Clark came to a dead stop in front of the gates. What if Lex didn't want to see him again? What if he'd changed his mind? Maybe he'd realized he could have lovers far more experienced than Clark was. More interesting lovers. What if Clark wasn't interesting enough? Just a small-town hick, nowhere near sophisticated enough to...

The gates opened slowly.

'Maybe he's leaving, maybe that's why the gates are opening.' What if Lex was leaving him? Going to Metropolis and leaving Clark behind? Perhaps Lex telling him that he liked him had been another dream and this was reality?

When nothing further happened, Clark finally forced himself to walk through the towering iron gates. The distance to the house seemed to have doubled since he'd left earlier. Clark resisted the urge to use his super speed to get to the front door faster. 'Not a good idea, Clark. Bad idea unless you're ready to tell Lex what you've been hiding for so long.' Maybe he was, maybe he should tell Lex...

Clark's thoughts derailed when he started up the stone stairs. The heavy door swung open, revealing Lex, casually leaning against the door frame. Black slacks, charcoal grey turtleneck, not quite hugging his torso, but not too loose either.

God! How could anyone look so relaxed and still seem to exude so much raw sex? Clark searched the unreadable face as he walked up the stairs. There had to be something there, something that would either fuel his doubts or make them crumble to dust. - Nothing. At least nothing he was capable of catching on to.

Lex stepped aside, allowing him to pass. Still no sign as to how he was feeling, what he was thinking, except... a small smile was suddenly playing on Lex's lips and as Clark noticed how it made the grey-blue eyes shine with mischief, he relaxed a little. Why did it always have to be so hard to read Lex?

Motioning for him to follow, Lex started up the stairs, and Clark couldn't help admiring the way each step caused Lex's slacks to tighten over his ass. And it *was* a nice ass, Clark had to admit. So nice, in fact, that Clark caught himself reaching out and snatching his hand back before touching.

Lex, thankfully oblivious to what was going on behind him, didn't react in any way. Clark tried to squash his disappointment. They were going to Lex's study and not the bedroom. His bald friend... lover? obviously wanted to talk. Maybe this was just how Lex would let him down, gently, in familiar surroundings.

"... survived it."

Clark realized he'd missed whatever it was Lex had been saying. Trying not to let it show, he slowed down, putting a little more distance between them. Survive what? Had Lex ended this while he was lost in his own little world of doubt?

Lex must have felt his hesitation because he stopped and turned around. He reached out and took Clark's hand, pulling him gently toward the door, through it and shutting it behind them. Never letting go of Clark's hand, Lex backed him up against the door, though making no moves to touch apart form their hands.

"Lex, I..."

"Clark, please..."

They both stopped, looking expectantly at each other, silence a little awkward. Clark too a deep breath, trying to continue, only to be cut off by Lex's other hand covering his mouth.

"Clark, I ... need to tell you this."

Clark resisted the urge to lick the pale, warm hand, but only barely. Maybe this was it, maybe this was where Lex revealed his regrets about this morning. Clark closed his eyes, not wanting to see the rejection in Lex's.

"Clark?" So softly spoken, barely a whisper. "Clark, please open your eyes."

Finally doing so, Clark was a little surprised to see everything *but* regret on his friend's face. A soft, almost ...insecure smile graced the slightly parted lips. The hand fell from his mouth and came to a rest on Clark's shoulder.

"I... I've been thinking about what we.. did this morning and I... realize that I went too fast... I don't want you to think that I was merely attracted to you... physically, that I was taking advantage of your... appearance in my bed."

Clark swallowed hard. Lex was having doubts, but he wasn't entirely sure how to react to this, where Lex was getting at.

Lex seemed to have seen *something* in Clark's expression, because he shook his head. "Clark, please, I'm not saying that I regret what we did... just... maybe we went ahead too fast." Hope shone for a moment in his eyes, then was hidden away behind Lex's normally cool composure, though not entirely successful. "I don't want to lose your friendship, Clark, even if it means we won't be repeating what we did..."

