Title: Corner of the World 33: How I Spent My Fourth of July

Author: Serafina

Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville, the concept or the characters. They belong to DC Comics, Miller and Gough, and the WB.

Warnings: mild BDSM, fisting, and original characters having sex.

Notes: Thanks to Fabrisse and Jessica for the fabulous beta job. Also thanks to Henry Jones Jr. who helped inspire me to write this.

Summary: Fourth of July is a pretty steamy holiday for the Smallville gang.

Chloe felt a breeze blow over her face, teasing her towards wakefulness. The sounds of the city twenty stories below caressed her ears in an almost soothing sound; traffic, she'd discovered, was only stressful when you were stuck in it. When you were high above it, it sounded like home.

She stretched and groaned in her throat as her blood flowed to her lethargic limbs.

"Morning," Sydney's voice floated across the room to her.

Chloe opened her eyes. Sydney was standing on the balcony, her short nightdress swishing around her thighs, one strap fallen down her arm, long blond hair blowing in the wind. She had her camera in her hands, the strap hung around her neck. She returned Chloe's smile.

"Hey," Chloe said, offering her girlfriend a sleepy smile. "How long have you been up?"

Sydney raised her camera to her eye and snapped a picture of Chloe before answering, "Not long. I just had to get a few pictures of this view."

Chloe climbed out of bed, adjusting her tank top as she did. Joining Sydney on the balcony, she wrapped her arm around her slim waist and kissed her cheek. "Isn't it a great view?"

"Yeah, it is." Sydney took a picture of the street below and wound the film. "I'd think a place like this would cost a fortune. I thought your dad was just the manager of some small plant."

"Uh, yeah. I mean, we're comfortable but not rich or anything. Lex Luthor put us up for the summer; remember I told you that?"

"Right." Sydney bit her lip. "How do you know him again?"

Chloe shrugged. "My dad works for him."

"No, I mean... it seemed like you two were pretty close when I met you. And now he's put you in this beautiful place..." Sydney trailed off and glanced at Chloe from the corner of her eyes.

"Sydney," Chloe said as understanding dawned, "there is nothing between Lex and me. We're friends. And we really wouldn't even be friends if he wasn't going out with my best friend. That's all."

Sydney raised her eyebrows and she pulled away from Chloe so she could lean against the railing of the balcony. "Are you telling me that Lex really is dating a... what? Sixteen year old girl?"

"No," Chloe said slowly, titling her head. "My best friend is Clark. A guy. Who's, yeah, sixteen, but... wow." Chloe broke off abruptly, grimacing. "Maybe I shouldn't be telling you about this."

"Who am I going to tell?"

"I don't know." She put her hand on Sydney's arm and stroked it lightly. "It's not that I think you're going to deliberately try and expose them, but you're interning at the same place I am, and there are reporters everywhere. It might slip accidentally. Lex and Clark are my friends; I don't want anything to happen to them."

Sydney put the camera down and pulled Chloe to her. "I'm not going to say anything. It's just... I'm surprised, you know? Lex Luthor is a high profile guy; he's the CEO of his own company, for God's sake. The son of an important man. Super rich. And his reputation is shaky at best. Why would he be willing to throw all that away to have an affair with a younger boy?"

Chloe shook her head. "It's not like that, Syd. Clark and Lex... they're pretty solid, you know? Committed. Lex would do anything for him, and they really are discreet. Unlike certain friends of theirs." She smiled sheepishly.

"Stop." Sydney kissed her, threading her fingers in Chloe's hair. "You can trust me, Chloe. I'm not going to do or say anything, because I don't want you to get in trouble. I was just afraid that... that maybe you an Lex were having some sort of secret affair, and I was just a fling."

"No." Chloe kissed Sydney, holding her tightly. "You are not a fling, Sydney. I was so lucky to meet you. To find you. I wouldn't ever do anything to mess this up between us. I swear."

A bemused smile curled Sydney's lips and she brushed her knuckles over Chloe's cheek. "Chloe, it's okay. I believe you. You don't need... don't look so scared, babe. I trust you."

"Do you?" Chloe clung to her tighter, chewing on her bottom lip.

"Yeah." Sydney kissed her nose, then lips again. "Except you need to brush your teeth. You are the cutest thing I have ever seen in my entire life, but even you get morning breath."

Chloe pulled away, giggling. "Sorry. You just looked so beautiful standing out here, I couldn't help myself." She squeezed Sydney's butt, her cheeks warm.

"Go brush your teeth. We're supposed to be at the Daily Planet for our assignments, at ten." She finger quoted assignments. "Any predictions?"

Going to the bathroom, Chloe shrugged. "I'm thinking kiddie carnival. Lois said that they always make the high school interns write a story on that for the Fourth. Human interest, cute kids, pretty safe. I'd rather do a hard hitting expose about the dangers of carnival rides, or the carnies or something."

"Ah well," Sydney's voice floated back to her once Chloe was in the bathroom. "We still get most of the day to wander around Central Park, eating junk food, people watching, and finding nooks and crannies to make out in. I think it sounds fun."

"Yes," Chloe replied, smiling at her reflection in the mirror. "So do I."

Damien woke when Dominic did, as he did every morning. And, like every morning, he kept his eyes closed and pretended to sleep while listening to the sounds of his lover prepare for the day.

Dominic talked to himself while he dressed. Whispered, actually. Before he'd moved in, Damien had never known that. They'd spent mornings together, but never... never like this. In the past, they either lingered in bed together, or both went about their business at the same time. He'd never really listened to Dominic. Perhaps Dominic knew of his habits and did his best not to inflict Damien with them when they were together for the week-end, but couldn't now that they lived together.

Or, perhaps Damien had never listened to Dominic before, never paid all that much attention. And now, living in the same space, day in and day out, confined to a bed... Dominic was suddenly the best entertainment Damien could ask for.

Dominic whispered utter nonsense to himself. He chanted everything he had to do that day. He recited lists of names that obviously had some relevancy to him, but Damien could never figure what they relevancy was. He carried out conversations, acting out what he would say and how. He sang. He counted in foreign languages. He argued with himself.

Damien enjoyed every minute of it.

He'd never lived with anyone before, not a lover, at least. He'd been in committed, long-term relationships, and he'd shared quarters for a week or so. But he'd never moved into someone else's apartment and have that space gradually change from 'his' home to 'our' home, 'his' bed 'our' bed (even if Dominic didn't actually sleep with Damien right now) and 'my' life, 'our' life. It was very new and unfamiliar.

Lips brushed over Damien's forehead, and he opened his eyes. He never tried to hide the fact that he wasn't sleeping while Dominic readied himself for the day, even though it did make Dominic feel guilty for waking him. Damien had explained time and again that he liked waking with Dominic, but the man never seemed to really hear what he was saying.

Frustrating man.

"I have to go now," Dominic said regretfully. "I promised Lionel I would have breakfast with him."

"You told me last night."

"I know. But..."

"It's fine." He took Dominic's hand and sat up, slowly, trying not to wince from the pain.

Dominic saw anyway. "Do you want a pain pill?"

Damien shook his head and leaned against the padded headboard, breathing heavily. "No, I'm all right. It'll pass. I'm just... it hurts more in the morning. I'll be fine."

Looking unconvinced, Dominic said, "Are you sure?"

"I'm fine." Damien kissed Dominic's hand. "Will you come home before you go to the party tonight?"

Dominic's eyes darkened and he looked away. "About the party..."

"Dominic, we've discussed this," Damien said patiently. "You must to go this gathering. Edmund Spencer is a board member and major stock holder."

"But I'm British! He's throwing a Fourth of July party. It's not my holiday. And why am I needed, anyway? It's not a business gathering; it's... it's strictly for pleasure. And..."

"Nothing is strictly for pleasure, and you know that. Dominic, you are running Luthor Corp, and that means you must take on all the responsibilities of the CEO. You must go to parties and make your employees and board members feel as if you are active and present in all company affairs. It's the perfect opportunity to make connections and network."

"But Lionel hardly goes to half these functions!"

Damien raised an eyebrow; that was a blatant lie. Not only did he know for a fact that Lionel attended almost any gathering thrown by anyone of consequence, but Dominic's eyes betrayed him. He could never hide his lies from Damien, no matter how hard he tried.

But, instead of calling him on it, all Damien said was, "Then Lionel is a fool. You are not. You are going." It was an order, and he expected to be obeyed without any further argument.

Dominic's face fell, but he nodded. "Very well. I'll go. I'll take my clothes with me to the office, but I will try to make it home beforehand."

"Good." Damien squeezed Dominic's hand. "I know parties are hard for you, Dom. Just remember that you are no longer a little boy at the mercy of a cruel step-father. No one thinks of you as an unwanted bastard. No one looks at you with pity or scorn. You are Dominic Senatori, a powerful man who is Lionel Luthor's assistant and who is currently running Luthor Corp. And doing a brilliant job."

A flush colored Dominic's cheeks. "Only because you're here to help me."

"No. I help you a bit, but you are doing very well on your own."

"Thank you." Dominic bent over and kissed Damien lightly. "Now, I must go."

"Call me later?" Damien asked as he tugged Dominic down to kiss him again.

Dominic opened his mouth slightly and gently--too gently--brushed his tongue against Damien's.

He tried to deepen the kiss, but Dominic pulled back. "I have to go. I'll call you during lunch."

"Very well," Damien said, hiding his disappointment.

With one last smile, Dominic left.

Disappointed and frustrated, Damien closed his eyes. Dominic wouldn't kiss him. Not the way Damien wanted to be kissed. He was injured, yes, but he wasn't dead. There were still things he wanted and could do.

And damned if he were going to wait for Dominic to come to him. If Dominic insisted on pulling back every time Damien attempted to touch him, then Damien was just going to have to push matters.

Folding his arms over his chest, he began to make plans.

July 4

"Whitney called me this morning. It took me completely by surprise since he didn't say anything about it in his last letter. He called right after breakfast when Lex was leaving. Lex was totally jealous. Soon as I said Whitney's name, Lex jumped out of his seat, grabbed his briefcase and came right over to me. He kissed me, a really long kiss, and whispered good-bye and he loved me. It was loud enough for Whitney to hear because he sighed. I could practically hear him roll his eyes.

"Anyway, Whitney says that training is really hard. When they stop moving, he's unhappy, but he keeps reminding himself why he went in the first place.

