The Memoirs

Clark loved jelly beans. It was a secret of his, really, that no one else really knew about. He loved. Jelly beans. Any kind, any make. Not the gourmet jelly belly crap, but the real thing. Orange, grape, cherry.

So that was why he was sitting on the front stoop of the mansion, waiting for Whitney with his puppies, and eating jelly beans.

It was closing on seven now, and the sun was just starting to fade over the horizon. The puppies were playing, tearing around the yard and toppling every which way. They were potty trained, for the most part, and usually all Clark had to do was whistle a special sound and they all stopped their playing and pooped and peed. The poor things, just got way too excited in being outside and forgot the world was their toilet.

Mmm. Cheerrryy. Clark made a happy face and popped it into his mouth, shifting and letting his legs drop from being tucked up close, so they hit the pavement, three steps down.

Lex was sitting beside his lover, watching the puppies playing and rolling over each other. Their idea of feeding Sammy on the other side of the room was apparently working, because Artie was finally filling out, like his brother and sister had, and he was just as energetic as they were. He still had backup treats, just in case Sammy got greedy and tried to steal food again, but they hadn't had a problem with that in a while now.

His head was resting on Clark's shoulder, and one hand was resting on Clark's knee. "He'll be here."

"I know." he chewed on his cherry jelly bean, sighing softly at the yummy cherry taste, and offered the bag Lex's way as the puppies tumbled. He heard a whisper of Lex's thoughts and his eyes went to his little Arties bubble but, grinning into his lovers scalp as he snickered. "They're all going to be fat slobs."

"No, thanks," Lex said, to the offer of jellybeans. "I'll wait for the chocolate truffles we have in the fridge." He watched the puppies again, and grinned. "They're not going to be fat slobs. Not with the workout they get. They're going to be solid little bulls."

"Yeah right. At least they'll look the part. Sammy's been bursting into tears every time Cleo head butts him. Like he can't take it from a girl. Little pussy." But he said it with a grin, and called out, "Come here, babies! Come here my little babies, come give me some kisses!"

OOOOOOOOO! The special voice! Cleo bounded off of Artie and raced, teeny paws pounding the ground, ears flying, her little pink hair bow the Lex had put in her fur flying off as she head butted into the Clarks tummy and OOOOO! KISSES! She licked and barked, arfing happily before jumping from one lap to her other daddies lap! YAY!

Samson bounded across the yard, yapping his little head off, tripping over his ears and bowling into Artie's butt before he got to Clark. As soon as Cleo cleared out, little headbutting hussy, Samson jumped straight up into Clark's lap, licking and barking and wiggling insanely. Clark was his, thank you very much.

Lex picked up Cleo and lifted her up to his face, kissing her flippy ears and each of her little front paws. "Yes, Lexy loves his little baby girl, yes he does, Lex loves his little Cleo, sweet little feet, huge flompy ears." He tugged her ears over her eyes, and then laughed when she shook them off. "Peek-a-boo!"

Artie grunted as Sammy ran over him, and then picked his head up as feet crunched down the driveway. He looked over and saw the Big Yellow man, that the Clark and the Lex called Whitney-Ashimel, and he sneezed, shaking his head and plomped on the ground on top of Whitney's foot.

Whitney looked down at the little puppy body plopped on his foot, and he bent down. "Hey, Artie. What's up?" Whitney picked up the little puppy, oofing softly as he tucked Artie into his elbow, rubbing behind his ears.

Cleo arfed, happily, because she LIKED this game! The game that was fun!! She barked and gave him a big puppy smile, panting as she fought to get a breath before jumping her little legs up onto his chest and sniffsniffsniffed all over! The Lex always had fun smells!

Clark snickered at his lover once before he lifted Samson up into his arms, giving him hugs and kisses and tucking the rest of the jelly bean bag into his pocket so Samson wouldn't get any fresh ideas. The voice startled him though, and he looked up, smiling softly. "You made it, ashimel." He stood up, not wanting to kiss him out here where anyone could be watching, and motioned him with a shoulder to enter as he leaned down to get Artie kisses.

Lex covered Cleo's eyes with her ears again, and gave her a smacking kiss on the nose before he let go so she could shake her ears off again. He leaned his head back, letting Cleo lick all over him as he looked up to see Whitney coming down the driveway, and he stood up with his baby girl cradled in his arms.

Samson's feet rested against Clark's chest, panting as he turned his head around looking at Artie, tongue lolling out as he grinned. "BARRRRK!" Meaning... I have the Clark and yooooou don't!

Whitney leaned forward too, so Artie's straining head could reach Clark. He took advantage and left a soft kiss on Clark's forehead, and then lifted Artie up.

Now that's it!! Artie's tongue went into overdrive, slopping wet puppy-drooly kisses all over Clark's face and mouth, tongue rasping against Clark's skin as his butt wiggled in Whitney's elbow.

Clark grinned, then, nuzzling his puppy before back down to Samson, putting him on the floor so he could shoulder off the drooly kisses, and took Whitney's overnight bag with him as he stepped over the pups. "Come on in, Whitney." He gave Lex a glance as the puppies bounded into the house after him, and as soon as the mansion door was closed behind them, Clark leaned in and pressed a warm, tender, real kiss to Whitney's lips. "Hi."

Cleo took the opportunity, while the big people were jabbering, to back up, then bullet towards Samson and head butt him in the booty. HAH!

"BAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRR!!!" Samson sobbed it loudly as Cleo butted his butt. He turned around and growled at her, and then bit her paw. Take that, little hussy!!

Whitney bent down and let Artie down with the other two pups, and straightened up to meet Clark's mouth with his own. Soft, tender kiss that sweet and unpressured, and Whitney surrendered his bag as Clark kissed him. "Hey."

Lex followed them into the house, making sure the door was shut and locked after them, then put a light arm around Whitney's waist. "It's okay, Whitney. If anyone calls, you're not here."

"Arrrooooooooooo!" Cleo cried, and leapt on his back. You butthead!!!!!!!!! She chewed on his ear and growled, giving him another headbutt and toppling over him.

"Leave everything alright at the store?" Clark asked, as he lifted Cleo by the leg with one hand, and Artie by the tail with the other, surrendering Samson to Lex as he tucked Cleo into his arm pit. "Come on, we've got stuff set up. I hope you're ready to eat pizza. Lex accidentally bought four of them."

Cleo tried to swipe at Samson anyway! The JERK! He BIT her! The NERVE!

Lex took Samson and pretended to drop him. "Oof. Little butterball, you're going on a diet." He hoisted the little pup up to his shoulder, and snuggled him in.

Samson sobbed again as Cleo butted him. "BARRRRWWWWRRRR!!" Then he snuggled against the Lex, closing his eyes and heaving a big puppy sigh of contentment as he snuggled up against Cleo's favorite Big Person. Served the little poopface right for headbutting him.

Artie just sighed. "Arrrrr." Oh, the indignity of being yanked around by the tail.

The he saw Freddie. "BARK!!!!!!!!" He wanted DOWN to go play with the little fuzzy meowing thing!!!

Oh no he did not. Freddie STREAKED out of sight as soon as he caught a scent of the strange new person in the house.

"Yeah, sort of all right," Whit shrugged, petting Cleo as her head poked out of Clark's armpit. "We're not going under quite yet, but it's getting there. Uncle Mort's doing the books now to see how much longer we got, but... he's saying the best we can hope for is to sell our inventory, close out, and sell the store."

