whitney's been alone with you."

"During... during the scarecrow, thing." Clark said softly, as he let himself get tugged in, his thighs getting pulled in close to the valley of splayed thighs. Mmmm, and the treat he found there, long and hard and pressing against his hip, was exciting beyond belief. "He's the one who hung me up... and he came back, later, right before you found me. The meteor necklace, it had made me so sick. I just knew I was going to die, strung up there in thirty degree weather. The pain was just... it was intense. I was fevered, sweating...and he came back. And he touched me. Told me... told me he was sorry he'd done it, and he was sorry he'd never told me how beautiful I was. You… you spooked him." Clark smiled, then, his thoughts in his memories. "He thought I wanted to take Lana from him...he was jealous of me, for a long time. We became friends though... Lex, even then, I saw him as my ashimel. He was ashimel. And Chloe was ashikana. Every time I'd see him I'd feel it in my head, and I couldn't understand. But knowing you, and having you love me that first day... it opened a thousand doors to all the questions I've had over the years."

Lex growled softly at the reminder of how he'd found his lover that night. "He was a bastard to have done it to you in the first place, instead of just talking to you about it. Neanderthal bastard." Then the growl turned to a purr. "But because of him, I got you back, when you were under the influence of the red meteor rock. He has done well by both of us and... I am proud to be sha'nauch with him and with Chloe."

"He has made mistakes... but all of us have, Lex." Clark whispered, stroking his fingertips over Lex's jaw line as he arched his back, purring in pleasure as his lover pressed tighter to him. "All of us have. Its what you do with the result of your mistake that makes you the man you are."

Lex tilted his head back so that his lover could move down his throat. "He is a good man... you are a better man." He nuzzled Clark's chin gently, sliding one hand down to stroke over the small of Clark's back. He could feel the light scar that remained as he pressed down gently on the pleasure spot. "We all live better because of our mistakes."

"I was proud of you." Clark grunted, arching back into his lovers hands as he stroked over both their crotches pressed tightly together, stroking the backs of his fingers over his lover as he carefully unzipped him, slipping his fingers into his pants and rubbing gently. He glanced around him, a shiver of pleasure rushing up and down his spine as he murmured, "You made me so proud, beloved."

Lex grunted in answer, pressing his cock against Clark's hand as it slipped into his pants. "I try to make you proud of me. I tried to do things that would make you proud of me. Be a good man. Then when you claimed me... I lived to make you proud of me."

"You always make me proud." Clark murmured against his lovers lips, beginning the rapid, delicious up and down movement. Much wanted friction from his fingers, which rubbed against the head on every stroke up. "Today, not giving Toby drugs? Never been prouder. Ever." He lapped his way to Lex's ear, slipping his fingers down to his crotch so he could unbutton his own jeans. The four buttons came undone easily, and he slipped his own cock out, joining it in his grip as he jacked them gently and tenderly together.

Lex started to make a reply, and he moaned. Long and soft, he moaned as he rubbed his cock against Clark's, thrusting his hips forward. "Did... for you... didn't want... lose you. right thing to do." It was the closest he could come to coherency as he thrust against his lover. "Wanted make you proud."

"You m… make me proud, in everything you do." Clark whispered, running his lips to Lex's earlobe. He sucked it into his mouth, biting it gently, rubbing his teeth back and forth across it as his fingers sped up, free hand pressing Lex close as he panted, stopping his sucking a moment to look at what he was doing. So... outrageous, their cocks rubbing back and forth across one another and groan.

"Good... want to make you proud of me." His hands stroked Clark's back gently, rubbing the small nodule at the base. Teasing the delicate skin, rocking back against his lover, sucking Clark's groans into his mouth and trading them for groans of his own. "Clark... so good, you feel so good."

"Never... we never get off just with our h-hands," Clark whispered, using both hands to stroke their balls close together as well, rubbing the heads together with the other palm and grinding his wind palm down on both of them, goosebumps erupting all over his body as he shivered, pleasure snaking up to his brain.

"I did," Lex panted back. "In--in the hallway. At your school. First time... first time I touched myself for you, right in front of the soft drink machines. Never been able to look at a soda can... without thinking of you since." He shuddered as Clark touched his balls, and his hips sped up their stroking, fucking Clark's slick palm.

"Oh, God," And the intensity of that first teasing masturbation made Clark shudder, hard, his hands speeding up as his chest rubbed against his lover. New love, brand new love, and the pleasure of it made him grin, thrusting faster as he choked out husky laughter, stroking his tongue across Lex's lower lip before delving in deep.

Lex opened his mouth to the thrusting kiss, sucking Clark's tongue as it slid into his mouth and he bit down on it, nibbling it and sucking it. His nipples were hard and prickled against his dress shirt and he arched against Clark, entire bodies pressing together as he rocked his hips. "Little harder," he gasped out, mind flooded with dual doses of heat, want, and erotic desire. "So close."

Clark arched his hips on the upstroke, bringing both palms around them and speeding up. His mouth dropped down to Lex's shirt, giving the nipple peaking from the dress shirt nibbling little bites, until he panted, lips open and red with kissing and pleasure. His face was flushed, eyes slit and intent on what he wanted, and he gazed at his lover in love and pleasure, fingers working to get him to come. "My l... lover... lover, my lover... most beautiful creature in the world... my lover."

The nibbles on his nipples made his empty ass ache to be filled. Instead he thrust against Clark's working fingers, whimpering softly at the words that came out of his lover's throat. "My aushna'... so beautiful, so wonderful, so precious to me!" He arched his back, his hips stroking into his lover's fist as he came, body shuddering as his heart and mind was awash in the love and desire spilling through the link he shared with his aushna'.

Oh, God. Close, close... Clark erupted a second after Lex did, their spilling organs in his tight grip as he grunted, thrusting into his fist... and shuddering, moaning as he orgasmed. Pleasure washed through his brain, pleasant and delightful, and rather than scream, he sighed, in joy and ache fulfilled. Oh, and it was like a delicious gift, and he moaned, shuddering and rubbing his hips into the heat and moisture. "Mmmmm."

