The Memoirs

The hours ticked by. Late afternoon turned into evening, the sun just setting when again Clark came to. His skin felt tight...cool. Something under his head...something around him. Strangling him. He thrashed violently, weak limbs feeling like they'd been hung out to dry, crying out as he came to, "Lex! Lex!"

 

Lex dropped his nearly-empty scotch bottle and wrapped his arms around Clark.  "I'm here, baby, I'm here.  Sssh... it's okay, I'm here.  Blanket, baby, it's a blanket.  Be still, Clark."  He wrapped his arms around Clark, holding him tightly.  "Let's get you unwrapped for a second."  His hands tore the sweaty blanket away from Clark, the Red and Green rocks safely stowed in their containers.  "Let me look at you, baby."

 

He was shaking uncontrollably, belly rolling with nausea...until his eyes fell on Lex. Lex. He'd betrayed him. He'd purposely hurt him...revenge? "I'm going to kill you." He whispered, lunging foreword. His fingers wrapped around Lex's neck, sending them toppling over the side of the couch and Clark flat on his back. "I'm going to fucking kill you!" He had as much strength as a kitten, his elbows shaking, his eyes laced with red, bright, like he'd been drinking all night.

 

His eyes matched Lex's.

 

"How could you do that to me?! How?!"

 

Lex lay there under Clark for long minutes.  "I don't blame you, Clark... and I'm not going to stop you.  But I had to, Clark... I had to.  I can't let you go out like this; not when you could hurt someone, or give away your secret.  If you... if you want to kill me... I understand that.  I broke my promise to you, Clark, and you don't know how it feels inside.  But if it keeps you safe... then I will do it a hundred times over."

 

"Reshkuma! Reshkuma!" He roared, rolling them over...but he couldn't do it. He couldn't. He couldn't kill someone, not when they weren't fighting back, not when it would be without honor. He got to his shaky legs, feet moving him towards his clothes folded neatly on the chair, tugging at them and trying to get them on. "You betray me, you don't love me! You are not my mate, you want to hurt me!"

 

"That's not true, Clark!"  The words ripped at Lex's soul.  "I do love you, Clark... more than anything in this world.  It's why I have to protect you."  He moved across the room, taking the clothes out of Clark's hands and dropping them back on the chair.  "Please, Clark... I know you'll never believe me, but... I love you.  I am your mate, your beloved, and I won't risk losing you on the outside."  He swallowed hard.  "Clark... please stay.  With me.  Don't... don't make me use the green rock again.  Please..."

 

"Fuck you!" He gave him a shove, hard, away, gathering his things and starting for the door. "I will not stay here, not with someone who hurts me! No!" He tugged on his jeans as he moved, lightening fast, tugging his t-shirt back on as he trembled. His voice sounded foreign... not like himself at all, as if some entity inside of him was trying to find the proper vocabulary to express his emotions. "I'll find someone who I can fuck, who won't push me away, who won't hurt me!"

 

Lex shook.  "Clark... please... I can't let you go."  He picked up the lead box again, and opened it, fully, letting the green light bathe his lover again.  "Even... even if I lose you, Clark... at least I know you will be safe."  Lex's voice choked hard on the tears that slid from his eyes.  "Jesus, Clark... if you don't hate me, I hate myself."

 

He lost his footing, hitting the double doors and thankfully, they didn't crash open. He gasped, gagging on the vomit that wanted to come out, slowly sliding down to the floor with a sob. "Why are you doing this to me?"

 

"Because I love you, Clark... because I can't let you go."  Lex closed the box and knelt on the floor beside his lover.  "Because I have to keep you safe, even it means you kill me when this is over."  He wrapped his arms around Clark's shoulders, pressing his cheek against the back of his lover's shoulder as he wept.  "I love you, Clark Kent..."

 

Dominic watched in surprise, his eyes wide and he hadn't meant to walk in, he hadn't. But Lionel was asleep, and he'd wanted to look at the stock reports, except they were in Lex's office where he crouched naked to the unconscious Clark Kent and what? "...Lex?"

 

"Dominic, get out."  Lex didn't even look up.  "Get out, and if you breathe a word of this, I will kill you, my father's wrath notwithstanding."  He left his arms around Clark, rocking the unconscious body of his beloved, shoulders shaking with tears he shed silently.

 

"No, I...I’m afraid I can’t." He murmured, crouching down to look at him. "Lex, what happened? Is Clark alright?" A glance down at the young man, and nothing appeared to be wrong, his fingers reaching out to gently touch Lex's shoulder...and his fingers came back wet with blood...with tears? "Lex, talk to me. Let me help."

 

"Lock the door; the key is in my desk in the top drawer."  Lex pulled Clark against him, once again working hard to get the boy on the couch.  "No, Clark's not all right, but there's nothing you can do, Dominic."

 

Dominic quickly walked over, noting the stains, the blood on the carpet, the item’s strewn about...the scent. Something bad had happened here, and he was almost too scared to ask. He grabbed the key with his free hand, the other caught in his sling again, and quickly locked the door. "What happened?" He rushed over and grabbed Clark’s legs with the crook of his arm, hoisting them up on the couch.

 

"Clark... Clark's allergic to the red meteor rocks we're finding at the plant site--which means my father had them stored there.  One of his friends gave him a chunk of the rock, not knowing what it would do to him, and... it made him sick."  He pulled the blanket up and tucked it around his shoulders.  "I'd offer you a drink but I seem to be well on my way of cleaning everything out."  For the first time, he turned to face Dominic and the marks and bruises on him stood out brightly against his pale skin.  "Like I said, Dominic... you breathe a word of this, and I will destroy you."

 

"You can’t destroy me, love." He shook his head, partial smile, as if to say 'You were too late'. "Lets get you cleaned up, and we can talk. Lex...I know. Already. About Clark being something special."

 

Lex froze in his tracks, eyes narrowing.  "I don't know what you mean, Dominic."  Already his mind was working out ways to make this man disappear, places where his father couldn't find him.

 

"Of course you do." He set Lex down in his big leather chair, offering him the blanket without a word, and walked to the bar to get himself something strong and eye narrowing. "I saw him bend the gun in front of me, as Roger was about to kill me. Lex..." He turned to him, eyebrow raised. "He saved my life. I'd never divulge a secret that would hurt him, or you. That I can swear to you." He came back, thick vodka in hand, and took a sip, hissing. "Ahhh. Your fathers going to kill me." He sat on the foot stool in front of him. "Now could you please tell me what happened? Sans bullshit?"

 

"Did you tell my father?"

 

"He suspected."

 

"You didn't answer my question, Dominic.  Did you tell him?"

 

"I did, in the hospital, after I'd come to."

 

"Mother fucker."  Lex picked up the nearest glass and threw it against the fireplace, watching it shatter.  "Now Clark will never be safe.  Fuck."  He turned an evil glare on Dominic.  "You know my father, Dominic.  How could you tell him something like that?"

 

He tipped his head at the show of temper, watching him with a raised brow as he sipped from his cup. "Your father loves you to death, Lex. He would never hurt you in that way. Never." His voice was steely hard under the gentle tone.

 

"That is still up in the air at this point."  Lex settled back against the couch, sliding Clark's head back into his lap and running his fingers through the sweaty mop of black curls.

 

"Is it? Well, then let me put it this way. He loves me, very much, and he'd never betray me like that. Ever. Does that put your mind to ease?" He sat back a little, sipping his drink.

 

"No, it doesn't, because quite frankly, Dominic... as much as I love my father, and I do, I am not completely sanguine about his motivations yet.  Nothing that you can say about my father knowing this is going to put my mind at ease."  Lex kept his fingers buried in Clark's hair, cradling him gently, wincing as he moved and situated himself.

 

He frowned. "We're going to get married, Lex. Does that ease your suspicions over the man he's become?" Because dammit, he didn't like anyone talking about his man like that, even if it was his lovers son. "No matter. Is there anything I can do to help you with Clark?"

 

"No, it doesn't."  Lex sighed.  "I don't think that there is anything that you can do to help me with Clark.  Not unless you can explain to me what is affecting him like this and how long it's going to be before I have him back to himself... and if he's going to hate me for what I've done to him here."

