Title: Just a Kiss
Author: Anonymous

Email: to be announced
Rating PG
Challenge “Hey, I kind of like this.”
Notes: This is for those of us that just can’t stop believing--you know who you are. Insert the usual disclaimer and one small caveat: Clark was seventeen when he saved Lex in this universe, and the horror that was Helen did not happen. Also, italics are used for Clark’s thoughts.
Summary: It really was just a kiss. 

Looking back now, I can see how it was all going to go. I didn’t know then, though, of course. I just wanted some advice from someone who had a bit more life experience than I had. Parents—enh. No way would they even understand (though I will admit, my parents are more understanding than most.) Pete—he’d laugh at me, though I did trust him to give me the man-law right out as it should be. Still. He was younger than I was, and I know he didn’t have experience about this. Chloe or Lana? Same problem. Or, really, they were the problem: girls. There really was only one person I could even think of talking to, and that was Lex.

It all started the week before the homecoming dance and there was this test I needed to pass, I remember that.

-*-*-

“Clark?” Martha called up the stairs. “Clark, bring down all your laundry, all right? I want it all done before your dad and I leave in a little while.”

“Okay Mom, I just got to finish this paragraph.”

Some five minutes later, Clark, clad only in ragged sweat pants and a holey T-shirt, hopped down the stairs with a pile of laundry in his arms. “Uh, mom?”

“Oh good. Clark.” Martha looked up from folding the towel in her hands and noted the flush on her son’s face. “Just put it in, the soap’s all ready. Separate it first, though. Remember, whites on hot!”

“Yeah, I remember.” Clark seemed to breathe a little easier and his death clutch on the clothes eased as he dashed through the kitchen and stuffed his whites in quickly. Thank god she hadn’t wanted to look at them. She did, sometimes, to check for holes or stains. There were stains here, and until he could get an answer, he really didn’t want anyone to look at this.

“There’s Shout there, Clark, if anything needs it.”

“Yeah, I see it.” He quickly grabbed the can and used it on a shirt that was all but cardboard stiff with blood, and sighed. There were a couple of other things that had blood on them too, but nothing like this. He sprayed them all and shoved them in the washer, closing it with a soft bang that was punctuated by click of the machine starting.

“I can do all this you know,” Clark said as he came back out into the living room. “You and dad should just go.”

“I have to wait for your father to finish getting ready, anyway, honey. Folding keeps my hands busy. I will let you fold your own.” The red-haired woman grinned mischievously. “And put everything away?”

Clark grinned and ducked his head. “Yeah. I can do that.”

Steps sounded on the stairs as Jonathan came down them quickly, adjusting his tie. A suit coat lay over his arm. “Sorry, Martha.”

“Oh don’t apologize to me! I would much rather you’re clean in the car for that long drive.” She finished folding dishtowel in her hands and moved to help him with his tie. “You’re just a little crooked.”

“I never can get these straight.” Jonathan winked at his wife and looked over at Clark. “We should be on the road soon. I did the feeding this morning, so you’ll have to do the mucking and so on this evening. And watch Betsy. She kept trying to eat my hair again. You know what that means.”

Clark laughed aloud as he scooped up the piles of towels and stacked them all on top of one another. “Don’t worry Dad. I won’t let her in the house again.”

“Hmf.” Jonathan snugged Martha about the waist for a moment, looking down at her for a moment.

“I won’t! She’s not a little calf anymore. I’ll give her some extra alfalfa. I know she’s just missing Donatello. Do you want me to call Mr. Cowan about getting Donatello back? They should be done by now, don’t you think?” Clark moved toward the tiny linen closet below the stairs to put the clean laundry away. He grinned at the sight of his parents being close.

“I’ll do it when we get back tomorrow.”

“Maybe—maybe you and mom should stay ‘til Sunday.”

Jonathan and Martha turned to look at him. “Clark,” they both said and once.