"Bullshit. Lex is going to call Graham in the morning to come by the store, Whitney. Have you thought anymore about it?" Clark asked as he walked up the steps, where soda and liquor and movies galore were already waiting for them. "That yellowy streak you saw was Dominic's kitten. Careful about getting him under foot, he still hasn't quite grasped the concept of personal space." He started up the stairs with Cleo in tow, Artie trooping up behind him.

Cleo gave a shuddery little sigh, and yeah, accepted the petting. The Big Yellow Man was a nice man, and he brought them treats, so she wasn't saying no to some pets and some luuurve. Sure, her The Lex was over THERE and not over HERE, but she could deal. ...Maybe.

"Cute little guy--didn't know Dom had a cat. That's gotta be fun, having kittens and puppies in the same house." Deep sigh. "Yeah, I thought about it; that's why my uncle's doing the books, so we can be upfront with Graham about it when he comes. We don't want him to sink with us." He kept petting Cleo, because it was slightly calming.

"I didn't accidentally order four, Clark. I deliberately ordered them. Two for you, and one for Whitney. The last one is for you both to share and feed to the dogs."

Clark managed to make himself look insulted. "Are you...in some way insinuating I have a bottomless stomach, Luthor?" Agape, aghast, and he slapped the back of one hand to his forehead in mock horror. "I can't believe it. My own aushna!"

A game!!! Cleo barked in joy, squirming from the Clark's arms into the big man's, leaping across and snuggling up against his shirt and mmmmmmcozy!!! Yay!!!! Not as good as The Lex, but better. Kind of. Yay!

"I'm actually flat-out saying you have two bottomless stomachs," Lex pointed out, and put Samson down on the steps to follow Artie up.

Whitney caught Cleo as she jumped over, and cradled her against his chest. "Hey, Cleo. How's it going, little girl?"

Sammy bounded up the stairs. He wasn't scareded of the go-down and climb-up thingies anymore, and he raced Artie to the top, yapping at the top of his lungs as he tried to hurry the rest of the people up.

She gave him big eyes, bat lashes and a puppy sigh, sniffling the buttons on his shirt and managing to look poised and dignified at the same time.

"Shameless." Clark muttered, as he grinned at Whitney and wound an arm around his waist, hugging him close. "Missed you this afternoon, Whitney."

Whitney sighed, and buried his face in soft girl-puppy fur. "Sorry," he apologized, voice slightly muffled. "But I had to work. I mean, my uncle's working opening until I get off school, and I had to relieve him, so he could get some sleep for the next day." A sigh. "I hate that store, Clark. I hate it. It killed my father, and I hate it. But I can't let it go, because it's Dad's. It's what he wanted."

"You do what you want, Whitney." Clark answered softly, his fingertips gently stroking over Whitney's hand as he wound an arm around his waist, and tugged him close. "Maybe you can get it off the ground, then give it to your uncle."

He shook his head. "No, I can't. It's all I got left of Mom and Dad, and I gotta do what I can to keep it alive." He hugged Cleo tightly, and rubbed his cheek against the back of her head.

Clark looked over Whitney's head at his lover, and gently tucked his ashimel in, taking Cleo from his arms and setting her down on the floor so she could scamper off with the other babies. It was bedtime and they knew it, because Cleo went straight for the door that led into the study from the hallway. He pulled it open and sighed softly and the cool, dark room. "I'm gonna get the babies in bed. Lex... why don't you go set things up? Whitney, mind helping me?"

Lex took the subtle cue, and snuck a dramatic thought into his lover's head. Color me disappeared. He slipped into the bedroom, opening up pizza boxes, setting out cokes, beer, and tequila bottles, and pulling the pillows from the head of the bed to the bottom, so they would have somewhere to crash.

"Yeah, I'll help." Whitney leaned his head against Clark's shoulder and followed him into the puppy room. Artie had already flung himself down in the middle of the squishy bed, paws stuck out every which way and kicking out as he got comfortable.

Clark choked off a snicker, lifting Samson's fat ass up with him so he wouldn't squirm away, and set him down on one side of the puppy bed currently not being occupied by a splattered Artie. He chuckled softly and kissed the top of his pups little head, then nuzzled Samson, and motioned for Cleo to come too. "Come on, poochie. I know you've got to be sleepy."

Why was everybody laying down?! It wasn't time for... well. Maybe it was time for sleep. She was kinda tired, after all. She sighed and lifted her tail, trotting over to Clark and giving him a billion licks before flunking down beside Artie.

Samson was suddenly so exhausted. He just flomped down on the bed where Clark set him, head bumping Artie's butt, tongue lolling out as he snuggled and gave a puppy yawn.

Okay, okay. Lay off the Artie now. Artie kicked out with his little feet, shoving Samson and Cleo out of his space. Love you, back off now, and I won't bite.

Whitney hunkered down beside the puppy bed and petted each puppy as they got situated. "You got yourself some pretty dogs here, Clark."

"They kept me from killing myself." Clark answered back without looking at Whitney, smiling down at his pups as he leaned down to kiss their heads. He had the newspapers set out, in case they had an accident during the night, and their bowls of water were fresh because he'd changed them just a bit ago. He kissed them all again, petting them and whispering baby nothings at them until they calmed down, and pressed his lips to the softly breathing backs before he snuggled their stuffed animals around them. Ducks, birds, a ninja turtle he'd found in the attic of this very mansion that he just wouldn't ask about, and their little blankets, tucked into the corners so it wouldn't lay over them. "Their. Night, babies. Sleep well."

Samson huffed at Clark, curling around the ninja turtle that he adopted as his very very own when Artie shoved him off.

Whitney sighed. "Maybe I need to look into getting me a puppy, then."

"I'm sure Chloe wouldn't mind." Clark answered, as he rubbed Samson's little ears, then his tummy. "Dogs have restorative powers, just cause they're so happy."

"It's not my house, though," Whitney said softly, reaching out and ruffling Artie's scruff gently. "And... I can't leave a dog alone in the house." He sighed. "The house. I don't even want to think about it."

"Did you get everything out of it already?" Clark asked gently, as he gently rubbed Artie's belly warmly, calming him down enough to go to sleep.

"Everything that's not gettin' sold with the house, yeah. Except my bedroom. Gotta go over this weekend and clear it out, and then... start cleanin' the house up. Fixin' the paint and everything." Bitter laugh. "Didn't know when I was workin' off my suspension that I was gettin' the house ready to sell."

Clark's eyes shifted into deep, sad pools, and his fingertips gently stroked over Whitney's neck and face. "Is there anything I can do? I can help you clean up... got all these powers, might as well use them for something, right?" He gently stroked his fingers through gorgeous blond hair, and brought him close to him for a warm kiss. "I can help."

Whitney kissed back softly, eyes closed as he leaned against Clark. "You can help if you want; God knows I'm going to need help with the closet." He sighed, arms snaking around Clark's waist. "I'm just... not looking forward to it. I've got tons of boxes at the store... I just haven't done it."

"Whitney?" Clark tipped his head. "Why don't you move in here, with Lex and me? Until you're on your feet? You can move in with us, until you're ready to face the world. We can help you look for an apartment, if you want one, you know?" He stroked over his ashimels back. "Whatever you need us to do, we'll do."

"Ready to face the world? That'd be... about two days before never." But he sighed. "Let me think about it; Chloe and Mr. Sullivan have been great, having me there, but... it's kind of awkward. The baby, but nobody's saying anything, Mr. Sullivan knows but he's not saying anything... it's just... yeah. Yeah, I'd like that. If you guys don't mind, that is."