 

"Ah, well. I’m intelligent, but not that much so." He tipped his head a little. "You're bleeding, Lex."

 

"I am?"  Lex looked down.  "Oh, that.  It's nothing."

 

"Yes, well, I call bleeding all over the couch more then nothing, love." He rose to his feet, set the glass on the table top. "I'll clean it up for you. I’ve become an old pro, as you can imagine. Why don’t we get you some clothes...get everything bandaged up, hmm?"

 

Lex shook his head.  "I'm not leaving Clark... I won't.  I've got to stay here with him."

 

"You don't have to move. I'll be right back." He walked over to the door and unlocked it, stepping through and closing it again. "Ms. Bird? Ms. Bird, are you down here?"

 

The lady in question stepped out from four rooms down, feather duster in hand.  "Herr Dominic!  Vhat are chu doing oot of bed?"

 

As Dominic left, Lex leaned over Clark, bending double over his lover and cradling him close.  "I'll find a way to make you forgive me, Clark... because I can't live if you hate me."

 

"Just helping Lex a bit." He grinned a little impishly at her. "Help me scrounge some clothes for him...and a first aid kit, please? Oh, and have Enrique get a pot of coffee and some juice sent up, if you could."

 

Ms. Bird flicked her feather duster in his face.  "Vhat 'as Herr Lex done now?" she asked, brow knitting in concern.  "Follow me."  She bustled down to the linen closet.  "Ve haf had dealings vith Herr Lex before; ve know to keep tese tings close."  Rooting around on the bottom shelf, a handful of German curses floated up before she stumbled backwards, prize in her hand.  "Thes es a ferst ayd ket, clothes, und money."  She gave Dominic the black duffel bag.  "Ve vill bring de drinks in as soon as dey are ready."

 

He couldn't help but grin at her lovingly. "You all have an emergency kit packed for him all the time?"

 

"Ja.  Ve haf bean kaught unavares before, und it vas not goot."

 

He hugged her, and tight too, as well as he could with one arm. "If you weren’t too good for the likes of me, you'd have to worry about going to recount your sins in mass. Remind me to buy you something chocolatey, darling." And with that he was gone.

 

Ms. Bird huffed once, flapping after him with her ever-present feather duster, and then bustled back off towards the kitchen, shrieking at the top of her lungs for Enrique, her accent thickened to almost incomprehensibility by her worry for her young master.

 

Lex looked up as Dominic came back in the room.  "Lock the door," was his only reminder through silent tears.

 

"Mmmhmm." He snapped the door shut behind him with a tiny click, locking it up and heading towards him with the duffle bag. "Alright, well, stand up, let me take a look at what we're working with here." There was blood dried and streaked...everywhere. Open wounds, bruises marring all that pale skin. And he didn't like it, not one bit.

 

With reverent care and tenderness, Lex slipped Clark's head off his lap and he stood in front of Dominic, not really giving a damn about his nakedness; chances are Dominic had already seen him in in Lex's younger, wilder days.

 

He's right; he had. Many times, actually, as for a long time their wasn't anyone to really care for the lad and he'd taken it upon himself to do so. The first being one especially drunk night... "Do you remember when you were 16...you'd just gotten your license, and you insisted on my letting you take your fathers Porsche around the grounds? It was right after thanksgiving, cold as a bitch if I remember correctly." He frowned over the bites... the bruises all over, and dammit, DAMMIT. He opened the duffle bag, where dress pants and a light purple sweater were inside, shoes, socks, underpants, and belt included. God bless Ms. Bird. The first aid kit was tucked nearby...as well as a flashlight, a spare tire wrench, a cell phone, and for some reason, a can of soup. Hmm.

 

"No, I don't remember, but chances are I was drunk off my ass or tanked up high as a kite on whatever I'd cooked up in the chem lab that week," Lex said quietly, calmly.  "The cell phone's pre-programmed with Toby's number if you need to call him."

 

The fact that they had a duffle bag was utterly ridiculous to him, but he didn't dare crack a smile. Dear Lex was in his weight-of-the-world-everything's-utterly-terrible type of moods, and he new better then to ruin a good brood. "Mmm. Well, you can sit again, I'll get the bites atop done first." He pulled out the kit, pausing a moment to take his sling off, sighing and using both hands to work now. "Well anyway. I'd no clue you were even drunk…you liked the alcohol’s that didn't smell much. You took us up to 130 miles down the metropolis byways. I remember I nearly pissed myself in fear, and you couldn't stop laughing." He grinned up at him. "You told me to stop being a bitch. I told you to stop being a pussy. I don't think I'd ever seen you laugh so hard."

 

Lex snorted.  "If my father catches you with that sling off, he'll kick both our asses; you for doing it and me for not stopping you."  He sat back down on the couch, pulling Clark's head back in his lap, hands going to stroke soothingly in his lover's hair.  "They're not that bad, Dominic... they will heal up in a couple of days."  He sighed.  "And you were being a pussy."

 

There came a rapid tattoo of knocking at the closed door.  "Herr Lex?  Herr Dominic?  Ve are here vith the drinks chu vanted."  Ms. Bird's accent was still thickly layered and mostly incomprehensible.

 

"130 miles? In the sleeting rain? In a Porsche? Yes, well." He pretended to puff up in pride, getting cotton and peroxide out. He swabbed the cotton with it, then slowly swept it over the bite on his shoulder, right above his clavicle. "Would you mind explaining to me how exactly you have bites that if I got them tested would match Clarks mouth perfectly? When Clark is neither a cannibal, nor a person who enjoys these types of things, as he's a sweet farm boy--Ms Bird." He got to his feet quickly, putting Lex's hand over the cotton swab at his shoulder, then stood and walked to the locked door. "Yes, Ms Bird, leave it there please? I'll get it in just a moment. Thank you darling."

 

"Ef chu need anyting else, chust call."  There was a brief rattle of dishes and trays and then silence outside the door.

 

Lex sat quietly, holding the swab in place as Dominic answered the door.  He used the time to consider the question and formulate an answer other than mind your own fucking business which was the one on the tip of his tongue.

 

He opened the door after he didn't hear anything, rolling the tray in and closing and locking the door behind him. He walked back over, pushing the tray to the small coffee table, and poured Lex a cup of coffee. "Drink this. You're still partial to alcohol that doesn't smell very much."

 

Lex left the cup of coffee on the table, reaching down with his free hand to pick up the decanter of currant-flavored vodka and poured several splashes into the cup, until it was almost splashing over the side.  "Here's to... fucking up the best thing that's ever happened to me."  Lex downed the scalding liquid in a few quick gulps, his eyes watering as he poured again, filling the cup almost full of vodka and adding just enough coffee to color it.

 

He glared. And he took away the alcohol, setting it on the floor beside him, before gently cleaning the wound at his shoulder again. "You can talk to me about it, you know. I'm not going to run and tell daddy."

 

"That'd be a first," Lex said snidely, cursing as the peroxide stung his shoulder. 

 

"Watch it." His voice was quiet and reserved but that same steel from before was back as he gently finished cleaning it, and took out a bit of gauze and tape to bandage it up.

 

"No, don't.  Don't cover it up.  I know Clark; he'll be upset if he comes around and can't see his marks."  Lex caught Dominic's wrist before he could apply the bandages.

 

And here came the glare again. "Are we talking the same Clark Kent, here? Farm boy, 16 year old, high school kid?"

 

"We're talking about Clark Kent, seventeen year old with his head in my lap right now," Lex said, returning Dominic's glare with his own Luthor glare.

 

He knew better then to push...Luthor’s were better guilted into a confession then forced. "I just want to help, Lex. I have no hidden agenda, no secret intent. I just want to help."

 

"You want to help?  Keep anything you see here to yourself, and that includes not telling my father."

 

"I won't. I would never betray your trust like that." His lips curved. "Unless we're talking about our business lives, then anything goes. But here...never. Never, Lex." A nod at him, and he peered at the wound around his nipple. "I'm going to clean this one, alright?"

 

Lex growled.  "Just don't cover it up."

