The Memoirs

The little black Camaro was Dick's pride and joy. Since Pete had turned the car down, Dick was seriously considering taking it back to Gotham City with him, because Bruce had been gently suggesting that he get a car to drive during the times that the motorcycle wasn't appropriate--like winter and rain.

He ran his hand over the hood, and then slid under the chassis. Enrique had provided him with a toolbox and a slide, the little Camaro was jacked up on the grass, just so Lex's driveway wasn't blocked or messed up, and Dick was in his car-jeans. Covered with electrical burns, oil stains, and fluid leaks, they were what he wore to work on his baby.

He whistled as he slid under, wrenching the oil filter off and sliding a clean one on.

The warm spring rain had wakened may of the creatures that lived in the earth, both wholesome and unwholesome. From the building site's commotion, many creatures who had been left in the earth for decades were wakened, and had slowly made their way through the rest of the world. The most troublesome were a small army of little earthworms that glowed a sickly green deep in the moist earth.

One of the many worms felt heat. The warmth of a body lying on the ground, and it burrowed up. There was no body, as it reached the top, until there was a soft swearing, and a bare foot planted itself on the wet grass.

The worm made a beeline for the bare foot, and with a single snap of mini incisors, there was a small break in the skin, and the worm slid inside the warmth.

Dick felt the sting on his foot and rubbed it on the ground, soothing the itch before going back to work.

The longer Dick worked under the car, the more the itch spread. It wasn't a physical itch; no. It was more an internal itch, boredom itching and rubbing against his senses, crawling along his arms until he was ready to lose his mind.

He threw the tools down, jacked his car down, and pulled on his boots. He didn't even bother changing clothes; he didn't even intend to be in them that long. He knew exactly where to find Bruce and how to get... unbored.

Flooring the pedal of the Camaro, Dick tore through the roads and spun gravel as he took the turns, raising dust as he redlined his baby. Beautiful little V-8 engine, and he laid rubber as he spun into the parking lot, pulling the sleek little black car in front of the school buses that had brought the students, and locked the doors with a flick of his alarm.

Then, he started prowling.

Work was going beautifully. The students were eager to work, happy to be out of the classrooms for precious few hours, and Bruce watched on with a quiet joy from the mobile office that had been set up for the foreman and for Lionel and Dominic. As they were at the hospital, though a phone call a short while ago had assured him that his business partner was in no immediate danger, Bruce had gone to work organizing the troops.

And he was, if anything, a good planner.

However he had taken five minutes, and a cup of coffee reminiscent of the sludge on 86th when he was pummeled by the Joker and had gotten a face full of slime. Which he wasn't trying to think too much about. Gotham was... well. He'd be paying home a little visit tonight. He had to get the bat suit ready to go, because there was no way he was going anywhere with a half functioning piece of shit. And as his spare was dismantled at home, he'd be spending the afternoon and evening, more than likely on Lex's plane as well, getting it fixed.

Fuck.

So he tried to ignore that, and watch the kids laugh and work.

And there he was. Dick saw Bruce from across the compound, at the little coffee hutch that had been set up, and he stalked across the way. He didn't even call out until he was climbing the steps to the little platform. "Hello, Bruce."

"Hello, Dick." A warm smile crossed his face, fingers reaching out to touch his lovers arm gently... clean away a smudge of grease, as his eyes, which had been dark with thought, twinkled. "What brings you out here?"

"You," was the answer. He caught Bruce's arm in a tight grip and held it on his arm as he got closer, putting himself in Bruce's personal space. "You bring me out here."

The twinkles in his eyes hardened... sharpened, and his eyebrow rose at his lovers… promiscuous attitude. Which was odd for him, so he simply took his lovers arm gently and led him into his trailer, closing the door behind him. "Is everything alright? Did something happen with Pete?"

"Pete," Dick repeated thoughtfully as he kept advancing, pushing Bruce up against the trailer wall. "No. Not yet, anyway." His hands started popping the buttons on Bruce's shirt. "I just... got bored."

Bruce kept backing up, eyes wide as he reached up and held Dicks hands still, shaking his head and glancing towards the door. "Not that I don't love a little impromptu... whatever this is, Dick, we're standing in a room where thousands of people are building around us." Hopefully his lover got his point, which...probably not, his breath skating out a little shakily.

"You say that like I'm supposed to care." Dick continued popping buttons until he could push the white undershirt up, and he licked over Bruce's bellybutton.

"I--" Short, husky purr and he arched his back, grunting in surprised, achy pleasure as that talented little mouth licked right over his belly button, which shot a beam of electricity down to his cock. Dick had never... never, like this, and he liked it, fingers raking through his lovers hair. "We'll get caught." He gritted out, fingers scratching down his lovers back and yanking up the dirty t-shirt.

"And that's a bad thing? People seeing you on your back, legs over my shoulders while I fuck you?" Dick's teeth bit hard on the skin around Bruce's navel before shoving the undershirt up, then getting frustrated and with a surge of strength he didn't know he had, he tore the white cotton undershirt in two, baring Bruce's chest and nipples to his hot tongue.

Oh God and he groaned, fingers grasping through Dicks hair as he tried to yank him back and kiss him at the same time, cock surging hard behind his zipper as he feasted on his lovers skin. Cheeks, temples, ear, neck, biting and licking and he'd never been fucked like he knew he was about to get fucked. He grasped his lover, moving just a little and throwing the lock on the office door, grunting and letting go of his lover, pushing him away a moment to draw the shades, free fingers scraping over his nipples as he did it.

Dick growled as Bruce shoved him away to draw the shades, and he shoved Bruce up against the wall again. "Forget the shades. I don't give a fuck who sees." He bit down on each of Bruce's nipples, sucking it hard into mouth, nails scraping over Bruce's stomach.

"I do, dammit." He grunted, fighting his lover every inch of the way. Each yank and tug of pleasure, each pull of need, taken and claimed and daring. Partly because he was always in control and didn't know how to give it up without embarrassing himself. Partly because there were 600 high school students outside. partly because he was yanking Dick's pants down, and dropping to his knees to envelope the hard, stiff column into his mouth, sucking him down his throat to the root.

"It doesn't matter what you want. Only what I want." His hands wove tightly through Bruce's hair, hips thrusting forward as he fucked his lover's throat. Hot, wet, and tight little passage and he fucked it hard, pushing to the hilt, then pulling out to slam in again.

He gagged, choked on the hard column fucking in and out and it thrilled him as he opened his mouth wider, relaxing his throat. It was very, very hard to let go, and a dark part of him didn't know what was wrong with Dick to warrant this. And didn't care.

He let go, instead dropping his mouth down to suck at the tight balls, licking and lapping at them as his own palm moved down to his cock, stroking it still covered in cloth.

Dick wasn't at all happy. Not with his cock being abandoned and not with Bruce touching himself. "No," Dick grunted, and he pulled Bruce up by the wrists, pushing him down over the table on his back. He climbed onto the table, over Bruce, and rubbed the head of his cock over Bruce's mouth. "Suck."

Bruce Wayne, Batman by night, one of the strongest, most intelligent men in the world... and he cowered under his lover, eyes going wide as his mouth opened, lips spreading around the red tip. It thrilled him, and he felt his cock get even harder, hard as rock and purpling with blood. He sucked hard at the prize being given to him, lapping all around the edge as his palms gripped Dick's hips, watching him around his mouthful.

Dick thrust deeply into the wet heat of Bruce's throat. That was what it was supposed to be. "Yes. There we go, bitch. That's the way." He gripped Bruce's hair firmly and pushed into his throat. His other hand reached down and rubbed over Bruce's hard cock. "Want to get fucked, Bruce?"

He nodded, several times, closing his eyes tightly and swallowing him on every thrust down, arching his hips up into the stroke over his cock with a muffled, deeply rumbling moan. His fingers gripped his hips so he wouldn't move too hard, too fast, mouth closed as he sucked as hard as he could, tongue stroking and lapping at each pleasure point on his lovers organ as he thrust his hips up as much as he could, pens and papers going crashing.