Lex leaned forward and took Clark's mouth in a quietly sloppy kiss, tongue licking over his lips and teeth, nibbling and nipping. "Mmmmm is right."

"Mmmm." He whispered again, stroking them both through orgasm before bringing his wet, smeared hand up, and began to lick and suck their orgasm away. His tasted very, very sweet, like raw candy... his lovers bitter, but lovely. Hee. It was almost like eating a warhead, and he licked in pleasure, tongue striping wetness across his fingers and palm.

Lex took the other side of Clark's hand, tongue licking out and occasionally brushing over Clark's as he licked clean, ducking his head down to lick the back of Clark's hand and sucking each knuckle. "Share the pretty treat, Clark," Lex pled softly.

Clark's mouth trembled open, his skin goosebumping in erotic pleasure as he offered his hand, and his mouth joined Lex's. Tongues lapping, his fingers spreading as he licked, offering it to his lover as he licked and lapped at his lovers lips, catching what smeared on his lips as he moaned softly.

Lex sucked each finger as it was offered to him, tongue brushing across the soft whorls of his fingerprints, scraping his teeth over them and teasing as he sucked.

"Holy fuckin' Christ, that's gotta be the sexiest thing I ever heard," Shayla breathed from her corner down the hallway. "Share the pretty treat, Clark."

Clark's head shot up, and he stared down the hall. Shayla had just... fuck. But he smiled, carefully keeping the thought from his lover as he met Lex over his fingertips, tongue snaking out to lap at Lex's, that was licking at his fingertips. He murmured his pleasure, kissing him softly amidst his fingers as he lapped at the back of his palm, cleaning it as their cock heads gently rubbed together in bliss.

Lex pulled his tongue away from Clark's kiss reluctantly, but then slid down the wall until he was on his knees, and took Clark's cock in his mouth. Light licks, no sucking, lapping like a grooming cat as he cleaned all trace of their orgasms away from his lover's shaft.

Shayla barely managed to strangle the squeak that boiled out at the sight of Lex Luthor on his knees in front of Clark.

Clark groaned, softly, his eyes squeezing shut as he tipped his head up, palm gently slipping down onto Lex's head. Just massaging, rubbing the smooth skin gently, as his head fell forward and he looked down at his lover, cleaning him and oh, yes. He smiled his appreciation, and his pleasure, waiting for his lover to be done so he could do the same.

Lex slowly moved his mouth off Clark's cock, looking up at him with soft gray eyes as he felt Clark's hands stroking him gently. "Feels so good when you do that, baby." He pulled himself slowly to his feet, then offered a kiss to his love.

Clark reached forward, immediately seeking Lex's tongue, lapping the sweet taste off of his lovers tongue before he gently crouched, shifting his head before drawing Lex's limp cock into his mouth and down his throat until his nose brushed all the warm, soft skin of his lovers crotch. All the way, not to arouse but to clean, drawing his mouth off of him a moment later before he lowered his mouth, giving his lovers still half hidden balls a gentle tongue bath, cleaning the come off of them before down the shaft, giving the head a tender kiss before he hid it away in underwear, gently drawing the zipper up, the button slacks closed. He rose, slipping himself hidden again, doing up the buttons of his jeans before he tugged his yellow t-shirt down again. A crooked grin, as he reached forward to kiss his lover, rubbing his shoulders tenderly before letting go, and offering a hand.

Another soft, half-strangled squeak and Shayla squeezed out of her corner and then slammed her bedroom door. "CLARK!!! LEX!!!! Where the hell are you guys?" she yelled out innocently, pretending she hadn't just seen them jacking each other off in the hallway.

A soft purr turned into a half-tortured moan as he wound his fingers through Clark's and stroked fingertips over that crooked grin. "Mmm... we have to do this more often." He snuggled himself into Clark's arms and squeezed tightly. "I'm so glad to be with you, Clark." His fingertips stroked the bitten scar on Clark's throat, under the collar. "I'm sorry I scarred you like that... but now everyone knows you're mine." The moan then turned into a growl. "Did I mention I'm going to strangle that child?"

"I like knowing people know." Clark whispered, eyes dancing as he looked up, innocently, at Shayla as she appeared in the hallway. He bit his lip, smiling at her pleasantly like he and his lover hadn't just masturbated and licked each other clean, his thumb tenderly rubbing Lex's knuckles. "Hey, Shay. We were on our way out."

Shayla linked her arm through Clark's other one and gave a blinding smile. "Then I'm just in time. Where are we going?"

"*WE* are not going anywhere. *YOU* are going to back to wherever it is you lurk during the day, and Clark and I are going.... out." Lex growled it.

Clark choked out a grin, biting his lip tightly as he looked down at her, and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "I have super hearing, Shayla." Before up, squeezing Lex's hand. "We were going to take the puppies for a walk, actually, as...." A moment...and a sudden bounding of many tiny feet came from the steps, and he chuckled. "As they're coming."

Cleo WAS NUMBER ONE! She made it to the TOP OF THE SCARDIE THINGS FIRST! HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! She let out a happy "ARF!", sticking her nose in the air and prancing right out of the Sammy's and the Artie's vision before she bounded down the hall like the tom boy she was. THE LEX! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! He had given her nummy things for her mouth that she had chewed and MMMMMMMMMM! She barked, louder, cause THE CLARK! AND THE PINK LADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IT was just her DAY! YEAH!

She thudded into the Lex's legs before she got herself up, barking like mad as her bruders came up the steps, running circles around them and giving them big puppy grins as she bounded around their feet.

Shayla blushed. "Then let me say, for your super-ears alone, you're a hottie. So's AJ, but you guys together? You could make like, tons of money on videos and stuff."

"Hello there, Queen Cleopatra." Lex bent down and picked up Cleo as she thudded into his legs and ran around. He snuggled her into the crook of his elbow. "How is my baby girl today, huh? Did my girl sleep well? Like your new room, baby, or did you miss your Lex?" He scratched behind her ears as he talked to her.

