Games 12: Charades

Orithain and Rina

August 2003

Disclaimer: Would that they belonged to us so that we could watch instead of just writing about it, but they don’t.

"I don’t know, it still feels like I cheated to get the job," Clark sighed, looking down at the campus newspaper’s last two editions: his ‘exclusive’ interview with Superman and Chloe’s with Lex. "I mean, I didn’t even interview anyone; at least you talked to Lex. God, I feel like I don’t deserve this job at all."

He sighed and looked over at Chloe, who was packing up her apartment for her move to Gotham City where she’d snagged at job at the Gotham Examiner while Dave was going for his master’s degree in theater at Gotham U.

"Stop it, Clark!" Chloe smacked him with the newspaper she was using to wrap breakables for good measure. "You did a fantastic job of writing that story, and it’s not like you didn’t include the answers to questions everyone was asking. So what if you were the source of both questions and answers? To my way of thinking, that’s twice the work."

"Ow," he muttered, more from habit than feeling the hit. "And how is it more work when you know the answers ahead of time? It’s not like I had to do any probing to find out what I wanted."

"Because you didn’t get to follow bits of information that the interviewee let slip. You had to plan the entire thing and make sure that you had a story. There were no leads to follow, no surprises, nothing but you... and you still turned in a story that had both Clark Kent’s voice and Superman’s. Just make sure you don’t really develop a split personality," she tried to joke, knowing even as she did that it was falling flat.

Clark gave a half-hearted grin and shrugged. "Sometimes I wonder if I am," he muttered, reaching for a glass and rolling it in newspaper before handing it over.

Lex swallowed hard where he was standing on the other side of the door, hand on the knob. He’d been about to open the door to the small apartment Dave and Chloe had shared for the last three years when he’d heard what they were saying. Apparently Clark was having even more issues with Superman than even Lex had realized if he was doubting his writing abilities now. That was the one thing that had always been purely Clark’s, nothing to do with being an alien.

"Hi, guys," he greeted as he finally opened the door and joined them, exchanging a concerned glance with Chloe before leaning down to brush a kiss on top of Clark’s head.

"I told you, you should have let me pay for movers to do all of this."

"Nah, she likes her slave labor more then movers," Clark said, trying to joke to cover his earlier comments.

"Hey, Dave is her only slave! You’re all mine, Kent." Lex slid down to the floor, managing to make even that look graceful, and leaned into Clark, an arm going around his waist.

"Have I told you how much I enjoyed your article about Superman? I thought you managed a great balance between farm boy and superhero. Even I learned a bit more about you."

"That wasn’t what you said when I was writing it." Clark leaned against Lex’s side for a moment. "It was more like ‘if you shout at that computer one more time, I’m throwing it out the window.’"

Lex grinned. "Well, I stand by that comment. Yelling at inanimate objects is particularly pointless. If you really need to work out your frustrations, you always have me." He mock leered at Clark. "But the rather painful genesis doesn’t negate the results."

"I thought with you around, Kent didn’t get frustrated," Dave panted as he entered the room and collapsed on the couch after carrying a load of boxes down to the van.

"Different frustrations, idiot," Clark shot back, half-heartedly chucking a wad of bubble wrap at the other man.

"Do you really want details?" Lex inquired, one pale eyebrow rising.

Chloe snickered at the expression of horror on Dave’s face.

Dave shot to his feet. "I think I’ll work in the bedroom."

"Must be a hint that break time’s over," Clark murmured, reaching for a stack of CDs and putting them in a box. "God, how did you two get all this stuff?"

Lex twisted around to stare at him in disbelief. "Excuse me? As I recall, you had nearly this much, and that was for one person after only one year in the dorm!"

"No way, besides, who took a fleet of moving vans just to get his shoes from the penthouse to our place?" Clark grinned at the last.

Lex raised his chin and looked down his nose. "Just because you don’t realize that there’s more to life than sneakers and boots doesn’t mean we’re all sartorially challenged."

Glancing over at Chloe and grinning, Clark nodded. "Whatever you say, Imelda. I’m going to go help Dave in the bedroom. Maybe he’ll let me look at Chloe’s lingerie."

"Don’t you dare!" Chloe gasped.

At the same moment, Lex said, "Forget it! I don’t care how much you like the lace, I’m not wearing women’s lingerie!"

"Spoilsport!" Clark called over his shoulder as he headed toward the bedroom. "Oh, Dave..."

Lex laughed and reached for some of the newspaper, starting to wrap a glass. "He’s going to miss you both. You’ll have to come visit us often, and we’ll visit you in Gotham, too. Just try not to terrorize Dick too much. Bruce will never forgive you if Dick flees the city to escape you."

Chloe looked up from her packing, smirking. "Oh, I won’t bother them, once they finally tell me what that big secret they have is. I know they aren’t aliens, so that’s one thing off my list anyway."

"You know, Chloe, not every secret is meant to be ferreted out by you. Sometimes it’s best to leave things alone." Lex had a feeling that no matter what he said, Batman and Robin would soon be letting someone else in on their secret, and he planned to laugh at them when it happened.

"Oh no," she laughed, shaking a finger at Lex. "Just because Clark is above down and dirty investigative journalism, it doesn’t mean I am. I will find it out. It might just take some time - and calling them at inopportune moments."

Lex shook his head. "Just try to remember that some secrets are better kept from the public eye." While he wasn’t concerned about Chloe knowing, he didn’t want to think about what would happen to his friends if Chloe wrote a story exposing their alter egos.

"Hmm, it must be a really good one then," she mused. Seeing the look on Lex’s face, she gave a sigh of frustration. "Have I told one single person about Clark? Have I?"

Lex sighed as well, leaning his back against the hideous puke green sofa that had been all Chloe and Dave could afford when they moved into the apartment. "No. You know I trust you, Chloe. But Bruce... well, he’s a very private person. He makes me look gregarious."

"I’ve noticed that," she deadpanned. "Okay, I won’t bug them too much, plus it’s not like the junior reporter on the totem pole is going to get any good stories anyway. I’ll probably be stuck writing pieces on Mrs. O’Leary’s cat that won first prize at the local show or something."

"I’m sure the cat will be lucky to talk to you," Lex consoled, patting her on the head while making a mental note to call Bruce and suggest that he give Chloe a personal interview. While she might not be assigned a good story, there was no reason why she shouldn’t get the advantage of knowing Bruce Wayne. He wasn’t sure that she realized it, but Bruce considered her a friend and had already let her get to know him better than most people who’d been acquainted with him for years. If he would talk to anyone, it would be Chloe, and that would make her career in Gotham City.

"Talking cats? Is this more Smallville weirdness?" Dave asked as he lugged another box out of the bedroom.

Clark followed behind, easily balancing three large boxes in his arms. "Where are there talking cats? Do you think it’s meteor rock stuff?"

Lex and Chloe both rolled their eyes. "You know you’ve been in Smallville too long when that actually makes sense," Lex sighed. "No, there are no talking cats, no new mutants, and no way either of you is getting out of helping to pack."

"Unless you want to find a nice sofa to sleep on," Chloe added, eyeing her boyfriend balefully.

"Damn, where’s a good emergency when you need it," Clark mock-whispered to Dave, who snickered, holding the box higher to deflect Chloe’s glare.

"A short sofa," Lex said emphatically, arms crossed as he eyed Clark. "We really ought to take a break and leave the muscle-bound, brainless ones to do the manual labor, don’t you think, Chloe?"

"You can’t do that. Someone has to direct us dopes around," Clark grinned, balancing the boxes in one hand to open the door, then shifting them to a more conventional carrying style as he followed Dave out into the hall.

"We can supervise... from a comfy chair with cool drinks in hand." Lex smiled evilly even as he picked up a box and followed the other two out. "Tell me again why I couldn’t hire a mover for you?" he muttered as he jabbed himself in the gut with a corner of the box.

"Because work is good for you," Chloe called out gleefully before going back to wrapping the remaining glasses.

"I delegate!" Lex yelled back as he disappeared down the hall. Shaking his head, he carried the box out to the truck and set it into Clark’s hands to balance properly with the others.

"And to think that only a few short years ago, people trembled in fear of my name."

"If it helps any, people are scared of your dog," Dave offered.

Clark snickered. "Who can blame them?"

"Ha ha," Lex muttered sourly. "A real pair of comedians. I’m going back to help Chloe. And you might want to find out if Dave has a sofa you can sleep on, funny guy."

"He’d share his bed," Clark answered, not missing a beat.

"The hell I will! You snore, Kent!"

"You are not sleeping with Dave and Chloe!" Lex exclaimed at the same instant, whipping around to face him again.