 

He nodded and poured more peroxide on another cottony swab. "Luthor's haven't had a good way these last few days with nipples, I'm afraid." He mumbled it under his breath, gently swiping at the blood with a deep frown. "You need to tell me what's wrong with Clark, Lex."

 

Lex swore softly as the deep wound stung.  "What are you talking about, not a good way?"

 

"Mmmm." He murmured noncommittally, frowning again as he had to use another bit of cotton to get all the blood away. "He really did a number here..." He leaned over to the tray of things and got a few ice cubes from the bucket, rolling them up in a bit of cloth from the first aid box and setting it over his chest. "Hold it a few minutes, Lex, that one may require stitches."

 

"No.  No stitches."  Lex held the ice over his nipple, hissing and flinching, worming slightly on the couch as the cold sensation on his nipple only reminded him of the ache in his ass.

 

"Lex...Ethan wasn't lying when he said the things he said in the alley way."

 

A quiet pause.  "I didn't think he was; he's too stupid to make up something like that."

 

"I started working for your father when I was 23. His old assistant, who you might not remember, saw me as a threat. And he, and his two buddies, decided to play pin the gay guy in the ass, for lack of better terms. They did so for many days, and during those days they did some truly...astoundingly bad things." He paused. "I didn't want it to come between us. I didn't want you to wonder all the time."

 

"Dominic... I meant what I said before.  I'm proud to know you; your past is your past.  It made you who you are today, and that is, as much as it pains me to admit it, a good man, and one I trust, at least more than I do my father.  You were always good to me, Dominic, whether or not I allowed it or admitted it.  And that is the person I know.  Anything that happened to you before then... I hope my father has taken care of, but... it will not come between us."

 

"Well...good." Because he didn't have anything else to say. "I'm going to divulge my biggest secret to you now."

 

Lex shook his head.  "You don't have to, Dominic."

 

"Nonono..I feel I have to. Lionel's going to rip me a new one, so you had better never say a word."

 

Lex nodded.  "You have my word; it goes no further."

 

He paused melodramatically, looking at his young friend with pained uncertainty before finally spilling, "Your father got his nipple pierced. For me." A wince. "Don't kill me."

 

Lex... laughed.  Pained laughter at first that turned into almost hysterical amusement as he all but howled.  "Oh, sweet mother of Jesus you've besotted him... oh, if only Clark could have heard that."

 

He grinned, listening to him laugh with a light heart. "Before long I'll have him with his tongue pierced and blue streaks in his hair, you just wait and see."

 

More borderline-hysterics.  "Blue... blue streaks?  Tongue... no.  Not thinking of that... do not want to think of my father's tongue piercing.  Do not, will not."  Lex toppled off the couch, hysterical laughter turning into sobs.

 

His smile faded in a heart beat and he caught Lex hard, falling onto his knees and gathering the boy close. "Lex...love, hey, its alright...Lex, talk to me." He cradled him close, frowning hard at the sobs coming out of his throat and he hugged him tight. "Hey...hey.."

 

"I'm killing him, Dominic... I'm slowly killing him every time he wakes up but I can't let him go out, not when he's out of his head like this... not when he could hurt someone, or tell his secret.  But it's killing him, killing him and killing me."

 

"Lex...sweetheart, alright, hold on, what's killing him? What happened? Why is he passed out now? You've got to tell me, so I can help." He frowned, gently stroking the side of his head, trying to get him to look at him.

 

"I'm killing him."  Lex wrapped his arms around himself.  "I'm killing him every time I open that goddamned box but I can't let him go... I can't.  I got the red one out of his hands but it won't fucking let him go!  It's got a hold on him and it won't let go!  And every time he wakes up he's still out of his mind with it, and the green rock, it's the only thing that'll knock him out but it kills him, Dominic.  And it kills me, because I swore to him."  Lex's voice choked off.  "I swore... I'd never use his weaknesses to hurt him... and I'm killing him."

 

"Alright...Lex. Alright. What green rock? What red rock? What are they....do they hurt him somehow?" It was coming together, and thank god he was an intelligent man to begin with. "They hurt him, but you're doing it to keep him from hurting himself. Is that it? ....Is that what the bites are from? He hurt you purposely during sex, didn't he?" And he didn't like that, growling softly.

 

"The meteors, dammit!  The fucking meteors!  They make him sick, they hurt him!  The red one fucks with his head, and the green one just... it sucks his strength and everything out of him.  When the red one gets hold of him... he gets mean.  Aggressive, possessive, everything.  And he's cocky, sure of himself... he'd hurt someone, would have hurt me if I wasn't a mutant to begin with."  Deep, choking, sobbing breaths.  "Yes, he did, but it's okay, I wanted him to."

 

"Shhh...Lex, shhh...hey, alright, hey." He soothed softly, cuddling him in close and gently stroking his back, frowning deeply. "Its alright, okay? We'll fix this, you don't have to wo--"

 

"Get your fucking hands off him."

 

Lex pulled away immediately, moving towards Clark.  "Clark!  Stop it!  Right now!"  He raised his hand, scrubbing the tears from his face as he glared at his angry lover.

 

Dominic’s eyes snapped up...dark head of hair, piercing eyes, and he swallowed reflexively. This young man...was 20 years his junior and unimaginably strong. "Hello, Clark. Just consoling Lex...he..." He swallowed.

 

"I don't care." Clark sat up completely, dark eyes flashing at Lex. "You keep knocking me out. You don't trust me. You don't love me. You hurt me, Aushna'. You keep hurting me. You aren't my mate. You don't want to be my mate. I thought we were one, but..."

 

"Clark...yes, I'm sorry to interrupt your monologue, but perhaps you should think again." Dominic took Clarks attention away from Lex, which had been a mixture of hurt and fury, noting the limbs barely constrained with force, and swallowed. "Lex is doing what's best for you. Don't you realize how you've been effected?"

 

"Shut up, you little whore. Little slut. I know what you are to the Big Bad Papa Luthor. Nothing more then a bitch."

 

"Ahh...yes, well. I've reached my quota for being called bitch, I'm afraid."

 

"Dominic... get the box.  The one from my mother.  Open it."  Lex didn't take his eyes off Clark, didn't stop the tears from rolling down his face.  "Clark, stop this, please... look at me.  Look at me!  I carry your marks; proudly and gladly, I begged for them; I am your mate, Clark, I always have been... you taught me how to love you so you could claim me."  He moved closer to Clark, still naked, hands held out in front of him in a gesture of surrender.  "You still want to kill me, Clark?  Do it... because what I've done, I've done to protect your secret, protect who you are."

 

Clarks eyes were filling with tears...his chest hitched with each breath. "You don't love me...even now, you ask of your father's lover to hurt me again. Look. Look." He let the sob come out as Dominic cracked it open, the green light shining out of the velvet. "Look, look at what you do to me." he held his hands out, the veins squiggling. "Look how you hurt m-me. I love you with everything I am, sa'lumkana, but you make m...me bleed." He had trouble forcing out the words, suddenly shoving Lex hard so he tumbled back...and in a flash of distorted sound, he threw the doors to the office open...and he was gone.

 

Dominic grabbed Lex as he fell...then nearly dropped him again as Clark sped away. Clark. Sped. Away. Literally! His mouth fell open, eyes wide, and he blinked once.

 

"Clark!" Lex yelled after him, but by the time he had pulled himself to his feet, Clark was long gone.  "He's gone.  I've got to find him.  I've got to."  He started towards the door, and then hit his knees, suddenly dizzy.  "Dominic... you've got to help me."  Too much alcohol, no food, and too much turmoil was overwhelming Lex.  "We've got to find him before he hurts someone... I've got to make sure he's safe."  He pulled himself to his feet, hanging onto the door knob and wrapping the blanket around his shoulders.  "Please, Dominic... help me."

 

Dom climbed quickly to his feet as well, dragging him back. "You can’t search if you're naked." He tugged out the clothes quickly, tugging the sweater over Lex's head with his good arm, pulling out the socks and such as well. "Get dressed." He turned, bellowing out through the open doors, "ENRIQUE! Start the car!"