Dick pulled out of Bruce's mouth, letting the saliva drip down his lover's chest. "Take off your pants and turn over," Dick ordered, stroking his wet cock with his fist. "Now."

He made a soft, gasping "Uh." noise and arched his hips up, unbuttoning his too tight pants and kicking them down his legs. He wore no underwear so it was easy, getting up on his elbows and reaching up to kiss his lover before he turned, mouth covering his and stroking his tongue inside softly, begging for gentleness without being able to say the words, as he stroked softly over Dicks face.

"Won't hurt you." Dick licked over Bruce's mouth in wet kisses, fingers slick with saliva sliding inside Bruce's body, scissoring and stretching. His body ached to pound in regardless, craving the rush of sensation as he sunk into Bruce's body but no. He couldn't hurt Bruce. He kept jerking himself off, slicking his cock with a thick film of precome, making sure he was wet enough to push into his lover.

He arched and pushed down into Dicks fingers, groaning as his lover moved and stretched him. His thighs were spread, left leg lifting to give his lover better angle as he shuddered, naked on his desk and oh fuck. "Like this?" He refused to tremble and shake, and whispered as calmly and softly as he could, even as he squeezed around the intruding fingers. "Or on my belly?"

"Like this." Dick lifted Bruce's leg over his shoulders, just like he'd promised before, opening his lover wider. He brought his cock to press against Bruce's stretched opening, and pushed in. He pressed down on his lover's other leg, keeping him open as he speared him, and Dick leaned forward, licking and sucking on his throat.

"Uh...uh." He whispered, gasping as he brought his hips up… scrambling a moment and coming back with Dicks t-shirt, which he propped under his hips, keeping his back curved and ready for his lover. Oh, yes, yes and he groaned in gasping pleasure, and he didn't know who this aggressive, wonderful creature inside of him was but damn.

He grunted in glee, lips quirking even as he panted, sweat sliding down his forehead as his leg pressed close to Dicks shoulder, keeping him close and grunting harshly. It was so hot in the office, so good, Dick inside of him and he wanted this more than anything in the world.

Kinky. Cause he'd never been taken over a desk before.

Dick screamed softly as he buried himself in Bruce, rocking deep and pounding into the waiting body. He stroked Bruce's sweaty skin, leaning over to lick the trickles of sweat off his neck. "Good," he grunted, teeth sinking into Bruce's throat and sucking a bruise on it, biting.

The desk under his back was cold against his over heated skin. It was all he could think about, as Dicks cock slammed its punishing, hard strokes into him. He could almost see his lovers ass clenching and unclenching, slamming into him. His entire body vibrated with pleasure as he let out low keening noises, and he would have been mortified if he could think. As it was, he was out of his damn mind with pleasure, his fingernails raking over his lovers nipples and chest, down to feel his love as he entered and slipped away, where they were joined, before he arched up higher, letting out a louder sound of pleasure.

Dick wanted more. He leaned over, again, Bruce's leg over his shoulder and pressed against his chest as he pushed Bruce's hands over his head. He kept slamming in, moving deeper with each stroke, rubbing his shoulder in the sensitive pit of his lover's knee as it was flung over him.

All but folded in half and fuck it was good. He held on tighter, groaning hard as his ass rose off of the table with each hard stroke, sobbing his want softly as he tried to get around Dick, to get him to move a little so he could touch his cock. It was burning, not enough contact, not enough friction, but before he could touch his hands were over his head and he was the total submissive little bitch.

And the thought of it was so desperately, outrageously arousing that he let out a cry of pleasure with it.

Now that was more what he wanted to hear. Dick kept his hard, punishing rhythm up as his thighs started to ache from slapping against Bruce's ass. His balls were tight, aching, but he couldn't come. His hand wrapped around Bruce's cock and jerked through his legs, stroking hard and growling.

"Oh GOD!" The small cry sounded foreign from his lips but he didn't care because Dick was touching him. He jerked upwards with each burning touch on his erection, sobbing in pleasure as he tried to bring his hands down from Dicks hold, to grasp his lover and hold him tightly. The spit they'd used as lube was drying, the ache of the pounds in his ass on the line between pleasure and pain, and it only made his head snap back, thudding against the wooden desk as he shut his eyes tight.

And came. Like a hundred fireworks going off in his head he orgasmed, pumping upwards and gasping in aching, beautiful pleasure. Hot shudder all over his body, eyes closed as he twisted with the force of his climax, letting out hard, trembling groans of pure ecstasy.

Dick grunted again as Bruce came. The endorphin rushed filled his head as he felt his lover's ecstasy in the throbbing of the sheath around his cock and then cries that filled his ear.

More. Needed more. Needed a bigger rush, and he pulled out of Bruce, leaning over, sliding his leg down and kissing him hard. "Gotta go, baby. I'll be back for you again."

He kissed back just as hard, tongue stabbing in as his body lay limply over the desk, legs sliding down his lovers sides as he kissed. Hadn't come, hadn't come, and he keened his displeasure softly, reaching for his lovers cock tenderly. "Was it not... good?" Disgustingly needy and he hated it, but his eyes searched Dick's, looking for an explanation as his fingers wrapped around the wet cock.

Dick wrapped his fingers in Bruce's hair and pulled him up, giving him a deep, wet, searching kiss. "Very good. Need more, though." He ran his hands down Bruce's chest, rubbing his nipples. "Got to have more. The rush... knowing that I'm making someone lose every bit of control they have left, gotta have that, Bruce. Gotta have it. Be back for you as soon as you can... get it up again." A sharp bite to his lower lip.

His lover was telling him he was going to go somewhere else for sex.

It took Bruce a moment to think... he was so pleasured he could barely put to atoms together. But... his lover... was going somewhere else for sex? For pleasure? His eyes widened even as he shook his head, jaw locking up tightly as his eyes went cold and dead. He pushed Dick away, rolling off the desk and to his feet, face dark and black. "Do what you have to do." He said quietly, as he reached over, pulling on the remains of his button down shirt with a fierce yank, tugging his pants up over his lone sock.

Not good. Dick shoved Bruce back down against the desk, and got on top of him. "Don't want to hurt you. Don't want to fuck you raw, Bruce." He leaned over, licked his lover's mouth. "Don't want to fuck you so hard you bleed. Can't hurt you. Don't wanna. Have--have to go. I can't hurt you like that, no."

He turned his head, jaw locked and avoiding Dick's touch. And didn't say a word.

Dick whimpered. "Bruce..."

"Just go, Dick."

"Don't, don't." He petted Bruce's chest, cock still hard and rubbing against his lover's belly. "Don't wanna hurt."

"You are hurting." Bruce said softly, looking up at him. Something was wrong, definitely not...right here, and he cupped his lovers head softly as he looked at him, fingers going through his hair. "If you want him, go to him. I won't stop you."

"I'll be back." Dick rubbed his cheek on Bruce's shoulder. "I gotta have the rush. I'll come back to you but you gotta rest now, cause hurting you is no good." He was frustrated; something had happened to his vocabulary and he knew it, and he couldn't express what he was really feeling.

His eyebrows furrowed even deeper as he watched him, fingers sliding through dense hair and catching hold to turn his lovers head towards him. His mind, violently quick and intelligent began to catalogue what he saw, absorbing the details for later analysis. "Are you feeling well?"

"No, not good at all." Finally. "Not good; I was working on the car and then I started feeling strange and now I gotta have it, Bruce. Gotta have the rush. Like... like speed jumping off Gotham tower, only there's nothing here like that." He gripped Bruce's shoulders firmly.

"Okay. Okay." He pressed Dick up, enough so that they could climb to their feet, and Bruce gently slipped the hard cock back into pants... a first time for everything, he supposed, but he zipped the loose jeans up, gently fixing his lovers shirt. "We're going back to the mansion. Something happened, and we're going to find out."

"I can't, I can't!" He twisted away from Bruce and paced. "Got to have it, Bruce." Dick curled his hands into fists and tried to think through the endorphin haze. "I have to have the rush, Bruce. I'll go out of my mind, I'll die. I have to find something to give me a big enough rush to get rid of this."