"Chloe might like it," Clark replied, setting the boxes in the moving van and keeping his back to Lex so he wouldn’t see him grinning.

"Exactly my point," Lex growled, grabbing hold of Clark’s arm and pulling him around to face him. "I don’t share."

Clark leaned in and kissed Lex on the nose. "Then don’t tell me I’m sharing a couch with Dave."

"You’re going to be chained to our bed."

"Mmm, I love it when you get kinky on me, Luthor."

Dave gagged and started walking back toward the apartment building. "Work first, then you can get all bondagy. Got it?"

"Ooo, we have Dave’s permission. Be still my heart," Lex snarked, waiting for Clark and catching his hand as they started inside.

"Well, you know we have Chloe’s - she’ll even offer to film us, I’m sure," Clark chuckled.

"Tell her to chain up her own boyfriend if she wants to film that. I’m not sharing the sight of you like that with anyone." Lex pressed closer, their hips and legs brushing as they walked.

Clark grinned and tightened his fingers around Lex’s. "That’s the first time I’ve ever heard you say that."

Lex’s hand tightened possessively. "Are you trying to tell me that I’m growing up?" he chuckled. "I’d rather keep you all to myself than show off what I have."

"Definitely growing up - usually you want me nude and lewd in public."

"Now I just want you nude and lewd in private," Lex retorted, wrinkling his nose at Clark. "Which isn’t to say that I don’t still want to go clubbing occasionally. So long as you do all of your dancing with me."

"Who else am I going to dance with?" Clark asked, holding open the elevator door as they walked inside it. "Well, except for Chloe and Mom and Dave that one time."

One eyebrow rose but Lex didn’t mention the episode with the red kryptonite and Clark’s dance with... he couldn’t even remember the woman’s name. "Let’s just keep it that way," he replied. Three years later and he still got jealous when he remembered Clark wanting someone more than him.

"You got it, Krillin." Clark let go of Lex’s hand and hugged him close. "Like I want anyone else." Kissing Lex, Clark smiled, wondering why the other man even thought he might want anyone else.

"Smart boy. Remind me to reward you for that later." Lex leaned against Clark for the last few steps, content to let his weight be supported. "I won’t even mention a certain primary-colored suit."

"Good, and I won’t mention a certain orange one either."

The elevator door slid open again to reveal Chloe and Dave standing there, their arms full of boxes.

"Going down?" Dave asked, piling his boxes into Lex’s arms as Chloe put hers in Clark’s.

"How did I go from feared corporate shark to downtrodden gofer?" Lex grumbled. "This is all your fault, Clark."

"This is all your fault, Lex," Clark muttered as he flew through the air, racing toward a giant mechanical... thing that was menacing downtown Metropolis. Forget spending a relaxing evening at home, he was spending his battling something that looked like a cybernetic octopus.

Back at the house Lex stood in the back yard, arm still curved around the empty space that had been occupied by Clark only moments before. "What the...?" Sighing, he let his arm fall back to his side and exchanged resigned looks with the dogs. "Looks like we’re on our own for a while, guys."

He headed inside to turn the TV on and see what had drawn Clark away.

Picking himself out of the rut he’d plowed in the street, Clark frowned and flew at the machine again, aiming for a leg to try and disable the thing. Several buildings were already in shambles because of their battle, and he just hoped no one had been hurt.

Watching the battle on the news, Lex winced when Clark slammed into the street... several feet into the street. He relaxed slightly when Clark finally went for a leg and fixed himself a drink. "I told you physics and geometry would be helpful in real life," he muttered, watching as Superman finally knocked it off balance.

Now that the machine was teetering, Clark got closer to the body, tearing the appendage from the body, then digging into the electrical guts to incapacitate it.

Lex suddenly slammed his drink down onto the table hard enough to make the thick glass top tremble and leaned forward to glare at the screen. "I don’t believe it," he growled, eyes fixed on the tiny image of Lois Lane picking her way through the wreckage toward the smoking machine and Clark. Especially Clark.

Relieved that the machine seemed to be decommissioned, Clark stepped back away from the steaming pile of junk he’d turned it into. "Miss Lane," he said, sighing inwardly when the reporter smiled brightly and laid a hand on his arm.

Lex ground his teeth when Lois Lane laid hands on his lover, and he vowed to have Clark fumigated when he got home. "I know you can hear me," he growled. "Get rid of that skanky bitch and get your ass home where it belongs."

Assuring Lois that he was fine, Clark gently disengaged himself from her grasp, wincing when he thought of just how pissed Lex was going to be at her having touched him. Hefting the mechanical carcass onto his shoulder, he took to the air again, carrying it off.

Lex glared at the simpering reporter watching his man, and he vowed to remind Clark exactly who he belonged to as soon as he got home. Arms crossed over his chest, he paced the study, only the dogs watching him as he fumed.

Whipping through a change of clothes, Clark strolled out of the pool house, across the yard, and into the house. "I want to know who the hell keeps making those things," he sighed, going into the kitchen to get a soda. "That’s the third this month."

"Probably Lois Lane so she can have another opportunity to paw you!"

"Lex..." Clark sighed, turning to look at the older man and bending down to pat both the dogs. "You know that isn’t true."

"Do I? I wouldn’t put it past her," Lex growled, taking another swallow of his scotch as he stood in front of the window. "She’s determined to get you, to get Superman, that is."

"Told you we should have redesigned the costume," Clark said, before growing serious as he straightened up. "She might be trying to get me, but she never will," he said, sliding an arm around Lex’s waist.

"Damn right," Lex snapped though he was slowly relaxing into Clark’s embrace. "Someday, years from now, when you finally decide to go public, I want to be right there beside you, smirking at her to let her know why she could never win."

"Smirk all you want, baby," Clark grinned, relieved. "So, does this mean you’re going to go all caveman on me now? Just remember, I want to try to figure out where the hell those machines are coming from once we’re done."

"That’s assuming I leave you two brain cells to rub together," Lex laughed, already delving beneath Clark’s clothes in search of the warm skin he wanted. "You smiled at her. I think you need reminding who you’re supposed to be smiling at."

"Ummm... you?" Clark asked, giving in and zooming them upstairs to the bedroom.

"Exactly. Just keep remembering that." The moment they reached the room, Lex sank to his knees on the thick green carpet, pulling Clark’s jeans down as he went. He paused only long enough to admire the body before him, then took the still soft flesh into his mouth, suckling as Clark filled.

Leaning back against the wall next to the window, Clark groaned and closed his eyes, curving his hands around Lex’s head. "Remember what?" he murmured. "That I love you?"

Lex hummed his agreement, fingers lightly stroking the smooth skin behind Clark’s balls, then gliding along the shallow crevice. He loved touching Clark, exploring him and drawing soft sounds of pleasure out of him.

"Lex..." Clark groaned, arching his hips but then pulling back. "Want to come with you in me," he rasped, drawing the older man to his feet and kissing him hungrily.

Lex had planned to suck Clark dry and then fuck him, but he was nothing if not versatile... and far from foolish enough to say no to a request like that! He kissed Clark back as he rocked against him, their erections gliding easily against one another. He took a step back, drawing Clark with him, intent on reaching the bed.

Managing to strip out of his jeans and t-shirt as he walked and get Lex out of his clothes as well, Clark dropped onto the bed, spreading his legs and reaching for the lube to hand it to Lex.

With a thick coating of the slick gel on his fingers and cock, Lex looked at Clark and simply froze. He stared at Clark, hard, naked and sprawled on their bed, and all he could think of was the punch line of a very old joke. "Acres and acres and it’s all mine," he murmured, licking his lips as he lowered himself to hands and knees straddling Clark.

Knowing better than to ask Lex what the hell he was talking about and in all reality not really caring, Clark simply reached up and pulled Lex in for another kiss, devouring the other man’s mouth hungrily.

Yielding to the tug, Lex collapsed on top of Clark, both men moaning at the contact. "Never going to let you go," Lex rasped, biting at Clark’s throat as he rose to his knees again long enough to position himself and push inside.

"Never want you to," Clark whispered, pulling his knees back closer to his chest to take Lex deeper inside himself.

Panting as he slowly possessed Clark, Lex allowed his blue eyes to speak for him, showing everything he felt as he stared into Clark’s gaze, pleasure shivering through him. With one hand supporting him to allow him to thrust harder, the other moved over Clark’s body, scratching and tweaking sensitive spots.

Shuddering as he was claimed, Clark arched up, lifting his head so that he could kiss Lex, claiming the other man’s mouth just as he himself was being claimed by Lex’s possessive lovemaking.

Lex gentled his movements, rocking languidly into Clark and reveling in the sensations. "Want to stay like this forever," he murmured between sucking kisses, fingers lacing through Clark’s.