 

Lex dragged on the clothing quickly, limping to the closet and pulling out his leather duster, still damp with sea water and sand and wrapped it around himself, and then grabbed his mother's box from Dominic.  "I... I have no idea where he's going, Dominic... I don't know where to find him."  Lex shook his head violently, which only brought on another wave of dizziness.  "I've lost him, Dominic... forever, I've lost him."

 

"Alright, Lex? Shut up." Dominic turned to pin him with a glare. "You haven't lost him. He's been drugged by this rock. Don't you remember how out of your mind you were when high off your horse? Same thing. And right now, he's going to go the only place he knows. Start naming friends off. We'll check the house first, dammit ENRIQUE HURRY UP."

 

Lex shut his eyes.  "Chloe.  Chloe Sullivan.  Pete Ross.  Whitney Fordman.  Lana Lang, even though she's dead--the cemetery.  His parents'."  He clapped his hands to the sides of his aching head.  "The Beanery.  The Talon."

 

Dominic walked over and quickly hooked his hand under the limp elbow, sliding himself into his sling a moment later and pulled Lex along quickly, hoping to the lord Lionel wouldn't wake and question where they'd gone off to. "We'll check each one, alright? Don't worry. Don't worry, Lex. He won't go far, not while effected the way he is."

 

"He's gone as far as Miami and Houston," Lex said softly, following behind Dominic.  "But there's no telling... no telling where else he could have gone.  Fuck.  That fucking kid.  Ryan.  Edge City."

 

 

~*~*~

 

Dominic was completely right. Clark didn't. He went and visited Lana for a minute...but everything in his head felt like it was cotton just sloshing around in water, and it hurt to think too much. Or say much of anything. He smiled at the tombstone, pet it lovingly, then went on his way. A visit at home saw his parents asleep...hmmm. Not too late, but they were hard working people, early to rise and early to sleep.

 

He was hot again.

 

He wanted to shake off the feeling...knew he had to, after all that fantastic sex he and Lex had....Lex. His throat clogged with tears. His lover didn't want him anymore, his lover was trying to hurt him...he had to stay away. He'd trusted him. With all his heart, and here, he'd...he'd..

 

He needed to talk to someone. Hadn't....yes.

 

Whitney had told him he'd be getting some things ready for a special date at nine. A glance at his watch said it was 8:30.

 

Perfect.

 

Whitney was moving around the front room of Chloe's house, loading the last of the kindling into the fireplace, wadding up newspapers and looking around.  Everything was in place, from the thick white blanket on the floor to the bottle of sparkling cider in the ice bucket, the protection tucked under the bucket and the room dark with candles, the scent of vanilla light on the air as quiet orchestral music played in the background.  The couch was even covered in a white throw he'd brought from the store, giving it more of a private appeal.

 

And Clark was knocking at the door, freezing in his light clothes and the nippy, frosted air. God, he was so hard it hurt.

 

 

~*~*~

 

 

Lex was staggering down the steps when the cell phone in his pocket went off shrilly, and he brought it up to his ear.  "Luthor."

 

"Lex.  It's Hamilton.  Those red rocks you wanted me to look at?  Well, you're right, they're meteor rocks."  Hamilton didn't bother to wait for pleasantries or introductions.  "They've gone through some kind of radiation, and that's why they're red instead of green."

 

"I'm absolutely fucking fascinated, Hamilton.  Did you bother actually doing what I asked you to and find a way to counteract their affects?"

 

"They don't have effects, Lex.  Not on humans.  But... on people who've been mutated... yes.  I've got something that'll work.  Theoretically.  I haven't tested it yet."

 

"Get to the flight pad.  The chopper will pick you up in ten minutes and fly you into Smallville.  Call me when you get here and I'll meet you in five."  Lex hung up and looked at Dominic.  "That was Hamilton; he's got something that'll stop the effects.  Hopefully."

 

"Fan-bloody-tastic. Lets go stop your boyfriend before he hurts someone, shall we?" He shrugged his coat on as best he could and grabbed his own phone, ushering Lex out the door...to the Porsche. He couldn't help a smile. "Ahh, good times. You drive."

 

 

~*~*~

 

Whitney answered the door with a rose in his hand, expecting Chloe, and his smile fell.  "Clark?  What the hell?  Come in, you look like you're freezing.  What are you doing outside like that?"

 

"Whitney...hey." He looked up, eyes swamped with tears, face marred with them, and he swallowed around the lump in his throat. "Lex and I...we had a...a fight. Is...is Chloe home?"

 

"No, she's not home yet."  Whitney shut the door behind Clark.  "Come on... we gotta get you warmed up."  He pulled the white throw off the couch and sat Clark on it, then pulled the multicolored afghan from the back and wrapped it around him.  "I'm going to make you some coffee, and then I'll call someone and let them know you're here."

 

"No! I...Whitney, no. I can't...face my parents right now." He dragged his fingers through his hair. "I hate breaking your date up like this."

 

"Hey, it's okay.  Friends are more important."  He'd learned his way around the Sullivan kitchen, and had water boiling in the microwave as he turned back to Clark.   "Do you want me to call Lex, then?  See if you two can work out whatever it was that you guys fought about?"  Whitney had the phone in his hand, holding it out to Clark.  "If you don't, then I'll just call Chloe and tell her you're here."

 

Clark shook his head, sniffling softly...then burst into tears again, pressing his face into his hands. "He doesn't love me anymore, he tried to hurt me, he made me pass out and I love him so much and I don't know what to do!"

 

Whitney crouched down beside Clark, coffee forgotten.  "That doesn't sound like Lex."  He put his hand on Clark's arm, and his skin was clammy.  "Come on; you need to get warm fast.  You can get in the shower, and I'll lend you some jeans and a shirt when you get out, all right?" 

 

"I...." Want to fuck you through a wall. "Would appreciate it... I... Whitney..." He sniffled softly and moved into the warm touch, cupping his hand over the fingers touching him. "Like I said before, I...I'm sorry. About...about going overboard with Lex the other day. God! If I'd known he'd hurt me like this...I'd have gone after you when I had the chance." Another sniffle, head hanging.

 

Whitney squeezed Clark's arm at first, but then when he heard what Clark said... "Clark... I told you, it was okay about you and Lex, but... I love Chloe.  You... you are wonderful and... yeah, I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about it, but... I love Chloe, Clark... and I know you love Lex.  I've seen you two together."

 

"Have you thought about kissing me, Whit?" Softly, watching him, big green eyes and gorgeous lips in a little trembly line.

 

"Yeah, Clark.  I have.  Back... back during the whole scarecrow thing.  I thought... a lot of things I shouldn't have thought."  He couldn't pull his hand away from Clark's arm, though he knew he should.  "But not any longer."

 

He leaned in closer. "What did you think of, Whit?" Voice soft, quiet. "What did you think about?"

 

Whitney shook his head.  "We need to get you in the shower, Clark.  Get you warmed up and cleaned up, and see if we can't fix this thing with you and Lex."

 

"I want to know...Whitney, please." Pleading eyes, the puppy face, the pouty lip, looking heartbroken as he gently touched Whitney's arm.

 

 

~*~*~ 

 

Lex nodded, and slipped his sunglasses on as he headed out.  No matter that it was night; the glare of the headlights was blinding him.  "Where are we going first?"

 

"No need to alarm his parents yet...lets start with the friends. Chloe...Pete."

 

Lex nodded.  "Chloe... she knows he's allergic to the rocks; I told her that today when she called.  She gave him the rock and started this; maybe he went to see her."  He rubbed his temples. 

 

"Good lord." He sighed, opening the car door and sliding inside, all business as he frowned at Lex's body as he slid in. "When this is all good and done, I want you seen be a proper physician, do I make myself clear?"

 

Lex winced as he settled into the seat.  "No need, Dominic.  I'll be fine in a day or two, you know that."

 

"He fucked you but good." Another deeper glare. "And I don't care if you'll be fine or not, I'm not going to sit around and watch you be in pain, because then it pains your father and I won't have him getting upset because you're hurt and stubborn." Then he took out...The Pout. And sicced it on him but good.

 

Lex nearly crumbled at the pout, but for an entirely different reason.  "Don't... do that.  Not... not now."  Too much like Clark's puppy pout and it was almost painful.  "Just... don't."