“I mean it! I can do everything around here and you guys need a break. And…” Clark’s cheeks turned pink. “I sort of made the reservation for two nights anyway.”

“Clark—you— How—you’ll call if you need—” Both tried to speak at the same time, but were interrupted.

“I’ll call if I need anything! And well, the clerk on the phone said there was a special deal for two nights….and! If it’s really an emergency I can just run and, well, get you.” Clark closed the closet door and moved back to sit on the couch. “And no parties, I promise. Though, I am going to go to Lex’s tonight. I need him to explain homogeneous catalysis and stoichiometry, because I just don’t get it the way that the teacher tried to explain it.”

“And Lex knows about these things?” Martha frowned at Clark slightly.

“Mom, it’s Chemistry. Lex is like the…the god of chemistry. He’ll know.” Clark’s faith in Lex’s ability radiated from his voice and expression.

“How long were you going to go over there for?” Jonathan’s voice was hard.

“I don’t know. ‘Til I get it? We’re having a test on it on Monday and…”

“You’ll be back by ten.”

“But…” Clark started to look mutinous.

“Honey,” Martha patted Jonathan’s arm and moved to stand in front of her taller son. “We’ll call at ten, alright? Just to make sure everything is okay.” She frowned at his T-shirt, tugging at it a little. “Put this in the ragbag, too, after you get dressed.”

“Okay, I get it. I’ll be back by ten. You guys need to go. Look!” Clark nodded at the clock. “It’s almost seven now, and I have to get ready for school and stuff.”

“He’s right Martha. Let’s go.” Jonathan shrugged into his suit coat and reached for the overnight bags.

“Alright then. Remember, we’ll call you later!” Martha said as she took her own coat and purse. “Clark.” She stopped to look at him and he paused at the foot of the stairwell. “Love you, child.”

“Love you too, mom! Bye!”

Martha laughed at the faint exasperation in her son’s voice as she followed Jonathan out the door. “I think he might have a plan, Jonathan.”

“Oh?”

“Maybe we should call a little earlier than ten.”

Jonathan laughed heartily as he slung the luggage into the back of the small sedan and came around to open the door. “Oh?”

“I think he has a date.” Martha pursed her lips. “And I bet it’s with Lana.”

“I hope he does. He’s a good boy Martha. Let it go. He’ll be back by ten, regardless.”

Martha looked over her shoulder at the little yellow farmhouse and watched it thoughtfully as Jonathan moved the car out of the driveway and headed toward the city. “Yes, yes he is.”

-*-*-

Clark slumped against the wall in relief. They were finally gone, and he was finally free. Well, for an hour anyway. He rushed through the house, doing every conceivable chore he could think of so that he would not have to do it later and then lingered in the shower, soaping and rinsing twice to make sure no hint of farm clung to his skin. Lana would have no cause to complain today. Not that she would say anything out loud, but the way her nose crinkled… well. He used to think it was cute until he saw her make the same face at a pile of fresh manure

Still, there was something—something that hurt, maybe. Maybe that ice mutant guy hurt him more than he thought, as he grimaced at the tenderness he felt under his arm and below his tongue. Clark spat white toothpaste and frowned as red swirled down the drain, fading almost immediately to pink and back to clear. He tried spitting once more, and it was fine. “Maybe I bit on something with meteor rock,” he muttered after he flossed his teeth. “Or maybe…hah! That’s it. Maybe I just used the red toothpaste? That must be it.”

Why didn’t it taste like cinnamon?

Well, there was no time to think about it now--he could hear the bus as it came over the road.

“Books, backpack, homework…” He sped about super-fast, gathering each item before heading for the door. “I am so glad it is Friday!” he yelled to the wind as he slammed the door shut behind him and jogged for the bus and the seat he knew Pete was saving for him. Some things should be savored, Lex always said. He meant to do that today.