"Wouldn't mind at all... but run it by Chloe." Clark warned it, quietly, bringing his hand up to gently squeeze Whitney's neck. "Talk to her about it, and explain it to her, Whit."

"Yeah. I will. I'll talk to her later this week, and after I pack up everything in my bedroom, maybe I can just... come straight over here?" He leaned back against Clark, the hand on his neck feeling surprisingly comforting.

His eyebrows furrowed, but he nodded, quietly. "Whatever you need, ashimel." He already knew how Chloe would react, and it hurt him because he was so torn. What to do, what would be for the best, and he rubbed his lips over blond hair as he gazed down at the snoring puppies.

Whitney sighed as he felt the lips in his hair. "I don't want you to feel like you're in the middle, Clark," he said softly. "You're not."

"You are both mine." Is all he said, tenderly, before smiling at him and gently climbing to his feet. "For tonight, lets forget about that. Come on. Star Wars and pizza wait for us." Then Clark had to go put his manhood into question, when he wheezed, mimicking Luke Skywalker from the second movie, "Noooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!"

Whitney blinked. "No... it isn't true, it's not possible!! You're not my father!!!"

"Keeeee-kooo. Keeeee-kooo. Yes, Luke. I......AM your fatha!" Clark let out a stream of cackles not unlike the wicked witch. "How is it that he kee-kooed even when he was talking? Man that used to bug me. Though, I gotta say, James Earl Jones is one sexy bitch."

Whitney deadpanned. "It's like a respirator. It breathed for him while he was talking, so you're not really hearing him breathe. You're just hearing like, the whisper of the machine through his little mouthpiece speaker thingie." Then another blink. "Okay, repeat that, and I'll have to kill you. I mean... I'm not a huge geek."

Clark... blinked. Twice. And cracked up. "I'm the alien being who's got the big brain, wise ass. Next time, let me come up with some spiffy explanation to make you gawk." Another snicker and he pushed open the bedroom door, where pizza was arranged on their huge bed, liquor and a stack of movies. "We've got the Star Wars trilogy, Shrek cause Lex hadn't seen it… uh… Armageddon, and....what else is over there, Lex?" Clark toed his running shoes off and pulled his light sweater up so just his sweater was on, plunking down on the mattress beside his aushna'.

"Spartacus, Independence Day, Lord of the Rings Extended Edition, An Affair To Remember, Sleeping Beauty, all six of the Star Trek movies and--"

"Jesus Christ, Lex. I couldn't watch all that in a week much less a night!"

Lex blushed. "Just trying to supply variety, that's all."

Clark tried really hard not to snicker as he tugged Whitney down on the bed with him, snuggling him close for a minute before snickering and stage whispering, "He's a trekker."

Lex just scowled darkly at his aushna'. "You say it like it's a disease or somethin'."

"Don't worry, Lex. I won't hold it against you, honest. Some of my best friends are geeks." He elbowed Clark on the "best friends" comment.

"Oh, please. If you mean geek by 'geeks wet dream', then sure. I mean, really. I've got the uterus and the second stomach to show for it. Not to mention the third lung, which I'm saving for some wicked trick on him." Clark turned a grin on his lover again and grabbed a slice of pizza as he burrowed down into one of the mountains of pillows. "I vote for Independence Day. Will Smiths a fuckin' babe."

Whitney shook his head. "No, no death, no aliens getting blown up to bits. Just... no. Please." He thought. "How about Shrek? Shrek has a nice, happy ending that nobody dies in."

"Hey now. The little midget king gets eaten." But Clark grinned and looked expectantly at his aushna', cause he for SURE wasn't getting back up. "Come on, Lex. Stick it on. You up for some green ogres and Eddie Murphy?"

"Yeah, but he's a bastard."

Lex sighed, very put-upon as he got out of the bed. "You know, Clark, if you weren't my aushna'... you'd be putting this DVD on yourself." He didn't argue further, though, as he went over to the player, opened the tray and put the little reflective disc into the player, and then started it playing as he climbed back into the bed. "There. Lazybutt." He smacked Clark across the ass with the remote as he settled in at the head of the bed, feet propped on Clark's back.

Clark grinned from his spot on his belly, legs kicking up as he did something outrageously mature.

Stuck his tongue out at Lex, with his half chewed pizza on it.

A beam, a wicked snicker, and he turned back to keep chewing happily, feet dangling over his butt as he snuggled Whitney in and watched it start.

"EWWWWWW."

Whitney rolled over onto his side, curling up next to Clark as the movie started, and rested his chin on his hand. Lex's feet were brushing his side, every now and then, and Whitney was able to tune the rest of the world out, for a little while. Pretend that there wasn't anything outside of Duloc, that Donkey and Shrek were the only things that mattered.

Lex was watching the movie with avid curiosity on his face. "You know, Farquardt isn't really all that bad. He's attempting to validate his rule over Duloc by a marriage of convenience, so that he can consolidate his power and better benefit the kingdom."

"Lex, you're a dork." Clark muttered towards his lover and offered slices of pizza towards his ashimel. Sure, the movie had been on ten minutes, but Clark had already polished off one of the pizza's and a half a liter of coke, and he was going in on pizza number two. His ashimel was beside him, they were cozy, and then… the gingerbread man. And Clark just... cracked up, laughing as he'd been told the addictive laugh, snorting loudly the little midget king tick-tapped the poor gingerbread man's legs on the tin. "That bastard!"

"It's coercion, Clark, that's all. The baker can re-bake and re-attach his legs in a matter of a half hour. Farquardt is just doing what he has to do to get the information that he needs. Granted, I don't like the bigotry and racism of removing all the fairy tale creatures, but still."

"Lex! Its! A! Cartoon!" Clark burst out laughing and dropped his pizza, tackling his lover with kisses and tickles.

Lex squirmed to get away from the tickling fingers, twisting and humping up on the bed, but he was careful not to elbow or kick Whitney as he did. "It's not just a cartoon, it's a social commentary on racism and bigotry in authoritarian governments!!"

"Its Shrek! Onions! LAYERS!" Clark was laughing, hard, as he finished tickling his lover and panted against his belly, grinning up at him in adoration unparalleled for one long moment. He kissed his nose and squirmed back to his spot, snickering at his ashimel. "Lex is such a geek. Nerd!"

Whitney was just laying on his back, looking up at Clark. "Yeah. But he's a good guy, Clark. You're lucky to have him. I mean... Lex can and will do anything for you, to fix things. It's a good thing to have. Sometimes... it really sucks being the fixer."

Clark's eyes furrowed, softly, and his fingers moved over Whitney's cheek. "You're not always the fixer. Don't feel that way, Whitney. Chloe's a good woman, she loves you. She'll do anything for you. Why is it different?"

"Yeah, Clark. I am the fixer. My dad was, too. It's just... it's me. I hate to see people sad, upset, or hurt. There's always something I can do, gotta do, whatever, to make sure that... that nobody's upset anymore."

"You have us now, Whitney. The burden isn't there anymore." Clark answered, softly, and he rubbed his lips tenderly against a warm cheekbone. He glanced up towards Lex once. "We're here to help you, Whitney."

"Yeah, it is. I mean... if I don't, then I let Mom and Dad down. I'm not the son they raised me to be."

Lex raised his eyebrow and crawled down to lie on Whitney's other side. "It's okay, Whitney. Sometimes we have to leave behind what our parents want us to be to find out who we are."

"Exactly. Lex is doing it right now, because it doesn't make him happy anymore. You gotta do what makes you happy, baby." Clark said softly, stroking his ashimels face tenderly and rubbing his shoulder. "You have to do what makes you happy, no matter what."