THE CLARK!!!! He bit the Cleo's tail as she wagged it in front of him, pounced on her back, and then started pawing at Clark's leg. So not cool not to be cuddled. "BAWR barbarbark!"

Artie was the laid-back puppy of the group, and he plodded to a stop beside Shayla, sniffing her leg, then starting to chew on her pants leg. "BARK!" he whoofed lowly, heaving a huge sigh as Samson and Cleo went insane in front of him.

"Afffffffffffffff! Ararararrrfffffffff!" YEAH! PICKED! UPPPPPPPPPP! She barked cheerfully and snuggled him, sniffling and licking all over and OOOOO the Lex had that SMELL! That specialist smell he only got when the Clark was around and MMMMMMMMMM. But she was a bad puppy, and she couldn't lick it, so she only sniffed all over, lapping at the Lex's chin cheerfully.

Clark let out a big grin, lifting Samson into his arms and snuggling him under one arm as he sniggered at poor Artie, bending down to give him a good rub. "Shayla, your suggestion doesn't go on deaf ears. I might convince Lex of one or two, you know." But he was teasing, rubbing Arties back as he looked at his lover and motioned. "Lets go visit my parents, Lex."

"Lexy missed his Miss Cleo, yes he did." He rubbed his cheek against her silky soft fur, tickling behind her ears and laughing when she licked his chin. He rubbed her tummy and scratched it lightly as she licked, and just snuggled her in as close as he could. "Don't worry, Miss Cleo, we'll move the bed back in the room for you."

Shayla's attention perked up instantly. "Really? Okay. I can run a camera, you know, I did a little drama club back in Canada, Mama wanted me to get in the theater program. I can do cameras and lighting, and I'll work for nothing."

Clark looked up at her, snorted, and he just blushed, chuckling as his eyes danced and he shook his head, tapping his leg for Artie to come up into his arms. "Shay, thank you for the offer. But Lex... wouldn't go for that sort of thing."

Ooooooooo tummy rubs, and she purred, flopping cozily onto his shoulder. Love. Of. Her. LIFE. She barked her cheery disposition, snuggling and offering her belly for more rubbing. Hello, she was the Cleo, she deserved them!

"You're joking. Hello, do you know who you're dating? The things Morgan repeated about this guy will make your ears burn." She bent down and picked up Artie, who was currently slobbering on her jeans, and handed him over. "Graham gives me a credit card when I need to buy stuff, just give me the word and I'll buy a new camcorder. You won't even know I'm there, I swear." She gave him huge, innocent, pleading eyes for all of ten seconds before she cracked up.

Lex rubbed Cleo's tummy as she snuggled up to him. "That's my girl. Good girl, beautiful. You think we should visit the Kents? You want to see Bessie again, huh?" He rubbed his cheek against her nose.

Shayla looked back up at Clark. "Does he have any idea how he sounds?"

"Like warm honey over a fire?" Clark asked innocently, but he bit his lap and glanced at his lover, chuckling softly as he snuggled a hyper Samson and a demure Artie tenderly. "Shayla... I know you're not really serious, but he might be up for it." He blushed, softly, grinning up at her. "I'll ask. We're gonna go visit my mom and dad, though...did I tell you my moms pregnant?"

"Actually, I am serious and no!!!! I didn't know that and I bet Mama doesn't either!" Then her face fell. "Even though I'm not actually talking to Mama."

"What? Why not?"

Chloe gave him the big puppy eyes, batting them at him in all pure love. She heard "Bessie". Oh, man. Was it that big spotted thing she'd terrorized for an hour last time? WOOOOOOOO! That thing was FUN! Samson had swung on her tail! Artie had peed on her leg! DEFINETE fun! WOOO! She yipped, cheerfully, biting his chin playfully before laying on her back in his arms, little puppy arms flopping every which where. RUB MMEEEE!

"Because she called Pete... she called Pete a nigger, and she's demanding that I stop seeing him and I told her to piss off." She sighed, and reached out to pet Artie.

"I think Cleo votes yes for your parents... seems she likes the mention of Bessie." He obliged and scratched the tummy that she exposed to him, burying his nose in soft, puppy-tummy fur.

Clark thunked Lex on the arm so he'd pay attention, his eyes never leaving Shayla's face as he stared at her. "She called him a huh?" Physical wince, and he glanced at Lex, before looking back at Shay and offering her a puppy laden arm for her to hug him. "Man, Shay. I'm sorry. that... really sucks."

HEEEEEEEE! He was tickling!!! She gave little puppy laughs, arrooooing and batting at his head in glee as he tickled and YEAH. Loove? Oh, uh huh.

"Yeah, it does. Everybody's pretty much disgusted with Mom, and I can't wait for Graham to get home, because you know he's seein' Toni and that's just... Mama's going to hate that, too. But, Gideon likes him, and so does Morg and Meggie, and Lindy. Graham, will come around, if he can get over the fact I'm having sex." She snuggled into his chest and hugged him. "You're good for hugs and hiding you know," she half sniffled.

"I heard every word, Clark," Lex said, scratching a puppy tummy as he kissed it.

"Its on my resume." Clark murmured, hugging her gently as he set the puppies down and took her hand, as Lex seemed occupied with that OTHER love of his life, and gently tugged Shayla down the--Speak of the devil, and he shall arise.

Puppies. Lots of them. Lex snuggling one. And Clark hugging Shayla. Well, alright. Pete smiled as he came on them, hands in his pockets. "Hey, guys." He offered his hand to Clark, giving his girlfriend a sweet smile as he did so.

"Hey, Pete." Clark shook his hand, tightly, and smiled as he motioned down to the teary, sniffly Shay.

"Wha's wrong, baby?" Oh, shit, and Pete wrapped his arms around her gently, hugging her close.

"Just Mama." She wrapped her arms around Pete and squeezed. "Clark told me about his mom being pregnant and I don't think Mama knows that, and then I remembered that Mama's being a bitch right now and I can't talk to her and I just got sad." She said it all in one breath, and then hiccupped softly. "Clark was letting me hug him since you weren't here."