-*-*-

School was okay. Everything went as it was supposed to and he even had the nerve to ask Mr. Garibaldi about chemical reactions again, and was not surprised to get the same unintelligible response. Again.

“Clark, Clark, Clark.” Pete wagged his finger at his much taller friend as they left the chemistry lab and headed for their lockers. “I can’t believe you thought you’d get something understandable from him!”

“I hoped, Pete. I hoped. I know Lex will be able to explain all that to me, but I wanted give the guy one last chance.”

“Hah! Well, when you figure it out…” Pete tossed his books into the metal locker and slammed the door shut. “When Lex helps you figure it out, that is… give a guy a call, huh?”

“Yeah, Pete, I will. C’mon though. We’ll be late for P. E.”

“Well, we want to be a little late.”

“Oh?” Clark drew the syllable out as he lifted an eyebrow.

“Dude. Girl’s class doing aerobics on the grass today. It’s sunny!” Pete trailed off, his hands shaping an hourglass in the air.

Clark just laughed and nodded as they headed through the halls to the Gym. Yep, girls and all their various parts bouncing. Something to be savored, for sure.

*-*-*

Lana bouncing and Chloe jumping. Both of them bending over and stretching…

“Hey Kent—you going to take all day in there?” Coach blew a whistle. “Time to get out of here, son. I’ve got to get to football practice.”

“What—oh. No. I’m almost done!” Clark suddenly became aware of the freezing cold water hitting his face. Jeez. Not the time to daydream at all. School showers… thank goodness for towels. Really thick towels. “Sorry Coach. Just… you know.”

“Yeah, I know. And tell your father I want you on my ball team, Clark. I think you’d be…you’d be pretty good.” The older burly man pushed a square key into the door and turned the lock--when Clark closed the door, it would stay locked while the team was out in the field.

“Yes, Sir.” Clark ducked his head to hide his face and nodded, hastily pulling on his clothes. “I’ll tell him, sir.”

He squeezed out through the door and went for his locker to get his books and homework and hopefully get the bus.

Not going to tell dad that. Not any of it. I’ll just get told no, again. Still. Lana and Chloe bouncing, bouncing really vigorously. Yeah.

He grinned as he pushed open the doors to the front of the school, trying to avoid crashing or being crashed into when a low drawl plucked at his attention.

“Hey Clark.”

Lex. Lex in a black trench coat and leaning against his Lamborghini, the one he called Mal. And smiling like he knows all the secrets of the world.

How does he look so good? I want to look like that. Be that cool! Ha, not in your lifetime, Kent. Maybe some of it will rub off. Can’t hurt to think it could, anyway.

“Lex!” His voice came out high, and he frowned ever so briefly before trying again as he almost skipped down the steps. “Lex.”

“Problem with your voice there, Clark?” Lex smirked just slightly as he teased.

Of course he noticed. He would.

“Just thinking about my last class, actually.”

“Really… care to expatiate?”

“Well, if that means tell, then sure.” Clark grinned hugely. “Girls had aerobics outside today.”

Lex laughed deeply. “I understand completely. Now, can I give you a ride?”

Clark looked at Lex coquettishly through his lashes. “I bet you say that to everyone you pick up.”

“Only the pretty ones.” Lex winked and with great exaggeration opened the car door, though Clark didn’t see him push a handle. Get in! I want coffee. I’ll get you one too and you can tell me about this chemistry issue you mentioned on the phone.”

“Oh yeah.” Clark slid into the seats and sighed. “Homogeneous catalysis and stoichiometry.”

“That surprises me. It’s bit of an advanced topic for high school chem., but I think I can assist you with that.” Lex smiled as he pushed the key into the ignition and the car started. “Let’s get some refreshment first. You can man the tunes.” He gestured toward the radio as he backed the car out of the parking lot and turned about.

“What have you got in there? Oh! Bat for Lashes. That’s a good one. Sad, but good.” Clark pushed play, and hummed along occasionally.

“You’ve heard them?” Lex sounded a little surprised.

