The Memoirs

Lex had not wanted to leave Clark alone at the farm, but he knew it wouldn't be for long. Against not only his judgment but his fashion statement, Lex relented and drove the pickup back to the estate, the ship loaded safely in the back. It was sitting locked in the work shed, for the moment, until Clark finished locking up the animals on the farm for his father before the oncoming rain.

He sighed. He missed Clark, but Clark was literally only a thought away.

Bruce, on the other hand... was leaving tomorrow. Lex was incredibly saddened by that, and he wasn't sure why. No, that wasn't true. He knew why. He was saddened because his friend, the only friend he'd had in his life, was leaving. He was even more saddened by the fact that Bruce and Dick had had such problems while they were here, and he'd been so contained in his own life and his own problems that he hadn't been able to help Bruce at all.

He stopped by the storeroom where his liquor was kept, and selected the oldest bottle of scotch from their rack, and tucked it under his arm as he went looking for his friend.

There was crap playing from the stereo in the corner of the library, but damn if Bruce knew how to take it off.

Fifteen minutes worth of searching all over for the off button, or the very least an electric plug, but damned if he could find it. He was Batman for crying out loud, but he was fooled and mystified by a high tech CD DVD MPR FBI whatever the hell machine that was playing some young woman singing to the accompany of annoying drums about the rain clouds out her window, and she can't see at all.

It annoyed him, but for the moment, he could look past it and stretch out on one of the thick one seaters made just for that. His feet were propped up on a foot stool, shoes crossed at the ankle, and a thick edition of Sherlock Holmes, one of the very first editions, lay on his lap. He was trying like hell to read it, but just... couldn't. Too distracted, by the problems in his life, by the stress and anxiety that was eating a hole in his stomach.

Life. Sucked.

Lex had to muffle a laugh as he stood quietly in the shadows of the doorway, watching Bruce trying to figure out how to work the little stereo. He coughed slightly once he saw Bruce get settled in, and he wordlessly dropped the bottle into his friend's lap as he crossed over to the stereo, slid graceful fingers under the base, and flicked it off.

He came back and took a seat beside Bruce, looking at the book he'd chosen and then sighing softly.

"Mmm. 1919. How you get this stuff still makes me wonder." Spoken quietly as he turned his head in the flickering firelight, and shared the first smile of the day with his best friend. The huge book closed with a little dust in his lap, and handed it over to Lex as he climbed to his feet. "Light reading, you know."

"We've earned a name for vice," Lex explained lightly. "People fall over themselves to pander."

"I bet."

It was all he spoke, as his soft soled shoes pattered quietly on the wood. Twin scotch glasses sat waiting with the other glasses set up in meticulous rows in the liquor cabinet, and he took them down carefully, setting them upright on the counter top of the small bar. Ice from the ice box, as Bruce knew the ways his best friend took his liquor, and he walked back with both glasses with ease and grace. "Everything go okay for the first inspections today?"

"A couple of problems, but it's nothing more than the local inspector jerkin' our chain. Nothing that's going to get in the way of being operational tomorrow." He paused as he listened to the soft tinkle of ice against glass, and didn't speak again until he had his drink in hand, and Bruce had settled back in his seat. "Are you and Dick still leaving tomorrow?"

Bruce took a look into his filled glass and nodded, quietly, as he set the bottle of scotch on the table in front of them, and leaned back comfortably into the chair. "Yes, we are. I think Dick's counting the hours until we do." A sad shake of his head. "He's had enough of Smallville."

"I can just imagine." Lex took a drink of his scotch, and settled back into the cushions. "I'm sorry, you both had it so rough here. I wish... I wish things had gone better for you. That you could stay longer." He sighed. "It's always the same, Bruce. We visit... but we never have time for each other. Not really."

"Then come visit us, Lex. Come vacation with us in Australia next year when we go."

"I'll try, but I won't leave Clark behind. He'll have classes at the university, and probably a job. I'd love nothing better... you know that. But I can't go without him."

"I understand." And he did, as he took a drink of scotch and let his head lay back against the ample couch cushions. "I'm really glad you found someone, Lex. Too many years went by without someone serious. And by serious, I don't mean that Vicky bitch, so don't try that angle."

"Victoria was never serious, merely the... least frivolous." He looked down into his drink. "I wish you weren't leaving tomorrow."

"I know. I've got to go back." It was all he said for a moment, as he looked at the ceiling… then rolled his head to look at Lex. "Gotham has gone unsupervised long enough."

"I understand." He did, all too well. "Don't suppose I could woo you into staying by pointing out that Metropolis has never been supervised?"

"Not if you were offering me a billion dollars and half of Russia."

"I'll give you three billion, half of it in LexCorp assets, and complete control over France." He was only half joking.

Bruce looked over, and snickered. "Gee, thanks. As I own half of LexCorp, a LuthorCorp subsidiary, that helps me lots. France? The barren wasteland of economic growth and the damn French may be worse then Metropolites, but not by much."

Lex swirled the liquor in his glass. "What if I just asked?"

"He loves me, he really loves me."

"I'm serious, Bruce." Lex looked up. "I know you can't. Not really. But if I asked you to stay, would you?"

"If just being in Gotham was hurting Clark, so much that he couldn't leave your bedroom other than to take a leak and get a drink of water, would you think Id be serious in asking you to stay with me?"

"No. But, then again, you're also not as selfish as I am."

A snicker rolled off of Bruce's tongue. "And not nearly as faggy."

Lex raised his glass in a small toast.

Bruce clinked his own against it, and smiled at him as he took a drink. "How's your dad?"

"He's been doing all right, as much as I can see. He and Dominic are excited about the baby coming... and I still don't know how I feel about that." He sat forward in his chair. "Do you know they've got her name picked out already, and the crib is sitting in the hallway until they can figure out where the nursery is going to be?"

Oh man, he laughed again, softly, shaking his head as he tossed back the rest of the drink. "They're a pair to be reckoned with. Its good they have that spirit, that love. They're damned spunky in everything else, might as well be about their coming baby."

Lex glared. "Please don't call them spunky. My mind goes places."

Another wicked snicker. "Because you had to touch it to create her?"

"Fuck. You."

"Been there, done that, very fond memories."

That won a smile from Lex. "You know, Bruce? If it hadn't been for Clark? You might have gotten a bit more in the bathtub than you bargained for."

Bruce looked up, then, and spoke quietly and easily without a pause in Lex's speech. "If I'd been upset enough, you would have gotten more than you bargained for."

Lex looked up at that. "I don't... know that I would have said no. I don't know what I would have done, actually." He looked back down at his drink. "I'd do anything you asked, Bruce. You... you've been there for me. You saved my life. I owe you that."

"You owe me nothing. Just your friendship." And because he didn't like the chemistry cracking in the air, at least from him, he looked off towards the fire again. "I know its horrible to say, but sometimes I wish things had worked out differently. I told you that before, but I still believe it."

"I know. Sometimes I wish it, too. But then, I see you with Dick or I see Clark, and I think that it worked out for the best. But then... there are seconds that I wonder." He kept his eyes on his glass.

"I do too." Bruce murmured quietly, as he looked up at him. "We've got too much to wonder, Lex. You have Clark, who... is this amazing person to you. I have Dick, who I love beyond anything. Too much to lose to wonder."

"I know. I know all that, Bruce. I just... it's always unfinished between us. Never enough time spent, never enough of a goodbye said, never enough expressed about how much I do love you, how much I miss having you around. It's always... just undone."

"What, and you think that's less than a proper finish? If we finish, we won't make time for each other, Lex. You're a busy man, and I own a company. If we finish it, we'll lose each other. I'd rather leave it unfinished, than finalized and sealed."

Lex shook his head. "Not like that, Bruce."

"Then how, Lex? Explain it to me, because I'm grasping straws here."