"He told me, 'In the end, it's going to be worth it, Clark. I know I did the right thing in coming out here.'

"Then he told me that when he came back, we needed to go to a movie, shoot some baskets, and get coffee together. I told him that he was on. Right before he hung up, he told me he missed me. I miss him too. It was nice having someone to hang out with and just... relax. I mean, Pete's great, and he's been my best friend since Mom and Dad actually let me play with other kids. But it's not as fun to hang with him as it used to be. Not only do I have to hide my Secret from him, which makes me tense, but I know Pete doesn't like Lex. Whitney didn't know about me and Lex at first, but it didn't feel like I had to hide anything from him. I wouldn't have discussed it with him anyway, even if Lex had been a girl. But with Pete, it's different. I used to tell him practically everything. The few times I've hung out with Pete since he found out about Lex, Pete's asked how we're doing, but I can tell it's forced. I still like Pete. He's always going to be my best friend. But until this weirdness between us goes away, it's just not going to be the same.

"I can't believe that Lex decided to work today. He told me that business wasn't going to wait for a holiday. He gave the workers the day off, though. It's just him who's working.

"Screw this. There is no way I'm going to miss watching the fireworks with my boyfriend. And then there's the carnival. The last two years I went with Pete and Chloe; last year was the first time Mom and Dad didn't check up on me every hour. This year, I know they won't at all. I want to spend the day with Lex. That's what holidays are for."

"Come on," Clark ordered, his arms crossed over his chest. "We're going."

Lex sighed and shook his head. "Clark, I only have a little more paperwork. As soon as it's good, I'll be..."

"No! It'll wait."

"If you'd just take a seat, I'll be done..."

Clark snapped Lex's laptop shut and pulled it away too fast for Lex to see. "You'll be done now. Come on." When Lex made a face, Clark persisted. "Lex! It's the Fourth of July! I want to go to the carnival with you. It's a tradition."

"To go to the carnival with me? Where have I been for this tradition in the past?"

He lightly whapped Lex on the side of the head. "Smart ass." Clark put the laptop aside and sat on the desk. "I've gone to this carnival every year since I got here. Okay, so, no, I don't remember it before I was about five or so, but there are pictures. Mom shows them to me all the time -- me in the fun house, or eating ice cream with it over my face, or going on those baby cars. You know, the ones that are on a track and they only go in a circle? I remember going and riding it, thinking how I had to keep the wheel steady or I might crash into someone. And eating junk food, and listening to the bands play, or the drama society, or the dance show, and... and everything. I want to go with you this year." Clark made sure to make his eyes really wide as he gaze at Lex. For added leverage, he stuck out his lower lip and made it tremble.

Lex cracked. A grin spread over his face and he rose. "You are such a little manipulator." He threaded his fingers through Clark's hair and kissed him.

"I learned from the best," he whispered into Lex's lips, the glow of victory spreading through him. He swung his legs around so he was sitting on the desk facing Lex, his legs on either side of Lex's body. "How do you feel?" he asked as he slid down to the floor; Lex had come home with a headache the previous night, and it hadn't been quite gone when he'd left for work.

"Fine. Mabel brought over lunch for me, and sat with me until I ate every bite. Then she made me weigh myself."

Clark raised an eyebrow. "Huh?" He knelt between Lex's legs, undoing his belt buckle.

Lex shifted and caught his lip in his teeth. When Clark reached up and ran his finger along his bottom lip, Lex released it and replied, "She's been talking with Dr. Sutton every night, apparently. They're worried about me gaining the weight I lost back, and that I might not be eating like I should without one of them to watch me. So she..." Lex trailed off as Clark teased his pants and boxers over his hips.

"So she..." Clark prompted as he nuzzled the crease of Lex's thigh.

"Uh. She... Dr. Sutton a-asked Mabel t-t-to check in on me." Lex's eyes squeezed shut and hips thrust lightly forward as Clark's mouth played around the sensitive skin at the base of Lex's cock. "But I'm fine; I'm almost to what I was before Ryan came. Which is good."

"I talked to Mabel yesterday," Clark said before licking up the length of the rapidly hardening shaft.

The only response was a sharp inhale, so Clark pulled back slightly and looked up.

Lex's eyes were unfocused, hands gripping the arms of his chair so tightly his knuckles were white.

"Lex?"

"Hmmm? Oh. You talked to Mabel."

"Yes." Clark wrapped his lips around the head of Lex's cock, sucking. After a few moments of concentrated pressure, pre-come began to leak out, coating his tongue. Clark switched from sucking to licking, smiling as Lex's breathy whispers of, "Oh," and "yes," turned to wordless grunts. His hips jerked with each sound.

Clark sat back. "I ran into her while I was making a delivery to the Talon, and told her that I didn't know if you were actually eating the lunch I packed for you every morning. And she asked what I was packing and when I told her, she said probably not, because you're very finicky about what you eat for lunch. So I asked if she would start making you something, and she said of course."

Lex opened his eyes, looking disoriented. "Oh," he said when it became clear that Clark wasn't going to continue the tongue bath.

"So she came today?" Clark ran his fingertip up Lex's cock.

"Yes."

"And you ate all your lunch?" This time, he ran his palm over the head.

"Yes."

"And you're going to eat all your lunch from now on?" He rolled Lex's balls in his palm.

"Yes!"

"And take a break during lunch instead of working through it?" He held his hand just above Lex's cock, not touching it.

Lex groaned in his throat. "Yes! Anything! Jesus Christ, you're a tease."

He grinned and nodded. "Yes, I am." Then he bent back over and swallowed Lex whole.

Lex's fingers threaded through Clark's hair as he began to pump. Making sure to relax his throat and jaw, Clark allowed Lex to fuck him, slurping loudly each time Lex's cock slid in. His hands ran up Lex's thighs, resting at the top so he could feel Lex's rhythm better.

The grunts from before were replaced with full throated moans. Lex's head was thrown back against the leather chair, sweat beading along his forehead, hips coming off the leather seat with a loud 'thwack' each time as he buried himself deeply in Clark's mouth.

"Oh fuck," Lex whimpered suddenly, freezing.

Clark teased his fingers down Lex's balls and pressed hard into the perineum, massaging deeply.

"Clark," he grunted, coming. The tension from his body melted as he poured himself into Clark's eager mouth.

Clark sucked and licked enthusiastically, swallowing every bit until Lex was dry. Once he was, Clark pulled his mouth off. "I love you," he said.

Boneless, Lex melted off the chair and into Clark's arms. "Me too," he sighed. He kissed Clark gently, tongue sliding along Clark's bottom lip, tasting, before he rested his head in the crook of Clark's neck.

They sat curled together on the floor for a few minutes. Finally, Clark nudged Lex with his shoulder. "We should get going."

Lex groaned. "You just sucked my bones out my dick, and you want me to move?"

"Yup. We have junk food to go eat."

"Clark, you do know why people celebrate the Fourth of July, right?"

Clark furrowed his brow. "To take off work, eat lots of junk food, and watch fireworks?"

Smile tugging at his lips, Lex rolled his eyes and said, "Close enough. Let's get going."

"This isn't so bad, is it?" Sydney asked after she snapped a picture of a little girl in a bright pink tutu and matching cotton candy on her face.

Next to her, Chloe scribbled something in her reporter's notebook and shook her head. "Not at all. Especially when compared to, say, covering the shuffleboard competition. When they announced that one, I got dizzy. I was convinced they were going to make me write up something on it."

"You went white."

Chloe looked up from her notepad, eyes wide. "I didn't."

Sydney was grinned. "Totally white. I'm talking ghost-pale."

"Oops." Chloe giggled. "I thought I managed to hide it behind my oh-so professional demeanor. Looks like I need practice." She smiled. "Still, it kept me off it. And the baby recital isn't too horrible. The kids are pretty cute and all."

Then, on stage, the choir of seven year olds singing "You're a Grand Old Flag" hit a particularly off-key note, causing both women to wince.

"Okay, I stand corrected," Chloe amended. She stuck her pencil in her ear and wiggled it around, making faces.

"It's almost over. Two more acts, and we're free for the rest of the day." Sydney scooted closer to her on the bench until their thighs touched.

"I still have to write the story," Chloe reminded her. She brushed some of Sydney's hair off her shoulder, admiring her profile.

Sydney frowned. "Yeah, but that won't take long, right?"

She shook her head. "Nah. Maybe twenty minutes?"

"Good."

They sat through the last two acts, bantering lightly, Chloe constantly scribbling names, costumes, and sponsors in her book. Sydney continued to take pictures, even though she'd already snapped the ones she was turning in for her assignments on her digital camera.

When the recital was done, they packed up.

"Okay," Chloe said, "Let's head back to my place and..."

"Wait." Sydney grabbed her hand and pulled her down the hill, towards the lake.

"Where are we going?" Chloe asked as she was dragged through the crowd.

"You'll see!"

Sydney led her down the path until they hit the lake. From there, she veered off the path, stepping over some flowers that were planted along it. They walked through a wooded area until Sydney pushed aside some bushes to reveal an outcropping of rocks that formed a small cave.

"Come in," Sydney said as she crawled into the space.

Chloe followed, bemused. "Where are we?"

With a small smile and shrug, Sydney answered, "My place."

"Your place?" She glanced around the cave, imaging Sydney sitting in it.

She blushed. "This is where I come to... well. Always. When I have a bad day at school... when I have a good day at school. When I want to be alone, or have a great book I'm reading, or just bought a new CD or... or just about anything, really. I come here once a day, sometimes more."

"Wow. That's so cool. How did you find it?"

"Luck. Last summer, my family and I were kicking the soccer ball around, and my brother kicked it past me. When I ran to get it, I found the cave and remembered it. Later, I came to look at it, and I've been coming ever since."

Chloe smiled and ran her finger up Sydney's lightly tanned arm. "You're so lucky. I don't... I've never had a place like that." Chloe pulled her legs to her chest and leaned against Sydney. "Clark does. His dad converted the loft of the barn to a private space for him. Now it's his room, but it's his, you know? All I have is my bedroom, and that's... I can hear everything in the house from there, so it's not like I'm ever really alone. This is really nice; I could totally see myself coming her to write or read or something."

Tentatively, Sydney ran her hand up Chloe's back. "You're welcome to share this with me."