Lex held his arms out to Whitney. "Listen. You've got to find out who you are first. Once you know that, then you can settle into your life again, and start figuring out who you want to be, and how you can help people. But Whitney... right now, the person you have to worry about fixing is yourself."

"Exactly. What he said." Clark added quietly, and pressed a warm kiss to his ashimels cheek. "You're strong, lovely, independent, handsome and perfect. You just need to realize that. You'll make it out of this, and you'll shine."

Whitney didn't go to Lex, instead staying curled up around Clark, and he gave Lex an apologetic look. "That's good for the both of you to say, because you're both strong, and you just... that shit comes naturally to you. But it doesn't to me." He held tighter to Clark. "I'll make it out of this, yeah. But I don't know about anything else."

Lex wasn't offended that Whitney went to Clark instead of him; he understood. "I know you feel that way now, Whitney. But trust someone who knows you well. Clark and I both do, better than I think you realize, and believe me... you can come through this."

"We know you, because you are us, Whitney." Clark murmured softly. "Pieces of you, and pieces of me, and pieces of Lex and Chloe, they thrive in all of us, all of our hearts. We're all here, and we all love you. We're sha'nauch, Whitney. You will make it through this, you will win."

Whitney just shrugged, and turned his face into Clark's shoulder, so he didn't have to look him in the face any longer. "I know, Clark. I'm just... I'm ready for it to be over."

"I'm not. You're strong. Stop... saying these things."

He nodded. "Okay. I'll stop."

But it just made Clark feel worse, and he gently rubbed Whitney's shoulder blades softly. "Do you want to sleep, ashimel?"

Soft chuckle. "God no. I've slept so much lately... just, no. No more sleeping."

"You sure?" He stroked his fingers through shaggy blond hair. "We could maybe... swim? or go play some pool?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." He looked up quietly at Clark. "The movies are fine, Clark. It's me. I'm just... I don't want to be. It's easier when I'm at school, or working, because I can zone out and pretend that everything is okay, and I don't have to deal. But then work stops, the store closes, school dismisses, and that's the end of it."

"You have to be strong, ashimel." Clark whispered, softly. "I know your pain far exceeds anything any of us have felt, but you have to remember... there's light at the end of the tunnel. Lex made it through losing his mom… we both made it through losing Mar. There's no pain deeper than that. If we made it, if we came out of it sane, then you can come out of it sane." He rubbed his lips over Whitney's hair, and winced, softly. "I didn't mean to make you sound insignificant or anything. I'm sorry."

And because Whitney knew that, he wasn't offended. "I know what you're saying, Clark. And you're right. But look. You and Lex... you guys nearly redlined before it got better. I'm not even halfway there yet."

"I don't know if you will. You....are the bravest person I know, Whitney. You are. Even if you don't believe it."

He shook his head, and just rubbed his cheek against Clark's bicep. "If you say so, Clark."

"I know so. I'm your ashimel, am I not?" Clark asked it, proudly, taking alpha male status and boring his gaze down into his lovers soft blue eyes. "I know so."

"You are." Whitney kept his head bowed, dropping his eyes from Clark's intense gaze and acknowledging his status. "I believe you."

"Then believe what I tell you, ashimel. Believe me, take faith in what we have as a group. Draw your strength from us. You will conquer this, and you will exceed everything."

Whitney nodded again, and sighed. "I believe what you tell me, Clark. I just don't believe I have it in me. But if you say so, then I'll do it." He held tightly to Clark's chest, face still buried in his shoulder. "I just hate going on sometimes."

"I know you do. We all do. But you have to remember, ashimel, that things happen for reasons we don't understand sometimes. You have to go on. This will pass, in time, and you'll be happy. Just keep hope that you will be."

"I do," he said, even though it was muffled in Clark's shoulder. "The thing that's keeping me happy and hoping right now is the baby. And I'm not even supposed to know yet."

"Not yet. She kept it so you wouldn't have more on your mind. She doesn't want you to push her and the baby away, Whitney." Clark answered, softly, looking over his head at his lover.

Lex slid down the bed even farther, keeping Whitney cradled safely between them, and he let his hand rest on Whitney's shoulder. "Whitney, listen to me. Chloe loves you. To distraction, and past. She doesn't like keeping this from you, but she feels like she has to, because you're not ready to cope with it." Lex made sure his voice was quiet, non-threatening. "If you want to know? Ask her. Tell her you're ready to know. Let her know you're not completely dead to the world. You'll see; you'll be surprised. She'll be there. She'll be glad to be with you, and all you have to do is let her know that you want her."

"Exactly. Once again, Lex comes through with the eloquence." Clark gave Lex a crooked smile in pleasure. "Just tell her, and she'll be there for you. She's waiting for you... she doesn't know, because she's young and dumb like the rest of us. She's waiting to tell you... she loves you, Whitney. She loves you like you couldn't believe."

"Eloquence is what I'm here for," Lex answered back softly.

Whitney just shrugged. "I can't tell her I know. She'll get mad at me for lying about it; for, at least, not telling her sooner, and that's the same as lying." Yeah. He was grasping at straws, to keep from having to deal with the world.

"Bullshit. You tell her you know, she'll be relieved you haven't shoved her out of your life, Whitney." Clark answered, softly. "Chloe's a very enigmatic, lovely person. She might just surprise you."

"And what if she's right? What if I can't deal? I mean... I want a family, Clark. More... more than anything in this world. When she thought she was pregnant before, and didn't want it, I thought I was going to die because my baby was growing, and she didn't want it. I know how she's feeling right now, and I just... I can't bring myself to say anything to stop it."

"Wait until you can, Whitney." Clark answered, softly. "She's our ashikana, and we'll take care of her if you can't. If you find yourself unable to, just tell me. Alright? We'll take care of her." Clark rubbed his fingers through his lovers hair, kissing his neck gently, then his lips, and lay down again, with Whitney tucked in beside him.

Whitney glared at that. "I never said I couldn't take care of her when the time came!" he snapped. "She's my girlfriend, that's my baby, so fuck off!"

"JOHN WHITNEY FORDMAN!" Lex thundered, snarling it as he got in Whitney's face. "You. Will. Apologize. NOW." He shook the boy gently. "Kal-El was trying to help you."

Heeee. Clark loved being a sneaky bitch. He got the stuff he wanted out of everybody. He kept a mild face though, one eyebrow raised at him. His alpha male hackles were up, but he smoothed them back down, just staring at Whitney silently. "Can you take care of her? Really?"

"Take your fuckin' hands off me, Lex." Whitney shook them off and glared at Clark. "I can take care of her when the time comes, yeah. It's what I do. I take good care of the people I care about." all but growling.

Clark watched him, for a good long moment. "Then take care of her. Do right by her. Because you are mine, but she is also mine. Do you understand me?" His hackles came back up, and he stared Whitney down with his own ferocious snarl. "Do not speak to my aushna' in such a way, are we clear?"

Lex jerked his hands away from Whitney and bared his teeth slightly as he settled back down, stroking Clark's body possessively.

"Fine," Whitney gritted out, and he rolled to sit up on the edge of the bed. "Tell him to keep his hands off me."

"Trenk ala yuhnhim." Clark muttered it, darkly under his breath, before he rolled and sat up too. "I'm sorry. Lay down, with us. I'm sorry, ashimel."

Whitney just shook his head. "No, it's me. I'm pissy tonight. I should just go, before I piss you guys off again."