Clark blinked. Was Lex afraid of losing him? Not unlike what he himself was fearing. He shook his head.

"Can we please try to start over again?" A moment's silence. "That is... i-if you want to?" Lex squeezed his shoulder, as much for his own reassurance as for Clark's.

Clark knew he was showing a little too much strength, that Lex would notice. Had to notice. And for once he wasn't sure if he cared. Leaning forward, he captured Lex's lips with his own, lifting him off his feet, more or less carrying his friend back across the room, until he was sitting on the desk, never for a second breaking the kiss.

Coming up for air, both panting, Clark couldn't bring himself to let go of Lex. As if he'd vanish if Clark's hands weren't constantly holding him, grounding him.

"Oh... wow... um, Clark?" Hands slid up under Clark's shirt, searching for skin.

"Yeah?" Clark cupped Lex's ass without a second thought, pulled a little hard to get the alignment just right... yes! He buried his face in Lex's neck, licking roughly, where neck and shoulder met.

"God, Clark!" Writhing. "This wasn't... what I was... referring to... when I... said... to... Oh! take it sl-slow." Lex arched against him.

"I don't," Clark panted, "see you putting up much of a fight."

"Well, how can you possibly... blame me? This... you... on the desk - God! Do that again, please. I'll never get rid of this desk, ever."

"Not even when they offer you the Oval Office?" Clark rocked against him again, fingers kneading taut muscles.

"No, I'll bri-bring it with me - into the White House... wo-work... at it every... day."

A strangled noise escaped Clark's lips. "You'll.. have a much bigger desk and forget... about this one."

"*If* I decide... to accept a bigger desk," fingers tangled in Clark's hair, yanking his head back up, breath hot and fast. "Then I'll expect... you to do your du-duty as a young, patriotic American, and help me inaugurate it."

Clark felt something break inside, a warmth spreading through his body. "When you're... president you think you'll still... want..."

His question was interrupted as Lex pulled him into another breathtaking kiss.

Resurfacing a few minutes later, Lex rested his head on Clark's shoulder, still rocking steadily against him.

"Lex, I..." Clark started, only to be interrupted by the phone.

Lex shot the phone a look, like he could will it back into the realm of silence. He twisted to check the call-id and blanched.

Clark, still slightly dazed, and still every bit as aroused as he'd been from the moment Lex had pulled him into the study, shot him a questioning look.

Lex squeezed his arm and picked up the phone. "Yes, father?"

Clark pulled back. Woah! What if Lionel Luthor knew? Was he...? Clark closed his eyes. 'Jeez, enough with the paranoia already!'

Clark tuned out the conversation when he realized it was just a business call. He should find something else to concentrate on. Moving away from Lex, giving him room to handle his father without any diversions didn't seem to be an option. Nope, definitely not, considering that Lex's legs were now firmly locked around his waist.

Well, Lex should be capable of taking the payback then, Clark decided, a broad grin spreading on his face as he recalled his own phone call the same morning.

Lex eyes widened when Clark began working the grey sweater up to reveal naked, pale skin. Pressing his face against Lex's chest, breathing in the scent of his friend. Tongue flickering out, tentatively, tasting a little salt, a little soap and something beneath it, definitely, uniquely Lex.

Doing his best to concentrate, Lex continued the conversation with his father, hardly even a change in breath. Clark raised an eyebrow, amazed of the level of self-control in the body on the desk. He chuckled and dipped his tongue into the concavity of Lex's navel, enjoying the shivers it caused. A little lower and his tongue slipped under Lex's waistband causing the other man to lose a fraction of his precious control, making him writhe a little. The long legs tightened around Clark's waist, then fell open, a gesture of total abandon, of full surrender.

The button of the slacks came open fairly easily but the zipper presented a little trouble. Whether it was because such zippers were *meant* to be annoyingly difficult or because Clark was getting a little nervous was hard to tell. Lex wasn't really reacting, even the writhing had more or less ceased and it made Clark wonder if he was doing it right.