Lex shook his head. "Never mind. It's not important." He raised the glass to his mouth, and took a deep swallow. "If you need someone to fill in for Dick until his cast comes off... let me know. I'll help."

His mind was running on the sex tract, and his eyes widened slightly over at Lex.

Lex caught the wide eyes and almost choked on his drink. "Not like that! Strictly night-time assistant!!"

His eyes widened even further, and one expressive brow arched.

Lex just glared. "Rubber?"

His shoulders shook with silent laughter, and he pressed his lips tightly together for a long moment. "If you keep digging, you'll hit China."

Lex let out a short bark of laughter at that. "All right, all right, I give up. If you need someone to fill in for your little feathered sidekick, let me know."

"There we go. How hard was that?" Amusement filtered in his voice though, and he leaned back cozily into the chair… then leaned forward, to refill his and his friends drinks. "Though thanks for the offer, I don't know if you'd survive ten minutes, let alone an entire night, and I'd much rather stick hot pokers in my eyes than deal with Clarks wrath."

Lex snorted and put his glass down so Bruce could refill it. "I've cleaned up my act, Bruce. I've stopped drinking, whoring and drugging. I haven't forgotten everything else I've ever learned. I'm not incapable of taking care of myself."

"Look to Exhibit B, labeled Clarks Wrath, 101."

"You shouldn't be afraid of Clark; he won't hurt you, Bruce."

"Bullshit."

"He won't. He knows what you mean to me."

Bruce still managed to look extremely incredulous, eyebrow raising as he looked at his young friend over the flickering light. It was dead quiet in the room, aside from their voices and the fires crackle, and it was… cozy. Comfortable. "Right. Course he does."

"He's been inside my head, Bruce. He knows. Clark knows how important you are to me." The brown liquor swirled in the glass. "You helped us both, in the time we needed the most help. He knows you are Cades-Se, my closest friend."

His brow came up. "Cades Say, huh? I sound kind of like a kung fu master. I'm not sure if I should be completely offended or disgustingly honored and pleased."

"Cades-Se," Lex corrected softly. "And you should be honored."

"What does it mean?" He tipped his head.

"I'm not sure; I'm in the process of compiling, just for Clark and myself, a dictionary of all the vocabulary we've encountered thus far in our lives together. I believe Cades is your name, Bruce, and Se is a suffix, showing the close relationship we have."

Bruce stared at him for a moment. "Lex, saying you have too much time on your hands goes without saying, correct?"

A quick grin. "Of course. But it needs to be done; Clark and I need to build some kind of vocabulary bank, some kind of reference so if something comes up, then we at least have somewhere to start."

"He's a special kid." Was all Bruce said, thoughtfully and quietly. "I need to introduce him to this woman I know... Diana. Diana Prince. Ambassador of Theymiscira, she's just like him, only female. Wonderful lady, fights for the right causes. Bomb of a lady, but I think she's lesbian, so that's why I never introduced you both. She's really into feminism."

"Just like him?" Lex sat forward. "As in, just like him, or, just... has the same interests and causes?"

Bruce rolled his eyes, but it was in amusement. "Interests and causes. If you catch my drift."

"I do. I just had to make sure." Clark's father had even said Clark was the only child sent from his planet. But Lex never wanted his lover to be alone.

"Its not gonna be easy for you both, you know."

"I know. It's never been easy, Bruce."

"No, can't say it has." he leaned his head back on the cushions, head throbbing dully, and closed his eyes. "I don't know what I'm going to do, Lex."

"About what, Bruce?"

"About the hell I'm living in that I can't escape, about bringing Dick down into the burrows with me, about the sadness and the tears and the pain we're going through right now."

"You're not... you're not pulling Dick down into anything. From what I've seen, he's the one pulling you up. You talk more, you almost smile, you laugh. Dick... he's pulling you out of hell, Bruce. You're not pulling him in."

"Tell that to the twenty one year old kid laying in bed crying right now, Lex." Bruce rose his drink to him and tossed what was left of it back in a single swallow, before looking into the fire. He had been upset before, but he was truly depressed right now, right this moment. Christ it sucked to be Bruce Wayne.

Lex got up and moved to sit on the lounger beside Bruce, and put his hand on his friend's leg. "I'm not telling him, Bruce, because I think he knows it. I'm telling you, because you're the one who's gotta believe it. Dick loves you, and God knows that's not an easy thing to do. I know that firsthand. But he does. And you can't throw that away worrying about anything. You and he, you're a team. Probably the best team I've ever seen, period. He knows it; he wouldn't have run away if he hadn't thought you didn't want him any longer. Trust me, Bruce. As someone who knows what it's like to love you."

He didn't speak, for a long moment, as he gazed into the fire. Just thought in silence, nothing but the fire crackling and the noises of an enormous house settling down for the night echoed in his ears, and when he finally spoke, it was complete and total deadpan. "You're just saying that cause you're still thinking about blowing me."

Lex just blinked. Two, three times, and then punched Bruce in the shoulder. Didn't let on a bit that it likely hurt his hand more than his friend's shoulder. "Bastard and tease."

His lips quirked wickedly as he glanced up, and he did something he hadn't done in a long time. He reached up, and tugged Lex into his lap, tucking him easily into his arms so that they could both watch the fire, wrapped and cuddled up in that special way that they had only for them. "Only a tease if you actually thought about it."

Lex moved instinctively into his friend's lap, settling in as though it had been just yesterday. "And what if I had?"

"I'd kick your dick in." Quietly said, as they watched the flames lick at the wood, arms tucked around his waist gently and setting Lex's head on his shoulder, so he could set his head atop it. "Think we'd change things?"

"No, I don't think we would." Lex didn't even have to think about it. I don't think we'd change anything."

"We could have a foursome, you know." Bruce chuckled it as he teased, wickedly. "Not that we've done that in about six years."

Lex just blushed. Didn't say a word.

Bruce felt the skin against his neck heat, and his eyes turned into twin ovals as he shot his gaze down. "No fucking way."

Little nod.

"With *who*?"

"Clark, Whitney, and Chloe." Mumbled against Bruce's shoulder.

Bruce… well. He blinked. Twice. Three times. Blinked again, and tucked Lex a little closer to him as he thought. And finally… well, he went the safe, cowardly route. "Hmm."

"Hmm. You know, if you and Dick lived here... it could have been you two."

"Who's being the tease now, Alexander J. Luthor?"

"Only if you thought about it," Lex shot back, teasing Bruce with his own words.

"Didn't just think about it, had a ten minute fantasy." Was his remark, though it was lilted with a smile. "You've got to dish. How endowed?"

"Whitney? Makes you seem like a toothpick."

"Bullshit. But I meant Clark."

"No, it's not bullshit. Clark? Mmm. Very well endowed. And uncut to boot. Very... thick. Not as long as Whitney, but much thicker. Much more my taste."

"Pulling you into my lap was quite possibly a mistake." Bruce said softly, as his fingers linked with Lex's. "Its been a long time since you could say you're satisfied during sex. Are you?"

Lex squeezed them tightly. "I am. Clark satisfies me; Clark completes me. He doesn't just fuck me; he makes love to me." Another tight squeeze to Bruce's fingers. "You showed me the difference; he and I live that difference, Bruce. You loved me; he loves me. I love you both. That's what was missing, from everyone else."

"Its a different feeling, when you make love to someone you love." Bruce's voice was quiet, as he looked down into Lex's eyes. "Dick is the love of my life. I loved you, but Dick brings something to me that I've been missing for a long time. I don't even know what it is... I just know it is. I love him, as deeply as I've ever loved. I don't think he knows it, though."

"So don't tell me." Lex raised his head just a little and kissed Bruce softly, chastely on the mouth. "Tell him. When you get him home, sit him down and tell him what you just told me. You'll be surprised at what a difference telling someone you love them can make."