 

"I'm sorry." He frowned because everything he said seemed to be taken wrong by the lad, so he sighed and didn't say anything else.

 

Lex kept his foot on the gas pedal.  "It's not that, Dominic.  Just... Clark pouts."  That was all he could say.

 

"Well, anyway, first we check on Chloe. Then Pete...this Whitney girl. Clarks parents, the Talon, The Beanery. Lana’s grave. Anything else you can think of?"

Lex gave a short bark of laughter. "Whitney isn't a girl, he is a he.  He is the quarterback of the high school football team and is sleeping with Chloe Sullivan; they were making out in my office the other day."

 

"Whitney's a boy? I'll be damned, who names their son Whitney?" He rolled his eyes. "Never mind. We'll check on him as well."

 

"Whitney is a boy," Lex confirmed.  His phone rang again, and he handed it off to Dominic as he drove towards Chloe's house.

 

"Luthor, Senatori speaking." He held the phone to his ear, brow raised, listening intently as the Kansas grasslands skimmed by the window.

 

"Who the hell are you, and where is Lex?"  Hamilton's voice boomed over the phone.  "Tell him I'm here, at what's left of his plant."

 

"Ah." He offered the phone, under his breath, "Rude goon..." And louder. "Hamilton. He's at the plant."

 

"I don't pay him for his manners," Lex replied, just as quietly under his breath.  "Doctor, you're in Smallville?  Stay there; we're about ten minutes away and we'll be there in five."  He looked over at Dominic.  "Buckle your seat belt... and don't be a pussy," he said, with the barest grin he could muster.  "I'm on the way."  He hung up the phone, and tossed it into the back seat.

 

"Damn." He made sure his seat belt was secure, grabbing onto the hand rest as the car purred loudly and shot off like a bullet. "Damnit, Lex! You're going to give me a--Watch out for the cow! The cow there...YOU ALMOST HIT THAT COW!" He bellowed as they made another turn.

 

"Suck it in, Dominic; we haven't even hit triple digits yet."  Lex slammed the pedal down as he shifted into top gear, and the car bulleted, the RPM's redlining as he hit nearly 120 on the country road.

 

"It can't get anymore sucked in. It's as sucked as it'll go--Lex, dammit!" He closed his eyes, tilted his head up. "Dear father, art in heaven, hallow be thy name.."

 

"Pussy," Lex said again, sunglasses resting casually on his face as he shifted down a gear for the curve, barely hanging onto the asphalt as he made the turn into the long road that turned into the plant access road.

 

"Christ, Jesus. I think I saw the light." His face was drained of blood, his eyes huge, staring at his young friend in both terror and delight. "Your father drives just like this. Why do you think we have so many drivers employed in Metropolis?"

Lex spun the car to a halt and got out, ignoring Dominic's commentary about his driving.  Then he stuck his head back in the window.  "I drive just fine."  Sunglasses back on his face, and he strode up to the platform.  "What do you have for me, Doc?"

 

Hamilton shoved a vial into Lex's hands, shouting to be heard over the blades.  "This is what you wanted!  You get whoever's infected within about a foot of this, and open the stopper!  It won't hurt you, but as soon as he inhales it, theoretically it'll counteract whatever particles of the meteorite are in the system.  It'll neutralize it."

 

~*~*~

 

Whitney took a deep breath.  "I... shouldn't tell you this, Clark.  But... I thought about touching you.  Jerking you off, seeing what you tasted like and sucking your cock.  That's why... that's why I made them leave me alone with you, because I wanted to see you."

 

His throat worked softly, his fingers trailing down to gently caress the smooth wrist. "Yeah? Wanted to see...me? I'm desirable?"

 

Whitney tried to pull away.  "Yeah... you are."

 

And very suddenly he pressed his mouth to Whitney's and kissed. Hard, sweet, passionate...vengeful, in a way. He cupped the back of the slim neck and kissed as hard as he could, taking and taking and giving...giving what was only Lex's, leaving their kiss just pure animal pleasure.

 

Caught by surprise, Whitney returned the kiss before he struggled, trying to pull away from Clark, but the other boy's strength held him there.

 

Which of course totally aroused him, grunting and biting at the lower lip, streaking his fingers through the long blond hair and holding him close, passionate and fueled with need.

 

Whitney whimpered, putting his hands on Clark's chest and trying to push away, his palms burning against the cold nubs of his friend's nipples as he tried to pull away.  "Clark," he said, mumbling into the kiss.  "Let me go... Chloe... I love her."

 

"Love Lex…want you." A moan, rubbing his chest into the palms and sighing into the lips, fingers dropping down into Whitney's lap. "Want to touch...want to taste." He leaned in and lapped at the slick neck...it tasted distinctly like soap and sweat and Old Spice, and not like Lex. He didn't like it, so he moved back up and caught the lips again.

 

Whitney purred for a moment, still pushing against Clark's chest.  "Clark... stop... I don't want to lose Chloe... I won't do this with you."

 

His fingers clutched at the filling cock in the confines of jeans and he stroked softly but firmly, in that way only guys had, knowing how to pleasure because he pleasured himself. "Want you...want you...won't lose Chloe...won't say anything....so big...Whitney..."

 

Whitney moaned softly.  "You don't... know Chloe... can't lie to her... love her, Clark.  Stop... please."  His hands braced on Clark's shoulders as he pushed into the stroking of his friend's hands.  "Don't..."

 

"Want to...let me touch.." He unzipped him carefully, making sure not to catch his skin, moaning softly at how large his friend was. "Yes....must feel so...so good inside...God.." He licked a stripe from his palm and slowly started to stroke bare skin, shuddering as he moved. "So big...so hard...God.."

 

 

~*~*~

 

 

Excuse me very much, but Dominic got out and stood beside the drivers side door, watching them incase they needed anything, taking his sling off again and tossing it with the phone in the backseat, waiting for Lex to get back and yes, getting behind the wheel.

 

Lex took the vial from Hamilton.  "I want you to make more of this, and have it sent to the mansion!  I need it on hand, and a lot of it!  Can you make it in the lab here?"

 

"My notes are back in Metropolis, Lex!  You didn't tell me you were going to make me work for it!"

 

"Chopper back, and be here in the morning!  I want you in the lab here formulating this."  He stuck the vial in his pocket, and ran back down the steps.  "Out, Dominic... I'm driving."

 

"You wish. Get in the car, cricket." He revved the engine, not bothering to argue again, taking the car out of park. "What did he say? He's got the antidote?"

 

"You don't know where we're going, but I don't have time to argue."  Lex slid into the car on the passenger side.  "Yes, it's the antidote.  It's untested, there's no way of knowing what it will do to Clark since his biology is different from ours, it could just as well kill him, but yes... we've got the antidote."

 

He pulled the car out, driving much smoother and just as quickly, though they didn't take each bump and it almost felt like riding water. "We'll try...its about all we can do at the moment. If it doesn't work, well, then we have an emotional, hormonal mess on our hands for however long it lasts. Didn't you say it happened before? How long was it until it stopped?"

 

"A few hours; not long.  Six, maybe ten hours."  Lex rubbed his temples.  "It's gone way past that."

 

"Alright. Ten hours. How long was he exposed to the rock this time around, do you know? That might be a factor in this."

 

"The first time?  Less than a minute.  This time?  A half hour or so; Chloe gave it to him, then she called me, and he showed up at the estate almost as soon as she was on the phone with me, and he wouldn't surrender it for nearly... Christ.  An hour, all told."

 

"There you have it. He should be like this...ah, lets see..." He took the same curve Lex had, only much nicer and smoother and didn't the car respond to him like a dream? He even waved at the nice cow they'd managed not to hit the first time by a millisecond. "About 48 hours, give or take."

Lex held up the vial that Hamilton had given him.  "Let's just hope this works... because I don't know if he can survive 48 hours with the green rock."

 

"Yes, that green rocks a bitch, I noticed." He frowned deeply, stopping at a red light. "Where to?"

 

"Left, and fuck waiting for the light to turn; we don't have time to wait."  Lex reached his leg over and stomped on the gas pedal.