Her mouth fell open a moment before she laughed shakily. She was reading too much into that statement, and she knew it. "I'll bet you say that to all your girlfriends," Chloe said lightly and with a tiny smile.

"No." Sydney tugged at Chloe's hand until their fingers were interlace. "I've never brought anyone here."

Chloe blinked, looking at Sydney in amazement. "Really?"

"Really," she whispered. Sydney leaned closer to Chloe and kissed her softly on the lips. "It's our place, Chloe. Yours and mine."

A wave of happiness flooded Chloe and she grinned, feeling as if she were glowing. "Sydney, this... Thank you. So much." She kissed Sydney lightly, and rested her head on Sydney's shoulder. "Yours and mine," she said, trying the words out. "Our place. Yeah. I think I like that. It sounds good."

Sydney wrapped her arm around Chloe's waist. "Yeah. I think so too."

"Rest, Damien. Please." Dominic said, his face and voice full of worry.

Damien smiled tightly at Dominic's image on the video phone. "For the last time, I'm fine. I literally just finished my physical therapy when you called; you know I'm not normally in this much pain."

Dominic didn't look convinced, but he smiled. "Of course, darling. You're very strong. But, please, rest. I'll be home when I can."

"Very well. I'll be waiting."

"No, that's all right. Don't wait up." Dominic suddenly looked at something off screen, his face falling. "I need to go."

"I'll talk to you later."

The screen went black as Dominic turned his phone off.

With a quiet curse, Damien shut off his phone as well. Damn Dominic. Damn him and his stupid fears.

"Fuck," Damien swore. Then he sighed and shook his head; cursing and fuming wasn't going to solve anything. The only thing he could do was wait until tonight when Dominic got home and seduce him.

If he could.

If Dominic even wanted him any more. It was quite possible that it wasn't that Dominic was afraid of hurting Damien, but he was repulsed by Damien's mangled body.

"This is getting nowhere," he muttered to himself, resting his head against the headboard.

"What's wrong?" Anne, Damien's nurse, asked, entering into the room.

He cracked open his eyes but didn't move his head. "Dominic. He called right after my physical therapy, when I always look the worst, and he was highly upset by the amount of pain I seem to be in. Frantic, almost. I tried to tell him I was fine, and the pain was fading, and I'm not falling apart, but he wouldn't be soothed." He sighed. "I don't know what I'm going to do with that man."

Anne made a sympathetic face and set Damien's lunch tray down. "You could always hit him a few times, make him see reason," she joked.

He quirked an eyebrow. "As much as I would like to, I think I need to try something a little more... gentle. And persuasive."

"Why do I have a feeling you already have something in mind?" she asked, raising one jet black eyebrow.

Damien pushed himself up, breathing deeply as he did. "I do. But I need your assistance."

Anne sat on the edge of the bed and uncovered Damien's lunch. "What do you want me to do?"

Damien told her exactly what he needed. As he did, her dark eyes began twinkling even as her cheeks colored slightly. Anne was much younger than him, and very attractive. Damien enjoyed flirting with her, and she took it in stride and flirted back. And, she was comfortable with his and Dominic's relationship. Damien had grilled every nurse on their feelings about homosexuality in general and living with two male lovers in particular when he'd been interviewing. This was a long term assignment, and Damien was not of the temperament to tolerate anyone who could not be comfortable and support his relationship with Dominic. Anne's attitude had pleased him the most and had been the deciding factor of hiring her.

"Damien, are you sure..." she started when he was finished, but he cut her off.

"Yes, I am. I know what I can and cannot do, and will listen to my body. I'm very tired of him being afraid of me, and I... I need this."

She studied him for a moment. "He's just afraid of hurting you, Damien. That's all. I know he still wants you. He still finds you attractive."

Damien's chest tightened slightly at being so easily discovered, but he simply shrugged and said, "I need to see that for myself. Besides, I want to please my lover. He deserves a reward for everything he's gone through."

"You both do." Anne rose from the bed.

"Yes," Damien repeated softly. "We do."

"So," Clark asked as he and Lex walked down the booth-lined main street, "what do you think?"

Lex glanced at Clark, then at a booth selling dolls made of ribbon and yarn. "It's quaint," he finally replied, smile tugging at his lips.

"Quaint," Clark repeated. He frowned and looked around him; Clark knew it wasn't anything fancy, but he'd never thought that it was completely backwards or anything before. Was it really that bad?

"Yeah," Lex said blithely with a sweep of his hands. "I mean, there's a carnival every year in Metropolis, and it's different."

"Different how?"

Lex shrugged. "Well, we have vegetarian options for food."

Clark grinned and hit Lex with his shoulder. "Very funny. We do to."

Lex widened his eyes. "You do?"

"Yeah; they call the booth 'The Rabbit Patch.'"

"Well, then, I take it back. This is a thoroughly modern, not in any way quaint carnival." Lex smiled a real smile and the tightness Clark hadn't realize had formed in his chest eased. "It's great, Clark. Really."

"Good. I want you to have fun today. You deserve it. I mean, you're always working lately."

"Running my own company is hard. Time consuming. I like it, though."

Clark tilted his head. "Do you?"

Lex wrinkled his nose and then nodded slowly. "It's not science or anything, but it's fun. I like the challenge." He kicked a rock out of his path, and added, "I'm just sorry I don't have more time to spend with you."

"You're with me today. Let's concentrate on that, and not worry about the rest." Clark allowed his hand to brush against Lex's, trying to appear casual.

Lex's pinky caught his briefly before he stepped away. "Sounds like a plan."

"Let's get cotton candy." Clark tugged Lex's shirt--Lex had borrowed Clark's red shirt in the spirit of the holiday--and pulled him to the side of the street where the cotton candy vendor was.

"You like that stuff?"

Clark blinked at the total... horror, almost in Lex's voice. Disgust.

"Yeah, why?"

"Because... it's disgusting," Lex said, making a slight face as Clark stepped up to the booth.

"Hey, Clark," Jeremy, the vendor, said, smiling. He was a year ahead of Clark, and they didn't really know each other all that well. Although, now Clark thought about it, he remembered that Pete had recruited Jeremy to work on Clark's presidential campaign.

"Hey, Jeremy."

Jeremy pulled a paper stick out and held it above the spun sugar. "How many?"

"Hold on." Clark turned to Lex. "You _don't_ like cotton candy?"

Lex wrinkled his nose. "It's burnt sugar."

"Hey!" Jeremy protested playfully. "It's not burnt."

Lex smiled tightly. "I'm sure you're keeping a close eye on it, but... it's still just melted sugar."

"Spun sugar," Clark said impatiently. "How can you not like it?"

Lex's ears turned pink. "I just don't. Is there some sort of rule that I have to?"

Clark exchanged glances with Jeremy, who seemed highly amused. Jeremy's parents weren't employed by Lex, but a lot of his friends were; Clark had heard the horror stories about the Luthors circulated at school and he could only imagine Jeremy was getting a kick out of watching big, bad Lex Luthor argue with super-geek Clark Kent about cotton candy.

"Well, no, I guess not. But I don't understand how you can not like it."

"Maybe because it only costs a dollar," Jeremy suggested. "Maybe he can't eat anything under fifty."

Lex's eyes turned frosty as they pinned Jeremy. "Yes," he said, voice cold. "That must be it."

Jeremy sort of rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything in response.

Clark sighed and handed Jeremy a dollar. "Just one." He hadn't meant to make Lex a target or anything; Clark just didn't understand how anyone could hate cotton candy.

"Here you go; thanks for supporting the marching band."

Clark took the offered confection. "Thanks." He turned, nudging Lex around as well. "Sure you don't want a bite?" Clark asked after he tore a huge piece off.

"No, thank you." Lex eyed him a moment, then shook his head, the frost melting away. "When I was eight years old Pamela took me to the carnival in the park for the first time in Metropolis. My parents had never taken me, and it was all so new. And Pamela, being Pamela, indulged me."

"How do you mean?"

Lex's smiled turned self-deprecating. "Anything I wanted, she allowed. And, of course, I wanted junk food. I had three hot dogs, two ice cream cones, a plate of nachos which I split with her, and as much cotton candy as I could fit in my stomach. And everything came back up again after one ride on the Tilt-a-Whirl."

"Ah, man," Clark groaned in sympathy.

"Yes. I was sick. For quite a few hours. The last taste in my mouth before I started throwing up was the cotton candy and, ever since then, I can't stand the stuff. Stained all my vomit pink."

"I understand completely. Let's find you something else to eat. You, uh, can eat other stuff, right?"

He nodded. "As long as it's not pink." Gently, he brushed a clump of half melted sugar from Clark's face. "My masculinity gets enough knocks in this town, don't you agree?"

"You're the one who always insists on wearing purple," Clark said, resisting the urge to suck the sugar from Lex's finger.

Lex looked down his nose haughtily. "Purple is the color of royalty, Clark."

/I guess that makes you the queen, then,/ Clark shot back.

Lex's ears turned red and his shoulders shook with mirth. "Thanks, Clark," he said after a moment, laughter on the edge of his voice. "I needed that image."

"What image?"

"Me in a royal purple dress and diamond tiara."

Clark stopped walking and closed his eyes.

"Clark?"

/Don't talk. I'm picturing myself hiking up your dress and fucking you./

Clark could hear Lex swallow. /We're in the middle of the street, Clark. In Smallville. Your parents might be around here somewhere./

/Shhhh!/

Lex cleared his throat. "I have to get some papers out of the office at the Talon, Clark. Want to come with me?"

"Sure!" He finished his cotton candy as fast as he could as he and Lex hurried down the street towards the Talon.

"Hey, guys. What are you doing here?" Lana asked when they burst through the doors.

Lex cast a look at Clark and said, "I needed to get out of the sun for awhile."

"I understand. That's why I scheduled myself to work during the hottest part of the day. It keeps me in here."

"How's business?" Clark asked, edging towards the 'employee's only' stairwell with Lex.

Lana smiled. "Great! I doubt anyone is selling any soda at all today; everyone keeps coming in here for iced coffee. I'm glad we decided to stay open for the holiday."

"So am I. Money is... good," Lex said lamely.

"Yes, it is!" Lana agreed enthusiastically. "And I'm glad you brought it up, Lex, because I was thinking about something. We're turning a consistent profit now, so I think it's time that we expand. Maybe..."