"What are you talking about, Dick?" Grasp of slender shoulders, a soft shake. "You're scaring me, baby. What happened? Can you tell me what you felt, what you were doing? We need to get to the lab, we need to get Lex. I don't want you hurt."

"I don't know, I don't know!!" He paced the cramped room. "I was working on the car. My foot itched, my calf itched. I scratched, I kept working. I don't know!" Dick's frustration grew, and he started rocking on his heels. "Fuck, fuck fuck, Bruce, please."

"I know. I know." Quaking, desperate, clenching fear in his throat, but his actions were demure and strong, just as always, taking his lovers palm and setting his own coat over Dick's shoulders. "We're going to go to the lab. Lets go, alright? Come on."

Dick whimpered. "I can't. It's itching. Itching inside." He rubbed at his skin, which felt like it was crawling, and when he held out his arm, it actually was. There were slight ripples in the skin that moved independently of Dick rubbing it.

"I knew Kansas was a fucking breeding ground for this shit." Bruce muttered under his voice, tenderly stroking over the ripples...watching in horror as they ran to where his finger was touching and pulsed under his lovers flesh. Another shudder and he let go, taking his lovers hand tightly and leading him out the door and down the steps. "Lets go. I'm going to call Lex. Lionel had an accident this morning, but I think he can come over to the mansion. We'll help you, baby."

Dick was rubbing his skin. "Need the rush, Bruce. Can't hurt you. Don't wanna hurt you, I'd hurt you if I fucked you again, and I don't wanna hurt you." He kept rubbing his skin, trying to soothe the itch.

"I'm Batman, Dick. I think I can take more than a little pain with my pleasure." Quietly spoken as Bruce let him out the door and down the steps. His Porsche was sitting quietly, waiting for him, and he beeped it open, calling out to his head foreman, "I'll be right back!" And he helped his lover in, shutting the door tenderly behind him before going around and getting in himself.

"Don't care about that," Dick said softly. "I don't wanna hurt Bruce!" But he let Bruce put him in the car and he rocked in the seat, rubbing his crawling skin, shaking like a junkie going through withdrawal.

And Bruce, mild mannered and gentle, revved the engine and shot off like he'd just acquired Lex's need for speed. He floored it, rolling out of the rocks and turning onto the street, ignoring the honk of the person behind him as he zoomed through town and headed towards the mansion. His lover was shaking and terrified and Bruce felt sick to his stomach, all the pleasure from just a while before washed clean in the eyes of his lovers pain. "I'll get you there soon, baby. Just hold on."

The faster they went, the more it fed Dick's shakes. He braced himself against the door, feeling the vibrations shaking his skeleton, and it wasn't nearly enough. He planted one foot on the floorboard and the other on the seat and started rocking the car. Bouncing up and down, side to side, making the Porsche swerve in the road as he screamed at the top of his lungs. "YEAH, BABY!!!"

"Dick, stop it!" Bruce snarled it, fighting the car as his lover bounced and screamed. The car was swerving, elbows and knees jabbing him and he fought to control the car as he slowed down on the access way that led to the road where the business buildings were. "Stop it, now!"

"Don't be such a baby, Bruce!!" Dick kept the car rocking, bouncing and screaming as his skin stopped crawling and settled down like normal.

"You're going to make me crash!" He bellowed, fighting to keep the car still.

He never saw the light pole coming. They went around a corner, and he was too distracted by Dick to swerve. His left front wheel caught a puddle of water and they went skidding, the car turning three hundred and sixty degrees.

The last time this had happened to him, he'd been in the Batmobile. Joker was trying to kill him, and he'd hit a patch of ice. it came back, startlingly clear, and he acted even as the car spun.

He let his foot off the break and accelerator, pushing the car as he violently fought to get out of the spin.

He was going to get seriously hurt. Or die. And he was going to take his lover with him.

He'd never know it, but as he hit the light pole going forty five miles an hour, the airbag saved his life.

Dick was thrown into the back seat, which was probably what saved his own hide. He felt the back of his head and his spine bounce off the seat back as the car came to a stop, and he grinned. "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! What a fuckin' RUSH!!!" He felt good. "Let's do that AGAIN!" He climbed back into the front seat, and crouched in the floorboard, looking up at Bruce. "Bruce? You okay?" He blinked up at his lover. "This is no time for a nap, man." He leaned over and kissed Bruce's cheek. "But, it's okay. I'll be back for you in a minute." He wrapped his arms around his lover's waist and hugged. "Thanks for the ride, Bruce." He climbed out of what was left of the car, and slid off the hood. He noticed a slight pain in his knee but was too adrenalized to even feel it. Instead, he loped off towards the apartment building, limping slightly. There was beer to be had in the fridge, and let's face it. A stunt rush like that deserved a cold one. He'd even bring one back to Bruce, if there were enough.

Blood trickled down his face in twin steady streams, from the gash at the top of his forehead. The car hummed and clicked to a stop as the light pole finished crashing down on the roof of the car, denting it slightly, as Bruce lay half unconscious in the drivers seat. His legs were caught up in twisted metal… nothing broken and he didn't think he was bleeding, even as his head rolled, moaning softly. The airbag, deflating softly, lay pressed against his chest... and he didn't have the energy to slip his hands up and deflate it.

He fell unconscious when he realized his lover was gone.

Dick was whistling as he limped up the driveway to the apartment, fumbling for a key that he'd been given the night of the party to bring drinks in early with, and as soon as he got to the door, he unlocked it and threw it wide open.

He made a beeline for the fridge, cracked open a beer, and chugged it down. The can was crushed against his head, just for machismo, and then he started on another.

Pete's head snapped up. Someone was in the house with him... the door had slammed open, and a crunching smash from the kitchen echoed into the bedroom. He was hunkered down in front of the closet, searching for another pair of working boots he KNEW he had here and just couldn't find, and his eyes went big as he grasped the first weapon he could find... a baseball bat. He climbed to his feet, silent as can be, gripping the handle tightly in his hand as he walked silently into the hall… peeking around the wall as he trembled in adrenaline and fear.

Dick crushed the second can as the adrenaline started to die down and his skin started to crawl again. He popped open a third can, tossing the two crushed ones into the kitchen trash can.

The first can rang it, the second bounced off the countertop and skidded across the linoleum.

"Hello?" Quietly spoken as he limped into the room, one boot off and the other untied in his hurry. He stared at the back of the man, baseball raised high in case it wasn't someone he knew, and his throat swallowed convulsively.

Dick's grin widened as his hand crunched the third can. "Petey, Petey, Petey. Fancy meetin' you here."

"Fuck." Vehemently spoken as Pete unclenched his hands on the bat and tossed it away, turning the corner into the kitchen. "Fuck you, man. Fuck YOU. You scared the shit out of me." Sudden remembrance of the last time they'd spoken and Pete went on guard, almost unable to look at him. "What do you want?"

"Fuck me?" Dick got up to his feet, and prowled stealthily towards his ex. "No, Pete. I think you've got it backwards. I'm... going to fuck you."

"The hell you are. What the fuck are you on?" Pete took a step back… then another, as his frien--...his lov--....this person came towards him...backing himself into the living room. Oh, fuck, and the eyes looking at him were wild and sharp, and his throat worked reflexively, holding his palm out. "Dude, I'm gonna call Bruce."

"He's out in the car," Dick said quietly, and he reached out and took Pete's palm, pressing it against his chest.

His eyes were shining over with hot tears as Dick pressed his hand close, where a heart beat under his chest. He didn't think he'd ever react like this to Dick again, but here he was, palm pressed close and tears in his throat. "G... go to him."

"Don't want to." Dick's fingers stroked over the back of Pete's hand as it rested against his chest.

"You have to." He let go then, pulling his hand tightly close...then stuffing it in his pocket, to burn the feeling of the tenderly beating chest he had loved so dearly. "You… you're not Sam. You should go."