“Youtube.”

“Right. That was a good investment.”

“Figures! Hey Lex?”

Lex made a low humming noise in his throat, not wanting to take his eyes from the road.

“Can we skip the coffee? Or get some at your place?”

Lex glanced at Clark very briefly and noted the high color and wide-eyed expression. “Sure, Clark. I like my espresso machine better than the Talon’s anyway.” He paused a few seconds. “Don’t tell Lana I said that, however.”

Clark nodded and made a zipping motion across his mouth with his hand before settling back into the glorious luxury that was everything Lex.

*-*-*

“I don’t understand why my teacher couldn’t have explained this the way you did.” Clark sounded disgusted as he sat on the long brown leather sofa and stuck a spoon into a big bowl of ice cream. “I totally get it now, and it was not as hard as I thought.”

“I could make a few guesses but I wouldn’t want to impugn the man. I haven’t met him.”

“Well, it’s not like you missed anything. Seriously though.” Clark took a big spoonful of ice cream and shoveled it into his mouth.

“What? No freeze-head from all of that? I do that and I am in agony for ten minutes.”

“It’s a talent, Lex.” Clark dipped the spoon in again and raised it toward his friend in a teasing salute. “I don’t think you can do it.”

“Who said I’d want to? Now tell me.” Lex scooted a little closer on the sofa so that his leg was just about to touch Clark’s. “What was all that about not wanting coffee at the Talon earlier?”

Clark’s shoulders slumped. “Oh that. I…I really don’t know where to begin.”

“Why not at the beginning?” Lex smiled a little, and Clark blushed. It was that secret smile that he was pretty sure only he got to see. It invited confidences… and this was one he could safely share.

“Well. It started last week.” Clark put his ice cream down and looked at Lex. “I asked Lana if she’d go to Homecoming Dance with me.”

Lex nodded encouragingly. “And?”

“Well. She said she’d think about it.”

“And this worries you because…”

“Lex, apart from Chloe kissing me and me freaking out from it, I haven’t ever kissed anyone.” Clark looked at his hands, and then at the wall as he qualified his statement. “Well, except my mom and dad, but that’s different.”

“Ah! The motivation becomes clear. You expect that there might be kissing at this dance?” Lex’s eyes glinted. “And you didn’t want to see Lana because…”

“Because she has kissed other people. Lex, I get the basic concept but I really don’t want to freak her out because my mouth is too big or something.” Clark moved the bowl with the small remainder of ice cream to the coffee table nearby and finally looked at Lex. “I don’t want to look foolish.”

Lex took a moment to consider the question and plan a solution. “Coming to someone who has more experience is never foolish. Attend young padawan. I can teach you much. But first—Props.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll be right back. To do this right, you need to learn it right. And to learn it right, there must be demonstration. I’ll be right back.”

“Oh. Okay.” Clark watched Lex stand and move purposefully for the study door, and then out into the hall. He could hear the soles of his expensive Italian shoes on the stone floor, and then muffled by the rug.

That didn’t go nearly as bad as it could have, I guess. Of course it could get all bunged up when Lex came back with his props. Oh god. Props. What, fake lips? A balloon? Or a real woman?

Clark’s panic ended abruptly with Lex’s return. “Lex, you have fruit in your hands. Why?”

“Yep. Figured you might be a bit more comfortable practicing on this than on, say, me.” Lex winked and laughed.

“Hah! Yeah, maybe.” Clark flushed red again and sighed. “I just want to get it right.”

“You will. Here.” Lex dropped the sweet ripe nectarine into Clark’s palm. “There are a few things to start off with at first though, but I am sure that you do most of them anyway. You use lip balm.”

Clark nodded, holding his nectarine awkwardly for a moment before shifting his hand slightly. “All the time actually. I don’t like having dry lips.”

“Brush and floss? Mints?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s a huge step right there. Oh, no spinach or anything likely to get stuck in your teeth before you meet up with her.”