"Lana... it's the Fourth of July," Lex interrupted, sounding desperate as Lana kept advancing on them. "Clark and I are going upstairs to get out of the heat. We'll see you later." He opened the door and walked up quickly, disappearing.

Clark felt his face turned red as Lana's eyes widened.

"Oh," she said awkwardly.

"Really, he's just hot. If it were cooler, he'd be fine."

Lana raised her eyebrow, smiling that small, knowing smile she got when someone was lying to her and she knew it. "Right, Clark. Hot, I get it. I'll talk to you later."

"Uh, okay." There didn't seem to be any more to say, so Clark fled upstairs. "Lex!" he hissed when he got to the office.

Lex slammed the door shut and launched himself onto Clark. "God, I thought she'd never shut up," he sighed and he wrapped his legs around Clark's waist. His mouth latched onto Clark's neck and he started to suck.

Clark moaned and fell to his knees, throwing his head back.

"Are you are horny as I am?" Lex asked before biting him.

Clark's breath hitched and he managed a small squeak.

Laughing, Lex slid his hands under Clark's shirt and smoothed them up the muscular expanse of his chest. "What was that?"

"God, yes." Clark licked his lower lip and moaned loudly when Lex twisted his nipple.

"It's the heat," Lex panted before biting Clark again. "And the fact we haven't had sex in a month."

"Must be it." Clark fell forward onto his hands and knees at Lex's prompting. "Shirt?"

"Good idea." Lex tugged Clark's shirt over his head, and tossed it aside; a moment later, Lex's shirt landed on the floor. Then Lex draped himself over on Clark's back, hot and sweaty against Clark's already over-hot skin. His tongue ran around the rim of Clark's ear, then flicked around the whorls before penetrating it.

A loud groan was ripped from Clark's throat, his cock pressing against his jeans.

Lex clamped a warning hand over Clark's mouth. "The walls aren't sound-proof," he said softly. "And your princess is right downstairs, her ears probably straining to hear what's going on even as she mentally chastises herself for being so perverse. So... kinky."

Panting heavily, Clark nodded. He opened his mouth, letting Lex slide a finger inside it. Clark sucked it happily, giving it the same attention he would if it'd been Lex's cock.

"Good boy," Lex gasped, pressing the hard length of his cock into Clark's ass. "Fuck, do we have any lube?"

"Dunno," Clark said around Lex's finger. He tongued the bed of Lex's nail, then licked the length of his finger.

Lex shuddered and bit Clark's shoulder blade. "Lana's got to have hand lotion up here, right?" He rose and went to the desk.

Clark whimpered at the loss of contact and shook some hair out of his eyes. His gut was churning and nerves tingling and with sinking dread, Clark realized that this wasn't going to work. He lifted his thumb to chew on it for a moment before admitting, "I don't know how quiet I can be, Lex."

Without looking up from the drawer he was pawing through, Lex responded, "You'll be perfectly quiet if you don't want anyone to hear you."

Shame suffused him, making his limbs heavy and his arousal wane. Clark shook his head miserably. "I don't... Lex, I can't."

Lex's head snapped up. He studied Clark, then smiled gently. "It's okay, Clark." His voice was soft and soothing. "We're not going to do anything that you don't feel comfortable with. You know that. Do you want to stop?"

He thought about it, and shook his head. His cheeks were still hot with embarrassment.

"Then, as they say, necessity is the mother of invention." Lex dug out a bottle of hand lotion and continued to dig through the drawer. Suddenly, a grin split his face and he pulled out a scarf and a roll of duct tape. "Lana's just going to have to lend us a few things."

As soon as he saw the scarf and tape, Clark's body broke out into a cold sweat. He started to shake as the knowledge of what Lex was planning to do with the items danced in his mind.

Arousal, strong and sure, struck him once more, making Clark achingly hard.

"You okay with this?" Lex asked as he knelt in front of Clark, bunching the scarf in his hand.

"I'm great." He grinned mischievously. "After all, I'm not the one who gets this done to him on a regular basis against his will."

"You are such a fucking brat," Lex said without rancor. He kissed Clark deeply, plunging his tongue inside.

Clark returned the kiss with a sigh, stroking Lex's tongue with his own.

Lex pulled away. "Open up."

Clark complied, taking a deep breath.

"Tell me if I choke you." Lex put half the scarf in Clark's mouth.

"Ohphay," Clark said around his mouthful.

Lex gave him a look. "Is that okay?"

"Mmmhmmm."

"Good." He picked up the duct tape and tore off a length, placing it carefully over the scarf and Clark's skin. "I'm glad you don't feel pain," he whispered, kissing Clark's eyelids. He brushed his lips over Clark's face as he undid Clark's jeans.

Clark moaned in agreement to Lex's statement as he wiggled out of his jeans. Lex helped him out of his shoes and socks, then tossed everything aside and guided Clark back down on all fours.

"You sure you're all right?" Lex asked again from behind Clark. Clark could hear Lex pulling off his clothes, and then the clothes landing on the floor next to them.

He nodded, desperate to assure Lex he was fine. Fine and aroused beyond belief. It was... amazing, mind boggling. Clark Kent was doing something... something that he'd never thought he'd ever do.

Clark was gagged. In a public place. Well, sort of; he was naked and gagged and hard in a private office above the very public Talon with half the town wandering around outside. And Lex had his fingers inside him, slowly moving in and out, going through the ritual of preparing Clark, even if it wasn't really necessary. It was all so overwhelmingly kinky, and yet... it wasn't. Intellectually, Clark knew they were entering porn industry territory, and yet all he could feel was love. And joy.

Okay, and the hard floor underneath him, but besides that, it was all about love and joy and Lex slowly sliding into him, exhaling loudly as he did.

Deep in his throat, Clark grunted, his body yielding and stretching around Lex. Shivers erupted from his stomach as Lex's hips came to rest on his ass, buried balls deep inside Clark.

"You okay?" Lex asked. His voice was tight and breath short.

Clark rolled his eyes and thrust back against Lex to get him to stop asking him that question.

He exhaled in a short laugh. "Sorry." Lex dropped a kiss along the curve of Clark's back and slid out.

Moaning against the gag, Clark let his head hang down. He was hot and squirmy inside, and Lex thrusted in short, little thrusts that hardly went anywhere. Lex was slick and wet inside him, jabbing Clark as if he were buried inside and trying to climb out through his skin.

Clark clawed at the floor, making small indents as his nails pulled up wood. "Mmmhgmn, mmmm!" he groaned as Lex jabbed against his prostate about a hundred times, pistoning his hips with the swiftness of a hummingbird.

Lex laughed softly. "What was that?" he asked, voice breathy and soft.

"Mummm mum."

A smack was delivered to Clark's thigh, ^zinging^ pleasure through him.

"I'm going to assume that the last thing you said was rude. It sounded rude."

/Oh fuck you./

He was rewarded with another stinging slap. He clawed the floor again, hoping that Lex would know what to do to cover it up when they were done.

"You feel so good, Clark," Lex whispered, peppering Clark's back with kisses as he drove himself in harder. His voice was so soft, Clark had to strain to hear it. Lex, it appeared, had no trouble making love silently. His hands were everywhere, stroking Clark's cock, squeezing his nipples, threading through his hair. He stopped with the jabbing motion and began to thrust in earnest, sliding in and out easily through Clark's well slicked passage.

But he was silent. Clark was moaning steadily into the gag, trying not to, but failing each time Lex slammed into him so hard their flesh make a smacking sound as it came together. But other than that and small grunts that were mostly air, Lex was silent.

Lex shifted Clark's body so Clark was kneeling. When he did, the head of his cock bumped into Clark's prostate.

Clark screamed, the sound muffled and obscene through the gag, as a sunburst of pleasure exploded in his stomach.

"Scream for me, Clark," Lex teased, rotating his hips, the tip of his cock still resting against Clark's prostate. He was moving in a counterclockwise motion, clinging to Clark, fingers digging into Clark's chest to keep himself up. His tongue was licking up Clark's neck, scraping and rasping until sparks of sensation radiated from the spot.

He moaned again, reaching back to grab Lex. Hands clamped firmly on Lex's ass, he pushed, trying to drive Lex's rhythm.

"No, Clark; keep... like this." Lex released Clark's chest and placed his hands over Clark's, trying to encourage the swirling motion of before.

"No," Clark said, or tried to say. Frustrated as he felt himself rising the crest to his orgasm, he said /Too... light. Wanna come./

"Patience," Lex breathed into Clark's ear. He pushed at Clark. "Lie down."

With a frustrated groan, Clark complied. Lex manipulated them so they were spooning, somehow managing to get them into position without falling out.

A shiver went through Clark as Lex lifted Clark's leg to rest over his hip.

"Good boy." Lex kissed the nape of his neck and then propped himself on one elbow so he was looking over Clark's shoulder. "God," he said with a laugh as Clark turned his head. "You look like something out of a porn movie." His hips were steadily rocking into Clark, hand stroking his belly soothingly.

Clark laughed. /Do you like what you see?/ he asked.

/Definitely. We'll have to explore this as a kink some other time./

His eyes fluttered shut as Lex stilled in his body, concentrating on stroking Clark's cock. /And... bondage. You need to... tie me up./ He moaned when Lex palmed his balls.

/Bondage is good./

/Dress too. You./

/Maybe./ Lex stroked him a bit more before moving again. /Come with me?/ he asked. Begged.

/Harder. Faster./

Lex began moving inside Clark faster; his hand did the same. They moved together, rolling, Lex thrusting into him, Clark thrusting into Lex's hand. Heat swept over Clark starting from his feet until he felt open. Sensitive. The air disturbed by the ceiling fan caressed him in ways that drove him crazy.

Lex began to carefully--almost delicately-- ^pluck^ strings in his sensory net. Gasping and shuddering hard, Clark returned the favor, decidedly more rough and less picky about the sections he chose to torture.

"Fuck," Lex ground out through gritted teeth. Concentration inward, he picked one stand that was throbbing particularly hard and ^stroked^ it.

That did it for Clark. He could feel himself erupting, coming hard, his sensory net in flames.

Lex's caught fire as well and he convulsed into Clark, biting his shoulder to muffle his cries.

Clark threw his head back and shouted. It was louder than he expected, but there was nothing he could do now; either the gag worked, or it hadn't and someone heard them.

A burst of energy crashed through Clark and he stiffened, limbs going light and airy.