"Excuse me, could you PLEASE remove your leg from the vicinity of my crotch? I haven't much left after your little speed racer game," he said, controlling the car as best he could. "And I'd appreciate to have something left over!"

 

"Fucking drive, Dominic."  Lex moved his foot. 

 

"I am driving. I'm just not doing what you do, that insipid Fast and the Furious bull that's going to get you killed and I swear I will have told you a hundred times to slow down!" He growled, peeling out.

 

"My Fast and Furious bullshit would have had us there five minutes ago," Lex pointed out, grinding his teeth as he gripped the vial tightly.  "Turn right at the next stop sign, and Chloe's house is the eighth one down on the left."

"Probably in five different pieces!" A growl, and he drove higher then the speed limit but not over 40, stopping in front of the house and glaring at him. "Brat."

 

 

~*~*~

 

 

Whitney moaned again, thrusting into Clark's hand as he stroked.  "Please, Clark... stop... don't do this... I know... fuck... you're upset with Lex... please... harder... don’t use me... to get back at him... it'll... hurt Chloe."  He whimpered as he thrust up into his friend's stroking hand.  "Shit... Clark."

 

"Won't hurt her...not using you, y....God, look at you, you're so..." He leaned down and took a taste, licking at the head, then sucking it softly, licking his lips as he stroked his fingers around him and kissed up the covered belly. "Big...very...very big..." Trailed his mouth up the narrow chest, and took a taste of his nipples through his shirt. "Good...taste good."

 

Whitney slid his fingers into Clark's hair, tried to tug him away, ended up holding his head as he thrust into it, whimpering as Clark moved up his body.  "Clark... I love Chloe," he whispered.  "You... you do this... she will hate me... I can't live with that, please... I need... you to stop."

 

His fingers sped up...his lips rubbed against the covered nipples...then onto the nipples themselves when he moved his shirt up. His crotch was throbbing, really, really hard, fully intent on what he was doing, groaning quietly he rubbed his thumb over the head of Whitney's cock.

 

Whitney whimpered again, closing his eyes and pushing up against Clark's body as it moved over him.  "Clark... don't..." his voice was hoarse with his pleas to stop, and Clark wasn't listening to him anyway.  At the impassioned groan, Whitney couldn't help himself as he took another kiss from Clark, quieting the needy noises.

 

He kissed back, shocked and feeling so guilty and delicious, lapping at the warm, inviting tongue with desire. His thick fingers moved quicker, the free hand moving down to cup warm balls in his fingers, letting go of the pliant mouth to bite at a nipple, rubbing it with his teeth and licking softly. "Feel so good...Whitney...so hard for you...feels so good..."

 

"Clark... stop... this... no, can't happen.  Please, don't do this."  He tried to move away, but the teeth that gently teased his nipple sent fire dancing through him.  "Chloe... Chloe... Clark, stop, Chloe, can't do this to her, stop!"

 

"Don't wanna." A mutter into hard skin, as the cock in his fingers jerked. "Want you to come...want you to..." He leaned down and caught the cock in his mouth again, sucking it down his throat like he'd learned from Lex--Lex, bastard, didn't want to be his mate!--and sucked hard, working his tongue, powerful tongue, around him.

   

Whitney clenched his hands into fists in Clark's hair, yanking as hard as he could, trying not to thrust into the hot throat but oh, God, it felt so good and he was going to lose Chloe but he couldn't stop his body from pushing into Clark's throat, fucking his mouth and then coming with a muffled shout, choking down the anguished cry.

 

He sucked it all down, every single last drop, working his throat around the trembling organ as it slipped away...self satisfied smile on his face as Whitney trembled. He licked the cock head, groaning softly, and kissed the underside of Whitney's jaw, nibbling softly. "Ashimel."

 

"Ashimel?" Whitney repeated softly, tears, anger and guilt clogging his throat.  "What's that, Clark?"

 

"Best friend." Another murmur, kissing softer, gently, around the corners of his lips...his jaw, licking at the light stubble and sighing in pleasure even as his crotch throbbed.

 

Clark... why?"  Whitney's hands pulled his shirt down, trying desperately to make himself presentable again.  "Why me?  You knew... you knew about me and Chloe, why me?"

 

"Because you are very beautiful." Another murmur, softly. "Because you are kind to me. You accept me even when I am different then everyone else." He swallowed, reaching down between his thighs to squeeze himself...give himself a reprieve from the pressure, his eyes never leaving Whitney's. "You make me hot."

 

Whitney shook his head and wrapped his arms around Clark's shoulders.  "What the hell am I going to do with you, Clark?" he asked softly.  "I'm just a guy.  That's it.  We're friends, you gave me a chance even after I hung you up, and... now... what the hell am I going to do with you?"  He hugged Clark tighter, rocking them both.  "You're complicating my life, Clark, but I'm glad you came to me."  He rubbed Clark's back soothingly, trying to talk himself into believing what he was saying to Clark.  "Come on, Clark... let me call Lex for you.  You need him, man."

 

He hugged back, laying his head on Whitney's chest and alright, so...here came the tears. "I just...I want someone to...Lex...I love him so much, I love him and…he didn't want me, he forsaked me, he didn't even...we're mates, he...I claimed h-him, he's mine, and...and he hurt me, and there was nothing I could..."

 

Whitney held Clark against him.  "Lex does love you, Clark... he has to.  I've seen you guys together, and it's like me and Chloe, only like... way more.  You guys... you're so tuned into each other it's not funny."  He raised his head as he heard a car, but figured it was Chloe and didn't say anything.  "How did he hurt you, Clark?  Let me get him over here, and I'll make sure he doesn't hurt you again while you guys talk, okay?  I just... he makes you happy, Clark."

   

"I'm not a brat, Dominic... I'm worried about Clark."  Lex glared as he got out of the car and ran up the sidewalk, pounding on the door.  "Chloe?  It's Lex, I need to talk to you.  It's an emergency; it's about Clark."

 

"Incurable brat." A mutter, standing behind him and waiting for them to open the door.

His head shot up, he wiped the tears from his face and climbed off of Whitney, sitting at the edge of the couch and looking down at his lap.

   

"Just a minute, Lex!"  Whitney looked down at Clark, using the corner of his shirt to dry Clark's face off.  He opened the door.  "Lex."

 

"Whitney?  What... what are you doing here?  Is Chloe here?"

 

"No, she's not.  Lex... what did you do to Clark?  He came over here earlier upset, nearly crying because you hurt him."

 

"Oh, thank god he's here." A sigh and quietly to himself, shaking his head in a bit of relief.

 

Clark listened from his seat on the couch...a strange feeling washing over him, the same one he'd grown accustomed to in the previous days, rubbing the back of his neck as he listened to Lex speak in that quiet baritone that usually made his insides melt...now it just made him sad. So sad.

 

"Don't know who you are, Mister, but I didn't say he was here.  He's gone.  Ran off a little while ago."

 

Lex shook his head.  "It's a very long story, Whitney, and I sincerely doubt that you'd believe me if I told you.  But Clark... Clark's ill.  We need to find him right away... I did hurt him, but it was trying to make him better, and it didn't work."  Abbreviated truth, but it was the best he could do.  "Was... was he all right?  I... he ran out of the castle earlier, and I haven't seen him since.  Whitney, please... was he all right?  Was he himself?  I... I have to know."  His voice was tight with feelings he wouldn't show in front of this boy.  "Where did he go?"

 

"What do you think, Lex?  No, he wasn't all right!  He was almost in tears, freaking out because he said you didn't love him, that you'd rejected him, hurt him, and you think he's going to be okay?"

 

Lex physically flinched with each word Whitney threw at him.  "I do love him, Whitney.  Please... where did he go?  I have to find him.  I can't... I can't go on without him.  Please, Whitney."

 

"Lex." He was there, behind Whitney, his eyes hard and his mouth in a tight line. "I'm here." He looked at Whitney, nodded, and touched his shoulder lightly. "Thank you, Ashimel." He turned to glare at Lex. "You leave here. I have nothing left to say to you."

 

Dominic swallowed and watched, staying a few feet behind, fingers clenched in his coat as snow started to fall quietly from the night sky.