“Good point. What’s next?”

“Test the waters. Pay attention to her. If she wants a kiss, she’ll let you know.”

“I—”

“Clark, if she or anyone likes you, and wants a kiss, she’ll be comfortable touching you. She’ll enter your personal space and might even brush up against you. Touch you playfully on the arm, perhaps. Has she talked about kissing?”

“Well, no…but…”

“If the person talks about kissing, it’s likely they’d like to do it.”

“Oh!” Clark brightened, and Lex could practically see each word he was speaking being carved into brain tissue.

“You might have to bring up the topic yourself. Maybe drop your arm about her shoulders. It’s old, but tried and true. You simply have to be subtle, and watch for her reaction.” Lex demonstrated by stretching his arms above his head and then oh-so-casually dropping it about Clark’s shoulders. “See? Not so hard.”

“Lex, I am really glad you are showing me this. I don’t think…”

“Wait, there’s more.”

“Oh, okay.” Clark regarded Lex solemnly, leaning forward and in as Lex kept his arm around Clark’s flannel-clad shoulders.

“There’s usually no hurry to try for a kiss. I would recommend being alone with her so that if she does reject you, you don’t have an audience, but that’s just a personal preference.”

“But how do I tell for sure that she wants me to kiss her?”

“I’ll give you a secret of mine. Lean in, like so.” Lex turned just slightly and angled forward. “If you stop just about here and look into her eyes for just a moment you can tell easily. She’ll look at your lips. Or you can pull her, gently, toward you and lean in again.”

Clark felt his eyes go toward Lex’s lips and after a moment rise again to meet Lex’s warm gaze. “I think I understand. But could you let me try the lean in thing with you—tell me if I am too close or not?”

Lex nodded easily, his expression carefully neutral, save for his eyes which flashed hotly at him. “Of course, Clark.”

“So, arm up, then like this.” Clark stretched and draped his arm about Lex’s shoulders. “Then I wait—maybe talk about kissing, though I am not sure what I would even say. Or just lean forward and pull her toward me a little…”

Lex allowed himself to be drawn close and then smiled as Clark leaned in and stopped about a foot away. “Come a little closer than that.”

“Like this?” Clark moved his face forward a good six inches, Lex judged.

“A little closer,” Lex said quietly as he lifted a hand to Clark’s neck. “Couple of inches.”

“Like—“Clark’s breath caught as he stopped a hair’s breadth above Lex’s face.

“This,” Lex murmured, completing the moment and let his lips just meet Clark’s in a delicate press of skin that lasted a bare moment.

Clark felt Lex break the kiss—somehow his eyes had closed themselves as he lost himself in the sensation of feeling lips on his—and made a noise of protest. Instinctively he leaned forward to close the slight gap again and capture that mouth again for a longer, sweeter taste. Felt Lex groan and tighten his arms to pull Clark even closer. Felt Lex’s mouth open beneath his and opened his own as well.

Strong, lean hands threaded their way through Clark’s hair, and tightened at the nape of his neck, tugging at the thick silken mass and sending hot sparks to every part of his body.

Want. Want this. Want this right now. Want. Taste.

Clark touched the tip of his tongue to the bow in Lex’s upper lip, then drew that sweet double curve between his lips and sucked ever so gently. This must have done something right, because Lex suddenly was in his lap and his tongue was in Clark’s mouth and it was hot and sweet and so good, until Lex jerked and sat up.

“Ow!”

“Lex? What? Did I—Oh no, did I hurt you?” Clark paled, his face turning milk-white.

“I caught my tongue on your tooth, I think. That’s all.”

“Oh. It wasn’t…”

Lex leaned in, pressed his lips to Clark’s. “It wasn’t.”

“Oh. Good.” Clark tugged at Lex until he was once again in his lap. “Because hey, I kind of like this.”

Understatement of the year award, Clark. Oh yes. And Lex could definitely tell.