"Think I’m going to complain?" Clark breathed, biting down lightly on Lex’s lower lip and tightening his body around Lex’s cock.

"You will when I don’t let you come," Lex teased, arching his back a bit more so his belly rubbed against Clark’s erection.

Clark froze and opened his eyes wider to gaze up at Lex. "Are you planning on doing that?"

Lex had to laugh at expression of sheer dismay. "Not this time, Clarkbar," he chuckled. "I want to feel you come. We can play with the cockring later."

His sigh of relief aborted as Lex finished his comment, Clark groaned. "Would it be too much to wish that another mechanical thing comes to town before that happened?" he gasped, tightening his fingers around Lex’s and grinding up into the other man’s weight.

Lex tsked, grinning wickedly. "Definitely. I love making you squirm and beg. If the bad guys only knew the real way to bring Superman to his knees..." he snickered.

Clark snorted, though it came out more like a moan. "Like I’d want to be on my knees in front of any of them."

"Glad to hear it. I don’t share well." Unable to hold back, Lex started to move a little faster, groaning at the added sensation. "Besides, they’d never get you out of the suit."

Deciding that coming was a much better idea then talking at this point in time, Clark kissed Lex deeply, surging up underneath him and flipping them both over to sit astride Lex, groaning as the move drove Lex’s shaft even deeper into him.

The sudden move made Lex cry out and his fingers tighten on Clark’s. He lay beneath his lover, hands interlaced, gazes fixed on one another, and he thrust upward, driving into Clark, needing to come, to make Clark come.

"God, Lex, fuck..." Clark rasped, leaning in to rub his cock against Lex’s stomach, then groaning and stiffening as his orgasm shot through him, making him convulse around the other man’s erection as it rubbed against his prostate.

Lex’s eyes opened wide when Clark suddenly clenched down on him, and he cried out as well, teetering on the brink of his own climax. He rode out Clark’s, gasping and moaning with every ripple and spasm, then flipped them over again to power into Clark a few more times before his own orgasm overcame him. He cried Clark’s name, stiffening and arching above him, then slumped atop the sticky, sweaty body, totally sated and content.

Loosening his fingers from Lex’s, Clark wrapped his arms around his lover’s body and closed his eyes, not caring if he moved again that evening. "So I take it I’m forgiven for smiling at you-know-who?" he murmured.

"I suppose. But you’d better superspeed it back to our bed whenever you do so I can remind you again who you’re supposed to be smiling at!"

Lex tried to grumble, but he was too satisfied... and grumbles lost their effect when you were nuzzling the other person.

Clark chuckled quietly. "Don’t I always? And would it help if I said I was thinking of you when I smiled?"

Lex made a noise suspiciously like a purr. "You know it does. I am so owned," he sighed, but he was smiling as he did. "Have I ever told you how grateful I am that you somehow ended up here, with me? I can’t imagine my life with you on another planet."

"Me either." Clark shifted a bit and reached for the sheet, drawing it up and over them both. "I don’t want to think of what my life would be without you."

"Glad we won’t ever have to find out." Lex squirmed a bit until he was comfortable, sprawled in his favorite position atop Clark, his temple resting on the leather collar around Clark’s neck.

"Ditto, ‘cause it would really suck."

"Okay, is my tie straight?" For the millionth time, Clark looked in the mirror in the master bath, adjusting his shirt collar and raking his fingers through his hair. This was stupid. Considering everything he’d done, what was starting a new job? But, no matter what, it was important, and he was nervous. Sick to your stomach nervous.

Rolling his eyes, Lex repeated for seemed the thousandth time, "Your tie is fine, Clark. With your glasses you look totally different from Superman. Your socks match your suit fine. Your wallet is in your pocket, and so is your cell phone."

Hearing the amused exasperation in Lex’s voice, Clark sighed. "I’m being an idiot, aren’t I?"

"Well... yes. But you’re my cute idiot."

"Thanks for the support," Clark said dryly.

"I’m always here for you," Lex replied grandly, a grin breaking free. "Think you’re going to be able to meet me for lunch? I can make the time whenever you’re free."

"Not sure," Clark answered, trying not to smile in response to Lex’s grin. "It depends on what they have me doing today, I guess. Don’t want to make the boss mad by telling him I have to go meet my boyfriend for lunch on my first day, you know?"

"You should have let me buy the damn paper," Lex grumbled, but he wasn’t serious, and Clark knew it. "Anyway, call me if you can and I’ll meet you. Otherwise I’ll see you tonight. Don’t get so distracted that you forget your way home."

"I’ll call you either way," Clark promised, ignoring the distracted comment. "And I’ll either see you at lunch or tonight." He leaned in and kissed Lex. "Love you, Krillin."

"Love you too... Goku," Lex sighed. He’d been reduced to cartoon nicknames. And after this many years, he had to admit, if only to himself, that they weren’t going away and he’d even grown somewhat fond of them.

"Call me if you win the Pulitzer today."

"If?" Clark chuckled, hugging Lex close then letting go before he wasn’t able to. "That’s when, bud."

Giving the dogs a goodbye pat, he ducked out the door to the garage, climbing into the black BMW sedan he now drove. It had been hard, but he’d realized that his truck wasn’t suited for daily driving in the city, so Baby was retired to the castle in Smallville on the promise that they’d use her whenever they visited.

Traffic was light as he’d left quite a bit early for his first day, and Clark found a parking space with relative ease. Hoping that nothing would need Superman’s attention today as he didn’t want to try to explain that absence his first day on the job, he climbed out of the car, locked it, and walked toward the Planet’s headquarters.

Realizing that he still had half an hour to kill before he was due to meet with Perry White, Clark bought himself a coffee and the morning’s edition of the paper, settling himself on a chair in the coffee shop and trying to concentrate on the news, which happened to include another of Lois Lane’s stories about Superman and his latest battle against the mechanical monsters that still were showing up with alarming frequency in Metropolis.

Thus distracted, the half hour passed quickly for Clark, and it was almost with a sense of relief that he threw his cup away, put the paper in the recycling bin, and headed for the security desk to have them call upstairs.

Within moments a freckled redhead, who couldn’t possibly be as young as he appeared, bounced out of the elevator with Clark’s brand new press pass. "Hey, he’s okay, Tom," he said to the security guard, who was well used to Jimmy Olson’s energetic approach to life. "Meet our newest reporter, Clark Kent. CK, meet Tom." Not giving the men time to do more than nod, he drew Clark into the elevator, talking a mile a minute.

"Everyone’s dying to meet you since Perry teamed you up with Lois. He’s never done that before, so you really must have impressed him. Lois though, well, good luck, CK. She’s not happy about having a partner. But she’ll come around if you pull your weight... though she scares the heck out of me most times.

"Are you really dating Lex Luthor? Wow, that’s wild, a reporter and Metropolis’ most famous inhabitant. You gonna do an exclusive on him?

"Oh, by the way, I’m Jimmy Olson," he finally introduced himself before pausing for breath.

It took Clark a few seconds to recover from that onslaught of information, but when he did, two things stuck in his mind - that Jimmy knew a hell of a lot about him and that, even worse, he was going to be partnered with the woman who had a severe fixation on Superman. God, Lex was going to kill her - or maybe him.

"Good to meet you, Jimmy," Clark said. "And I don’t know about the exclusive.... Lois Lane? I’m being partnered with Lois Lane?" Clark wondered if the earth could just open up and swallow him now.

"Yup. You should have heard what she had to say about being partnered at all, never mind with a ‘small town hick who wouldn’t know a Pulitzer from a cow patty’," Jimmy snickered. "Actually, I’m surprised you didn’t. I thought they could hear her in Gotham City."

"Great," Clark practically moaned, wondering if life as Lex Luthor’s boy-toy really was that terrible a thing to consider. "Well, I suppose Mr. White had his reasons, hopefully ones he’ll share with us both."

"Kent! What are you waiting for? Get in here!" Perry White himself yelled down from the door to his office, cigar clamped between his teeth. "Lane, get off the damn phone and get your fat ass up here!"

Lois whirled around so fast she almost gave herself whiplash and glared up at her editor. "I’ll have you know I’m the perfect weight for my height," she snarled, though she did peer over her designer-clad shoulder as she stood up.

"Don’t get used to this, Smallville," she snapped as she went up the stairs, Clark trailing behind her. "I work alone."

Clark shot an almost desperate look toward Jimmy, who was backing away, hands in the air, an apologetic expression on his face. I bet Chloe’s first day went better than this, he sighed to himself, following Lois into the editor’s office, closing the door behind them and waiting politely until she took a seat.

"They didn’t teach you what chairs are for in Hicksville?" Lois asked snidely as she crossed one silk-clad leg over the other and leaned back to glare at Perry.