"Don't have to do anything, Pete." Since Pete had moved his hand, Dick reached out and stroked over Pete's shoulder, then down his throat. "I need you right now."

"I have Shayla now." He whispered, turning his head and taking another step back...even when he wanted so badly to crawl into his lovers arms. He smelled so good, just like always, and even as his mind violently pled with him not to make this mistake, his heart wanted. So, so badly. He loved Shayla so much, but he loved Sam too.

He couldn't ruin what he had with Shayla. He loved her, so very much. She was the reason he was. And doing anything with this person....this man, who'd lied to him from the start, wasn't the answer. "No, Dick."

"Please?" Dick took a step forward as Pete took a step back, softly closing the door behind them. "You don't know, Pete. You don't know how I feel right now. It itches, inside. My skin is crawling with it. Please, I need you. I can't... I can't hurt Bruce anymore. I need you." He felt his brain fogging over as the need for rush came over him.

"No... no." Pete whispered, backing up and shaking his head, even as he watched him close the door. His body was fighting his mind, and he was choking on the harsh sobs building in his throat, shaking his head violently. "No, no, I won't hurt her, I love her. No, no, Dick. Please, no."

"I need you." Dick tried to force out more words, tried to will Pete to make the connection that Bruce had. "I don't want to hurt Bruce either but I need you, right now, please!" He held his arms out. "See? It itches, so much."

Holy FUCK. Pete's eyes widened in horror as his skin crawled and he backed up even more, hitting the back wall as he did it. Bumped against the dresser...sent Shayla's perfume smashing to the ground, where the scent, sunflowers, lay heavy on his brain as he shook his head. "Dick… what... what happened? What's wrong with you?"

"I don't know. But it doesn't really matter. I was... I have... I was coming here anyway." Fuck his stupid brain. "I was coming for you."

"It matters… your skin is crawling around! Dude, we need to get you to a hospital." Anything not to think of Dicks eyes on him, of his brain and spine aching.

"No, I just... it'll stop. It'll stop once I'm with you." He stroked Pete's face again, let his hand slide down his throat. "I need to be with you, please."

"No, baby, no, please don't, pl...we have t-to go to the doctor." The tears in his throat filled his eyes, because he thought he'd never be able to see Sam in Dicks eyes again… but there he was. Asking him softly to be with him, like he was back, and an insane part of him wanted. Wanted to have Sam back, and he swallowed convulsively, looking up at him as the first tears fell. "You're with Bruce. Go to him."

"Don't make me go away." Dick was pleading. "Please don't make me go away. Bruce is asleep, and I need you so much, Pete, please. Please. I don't want anybody else; all I want is you."

"You're sick… you're sick, something is wrong, you can't..." His fingers were tentatively moving up Dicks arms, without his own doing, begging him not to. "You can't, I can't. I love Shayla, I love her and I can't hurt her, can't...can't hurt her. You're an allusion, you'll be gone and then I'm left with nothing. won't go back to nothing."

Dick stepped forward, into the hands sliding up his arms. "Yes, you can, please, I need you. Let me... let me be with you, like we used to be, please." His skin itched more, and he pressed closer. "Pete, please, I need you, so much, right now."

"I can't...I can't." And he was horrified with himself when he tipped his head for soft kisses, fingernails digging into Dicks arms as he got closer, sobbing as Shayla's perfume slid into his brain. "I can't."

"You can." Dick feasted greedily on the throat that was offered to him, sucking gently on it, teeth biting along the dark skin and lapping desperately at it. His hands slid over Pete's chest, rubbing over his shirt and thrusting his hips forward, rubbing against his leg.

Oh God and it was like before and he couldn't, he was cheating on Shayla but he couldn't stop himself. His mouth feasted greedily on Dicks ear, and it tasted the same, the same as he wrapped his generous lips around the earlobe and sucked, tugging and biting as he arched back into the hard ache, hard in his pants and it had been so long since an erection was rubbed against him. Not over him, not over him at all, he loved him so much and it only made him sob harder because Sam was dead. He was kissing the person he hated more than anything for taking his lover away from him, but he couldn't help kissing him, hard.

Soft, hungry whimpers came out of Dick's throat as he pushed himself against Pete, hands rubbing his chest, over his shoulders, up and down his back as he pushed frantically towards the bed. His mouth moved around his throat, sucking on his chin, then up to his mouth for hard, wet kisses.

He kissed back just as hard, leaving the other boot that had been half untied by the dresser as they kissed, bodies aching and rubbing together and he couldn't do this, but he was and he couldn't stop. He sobbed again, trying to let go even as his fingers found fistfuls of hard, delicious ass, squeezing it hard even as he cried. He was hurting Shayla, and Bruce, and all their friends by doing this and he couldn't stop even as he pushed away, trying so hard to get away from him before he ruined the one good thing he had going for him. "No, no, no."

The last no broke Dick's concentration, and he growled. Deep and dark in the back of his throat, and he arched his back, pushing his ass into Pete's hands even as his own came up and started ripping. He ripped buttons off Pete's shirt, shoving it aside and licking hard at the dark chest, biting at chocolate nipples as he rocked his hips forward against Pete's groin.

"No, Dick, stop, no," Pete pushed against his chest even as he threw his head back, gasping and grunting at the pleasure in the mans touch but it was wrong and it felt good. He shoved against Dicks chest, trying violently to push away as he tripped, and with his weight sent them sprawling onto the bed.

Dick's cock rubbing against his. Sheer masculinity, vibrating and thrusting over his body and fuck it was so good.

Another happy grunt as they went on the bed together, and Dick reared up over Pete. The crawling in his skin stopped as he started to feel the endorphin rush of rising over his lover, and he reached down, opening the fly that Bruce had closed and letting his hard cock spring out as he slid down, rolling Pete onto his knees and pulling him up. Hard fingers pinched wet nipples as his cock thrust against the denim that covered Pete's ass.

"No, Dick, NO!" He finally sobbed, letting out a harsh cry as he yanked away, the heat and hardness from his friend so good. This part of their lives were over and no matter how badly he wanted Sam back, he was gone. There was no getting him back, only this person in his wake, who was sick, who had things crawling under his arms and he was terrified. And it was so sad, because it felt so very, very good, and he moaned even as Dick moved him, as he stroked and thrust against him, and the touch on his nipples… fuck. So good, felt so very, very good, and the thought of hot length pounding inside of him had him swelling in his jeans. "Dick, no, please, no."

Dick heard no, and didn't stop. He couldn't. The part of his brain that recognized the meaning of words like that had been totally hazed out by the adrenaline need and he pushed Pete back down on the bed. Face down, and his hands tore at the fastening of Pete's jeans, opening the button and ripping down the zipper.

Pete was sobbing, hysterically, and later he would chastize himself for it. For now..every movement he made was countered by Dicks strong arms, so strong, too strong, and he fought against him as hard as his heart wouold allow....not much, shoving and pushing even as he cried. He couldn't want this, he didnt want this at all, please no please, dont, no, God, dont let this be happening to me, Christ allmighty, please protect me, oh, God.

But even as he prayed, he found himself squirming, wriggling, fingers dropping down to his cock as itr came into view. He grasped the hard length tightly and jacked himself off, moaning in aching pleasure as Dicks fingers stroked over his skin, his back, and it was like so many times before.

If he closed his eyes, and didnt think, he could almost pretend it wasnt Dick. That it was Sam, and they were safe, and together.

And the thought just made him cry even harder.

Pete's squirms under Dick only helped him drag down his jeans and push them down around his ankles. Underwear was an easy rip, and he hissed as Pete's hot, hard ass rubbed up against his cock, and he humped forward, head seeking the tight entrance that waited for him.

He knew what was happening, and it only destroyed him, setting his head down in his hands and sobbing. How this could be happening, with this person....it was because he'd thought about cheating. Thats why. It was because he'd thoguht about it, and Shayla's perfume was everywhere as he felt Dick pushing and moving against him.