"Clark!" Lex exclaimed. He wrapped himself around Clark as they rose off the floor.

Feeling lazy and sated, Clark rolled so he was face down to the floor, Lex on his back. Lex reached around and worked the duck tape off, then took out the scarf.

"How do you feel?"

"Well fucked," Clark answered languidly.

Lex laughed and kissed his back. "Thinking of letting us down anytime soon?"

"Do you have somewhere to be?"

"No."

"Then, no."

He laughed again and stretched, still hanging onto Clark's neck. "Okay, then. Sounds good." Lex rested his cheek against Clark's back and they hung there, bathing in the afterglow.

"Chloe. Breathe," Sydney ordered, squeezing her hand.

Obediently, Chloe sucked in a deep breath, exhaling quickly.

Next to her, Sydney laughed slightly and shook her head. "It's just the Ferris Wheel; what are you so afraid of?"

"I don't... I've never been much for these things," Chloe admitted, squeezing the guard rail tightly.

"It's not supposed to be scary. It's supposed to be romantic. Look: every other couple on this thing is snuggling and enjoying the view."

"In order to look, I would have to open my eyes, Syd, and that's not happening."

Sydney kissed her, pressing her soft lips into Chloe's gently. "Open your eyes, Chloe. You're fine."

Taking another deep breath, Chloe forced her eyes open. They were currently suspended and stopped three spaces from the top as the wheel loaded. The late afternoon air was clear, the sun hanging suspended above the horizon, ready to set in another hour or two. The noise of the fair below floated up to them, loud and clear, the sound of hundreds of people enjoying themselves. Having fun. Relaxing.

Chloe's heart rate eased a tad as the strange normalcy of it all washed over her. It was fine; everything was fine. Perfect even. Sure, she was in a questionably put together wheel that, yes, might fall apart at any moment, and Clark was miles away with no chance of getting her before she reached the ground, but nothing was really going to happen. It almost never did.

The 'almost' bothered Chloe, but she quashed it down and shot a sheepish smile at Sydney. "Sorry."

"It's okay; we've all got our phobias."

"It's not heights, it's... when I was five, my mother and I got caught on one of these during a storm. The wind made the car swing really hard, and rain was pelting us. It totally freaked me out."

Sydney's eyes softened. "Why didn't you say something before we got on? I wouldn't have made you go."

She hitched a shoulder. "Didn't want you to think I was a chicken."

"Like I said: we all have our phobias. It's fine." Sydney eased Chloe's hand off the rail and interlaced their fingers.

Sighing, Chloe rested her head on Sydney's shoulder, freezing as the car rocked ever so slightly.

The day had been perfect so far. Chloe had gotten the article done in record time and turned in to her editor. Then she and Sydney had gone out for a late lunch with her father before he left for an actual date (his first in about five years). He'd given Chloe money for the fair and instructions to be home by eleven. Sydney was invited to spend the night again if her parents said it was all right (which they had).

Sometimes, Chloe wondered if her father knew about her. It wasn't something they had ever talked about. They'd discussed sex, puberty, and boys. But never girls. He never gave any indication that he knew.

And yet... how could he not have known? She and Lana had made out in the house. They'd been best friends--inseparable, almost--and then, suddenly, Chloe had locked herself in her room and she and Lana weren't friends. And now Sydney...

But, Gabe never said anything, so Chloe never brought it up. She didn't know how.

"So, uh," Sydney said suddenly, breaking the silence between them as the car moved up another space. "Have you ever, uh, had sex?" Her cheeks colored.

Chloe blinked, startled. "Uh... with a guy?"

She shrugged. "Or girl. I mean, ever. Have you ever had sex ever?"

Eyes fastened on the bar in front of her, Chloe nodded. "Once. With my ex-girlfriend." Oh, that was hard; even after all that time, the thought of Lana as her 'ex-girlfriend' made Chloe's heart ache. "You?"

"Yeah. I slept with this girl at camp last year."

"Was it a good experience?"

Sydney smiled. "Yeah, it was. It was during free time. We snuck into the boat house and hid underneath this boat that wasn't being used; it was turned upside down. We spread our towels out on the ground and... well. You know." She licked her lower lip. "You?"

"Oh," Chloe said awkwardly. She looked away and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well. You know. Even bad sex is... good."

"Chloe?" Sydney shifted and put her hand on Chloe's arm. "What happened?"

Blinking back sudden tears, Chloe shook her head. "It's stupid. It was all so stupid. Really. Just this... typical Smallville disaster."

"Oh my God. Did you sleep with a mutant?"

"No!" She turned back around to face Sydney. "No. She was... sick. On some meteor flower mutation thing. The Nicodemus flower. She seduced me, and I thought it was great, but she... didn't. She didn't even remember what happened; I had to tell her. And that's why we broke up."

Understanding washed over Sydney's face. "Oh," she breathed. "Okay."

"What?"

"It's just... that explains so much. You keep... asking if things are okay. And last night, we slept in the same bed, and every time I tried to get you to fool around, you pulled away. I thought that you were a virgin."

Cheeks hot, Chloe shrugged. "It's stupid; I know it's stupid, but..."

"No, it's not. I totally understand." Sydney frowned and traced her finger lightly up Chloe's arm. "But you can't be scared forever."

"I know, I..."

Sydney cut her off by kissing her, fingers tugging at her neck gently.

Moaning softly in surrender, Chloe kissed Sydney back, even as her stomach lurched when the Ferris wheel began moving. Sydney kissed in a totally different way from Lana, all tongue and soft, nipping teeth at Chloe's lips, fingers massaging her neck or jaw line. It felt... focused in a way Lana hadn't. Intent on something more than just kissing.

"Sydney," Chloe whispered, breaking the kiss. "We're in public."

"It's Metropolis, Chloe; no one cares," she whispered back, diving in for another kiss.

Chloe allowed the kiss to happen, but broke it when some guy whooped and shouted, "Look at the lezzies on the wheel!'

"That's what I don't want," she said, flushing.

Sydney rolled her eyes and shrugged. "Yeah, well. I just meant that it's the city, not the small town you're from. We don't have to hide." She took Chloe's hand as the wheel climbed to the top again. "Why don't we go somewhere more private when we get off?"

Butterflies began wildly fluttering in her stomach at Sydney's words. "Uh... I don't know, Sydney," she said nervously, tucking some hair behind her ear.

"I'm not going to force you or anything. I just think that the best thing to do to get over your ex-girlfriend and put the experience behind you is to sleep with me." Her eyes were wide and honest as she looked at Chloe.

"Uh... okay," Chloe stammered. "And you've decided this why?"

"Because I really want you, and I have since I first saw you at the convention. And I thought that tonight would be, I don't know, kind of magical or something. You know: outdoors, hidden from view, fireworks going off as we make our own fireworks." She smiled mischievously. "It'd be one of those stories that we can tell when we get to college and everyone wants to know about the best place you've ever had sex in."

Cheeks hot, Chloe bit her lip. She did want to sleep with Sydney. That wasn't her only interest in the young photographer, but Sydney was just so beautiful and so... open. So unlike Lana. And yes, Chloe was on the rebound, but that didn't mean that she and Sydney couldn't have a meaningful relationship. Something lasting. Something like Clark and Lex.

But... she was scared. Every time Chloe had even thought about sleeping with Sydney, she broke out into a cold sweat and had to break off her line of thinking. After what had happened before, she just wasn't ready. Or, she was ready, she was just afraid.

But, on the other hand, Sydney was so pretty! And warm and alive and... willing. No mistake about that. Even Lex had seen it. Wait. Lex saw everything. Still, it was obvious that Sydney really wanted her.

Chloe sighed. "Thank God," she breathed when their car stopped at the bottom of the wheel.

"Thanks for the show, ladies," the ride operator said as they climbed out, leering at them.

Sydney smiled sweetly and flipped him the bird. She took Chloe's hand. "Let's go."

They weaved their way through the crowd. People were beginning to find spots for the evening, picnicking and talking as they waited for the fireworks. Children ran around on sugar highs, screaming and laughing. Couples held hands and found trees to lean against to share romantic kisses. And Sydney and Chloe were... apart from it all. Walking in a cloud of... anticipation, maybe?

"Are we really going to do this?" Chloe asked after a moment.

Sydney shrugged and placed her hand on the small of Chloe's back. "I'd like to. I mean, I really like you, Chloe, and I..." Her cheeks colored faintly. "I want you to be my girlfriend for a long time. Even after you move back to Smallville. And, it's not like there's a rush or anything, but... why don't we see where the mood takes us?"

Chloe looked at Sydney from the corner of her eyes. "Where the mood takes us?"

"I've got some ideas where I'd like this evening to go." Sydney touched her arm gently. "But I'm not going to do anything that's going to feel... weird. Cause right now, you've got me feeling weird."

"Sorry."

"No, Chloe, that's not what I meant. You're just... tense. And I just want to have fun tonight." Sydney smiled. "Okay? Fun."

Chloe nodded slowly. "Fun, right. So, let's go play games. See if I can win you a teddy bear."

Sydney grinned, the seriousness that had been in her face since they'd gotten off the Ferris wheel melting away. "Now that sounds like fun. Let's go."

Lex shifted uncomfortably and tugged his shirt down. Holding the edges, he ran it over his skin, trying to relieve the itch. When it didn't work, he placed his hand on his stomach and rubbed casually, trying to look as if he weren't scratching. Even if he was.

After he and Clark had finally landed from their post-coital hover, they'd washed themselves the best they could in the employee washroom. The soap in the bathroom was the same horrible, thick, foul smelling pink stuff that the rest of the Talon was stocked with. It irritated Lex's sensitive skin, making him break out in a rash almost immediately.

"You okay, Lex?" Clark asked next to him through a mouthful of his candy apple.

"Stupid soap," he grumbled. "From now one, I'm stocking the Talon with real soap even if it does cost more. No one should have to suffer this."

"I don't think it's supposed to be used to bathe with, Lex; just wash your hands." He watched Lex scratch his back before asking, "Do you want to go home and take a bath?"

"No; I'll be fine." He bit into his candy apple as well and sighed, scratching his neck. "Actually, I think it's Lana's lotion that's making me itch."

"I thought you said that it wasn't going to irritate your skin. You read the ingredients three times to make sure.

Lex smiled. "It's the smell; I hate smelling like her."