"I don't mind." He sighed into her hair, though he gave Clark a grin over her blond hair, offering Lex a hand shake as he did it. "Hey, man."

Clark crouched and retrieved Samson and Artie again before they could go anywhere, gazing at the pair a moment before motioning Lex with him, down the steps.

Lex shifted Cleo enough to shake hands. "Mr. Ross. Your brother is... quite the interesting character; between you and I, he's going to give my father a heart attack and I heartily approve."

Shayla sniffled, and reached out to pet Samson before Clark disappeared with him. "Hey! Don't you guys forget!! Six o'clock tonight. Party. Pete's apartment."

"Party, got it." Though he blushed, softly, walking down the steps with two fat puppies, snuggling each close as they made it downstairs. His back gave a soft tug and he shifted his shoulder, setting the puppies down and around to rub the bump and the scar, as he glanced up... winced at Dominic's glare.

"Lex? He happens to be where?" Killer brow.

"I...um. He...well. See. He.."

"He snuck off, didna he?!" Dominic snarled.

"I… it... well.."

"Little shit!"

Shayla's eyes widened as Dominic's voice carried up the stairs, and she grabbed Lex by the arm. "AJ, fuck. Dom's on the warpath. C'mon. I know this is your house, but move your fuckin' ass. I know how to get you out without him seein' you. Pete, tell Clark AJ'll meet him out by the garage." She dragged him over to the passageway beside her bedroom. "Follow me and don't get lost."

Lex just blinked up as he was dragged along. "Come on, Cleo. The obnoxious little pink lady is dragging us along." He obediently followed the bobbing blond head through turn after turn, switched passageways behind the kitchen, and emerged into the garage a few moments later through the servant's entrance to the house. "Well. I'm sure I'd get lost if I tried that."

"Bite me, AJ. I got a map. Get the fuck out of here and meet Clark, and I'll handle Dom."

Cleo gave a happy bark, cheerfully biting Lex's ankle as she waited, gnawing on it happily.

Clark just shrugged his shoulders, saving him from a lie he knew he wouldn't be able to tell for his life, swallowing hard and skedaddling towards the front door... heard the skid, a moment before Pete plowed into him, and grabbed his arm.

Pete let out a little laugh, coughed, straightened, and said, "Come on. Garage. Car."

"Pete, I--"

"Garage." Gritted. "Car."

Ding ding. "Oh. Yes! Car. To drive, Come on, Artie. Samson, keep up." He whistled to the pups he'd set down, giving the flowering Dominic a smile as he scooted towards the garage, Pete on his tail.

Samson knew THAT whistle!! That was the going outside whistle! He humped his fat little puppy butt down the stairs, and ran to keep up with Clark and the nice-smelling Dark Man. He sniffed at the Dark Man, chewed his ankle, and then sneezed at the dust on his shoe.

Artie ran too, tripping on his floppy ears twice before throwing them out of the way and humping behind Samson. His little butt wobbled as he ran, and he skidded as he came to the door, plowing into Samson's rear end.

Lex picked his baby girl back up and cradled her. "Yes, we're going away from all the crazy people in just a minute. We're going to go and you can play with Bessie, if you can make Jonathan leave her alone long enough."

Clark chuckled softly as he walked into the garage, glancing over his shoulder and snorting as he grabbed Lex's hand, grinning broadly at him and pulling out the garage door to the world. It was warm, almost hot even, the sun shining, the birds singing, and it was spring time. He grinned in joy, chuckling softly as he glanced up at the castle, hustling out onto the driveway and the field beside it, waving at Shayla as they began their walk.

Shayla waved back, and turned back around to look at Pete. "We did a good deed, baby." She ran her finger down his shirt to tug at the button of his jeans. "Want to claim your reward?"

Lex peeled off his jacket and left it in the garage as he sadly set Chloe down and let her run. "Oh, this feels nice. It's so warm after being cold for so fucking long!"

Clark watched in joy as his puppies tumbled in the grass, reaching out to hold Lex's hand tenderly in his own as he nodded, rubbing his nose against Lex's cheek. "I like the sun. It feels so good on my skin." He smiled, winding his arm around Lex's shoulder and snuggling him close, and rubbing his cheek against a naked head.

"I know what you mean. When I had your powers... I loved being outside. Even though it was so cold... I wanted to be outside, in what little sun there was." He held out his hands as he walked, looking at them. "I felt like I was soaking everything in, and I had to be close."

"Mmm." Clark smiled, gazing at him. "It feels very, very good."

Clark grinned, letting go of his lover, and like the energetic puppy he was at heart, walked in front of his lover, crunching whatever he might trip over underfoot as he chuckled. "Its like the earth can talk to me. Its really cool... it likes it when I'm warm."

"I like it when you're warm, too. You keep me warm." He followed Clark closely, watching as he walked through and moved. "You're very... you're very much at home outside, and it shows. Sometimes I wonder if I should extend the solarium, but I don't think you'd like it if it weren't real outdoors."

"Nuht uh. Its gotta be outside all the way, and if its not, than its not really being outside." He grinned it. "If there's glass between me and the sky, its not being outside." He turned, did a somersault, and oomphed to the ground in the high grass of the field, blinking in shock even as the puppies raced over, sensing fun and leaping all over him. He growled right back at their playful little sounds, tugging Cleo's tail gently as he nuzzled Samsons face.

"Don't pull my little girl's tail!" Lex exclaimed, swooping in and rescuing his little Cleo.

PLAY! Samson jumped on Clark's chest and headbutted him, as soon as the Clark started getting all growly! Dumb Lex, didn't know how to PLAY! He headbutted Clark again, then bit his shirt collar, shaking his head and tugging hard before he slid off Clark's chest and oomphed on his butt on the ground. he got up and lifted his leg, peeing on the grass where he'd fell and then jumped right back up on the Clark and growled.