Dick was about to take him. And God, as much as Pete wanted it, he wanted his Shayla more. And he began to fight. He clawed, ripped, tried to get away from Dicks iron grip as he began to yell, trying to yank away as hard as he possibly could. He was about to be taken, even if he didnt want it, taken and he didnt want it and NO! He was naked, half so, his tattered shirt still half on his shoulders, terror making his body shake as he fought, violently, because he could feel Dick moving and no preparation, and he was going to rip him open, no, Dick, NO!

Dick's hands moved up to pet soothingly over Pete's head, stroking and rubbing as he moved forward. The head of his cock rubbed slickly over the tight little hole just waiting for him, and he paused in his stroking just long enough to put his hands on Pete's shoulders as he shoved in.

Guttural scream of pleasure that rattled the windows as he sunk into Pete's hot passage, sinking every inch of his cock into the young man under him.

Pete screamed to, for completely different reasons. Terror had tightened him closed and when Dick shoved in..oh, fuck. He felt things rip, burn, heat and agony and he screamed again, shaking his head and trying to get away as he sobbed, kicking his legs out as he violently tried to get up, get out. "NO NO NO NO!"

Shayla was silently cursing Pete Ross out for everything he was worth. New pair of boots her skinny blond ass. If he was sitting on the couch drinking a beer, then they were going to have a serious make out session, and then a serious ass-kicking session.

The door to the apartment was standing wide open, which didn't make her think anything was wrong, but then, the screaming from the bedroom did. A deep, animal noise which she didn't recognize, and then, another voice that she sure as hell did. "PETE!!" Shayla looked around wildly until her eyes fell on the discarded baseball bat, and she used it to nudge the door open.

Dick arched his back as he sunk to the hilt, hands on Pete's shoulder and weight resting on his back as he was inside. He could feel his skin stop crawling as he started to thrust, and he growled in pleasure.

Okay. What she was seeing? Impossible to process. The word just bounced around in her head like a rubber ball. "Dick Grayson, you've got about two goddamned seconds to get off him before I cave your fucking skull in!!"

Dick just bared his teeth and snarled.

There werent enough tears for this. The big R word had always been something he didnt want to think about...it happened to women, all over the world, and there was nothing he could do but pray for their safety. He never thought he'd be on the recieving end of it. He'd innitiated it..it was his fault. Dick was hurting him so badly, so badly but all the fight was gone because he couldnt stop this. He sank foreward, eyes closed, letting reality slip away as Dick used his body. Nothing he could do, powerless to stop this. He thought he'd wanted it...now, realized his fatal mistake. Something was wrong with him, and he'd all but asked for this.

He could hear his girlfriends voice, in his head, screaming at him, and he whimpered, pressing his face into the blankets.

"Okay, motherfucker. You asked for it." Shayla, like most of the Senatoris were, was built on the small side. Graham was the exception, being built like a linebacker. But that never stopped a furious Senatori, and she swung the ball bat in her hands with every bit of anger, fury, hate, and love for her boyfriend that she had ever felt.

The ball bat splitered against the base of Dick's skull.

Dick roared again, in pain this time, and he fell back. He lost his balance and fell completely off the bed, tearing himself free from Pete in the process. He tried to get to his feet, but he couldn't.

"You stay the FUCK away from him, Dick! You hurt him!!" She dropped the broken handle of the bat, and picked up the heavy end, slamming it into his chest. "Get AWAY!"

Gone, ripped from him and he let out a wail of pain, his legs giving out udner him and he splatered against the bed, eyes closed. Oh fuck. Oh, fuck. Shayla, she was here, he could smell her everywhere. Hear her. Saved him, and his body tensed, curling around itself as his face crumbled, hard, pressing into the pillow.

Had to help her. He had to. Even if she'd never talk tio him again, he had to. He pushed himself up, body aching everywhere he moved as he pushed up, pushed to his feet, grabbing the blanket from the bed to cover himself, to keep himself covered up as he trembled, finally looking at his girlfriend in abject horror, humiliation, shame and misery.

"Pete, stay down. He hurt you, are you okay? Pick up the phone and call the cops." She looked over her shoulder at him. "Did he hurt you, baby?" She moved a step closer to him, keeping her eyes on Dick.

Dick got to his knees, finally, and then reared up, trying to stand.

"Oh hell no you don't." Shayla cracked what was left of the bat over the top of his head, and it splintered.

Dick went back down again.

Blood was running down his thighs. But there was no way, in living hell, that he would call the cops. Too many questions, too much asking and he shook his head, gripping her hand tightly in his own... bone crushingly so, as he looked down at Dick, throat working. "Call Lex. Call Bruce. Something....worms, under h-his skin. Under it. Call them."

Didnt have to. Bruce was slamming up the steps himself, rushing towards the apartment. He'd awoken in his car only moments before, and had heard the scream. He'd known the scene he'd find when he came up the steps, but didnt...didnt expect for the little blond girl, Shayla, to be standing over his lover with a baseball bat.

And Pete, wrapped in a blanket, with tear streaks down his face.

"Fuck." He whispered softly. "What happened? Are you alright, Mr. Ross?"

"No. Im not fucking alright. What the hell is going on, Wayne?" Tough guy voice, tough guy stance.

"You... you get that son of a bitch out of here right now, Bruce. Or I swear to God, I'm going to kill him. I'm going to shove what's left of that ball bat handle straight up his lousy ass, and then I'm going to finish bashing his fucking head in!!" Shayla threw down the remains of the ball bat again, and turned around, wrapping her arms around Pete's waist.

"I..." He looked at the little woman..blinked a little. His brain was muggy and musty, and he didnt..oh, yes. Calling Lex. Lex would help, he usualy did. "I had an accident. I didnt...he was sick. Was taking him to the mansion, when he started...we crashed. What happe--.." He knew what happened, and he winced and looked away, going into his pcoket for his...yes.

Dialed Lex. Lex could help. Yes. Lex always did.

Couldnt accept tenderness. He'd cheated on her. Would have enjoyed it. And he hated himself. But Pete patted her back gently, and closed his eyes, looking away.

Two rings to the line at the house, and then it redirected to Lex's cell phone. Lex was still in the hospital waiting room, waiting to talk to Dom, when his phone chirped. He excused himself with a kiss to Clark's cheek, and stepped outside of the room and into the coolish air. "Luthor."

Shayla just squeezed tighter. "It's okay. He'll be gone soon. We'll be okay, baby, I promise. I'm sorry I didn't come in earlier."

"Hi." Quietly. Muggy brain and fuck. "Its me. Hi. Dick just raped Pete. I think he has worms under his skin. He was sweaty. Can you maybe come?"

Lex just... blinked. "Bruce? Say again? I think I just heard you say that Dick attacked Pete, and that Pete has worms under his skin? And what the hell happened to you? You sound... slurred. Okay. Forget that. Where are you? Clark and I are on the way."

"The..the apartment. Shayla's here. Dicks unconscious. I was. He had worms." He wasnt making any fucking SENSE and he sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at his now passed out lover and holding his head. Tender and painful to the touch, and he cursed very prettily, in quite a few languages.

"Okay. We're on the way. Bruce... for fuck's sake, LOCK THE DOOR until we get there! It's going to take a little longer than usual because we're going to pick up a doctor--you remember Toby? we're going to go get him and be there. I'll be knocking on your door there in... half an hour."

"No. No. Im going to...to the mansion. The little blond can drive. The mansion. Okay? The car is destroyed." Sadly spoken, as he rubbed his face. "We'll be there soon, at the mansion." A nod and he clicked the phone shut, setting it back in his pocket and crouching down. His lover, naked and still half hard where he was softening, and Bruce's eyebrows went soft, gaze dead as he lifted him up into his arms. Thankfully for him he was a wirey man and Bruce had no trouble liftng him. Keeping his balance a little trickier, but not as difficult as he knew it could be. "Youre driving, Shayla. Lex has Toby...his doctor? Coming. Get Pete and get the car."

"Fuck. You." Clearly spoken. "I'm not letting Pete get in the same fucking county as that bastard. You can do whatever you want to with him; Pete's stayin' here."