Lex laughed, the sound coming from deep within his chest. “I gueth you do.”

“Gueth? Guess? Oh man, I really got you, didn’t I?” Clark looked at Lex through his eyelashes. “Can I kiss it and make it better?”

“Yeth,” Lex said, smiling.

The clock on the mantle chimed for nine o’clock.

Clark sighed. “Lex, I have to go. My parents said they would call at ten, but I know my mom. She’ll call at nine-thirty.”

*-*-*

Lex offered to drive Clark home. Clark accepted; it was a good way to legitimately spend more time with him and maybe get some more kissing in. A lot more kissing if Clark had his way, eventually. He sighed as he watched the taillights disappear just as the phone rang.

“Hi mom. Oh, it’s okay. I just got back from Lex’s. He gave me a real hands-on tutorial. Yeah! It was great. I totally understand both concepts now, and after I get done explaining to Chloe, Lana and Pete, we’ll all know and ace the test. Yeah. Okay. I’m going to go to bed too, I think. I’m tired all of a sudden, and my arm hurts still. Yeah, I looked at it. There’s nothing there I can see. I’ll call, I promise, if it gets worse. Tell dad I did check all the animals and everyone’s all good. Okay. Night mom.”

Well, he would do that right now and get it done, then shower and get into bed so that he could spend some nice quality time thinking about kissing. And kissing Lex in particular. It would be a pleasant distraction from the annoying ache in his arm. At least his tongue stopped hurting too, though how he’d cut Lex he didn’t know. Maybe one of his teeth was sharper than it should be?

Clark ran his tongue around his mouth and could feel nothing, though he could imagine that he could still taste Lex.

How weird and yet, not really much weirder than the rest of the whole Clark Kent package. Still, sort of a relief in a way. Now he wouldn’t have to worry about Lana.

*-*-*

Looking back, I think that Lana was relieved that I didn’t ask her about the dance. I know Chloe was hoping I would ask her but instead, we had a talk.

“Hey Chloe.”

Chloe looked up from the computer monitor she’d bee staring at so intensely. “I need a five letter word that means “Lean.”

“Hm. Angle, maybe?” Clark ambled into the room and dropped his bag on the desk next to hers.

“Yeah! That’s it. Good! Completed that one.”

“Completed what?”

“Oh, it’s a bunch of tests I found that supposedly measure your mental strengths and weaknesses.”

“Oh, well—“

“Well, it just told me I need to get a thesaurus. That’s no help! I knew that.” Chloe rolled back in her chair and sighed.

Clark grinned and then sobered. “Hey. Can I talk to you about something? Something really important?”

Chloe nodded. “My office is your office. Speak away.”

“Well, you know I sort of asked Lana out to the dance, right?”

Chloe lifted her chin. “Yep. I heard.”

“Then maybe you also heard I told her I didn’t think it was such a good idea. She agreed with me, and, well, that was that.”

Chloe stopped moving. Breathing for a long moment. “Clark, you’ve been in love with her for so many years—why would you say that?”

“Well, I realized that she wasn’t what I thought she was.” Clark cleared his throat and sat down. His voice dropped to a whisper. “I don’t want her to know this part. Please promise—”

“Stick a needle in my eye, Clark, I won’t say a word.”

“Well. It wasn’t her that I was really wanting. It was more the idea of her.”

“The idea.”

“Yeah. The concept, you know. The ideal.”

“OH! I understand. She’s turned out not to be as perfect as you wanted?”

“Well, no, not like that at all. She’s still who she is but I think I have figured out what I want.”

Chloe’s green eyes grew lambent with hope. “You mean…”

“I mean I think I am…I prefer…” Clark looked at his hands, squeezed them.

“Yes?” Her voice was breathless.

“It’s guys, Chloe.”

“Wha-at?” The break in her voice tore at him.