One look up, as he could finally push the slacks down convinced him that he was doing just fine. Amazing, Clark's breath caught in his throat. Lex was going commando and it made him wonder if it was for today only or if it was something Lex did often. Clark realized he found *that* idea extremely arousing. He'd have to check more often. Steal a touch here, have a little fun with Lex whenever - wherever possible. Ooh, the idea alone, that he could try to snatch Lex away, have a little fun and somehow he doubted Lex would mind that much.

Eyes wide with wonder, as if Lex couldn't quite believe what Clark was doing, lips darker than normally, slightly swollen, gleaming a little in the sunlight spilling through the window.

Somehow Lex managed to end the conversation with his father in record time and turn his attention back to Clark, which suited Clark just fine when he felt strong fingers threading through his hair. Feeling relief Clark returned to what he suspected would become his favourite way to spend as much of his spare time as possible - mapping Lex's body. Preferably a naked body and he wouldn't at all mind doing it with his tongue and lips alone.

Lex didn't seem to mind either, soft, whimpering noises escaping him, as Clark blew air across the erection, so beautifully served on the desk in front of him - wonderfully hairless, begging him to do *something* - begging like Lex was, panted breath, heated looks and fingers like steel wires tightening on his skull.

Suddenly realizing what it was he was doing, Clark tried not to blush. Hello! He'd actually started the morning with sex, this was no different, really. 'Yeah right, just keep telling yourself that.' He licked from base to head, to see what might happen, pressing a fleeting kiss to the head, before parting his lips to suck, as gently as he could. He had an idea of how this worked, but locker room conversations only handled the *receiving* of a blowjob, not the giving.

All his thoughts were put to an abrupt end as Lex arched up, thrusting into Clark's throat instead of just his mouth. Coughing and pulling back, Clark was a little shocked. That had actually been... well, it hadn't been unpleasant, just...

"Oh God! Clark!" Lex shook his head to clear it, sitting back up and pulling Clark into his arms. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

Clark blinked, then grinned broadly, pulling just enough away from Lex to kiss him, quite thoroughly. When they finally parted, Clark pushed Lex back down, firm grip on his hips to keep him in place.

"Clark... I... this definitely falls under the term 'too fast', please stop." It sounded like Lex tried to mean it, tried to sound as if stopping was what he wanted Clark to do.

He gave Lex his most innocent smile, though he realized, it was probably tainted with the knowledge he now had. That he, Clark Kent, could make Alexander Luthor, the heir of Lionel Luthor, moan and writhe like the best wet dreams ever. And all he had to do was use his mouth. Cool.

Making sure he had Lex's full attention, Clark bent over again, this time no hesitation, and this time all the way in. Clark swallowed hard a few times, trying to get the angle right. Suddenly it just clicked an he found himself swallowing, throat clenching, around Lex's cock. It was hard to concentrate. 'You are *not* coming in your pants, Clark! Dammit!'

Despite all the yelling at himself, he did. For a second it seemed like he might have succeeded, but then he felt Lex's hips jerk violently under his hands and he almost choked when something warm burst down his throat. Warm and a little bitter, he realized when he pulled back. That, and the realization that Lex had shouted his name, was all it took, and Clark's hands flew from the body under him to the desk, clenched into fists. White, hot, sizzling heat curled in his gut, around the base of his spine. He felt his vision blur, closed his eyes and tried to calm his breathing. So much for not embarrassing himself.

"Clark?"

Clark shook his head, eyes still closed.

"Did you just...?" Lex sat up, pulling Clark into his arms.

"Um, sorry?" Clark buried his face in Lex's neck. God! This was so embarrassing.

"Hey," the whispered reply came, "It's ok, don't feel bad about it." A light tuck at his hair finally had Clark looking at Lex again. "Just let me take care of it next time." He pushed Clark back a bit and looked down. "And if you plan on doing this again, you might want to leave an extra pair of jeans here with me."

Clark knew he should probably be devastated by the state his jeans were in, or rather, by the prospect of maybe facing his parents in said jeans. As it was, he managed a little blush, since his brain was happily humming along, still in a haze. Rubbing his tongue against his palate, Clark wrinkled his nose.