"No." Clark said it, more firmly than before. "No. Don't leave. We're your ashimel, and here to help you. Come on, Whitney. I'm sorry for dredging things up. Lex and I are just worried. Please, Whitney, stay."

"Sit," Lex growled, much less politely than Clark was pleading. "Now."

Clark sighed at Lex, even as he reached tenderly for Whitney, bringing him close to his chest. "Come here, ashimel. Come here."

Whitney let himself be pulled back down to the bed beside Clark, and he skillfully ignored the glaring coming from Lex's side of the bed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get you riled up."

"You didn't." A pause. "Well, maybe a little. Come on, ashimel, we love you. We just don't want you to throw your life away." Lex, stop glaring. Now.

Bite me. Lex kept himself settled against the head of the bed, tapping the DVD player's remote in a rapid tattoo against his thigh.

Whitney relaxed against Clark. "I'm not going to throw it away. I just want to get away from it for a little while. But I can't. I know I can't." He rubbed his hand over Clark's chest. "I'm sorry."

Gladly. Name the time, day, and place, and I'll be there, naked. Though, I prefer the bites on the insides of my thighs and my ass, aushna'. "No, Whitney. You can't." Clark said, softly. "But, you've got five and a half months to decide what you want to do, before your baby is born. Take it easy... do what feels good in your heart." His fingers gently trapped Whitney's hand to his chest, and he hugged him tightly.

"I can't. Because doing what feels good means abandoning everything and everyone I've ever known and cared about, to hell with the consequences, and turning up in Bludhaven as an exotic dancer named Pepper."

Clark choked and went into a slew of coughing, eyes wide as he fought not to burst out laughing, coughing hard as he could and hardly able to catch his breath.

"Okay. So maybe not Pepper. Maybe... Dick Johnson. See? I've been giving my options a lot of thought." Whitney looked up at his choking friend, then reached out and thumped him on the back a few times.

"Whitney, ashimel, you know I love you. You do. But you dance like a lumber jack with cement stuck to his boots." Clark grinned and leaned over to kiss his neck.

"I could learn," Whitney said defensively. "Besides, I don't really have to dance. Just... you know, move around, take my clothes off, and let people give me money for it."

"Now that I could see." But Clark shook his head, and gently pulled him close. "Come on, Whitney. Don't let yourself get too upset, babe. Everything will work out. But tonight is not a night to think about that. Tonight we're having fun! As soon as you apologize to Lex." He glanced over at his glaring aushna', then back to Whitney. "he's none too happy."

Whitney sighed. "Yeah, tonight is fun. That's why I'm making jokes about being a male stripper named Dick Johnson. Because really, Clark, can you see me taking off leather chaps and a cowboy hat in front of a bar full of screaming men?"

"Hell yes I can!" Clarks eyes widened. "I was trying to veer the subject away because my cock likes that image a whole hell of a lot. I'm proud of you, because you...are a reflection of me, and Lex, and our choosing you. Your accomplishments are mine, too."

Whitney choked on his giggle, couldn't help it. "You really thought I was serious with the male stripper bit. My God. I love you, Clark." Whitney just snorted and leaned back. "Well, I'll try and accomplish things you can both be proud of."

Clark blushed, but smiled. "No. I knew you were teasing, its just a nice mental. I like the thought of you, up where people can see how beautiful you are." he ran a hand down a long back and smiled, rolling over back onto his belly... then snickering at his grouchy lover, and taking a biting kiss out of a smooth ankle hidden under his pants.

Whitney blushed softly. "I'm not... but thank you." He laid back down beside Clark, snuggling in close and putting his head on Clark's shoulder.

Lex jumped slightly at the playful bite, but then raised the other bare foot up to stroke the small of Clark's back, toes playfully caressing as his heel pushed down lightly.

Oh. Oh, lord. Clarks eyes crossed and his head fell onto the bed and his breath caught as Lex stroked teasingly, lightly over his back. Which just pulled on muscles all over, and he shivered, softly, trying to keep a clamp on himself so Whitney wouldn't feel the need to leave. "Lex… evil... bastard." he gave his ankle another bite, then a sucking kiss along the Achilles tendon.

Lex sucked his breath in as Clark nipped along his ankle and the back of his calf, and he gave Clark's back another stroke, pressing down with his heel again as he shuddered softly. "Uh," he grunted softly.

"Feet kinks? Don't even wanna know." Whitney just rolled back over on his side. "Don't even."

"N..." A swallow, and he glared as a shock ran through his body. "Lex... bastard." He muttered, again. "I have...a notch. On my… back. The bone and muscle that let me h... uh... have Mar." He cleared his throat hard, and looked at Whitney in the eyes. "Its connected to all my muscles in my crotch and ass. So… wh-when Lex..." He swallowed. "It all shudders."

Whitney leaned forward and kissed Clark on the cheek. "I was talking about him getting all wet in the underwear for you biting his feet." A soft blink. "I didn't know that. So you mean it feels good, like when someone hooks their legs around you during sex?"

Another shudder, through his body. "God, yes. Or when… Lex is a bastard and teases me with rubs." He muttered, glaring at Lex before kissing Whitney's cheek back, gently, fingers running through his hair and down his neck before falling away. "He likes his feet." A winning smile. "You should see him when he's got hose on."

"I'm not a bastard; that title is reserved solely for the exclusive use of my father." He rubbed Clark's back again with his feet, kneading his shoulder blades with flexible toes before sliding back down again. "And yes, I do like my feet. They're attached to the end of my legs, and they're fun to walk on."

Clark shivered, all over, muttering in pleasure again. He wanted, but he couldn't take, not with Whitney feeling as shitty as he was, and he shivered again, murmuring in his darkened pleasure as he made a soft, quiet noise in his throat. "You're a mean mean bastard is what you are."

"Be nice, Clark... or I might not stop what I'm doing."

Whitney just leaned over against Clark. "It's okay, you know. You guys can do whatever. I'm not gonna break."

"Asshole." Clark whimpered it, head falling back down to his crossed arms as his body shuddered. Lex was such a fucker. Such. A. Fucker. He made a quiet noise in his throat, shaking his head, and looking up. "I don't want you... to feel left out, or feel pressured, or feel like you're different, ashim-mel, because you're not."

"Yes, you do have a rather nice one, Clark. Thank you for bringing it to my attention." Lex moved further up on the bed so that skillful toes could trace the cleft of Clark's cheeks through his jeans.

Whitney just shook his head. "I'm not, guys. It's okay. I just... don't think I'm in the whole sexy mood. But that doesn't mean you guys can't be."

"Don't. Want... to leave...you out, don't… want to make you f-feel left... uhn... out, Lex!" He wailed it when Lex's toes rubbed over his butt, shivering hard as he did it and looking across at him. "Asshole, motherfucker!"

Lex just smirked. I never fucked my mother, Clark. He didn't say it out loud, because he did have some sensitivity. Just... not much of it. I know what I'm doing; trust me. Whitney needs to know that he can feel again, all right? That everything's not pain and hurt and waiting for the other shoe to drop.

And I'm the guinea pig?! Clark managed to wail it through his mind as his hips thrust against the blankets once, moaning hard and shivering in pleasure when Lex's clever toes rubbed against his hole, which only separated them with a layer of denim. He shuddered again, whimpering into his arms, and he gave him a look of pure murder before looking at Whitney. "He's. Ass. Hole."

He turned then, revenge sweet in his mind, and took another bite out of Lex's ankle, tugging at the socks until they slid free, then sucked his lovers little toes into his mouth, nibbling and sucking hard.