Clark looked up and nodded at her frozen and shocked expression. “I think I am gay. I wanted you—you’re the first to know.” He stared at the table, at someone’s graffito that announced that MLE loved GMC 4-ever, and rubbed it absently with his fingertip. Slow tears pricked at his eyes, and fell toward the table. “Chloe, I am sorry.”

“Oh god, Clark.” Her slim pale hand moved to cover his and he glanced at her again. Whatever pain she had held onto for so long had left her and she looked beautiful. “I get it now. I really do. No wonder you reacted the way you did.” She patted his hand and leaned close. “Now tell me, how did you find this out?”

Clark grinned and squeezed her hand gently. “I asked for advice about kissing.”

*-*-*

After homecoming, the rest of the year sort of slipped by so fast. The pain in my arm went away, only to come back in my lower back. And I started gaining weight. Not a whole lot, really. But about twenty pounds.

Mom and dad were not real happy when I told them I preferred men to women. Dad all but forbade me to see Lex because he thought Lex had somehow corrupted me. I laughed and asked him if it really mattered what sex I preferred, since I wasn’t human anyway? It’s all going to be interspecies relations regardless.

I know I could spell all that out in detail, but frankly, I don’t want to do that. It was painful and hard and it made me all the more aware that I was marking time until I turned eighteen before simply moving out and into Lex’s castle and that was a relief.

My back hurt all the time, now. Lex could tell and I knew that I had to get help from somewhere. Much as I dreaded it, that meant going to Jor-El. I remember the cave looking more like a mouth that was going to chew me up as we pulled over and outside of it. This could be the end of more than just me. It could have ended everything.

“Clark, you said you discovered something about the caves you wanted me to see?”

“It’s just inside, actually. That handprint in the wall—”

“Ah! Yes. Now what?”

“Well you put the octagon in the hole when I put my hand in here and it should…”

A fiercely brilliant light limned Clark then fell away from him.

“Kal-El.”

Clark looked pleadingly at Lex, willing him to understand. “Father.”

Lex’s mouth moved silently as comprehension flooded his finely boned face.

“You have revealed yourself, Kal-El. You are aware of the consequences of this action?”

“I will not let you harm him.”

“It is too soon. This human must lose all knowledge of—”

“No! I told you before. I will not follow any plan you have for world domination. I am not going to conquer anyone or anything!”

“Kal-El, you do not understand your place. Already you have achieved parturition; you are but a fork in the path, my son. I am aware that what you lack, your offspring will not.”

Lex gasped aloud and looked at me. “Clark’s WHAT?”

“In the common parlance, he is pregnant.”

“I’m what?” Clark stared at Lex, and then looked back toward the wall. “Wait, wait! How? We haven’t…”

The brilliant light flashed over Clark again, pausing just briefly as it scanned his midsection. Clark groaned.

“What?” Lex stared at Clark. “Clark—Talk to me! What is going on?”

“My back is just not hurting anymore. It feels really really really good.”

“Adjustments have been made.”

“Adjustments?” Clark and Lex turned and stared at the wall, aware that their combined voices echoed.

“A slight impediment was incurred some days before fertilization. An injury, perhaps. It has been rectified.”

“Wait, wait, wait. My head feels like it’s going to explode.” Lex moved to stand nearer the exit. “Clark, you’re some kind of pod person? And this wall, or what’s behind it, is your father, and you’ve been sent to take over the world?” Lex’s voice rose higher and higher with each question until he shrieked the last word.

Shoulders slumped, Clark looked at Lex and nodded slowly.

Lex backed toward the cave entrance. “I—I have to get out of here. Have—”

The brilliant white light flashed from the wall, and enveloped a now frozen Lex.

“No, don’t hurt him! Please!” Clark sped over to Lex and tried to reach him through the light that crackled as he touched it. “Ow! Please, father! Please, ow! Let him go.”

“Kal-El, he shall suffer no permanent damage, but you must realize that he is a danger to you and to the lives you carry.”