"I do. I do tell him." He got quiet for a moment, and when he again spoke it was very small, and very quiet. "I'm just terrified it isn't enough."

"Do you tell him every day?"

"Yes. God, yes."

"Then it's enough." Lex put his head back on Bruce's shoulder, and looked down at their fingers twined together. "Don't forget to tell him every day. But Bruce... you know he loves you just as much. It's right there in his eyes when you look at him."

"It feels kind of emasculating to tell you I'm scared." He said it, softly.

"Everybody's afraid, Bruce. Everybody. Even me. I'm terrified of a thousand things. But the one thing, the one thing you can't be afraid of is sharing how you feel. Because if you are afraid, then you will never share. And you will lose him, because in the short time I've seen you together... I have seen that Dick expects you to be honest with him."

"I don't even know if I know how to be honest anymore, Lex. I live three different lives, and mixing them… is hard for me. I just keep thinking I'm setting myself back up for failure, and that he's going to leave me and never come back."

"If you keep hiding from him? You will." Lex turned and stroked Bruce's shoulder gently. "Don't hide from him, Bruce. Two of the lives you live--Batman and Bruce, the man, have Dick involved in a very huge part of them. Don't hide and don't protect him. Let Dick see. Let him... let him do things on his own terms. If he's anything like Clark, he's stubborn, he's willful, and he won't allow you to do a goddamned thing for him. So let him learn, Bruce. No matter how afraid you are, you let him in. And he'll surprise you."

"But its not like Clark, Lex. Its not. If you let Clark in, the possibility of him getting killed won't go up 50 percent." He set his cheek on Lex's bare head. "I love him, God only knows how much I do. But I don't think I can take him getting killed, Lex. I don't think I can; I'll lose whatever's left of my mind. I know that's selfish, but I truly don't give a fuck."

"No, that's true," Lex conceded. "When I let Clark in, I knew he wasn't going to get killed. I knew that he might be hurt, kidnapped, targeted for harm because of his association with me, drugged, used, dragged through the mud, and have his life completely and utterly destroyed because of his being a part of my life."

He looked down at Lex, and let out a soft sound. "Thank you for giving me fifteen new things to worry about." But he understood what Lex was saying, and he sighed softly as he rubbed a hand over an angular little hip. "Its irrational fear, you realize. I can't keep Dick, and Robin, from being there anymore than I can keep myself from donning the suit and fighting crime in the bowels of the night. I just... its not about Batman, its about him and me."

"I realize it, Bruce. The question is... do *you* realize it? You say that it's irrational, and yet... you just run with it, like it's carved in stone somewhere. Do you really realize what you're saying, or are you just saying it because it sounds right?" He clasped Bruce's hand over his hip and squeezed it once before letting it return to its stroking.

"Of course I don't. That's why I'm saying it." He gave Lex a mock eye roll. "Hello. Guy with the issues that he solves by dressing up like a six foot tall rodent here."

"At least you chose a bat. Bats are cute, in their little vampirish, high-pitched-squealing way."

"Well, I couldn't go by RatMan. MouseBoy. Heh. Speaking of? When I get everything settled down back home, I'm going to begin on the electronics for Clark."

"Ratboy, though I'm afraid that hearkens back to the X-Files, which got quite tedious after a while." He looked up. "He'll be glad to hear that. We're still trying to master the intricacies of flight and landing."

"I heard. Mr. Ross was laughing about it with Dick yesterday, though I didn't go into it after I heard come and ceiling." Bruce smirked softly. "His suit will be similar to mine, gadget wise. Not that he really needs any of it."

"We got stuck on the ceiling after a very... intense bout of lovemaking. Pete and Shayla--Dominic's kid sister--had to help peel us off the ceiling. The come part would be when Pete had to climb on the pool table, which is where we'd been."

Bruce made a face. "Lex, I'm not too old to say that's seriously gross."

"Don't knock it until you've tried it."

"Pool table sex? Oh, been there, done that. With you, twice. The part where people walked in to find you on the ceiling after pool table? The thought is giving me hives."

"Getting Clark down? Not half as fun as getting up there in the first place. However? I can't complain. It was damned fun." He looked up at Bruce.

"The ceiling part or the sex part?"

"Both, actually."

Bruce gave a short snorting laugh. "You would find it funny."

"What can I say? I've been told I have a unique sense of humor. By you, if I recall."

"On more than once occasion." On instinct, he leaned in and pressed a tender kiss to Lex's lips. "Thank you, Lex."

Lex kissed him back, hand stroking Bruce's jaw for half a second. "You're welcome."

A soft chuckle. "You don't even know what I'm thanking you for."

"Pulling your head out of your ass?"

"If I could, Id muster the effort into telling you you're an asshole, but I believe I'll leave that hanging, so you'll catch the clue train."

"I'm not an asshole, and as I remember, that was one of the parts of me you loved the most," Lex pointed out with a wicked grin.

Bruce's lips curved again as his hand stroked over Lex's lower hip... then over his ass, in amusement he hadn't felt for quite some time. "Of course I did. I think you maybe enjoyed mine even more."

"I did, believe me." He squirmed lightly on Bruce's lap, and smiled at his friend. "There we go. There's the smile."

"Ripped out by your dirty mouth and insinuative remarks." He replied, as he wound his arms back around Lex's waist and held him close. "Thank you, y'know."

"We aim to please." He hugged Bruce back in return, and left his head sitting on Bruce's shoulder. "You're welcome, for whatever it is."

"Being yourself. Making me... less sad. Well no. Not less sad, just less in tune with my brooding thoughts." He lay his cheek on Lex's head softly. "I love you, Lex."

"I didn't do anything, Bruce." But Lex smiled. "I love you too."

"You know..." He let out a little chuckle of amusement, as he linked his fingers with Lex and gazed at their twined hands. "You've changed since the first day you came to give me a blow."

"Yeah, I have." He followed Bruce's gaze. "A lot of it was because of you."

"Of course it was." A beat. "What, you think I'm not proud of the qualities I brought out in you? I'm damn proud." He paused as he gazed at their fingers, and gently squeezed. "I'm glad you didn't mind that I was nuts."

"You weren't nuts. I'm glad you didn't mind the fact that I was a punk-assed little bitch. You saw something in me, and you worked to bring it out. I'm the one who should be thankful to you for taking the time to work with me."

"Lex, I am nuts." An amused, quiet little laugh. "Crazy like a fox. You...yeah, you were a punk assed bitch, but you were hot*. No way could I say no to those big gray eyes and your huge dick. The things that came later were just added bonuses to the package that is Lex Luthor."

Soft little laugh. "Well, it's nice to know you noticed the total package." He rested a hand on Bruce's chest, and snuggled in. "You're the only person who brought out who I am."

"I'm glad that... after I left, the things that came out didn't get buried inside you anymore."

Lex paused, at that. "I tried. But they wouldn't go away. They just... wouldn't. They wouldn't go away because you'd brought them out to stay, and I liked it. I liked the person I had been when I was with you. So even though I went back... to some of the stupid things I'd done before... I was a different person doing them."

"How many, Lex? Between me and Clark?" He didn't have to explain how many what, just rubbing his lips softly along Lex's temple.

"I lost count. Between the drinking and the drugs and the clubs... I couldn't hope to tell you. A lot."

"Have you been tested?"

"Yes, I have been. I have been clean. I've not slept with anyone but Clark since I met him."

Bruce snickered and chuckled quietly. "What was it you were saying about Whitney's monster dick?"

"You know what I mean." Lex rolled his eyes at Bruce.

"I don't believe you, by the way. How big?"

"Whitney? God. He's got the length to go the distance. And by that, I mean I can barely suck him all down."