"Play nice, Lane. Kent’s your partner and that’s it." When Lois opened her mouth to argue, he glared at her. "Did you not see the sign on my door that says ‘editor’?

"Now go interview Councilman Larkin. Something’s going on at the city waterworks, and I expect you two to find out what." He looked down at his desk then raised his eyes to glare at them. "Why are you still here?!"

Lois sighed and stood up. "Come on, Smallville. Looks like I’m stuck with you for now."

Deciding he’d better take a stand now or she was going to run rampant over him, Clark waited until they were outside the office to have his say. "It’s Clark or Kent, not Smallville. You don’t like partners, that’s not my problem. I’m going to do the best job I can with or without your assistance. You want to complain, go complain. I’m going to that interview."

Lois stared after him as he headed to the elevator without waiting to see if she was following. "Well, well, maybe this won’t be so bad after all," she murmured. "I should let you go alone if only to try to explain to Perry why you didn’t work with your new partner, but let’s see how this goes. Dazzle me, Smallville."

Turning when he heard Lois come up beside him, Clark offered a smile. "So, am I driving or are you?"

"I will. I’m not about to be seen in some pickup truck," Lois sniffed. "My clothes would get wrinkled."

Clark couldn’t help but snicker at that remark. When Lois regarded him curiously, he shrugged. "You sound like Lex." There was no point in explaining anything more as he was sure his home life was common knowledge - a fact Jimmy Olson had already demonstrated.

Lois regarded him, eyebrows raised. "So you really are involved with Lex Luthor. Yet you’re working for a living?" She ignored his question about the story for the moment, intent on chasing this one.

"I don’t sponge off people," Clark said flatly, making sure she understood he was speaking about their situation too.

"Good for you."

Clark was annoyed by her tone but changed the subject before he gave her what for. "So we’re trying to find out what’s going on with the waterworks. Is this in regard to the lowering water tables or possible contamination?"

"There’s a rumor that the city’s water is being contaminated by uncontrolled wastewater from a plant," she continued, switching gears without pause. "And did you know that Vincit, the corporation that bought several old plants a couple of years ago, is actually owned by Lionel Luthor?"

"That would explain quite a bit," Clark murmured. "But I won’t make snap judgments. Do we have any way of testing the water those plants are pumping out? If they are the source, someone’s got to be paying off the DES and the city inspectors."

"You know if Luthorcorp’s behind it, or Lexcorp if you prefer, I’m not going to sweep it under the rug because of your boyfriend."

As the elevator doors opened to let them out in the parking garage, Clark looked at Lois levelly. "I wouldn’t want you to."

"Glad we’re clear on that. I don’t actually think it’s junior. Senior is the more criminally inclined of that family tree, but I’ll follow the story wherever it leads." Lois pushed the lock release on her beloved BMW and slid behind the wheel with a sigh of pleasure.

Thinking that Lois and Lex were alike in so many ways it was spooky, Clark settled in the passenger’s seat, his long legs crowded under the dashboard. "Lionel’s trouble," he said, trying to find the lever to move the seat back.

Afraid that Clark’s knees would damage the dashboard, Lois told him where to find the control, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he pushed the seat back. "I think everyone’s aware that Luthor senior is somewhat lacking in the milk of human kindness," she replied dryly. "But I suppose you’re going to tell me that Lex is a perfect angel."

Clark sighed, determined that this wasn’t going to turn into a dirt session on Lex Luthor. "He has his faults like everyone does, but compared to Lionel, he is an angel. Now, what exactly are we looking for from Larkin? Hints that he’s complicit in this?"

Lois smiled slightly as she replied, "That or that he knows more than he’s telling. Something’s off about him, but it be simply that he knows something and is afraid to speak up rather than being involved himself."

"So are we going to hit him from both sides or play nice reporter, mean reporter?"

"You mean you can do something other than nice?" Lois asked dryly, glancing at him. "No offense, Smallville, but you ooze niceness."

"Clark or Kent, not Smallville," Clark reminded her. "And I was planning on you being the mean one. He’ll probably be spilling his guts before you get two words out."

"And I meant that we don’t really have any other options since you couldn’t be anything but the good cop. But I’ll enjoy scaring him into telling us what he knows."

"And I’ll pick up the pieces and get him coherent again."

Lois didn’t reply, though she was starting to think that maybe Perry wasn’t suffering from the early onset of senility after all. She and Kent might make a damned good team after all. "Keep an eye out for a parking spot," she ordered as she pulled into the underground lot of the building where the city councilmen had their offices.

"Yes ma’am," Clark answered, grinning widely when she flashed him a murderous look.

"Ten more minutes and we would have had it all," Clark growled as they rode the elevator down from the Councilman’s office. "Ten to one that was Lionel on the phone to him and that’s why he grew some balls again."

"Sucker bet," Lois growled right back. "We need to find out more about our good friend Councilman Larkin. If he’s as dirty as he seems, there has to be a paper trail somewhere."

Clark grinned. "Time to buzz the internet?"

"You got it... Smallville." Lois grinned at him. "And you can spring for the Chinese."

"Hey!" Clark laughed. "You’re the one making the big bucks here!"

"Yeah, right, on a reporter’s salary?" Lois snorted. "You’re the one shacked up with Daddy Warbucks."

"If that’s a joke about lack of hair, I’m going to have to fry your hard drive," Clark laughed. He had to admit, the past few hours he’d spent with Lois had given him an appreciation for her skills, and since he wasn’t fending off her advances as he did while in costume, he found that he liked her. "I pay my own way, Lane - only problem is, I don’t get paid for two weeks."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, I wouldn’t want you to weep into your lo mein. I’ll get lunch this time. But don’t think I’m going to carry you. Once you get paid, you’re buying!" She pulled up outside her favorite Chinese takeout and hopped out. "Coming? If not, I’m picking!"

"Is that supposed to scare me?" Clark called, climbing out of the car and hurrying to catch up to his partner. "I live with a guy who doesn’t know the words sweet and sour. Order anything, Lois, it won’t scare me."

"Sweet and sour!" Lois wrinkled her nose. "I think there’s a fast food American Chinese place in the food court of that building across the street. Sweet and sour!" She shook her head. "I suppose you want a fork too?"

"Get me an order of lo mein and some chopsticks and I’ll be fine. I won’t embarrass you, I promise."

"You’re not eating in my car!" Lois glared at him. "We’ll eat back at the office. That way we can get started on our research at the same time."

Eyeing Lois as he would a rabid dog, Clark nodded slowly. "Okay. No eating in cars, just while we’re working. Any by the way, do I get a desk or anything or do I have to hang out at yours?"

Lois stared at him before she realized that Perry had sent them out literally the moment Clark arrived and started to laugh. "Yes, you have a desk, near mine actually," she chuckled. "I think you may even have a coffee cup."

"But is it clean?" Clark asked dubiously before grinning.

Lois rolled her eyes. "I know Luthor has servants and appliances and such, but we mere mortals have this thing called dish soap and a cloth. It does amazing things for dirty cups."

Clark shook his head. "Lois, my parents have a farm. A farm, got it? No dishwasher except for me, no catered meals and no cleaning service. I think I know how to wash a mug."

"Good, then you can wash mine too."

"Only if my name goes first on the byline."

"When Perry suggests a threesome!"

"With him or Jimmy?" Clark shot back.

Lois burst into laughter. "Not bad... Clark. There may be hope for you after all."

"Glad to hear it, I’m going to appreciate getting home in one piece today."

"Probably just as well. I’d hate to have your boyfriend after my blood." Lois grinned.

"Yeah, it’s so hard to clean out of carpeting," Clark nodded, laughing along with Lois as they ordered their food and waited for it to be made.

"You’ll be happy to know I survived," Clark called, walking in the door from the garage and greeting the dogs before looking around for Lex. "Lex? Where are you?"

"In the kitchen trying to figure out why the garbage disposal decided to shoot an eggshell across the kitchen," Lex grumbled in reply, coming down the hall. "Stay away from it, I think it’s out to get us."

He hugged Clark and kissed him lightly. "So how was the ace reporter’s first day?"

Deciding he didn’t want to know how or why the disposal was running rampant, Clark grinned. "Actually, it was great. Lois and I interviewed Councilman Larkin and spent the afternoon digging into his past. You won’t believe who he’s in bed with - not literally of course." He shuddered at the thought.

"Lois?" Lex zeroed in on the word, the rest of Clark’s comment barely heard. "And why were you and Lois doing anything together?" There was a hint of a possessive growl in his voice, and he was clutching the kitchen towel he’d been drying his hands on so tightly he was about to tear it.