Clark cracked up, playing Samson right back, arring at him as he scratched his sides, tugging on each ear before he flopped them over Samsons eyes...watching him to see what he'd do with a grin as he glanced up at Lex. "Our poor children. You're going to spoil them beyond mercy, are you?"

Cleo let out a growl, though she was playing, squirming to get back in the MELEE! Come ON the Lex! Its time to play! The Clark fell! COME ON!

BLACK! DARK! "BAAAWRRRRROOOOOO" He shook his head violently, yipping happily when the ears flopped out of the way so he could see again! Light!! YAY!!!! "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"

"I am not going to spoil our children. I am however, going to protect my baby girl from the mean man who is pulling on her tail." However, Lex got the message and put Cleo back down on the ground.

Artie tumbled over and headbutted Lex's leg, then looked up at him like... are you coming down or not.

"You can't be serious."

Artie still just stared, sneezing once and shaking his head.

"You want me down there, rolling around on the grass?"

"YIP!!!" A bark of confirmation.

"Arararar!!!!" Cleo tugged on the Lex's leg, bounding back a step to look up, then going back in, yanking again and arfing. And uht oh! The Clark! The Clark's big The Smellie hands reaching out and YANKING! EEEEEEEEEE! And Cleo JUST jumped out of the way before she was a smushed puppy pancake!

Clark burst out laughing, yanking Lex down on the grass with him and rolling over him, laying back in all the tall grass and grinning up at his lover, half splayed on the ground and half on him, as he reached up and kissed his nose. "I think they said down here."

"I can't believe I'm laying on the cold ground in the middle of fucking January, rolling around in the grass and the dirt with three dogs and my aushna'." Lex gave a long-suffering sigh.

OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOH! The Lex! Samson bounded onto Lex's chest and started licking. OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOH he was playing!

Cleo let out a loud squeal, arfing her way up the Lex's leg, over his butt, and YEAH! ON HIS BACK! WOOOOOOOOOOO! She "Arroooo!"ed at the sky, jumping around on him before tugging on his coat tag, which was accidentally sticking out in all the rolling, tugging on it cheerfully.

Clark smiled, brilliantly. "Actually? February first, AJ." Smiled as he said it, rubbing his cheeks as he sat up with Lex in his arms, snagging Cleo so he could set her on the ground safely. He kissed his lovers nose gently and rose, taking his hand in his own and beginning to walk again. And said, quietly, though powerfully, as they did, "I love you."

"I love you, Clark." He leaned over and put his chin on Clark's shoulder as they walked. "One more year, baby. One more year, and I can show you off to the whole damn world, and nobody can say anything. I can show everybody who I love."

Oh, and the pleasure of it, as he smiled at him. "They call it auoo'makaa." Clark said, quietly. "Ahh. Ooo. maah. Klaah. Fiancés. Betrothed. Aushna' who are auoo'makaa are very revered."

"Auoo'makaa." Lex rolled the word off his tongue. "Auoo'makaa. It's... melodious. I like it." He mangled the pronunciation the first time, but got it on the second. "I like it, and I like the meaning of it even more.

"I do, too. Not many people find their aushna'...and those who marry, even more unknown. The ones that do are very special...they are blessed in...in communities." A light shrug, and the pang of Jor-El's words were strong. He was alone, in the universe. There were no other people. There were no communities. But that pain was for he and he alone, and he hid it gently as he squeezed Lex's palm.

Lex only caught the barest edge of it. "You're not alone, Clark. You'll always have me." He brought Clark's hands to his mouth and kissed each one softly. "I can't believe I'm lucky enough to have found you."

"I'm glad I came to find you that morning, Lex." Clark smiled, looking at him shyly. "I'm glad I was a horny bastard."

Lex had to laugh at that. "If that's what brought you to my door those months ago, then yes. I have to admit, I'm glad you were a horny bastard too."

He grinned. Broadly. "I came, because I felt something from you the night before. Don't even remember what we'd been doing... hanging out, watching vids. And I almost kissed you about a hundred times. And the next morning...yeah. Well."

"We'd watched... some really crappy movies. Abyss, the Birdcage... and yes. I did want to kiss you. That was sort of why I picked The Birdcage, considering the theme and plot of the movie. There was one point where your fingers brushed mine in the popcorn bowl... I'd hoped you'd gotten it, because I felt this... little spark between us. But you didn't say anything that night and I couldn't push you, but I was so glad to see you the next day."

"I did." Clark laughed, grinning as he turned to look at his lover again, switching sides and taking his other hand. "You weren't so innocent yourself, you know. Giving me signals as big as Mack trucks. That's why I came the next day... had to see where it would go." He blushed, but it was of pleasure. "Never thought you'd take my virginity that same morning."

"Well... I did want to give you signals, Clark... but I didn't want to push you into anything you didn't want or weren't ready for." He rubbed Clark's palm with his thumb. "I never thought you'd let me, to be honest. I never thought you'd want me. Not the way I wanted you, anyway."

"All the talk of Lana, huh?"

"That was a big clue, yeah."

"Lana... was like... she was my, I'm trying really hard to be straight thing." Clark nodded it, bringing Lex's fingers to his own lips, kissing their joined hands. "Knew I was gay... but I was trying not to be. I was going through a phase. But yeah, after she died, and you did all the stuff you did for her, and for me... it sank in." Clark nodded, gazing at him and seeing the raining night.

His sobbing… as he held his dear friend in his arms. The pouring rain falling like the world had opened and it would never stop. And Lex, screaming instructions, screaming words of hope as he did all he could.

And Clark smiled, at him. "You were a hero that night."

Lex shook his head. "No, Clark, I wasn't. If you'd asked me then, I wouldn't have honestly cared, one way or the other, except for a single thing. You wanted her. And I would have done anything, including bringing her back from the brink, if I could have, just so I could have given her to you and seen you happy."

Clark nodded, gently, frowning softly as he pushed the sad thought from his mind, and concentrated on the good. "She was a good woman. Kind of dense, and naive, but good. But you know, when its our time, its our time." Clark nodded, looking down at their joined hands in soft shame. "I wish I'd acted better, when I almost died."