Bruce paused for a long moment, as he listened. "I feel like I should be, like, marking my territory with piss or something. God blessed bastard." His fingers stroked Lex's hand gently. "Dick is average, but the width more than makes up for it. When he slid inside of me the first time, I thought he was going to rip me open."

Lex just snickered. "That's because you're not used to bottoming, Bruce. The more you do it, the more you'll stretch."

"Bottoming my ass." A pause, and he snickered at his own little dorky pun. "You know what I mean. I hadn't... since you. Seven years. And then… yes. Uh huh. I've become a bitch."

Lex rolled his eyes again at the pun. "It's easy to, when you're with someone you love." He let his hand slide off Bruce's chest for a minute. "Don't let him get away."

"I can't. If he leaves me, I'll cave in and die."

Lex gave a solid nod in response. "I know just how you feel. If I lost Clark... I'd do the same. I couldn't exist without him."

"Do you think.." Bruce looked down at their interlocked hands again. "Do you think, if I asked him to marry me, he would?"

"Clark? Absolutely not." Said with a smile.

Bruce cracked up, eyes dancing as he looked down at him. "You're such a geek sometimes."

"You should see my Warrior Angel collection. Geekiness in action."

Rude snort. "Maybe I will have you come out and done the cape and mask for a night. We'd have to get the suit dry cleaned after all the orgasms, but we could probably pull it off.

"Smartass. I can hold in the joygasms until I get back to your cave and can strip it off. Besides... you know, I have self control. It's taken me a while to cultivate it, but I have it."

"Bullshit. You're telling me if Clark walked in here buck naked right now begging you to fuck him, you'd have any type of self control whatsoever?"

A snort. "Of course. I could control myself long enough to boot your ass out of the room."

Bruce's lips spread again, and his eyes rolled as he stroked over Lex's bare head softly. "You're such a bitch. I love you anyway."

"Yeah, but I'm your bitch," Lex said before he thought, and then blinked. "Not... exactly what I meant."

"Yes you are. You're my bitch, and I'm yours, and that's why we're such best friends. I'd do anything for you, and you'd do anything for me." His fingers gently stroked his friends cheek. 'That's what makes us so special."

"If I didn't have Clark, Dick would have some serious competition," Lex said lightly.

A long, quiet groan as his head fell onto Lex's shoulder. "Don't tell me that. Don't tell me that, Lex."

"It's true, and we both know it." Quiet seriousness. "And if you didn't have Dick, I know Clark would have competition too." He stroked the back of Bruce's neck gently. "But we do."

"I think you're the only temptation I have." Bruce whispered, softly. "A temptation Id never...go through with. I love you, Lex. Id have you in a New York minute, if I could. But what we have with Dick and Clark… is much too special." But he was quiet, for a long moment, as he stroked Lex's skin softly. "I wasn't joking. What....do you think he'd say, if I asked him to spend his life with me?"

"Yes, it is." Lex kept his hand stroking on the back of Bruce's neck. "It's entirely too special. But I feel the same way; you're the only thing that tempts me. But I'll always resist you." He sat there quietly as Bruce stroked his skin. "I know you weren't joking. I think he'd say yes, in a heartbeat. If it took him that long."

"I have.." Bruce shifted under Lex quietly for a moment, and slid a slender band from his pocket. it was simply, engraved with his and Dick's names, and he showed it to his dearest friend between thumb and first two fingers. "I'm going to ask him, tonight. Or trying to work the nerve up to, anyway."

"You don't have anything to be afraid of, you know." Lex ran his fingers carefully over the ring, and then closed Bruce's fingers around it before it could be dropped. "He'll say yes."

"I know." Bruce whispered, quietly. "I'm just scared shitless. If I ask him, and he hesitates? Its an engagement ring... I don't really know how this works for a gay relationship, cause I never had to think about it, but... what did your dad and Dominic do?"

"My father? Went the whole nine yards. He brought rings back from Japan with him, proposed to Dominic, they wore the rings together until the wedding, and now they've got the bands Dominic picked out that matched his father's. They also went through a full wedding ceremony, though I think that was because he wanted to please Dominic. As far as I know, it's not legally binding anywhere."

"It doesn't have to be legally binding to be concrete." Bruce murmured softly, and because it warmed his heart to hear it, he squeezed Lex's hand tightly. "Your father has come a long way, Lex."

"Yeah, he has. He's actually joined the human race."

Bruce's lips quirked and curved. "Its a nice addition."

"Says you."

But he shifted softly, fingers sliding tightly through Lex's as he carefully slid the ring back into his pocket. "You're lucky to have them, Lex. Very, very lucky. Don't ever punch a gift horse in the mouth. You're surrounded by people who love you, and as you've given me advice, let me give you some. Stop looking for the bad, stop being miserable. You're surrounded by people who love you...what's miserable is what you can cook up in your very, very vivid imagination."

"Looking for bad, Bruce? Bad seems to find me." He sighed and leaned his head back against Bruce's shoulder. "My son. Fighting to win Clark back after the night in Metropolis. Fighting to keep Clark alive after losing our son. Fighting Clark's father to keep Clark in my life. Not to mention, the fact that Clark's not from around here and every so often that rears it's ugly head with no warning and we're off and running on another situation that nobody knows how to handle."

"You're having so much fun that your dimples are hardly going away anymore." Knowingly said, with an eyebrow raised daring him to argue that.

"I don't *have* dimples."

Bruce just grinned. "I know."

Lex rolled his eyes. "I'm still not any happier about you having to go," he said softly. "But at least I know you'll be... well, as close to happy as you ever let yourself be."

"You'll come visit us, right? If I don't make it out here as soon as I'd hoped?"

"Of course. Clark and I both will come. This summer, if I can pry him away. If I can't... I may just drag him along anyway." A tight squeeze to Bruce's waist. "I'll miss you."

"Probably not as much as I'll miss you." And the thought, one of the very few that did anything to him, brought tears to his eyes, as he hugged Lex as tightly as he could, bringing him in close to him. "I treasure you, Lex."

Lex returned the hug as hard as he could, because he didn't have the words to tell Bruce how much he meant to Lex. "I know," is all he said. "You know I feel the same." He held on tightly, tightly as he could.

"Promise me we'll start up our emails again. Promise me we'll start up our calls again. Too much time lapsed since the last time I saw you."

"I promise." Lex didn't let go. "I'll email you; call you. If Dad made the deal with Dell, we'll have vidphones in six months."

"Well, if you have one, I have got to get one. can't be one-upped by the Luthors." But he said it on a laugh to mask the half sob that clouded his throat, as he tenderly kissed Lex's cheek. "We'll be leaving early in the morning, about 4, to catch our flight. We probably won't see each other... I talked to your father this afternoon already. Take care of him, Lex. He's wiry for his age, but he's not shatter proof. Don't let Dominic run him down too much, don't let him work himself into the ground."

Lex closed his eyes as he nodded; no matter how much he loved seeing Bruce, having him near, saying goodbye to him was painful. "I'll take care of him. I'll make sure he and Dom both take care of themselves. He'll listen to me now." He shook his head. "Take care of the kid; don't let him run away again."

"You can be sure of that." Bruce said it, softly, and squeezed Lex tightly before he had to leave. Had to. "I'll probably be back in an hour with champagne, if he says yes. If he says no, come looking for me in the orchard, cause I did an Evil Knievel. Alright?

"If he says no, then he doesn't deserve you." He let go, because he knew Bruce probably better than he knew himself, and knew that Bruce had to make his exit. "I'll be here, probably working, when you come find me."

"Okay. Will do. Give an extra ten minutes, though, we might be having sex." His eyes lit with wickedness as he turned and set the scotch glass on the table top, giving Lex's hand one more squeeze before he slid from the room.

His shoes were whisper quiet on the beautifully hand crafted wooden floors as he moved with the stealth of a cat, not by his own choosing, up the steps. He was a naturally quiet individual, and that in itself had saved his life many a time, so even now he didn't take advantage of it. He walked up the steps quietly, turning left at the juncture of halls, and moved down the quiet walkway towards the bedroom he shared with his lover.