Clark winced, cursing his slip up. He’d wanted to break that news to Lex in a much easier way - like when the other man was tired and blissed out from being made love to for hours.

"She’s my partner," he said, mumbling the words together.

Lex froze absolutely. "She’s your what?" he asked, brows drawing down into a frown. He could not have heard correctly. There was no way that grabby reporter was going to be around his Clark all day, every day.

"Perry assigned us to work together," Clark answered, looking as if he’d rather face a score of monsters than Lex’s reaction. "She wasn’t too thrilled about it, believe me. Kept making remarks about Smallville and me being a hick, but by the end of the interview we were getting along."

Lex growled, reminding himself that he trusted Clark—which he did—and it wasn’t Clark’s fault that he was partnered with the bitch in heat who kept drooling on his alter ego.

The sound of fabric ripping drew his gaze down to the white rags in his hands that used to be a hand towel, and he cursed.

"Are you sure I can’t have her killed?" he asked almost wistfully. "I’d be happy to get you another pet."

"No, Lex," Clark said gently, stepping forward to take the shredded towel from the older man’s hands. "Would it improve your mood at all if I told you we think Lionel is behind something dirty?"

"God, no. Well, yeah, I’d love to see him get what’s coming to him, but people still persist in thinking I must have something to do with the things he does because we share the same last name."

"Well, Lois seems willing to judge you on your own merit." Clark saw Lex’s eyes tighten and backtracked. "Okay, no more mentioning her name tonight, I promise!"

Lex ran a finger over the leather band just visible on Clark’s collarbone through the open neck of his shirt. "I really wish I could mark you sometimes, just for a little while," he murmured.

"You’re smart. Figure out a way."

"The only thing that weakens you at all is kryptonite," Lex pointed out, still petting the leather and the skin beneath it. "We’d have to experiment to find out how much would weaken you without hurting you, and you’d end up sick in the process."

Clark shrugged, keeping his eyes trained on Lex’s, his expression one of love and trust. "Once you move it away from me, I get better. If you want to experiment, we’ll experiment."

"God no!" Lex shuddered at the thought of Clark in pain. "Even that small stone in Lana’s necklace weakened you incredibly. I’d never hurt you like that."

"Lex..." Clark sighed and set his hands on his lover’s shoulders. "If it’ll make you feel better, do it. So we don’t use a stone, maybe we can grind up a chunk, mix it with something to make it less potent. Hell, you’re the scientist, figure it out."

Lex frowned, but his scientific curiosity was aroused, and he was already considering mass ratios and safety factors. "No," he mumbled absently, his blue eyes focused inward, "the only thing that blocks it is lead, and that’s absolute. It would have to be a minute quantity, just enough to weaken you without causing the other physical reactions, and it definitely could not touch you directly. Mass and distance are the key factors."

Clark grinned, turning Lex and nudging him up the stairs to his office. "You figure it out, Einstein. I’ll make dinner, then maybe we can see if it works."

"Clark... are you sure?" Lex was intrigued with the idea, but he was worried about Clark’s reaction. "I mean, having scientists experiment on you was your worst nightmare. Do you really want to do this?"

Clark gave Lex another nudge up the stairs. "Have I ever done anything I didn’t want to? The way I figure it, even if it’s uncomfortable, you’ll make me forget about it in the long run."

Lex started to laugh and finally began moving up the stairs. "So it’s all on me, is it? I have to admit I like the idea of you going to work with a mark that I left on you... Superman can just use makeup if necessary." He smirked.

"Makeup? No way, Luthor! One does not fight crime in makeup, ask Wonder Woman!"

"By the way, don’t make any plans for lunch tomorrow." Lex had considered surprising him but realized that it was likely he’d miss Clark if he tried.

Shaking his head, Clark turned to go back downstairs, then looked back over his shoulder. "I’ll pencil you in," he chuckled.

"Well then, I’m looking forward to hearing Superman explain a hickey to the oh-so-charming Ms. Lane." Lex smirked again. "And where are you going?"

Clark groaned. "I was going to make dinner while you researched your diabolical experiments."

"Hmm, I suppose that’s acceptable... so long as you kiss me first." Lex halted on the stairs, arms crossed over his chest, and looked down his nose at Clark.

"I suppose I could do that." Clark grinned and moved back up the steps to give Lex a chaste kiss. "Like that?"

The blue eyes narrowed. "What do you think?"

Catching Lex’s face between his hands, Clark kissed him lingeringly. "How about that?"

"Much better. Now go make us something to eat while I figure out how to turn you into my helpless sex-slave." Lex brushed another kiss over Clark’s lips before continuing upstairs to change and start running simulations.

Clark laughed to himself as he headed down to the kitchen to start dinner. The dogs padded in and flopped on the floor, looking up at him, and he shook his head. "Good thing I love that man or I’d be in real trouble."

Upstairs Lex changed quickly, indifferent to the fate of his suit as he tossed it onto a chair, already mumbling formulas as he considered the problem. Comfortably dressed in the sweats that he often wore around the house when no one was likely to drop in, he settled behind his desk and started running simulations to determine how much kryptonite would weaken Clark to human levels without harming him.

Having thrown together a pot of chili, Clark let it simmer while he went upstairs and changed, laughing to himself as he hung up Lex’s suit and put his shirt in the dry cleaning bag. He peeked into Lex’s office, but the other man was still hard at work, so he left him alone at it.

"We need to get him working on alternative fuel sources," he commented to Gohan, grabbing a couple of tennis balls and taking the dogs outside for a run.

Satisfied that he’d considered every variable and his results were as accurate as possible without a real test, something that still made him nervous, Lex pushed back from the desk and stretched. He blinked in surprise when he realized that it was pitch dark out, the evening having slipped past unnoticed. "So much for celebrating Clark’s first day at work," he mumbled, vowing to make it up to him.

Lex headed downstairs in search of the rest of his family, hoping Clark had waited for him for dinner.

Looking up from his laptop, Clark smiled as Lex came in the living room. "So? How’d it go?"

"Well, I think I’ve figured it out, but there’s only one way to be sure." Lex frowned as he thought about it. All his data told him that he had the right proportions and that this would work, but... it was Clark.

"Well, let’s eat dinner, then you can try it out - unless you think I might puke, in which case you can eat and I’ll wait."

"No, you should be fine if I’m doing this right. You were half right, you know. Diluting the effects is part of it. I set a tiny chip of kryptonite, less than a milligram, in a lead cuff. The cuff and sides of the setting will prevent it from touching you, but it’ll be close enough to weaken you.

"I think." He sighed, reaching over to take Clark’s hand. "All the data and every simulation says I’m right, but... I don’t want to hurt you."

Clark turned his hand over and tightened his fingers around Lex’s. "I trust you, Lex. You won’t hurt me."

"God, Clark, how can you trust me that much?" Lex clutched him, eyes falling to the leather band around his own right wrist that had come to symbolize their relationship for him.

"That’s an easy one." Clark set his laptop on the floor and pulled Lex into his lap. "I love you and I know you."

Lex laughed a bit wildly. "Most people would say those two statements are mutually exclusive." He slowly relaxed into Clark’s embrace. "I’m so lucky I found you," he whispered, curling into Clark, his temple resting on the leather band Clark wore.

"Lex, we don’t have to do this if you don’t want to," Clark said soothingly, stroking his hand over Lex’s back.

"That’s just the problem. I do want to. So much. I never realized how much I wanted to see a mark on you that I put there," Lex whispered, raising his eyes to meet Clark’s gaze.

"Then do it," Clark answered before kissing Lex tenderly. "Show everyone I’m yours."

A shudder ran down Lex’s spine, and he deepened the kiss, possessing Clark. When he finally raised his head, he smiled into Clark’s eyes. "Dinner first. We’re going to need the energy. And we’ll see who lasts longer when we’re on equal footing," he purred, looking intrigued by the thought.

"Hmmm, now you’re scaring me, Mr. Luthor. I think the thought of having the world’s strongest man helpless at your feet turns you on."

"Damn right," Lex chuckled. "Bullets bounce off him, bombs don’t even muss his hair, but Lex Luthor leaves hickeys on him. Think that’d work for Superman’s publicity?"

"Sure, it would make him seem more human rather than the big, blue Boy Scout."

"Just as long as Lois Lane’s not the one he seems more human to!" Lex retorted. "She already thinks he’s much too approachable as it is. You sure I can’t stick a ‘sold’ sign on you when you go out? Or the next time someone asks you what the S stands for, tell them that!" Despite his real possessiveness, Lex was laughing as he made the suggestion, able to imagine Clark’s expression if he ever had that conversation.

"They’d probably ask who the realtor was," Clark sighed.

"Tell them it was a private sale. And the owner’s definitely not in it for the resale value."