Yes, you're the guinea pig! If he sees us loving each other... then he just might realize that the world hasn't stopped. That was all Lex could get out before Clark turned, and started sucking on his toes. He was reduced to wordless moans, one leg sliding over Clark's shoulder and rubbing up and down his back but falling short of the little bone spur, arching slightly as his toes were lapped and sucked in a warm, wet mouth.

Clark kept sucking, hard, nibbling the pads of his toes before moving up, to his big toe, sucking on it like he sucked cock, rubbing his tongue against the tip as he bobbed his head down slowly and softly. His fingers stroked up and down his lovers leg, ankle and calf, scratching his nails under the pants fabric as much as he could. He wanted Lex to fuck him, fuck him deep, and he whispered the plea into his lovers mind as he looked back at Whitney. "Not... scaring?"

Lex was panting softly, hands sliding through the sheets and comforter, knotting tightly as he squirmed his lower body, working his toe deeper into Clark's mouth, wiggling it against his chin and cheek as he turned around to talk to Whitney.

Whitney was sitting on the corner of the bed, legs tucked under him as he watched. "No, I'm not scared. Just... wish I was ready, that's all."

"Just watch… you can watch… just watch." Too hot, couldn't stop, and Clark returned back to his task, sucking on his aushna's toes like he did other things and tugging at his pants, at the fabric until it ripped under his hands. He crawled up, crawled up fast, and tore more of the fabric at the waist, belt included, until he could lean down and suck his lovers cock down to the root. He sucked, hard and methodically, moving his head and making soft sucking and slurping noises that he never realized he made until he sat here, listening for Whitney. Didn't really care, even if it flushed his cheeks, his tongue sweeping the slit and burrowing in the tiniest bit.

Lex grunted again as Clark tore his slacks and belt to pieces, then moaned as he was swallowed down. His hands gripped the sides of Clark's head tightly, sliding through what was finally growing back and getting a handful of short strands as he lifted up, thrusting hard into Clark's mouth as his lover's tongue skated across his cock. Hard, hard shudders, little whimpers that matched the noises coming from Clark, and he was going to die, right here.

Whitney sat at the edge of the bed, watching, but when Clark got on his knees, making those wet little noises as he slurped at Lex's cock, he couldn't help himself. He reached out and stroked over Clark's back once, rubbing over where the ugly scar peeked out from under Clark's shirt.

Clark let out a sharp, hollow cry of absolutely ecstasy as a tentative hand stroked over his back. it felt good, so good, TOO good and he whimpered into Lex's cock as he continued to suck. Deep, driving thrusts into his throat and out again, his fingers palming Lex's balls as the hand still touched and UH fucking GOD and it felt so GOOD! He gave another sharp sound and shuddered, all over, his cock still trapped in his jeans and wetting them, wetting the zipper and the denim every time his cock twitched.

Lex's hands tightened in Clark's hair, thrusting up harder into his throat as he rocked his hips, stroking the curve of Clark's skull and rubbing his thumbs hard over his cheekbones. Felt like flipping Clark over, fucking his mouth until he came, then fucking Clark until he couldn't move.

But he didn't.

Clark felt more than heard the thought, and he whimpered with the loss of it even as he continued sucking, hard. His eyes were shut, his entire being into what he was doing, and he wantedwantedwanted to come. He was hard as stone, so hard, so hard, and finally he couldn't take it anymore. His hands came down to his jeans, breaking the button, tearing the zipper apart, and he grasped his cock hard, stroking it firmly even as he continued to suck on his lover. Pure pleasure rushed across his body, across his face, fluttering his lashes and stilling his mouth for a moment as he stroked. Uuhn.

Whitney was watching everything, and he pulled his hand away when he felt Clark moving, then watched the frantic motions of ripping jeans to free his cock. His hand timidly went back to stroking over Clark's back, and he leaned forward, placing a single, unsure kiss on the scar, rubbing his lips lightly over the small protrusion.

Lex pried his eyes open long enough to watch Clark, watch him pull out his cock, watch him start jacking off roughly, and he groaned loudly. His body shuddered, head arching, hips twisting as he lifted them in offering, entirely too close to coming for his liking.

Want to come, want to come, come, want to come, want to come, rahden, rahden, RAHDEN! The last chant in his mind came out as an unintelligible cry as Whitney kissed him and his hips bucked, begging for more as he kept right on sucking. Down his throat, deep down his throat, coming up for scrapes and sucks before back down. Over and over, teasing where he could, sucking hard where he couldn't, and he was going. To. Die. His cock felt like molten lava in his hand and he stroked it faster, harder, sweeping over the head with each upstroke and squeezing all the way down, wailing into Lex's cock.

Lex winced at the loud shrieking echo in his mind of Clark's demands, and he batted Clark's mouth away from his cock, flipping him over onto his back instead. Disregarding Whitney for the moment, Lex crawled up his lover's chest until he was straddling Clark's shoulders, and then put his hands on the headboard, pulling himself up and driving his cock into Clark's mouth. Soft growl of pleasure as he drove into the deep wet channel, and his hips moved faster and faster.

Clark moaned, hard, around his lovers cock. His hands came up to grasp his lovers hips tightly, holding him close as he was used. It felt so good, so good, and his cock was dribbling precome but he couldn't touch, couldn't, couldn't touch and he wailed into Lex's cock, sucking harder where he could, letting himself be used when he couldn't, and his back arched and rubbed his back against the bed as he shuddered in pleasure.

One of Lex's hands reached down, sliding behind Clark's head and lifting it slightly so he could fuck harder, penetrate deeper, slide faster against Clark's tongue. Harsh, heavy grunts echoed every time he pushed in, moans every time he slid out because he didn't want to leave the tight clench of Clark's throat.

Whitney had been surprised at the sudden move, and he sat back, just watching. His own cock wouldn't rise, though it should have, at the blatant display in front of him, but the whimpering pleas from Clark's throat moved him to act anyway. He leaned forward, taking Clark's leaking cock in his hand and jacked it roughly.

He let out a sharp cry, hard against Lex's cock moving in and out, and almost choked... would have, if he were human. Whitney grasped him tightly and his eyes clenched, thrusting up into the warm palm and letting out hard, heavy sounds of guttural pleasure as his lover fucked his face, and it felt...it was amazing. Different and delicious, because they'd never done this before and Clark let out another sharp cry, palming Lex's balls roughly.

Lex came. Shuddering, hard, and clenching his fists tightly on the headboard, the rough handling of his balls combined with the bone-deep vibration of Clark's howl of pleasure pushed him over the edge. He jerked his cock out as he was coming, watching it dribble over Clark's lips and chin, roll down his cheeks and over his chest as he stroked the last of it out, fist squeezing his wet cock tightly.

Clark swallowed, hard, what he couldn't, but his lips and tongue were almost numb from the hard abuse they'd just taken, and Clark had never felt so good in his life. He was still trembling, trembling hard, his cock steel and filled with blood, and he whimpered as he licked his lips, sucking on the head of his lovers cock for a long moment, sucking out what was left as his body shuddered.

Whitney's hand tightened around Clark's cock, stroking faster and harder, biting his lower lip without realizing it as he worked to bring his friend to climax.

Lex rocked back on his heels, petting Clark's head and chest gently, approvingly, as his tongue shot out and he started to lap, cat-like, at the little rivulets of semen that slid down Clark's face, murmuring soft words in his head as he licked and cleaned.