"Ms. Senatori, look out your window. See the car, smashed into the lightpole? I was in that car about ten..ten minutes ago. I can't see well enough to drive. Please, you have to help me get to the mansion. Please, for the love of God. I can't let him die."

"You think I give a fuck about him?" she spat out. "I hope he does fucking die." She turned back around, and rubbed her cheek against Pete's shoulder. "Come on. Let's get you in the shower."

"God DAMNIT little girl!" Bruce roared. Dicks body was squirming, the little whatever they were under his skin moving and writhing with each breath his lovers took, and he showed her, violently, as he snarled. "Go get the car started now. Pete can be seen by the doctor but if you DONT help me than he's going to die, and Pete might as well, since he was exposed to this! So stop being a teenager and fucking help me."

"Yeah, well, it's your little bastard of a boyfriend that might have exposed him to it!" She gripped Pete's wrist tightly. "You wanna go, baby?"

He was furious. He was going to be sick. Concussion, he was pretty sure. Grade A. Might need some stiches. Nothing new--he'd had over 30 concussions since he'd become Batman. The nausia wasnt a new development, but violent in its heat, and he knew it was the pain for his lover. "If you dont, than I'll go."

Pete just...he nodded, swallowing and motioning Shayla towards them. "Let me get dressed. Go with them."

"Okay. But if you're not downstairs by the time I get back here with the car, then I'm coming back up here to get you. Deal?"

"Go, Shayla." Pete gave her a none to subtle push, pleading with her. He didnt..he was so emabrrassed and he just...no.

Shayla stumbled with the push, and she glared at Bruce an Dick. "Bring the little bastard downstairs; what car do you have left since you wrapped the porsche?"

~*~*~

 

Soft, steady beeps. Tender rustles under blankets...an expelled breath in sleep. 514 was as quiet as the floor around it, silent and restful. And Dominic supposed that's what had put him to sleep in the chair tugged to his lovers bedside. A blanket was thrown over his shoulders, knees to his chest and cheek resting on the back of the chair when he awoke. It was raining again, quietly outside the window, and the room was a quiet and peaceful gray.

His lover, beautiful in all of his majesty, was propped on the half raised bed. A simple IV lay laced in his arm, but he looked... he looked normal, down to the pajamas Ms. Bird had brought for him. Like he was taking sleeping, early in the morning, and Dominic smiled quietly as he brought his legs down, reaching for his lovers hand and murmuring, "What am I going to do with you. What am I going to do with you, Lionel Luthor." He kissed the back ever so tenderly, watching his beloved sleep, and laced their fingers tenderly. "You've really got to stop doing this, my darling. You're going to be the death of me." Quiet a moment. "More importantly, you're going to be the death of yourself. You really are too exciting a man, you know. All this collapsing and what have you. And aren't you glad I had the carpets rolled out the night before."

The smile slipped away... his eyebrows furrowed softly, as he lay his ear on his lovers chest and gazed up at him, fingers clasped with Lionel's and tucked close to his neck. "I wish you'd wake up. I'm selfish, I know, but I miss you. I don't like being without you during the day, you know. Call me an idiot." Quietly, softly, as he stroked his thumb over his lovers fingers. "I miss you."

Lionel didn't open his eyes, but his fingers tightened on Dominic's. He felt at home in the soft silk pajamas, gliding over his skin as he moved to lean on his side. "Mmm. I am glad you had the carpets rolled out," Lionel said without opening his eyes. "And yes, I miss you too. It's why I keep you so close to me, working by my side and such. At least our offices are across the hall from one another."

His lips spread, wide for a moment before he sobered, and he lifted his head, leaning forward to press his lips softly against his husbands, kissing him tenderly and softly as his fingers kept their hands on his own neck, pressed close to the side of his face. "Won't be spending barely any time in there, you know." Another soft kiss as he cupped Lionel's face. "How could I, when my temptation is sitting ten feet away from me?"

"I suppose we could speak to the contractors about renovating the office. Knock out the front wall, divert the hallway through where your office used to sit, and put our desks facing each other."

"I suppose right now, you're going to think about getting well, and not about pesky wall knockings and such." He smiled though, and kissed his lover again, before sitting back and going into his pocket, taking out a small box and sheaf of papers, climbing to his feet. He slipped into the bed with his lover, jostling him just the tiniest bit so he was lying next to him, and smiled at him as he snuggled in. "Here we are again." Quietly, sitting up just a little higher than his lover to snuggle him close. "You're a pesky bugger, you know, darling."

Lionel didn't complain about being nestled against his lover. "Yes, I know. I've been told that, and in much less genteel language. Lex popped in while you were in the bathroom, and told me I was a royal pain in his ass. And then he left."

"Of course he did." He handed over the small velvet box, and pressed his lips softly to his husbands temple. "Everyday that goes by, I love you more and more, you know." He used his first finger to gently tip Lionel's head towards him, and smiled at him when he did. He loved this person so very, very much, and it pleased him, deeply, to know he was doing what he was doing. "And usually, your birthday present from me is delivered July thirteenth. However, this year, I was informed quite genteelly as it were that your birthday is, in fact, February first. Imagine my surprise." He handed over the envelope as well. "Open the box, first, okay?"

A very soft growl. "And what bald little bird told you that?" But he accepted the box first, opening his eyes and rubbing his fingertips over the soft outside, then took the envelope and balanced it on his thigh. "Or do I have to ask?"

He chuckled, quietly, shaking his head and looking down at him. "That's for me to know and you not to know. Also? I bought you an entirely hideous, but artistic, lamp for your new office. You're positively going to loathe it." Said with a great deal of relish, of course.

"Why do I find that difficult to believe?" Lionel held the box closed for an instant. "You didn't have to do this, Jiminy."

"Of course I did. What, do you think I'm the type of man who wouldn't?" A pretend roll of his eyes, but he grinned and nuzzled his husbands face softly. "You're going to have a surprise birthday party on Friday, by the by. I was going to keep it a surprise, but one run to the hospital with collapsing is just enough for one month, thank you."

"Make sure that my regrets are sent," he teased softly, and then held the box up on his palm. "What did you do?"

"Well, open it." Another smile, and another nuzzle at his face, kissing his cheek and throat softly. "You'll never know till you open it."

Lionel kissed his lover's temple softly, then creaked the box open.

Keys. Five, maybe ten... keys. Some he recognized; Dominic's car keys. The key to his apartment. Some he didn't recognize but could guess; there was a key that was similar to his own desk at work, one that was marked as USPS property that had to be a mailbox key, and others. He looked up from the box questioningly. "Dominic? You gave me your keys?"

"A copy. A copy, of all my keys." He brought his knees up, snuggling more with his lover and pointing. He had painstakingly labeled each tiny key and had the laminated paper made into the key itself, so it would never rub off. And added to that, each key was color coded, so one would never have to search through all the keys for the right one every time. Just like his. "This is my house key... this is the key to get in the building, cause the old lady in 4B tends to lock people out. This one is my car key... this one, my mail box. This is the garage key for the garage I own in Metropolis that houses most of the shit I need to have brought to the mansion. Old pictures, an old car, the like. This is for my safety deposit box..." He grinned, then. "That has a few cobwebs and some old things from my father. This one is for my locker at the gym....this ones for my desk. This one, however." He pointed to a tiny little key, that had been marked with a soft maroon. It was older then the others, scratched and weather beaten. "This little key... I've had it for what seems like forever. I didn't know where it fit in... didn't know where it went. It had a purpose, but it didn't know where its going. It was lost in the world, with the other keys keeping it safe, but never really having a purpose. Except... it does. It does have a purpose. Even when its found no mate, it has a home with all the other keys who love him because he's him. But you know, the funniest thing happened the other day. I was going through them, looking for a key to fit into Clark and Lex's old bedroom. I had stuck it on my key chain, and just couldn't find the blasted thing. I went to our bedroom, hoping to the devil I could find it... and came on your journal, instead. Something told me to try it, and low and behold, the key... is one of the pair to your journal." He smiled then, quietly. "You must have left the key somewhere, and Id stuck it on my key chain until I found the owner. Well, the little key's search is over." He set the key gently with the other ones. "And so is mine."