"Are you saying I have no resale value?"

"I’m saying it doesn’t matter since I’m never letting you go."

Clark smiled. "Good answer. Now come on and let’s go eat. We still have work in the morning no matter how evil you get tonight."

"Which is just so wrong... then again, I can keep myself smiling all day by imagining you squirming on your hard chair after tonight." Lex beamed at him.

"Lex... you do realize I’m going to be going to work in a building full of reporters, right...?" Clark asked, beginning to realize just what he’d gotten himself into here. "Maybe we should wait for the weekend."

Lex shook his head slowly but very definitely. "Oh no, this was your idea, Clark. You’re not backing out now. Besides, it wouldn’t be nearly as good that way. Do you have any idea how many board meeting I’ve spent trying not to shift in my chair? And that’s with the way I heal! I may even bring a donut when I come pick you up for lunch."

"Ass," Clark growled, swatting at Lex but taking care not to really hit him.

"That’s what you’ll be feeling." Lex smirked as he slid an arm around Clark’s waist. "So what’s for dinner, honey?"

Knowing when he was beaten, Clark just sighed. "Chili and cornbread and a salad. There’s beer, if you want, or iced tea."

"One beer, but no more. I wouldn’t want to miss a single detail of tonight."

Clark paused. "Just so you know, you are not videotaping this. Got it?"

Lex shook his head emphatically. "I would never document how to weaken you, Clark. No one should be able to get through our security, but I wouldn’t take the chance, not with your life."

"I just meant because I didn’t want it dragged out every time you wanted to crow over it, but yeah, that’s a reason too."

"Clark, I have a very good memory. I’ll drag it out and crow plenty... and I will get a picture, a still shot, of you with a hickey."

"Okay. That you can do - but you can’t crow about it more then once a month!"

"Unless you deserve it... or Lois gets grabby!"

They walked into the kitchen and Clark started serving up the chili as Lex carried the cornbread and salad to the table. "Maybe I can tell her Supes mentioned his soul mate or something the next time I ‘interview’ him."

"You do that." Lex knew he was being unreasonable, but watching Lois practically swoon over his lover infuriated him. He wished he could claim Clark publicly, all of Clark. "But at least you and I know he’s taken."

Clark sighed, but smiled. "And always will be. Now eat, Luthor; mad geniusing is hard work."

"But I’m so very good at it." Lex grinned as he sat down, patting Sheri’s head as he did. "Mmm, I’m so glad your mom shared her recipe with you. This smells great."

"Hey! I’ve adjusted the recipe some. It’s my own now."

Lex raised an eyebrow. "You added more hot sauce, Clark."

Clark pouted. "And bell peppers."

"How could I have forgotten those?" Lex rolled his eyes. "Sit and eat, pouting boy."

"For that, you can rinse the dishes and pots," Clark answered, sitting down and helping himself to some cornbread.

"You do realize that the dishwasher actually washes the dishes for you, right? Hence the name dishwasher. There’s no rinsing required."

"You still need to rinse them if you don’t want to clog everything up."

"No, you don’t. That was dishwashers twenty years ago. It’s called progress."

"Fine, then you can put the dishes in the dishwasher!"

"Yes, dear. Whatever you say, dear—till we get upstairs, and then it’s whatever I say."

"Keep it up and I’m going to have a headache."

Lex leaned over the table and kissed him. "No, you won’t. Even if you could, you wouldn’t tonight."

Clark sighed and went back to eating, slipping Gohan a bit of bread in between bites. "You know me too well."

"True but it works both ways. You know me better than anyone else." Lex settled back in his chair, enjoying his dinner and sharing bits with Sheri. "I’ve been thinking though, this is probably something your parents would not understand."

"Not at all," Clark agreed, shuddering when he thought of his father’s reaction to the idea of Clark purposely exposing himself to kryptonite. "Some things parents don’t need to know."

Lex nodded vigorously. "I think they really would shoot me." He winced as he imagined the scene. "Definitely falls into the category of too much information for parents." Lex finished his beer and pushed the bottle aside, still nibbling on cornbread, though he was done with his chili.

"Too much information for anyone but us, I think."

"Yeah, not something we need to share. And for all we know, you’ll hate it so much we’ll never try it again. Anything’s possible," Lex shrugged. He knew this was going to be very strange for Clark.

Clark grinned. "Or I’ll love it so much I’ll wear the cuff all the time, quit my job, and be your bitch."

Lex choked on the mouthful of water he’d just taken as he burst into laughter. Sputtering and trying to dry himself off, he shook his head at Clark. "We’d have to change Superman’s costume to something in black leather and chains. Maybe Alexander’s shield on the pouch," he snickered.

"I don’t think so," Clark said slowly, eyeing Lex as if he thought the older man might run out right then and there to order exactly that outfit - and knowing him, he might.

"Oh, I don’t know." Lex leaned back in his chair and eyed Clark assessingly. "I think you’d look very... edible that way."

"Want to bet my new partner would agree with you?"

Lex snarled. "That b—woman needs to get her own man."

Clark shrugged negligently, enjoying this just as Lex had enjoyed the costume comments. "So find her one."

"Do I look like a yenta to you?"

"Maybe... if you put on a babushka..." Clark answered, cocking his head to the side and studying Lex seriously.

Lex very calmly threw some cornbread at Clark’s head.

In a lightning-fast move, Clark caught every crumb in his mouth and settled back in his chair, licking his lips.

"You can be quite the brat when you want to be, can’t you? Just remember, you’re not going to be quite so invulnerable later," Lex smirked. "And spanking you when you actually feel it could be almost as much fun as marking you."

"Sadist," Clark said calmly, finishing his drink and standing to gather their dishes, carrying them to the sink.

"And you’re all mine." Lex managed a credible maniacal cackle as he watched Clark, enjoying the view.

"You’re still doing the dishes though."

"You want me to get dishpan hands?" Lex whined, trying to keep a straight face.

Clark snorted. "I believe you mentioned that wonderful invention, the dishwasher, before dinner? Use it." With that, Clark smiled at Lex and headed upstairs to the bedroom, anticipation curling in the pit of his stomach.

"Damn, he’s harder to manipulate nowadays," Lex murmured to Sheri with a grin that spread when she just woofed softly at him and dropped her chin back on Gohan’s paw. Knowing what was waiting for him upstairs, Lex had the kitchen cleaned up in record time, though he avoided the apparently possessed disposal, and hurried up to the bedroom.

"Last chance to change your mind," he called as he veered to the left into his office to get the cuff he’d made then came back into their room.

"Now why would I do that?" Clark answered from where he lay on their bed. He’d stripped and was lying there nude on the sheets, having removed the comforter so it didn’t get stained. Lex stopped to admire the sight, knowing he’d never become jaded to Clark’s beauty. "Just giving you the option, Clarkbar. ‘Cause from here on, you’re all mine." He walked across the room, watching Clark carefully for any signs of discomfort, but apparently he’d gauged the amount correctly. He sat on the side of the bed and reached for Clark’s right arm, slipping the lead cuff onto his wrist. "If this works, I’ll have the inside plated in silver so we can use it again if you want. I don’t want you to end up with lead poisoning." He eyed Clark warily. "How do you feel?"

Clark blinked and took a deep breath, considering the question. "A little disoriented," he said at last, "but not really sick or anything. Not sure how it would be if I got up though." He smiled and addressed Lex’s other comment. "I don’t think I can get lead poisoning, Lex."

"Yeah, well, you’re not usually wearing kryptonite either, so I’d rather not take the chance." Lex leaned down and kissed him, at first lightly, then gradually with increasing hunger until they were both hard and panting. "Now for the real test," he murmured, trailing kisses along Clark’s throat until he reached the base. He fastened his mouth over the skin, biting and sucking hungrily, drawing the blood to the surface.

Groaning and feeling a definite sting to Lex’s bite that wasn’t usually present, Clark arched his head back, baring his throat as he fisted his hands in the sheets. "So?" he gasped, when Lex pulled back to look down at him. "Did it work?"

The huge smile on Lex’s face was answer enough, but he purred, "Yes," in a throaty murmur, one finger lightly tracing the small mark on Clark’s throat. "Mine," he rasped, leaning down to place another on the other side, just below where his shirt collar would cover it.

"Yes," Clark whispered, pressing up against Lex’s hungry mouth, one hand reaching up to curve around his head. "Always."

Lex took Clark’s mouth again, shifting to lie on top of him and settle between the wide-spread legs. He rocked against Clark, moaning quietly, and his fingers clutched his lover’s hips, hard enough to bruise.