"Don't like?" Lex's hands strayed up under his shirt. Warm fingers stroking his abs.

Clark shivered, leaning against Lex. "It's just... odd. A little bitter."

Lex's smile was wide and open. "It's the insane amount of coffee I drink."

"Well, you did hang around the Beanery a lot, and now the Talon."

"Don't tell me you think I was there for the coffee."

"I don't know wh..." Oh. "Oh." Clark couldn't help the silly smile from forming on his lips.

"Yeah, Clark - Oh." Lex's laugh rumbled through his body and Clark closed his eyes and enjoyed it. "Clark, open your eyes."

"Mmm?" One hand on Lex's hip, the other drawing intricate patterns on the small of Lex's back.

"Clark, please." The voice was soft, not quite begging and in no way demanding.

Clark forced his eyes open, curious as to what Lex might have to say. Serious grey-blue eyes met his and breath caught in his throat. So beautiful, so...

"Clark, you do know we can't go back, right?"

Clark blinked. Go back? Back to what?

"We've crossed the lines of friendship and the only way is forward..." Lex hesitated, seemingly unsure of how to proceed.

Oh. Did one thing have to exclude the other? Clark certainly hoped that wasn't the case... decided that he wouldn't allow it to. "Lex?" He searched his friend's face for signs of the opposite. "One doesn't necessarily exclude the other." Clark meant ever word, believed every word and needed Lex to believe it too. Needed him to fight for it.

"Such things aren't always in our control." Lex sighed and leaned into him, eyes closing.

Clark nuzzled the bald head. "It doesn't mean we can't fight for it."

"There'll be obstacles, Clark, don't think everyone will willingly accept our relationship."

Clark nodded. "Mom knows." Plain and simple.

Lex's body froze in his arms. "She what?"

"She guessed it, Lex." Clark felt odd thinking about his conversation with his mother.

"And she let you come back over here?" Calm surface with surprise lurking just below.

"Yeah," Clark smiled. He was glad his mother seemed to have accepted it. Well, as much as he could expect her to this early in his relationship with Lex.

"Wow," Lex snaked his arms around Clark's waist. "Your mom's pretty cool."

Clark couldn't help laughing. "Yeah, she is." 'Now, if only my dad would be as easy'. "Which reminds me, you're invited over for dinner - at six."

Lex pulled back, this time surprise wasn't just below the surface. "I'm invited over for... dinner?"

Clark's smile broadened. "Yeah."

"Wow," Lex looked slightly shaken. "I... I better go shower, find something to wear..." He blinked rapidly a few times. "Clark, what should I wear to a dinner with your... parents?"

Clark was surprised. "Um, wear what you normally wear," he took a moment to think. "Though something similar to what you're wearing right now." He leaned forward, brushing his lips against Lex's. "You look more relaxed, more... human."

A snort. "Yeah, wouldn't want to scare the... in-laws by appearing as the Big Bad Luthor."

'In-laws? Oh, wow.' Clark was well aware of the silly smile spreading on his face. "Yeah, and take a shower." Clark looked down himself. "I'll just run on home and get a change of clothes." 'On second thought...' "Lex, can I bring it back here and shower?"

Lex smiled broadly. "Of course you can, Clark. Mi casa es su casa."

Clark couldn't help himself, leaning in for another kiss. "I'll see you shortly then?" He pulled back, letting go of Lex, glancing at his watch. Well over two hours until dinner.

Lex stole a quick kiss as he inched past Clark. "Yeah, hurry back."

Grinning like he owned the world, Clark nodded and walked as fast as he dared out of the study, exiting the house, the gates... and as soon as he felt he was far enough from the castle, he sped up, hoping that he could sneak in for a change of clothes and back out again. If he recalled it right, he had at least a pair of jeans and an extra shirt in the barn. No need to push his luck by going into the house.

Clark's heart skipped a few beats and he couldn't help laughing out loud as his home came into sight. He was having dinner tonight with his parents *and* the love of his life. Could life get much better?

TBC