 

"You're welcome."  Whitney moved to the side, letting Clark see Lex but not moving from the doorway.

 

"I have a lot of things to say to you, Clark, none which you'll believe."  The vial was in his hand, and he slowly brought his hand out of his pocket as he slid the leather duster off.  "Here, Clark... I want you to take this, because... I can't take it any longer.  I can't remember what we were on that beach if you're not going to be my sa'lumkana."  He unstoppered the vial under the coat, and then dropped it, watching the dust in the vial scatter heavy in the air between them as they all inhaled it.

 

Whitney inhaled the dust, and moments later he felt a tingle in his arm, then a burning as the tattoo on his skin writhed and twisted, then settled to a muted brown, much as it had been before the inhalation.

 

Clark gasped, stepping three or four steps back, trying to breath...coughing hard a moment later before that strange, strange feeling...left. It was almost like the world was coming back into focus. Everything had been so fuzzy and strange, and suddenly...here he was. Staring at his lover, Dominic, and the guy he'd just sucked off. He blinked, flushing a bright red, mouth dropping a little before snapping shut. He swallowed, very hard, trying to stutter out words and only doing that...stuttering. There were no words...none. Except..."I love you, Lex."

 

Lex felt the burning of the dust throughout his entire body, felt his legs buckling and he locked them in place, riding out the burn until it was gone and he looked up at Clark... a Clark who's eyes were no longer red and who looked... lost.  Then... words.  Lex shattered, and he wrapped his arms around Clark's shoulders.  "I love you, Clark... so much."  Tears poured as he clung to his lover, face hidden in Clark's shoulder.

 

"Clark... you okay, man?"  Whitney put his hand on Clark's other shoulder.  "You going to be okay with Lex?"  A different burning in his chest; gnawing guilt.

 

Clark reached in and just...wound his arms around Lex as tight as he could, holding the slender man to him as he buried his face into Lex's neck, mumbling words of endearment, I love you's over and over and over again, as many times as he could, holding him tightly and nodding at Whitney. "Everything's okay now. Whitney..." The same guilt, wincing at him in sorrow. "I'm so sorry...I..."

 

Whitney put his hand over Clark's mouth.  "Don't say it, man... just... later."  He moved back to sit on the couch, dropping his head into his hands, shaking slightly.

 

Lex clung to Clark, letting his lover's strength support him as he all but collapsed, touching and holding him.  "Do you... will you come home with me?  Please?"

 

"Yes, baby, yes." He grasped him tightly, holding him hard to him and guilt, guilt. "I love you, I love you so much, you are my mate, my lovely, my beloved, I love you."

 

Lex cried all the harder.  "I love you, Clark, so much.  Let's just... go.  Please.  Back home."  He refused to let go of his lover.  "I never wanted to hurt you, baby... I love you."

 

And Dom watched it, in kind of a surprised way. Lex and Clark they just...they fit. When they held each other, it was the perfect fit, body to body...soul to soul. It was endearing, and sweet, and he liked it very, very much. "I'll drive." Then, to the boy on the couch. "Are you alright, Mr. Fordman?"

 

Clark led him out the door, half carrying and half walking, arms tight around his love and their faces close to each other. "You didn't hurt me, Lex, you didn't hurt me...I'm so, so glad you stopped me the way you did. I could have hurt someone...I was so mad."

 

Whitney looked up.  "You really expect me to answer that, Mister?  I am so far from all right it's not funny.  But I'll live."

 

"I... I was so terrified Clark."  Lex opened the door and crawled into the backseat of the car, pulling Clark in behind him and twining over him because of the small space.  "I... I thought I was doing the right thing but I was hurting you... I broke my vow to you, and then... it killed me when you said that you didn't want me any longer.  I died a little inside, Clark, every time.  But I kept doing it, no matter how much it hurt you, I kept doing it because I thought it was right."

 

A crooked little smile at him, shaking his head. "And so the world turns. Good evening, young man."

 

"You did the right thing, Lex, inside me, inside here," He took his lovers palm and set it on his heart. "In here, I was so glad you did what you did. It was just...it wasn't me, in a way. It wasn't. It was every bad part of me coming out. It was terrible."

 

"Bye," Whitney said, dropping his head into his hands again.

 

Lex kissed the skin under his hand, curling tightly around Clark.  "I saw, Clark, I saw what the rock did to you.  I saw it make you sick, saw it suck your strength out, and it killed me, baby, because I knew I was killing you."  He didn't seem to hear what Clark was saying to him.  "I just couldn't let you go, and then when you ran... I had to find you, I couldn't... I couldn't think of anything else.  Dominic... Dominic had to come with me, I couldn't think of anything but you."

 

He gently cradled him in, worried to death over his lover because Lex...Lex never..."Baby, I'm fine. Look. Look at me. Look." He'd never seen Lex like this, ever. "See? Look, I'm okay now! I'm not mad at you...I love you all the more my darling. So its okay, see? Its okay, and things are gonna be fine now...that we're together."

 

Lex wrapped his arms around his lover, holding him tightly.  "I thought I'd killed you, Clark... or driven you away from me forever.  I've never been so terrified before," he confessed softly.

 

He gently stroked the side of his face, cradling his head in his palm as guilt swarmed him. "I hurt you too. I hurt you lover. I bit...I..." He squeezed his eyes shut. "I love you...I love you. I want you to always be mine."

 

"Bites will heal; Dominic cleaned them, I'm fine, they'll heal."  He tightened his grip on his lover.  "I will always be yours, Clark, always, as long as you want me."  He tangled his hands in Clark's hair, pressing their foreheads together, breathing harshly as he pressed himself to his beloved.  "You called me... Aushna' and Reshkuma, but I didn't know what they were."

 

He pulled him in tight, holding him...rocking him back and forth. "You would have never had to deal if I hadn't bitten you...I love you so much." Gently touched the soft skin. "Aushna' has no meaning in English. Its...its beyond earthly love, beyond a bond of mortal man. Its something that so few find...so few ever think they have, and we do. Lex....we do, baby. Reshkuma means... lover."

 

"I think I like Aushna' better," Lex said quietly, hands firmly anchored in Clark's t-shirt.  "You called Whitney something... I'm almost terrified to ask what you called him."  He didn't loosen his grip on Clark's shirt.  "I don't... I don't want to know about anything else."

 

"Best friend." A husky murmur, letting his lips press to Lex's temple...his cheek, his lips. "Best friend, Lex. That's all I called him. That's all."

 

Lex nodded against his beloved's shoulder.  "Best friend."  Even though he wouldn't admit it to himself, he knew what had happened.  Part of him really did want to know if Clark had fucked Whitney or Whitney fucked Clark, but no, he really didn't want to know.  "He is a good friend," Lex said quietly.  "He was trying to protect you from me, because he knew I hurt you."

 

"He wouldn't...wouldn't let me...let me touch him, Lex, not in...not in that way. I...." Cant tell you what happened, because you'll never forgive me. "I love you...only you. I can only...only say I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Lex. I'm sorry."

 

Lex shook his head.  "It's okay, Clark... I just... don't want to know.  Don't be sorry... it wasn't you."  Part of him wondered, though, and he asked before he could stop himself.  "Am I enough for you, Clark?  Or... or do you need something more?  Something different?"  Fucking hell.  Where the hell was Dominic and why weren't they moving?

 

He was shocked into silence, staring at him...and a part of him he didn't want to look at right now was hurt. Deeply so. He swallowed reflexively, shaking his head and squeezing his eyes. "How could you...you even ask that?"

 

Fuck.  Lex looked up at his lover.  "Because, Clark... every time this has happened, you've... you've gone looking for someone else.  The first time it was the woman in Houston, this time it was Whitney.  I don't... it hurts, Clark... but I just need to know.  I know you love me, but am I enough for you?"

 

"Maybe I'm not enough for you." His voice broke and he looked out the window, as Dominic finished talking to Whit, closed the door behind him, and started down the walk. "Y...you deserve so much more. Not...not some farm boy from Smallville."