Clark grunted, hard, hips working up into Whitney's hand as his lover licked and cleaned, and the feeling of Lex's come on him, marking him, made him shudder and he began to jerk with encroaching orgasm. His hips worked into Whitney's hand, bringing his own down and wrapping with him to squeeze tighter, and with one more hump into their fists, he came. He let out a hard, gasping cry, back arched up into Whitney's hand, moaning in hard, dark pleasure. Another wracking shudder and he fell back against the blankets, gasping and panting, moaning deeply as his eyes closed and he fought for breath.

Lex kept licking and lapping gently, riding out the jerking waves of his lover's orgasm, and cleaning his own away with soft little licks to his face.

Whitney just leaned forward, wrapping his arms around Clark's thigh, dropping his forehead down to rest on his hip and just started to cry. Hard, wracking sobs because it hurt to feel happy, it hurt to look for pleasure when he should have been mourning, and he couldn't stop the flood.

Clark gasped when he heard the sobs, the tears falling on his skin, and he whimpered as he rose up, rubbing away what was left of the come with his shoulder and he leaned down, quickly taking his ashimel in his arms and bringing him tightly close to his body, hugging him close as he cried. Oh, God, and he gasped softly and buried his face in his shoulder, holding him close and rocking as he looked helplessly at his lover. His orgasm was smeared between he and Whitney but he knew he wouldn't mind, as he kissed his ashimels cheeks and hair, murmuring soft nothings. "Ashimel, ashimel."

Lex knew. He knew what Whitney was feeling, and he nodded to Clark. "Here... let me take him," Lex said softly.

Clark nodded, swallowing hard as he carefully let go of his ashimel, whimpering at the loss of him as he looked at his aushna'.

"It's okay," Lex said, reassuring both of them as he pulled Whitney into his lap. "It's okay." His arms went around Whitney's waist and shoulders, tucking him in against Lex's body. "I know what you're thinking, Whitney. You're thinking it's disrespectful. That you can't live this soon, that you have to stop everything because of what's happened. And it's not true. It can't be true." A kiss to his forehead, and he nodded to Clark to come, join the group hug. "I know how you feel. When my mother died, I just wanted to stop living. I wanted to die too. But then I saw what that did--what my dad turned into--and I went in the opposite direction. I did everything instead of nothing. You've got to find your middle ground, Whit. You've got to. Or you really are going to let them down. Your parents raised you to be strong... now's the time to show the world just how well they raised you."

Clark wrapped his arms around Whitney's waist and cuddled in underneath them, holding him close to his body and close to Lex's body at the same time, closing his eyes and burying his face in his side. His ashimel, his ashimel. "You have to live. You have to go on and you have to live. Its okay to feel pleasure, to feel want, to live. Its okay, because that's what they would have wanted. They would have wanted for you to be alright, and not to die and fall apart."

Whitney just kept sobbing, even as he listened and heard and acknowledged. "You're right," he hiccupped out between choking breaths. "I can't. My dad--he fought. He was a fighter, right until the end. He fought to the last second, and I gotta do that too. Mom and Dad, they wanted me to have a good life, a great life, and I'm gonna have it."

"They wanted everything for you, Whitney." Clark said it, softly, so softly. "They wanted you to succeed in ways they never did, they wanted you to have everything. You have to honor that, honor them, and have what you want, have everything you can get."

"You're not going to fail, Whitney." Lex kept the boy hugged tightly to his chest. "You're not. We're going to help you, all right? I've got a plan in mind... we'll talk about it later, when you're feeling better, but I've been thinking about you."

Soft cough into Lex's shoulder. "I didn't--I mean, I thought... you know, it was Chloe for you." He was surprised by Lex's words, and he pulled back just enough to snuggle into Clark.

"It is, just like it's Clark for you, but that doesn't mean that I don't want to take care of you, too." Soft caress to Whitney's cheek. "I've been looking for ways to help you out, and I've found some. If you don't mind a little help from your friends, that is."

"You are mine, and Chloe is Lex's." Clark whispered, softly. "But we are a group. We are four. I love you and Chloe equally, like Lex loves you and Chloe equally." He brushed his lovers over Whitney's shoulder and bicep. "We love you. We'll help you, Whitney, in anything you need, you and Chloe both."

Whitney nodded. "Okay." He snuggled back in further in Clark's arms, cuddling up and getting himself warmly situated in Clark's lap. "Tell me in the morning, okay?" he asked softly. "And... thank you."

Clark smiled it, just a little, and lay back on the beds, pillows and blankets ready to be snuggled under, and he leaned down to whisper, "Let Lex and I get cleaned up. You can put on pajamas, or strip down, and we'll go to sleep, kay?"

"Okay," he said softly, with a little smile. "Maybe if you're nice, I'll play Pepper the Male Stripper for you sometime."

"Maybe if you're nice, I'll let you come when you do." Clark answered back, just as softly, and pressed a tender kiss to Whitney's lips before rolling off the bed, holding his arms out to his aushna'.

Whitney's smile widened just a little bit, and he snuggled down into the blanket as he watched Clark roll off the bed.

Lex joined him after a second, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to Whitney's forehead, then one to his lips as he slid off the bed, and into Clark's waiting arms. "We'll be right back; take your time, and help yourself to anything in the closet, or foodwise."

"Ms Bird made some chocolate fudge cake that, as soon as I shower, I'm gonna go get some. So. Good." Clark grinned at him, as he looped an arm around his lovers waist and snuggled him in warmly, walking into the bathroom. Their PJs, always clean ones every day, were waiting on the bathroom shelf, as well as warm, scented towels that smelled like sunshine and cleanliness. He stripped out of his gunked out jeans, kicking them towards the hamper, and then peeled out of his shirt as well, giving his cock a firm squeeze to make sure the come had come out. "Lex? Can I ask you something? Why do I always do this?" he turned to look at his lover with a raised brow. "Its not like I'm gonna die if I leave some in there. And yet. Whitney does it too, and you do it, but not always. Why?"

Lex was just cracking up. "Only you, Clark." He cleared his throat, trying to get his composure back. "To be honest, I don't really know why. Sometimes, it is just to make sure that all the come has come out. More than likely, it's a way to clear the urethra, so the next time you have to go to the bathroom, there's no blockage in the tube."

"But its come! How would it get blocked?" Clark tipped his head and glared when his lover laughed. "Its not funny! I'm curious for real!"

"Because the urethra is the tube inside your cock, at least in humans, that carries both urine and semen for expulsion outside the body. If semen remains in the urethra, it can block the urine from coming out, or can irritate the urethra."

Clark blinked at him. "Huh. that's weird. I think its the same for me, cause...it all comes out the same way. ....That's really gross, Lex." Clark made a face at him, as he looked down at his poor cock and made a face at it. "Really gross."

Lex shrugged. "It's anatomy."

"Anatomy should kick itself in the head." Clark muttered, as he turned the hot shower on and made sure they had plenty of soap and shampoo. "Lex, get some of that special scalp stuff Dominic bought you. I put it under the sink."

"Special.... scalp stuff?" Lex blinked. "Why did Dominic buy me special scalp stuff, and what kind of stuff was it?"

Clark snickered at his lover as he slipped into the shower, the hot water hitting his backside and legs. "When he and your dad went to Tokyo two weeks ago. Its aloe and jasmine extract said to make susceptible skin baby soft and durable."

Lex just rolled his eyes. "My skin is already durable."

"Not the one on your head. You've got scars all over."

"I have one scar that happened a long time ago!!" Lex protested.

"You have four scars. I count them whenever you snuggle up." Clark glared back, and slid the rest of the way into the shower.