"Dick? You here, baby?" He knocked quietly on the door, pushing it open almost silently.

Dick was sitting on the windowsill, keeping his casted leg propped up on a little stool as he stared out. He was watching the weather, the clouds sliding into a clear blue sky, shadowing the sun as it danced across the tops of the trees nearby. "Yeah, Bruce. I'm here."

The sadness in his beautiful lover had sadness clouding in his heart, the joy of a moment ago sliding away. He took a step in… another, and closed the door behind him before walking up close. "Feeling any better?"

Dick shrugged. "Define better."

Bruce shrugged himself and didn't speak. His weight creaked the windowsill as he sat in front of his lover, looking out of the open window, the cool breeze coming in from the south cooling his hot cheeks and his eyes from the tears he'd wanted to shed for Lex. Instead, he reached for Dick's fingers, gently touched… and waited for the hand to hold his.

As soon as Bruce's hand touched his, Dick's fingers curled tightly around his lover's. "We're still going home in a few hours, right?"

"Mmhmm." Quiet murmur, as he looked out at the hundreds of thousands of trees rustling quietly, farmland as far as the eye could see. If he put aside his hatred of the place, he could admit it was beautiful, and had been the touch of nature he needed at times, to put his mind back into frame. His fingers gently pulled Dick's hand into his lap as he turned on the wide seater of the window seat, tucking a leg under him as he breathed the cool air in quietly.

Dick moved closer to his lover, cursing softly as his cast banged into the wall and caused a sharp pain to shoot up his leg. It went away nearly instantly, and he squeezed his lover's hand tightly. "You miss Lex."

He looked down at him as Dick cursed, and gently slid his arms around his lover, pulling him so that Dicks back was to his chest, rearranging himself so that he could hold his beautiful lover. Working up the nerve was hard to do, but right now, in this peace, he was just… he was so comfortable, so relaxed. "I miss Lex."

"I'm sorry you're having to leave because of me."

"I'm not leaving because of you." He murmured, quietly into his lovers ear. "I love you, Dick."

"Yeah, you are." He smiled softly. "I love you, Bruce. That's how I know you so well. If I weren't hurt and chomping at the bit, you'd find ways to stretch the visit out another few days here, two more there, and you'd be here another month or more. But you're taking me home. And I love you even more for it."

"I'm taking us home." Because its time… for us to start our life together, not this one man tug of war we've had going for five years. "I miss our bed." He murmured it, tenderly into the soft shell of an ear, as he set his chin on Dick's shoulder and gazed outside, at the soft rain that began to fall. They were silent there, together, quiet, holding and being held, with the rain as their music; as their guide.

And it was so easy, in their comfort and quiet, to carefully slide the slender, simple band with only their first names inscribed on it, onto his lovers ring finger. "I was wondering if maybe you'd like to marry me, Dick."

"I miss it too." Dick's breath caught as the ring slid on his finger, and he looked at it in surprise as Bruce whispered the proposal in his ear. "Man. Just when I thought I could read you like a book," Dick said, running his thumb over the band, feeling the engravings of their names. "You go and surprise me again. You, uh, you're not expectin' me to wear white, are you? Cause I gotta say, I look like shit."

Bruce's lips curved, almost wickedly, eyes dancing even as his body clenched as fear, panic, joy, elation, horror, wonder, all battled in the pit of his stomach for dominance. His fingers gently slid over his lovers fingers, sliding through and holding, and lifting them up so he could see the ring fit perfectly over Dick's finger. It looked like it belonged there... almost like he'd seen it a hundred times or more, and realized he had. In his dreams. "That depends on if you're going to marry me or not."

"You're kidding, right? I'm not going to let you get away from me, Bruce Wayne. Short answer? Hell yes." He looked down. "I won't run again. If I'm not happy... I'll just tell you."

"I asked you to marry me not cause I was afraid… well, maybe one percent afraid, ninety nine percent because I love you like I've never loved anyone in my life. In the forever sort of sense." He was grinning like an idiot, almost unbelieving Dick had said yes, fingers squeezing his shoulders tightly as he crushed him back into him, hugging tightly and holding him close as he turned Dick's head to dive down for a deep, deep kiss.

Dick's answer of reassurance was lost in Bruce's kiss, and Dick felt touched, down to his toes and all the way through his soul. Bruce had *never* kissed him like this before, like his life and salvation depended on it, and Dick fisted his hands in Bruce's hair, keeping their mouths sealed tightly together as he raised his head just a little, opening further to Bruce's possessing kiss.

It was very possible Bruce had never been as happy in his life as he was in this single moment. He could barely let go to stand, and managed not to let Dick's mouth go as he lifted him up, bulky cast and all. Two steps to their bed and he slid into it, under the blankets, pushing off shoes and his shirt as he lay his beautiful lover under him and kissed him. Kissed like the end of the world was encroaching… or maybe like a whole new world had been discovered, in pure, pure joy, as he squeezed his lovers fingers in his and held him tightly to him. He wanted so, so badly to make love to his fiancé--fiancé for crying out loud, Bruce Wayne had a fiancé and wasn't that a dream?--but he wouldn't touch until his lover told him so. If he didn't want to, he'd make do with kissing him all over, but right now... he wanted. He loved. And he let out a sound of elation, of joy, and beamed like a big idiot.

Dick couldn't help laughing. "You know, I don't think I've ever seen you smile like that." He ran his hands over Bruce's bare chest, returning the kisses, arching into the touches as much as he could. His teeth nipped Bruce's lips, then his shoulder once before going back to his mouth, as his fingertips skimmed over his lover's chest and nipples. "If you can figure out how to do it around this thing--" he lifted his leg and rubbed the cast across Bruce's hip briefly before having to let the heavy plaster cast fall again-- "Then I'm more than ready."

"Are you joking? I could fuck through solid rock right about now." But it was said on a wicked snicker as he tugged and yanked Dick's t-shirt up... and when it wouldn't give, he ripped it down the middle. His mouth came to tight nipples, sucking and lapping at them as his hands stroked over bare skin, over ribs and twin flanks, as his mouth sucked and covered, bit and licked, kneeing Dick's legs carefully apart before rubbing and stroking between them, ignoring the bulky cast completely.

Dick put his hands flat on the bed, using his arms to arch himself into Bruce's licks and kisses, moaning softly as his legs were parted even as he laughed breathlessly at his lover's proclamation. "I--I liked that shirt," he teased with a huge grin as he brought his left hand to his chest, rubbing the ring over his nipple and scraping the rough little bud.

"I'll buy you more." Bruce muffled around his lovers flank, where he was sucking and kissing bites and licks out of his belly, fingers coming up to meet Dick's and stroke over the peaked nipples, his tongue crazy as it worked over his lovers belly button, over his sides, and then down, further, as he unbuttoned his jeans. The zipper was hardly pulled down, the underwear nearly not pushed aside, before Bruce swallowed the hard cock peaking from the nest of curls down to the root. The taste was thick, familiar, lovely, and he rubbed his lips and teeth over the base before scraping gently upwards, fingers tugging down horrid jeans before he swallowed back down.

Dick's good leg wrapped around Bruce's chest, heel rubbing his back as he grunted. "Goddammit!" He swore it softly, hips thrusting up but not nearly enough as he was held down by the weight of the cast. It hurt to put pressure on it but fuck, that just made everything feel better as he pushed up with it.

Bruce's fingers cracked down on Dick's thigh, the thigh above the cast he was currently pushing up with, and he glared at him in warning before returning to his task. He lifted Dick's hips himself, palm underneath them as he flattened himself belly down on the bed and feasted. Sucked, licked, letting go for short moments to lick at warm, delicious little balls, before up, bringing his lovers cock back down his throat. The easy grace he'd learned from his first boyfriend, a skill he'd taught Lex and Lex had perfected, with tongue, lips, teeth and mouth sucking and moving, giving pleasure.