Sliding his hands down to Lex’s hips as well, Clark made to lift him and settle him closer only to find it took quite a bit of effort. He laughed into Lex’s mouth and slid his legs up around Lex’s thighs. "Hmmmm, this might have some disadvantages."

Lex chuckled. "Welcome to the world of the average human male. But you needn’t worry. I have no intention of going anywhere but closer." He reached for the lubricant, reminding himself to be careful since for the first he probably could hurt Clark, and he didn’t want that to happen. "Might hurt a little when I go into you," he warned before sliding a slick finger inside Clark.

"Nah," Clark smiled, though he did tense slightly before relaxing again, his eyes fixed on Lex’s. "I’m never gonna be able to live without you now, you know." He waited for Lex’s look of confusion, then grinned, though it changed to a groan when the finger crooked inside him, rubbing his prostate. "Technically you’ve taken my cherry twice."

Lex had to laugh. "You really are nuts." He added a second finger, watching Clark ride his hand. "God, you’re gorgeous." He petted Clark’s belly as he finger-fucked him, occasionally stroking his heavy cock, and his thumb rubbed Clark’s sac.

"Insult the alien while you have him in a weakened and sex-starved state - nice, Luthor," Clark panted, his hips rolling against the motion of Lex’s fingers, his whole body straining for more.

"Hey, I’m the evil mastermind. Gotta live up to my image," Lex murmured, watching him hungrily. He had three fingers inside Clark now, and he thought he might die if he had to wait much longer. His other hand grabbed for the lube and squeezed it onto his cock, making him gasp as the cool gel hit his heated flesh.

"So live up to it already and fuck me!"

"Talk about a pushy bottom," Lex laughed. A moment later his fingers were gone and he was pushing inside Clark, only to pause at Clark’s gasp. "Okay?" he panted, gritting his teeth as he fought to remain still.

Waiting out the surprising feeling of almost painful fullness, Clark licked his lips, then met Lex’s eyes and nodded. "Yeah, it’s just - different somehow. Feels good though." He managed a grin at the last and rocked upward under Lex’s weight.

"I know." Lex kissed him as he began to move again, at first slowly and carefully until Clark growled at him and grabbed him by the ass to yank him down hard. Laughing then, he started moving harder, taking Clark, driving into him over and over, and at the same, without even realizing he was doing it, he laid a line of sucking kisses just above the leather collar lying on Clark’s collarbone, marking him again where only they would be able to see.

"Lex..." Clark moaned, his eyes falling closed as he writhed under the other man, reveling in the sharp, new sensations. This was being claimed, being possessed, and he loved it.

"Right here, love," Lex panted, driving into him, possessing Clark as Clark possessed him. "So good, love you, so close," he moaned, a hand snaking between them to curl around Clark’s cock.

"Yes..." Clark gasped, shuddering as he felt Lex’s hand close around his erection and his teeth close on the muscle of his shoulder. Unable to hold back any longer, he screamed and came, twisting beneath Lex’s body, for once not having to worry about throwing him off as he came.

Lex cried out as Clark clenched around him, more tightly than usual, making Lex suspect that subconsciously Clark held back his strength even when climaxing so as not to hurt Lex. He managed a few more rapid, shaky thrusts before he yelled Clark’s name and came, as deep inside Clark as he could get.

They lay there together, sticky and silent until Clark caught his breath. "Whoa," he murmured. "That was... intense."

"In a very good way," Lex agreed, nuzzling against him contentedly. "Though I have to admit I kinda miss the floating."

Clark snorted. "Ha ha."

Lex raised Clark’s hand, pressing his lips to the skin just below the cuff. "Think you’ll ever want to try that again?"

"I think I could be persuaded to," Clark sighed, shifting under Lex, then blinking in surprise when stretched muscles twinged. "Depends on how much shit I hear about my new necklace at work tomorrow."

Lex snorted. "No one better be looking that closely. Only the first one will be visible when you’re dressed, and just barely at that. Though knowing the intrepid Ms. Lane, she’ll still notice."

Clark groaned. "I am never going to hear the end of this. I bet Jimmy takes pictures - or Lois tells him to if he doesn’t."

Remembering what Clark had told him about the redheaded photographer over dinner, Lex grinned. "Just wait till I show up to pick you up for lunch then."

"Forget the kryptonite, this is going to kill me."

Lex stepped off the elevator into the Planet newsroom, ignoring the spreading pool of silence and stares as he made his way over to Clark’s desk, glad he’d spotted him right away and wouldn’t have to ask for directions. He strode directly to Clark’s side and placed a possessive hand on his shoulder as he leaned down to kiss him.

"Uh, hi Lex," Clark managed, feeling his face heat when he heard Jimmy’s snickers and felt Lois’ gaze center on them. "Lunch time already?"

"Going to introduce us, Kent?" Lois asked, smirking as she stood and sat on the edge of his desk.

"Uh - " Clark stammered, trying to get his brain to work again. "Lois, this is my -" What to say? Boyfriend? Lover? Partner? Life-bonded? Shit. "This is Lex Luthor, my boyfriend. Lex, this is Lois Lane, my partner."

"Ms. Lane." Lex offered her his hand, regarding her from cool blue eyes while his other hand remained very obviously on Clark.

"Mr. Luthor." She smiled, shaking his hand firmly. "Good to finally meet you. The way you always turn my requests for interviews down, I was beginning to think you had something against the Planet, but since you let Smallville work here..."

Clark yelped. "Let me? Get real, Lane!"

Lex burst into laughter. "Let Clark? You don’t know him very well yet, do you, Ms. Lane? ‘Let him.’" He snickered. "C’mon, Clarkbar, or we’ll waste your whole lunch hour standing here, and I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry."

"Well, it’s only been a day," she protested. "Eventually I’ll weasel everything he knows about Superman out of him."

Clark shot to his feet, intent on getting Lex out of the newsroom before he tried to do Lois bodily harm. "See ya later, Lois," he called, nudging Lex toward the elevator and trying not to cringe when he heard her say, ‘See ya, Clarkbar,’ in return.

Lex crossed his arms over his chest and turned to face Clark. "Tell me again why I can’t have her sent to the far side of the moon?"

Clark sighed and looked at Lex as the elevator doors closed behind them. "Because she’s a good reporter and she has no idea of why you’re reacting like this."

"And you don’t think she’s pushing any buttons, Clarkbar?" Lex all but snarled.

Clark leaned down and kissed Lex until he stopped growling. "She’s teasing, Lex. I mean, that on top of me walking in with this mark that you know she noticed..." He pulled back and smiled, hoping to coax Lex to do the same but sobering when it didn’t work. "I’ll ask her to lay off."

"Don’t, it’ll just make it worse," Lex sighed, slowly relaxing. "You’ll just be letting her know she hit a nerve. She reminds a little too much of myself in some ways. Just remember you’re taken."

"Like I’d ever forget that." Clark reached out and took Lex’s hand, squeezing it gently as the elevator doors opened on the lobby. "She reminds me of you - you, and Chloe too - and she’s not bad when she isn’t rhapsodizing about the S-man."

That had Lex growling again, albeit half-heartedly. "Someday, when you retire or come out or whatever, I will be there to see her face when she finds out that you and he are the same person. And if there’s any justice in the universe, I’ll be the one to share that secret and to tell her to stay the hell away from my lover."

"Of course you will," Clark soothed, having heard this refrain many times before and sure he’d hear it even more now that he was working with Lois. "You can tell her any way you want when the time comes, okay?"

"Stop pacifying me," Lex grumbled even as he leaned into Clark as they walked. "I’m entitled to be jealous."

"Yes, you are, even though I haven’t done anything to encourage her and you know damn well I won’t," Clark said, keeping his tone low and even. "Be jealous all you want, Lex, bring out the cuff all you want and mark me so she sees if it makes you feel better."

Lex sighed. "How am I supposed to enjoy a good mad when you’re so damn reasonable?" He stopped and pulled Clark into a quick kiss, indifferent to the people who stopped to gape at Lex Luthor indulging in a public display of affection.

Clark grinned. "You aren’t, that’s the whole idea behind it," he answered. "I don’t want you taking Joel’s head off this afternoon because you’re annoyed with Lois."

"Joel ought to give half his salary to you."

"I have my own job now, don’t need it," Clark smiled. "Now if it was Enrique’s salary you were talking about..."

Lex chuckled. "And what makes you think you’re worth that much?"

Clark smirked. "You do."

"I hate it when you use my own words against me." Lex laughed and shook his head.

"I learned to negotiate from the very best. So, where are you taking me to lunch?"

Lex gestured up the street. "The Midtown," he replied, naming a well-known lunch spot in the area. "They make the best cheeseburgers in town."

"Sounds good to me," Clark said brightly, "we had take-out Chinese yesterday."