"What do you mean?" Lex asked, brow furrowing. "You... you acted just fine."

"I acted like a wuss." Clark said, quietly, working his fingertips gently over Lex's palm. "I was going to leave you, with everything in your lap. Lex...I adore you. But if I could have, I would have left everything behind."

"You weren't acting like a wuss," Lex said firmly. "And I know you would have; I was fighting you on it tooth and nail to keep you with me. But... know this, had you gone, I would have been close behind you. I don't know how long it would have taken, but being without you would have destroyed me."

"That's why I didn't leave." He murmured, gazing at his lover as they stepped around the fence leading onto Kent property. "Because I had you, still. I couldn't leave you like that, as much as I wanted to. And that's....its human. But its not prideful, and I'm ashamed of it."

"No. Don't be ashamed of it." Lex gripped his lover's biceps as he walked backwards. "Don't be ashamed of it at all. When we have pain, we want to escape it. It is human to want that. What do you think I was doing from the ages of thirteen to twenty one? Playing Tiddlywinks? Clark, I hurt. And I did my best to find an escape from it."

"I know, baby." Clark sighed, softly, but smiled and shook his head. "Ignore me, kay? I'm really into having issues lately, so... yeah. I think its..." And this time, he did flush, hotly, looking at the ground. "Post natal depression. But I'll work through it. I'm good."

"No." Lex ground to a halt and kept his grip on Clark's biceps firm so that Clark would either have to stop or drag him along. "If I can share my pain with you, Clark, you can share yours with me. That is the way of things; that is the way of aushna'."

"I know it." And he did, gently cupping Lex's cheeks. "Its cause of Mar-El's birth, Lex. My hormones... are out of whack. They'll fluctuate, and get better." A nod, as he pressed his nose, his cheek, gently into Lex's face. "A month ago, we would have snorted at the thought. Me? Have babies? Right. Today... so much depends on it."

"If I can live through your hormonal molting, Clark... then I can make it through this with you. Don't shut me out; let me help you, just as you've helped me." He wrapped his arms around Clark. "We will have them, but much later. And only if you want to."

"I do." It was in his blood. He wanted children to love so much. "Later. Maybe when I go to college. I... I want them, Lex. And I want you to read... read what I wrote down." He went into his back pocket, for his worn out poetry book, and flipped to one of the last blank pages, where he wrote down every single thing that had happened throughout the entire pregnancy, from the initial sex till meeting his father. He'd written it in tiny print, just big enough to read, and he gently ripped the pages out, handing them over. "Write it all down. Write down your own observations. Because the next time we do it... I don't want to bleed out in a shower, Lex."

"You won't. I'll see to that, with your father's help. If I have to, I'll move the goddamned ship into the lab to help me," Lex vowed, and then he got down on one knee in front of Clark. "I swear to you now, Clark, that I will not ever let you suffer that kind of pain again. I promise you that I will not be irresponsible and ignore when I know you are not feeling well, and I promise you that I will take care of you and not let you down again."

Clark got down too... so they were equal, looking into his lovers face and cupping his cheeks tenderly. "I don't. I don't promise, any of that. Because that's the part that I embrace, that's the part that makes me human. To make mistakes, to have you by my side, to get pissed off at you and piss you off right back. We're human, Lex. In my soul I'm a human. We'll live, and we'll work through things, and we'll have pain and joy. And I swear, on everything worth swearing by, that I will love you, honor you, and take care of you until the day I pass."

Lex wrapped his arms around Clark's shoulders and held on tightly. "Which better be a long fuckin' time from now."

"You bet ya." Clark grinned, hugging him tightly as he rose. His father was off, down a few hundred years or so, with the cows, and Clark rose a hand in greeting, the other holding Lex's as the puppies yipped in joy and rushed into the cow field. "My dad... just doesn't rest."

"Neither does mine, and I'd actually be curious to know as who got the habit from whom." Lex kept his fingers twined tightly with Clark's and he raised his own hand in greeting to Jonathan.

Jonathan waved back, grimacing slightly to himself as he returned Lex's, though he had to admit... the boy'd done right by his son, and he'd let it go. He'd let the tests go, he'd let the red meteors go... he'd let it go for Clark's sake. But, the cows needed tendin', and he couldn't leave in the middle of it.

Clark rubbed his thumb over Lex's knuckles, gently walking across the field. He directed his lover around cow pies, and stopped to rub old Betsy's back tenderly, her little calf suckling at her teat. He pet the tiny little cow too, grinning at the calf's still wobbly legs, and chuckled as he glanced at his lover. "Knobby kneed. She's only a day old."

"Big girl to be only a day old." Lex stepped fastidiously around the cow pies and such as they approached Jonathan. "Dear Christ, Clark. Those dogs are going to go crazy in the all the cow shit around here. They're going to need baths before they get back in the house."

"Probably." Clark smiled, rubbing the tiny calf's back, very gently, shhing Betsy from snorting at him. She knew him just fine, but she was fastidious about her babies. Clark knew, exactly how she felt. So he rubbed the babies back once more before stepping over to his dad. "Hey, Dad. We came for moms apple pie." A grin, that was all Clark, though it was slightly forced as he hugged his father.

Jonathan hugged back. "Came just in time then, son. She's cookin' up a fresh batch as we speak." He looked hard at Lex. "Lex... haven't seen you in a while; you still treatin' my boy okay?"

Lex's smile was only slightly brittle. "Of course I am. We just came by to see Martha before heading out to a birthday party of Clark's friends tonight."

Another smile, as he motioned back to Betsy. "The birth went alright?"

"Yeah, went off without a hitch." Jonathan stabbed the pitchfork into the ground and leaned on it a minute. "Didn't have a problem in the world, she just delivered like she'd done it a hundred times b'fore."