Understanding and amusement light Clark's eyes. "I don't know; I kind of like it. It's like... one of my fantasies is walking down the street next to me."

"And what fantasy is this?"

/You and Lana and me all together./

"Never. Going. To happen, Clark," Lex said sharply and succinctly. "Ever."

Clark grinned. "Okay; whatever you say."

"Don't take that tone with me. Even if I were to agree--which I never will--she wouldn't. So give up the dream." Lex smiled and took a bite of his apple. The itch was beginning to fade, and the lotion didn't really bother him all that much.

They walked in silence a few minutes, munching on their treats, watching the carnival go around them. They were currently walking through the carnival games, watching parents, little kids, and teenaged couples waste their money on rigged games trying to win crap prizes.

Lex could tell Clark wanted to play. And Lex wanted to indulge Clark, but, for whatever reason, Clark was confining himself to longing looks. Until he said anything, Lex wasn't going to offer.

"I thought you were over her," he said suddenly, tossing the empty stick of his devoured treat into a waste can.

"I am. Way. But, still. I like the way she smells." Clark's cheeks were red, and he hunched his shoulders.

Delicately, Lex sniffed himself; the lotion smelled like honey or something. Nothing too girly or feminine, but not masculine either. It hinted at androgyny, which was why Lex agreed to wear it instead of going home and showering; as he'd said before, his masculinity took too many hits in this town to go around smelling like a girl. At least he _wasn't_ wearing purple today.

He rubbed his stomach again, the aggravating itching fading to a dull tingle. "It's not a bad smell," he finally conceded. "I can see why you're attracted to it."

"Gee, thanks, Lex," Clark said dryly. He threw his stick away and looked around. "Wanna snow cone?"

"You do know all this sugar is going to rot your teeth, don't you?" Lex followed Clark to the snow cone vendor.

"It's never hurt me before," he said with a huge grin, flashing his perfect teeth.

Lex rolled his eyes. "Two please," he said to the vendor, taking out his wallet.

"Flavor?" the girl asked.

"Blue," Clark answered immediately.

Lex took a moment to look over the syrup flavors before deciding on cherry.

"Here ya go. Thanks." The girl handed them their cones and turned to the next customer.

"I love snow cones," Clark said, delicately biting into his. "I want my parents to get an ice shaver so I can make them, but they won't."

Lex grimaced as he watched Clark nibbling at his cone. He licked his lightly, and asked, "How can you bite that?"

"It doesn't hurt me. In fact, it feels good. It's so hot lately." Clark took a huge bite and sucked on the ice nosily. When it was half melted, he added, "I hate summer."

The impulse to push was strong. Lex knew that Clark's temperature ran about 103; at least, that's what it was when Lex had taken it a few months before. With that knowledge, and the fact that Clark tended to keep Kiptin at uncomfortably cool temperatures, Lex wondered what his home planet was like. Clark remembered icy walls and it being cold, but any time Lex pushed beyond that, he shut down. No, it might not matter now what it was like there; Clark was here now, and wasn't going anywhere.

It was just... Lex wondered how long Clark had been uncomfortable in the heat, at what temperature he felt most comfortable in, and how warm it could get before he started feeling uncomfortable. He wanted to talk to the Kents and ask them questions too. He wanted....

He didn't know what he wanted. No, he did. He wanted to get this whole alien thing out into the open and being talked about on a regular basis by him, the Kents, and Clark until they'd either figured it all out, or Clark was comfortable with it.

But, he wasn't willing to ruin the mood. Clark was happy today. He'd had two cotton candies, a bag of popcorn, three candy apples, a snow cone, and public sex. And Lex was actually relaxed for the first time in months. He could feel the difference between his shoulders and neck, instead of feeling as if they were one solid block. There was no way he was going to bring up something as volatile and mood-ruining as Clark being an A-L-I-E-N.

No way in hell.

So, he slurped a small melted piece from the top of his snow cone and asked, "Do you want to play a game?" So much for waiting to be asked.

Which maybe he should have, judging by the way Clark's face fell and shoulder's slumped.

"Uh." Clark glanced around him, licking his now bright blue lips. "Uh, sure. What game?"

"I don't know. What game do you want to play?"

"Dunno. What game..."

"Clark," Lex said, stopping. "Let's not play this game." He cocked his head. "What's up?"

Clark shook his head. "It's nothing. It's stupid." He hesitated, then said, "It's just... I've never been allowed to play anything."

Lex narrowed his eyes. "Do your parents think it's a frivolous waste of money? Because it is. Except, I'm rich, and it's okay. I'll pay."

"No. Well, sort of," Clark conceded. "But it's because... well, think about it, Lex. Can you imagine me playing that game when I was ten?" He pointed to the milk can game as the kid playing it threw a softball at a pyramid of milk bottles.

"Ah." Lex saw his point; a super-strong kid determined to win a stuffed toy could do a lot of damage. But, still, Clark was sixteen. "Clark? Do you trust yourself?" Lex looked Clark steadily in the eyes, one eyebrow raised.

Clark returned the look for a long moment before nodding. "Yeah. I do. I just... I'll be fine."

"Yes. You will be." Lex smiled.

The smile was returned with one hundred percent of the Clark Kent charm behind it. Blue teeth and lips smiled sunnily at Lex and Lex found himself melting under the heat of it.

He wasn't sure how long they stood there before a voice hissed, "Dude."

Startled, Clark and Lex broke eye contact to find Pete standing next to them, looking worried.

"Hey, Pete," Clark said, sounding unsteady.

"Hey. You guys really look... well, you know. Standing there like that. And you're in public. If you don't move soon, people are going to start to suspect something ain't kosher between you two."

Lex exchanged a look with Clark, then turned to Pete. "You're right. Thank you, Pete."

Pete nodded, trying for a smile. "No problem, man. Now, if you two will excuse me, I've got a date to attend to."

"With who?" Clark asked.

"Erica. She had so much fun at the spring formal, we've been dating."

Clark half shook, half slapped Pete's hand. "Very cool."

"You busy tomorrow?"

"No; why?"

"I thought we could go to a movie or something," Pete replied, shrugging. "Hang out. I haven't seen you all summer."

Clark nodded. "Okay, sounds good. I'll meet you at the Talon around one, okay?"

"See you there. Bye, Lex."

"Bye, Pete."

They watched Pete practically bounce back to Erica, a huge grin on his face. He waved at them once more as he put his arm around her waist and left.

"They look good together," Clark said after a moment.

Lex nodded in agreement. Pete was a bit shorter than Erica, and she had a certain style that he lacked, but there was something about them as a couple that... fit in an odd way. At least in a very high school way, where the girls were light years ahead of all the guys, and yet the guys managed to score anyway. "They do. Do you think it'll last?"

He smiled, sighed, and shook his head. "No. I'd be happy for him if it did, but I don't think it will. In two weeks Pete's going to start working on a campaign for the next election, and when he gets involved with stuff, his whole attention is consumed by it. He won't have time for her."

"He's interested in politics?" This was the first Lex had heard of it; interesting.

"Yeah," Clark answered. "He's always been. Every summer he works at the courthouse or on some campaign or something. Writes letters. That sort of thing. That's why he knew how to organize my presidential thing. He's got experience."

Lex looked back to where Pete and Erica had been, even though they'd long been swallowed by the crowd. "I'll have to remember that," he said quietly, almost to himself.

"He still doesn't like you," Clark warned.

"No, but that could be changed. Besides, it is possible that our politics are the same. Maybe he could put aside his personal feelings for a cause he can get behind, even if I'm the one promoting it."

Sighing, Clark shook his head. "Lex, you just opened your own company. Don't go jumping into politics just yet. You need to slow down, or you'll burn out."

"It doesn't hurt to look to the future, Clark. I'm only making a note of it. That's all. Now, I believe you were going to choose a game to play?"

"Right. Why not..." Clark trailed off, looking around him. "Oh! Basketball. Let's go play that." Clark swallowed the last of his snow cone and started walking towards the basketball game. Lex, following behind, struggled to compete with the cherry syrup that was trying to drip out of the cup and into his hand.

"Hey," Clark greeted the carnie running the game. "How much?"

"Two dollars for three balls."

"I'll get it," Lex said, giving up on trying to beat the snow cone. He licked a trail of syrup from his wrist and started to toss the paper cup away.

Clark took it quickly and dumped the rest of the ice into his mouth. "No sense wasting it," he said around the melted ice.

"No, of course not." Lex pulled out his wallet and handed the man two dollars.

"Here you go, kid. If you make two shots, you get one of the little prizes, and all three you get a medium one."

"How do you get the big prize?" Lex asked, nodding at the very large stuffed bears hanging from the roof of the tent as Clark aimed carefully. He pulled a moist towlette he'd taken from the Talon and wiped off his sticky hand.

The carnie spit before answering. "If you make all three, you can pay two more bucks and try again for the big prize; they're six shots."

Clark sunk the first shot.

"And if you don't make the six shots? What do you get?" Lex asked, keeping an eye on Clark.

"If you're a kid, you get a small prize. If you're you, nothing." He grinned. "It's all a gamble."

The second shot bounced off the rim, but went in anyway.

"Cool," Clark said as he got the third ball. He bounced it a couple times, then looked at the hoop through calm, steady eyes.

"Don't forget to breathe, Clark," Lex said softly.

"Shut up! You'll ruin my concentration."

"Sorry!" Lex put his hands up in mock surrender, then folded his arms over his chest, watching Clark.

Clark's bit the tip of his tongue--which was blue--furrowed his brow and shot. His whole body moved as he did in one fluid movement.

The ball sank into the hoop cleanly.

"Yes!" Clark crowed, punching his hand into the air.

"Nice job, kid. Wanna trade in for another three?"

Clark glanced at Lex who shook his head minutely.

"No, thanks."

The carnie looked disappointed, but asked gamely, "What prize do you want?"

"Uh..." Clark studied the stuffed animals lining the wall next to the hoop. "The white tiger," he decided.

"Okay."

It was a good sized animal, plush and soft, with black stripes and big blue eyes. If Lex had been about sixteen years younger, he would have adored it.

"Thanks, man." Prize in hand, Clark turned and he and Lex walked away.

When they were three booths down, Clark handed the tiger to Lex. "For you."

"Ah, Clark." /How romantic./ He smirked.