He tugged the jeans down again, more, finally getting them down Dick's good leg, leaving them hooked around the cast of the other before he squirmed and dived down to the pert, tensed little hole he wanted in.

Dick let his weight go as soon as he felt Bruce supporting him, and his hands let go of soft hair to twist his nipples instead, spreading his good leg open as wide as he could once he was free from the denim, and then screamed once as Bruce's tongue thrust inside him. His nails drug like claws over his chest before twisting and knotting in the sheets, hot ecstasy stabbing through his lower body as Bruce's mouth found it's way inside him again, for the first time since Dick had left home.

Bruce felt the goosebumps erupt over Dick's skin, and victory and pride had him smiling a moment before he straightened and stiffened his tongue and pushed in past tight cheeks to the reward he craved. His tongue slid in with a hard push and he bit around the rim, fingers kneading flesh as he did so. His lover, here, the most private part of his body, and his own body shuddered with pleasure rooted deep in his soul as he moved. Licked, over and over, stabbing in and out in a steady rhythm, and he let go of Dick's hips with one hand to grasp his lovers cock and squeeze tightly, beginning to jack him off.

"No, no, don't, not yet." Dick's hand wrapped around Bruce's wrist. It had been almost two weeks since he'd even felt like jacking off, and this was keeping him teetering on the edge as it was. "Not yet, please, don't, want to enjoy it more."

Oh how that pleased him, the pride in having his lover come, and he nodded, flashed a grin in the lamplight, and dove back down. Licked over the starburst, over and over, before sliding in, slicking it with his saliva as he let go of Dick's erection and began to search for the lube.

He was going to have to start wearing it on a chain round his neck.

Dick laughed again, nearly out of breath, at the frustrated glare that passed across his lover's face. "Bedside table, top drawer, left corner."

"That far? Fuck." But he said it on a half laugh and half growl, sliding his thumb inside of his lover to keep the stretch he'd already made and he reached out beside his lover, tugging the drawer open, sending pens and calculators flying as he grunted, trying not to giggle like an idiot, "How do you know exactly where it is?"

Dick grunted his answer. "Watched you... put it up--fuck, Bruce, just a little deeper--the last time we used it. For a superhero--oh yeah--you have a shitty memory."

"Least its not scratching my ass like every night." He grunted back, and--aha!

He pulled back with his prize, sliding the base of the bottle into his mouth as his thumb began to slide and fuck his lover, and unwound the tube whilst looking at it nearly cross-eyed. Got it open, thank god, and he squeezed some messily onto his fingers with his palm. Slid his thumb out and his fingers in, two of them, stroking deep as he watched them move inside of his beautiful Dick. "So deep, baby, so deep, just for you, only for you, deep baby."

"Least you could keep up with it then!!" His hands pushed down on the mattress again as Bruce's fingers slid inside him. "Fuck, yes, fuck." He moved his hips gently, rolling them and trying to suck in all of Bruce's fingers as they stroked him. "Please, fuck, please."

"While it was investigating parts of… oh, god, baby... my anatomy it shouldn't have been. Uh, fuck, Christ. Do you want condom, or no? Got them ribbed, from Lex. Said feels so good." He was down to missing half of his pronouns. Didn't. Care. "So good, baby, so good." His fingers bent and stroked over the slick, stretching little walls as his cock burned for entrance. Still clothed and he brought down his free hand to begin working on his slacks.

"No, no, fuck, Bruce, I don't care, just please, get inside of me!!" Decisions. Right. Only Bruce. Dick's hips were still rolling as he worked himself on Bruce's fingers, squeezing with his muscles as he kept his legs spread as far as he could, offering himself to his lover.

"Fuck!" The squeeze had his eyes rolling, and alright, there was only so much he could take. He slid his fingers from his panting, begging lover and ran them over his cock peeking from his trousers. Pushed the pants down further but couldn't get them off cause it had to be now. He slicked himself and wiped his fingers clean on Dick's discarded, ripped shirt before grasping his own bed pillow and tucked it up under his lovers hips. Angled them just so and he grasped his lovers fingers, winding their hands together as the blunt head of his cock leaned up against the flat little opening, and began to push inside.

Dick gripped Bruce's fingers hard in his, squeezing and pulling himself up as his leg wrapped around Bruce's hip, rubbing the small of his back. "Please, all the way, Bruce, please, all the way." He was rubbing frantically against his lover, trying to tilt his body even further so he could push up and swallow all of Bruce into his opening but the cast on his leg kept him from getting any good traction.

Which was good, because Bruce wanted this his way. He was slow, very slow and gentle, one hand cupping the slender, strong hips as he sank even deeper, eyes rolling as heat and tightness enveloped his cock all over. More, more, and he pushed even further, rolling his hips back before forward, and his fingers gentled on his lovers as he leaned forward to kiss him. Brought their mouths together as he sank all the way in...not waiting, and began to thrust and make love to his fiancé, the love of his life, kissing him deeply as he began a steady, hard rhythm.

Dick's mouth opened just as his body did, accepting the thrusts of Bruce's tongue and cock together as he sucked. Bruce's tongue was hot, slippery in his mouth as his teeth scraped over it, and he moaned softly, the taste of him familiar and newly exciting all at the same time. His hips were pliant under Bruce's thrusts, welcoming everything, silently pleading for more as they raised and rolled with him, grunts and groans spelling out his pleasure for his lover.

He forgot himself, lost himself, forgot that the world was right outside their window as they made love. He kissed back, just as deeply, grinning as he did it as the blankets scraped over his body. Cozy, cocooned in the blankets and sheets, burrowed under pillows, and the sweat began to build on his forehead as he worked, moved, which just made his skin, and Dicks skin, moist and wet. Perfect to scrape over tender nipples and reach under them, elbow braced beside his lovers head as he began to squeeze and thrust Dick's cock in his hand. "Christ, how I love you."

Dick's head raised to lick at Bruce's shoulder, his throat, nibble his ear as he pressed his body up, straining to rub full-length against his lover. "I love you." His dark eyes sparkled the truth to his lover. "I never loved anyone more." His left hand, the hand with the ring on it, rose to stroke his lover's jaw, shuddering as Bruce's hand started working his cock. His ass squeezed down tightly, clamping hard around his lover's shaft as his own was stroked.

Heavy, deep moan. Bruce turned his face to kiss the palm, the finger with the ring, over and over, kissing his hand, his arm, his shoulder, his lips, as he thrust and fell. Hips rising and falling, half uncovered, pale flesh of his ass squeezing and releasing with each thrust into the warm, willing body of his beautiful lover. Felt good, exceedingly, gloriously good, and he let out a harsh grunt of pleasure as they moved. "I love you, I love you, I love you Dick, I love you, fuck I love you."

On the fading crest of Bruce's declarations, Dick's cock throbbed in his lover's hand, and he shuddered. "Bruce!!!" It was the only warning he could cry out as he came, gloriously sticky everywhere as his cock spit out shot after shot of hot semen, twitching in Bruce's hand as the denied orgasm finally rocked through him.

Each spasm in his cock only made his ass clamp tighter around Bruce, squeezing the hard cock of his lover as it moved inside him.

The channel he was thrusting into suddenly viced and he found himself unable to slide free, jerking forward as the muscles massaged the long length, squeeze the tip, and he came hard. He thrust once, twice in the intensely tight channel, as much as he could, and thrust in as deep as he could. Not a word as he came, his body tensing so hard his vocal chords shut off, and his eyes rolled back in his head as he thrust forward and climaxed. Hot ribbons pulled into the tight furnace of his lovers body, and they hardly ever came in sync but oh, Christ it felt good.