“Oh god. How can this be? We haven’t—we’ve never, because I wanted to be sure no one could legally harm him for…for relations with me.”

“You have shared DNA, Kal-El. This exchange must have occurred nine point five months ago.”

“Nine—Oh god. He kissed me. He kissed me and I got pregnant?” Clark felt the world go grey and dim.

“I will erase his memory of this last day. He will wake in sixty cycles; you must have him back in his residence before that time ends or he will be in an unstable and confused state of mind.”

“I don’t want him to be confused or unstable or anything. I want him to be my partner in all things, father.” Clark’s swallowed; his voice seemed tight within his throat. “Please. Of all things, he is the one that I need.”

The light holding Lex gentled to a deep golden glow, and then faded.

“Go my son. Go quickly and return alone. You have not much time, for soon the birthing will be upon you.”

Clark gathered Lex’s slight still form and took him to the car and back to the castle.

*-*-*

“Clark?” Lex sounded muzzy, scrambled. Consonants mushy.

“I’m here.” Clark climbed into the huge bed that Lex slept in and scooted toward him.

“Thought you were. I can smell your aftershave.” Lex curved himself close, and smiled. He wouldn’t tell Clark this ever, but the slight pudginess he’d picked up was endearing. And sexy too. Lex just wanted to nibble and lick and… “S’why I got it, you know.”

Clark laughed gently and tightened his arms around Lex’s smooth body. “You can smell me coming a mile away, is that it?”

“Yeah.” Lex sighed happily. “Glad you’re here.”

“Lex?”

“Mmm.” Lex had mashed his face into Clark’s chest.

“Lex, I have to tell you something.”

“Mmm.” Lex ran his hands up and down Clark’s well-muscled back.

“Lex? Um. Well. Oh, that feels good. Press that, right there.” Clark sighed as Lex’s clever fingers found a knot of muscle in his back. “You are listening to me, right?”

“Mmm.” Lex nipped at Clark’s chest hair and rubbed his face on it.

“Okay. Well. Um. I’m sort of an alien.”

Lex blinked and then laughed, warm air huffed across Clark’s abdomen. “Sort of an alien? Is that like being sort of a guy?” He made a point of looking at Clark’s manhood and then at Clark’s face.

“Actually, it means I am pregnant.”

Lex froze in his ministrations and stared at Clark. “You’re pregnant.”

“Yes, and probably going have several children any day now.”

“But how—I know you haven’t been with anyone else…”

“Oh, I haven’t. I wouldn’t. I love you.” Clark snorted. “You remember when you kissed me that first time?”

Lex blinked twice. “Yes, I remember.”

“Apparently when you cut your tongue on my tooth…”

“Seriously?”

“Ayup.”

“I knew there was something about you. Something strange and wonderful and beyond imagination. But I never thought…” Lex fell back among the pillows of his bed, a thin vertical line of concentration marring the perfect line of scalp and skull. “Options. We have options.” He looked at Clark. “I am glad you told me about this before you…you…” he made a rolling gesture with his hand.

“Before I burst, you mean?”

“Yes. Because now we can plan, and I mean plan.”

“For what?”

“For the safety of my children. And you, of course.” Lex blinked and hopped out of bed to open the closet door. Clothes started to fly and land haphazardly on the ground, the bed, a chair nearby. “So many things to do, but don’t worry. I’ll have everything in place and taken care of in two days.”

“I knew that you would.” Clark beamed at the clothes that were scattered and grinned as Lex came out hopping into his socks.

“You stay here. I’ll be back in a couple of hours.” Shirt, tie, pants, and coat appeared to mold about Lex.

“I’m not going to go anywhere.”

Lex paused to push his feet into expensive loafers and grinned. “I love you too. Remember that.”

“I will, but there’s just one thing.”

Lex arched a brow and regarded Clark solemnly. “Oh?”

“I need a kiss to make sure it sticks.”