Clark smirked back. /Anything for you, baby. You do know you'll have to put out later, right?/

Lex snorted. /Ah. Darn./

"What are you going to name it?" Clark asked out loud.

"Uh. Hmm." Lex thought about it a moment, then said, "How about Lily?"

"I think Lily is the perfect name," Clark replied. He touched Lex lightly on the back, smiling and ^glowing^ in Lex's direction.

Lex felt himself ^open^ up to bask in the glow. It was so stupid, and he knew it; the tiger cost, at most, five dollars at a toy store, and he had no earthly use for one. But Clark had won it for him, and, somehow, that made it all that much more valuable. And, yes, he adored it.

He cleared his throat and let the tiger dangle down his leg, holding it around the middle with one hand. "Let's go play more, okay?"

"Sure." Clark touched him again, smiling. Then they headed off for the next game.

Clark's luck didn't hold out. They played half the carnival, and didn't win anything else until their last game. Lex, hungry and tired, managed to get a ping pong ball to land in a tiny cup of water, winning a gold fish. However, before he was able to present the fish to Clark, the tiny, six-year-old girl next to him started screaming her head off when she lost the game for the fifth time in a row.

"I wanna fish!" she shrieked, eyes screwed shut and fists clenched.

Her mother grimaced and tried to pick her up. "Honey, if you want a fish, we can get one from the pet store tomorrow."

"But I want one from here!" The girl squirmed out of her mother's arms and stamped the ground, fat tears flowing from her eyes.

Lex exchanged looks with Clark, who shrugged.

"Mrs. Tierney?" Lex said to the woman, recognizing the woman from her personnel file.

The woman looked surprised and flattered to be recognized, and, at the same time, mortified. "Hello, Mr. Luthor. I'm terribly sorry..."

"It's not your fault," he told her smoothly and with a comforting smile. "I was just wondering if..." He quickly racked his brain, calling up the file in his mind and ^skimming^ through it quickly. "Tiffany, isn't it?"

"Yes," the little girl sniffed. She rubbed her eye with a clenched fist.

Lex smiled down at her. "Would you like to take care of this fish for me? I just won it, and I'm not going to be able to take it home."

Her eyes lit up. "Really?"

"It's all yours." He handed her the bag.

"Mommy! It's so pretty!" Tiffany bounced up and down.

"Thank you, Mr. Luthor. I don't know what to say," Mrs. Tierney said, flustered.

Lex shrugged casually, but he could feel his ears warm. "It's a fish. It's really no problem."

"Thank you."

"Of course. And I'll see you back at work tomorrow."

"Yes, Mr. Luthor. What do you say, Tiffany?"

"Thank you!"

Lex smiled once more at them, then picked up his tiger and turned, walking away.

"How did you know the daughter's name?" Clark asked, falling into step besides him.

"I know everyone who works for me by name, and most of their families, too. The Tierney's only have one daughter, so it really was easy."

"You have everyone memorized? You employ over 3,000 people."

Lex shrugged again. "I think I have everyone memorized, but I could be wrong. I... Mr. and Mrs. Kent. Enjoying the fair?"

The Kents walked up to them, looking relaxed. Jonathan had one arm around Martha, and was carrying a picnic basket. Martha had a long stemmed rose in her hand and a bud tucked behind her ear.

"Very much," she answered, smiling at them. "And you two?"

"It's great, Mom." Clark smiled and glanced at the picnic basket.

Jonathan seemed to notice. "Your mother and I were just about to head on down to the high school to watch the talent show. We have enough food for the two of you, if you'd like."

Lex glanced at Clark uncertainly. He'd been hoping to continue his day alone with Clark; after all, he was living with the Kents now. It was close to his dream of living with Clark, except for the curfew that banned them from the other's room by eleven, and the almost never getting to be alone, and the fact that even if they were alone, they were confined to the 'no sex on the farm' rule. But he couldn't say that now, especially not if Clark wanted to be with his parents. Maybe it was part of the tradition.

But Clark simply shrugged and said, "Naw. Lex and I were going to hit a couple rides before we got dinner and found a place to watch the fireworks."

It was a masterfully delivered lie. Even Jonathan and Martha looked impressed. Well, amused. And knowing. And... not fooled or impressed at all.

Martha smiled knowingly. "Very well. We're parked in the lot outside Main Street; there's a basket for the two of you in the truck. Be home by midnight."

Clark's cheeks were red. "We will, Mom."

"Good." Martha leaned forward and kissed Clark on the cheek. "Have a good night, boys." The Kents turned and walked away.

"So," Lex glanced at Clark. "Did you really want to go on rides?"

"No. Let's get dinner."

He nodded. "Sounds like a plan. Where do you want to eat?"

"Uh," Clark bit his lip in thought as they began walking through the crowd again. "Well, there's this place, it's at the edge of your property. In that big empty field?"

"The part that's on the outside of the gate?" Lex asked.

"Yeah. About a mile from the entrance to your place, there's this spot that used to be an orchard or something. There's still some trees there, and this little clearing with a rock that's flat and stuff. It's secluded and pretty; Chloe, Pete, and I watched the fireworks from there last year."

Lex thought about it for a moment. Secluded, nice, and on his property. "Sounds perfect. Let's go."

"Tell me why I was nervous about this?" Chloe whispered as her fingers trailed down Sydney's sides lightly.

Beneath her, Sydney shivered and shook her head. "You... had a reason." She licked Chloe's breastbone, then kissed over until her mouth found Chloe's breast. She sucked it into her mouth.

Chloe bit her lip, trying not to moan out loud. It was hard not to; Sydney's mouth was hot and wet. She sucked hard, as if she were trying to draw Chloe out through her breast, cause her to fold in on herself, melt and seep through the small hole. Which, judging by the way her limbs liquefied, didn't seem too farfetched at the moment.

"Sydney," she gasped, fingers tight in Sydney's hair. Teeth lightly scraped over the tip of her nipple, before Sydney resumed sucking hard.

This time, the moan was not so muffled. It was strangled, yes, but not muffled, and Chloe bit her lip so hard she practically drew blood. Her stomach tied itself in a huge knot. She grew wet, dampening her panties.

Sydney switched nipples, sucking the long neglected one. As she did, her fingers began rolling Chloe's salvia-wet nipple between her fingers, applying just the right pressure to make Chloe groan loudly.

She released Chloe's nipple with a wet 'pop.' "Softly," Sydney whispered. She kissed Chloe's breast lightly, then lifted her head "Softly." Their lips brushed each other gently before Sydney traveled downward again, nipping at the skin, then caressing it with her lips.

"Yes. Yes," Chloe agreed, as she ground herself into Sydney's hip bone. Years of thinking masturbation meant simply applying pressure and rubbing in that general area was paying off, and hot waves of pleasure crashed through Chloe as she rubbed her clit against the hard bone beneath her.

Softly, she repeated to herself. They were, after all, in public. In the cave, secluded. Yes, they'd propped a board in front of the opening, on the off chance that someone wandered by. It was very unlikely; the cave was secluded, and it was hidden from view, but still. Naked, sweaty, and horny, Sydney and Chloe weren't planning on taking any chances.

"I can do softly," Chloe said in a tight voice. She bent over and gently lapped the skin at the juncture of Sydney's neck and shoulder, tasting sweat and dust and the soap. She smell of Ivory soap and musk, and made Chloe's head spin. A girly, feminine scent on this tough, practical, adventurous woman, and a taste that was all her own.

Chloe wondered what she smelled like, tasted like. Chloe lowered herself, still grinding her aching clit into Sydney, and gently lapped at the skin at the juncture of Sydney's neck and shoulder.

"Mmmm." Sydney urged Chloe's face up. "God, you're beautiful," she said, lifting so her lips connected with Chloe's. They were soft and slick with saliva, the taste of berries from her lip gloss stubbornly clinging to her lips.

Chloe smiled dopily, her kiss sloppy because of it. But it didn't matter.

She wrapped her arms around Sydney and pulled their bodies together. Their naked breasts were both sticky with sweat, and Chloe's were over sensitive. As she rubbed herself on Sydney, she sighed with the pleasure of just feeling someone else's body against hers. The sheer intimacy of it all both comforted and aroused her all at once.

Sydney made a noise in her throat as she broke the kiss. "Roll over, Chloe" she gasped, pushing at Chloe's body.

"I kind of like it here." Chloe kissed the corner of Sydney's mouth, then brushed her lips over her jaw to nuzzle underneath. She squeezed Sydney tighter to her, rubbing her hand down Sydney's spin and dipping underneath her panties to feel the soft skin beneath.

"You're overdressed," Sydney said, hooking her fingers in the waistband of Chloe's panties. "I want to see you."

Chloe flushed and nodded. Releasing Sydney, she sat up and slipped out of her panties, throwing them onto the top of her clothes. "Uh," she said, a touch awkwardly as Sydney's eyes devoured her. "You too."

"Of course." Sydney's voice was low and throaty. Her back arched and she tugged her panties down before throwing them aside. Then she stretched luxuriously, displaying her body. Her knees fell open, displaying the damp, wet curls that surrounded her entrance. "Why are you over there while I'm over here, Chloe?" Her fingers slid through her pubic hair, inching towards her clit.

"I was distracted by the view." Chloe bent over Sydney and placed a soft, almost chaste kiss to her lips. Then she went lower and repeated the action, this time on Sydney's clit.

Sydney arched and inhaled sharply.

Encouraged, Chloe stretched out besides Sydney, face resting on Sydney's hip, Sydney's breath lightly brushing across Chloe's pubic hair.

"Is the view better now?" Sydney asked. "I know mine is." And then her nose was buried in between Chloe's thigh, and her tongue was lapping at Chloe's clit.

Chloe stiffened, her head falling off Sydney's let and smashing onto the floor. She groaned in pain.

"Shit!" Sydney's head snapped up. "Are you okay?"

Laughing, Chloe nodded, rubbing her head. "Yeah, I'm fine. Do that again."

Skeptical blue eyes gazed back at her. "You sure?"

As if to prove a point, Chloe bent over Sydney and scraped her tongue over Sydney's clit.

The reaction was immediate and Sydney barely gasped, "Got it," before Chloe did it again. She rolled onto her side and bent her leg.