He found his voice a moment later, letting out a gritted, deep groan, and didn't move other than to lay his head down on his lovers chest and shudder, all over.

Dick's leg was still draped over Bruce's hips, arms around his shoulders when Dick realized he was... aware again. Bruce was shivering against his chest, and he pressed soft, feathery kisses to his lover's face and forehead. "You've made me happy, Bruce."

The quiet admission came in through the fog of his mind, and he raised his head off of a damp chest to look at his lover... blinked... and grinned, smiling at him in exhaustion as he slid up the tiniest bit and set his head on his lovers upper chest, winding his arms around him. "You are such a dweeb."

"Maybe... but I'm your dweeb. You're stuck with me now."

"I'm in no way upset." He looked up, though. "Are you okay? With…" A soft thrust, as his throat bobbed. "And with… with this?" his lips brushed over the ring on his lovers finger.

Dick looked down at the ring on his hand, and then at the bare hand of his lover. A tight squeeze of his ass, and a little smile. "Of course I'm okay with this." Then he looked down at the ring again, and rubbed it against Bruce's lips. "And I'm okay with this only if we get you one to match."

His lips curved, softly. "That's your job. If you get me something with a sparkly whatever, I'll have you maimed and sent to Russia." Amusement, joy that brought tears to his eyes. "Lex is waiting for us. Lets go share a glass of champagne with him?"

"It won't sparkle. I promise. You'll approve of it, whatever it is." He rubbed his thumb across the ring again. "Yeah. Let's share the good news. Tell him to keep his fuckin' hands off you now."

He paused for a moment, tipping his head as he looked at his lover underneath him. "What? Lex doesn't touch me, Dick."

"Not for lacka'tryin', he don't." Soft growl and deep sigh. "Don't mind me, I'm just being pissy and jealous."

And he wasn't sure if he liked it. "Lex is my friend, Dick. Only my friend. We've both got the most wonderful people on the earth."

Dick cracked an eye open at that. "I know he's your friend. I know he usedta be more. And I know, Bruce. I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt me. But... sometimes I see the way you look at him and he looks at you. I'm not crazy. I know it's there. I just know you love me more."

Despite what he and Lex had spoken of tonight, it burned. It fanned the jealous flame of hot anger he'd kept to a simmering boil throughout his lover running away, through Pete, through the recent events, and he had to swallow the bile that rose in his throat. He couldn't get angry, not now, not on the night when he'd vowed himself to Dick and Dick to him. Couldn't.

"Its not like that. We love each other, yes. We always will. But theirs no way either of us would ever leave you or Clark, no matter what."

Dick stroked over Bruce's swallowing throat, only guessing what he was swallowing back. "I know, Bruce. I just... don't like Lex looking at you the way I look at you. That's all."

"I don't think that will ever go away." He arched his hips back and pulled out of his lover to sit up in the bed below him, rubbing a hand over his cock to get the rest of the come out, wiping said hand on slacks he was about to change anyway, and he looked at his lover quietly. "We've been through a lot together. He's my closest friend, besides you." He looked down, then. "Don't be jealous. I don't want you and Lex hating each other."

Dick shook his head. "I don't hate Lex. I kinda envy him, cause he knew you first. Knew what you were like before. Not to mention, he knows what it's like to be with you--and God knows there's no better place to be." He sat up, and put his hand on Bruce's arm, lamplight glinting off his ring. "I'm jealous because he loves you as much as I do. That's all. I can't hate Lex; not with everything we've gone through with him and Clark."

He nodded, quietly, as he looked up. "I wasn't any different before. I was worse before. Believe me, you're getting the better packaged deal, and four years worth of therapy, Bruce Wayne." He caught the hand, and squeezed it, tightly. "I understand that kind of jealousy. Don't let it hurt you because he's my friend."

"I won't. Clark's my friend too; I'm not going to hate either one of them." He gave his lover a small smile. "Thought if I get a little possessive every now and then, you'll understand why." Dick stroked his hand over Bruce's chest.

"I'm glad you feel that way. You have nothing to worry, on my part." He touched Dick's hand on his chest, and looked across at him quietly. "I think maybe we should stay in here tonight. I'll call down to the study...Lex will understand." If he saw his friend once more he was going to burst into tears and not stop. He was a man, for Christ's sake, but even he knew men weren't always strong. He felt a loud, hard buzzing in his ears, like a thousand voices screaming, and all he wanted to do...

He stood up, but only to tug his slacks off, underwear and socks following, and he slid back under the warm blankets with his lover.

Dick didn't say anything for a long moment, only offered his arms.

Bruce's jaw clenched, tightly, as he slid into the offered arms, linking their bodies close tightly as he grasped him, like his life preserver. Wrong person to be doing this with...because even if he loved him, Dick was jealous. And feeling this way with him was wrong, but he couldn't help it. He swallowed as much of it as he could down, to weep in the lonely parts of the night, and slid his head into the crook of his throat quietly.

"What's wrong, Bruce? Don't bullshit me and tell me nothing. You're the one who taught me how to read people--you don't think I can't read you? What is it?" Dick let his fingers stroke through Bruce's hair.

"Nothing I can conceal with you, is there?" Bruce asked quietly, as he pressed in closer, dragging Dick in close to the circle of his arms as the rain pattered outside the open window.

"No, there's not," Dick said quietly. "You trusted me with your heart, when you asked me to marry you, why won't you trust me with your confidences too?"

His throat bobbed, quietly. "I do. There are just a lot of things you don't know. Things sometimes I don't know if I should tell you, because I don't want to hurt you... I don't want it to be like it was before. Its my worst nightmare, Dick, and admitting it to you is really... really hard for me."

Dick nodded. "I can understand why you're scared I'll run again. But I won't. We've both learned, Bruce. We've both changed, at least enough to know that you need to talk and I need to listen before getting my ass on my shoulders. I'm here, I'm listening."

"Its a nice ass, but I like it where it is. Your hips are the perfect handholds." he cracked quietly, thumb stroking tenderly over Dick's spine as Dick lay curled up right where it felt right to be. Right where it was good to be. "Lex is my friend. He might have been something more a long time ago, but right now we can't even entertain the idea. Lex has Clark, I have you. Don't ever… think I'd cheat on you, Dick. I've had three lovers in my life, and I think that's all I can really take."

"I don't think you'd cheat on me, Bruce. I know you wouldn't." Hard rush of guilt. "I won't cheat on you either. I promise you that. You're mine, and I'm yours."

Not tonight, Bruce. Stop. "I know, baby. I know you wouldn't." Was all he murmured, as he gently stroked over the dark curls and tucked him closer to his chest. "I know you wouldn't. I'll take you as long as I can have you, as long as you want to keep me."

"How about... forever? Forever sound good to you?" He stroked his fingers through his own hair before snuggling closer to Bruce.

"Yes. Yes, it sounds good. Sounds so good. I want you forever, Dick." Bruce murmured, pressing his lips to Dick's forehead. "I love you."

"I love you." Dick tightened his arms around Bruce's waist, pulling him even closer as he snuggled. "Since you didn't answer I know I shouldn't push but what else is bothering you?"

"Leaving Lex." Bruce said quietly, as he watched the rain. "We have to go back, for our sanity, for ourselves. But I don't think you know how much I'm going to miss him. We've been here for two months, but I can... I barely had time to talk to him, let alone do anything with him. Didn't go out to dinner once. Worked our asses off."

Dick thought for a second. "If you can show Al and me what to do, just for a couple weeks until my cast comes off, we can hold down Wayne Enterprises. Robin can hold the rest of things down."

He shook his head, quietly. "No. I won't be away from you, and I won't leave Wayne Enterprises for any more time. I have obligations, after this two month holiday, if you want to call it that." He rubbed his face in Dicks hair suddenly, as the tears came. Fell down his cheeks in mortifying streaks, and he rubbed them into Dick's hair as he squeezed him, tightly, bringing as little attention to it as he could.