Lionel touched each key with the stroke of a fingertip as Dominic named them off, then picked up the key to his journal and handed it back to Dominic. "I still have one; I'd like you to keep the other." He closed his fingers around Dominic's. "There's a lot of thoughts in that journal. Most of it is drivel and overly-emotional, some are business thoughts, some are just... hopes for Lex's future. You're in there. Keep the key; I want you to. Read the journal on the day that I pass."

Christ. He dropped his head and kissed the fingers around it, kissing each of his lovers tender fingertips as he took the key back from him, and wrapped his arms around his lovers neck, hugging him tightly. Not a word spoken as he let go enough to kiss his face, cheeks and lips, and handed him the envelope as he tenderly slipped the key into his pocket. "You're a beautiful man, Lionel."

"No more so than you are." He kissed Dominic back softly, shifting to take the pressure off the very very dull ache in his back, and then slid his fingers under the lip of the envelope. "What's this?"

"We've been over this." Though it was spoken amusedly in his love's ear.

"Open it and find out?" he asked softly

"Open it and find out." And because he felt like it, he snatched his lovers earlobe in his lips, biting and sucking softly at it, tenderly, kissing gently.

Quiet, throaty murmur of pleasure in Lionel's throat as he opened the envelope and withdrew the papers. Thin sheaf of two, maybe three sheets, and he leafed through them, eyes darting over the legal jargon until one thing glared out at him.

Dominic Senatori-Luthor. Dominic S. Luthor also acceptable in the eyes of the law.

"What?"

He smiled it, not speaking as he continued to suck softly at his lovers ear, moving tenderly to his neck... then to the back of his ear, to blow softly on the tender flesh.

"You changed... you changed your name?"

"I did." And he was giddy with it, as he raised his head to look at his lover with dancing, pleased eyes.

"I love you." Lionel put the papers carefully back in their envelope, to look at them later, and raised his hand, pulling Dominic's mouth over to his for a long, soft kiss. He nibbled and licked in awe, easy thrusts of his tongue instead of rough demands showing how much he was touched by Dominic's gesture.

He kissed right back, smiling into his mouth as he sucked and kissed, softly, his tongue tracing and stroking against his lovers and cupping his face softly as he hugged him tightly at the same time. "I love you. I love you, so much. And you know I did it just so you'll give me your hair when I go bald, right?" Though he grinned it, kissing softly a handful more times as he stroked his lovers face.

knock knock. Diane Sawyer rapped her knuckles against the door of the hospital room. "Mr. Luthor? Mr. Senatori? Your office told me where to find you. By the way? I think your friend, Mr. Siegel? Is going to have a heart attack pretty soon trying to keep people out." She was bearing an unconscionably ostentatious bouquet of red roses.

Not even Diane Sawyer was going to ruin his good mood. But Dominic looked up, blushed hotly, and slipped off the bed and to his feet, though he didn't let go of the grip he had on his lovers hand as he held out his free one. "Ms. Sawyer."

Hated her fucking guts, the little donkeys ass faced shrew. But he could be a civilized human being. ...For a little while.

"Mr. Senatori." She shook his hand firmly, and handed the flowers to him. "Mr. Luthor, we were very saddened to hear that you'd fallen ill, and I wanted to pay my respects to you in person."

"Of course you did," Lionel said smoothly. "I'm sorry there's not another chair for you, but please, do come in for a moment."

He barely curbed the choked laugh, instead smiling at the woman and accepting the red roses. Which... almost seemed like a funeral bouquet but he ignored it, setting them softly on the table under the window. "Did your crew make it in alright from Metropolis. Ms. Sawyer?"

"We made it in just fine, thanks. We'll be hunkering down for the next week or so; the network has us covered with a re-run this week with a special blurb about rescheduling the interview due to your illness. Which, by the way, I couldn't find out exactly what it was you were hospitalized for."

Nosy bitch. "I like to keep my life as private as possible, Ms. Sawyer."

Nosy bitch. A soft cough and he very gently and elegantly slipped the tiny black velvet box under his lover's blankets without bringing attention to it, taking his seat once again next to Lionel. The dark blue blanket Ms. Bird had brought him was tossed elegantly over the side of the chair, and Dominic leaned over the bed, bracing his elbows on it. "We had the files sealed, and asked the hospital not to give out any information. We... like to keep paparazzi and such away, you know." Nosy bitch.

"Aaah, I see." Ms. Sawyer nodded. "Well, I can certainly understand that. Shall we set up the interview for this time next week? Say... perhaps Monday afternoon, around four?"

"We'll call you, ma'am." Politely spoken. "That is, if you and your crew don't mind staying for a little while. We'll contact you when Lionel is again well and ready for your...questions." Defending his baby because NO ONE put Lionel Luthor on a time table.

"I see. Well. We don't mind staying, Mr. Senatori, not at all, but it will be a bit of a problem with our network, not being able to promote the appearance, and so forth."

Lionel rolled his eyes, and gave a soft moan. "Dominic... perhaps we can persuade Ms. Sawyer to come back later. I believe we should call the doctor."

His eyes flickered immediately to his lover, a hundred different emotions going over it as he rose, pushing the call nurse button, sending a fierce look at the woman. "You need to leave now. I'll contact you again in the coming few days to tell you what's good for us, but right now is not. Please ma'am, you can let yourself out." Back down to his lover, stroking over his face softly, and wincing. "It hurts, baby, I know. Come on now, it'll be okay."

Lionel moved and sheltered his face behind Dominic's shoulder, not bothering to let his lover know that he'd disconnected the call button. He just gave a small grimace, and shifted again in bed. "It's all right, Dominic," he said softly, seeking out his lover's eyes to let him in on the ploy.

Curiosity sated, Diane nodded. "Of course, Mr. Senatori. Mr. Luthor, my best wishes." She was met outside of Lionel's room by an angry Charlie Siegel, and escorted down to the elevators before she could protest.

Dominic gazed into his eyes... saw what was going on, and didn't dare move until Diane was out of the room, a broad smile crossing his face as he heard Charlie all but dragging her down the hall. His heart was in his throat but he grinned, rolling his eyes down at his lover and kissing him on the lips, twice. "You, my darling, are a stinker. You know that, right?"

"And you, my darling cricket, are an astonishingly good actor." He held up the disconnected call wire, and then reconnected it to the button. "Couldn't have her nosing about all day, now could I?"

"Not when we had so many more pressing issues to go over. Like..." He slipped back onto the bed with his love, much like where they'd been before, except this time he wrapped an around his lovers shoulder, snuggling him in deep. "Like how you feel about the letter."

Lionel ran his fingers over the envelope. "I think that there is nothing that you could have done that has made me feel more... more..." The only word he could come up with, and he used it anyway, despite the difficulty. "more humble."

"I wasn't looking for humble, silly." Smothered grin in his cheek. "But I'm glad you like it. I went to the courthouse earlier this morning and had it finalized. Now... I'm a Luthor. Which, in all of its glory, is terrifying." Snickering grin, as he tickled his lovers belly softly... and got serious, as he stroked his beloveds cheek softly. "I'm proud to be yours."

"I've never been so proud to have you." He wrapped his arms around Dominic, hugging fiercely. "You've made me a humble man; you want to be so much a part of me that you've discarded your own name in favor of my own, by your own choice and not some asinine rule of marriage, and I can't tell you how that makes me feel."

His heart swelled because...he'd finally done something that had cemented in his lovers mind that he wouldn't leave him. And it pleased him, immensely, because Lionel needed that rock in his life. And Dominic was more then pleased to be that rock. He hugged him back just as tightly, kissing his shoulder and face, ear and cheek, and smiled into his sweet smelling hair as he nuzzled his skin. "I love you, Lionel. There's nothing I wouldn't do. And this... I wanted this. I love you, so much."