 

"Clark... I don't want anything more than you, all right?"  He turned Clark's face back towards him, fighting the stiff iron muscles.  "You're more than enough for me, Clark... you're everything that I've ever wanted... you're the only person I can love."

 

"I'll never give you anything. I'll never be your equal. You're 6 years older then me, you're more experienced, you're more mature. You've got a plant, I've got school books. I see the way Enrique looks at me...like he can't believe that we're even...that..." He quieted and lay back, fighting his emotion hard.

 

Lex moved so that he could pull Clark's head against his own shoulder this time, thumb rubbing across a damp cheekbone.  "You give me love, Clark.  Love, friendship, happiness, you make me laugh, you make me feel alive, you touch me in ways nobody else ever has before.  You'll go to school, Clark... you'll mature and grow, I'll grow with you, and you'll be my equal one day soon, because your gifts, your powers, and your strengths are going to make you a force to be reckoned with in this world, and when that day comes... it's going to be me that's not going to have anything for you."

 

"You are everything, everything." He accepted the embrace, burying his face into his lovers neck as Dominic got in the car in the front seat. "Everything."

 

"Alright, well." Dominic said gently, starting the car up again...the engine purring under his hand. "Lets get going. Home?"

 

"Yes, home," Lex nodded, pulling Clark into him and wrapping himself around his beloved.  "Our home, Clark. Oh, and Dominic... please, before we start collecting social security."

 

"Don't you leave him, Samwise Gumgee." Dominic muttered, turning to give his young friend a glare. "You're like an old, bitching woman, Lex. I hope you do understand that."

 

Clark looked up, surprised and a little angry...until he caught the smile at the edges of the older mans lips. Weird. "If it helps, you guys will need social security before me."

 

"It helps," Lex said, grinning softly.  "And Dominic?  You, my friend, are not much better.  As I recall it, I wasn't the one praying in the passenger seat."

 

"Excuse me as I remember the Big Mac I ate for lunch." He snickered, revving the engine and starting out. "You drive like a bat out of hell with the devil on its tail. Who else is gonna pray for us but me? You almost hit that poor cow! It probably shits its bloody pants just thinking of you."

 

He smiled a little too, cuddling up closer and listening to them banter...and everything was okay. It would be okay. Not right away...but it was. Sort of. ....not really.

 

"I drive fine... don't I, Clark?  Clark doesn't complain about my driving at all."  Lex nuzzled his lover.  "Clark trusts my driving skills."  He nuzzled again.  "The cows around here know to get the fuck out of the way."

 

"They don't have a choice." Clark smiled into his skin, rubbing his stubbly cheek along the baby smooth one.

 

"See? Even he agrees with me. Lex, have you ever heard of defensive driving? Learn it. Use it. Don't spend the next forty years paying poor traumatized cow psychotherapist bills."

 

"You need a shave, baby," Lex murmured quietly.  "Though I don't mind the occasional... rug burn."  He rubbed his fingertips over the stubble.  "You want me to shave you when we get home?  If you trust me, that is."  Lex's eyes were still haunted with the knowledge he'd broken his vow to his lover.  "The cows don't need psychotherapy, Dominic.  You're the only one who's complained about my driving."  He looked into the rearview mirror.  "I'm thinking of getting the nitrous tanks on the Porsche and the 'Ghini," he said with a straight face, reminding Dominic of his earlier Fast and the Furious references.

 

"Trust you. Love you." Clark nuzzled his cheek, softly, nibbling at it with soft, tender kisses of his full lips. "'m not a rug...'m a grizzly bear...see? Grrr." He vibrated the quiet mock growl into his neck as he pressed a kiss to it.

 

Dom caught the soft kisses when he looked back at Lex, his eyes crinkling with a smile. "You do it, Lex, and I swear to god I'm moving to Nebraska, where the people are normal. And I'm taking your cars with me."

 

"Grizzly bear... but fur burn sounds much more uncomfortable than rug burn."  Lex slid his fingers through Clark's hair, feeling the strands slipping easily between them.  "You're a very ferocious bear," and he giggled quietly as he felt the growl vibrate against his throat.  "You're my grizzly, Clark... I don't ever want you to change."

 

Lex looked up at Dominic.  "You touch my cars and I'll break your neck."

 

"'m Grizzly. And ferocious! See? Grrr." He growled again, this time into his cheek, then snagged his lips and kissed him so, so softly, tenderly, nibbling at the corners of his lips...tracing the scar with his tongue. "You're my..." He blinked, peered at him. "I'd say pretty fish, but you get mad."

 

Dom made a left turn on a darkened path, driving the uneven road where up further ahead, the castle was illuminated and gorgeous against the back drop of sky. "So borrowing the Aston's out of the question, then?"

 

Lex wrapped his arms around Clark and snuggled into his lover.  "Pretty fish?  I'm not going to get mad, but I want to be something more than a fish."  He grinned.  "I want to be... a lion." A pause. "Borrowing?  Yes.  As long as you return it in the same condition that you got it in, including gas."  Lex's attention was on Clark, but he knew they were getting close to home.

 

He giggled right back. "You're too hairless to be a lion. Well, except girl lions, but you're not girly."

 

"Mmmm." Dominic kept quiet now, just driving up the road, passing the small hill and sighing as there stood home. And a very pissed off Lionel standing at the front door, arms crossed, glare on his face Dominic just knew was there. Oops. "Ahh... Lex, hand me my sling, eh?"

 

Lex reached under himself and Clark, bringing the sling in question out and passing it up to the front seat.  "I've got ten thousand dollars in my pocket if you want to just let us out and keep going," Lex smirked.

 

"Think I can make it to Mexico before daybreak?" He slithered into the sling, just barely keeping the car straight, at one point holding the steering wheel with his knee and oh thank you for it being night!

 

Clark blinked a little. "What's going on?" ...Then suddenly, "You have ten thousand dollars in your pocket?"

 

"I'm sure you can, especially if you drive like me."  Lex dug into his pocket, and pulled out the packet of banded $100 bills.  "After you left, Clark... they brought out my emergency bag, which had a change of clothes, medical supplies, food, and money.  There's a hundred thousand in the bag, and ten thousand of it is in my pants pocket."  He dangled the packet of bills in front of Dominic as he waited for the car to pull to a stop.

 

His mouth dropped. "I've never... seen so much money at one time before. Wow. That's....wow. Lex, you shouldn't carry that around! You could get mugged!"

 

"Sadly enough, I cant leave your father like this...even though my ass is about to be chewed up, and he looks like he's going to fire me, and oh God, theirs Ms. Bird." He looked over his shoulder, teasing horror in his face. "Maybe I should try for Columbia."

 

Lex just looked at his lover, teasing glint in his eye.  "Clark... who on this earth do you think is stupid enough to attempt to mug Lex Luthor?  Attempt to assassinate me, yes.  Mug me?  No."  A snicker as he looked over at Dominic.  "I think you should.  You can take the Porsche and the cash, and have a half hour head start."

 

"Your father's got connections. I'll be toast before I reach the boarder." Heavy sigh and Dominic wheeled around the parking turn around, and...yep. There was his lover. Robe, glare, glass of brandy and all. Gulp.

 

"I'd mug you, just to feel you up." Clark smiled softly, nuzzling Lex's cheek before looking out the window too and blinking a little slowly. "Your dad looks really mad."

 

"My father is actually quite infuriated," Lex said with a great deal of relish.  "See the way his hand's gripping the glass tightly?  Pissed.  Not to mention the fact that he's standing fairly casually.  The more casually he stands, the more infuriated he is."  He stroked Clark's back.  "Come on... you can mug me on the way to the bathroom, because we both need showers."

 

Lionel reclined casually against the door frame, sipping delicately from his brandy glass, and then dropping his eyes down to his watch in a slightly exaggerated gesture.

 

Clark swallowed hard, looking at his lover with wide eyes. "You sure we're gonna be able to get past him? He looks like he'll attack anything within striking distance."

 

A heavy swallow. "No, you both go on up. I'm about to...yes. Well." Dominic shut the car off and got out of the car, pushing the seat up so the boys could get out from the back seat, making sure his sling was snapped and strapped on before plastering on his best smile. "Hello, beloved."

   

 

-fin-

 

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