"It's my fault you had to leave," Dick pointed out, fighting to keep from choking up as he felt the wetness on his head and his cheek. "Let me make it up to you."

"Its not your fault." He answered, voice gruff and scratched. "We need to go back, for us, for our relationship, for my business responsibilities, for Batman and Robin. We need to go back. You were what put it into motion Dick, that's all. You made me aware of my obligations that I'd been trying to push away. Its not you... there's n--nothing you have to do to make anything up."

"There's a lot I have to make up for." Dick's voice was thick as he held his lover close. "There's a lot I did that I have to apologize to you for, and you need to spend down time with Lex. If I can help you do that, then... then maybe we're on the way to being even."

"We are even, don't say that." Bruce choked out, as he gave him a shake without letting go of him. "Don't say that. There's nothing we have to count for, nothing we... we have to be even for. We're fiancés now, there's none of that."

"Yeah, there is." Dick's hands were tight on Bruce's shoulder, keeping his face buried so he didn't have to look at his lover.

"What? What is it that you think there is?"

"Pete," he said, muffling it in Bruce's skin. "You never cheated on me but I did."

Bruce's imitation of Ross Geller was flawless. "We were on a break!"

The noise that came out of Dick was a half-strangled laugh and a sob.

And because of it, Bruce brought him in close, as close as he could, in the burrow of their blankets, and let them relax and lay against one another, cozy and deep. "Pete was a path you had to take, and something you had to see. Don't feel bad about it, Dick. Had I been you, I would have done it too."

Dick shook his head. "No you wouldn't have." He still muffled his words in Bruce's shoulder.

"Sure I would have. Maybe not Pete, because he's kind of a little person, but I would have done the same thing. Possibly with that strapping blond thing Clark's friends with." he motioned a hand gently. "See?"

"Whitney?" The sobbing laugh was back. "You'd have killed him in like, a day. Dumb as a fucking post, for all he's quietly profound."

"If you'd heard what Lex told me?" Snort. "He's got a cock as long as my leg. I would have put a ball gag on him and tied him up somewhere. And made him call me Tito." A suave nod. "Tito Gonzalez."

"I can believe it; in the showers it looked like he was packin' a zucchini under the towel." Another laugh, though it was more laugh and less sob. "Tito?"

"Of course. Tito, the exchange student from Chile. Don't you know the teenagers in Chile look like twenty six year old men? I could have pulled off at least 24, cause really, I am that sexy."

"You are that sexy, but you don't look Chilean." He pulled his face back just enough to look up at Bruce, searching to see if Bruce was really as okay as he seemed to be.

He was. Sort of. The tears had dried, though his eyes were still softly red rimmed, and he offered his lover a smile as he leaned down to nuzzle his nose. "Columbian, then."

"You don't look Columbian either. You look like... a rich white boy." He nuzzled back, and then wrapped his arms around his neck. "I want you to be there when I tell him, okay? So he knows."

"Knows?" Quietly asked, even as he scoffed. "Please. Rich white boy? You could have at least passed me off as Every Town USA."

"Just knows." and then shook his head. "You don't look EveryTown, USA. You look rich and white. Look at this hair. Better kept than half the women in this town. The soft skin, the fancy clothes... you couldn't pass for Everytown if you tried."

"Alright, now you're emasculating me. Come on. Soft skin?" He glared at him. "Maybe I have the best herbalists in the world come and give me a rub down once ever six months and soak me in lotions, and have my hair done at a salon, and my fucking hell I'm gay."

"Yes, Bruce. You are. Why do you think, after the whole Chase Meridian thing, that the press finally figured out you were and stopped hounding you?"

He looked horrified for himself, though most of it to amuse his lover. "Chase was hot. She was pissed I never put out, though." He tipped his head. "Am I really that fruity?"

"We're talkin' Carmen Miranda territory here."

"Holy shit. Why didn't I ever know?" He stared at Dick with wide eyes. "We're going to be the second Lionel and Dom, you know, if Lex and Clark don't come out before us."

Dick just rolled his eyes. "I don't think Clark and Lex have to come out. I think they just have to make a public confirmation, because anybody that sees the two of them together for more than thirty seconds has got to be blind as a fucking bat if they don't see it."

"Don't tell Alfred, but he didn't see it. Had no clue Clark and Lex were doing the horizontal wrong end polka, so don't say that too loudly when we get home."

"Al had to be puttin' you on."

"Probably. He figured out we had the hots for each other before either you or I figured it. Not that it was hard." Bruce ran an appreciative palm down Dick's spine. "Beautiful young man in my home, wounded, and you know how I've got it for empathy. Came to my bedroom and slipped into my bed like he belonged there."

"He did belong there. Just took you a little while to catch on. He also belonged downstairs with you, in the rubber and latex. Took you a while longer to catch on to that."

"Mmm. Rubber. Latex."

"Fetish I should know about?"

"Did I ever tell you about the clubs Lex and I used to frequent?" He was in a very rare good mood, and his lips curved as he looked down at his lover.

"Ooh, no, you always told me I was too young to hear about those... oh, dens of iniquity, you called them."

"You still are, but I figure, if you're going to be my lawfully wedded husband, you might as well know."

"I'm twenty-one, Bruce. I can buy alcohol and sex toys. I can go to those clubs. Spill."

A roll of his eyes. Of course, buying booze and vibrators made him an adult, but he kept quiet on that as he looked down at his lover steadily. "We got dressed in dresses, blouses, heels, makeup, and fake breasts, and went dancing."

"No shit?"

"No shit." Confirmed. "London clubs. Heaven, was one. The Midnight Star. We'd dance the night away, then get a room somewhere and fuck like bunnies. Couldn't have been more than 19."

"Wow. No wonder you never told me. You'd never be able to pull it off now, though. You're too stacked." Then it clicked. "Holy fuck--that's where Lex was coming home from, the night you found him trashed at the hotel."

His eyes danced softly. "Yes, it was. He asked me to bring you with he and Clark earlier that night, but I told him no." His fingers stroked over Dicks face gently. "We were adventuresome."

"Why'd you say no?" He kissed Bruce's fingertips as they trailed over his lips.

The words had him stopping... watching. "Because you were, at the time, an impressionable young man who shouldn't have to see Batman in a dress."

"And now?"

"Now...its your call."

Dick nibbled Bruce's fingertips lightly. "I don't think you could pull it off... but I'd like to see if I could. Give the papers something to talk about... Bruce Wayne's mystery woman."

He didn't say a word, as his cock surged. "Mmm. You could pull it off. You're skinny enough, graceful enough."

"Especially if you helped me." Dick looked out from under his eyelashes coyly. "Will you?"

"Like you'd have to even ask." His thumb traced tenderly over his lovers cheek bone, and his throat bobbed tightly. "I love you, Dick."

"I love you, Bruce." He reached up and linked their hands together, squeezing gently. "When we get back home, I'll start looking for yours."

"When we get back, we're going to christen each and every room in the castle." Innocently spoken, as his hips arched. "Think your cast would mind if I ride you, Dick?"

"I don't think it'd mind at all," Dick said, rubbing against Bruce as he arched. His own cock started to rise at the innocent question and the not-so-innocent movement.

A wicked, wicked smile crossed over Bruce's face as he grasped his lover and rolled them over, twice, the cast caught in his hand to promote the movement before he rolled them right into the middle of the bed, and rose over him. "This is a memo, Dick's cock. We're gonna ride. You better--" He watched, in pleasure and amusement, as his lovers cock hardened and twitched, and he stroked over it twice before ever so carefully lubing it, and himself up, and sliding down on op of him. "Rise to the challenge."

 

-fin-

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