"I love you." Lionel stroked his fingertips over Dominic's skin, down his back and shoulders, clutching him tightly. "I love you, Dominic. With all I have, I love you."

And because he refused to get all mushy and teary over it, he let go just enough to grin, broadly at him. "Well duh. If I'm to be your husband for the next billion years, you've got to love me, you know." He nosed his lovers gently, and smiled at him. "Look at this. All an innocent ploy for your hair and its made you happy." He stroked his thumbs gently over his lovers damp eyelashes, and fuck, now HIS were getting damp, and he cupped his head softly, kissing him. "I do love you, my loveliest one. You're mine, beloved, and I'm yours. I won't ever leave you, ever. Remember that."

"I'll remember." His hand slid back to the back of Dominic's neck and pulled him close again, reluctant to let him go. "And I won't leave you."

"Good." He wrapped his arms back around him, and got as close as he could, snuggling down with him and holding him, gently. Rubbed his palms up and down his lovers poor pained back, through his hair...just holding him. Because he wanted to. "Baby, the pain is going to get bad. You'll tell me, won't you? When it does? When mine passed, I thought I would die. Little bitch of a thing. Sadistic doctor asked if I wanted to keep the damn thing. Yes, because I wanted to keep the blasted thing that had caused me so much agony." A moment, and he was blushing softly against Lionel's shoulder. "I stomped it until it was powder. Little bastard."

"Yes, I will tell you. Though telling you will likely entail screaming, from the stories I've been told. However, I will endeavor to suffer in silence."

"Yeah, right." Snorted, and he let go enough again to lay down on his lovers pillow, sharing it with him as he turned on his side and stroked over his loves face. "Why did you have to get sick? We could be having sex right now."

"It wasn't my idea, you know," Lionel said with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes it was. You're an evil bastard, and you made me horny and than collapsed on purpose." Grumbled. Pouting.

"Made you horny?" A chuckle at the term. "Yes. Collapsed on purpose, no."

He raised his own brow at the little laugh. "What would you like me to say, you gave me the worst case of blue balls I've had since I was a lad? Ass. Hey," He rose on one elbow, looking down at him. "Do you remember anything from before?"

Lionel blinked. "Before?"

"Before… when we talked, in the ER?" Though a sly little smile was quirking his lips.

"We talked in the ER? I don't remember. I do remember my coat being cut." He pouted. "I really liked that coat."

"Lets just say, darling..." His lips quirked, as he stroked his lovers hair out of his eyes. Protective in every movement but quiet, as he did it. "Your Herbert is fascinating. I particularly liked your use of the word "yeah"."

Lionel's lip curled in distaste. "I used the word 'yeah'?"

"And 'cool', if memory serves." Sweetly.

"I didn't."

"Twice."

"Dear God."

At that he laughed, shaking his head, kissing the tip of his nose, and rolling off the sheets again, climbing to his feet. "I'm going to go get some coffee, darling. I'll be back in just a moment, okay?" Innocently spoken as he toed back into his shoes, not bothering with the laces.

"All right. I'll be here when you get back." A wry smile. "And could you send Mr. Siegel out for French fries, please?"

"Hell no!" His voice rang cheerfully back into the room as he strode out.

Lionel waited until Dominic was out of the room, and pulled out the sheet of paper from the envelope. He ran his fingertips over it, unable to believe what it said, and as he was alone in the room... a single tear eased down his cheek.

And little to his lovers knowledge, Dominic stopped at the end of the hall, hugging himself, smiling, and even beamed at Charlie as he pushed coins into the coffee machine.

Somewhere along the line, between managing the conference while Lionel had been loaded into the ambulance and manhandling Diane Sawyer into one of the elevators, Charlie had lost his stammer. "Mr. Senatori, I'm sorry that you and Mr. Luthor were disturbed, but she made it past the guards we had stationed downstairs. I don't know how she found out he was here, but I'm working on it."

He had to be stiff and strong and just couldn't, pushing the light fluid into his little Styrofoam cup as he waited, smiling at the young man. "Its alright. Don't worry about it. You're doing a wonderful job, Mr. Siegel, and it shows. I knew when I saw you you'd be a strong fellow, and you're turning out just fine. However, if you fuck up, I'll kill you." Cheerfully spoken with another smile, as he took the coffee off and set it on the small table, pouring some creamer and sugar in it...a lot of creamer and sugar, until there was more of it than coffee in it. "Tell me how the conference went."

Charlie gulped hard. "Um... well, it went very well. Actually. The Texan? Mr. Axedale? We got him back up on the podium, and Carolyn coordinated the rest of the speakers. She made sure that the videoconference happened, and Mr. Wayne finished taping the meeting and I started transcribing the notes for you to load into your laptop."

"Fabulous. Mr. Wayne is taking care of everything now, I presume?"

"He is. He's at the site right now, and--and the kids are there too."

"Good." Dominic sat down in one of the chairs beside the coffee machines, and motioned for his assistant to come sit, as well.

Charlie eyed Dominic carefully as he took the seat across from him.

"Yessir?"

"Will you be accompanying the move to Smallville this week?" Bluntly asked, as he crossed his legs and took a sip of the coffee not all the creamer in the world could fix.

"You... you mean, will I be moving here?" Hard gulp. "Yes, sir."

"I won't lie to you, Charlie. You're an ass." He let that sink in, as he took another sip. "However, there's a lot in you that I recognize in myself at your age. You have immense potential. The question becomes, if I take you under my wing, and if you become my own and Lionel's personal assistant, will you disappoint me?"

"You... you just... what? Mr. Senatori, are you serious?"

"Of course I'm serious." He tipped his head, studying the nervous young man. "It also means that you're going to have to do something that I'm sure you've been terrified to do thus far. I haven't encouraged it, but I'm encouraging it now. Learn to speak back to me. I won't have an assistant who'll brown nose me, are we clear? You'll tell me what you think when you think it. And you'll just have to deal when I call you a prick." Though on the last word his lips quirked, eyebrow raising.

"You can't want me!" Charlie exploded. "I'm terrified to death of you, you make me want to piss myself every time you glare at me, you're a mean bastard, and you put too much creamer in your coffee!!" Then he clapped a hand over his mouth.

Dominic burst out laughing. Just... cracked up, eyes wide as he stared at him. "Oh, Christ, I've broken you. Well, go me. Mr. Siegel, its alright to be scared of me, but you've got nothing to worry about. If I didn't like you, and I didn't want you around, I would have fired you quite a bit of time ago, now wouldn't I have?" Though he was grinning, broadly. "I am a mean bastard, yes, and would you like to try this shite? Its jiffy lube."

"Yes sir, it is. I've had three cups of it already." His eyes were sort of glazed over with the rest of it.

"Seriously, lad. Lionel… he used to threaten to fire me every ten minutes. Used to scare the bloody hell out of me, it did, until I realized I'd worked for him for five years and he hadn't made good with his threats yet. Its just a bit of pomp and circumstance, you see. That's how you train a worker... not just a good one, but an excellent one. And you have it in you to be excellent. Don't be frightened of me anymore, and I..." He made a small face. "I'll cut back on threatening to cut off body parts and sell you on the corner. Alright?"

Charlie blinked. "He was threatening to fire you two weeks ago." That was all he was capable of thinking.

"Of course he was."

"But.... but..."

"But nothing. You've worked for me for...four years now, is it?"

"Yessir."

"Unless you truly, outrageously, incredibly fuck things over, I probably won't fire you. So stop getting all... all in a tizzy whenever I tell you something, for the love of Christ, man. Calm yourself. You have at least 5 inches and forty pounds on me. Honestly, do you think I'm capable of doing you bodily harm?"

"Yes," he answered in an instant.

At that he cracked up all over again and climbed to his feet, patting Charlie on the shoulder. "My ego thanks you. I'm going back to Lionel's room… I'll call if anything is needed. Keep the reporters out, alright?"

"Of course, sir." He held out the paper cup. "Don't forget your coffee, Mr. Senatori."

"Ah, thank you." He took it again and walked off, towards his lovers room.

And whistled, all the way there.

 

-fin-

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