"That's because she has." Clark cracked, snickering as he gazed back at Betsy's almost indignant glare. "Sorry, old girl, but you and Moses are in the running, and you have a ten year lead." But he pet her again gently, and smiled at Lex, taking his hand again as he motioned. "Dad, those are my puppies. Cleo, Artie, and Samson. Call their names and they'll stop... Lex and I have trained them. I don't want them tracking mud in the house."

"Bout worried the milk sour on poor Bessie last time they were here. Cleo, Artie, and Samson, huh? Poor things. Whatever happn'd to names like Rex and Bo, huh?" Jonathan snorted. "Next you'll be tellin' me they're royalty."

Clark cracked a broad grin. Samson, Cleopatra, and King Arthur, to be exact." But he gave his dad a dimpled grin and took Lex's hand, heading for the house as the puppies barked in joy.

"Christ, I shoulda known." He waved at his son and Lex as Clark dragged him off, and stuck his pitchfork back in the hay bale and started scattering the hay again.

He paused and looked at one of the dogs. "What the hell was Lex on when he named you guys anyway?"

Lex gripped his lover's hand tightly. "If I didn't know better, I'd say your dad was trying to pick a fight."

"Of course he is." Easy reply. "Bet you ten dollars he's cranky because my mom said he'd better get his ass out of the house and leave her alone." A smile at him as he walked up the wooden steps, and heard his mother muttering.

"Stupid, ignorant, furious man." Martha punched her dough roughly, getting it into the right shape as she growled.

Lex just pulled out his wallet, and passed over a ten dollar bill. "I'm not a sucker, Clark."

Clark took the bill, tucked it into his shirt pocket, and winked as he leaned against the counter. "Mom, if you want me to beat him up for you.."

Martha looked up, ready for war... but when she saw her two favorite people in the world she smiled, wiped her palms on the dish towel, and hugged the both of them. "Well, hello! I didn't expect you both to be coming around today, sweeties. Look at you." A click of her tongue. "Lost at least twenty pounds between the both of you." She immediately scooted behind them, her already showing belly bumping lightly into them, as she hustled them to the counter and stools. She'd just finished a lasagna, and she pulled it, still steaming, from the oven, her little apple oven mitts newly washed only to be soiled again. "What brings you both around here?"

"Martha, let me carry that," Lex said, angling for a pair of oven mitts that sat on the counter beside him. "You shouldn't be over-stressing yourself out like that." He put the little blue mittens on his hands and held them out for the hot dish. "Have a seat, please. I think Clark and I can find dishes."

Martha put her lasagna down with a thump, took off her oven mitt, and beat Lex over the head with it, at least a handful of times, before doing it to Clark, too, for good measure.

"Hey!!! Clark!!! Help!! Your mother is beating me up!" Lex shielded his head with his forearms as he settled back onto the stool.

"And I'll beat you worse if you do that again!" Martha harrumphed, glaring at both of them as she smacked her oven mitt on her hip, with her hand where she propped it. "Do you both understand what Jonathan has been doing to me? He's driving me insane. Just... BATTY! Okay? And if both of you start doing it too, I'll make sure to throttle you both with something harder then an oven mitt." A growl.

Clark caught his lip with his teeth, cocking a brow. In truth, his mind wasn't even here, as much as he tried, but he nodded a this mother in as much seriousness as he could muster.

"We're just concerned about your health!" Lex protested. "There's no reason for you to be overextending yourself at all."

"I am PREGNANT. I am not an INVALID. I have all my limbs, all my wits, and a mind to beat anyone who doesn't remember it!" She huffed, then sniffed and glared at the both of them. "If you're not with me, you're against me."

"With you. Definitely... yeah, mom. Just keep your Oven Mitts of Amputancy away from me, kay?" Clark gave his own huff, rubbing his head. "Even I felt that."

"Martha, I am sure you are quite capable of handling whatever is thrown at you with this pregnancy," Lex said firmly. "However, you are the closest person in this world that I have to a mother at this particular moment. I lost my mother to a medical condition that I could not prevent, and no matter how many times you batter me with an oven mitt, I am going to make sure that at least your pregnancy is carried to term with as little difficulty as possible."

She huffed at him, but it was paired with a sniff, and she nodded, as she began to cut them lasagna. "I am, too. But I'm not going to sit around here and get fat. I'm going to bake and I'm going to go to the store, and I dare any of you to get in my way."

"Mom, I'm so not in the way I'm in Chile." Clark offered, propping his chin on his hand as he tried not to be amused by his poor mother. "What's dad been doing?"

"Other then treating me like I've been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease?"

Lex offered a compromise. "Why don't you and Jonathan start having dinner with Clark, Dominic, Lionel and me? I cook at least once a week and we sit down for dinner; you can help Ms. Bird on the other days so that you're not simply sitting around, but you're not bearing the brunt of the work either."

His father. Dominic. At the same dinner table. Clark paled, visibly.

"Oh, that's a wonderful idea." Martha smiled at that, because, well, she couldn't say no to having dinner with her son, his lover, and Lionel Luthor. He was a devilishly fun man, after all.

"That's excellent. I'll tell Ms. Bird to expect you on Monday evening. Tuesdays are my night to cook, so if you have a special request, let me know in enough time to prepare whatever you want. And, Clark can tell you this, nobody cooks while I'm in the kitchen. The doors are bolted, and everyone stays out."

"He cooks really well, mama." Clark chimed in, as his mom set enormous plates of steaming lasagna in front of each of them. Mmmm. "Of course, dad and Dominic will cook even better. We'll have to keep Smallville General on speed dial."

Martha smiled at her son. She'd been called many things, but stupid wasn't one of them. and something was wrong with her baby. She tipped her head, giving them garlic bread as well, before turning to fill twin glasses with Pepsi. "Of course. A first aid kid, too." She leaned over the counter, watching them. "Care to tell me what's up?

Lex picked up a piece of the garlic bread and bit into it as she asked the question, chewing slowly as he looked at his lover. His fingertips brushed the back of Clark's hand, and with the simple touch sent a question. Aushna'... what do you want to tell her?