"I do not." He glared right back and slid into the shower behind Clark, without the special scalp crap.

"That's alright, YOU let Dominic feel bad when there is no aloe and jasmine to be had." Clark sing songed, as he soaped up his own hair, rivulets of white sliding down his back in bubbly clumps.

Lex. Heaved. A sigh. Stalked out of the shower. Rooted under the sink, brought out the purple crystal bottle. Stalked back into the shower, and just growled.

And Clark had a winning smile on his face when Lex slammed back in. "There. Good. Now open it up, put some on your head, and soap it up. I smelled it, its niiice. Makes everything real soft, too."

"I. Don't. Need. Soft. Skin." Said with a growl for every word.

"Yes you do. Arent you going to ask how I know its soft?" Clark asked with raised brow, as he gently put some in his hands and began to slicken and soap up Lex's bald pate.

"No," he said petulantly, crossing his arms in the shower.

Clark snickered and gently massaged his lovers scalp, making sure to get behind his ears and everything, then tugged him under the water to rinse. Already he felt the dead skin cells washing away, leaving his lovers head silky soft in the water, and he snickered as he began to soap up a sponge.

Lex pouted as he snatched his own sponge, and started scrubbing his arms and shoulders. "Stupid asshole. Why the fuck is he buying me shower products?" Grouched.

"Because he loves you and he's family now and he wants you to have a soft head, and because he knows that in the summer it gets chapped right around the back of your head cause I told him so. So he bought it for you, so you'll have no chapped skin, and just soft purry nice smelly stuff." Clark answered, sniffling along his lovers forehead and sighing, softly.

"Ah, so this is YOUR fault." Lex snorted. "Dom's not that bad. I want to dislike him, believe me, I do, but he's a pretty nice guy, all things taken into account. We're gettin' closer."

"I know." Clark gave a dweeby grin. "Believe me. You guys are getting close, and it makes me and Lionel both really happy, like you couldn't believe. Its wonderful, Lex, really, truly. You guys are gonna be family for a long time, so you might as well get close." He yawned then, softly, and sighed as he scrubbed down the rest of his body and stood in the warm spray.

"Yeah, well, don't count your chickens just yet, you or dad either one." Another snort. "We haven't killed each other, and we like late night TV. We're not bonded as blood brothers quite yet."

Clark was about to speak when he heard a teeny, itty bitty little meow. A blink… a stare at his lover, and he shut the water off. "Lex, did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

The itty bitty little meow came again and Clark motioned a hand. "That. Freddie? You in here, baby?"

Yep. He sure was. Open the door, nitwit.

Clark slid open the shower door and peered out into the bathroom. "Freddie?"

"MEOW!" Freddie was sitting on top of the commode, on the tank, his tail flicking back and forth like a pendulum as he watched the two idiots in the shower stall.

Lex peered out over Clark's shoulder. "Looks like we're getting a visit from the Marquis."

Clark rolled his eyes. "Bad kitty, bad! You know better than to come in here!" He snickered. "His royal highness. Though we can't say much." He stepped out of the shower and grasped his towel, quickly wiping his body down and drying himself as he peered at the tiny kitten. "What did daddy say, huh? You gotta stay in their rooms!"

Daddy. Yeah, right, the stupid idiot that dropped him in the water. Freddie's whiskers flicked in acknowledgement of Clark's words and that was it, as he lifted a paw, licked it, and rubbed it behind his ears.

Clark picked Fredrick up, not bothering to be worried over hisses and snarls, and held him in hand as he anchored the towel the rest of the way around his hips. "Come on, kitty. Time to go back to your room. Little bastard."

Uh huh. yeah. Right. He launched himself off of Clark's shoulder and streaked over to Lex, clawing his way up.

Lex yelped as sharp little talons dug into his skin, and he barely got the towel wrapped around Freddie in time to keep himself from getting shredded to ribbons. "Hey!!! Frederick! Watch the claws!"

"I'm telling you, Lex. I hate cats." Clark muttered, and made a face at it. "How Dominic can love that little thing is beyond my scope of reasoning. Take him to their room? I'm gonna go get some cake, and get settled down with Whitney."

Ooh. Warm. Fuzzy. Soft. Freddie calmed down as Lex cuddled him up in the towel, and he started purring loudly.

"I'm..." Lex sighed. He was NEVER this kind of a sucker before Clark. "Do I have to?"

"Fine. Just give him to me. They're out of town anyway." Clark took the towel and the cat all in one, cuddling him up and putting him in his arms as he motioned towards the door. "Get Whitney settled down then. I'll be back, with cake."

"REEEEEEEOWWWWWWRRRRRR!!!!!!" Freddie hissed, and spat, as he was cuddled AWAY from the squishy and pushed up against the hard. "REEEEEEEOWWWWWRRR!!!!" He hissed again, and bared his little kitten teeth.

"MRRRRRRRRRROWR!" Clark roared back at him, snarling and pushing him tight against his belly, and with a glare at Whitney, stalked out of the room and down the hall.

Freddie cowered as the big stupid ugly hard thing yelled at him. Gave a teeny tiny little kitten sob. "rowr?"

"Mrowr to you too." Dammit, but he softened, and felt BAD, and he raised him up to look at him. "I'm sorry baby. I get a little defensive when things that are a sixteenth my size try and make me scared of them."

Little bat at the ugly thing's nose, and another little sob. "Rowr!"

He leaned in, and risking swipes, gave him a kissy on the head. "Shhh. Calm on down, I've got you. I can't help it if I'm not as cuddly as Lex is, babe."

Big stupid ugly thing. Freddie just pouted. He didn't LIKE being alone in the room!!!

Clark peered down at the tiny sad expression, and tipped his head thoughtfully for a moment. "You know..." He turned, then, and opened the study door, with the puppies. "If you're a good kitty, you can sleep in here. Would you like that, Your Highness?"

Oooh! Yay!! The other fuzzy things. Even though they were still stinky and drooly, they were cool. He liked them.

As soon as the door to the puppy room opened, Freddie streaked over to the puppy bed and leaped up onto the top of the pile, pawing himself a place on top of the dogs and putting his head on his front paws.

Clark rolled his eyes and smiled, leaning down to gently give him a pet or two. "There we go."

Okay. Fine. Pet. But lay off the fur. Freddie twitched his tail, and cracked open one eye to glare with.

Clark glared right back, scratched him behind the ears, then kissed each of his sleeping dogs before disappearing out of the study once more. He moved over one door to their bedroom, stopped, remembered his need for cake, and decided to forego it. He was just too tired. He opened the door and slipped in, dropping the towel by the door as he was already mostly dry, and started for the bed.

Lex was already curled up on the bed beside Whitney, stroking his hair. Whitney had stripped, and then apparently flung himself down on the sheets and slept. Lex had pulled the blanket up over him, and had curled around his front, so that Whitney's chest nestled against his back, and he had one hand woven through Whitney's.

"He was already asleep when I came out," Lex explained softly. "I didn't wake him up to get him dressed."

"Okay." Clark whispered it, and slid into the bed behind Whitney, carefully, sliding himself behind him gently so he was cocooned between himself and Lex. He took Lex's hand, warmly, and kissed it tenderly. "I love you, Lex. I love you."

"I love you too, Clark." He squeezed Clark's hand tightly, letting go of Whitney's hand for just a second to do it. "I adore you."

"Sleep well, aushna'. If you need me during the night, just wake me."

Lex smiled, and squeezed his hand again. "I always need you, Clark."

 

-fin-

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