"We’ll have to do that sometime. I enjoy eating it off you," Lex purred.

Now Clark shivered, remembering the trip he’d taken Lex on the summer between his junior and senior years in high school. "Yeah, I noticed that," he said throatily.

Lex’s eyes grew heavy lidded as he picked up on Clark’s arousal. "How about this weekend then? We haven’t had Chinese in ages."

"How about I pick it up on the way home from work on Friday?"

"And then we lock the door and not get out of bed all weekend?"

"Well, the dogs might not like that, but I would."

"Okay, so we get up occasionally to let the dogs out and to eat and shower. And maybe to make use of the kitchen table." Lex grinned wickedly.

Clark chuckled. "Why do I get the feeling we’re going to be really tired of Chinese food by Monday?"

"But not of the serving dish."

"You mean I get to eat it off you too?"

It was Lex’s turn to shiver. "Whenever you want."

"Mmm, since I’m getting the food, it’s only right I get to serve it up first," Clark murmured as they walked up to the door of the diner.

"We should always be fair," Lex agreed, going inside and immediately being led to a vacant table.

"Most definitely," Clark said agreeably as they sat and took the menus the waiter handed them. "Fairness is a wonderful thing."

"Share and share alike." Lex glanced at him over the menu, the blue eyes laughing. "We’re starting to sound like your father."

Clark shuddered. "Ruin the mood, why don’t you - though since we both have to get back to work after this, it’s probably a good thing."

"Hold the previous thought till tonight. After all, it’s your turn."

"I think I’ll save my truly evil thoughts for the Chinese food."

"You mean it’s just going to be you and me tonight? How humdrum," Lex teased.

Clark rolled his eyes and kicked Lex under the table. "Poor baby. Maybe there will be an emergency."

Lex glared. "Do I have to put a homing beacon and tags on you?"

"Or you can cuff me."

"Mmm. You’re turning out to have quite the kinky side, Mr. Kent."

"Something else you’ve brought out in me, I suppose."

"If you’re waiting for an apology, it’ll be a long wait," Lex replied, grinning.

"Did I ask for one?" Clark laughed, looking up as the waiter came up and took their orders.

Lex relaxed in his seat, sipping his water. "Lexcorp is hosting a fundraiser next month. Try to keep the first Friday night free, okay?"

Pulling out the PDA he’d discovered in his suit pocket yesterday morning, Clark made an entry in it for the date. "Gotcha covered. Who’s it for?"

"The Save the Spotted Owl Society," Lex replied blandly, then grinned when Clark rolled his eyes. "An environmental lobby."

Clark tried not to laugh at the look on Lex’s face. "And just who talked you into this one? Not that I think saving the spotted owls is a bad thing..."

"Your mother," Lex sighed. "One minute she was telling me that I needed to be more aware of my influence, and the next I was shelling out the money for this thing. The woman is a menace. I didn’t even get any potato salad!"

Clark broke into laughter at this. "So she and Dad are coming up then?" At Lex’s nod, he grinned. "I’m sure she’ll bring you some when they do."

"I told her she’d better book a room at a hotel if she didn’t!" Lex groused.

"You didn’t!"

"Damn right I did. If she’s going to do these things to me, I want my bribe," Lex retorted, knowing perfectly well that he’d never allow Jonathan and Martha to stay anywhere but their home.

"You’d better watch it, or she’ll put chili powder in your salad!"

"Naw, she’s planning to guilt me into a huge donation, and that wouldn’t help her cause," Lex chuckled.

"Oh, like you wouldn’t give it anyway," Clark answered, taking a drink of his water. "So is there a theme, or is it break out the tuxes again?"

"Tuxes. Which have the added benefit of letting me look forward to peeling you out of yours when the evening’s over."

"After Mom and Dad have gone to bed."

"And we’re in our nice, sound-proofed room."

Clark felt the back of his neck heat and grinned ruefully. "And we’ll be putting the cuff away until they’ve gone."

Lex shuddered. "Yes! No way am I explaining marks on you to them. I really don’t think they’d approve of the experiment, no matter how much you and I enjoy it."

Raising a hand to rub at his neck pulled back the sleeve of Clark’s shirt, exposing the cuff. "No, they’d freak, that’s for sure."

"And then they’d kill me." Then Lex realized what he was looking at, and he frowned. "Clark? Why are you still wearing that? You could get hurt!"

Clark glanced down at the cuff and shrugged. "Because when I took it off, the marks started fading, and I know you wanted them visible. If something happened, I’d take it off."

"Not enough to endanger you, Clark," Lex said fervently. "Never enough for that." He reached across the table to take Clark’s hand, the leather wrapped around his wrist pressing against the cuff on Clark’s.

"Lex," Clark said gently, turning his hand over to twine their fingers together. "I won’t do that, it’s just - you like seeing them and - and I like being able to have them, if only for a while." He met Lex’s eyes, hoping the other man understood.

Lex nodded slowly, his free hand rising till he could lightly rub one of the marks with his thumb. "Okay, you’re an adult; you know what you can and can’t do. And I can’t deny that I like seeing them on you or that you wanting them makes me hard. Just... if you start to feel sick..."

"I’ll take it off," Clark promised. "Or if I see a car hurtling toward us or anything else that might need my special attention." He licked his lips and looked at Lex over the rim of his glasses. "Anything."

"Hey, no cars. Only I’m allowed to do that to you," Lex teased, lightening the mood.

"You’re the only one allowed to hurtle toward me?" Clark asked, amused.

"Exactly. You seem to bond for life when that happens, so no one else." Lex smirked at him over his water.

"I suppose I’ll just have to avoid hurtling objects then."

"Good plan since I don’t intend to share."

Clark chuckled. "I had an inkling that was the case." The food arrived, and he dug into his burger, leaning over his plate to keep from dripping on his clothes.

"Smart man," Lex said before taking a huge bite of his own burger and closing his eyes in ecstasy. "A place where you can get a good burger is close to heaven," he mumbled as he munched on a fry.

"Mmhmm," Clark mumbled around a second mouthful. "Be better wif Mom’s potato salad though."

Lex glared. "Keep it up and we’ll be going to Smallville this weekend rather than those other plans we were making."

"Chinese this weekend, potato salad when Mom comes up unless you want me to make a fast run there before you get home."

"No, I can wait. Besides, I’d rather have you home with me," Lex admitted. "And if you go, your parents will understandably want you stay a while and visit."

"Good point," Clark nodded. "I need to call them tonight too - sort of forgot to last night."

Lex gave him a smug smile. "Can’t imagine why. Oh hell, I still need to call a plumber or at least have Joel do it. That or a priest to perform an exorcism!"

"Possessed garbage disposals, only us," Clark laughed. "I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the dogs got a bone in it or something."

"I refuse to even imagine why one of the dogs would be on the counter," Lex said emphatically. "If that’s the case, I don’t want to know. I just want the damn thing to stop spitting garbage at me."

Clark bit his lip to keep himself from snickering at Lex and blinked in surprise, lifting a hand to his mouth and shaking his head when he saw that his fingers came away bloodstained. "Whoops."

Lex shook his head as he offered Clark his handkerchief. "Yet another detail you’ll need to get used to while wearing that." He actually looked faintly amused by Clark’s trials and tribulations as an ordinary mortal.

Dabbing at the blood with the clean piece of linen, Clark sighed, then laughed quietly. "Jimmy’s eyes are going to bug out of his head when I get back to the Planet."

After swallowing the bite he was chewing, Lex eyed Clark curiously. "Why?"

"Considering the way I looked when I came into work this morning and the fact that I’m coming back from lunch looking like you’ve bitten my lip off? I can’t imagine."

Lex snickered. "You’re such a sex kitten, how can I resist you?"

Clark groaned. "What have I ever done to deserve this?"

"Seduced me in my own swimming pool." Lex beamed at him.

"Damn."

"Accept your fate, you’re all mine now."

"Should I spread myself out in a bower so that you can ravish me?"

"Don’t tempt me. We both have to work this afternoon. But I’d be happy to ravish you tonight if you can wait till then."

Clark sighed heavily. "I suppose I can wait - what? Shit." He pulled his pager from off his belt and gave a real sigh. "Gotta go, something must be up, Mr. White wants me in his office now."

He stood, then leaned over and kissed Lex. "I’ll see you tonight."

Lex smiled and waved him off as he waited to pay the bill. Apparently he was going to have to get used to a few things himself now that his partner was a journalist. "Take care of yourself," he called after Clark.

"Love you," Clark answered, looking back over his shoulder, then letting out a yelp of pain when he walked into an empty chair, catching it just before it toppled over. He looked back at Lex a final time, waved, then hurried out the door and toward the Planet.

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