The answer was instantaneous. Nothing. "Nah, mom. Just been feeling under the weather. Meteor rock stuff." He gave her a sunny smile. "I'm fine now, don't worry."

She heaved a sigh. "You have to be more careful, Clark. You know how... strange this town is. If anything ever hurt you, I don't know what I'd do. Take care with yourself, honey."

"I know, mom. I have been." Clark squeezed her hand gently and smiled again, tenderly, as he ate his pasta. "This... is really good."

"Of course it is, I made it." She smiled, then leaned out the door and bellowed, "LUNCH!" A glance back at the boys. "I bet both of you that if I put dog food in a bowl, he'd never know the difference."

Lex swallowed his garlic bread and picked up his glass instead, washing the bread down with too-sweet Pepsi.

And then nearly spewed it all over the tabletop at her comment.

Her face lit with a grin, innocently humming as she gave another bellow for him to get his lazy buns in, and she settled herself in the stool in front of the boys. "I should try it someday. When I'm really, truly angry at him. He wouldn't know the difference between Alpo and arroz con pollo."

Lex wheezed as he put a napkin over his nose, catching where the soda had snarfed out and gave a very vicious look to his soon to be mother in law. "Remind me not to get on your bad side, Martha."

"Christ, woman! Give me a chance to hose off!" Jonathan bellowed back. "Or d'ye want me to track cow shit in the house???" He stepped under the water, hosing himself off. "Clark! Get your damn dogs out of the cow paddy and put 'em in the barn! Don't want 'em terrorizin' my cows while nobody's watchin' em!"

Clark nodded, setting his fork down and getting up... racing out the door, out into the grass, and he lifted all three pups, super speeding them into the barn. Put them in a warm, cozy stall to enjoy, set a bowl of water out for them, and zipped right on back, settling in his chair about eight seconds later. He lifted his fork, and took a bite of his lasagna.

And felt so miserable, because his parents could never know.

"Dad, you stink."

Martha gave him a glare, and pointed at Lex. "Could you refrain from cursing in my damn house when we have company, Jonathan?"

"Now, Clark, that's no way to talk to your old man." Jonathan settled in one of the chairs and glared at his wife. "Martha, if that boy ain't heard the words by this point in his life, then he needs the education."

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about, Mr. Kent, but I fucking well know I've heard every goddamned word in the book and then some," Lex said calmly.

Martha mouthed to Lex, "Al. Po.", before she burst into a peel of guilty giggles, biting her lip as she grinned at Lex, and set a plate of lasagna in front of Jonathan, as well as a large glass of ice tea and half a loaf of garlic bread.

"What he said." Clark chimed in, eating another piece of his lasagna. He wasn't really hungry, though, but he picked at it for his mother sake, eating what he could of it.

Lex's echoing grin spread across his face as he lifted his glass in a silent toast. "If you need help with the can opener..."

Jonathan dug into the pasta right away. "Y'outdid yourself, Martha," he said around a mouthful. "Breakfast was a long time'go."

"That's why I'm feeding you now." Martha sighed, dropping a kiss onto her sweaty husbands cheek as she walked back to the counter, washing her hands... blinking, and turning, gazing at her son pushing food around on her plate. Her eyebrow rose, as high as it could, and she looked from Lex, to Clark, to Lex.

Her gaze demanded an explanation.

Lex's expression was carefully blank as he looked at Martha, as though saying he didn't know a single thing about what she was asking.

And she glared right back. "I'm not a stupid woman."

Clark glanced up at that, looking from Lex's blank face to his mothers indignant expression, and drank his coke.

"Nobody ever said you were, Martha." Lex calmly picked up the garlic bread again and bit down, the only thing he'd touched since sitting down. He chewed slowly and deliberately, and washed the bite down with another drink of soda.

Alright. Two could play at that game. Martha's eyes deviated to her sons, and she asked, "Why aren't you eating, baby?"

Oh. ...Shit. "I'm just... not hungry, I guess." He managed, swallowing as he grabbed his glass of coke and his lovers hand. "We're going to go up into the barn, kay? I'll come see you before we leave, mom."

Martha opened her mouth...closed it. Did it again... heaved a sigh. "Fine. Okay? Fine. But if anything is wrong, I expect you to tell me, clear?"

"Yes, mom."

Lex wrapped his fingers tightly through Clark's as he picked up the plate of garlic bread, and balanced it on top of his glass. "You made an excellent lunch, Martha. We'll see you soon. Don't worry; if something were wrong with Clark, we would tell you." Boldface lie, but he was too pokerfaced to show it, even if it did make him feel guilty as hell for lying to Martha's face.

If Lex felt guilty, Clark was practically swimming in it, walking his lover out the door and into the barn. Drafty, large, it smelled like freshly moved hay and animals, but in a yummy, homey way. He walked up the steps to his little abode, sipping his Pepsi and setting it on the table as he looked over the edge.

And saw their puppies snoring in the hay below them. A little chuckle. "They were pooped. No pun intended." He sat down, too, on his big couch, and got comfortable.

Lex put the plate and the glass down, kissed his lover's temple softly, and moved to stand in front of the large picture window that overlooked the back forty. Clark's telescope had been moved to the mansion, and Lex just leaned against the side, looking out. "Beautiful view, Clark."

He sipped his coke for a long moment and climbed back to his feet, following his lover to the open shutters. The lovely, early spring day shone in on them, and Clark was at ease in his t-shirt and jeans. It was the type of day to go exploring, out for walks. It was beautiful, and he enjoyed it more then this world. "I know. I spent a lot of time looking out this window, and wishing it was a tropical beach instead."

Lex leaned out the window just a little. "I didn't know you were into tropicals. I'll take you to the Bahamas this summer. We have a house on one of the islands."

"Lex, my anthem through high school is "Kokomo." Clark nodded, grinning crookedly at his lover. "Surf, sand, naked people? Definitely my type of thing."

"Mmmm." He tugged Clark to stand beside him, and then, without a word... shoved him.

Out of the window.

go on to the next part