Chloe began exploring the damp area before her, using her tongue and fingers to open, probe, wet, and taste. It was hard to concentrate, since Sydney was doing the same thing. Waves of pleasure crashed through Chloe, disrupting her thoughts and driving her movement. Sydney had three fingers buried in her in no time, and was pressing against her walls, sliding in and out, expanding and contracting until every nerve ending was screaming and crackling.

Groaning steadily, Chloe squeezed around Sydney's fingers and tried to do her best to pleasure Sydney. She licked down the inside of the folds until she came to the wet, open hole. Tentatively, she slid her tongue inside, and was greeted with an enthusiastic moan and a hard thrust of fingers that reverberated through Chloe.

Encouraged, she did it again, moving her tongue faster, fucking Sydney with it. Her mouth opened as wide as she could, and she flattened her tongue, trying to make it as broad as possible.

It must have felt terrific, because Sydney's entire body bucked, her hips smashing into Chloe's face. One of her legs clamped around the top of Chloe's head, and Sydney began rolling her hips, trying to drive Chloe's rhythm.

Chloe did the best she could, but her concentration was shattering. Sydney had four fingers in her and was squirming them around one another as she pumped inside Chloe. Her lips were fastened around Chloe's clit and she was sucking it hard and fast, stopping only to tongue it with fast, butterfly-like licks.

Her pulse began thundering in her ears, and suddenly, Chloe knew she was going to fly apart. She was sweating and shaking, moaning loudly into Sydney's body. Her heart pound so hard that Chloe was certain that it drowned out the rides at the carnival, and her fingers and toes were tingling from pleasure.

"Sydney," Chloe keened, pulling her tongue from Sydney's body. Her shaking fingers found Sydney's clit and she began to massage the swollen nub, feeling as is her own were too fat and too sensitive to take any more.

Sydney squeezed Chloe's head with her leg. "Chloe," she gasped. "Do that. Oh God, that. Yes!"

Chloe bit her lip, continuing to massage the clit in her fingers, interspersing it with small licks.

Sydney began to shake, crying loudly, her orgasm crashing through her. She thrust her fingers inside Chloe, keening loudly, still pumping away.

And then, absolute, extreme, pure pleasure began to wash through Chloe. She took a deep breath and held it as her body flared and the world shattered to pieces around her. Her fingers dug into Sydney's thigh as she crested and then, suddenly, Chloe was crying out loud, calling Sydney's name, shaking and shuddering with pleasure, skin crawling.

Gradually, the tide washed away, leaving Chloe shaken and sated. Her limbs were heavy with pleasure, and lethargy consumed her, making her heavy-lidded and sleepy.

Sydney rolled away, then crawled so she was laying with her head next to Chloe's shoulder.

Chloe rolled onto her side and smile shyly at Sydney. The smile was returned, soft, eyes fastened on Chloe's shoulder, then briefly up at her, then back down.

"I don't know what to say," Chloe said finally, flushing. She slid her hand over Sydney's hip and caressed the skin. "I mean, I'm a writer, I should always know what to say. But I don't."

Sydney shrugged and took Chloe's hand. Interlacing her fingers, she said, "Maybe we don't have to say anything. Maybe there just are no words"

"Yeah. Maybe." Chloe leaned in and kissed Sydney softly. Sweetly.

Then an loud boom echoed through the cave, startling them. It sounded again, louder.

"Maybe we should..." Chloe started.

"Yeah."

They broke apart and dressed, taking any opportunity they could to touch each other. When they were dressed, they crawled out of the cave and picked through the underbrush until they could see the fireworks.

Chloe didn't watch them, though. She sat, hand in hand with Sydney, gazing at her.

"Something wrong?" Sydney asked after a moment, tearing her eyes away from the show.

"No. Everything is perfect." Chloe kissed her cheek. "Happy Fourth of July, Sydney."

Sydney smiled. "Happy Fourth of July, Chloe."

Fourth of July was officially Lex's favorite holiday. He'd thought Christmas was great this year, but that had nothing on this. Christmas had been family in front of the tree exchanging shy smiles with Clark. Christmas had been holding hands while watching overly optimistic movies, drinking hot chocolate, and talking quietly. It had been stealing chaste kisses under the mistletoe, and not so chaste ones in the barn. Christmas had been cool. Clean. Innocent, especially for Lex.

Fourth of July burned. Fourth of July was being stretched out under a canopy of trees, the setting sun warming his naked back as his mouth and hands worshiped Clark's beautiful body. Fourth of July was sweat beading down his spine and dotting his face, it was tongues and teeth and pre-come staining his boxers and jeans. Fourth of July was... sex.

And yet, even with the heat and the burn and the sweat, they were in no rush to get anywhere. They were all languidness, their kisses deep, hands roaming, and teeth sinking into flesh. Small gasps and moans peppered the twilight air, as they carefully avoided grinding their hard cocks against each other, no matter how aroused they were. They weren't ready to push. Weren't ready to end.

"Lex?" Clark whispered, arching his body into Lex's.

"Yes?" Lex nuzzled the underside of Clark's jaw, biting the skin.

"Is there hair on your chest?" Clark held Lex back and rubbed his palm down the middle of Lex's chest.

Lex felt his face grow warm. "It'll go away. It does that sometimes. I'm not sure why."

Clark rolled them over so he was propped above Lex. His eyes traversed the plane of Lex's chest intently. "It's so light," he whispered. He brushed his fingers over the very pale hairs dotting Lex's chest.

Embarrassed, Lex threaded his fingers into Clark's hair and tugged him back down. "Ignore it; it'll be gone in a week. Trust me." He lifted his head and kissed Clark deeply.

Moaning in his throat, Clark allowed Lex to explore his mouth, tongue sliding in and out and out slowly.

"How do you know?" Clark asked when they broke apart. He bent down to capture Lex's nipple, and nibbled it gently.

Lex's stomach tightened. "Because," he managed to gasp out. "It always does. Sometimes... sometimes hair grows but it always falls out. I've told you. My body has a hard time producing body hair." He squeezed his eyes shut as Clark began sucking on his nipple, skin dancing. "Shit."

"Like that?" Clark pulled back and teased Lex's nipple with the tip of his tongue.

"You know I do." Lex pushed Clark and rolled over so he was back on top. He line up his cock with Clark's and thrust down gently. He could tell by the way Clark kept running his finger tips through the four or five strands of coarse hair on Lex's chest that Clark was still fascinated by it. But Lex wasn't; he hated it and hated being reminded of it, even if Clark, as always, was perfectly accepting and even excited by it. Lex didn't want his acceptance or... or whatever else Clark was feeling about the fact his boyfriend had suddenly sprouted something, so Lex's mind cast about to find a way to distract Clark.

The first thing he did was bite Clark's neck hard enough that Clark's body bucked under him. Then, he asked, "So, tell me. Does this constitute a new kink?"

Clark's mouth was open as he panted, fingers now digging into Lex's hips as he encouraged their rhythm. "I thought... it's not new if you've always liked it," he managed.

Lex frowned and stopped moving his hips. "Huh?"

"Lex!"

"Oh." The nipple thing. Clark thought he'd asked if nipple play was a new kink. He shook his head and bit Clark's ear. "Not, not... I mean sex outdoors. Is this a new kink for us?"

With a sigh, Clark closed his eyes and squeezed Lex's hips hard. Beautiful, blissful pain that Lex could almost sink into blossomed from his hips, but Lex fought to stay above the sensation.

"Why do you feel the need to talk?" Clark asked as he licked a stripe up Lex's chest.

Lex smiled wickedly. "Because it drives you crazy." He moved his hips again, slowly. Too slowly.

But it was enough for Clark to groan happily and trace his fingers up Lex's spine.

Not that Lex was going to let either one of them fall into the rhythm. It was ok to sit around for fifteen minutes wearing jeans, hard as hell, and making out like teenagers; it was quite another thing to actually come in his pants. Lex wasn't going to do it. He wasn't even ready to come yet; they had plenty of time to really get serious. Right now, they were just dancing.

So, to keep Clark's mind focused and off the finish line, as it were, Lex bit him again and said, "Clark? Is this outdoors thing a new kink? Will I be able to look forward to years of making love under the sky?"

"Fuck. I hate you." Clark rolled over and pinned Lex under him again.

The last roll took them off their blanket so Lex was half on the grass.

Clarks' face was determined, lip bit as he concentrated on grinding his cock into Lex's, not even thrusting, just wiggling his hips in this God-damn distracting way that was pushing Lex so close to the edge he might as well just say, "Good-bye clean pants," right now.

Which meant, Lex had to resort to drastic measure.

He reached up and gently--lovingly--traced Clark's cheek with his knuckles. "But I love you, Clark."

Even though Clark knew what Lex was doing--he'd done it himself in the past--his eyes softened and his lips curved into a smile. "Yeah," he whispered throatily. He kissed Lex's eyelids, then dotted small pecks down his cheek. "Me too."

Lex captured Clark's mouth. "Sit up," he breathed into his lips.

"But..."

"Sit up and lean against the tree." It was an order this time, and Clark quirked his eyebrow at it. Lex knew that Clark had taken his collar when they'd gone to the mansion for supplies, and when he'd seen it being tucked into Clark's pocket, Lex had shivered in anticipation. But, Clark hadn't brought it out yet and, until he did, Lex was going to order Clark around all he wanted. "Take off your jeans, too."

His lips twitched slightly as Clark kicked off his shoes and wiggled out of his jeans. Then he crawled across the blanket so he was propped against the tree, knees bent, cock hard and ready.

Lex took his time. He rose to his knees, eyes pinning Clark against the tree. After a moment's hesitation with his hands at the waist of his jeans, he unbuckled his belt and unzipped his fly. But he kept them on. Because he kind of liked the idea of Clark propped against the tree, naked as the day he landed on Earth, and Lex with just his shirt off and in control, at least for the moment.

Even if there were stupid tuffs of hair on his chest that he hadn't thought to shave off that morning.

Even if he felt like he was going to lose control any moment because of the penetrating look Clark was giving him.

Even if he wasn't exactly sure how he was going to fight through the waves of lust that made the air shimmer to get to his objective.

Christ. Objective. This was Clark, not a prize. Well. Not exactly.

"Are you coming?" Clark asked after a long silence. He began to stroke himself very slowly, the palm of his hand rubbing against the head of his cock before smearing pre-come down the hard length of it.

Lex inhaled sharply and began moving slowly across the blanket. He was on his hands and knees, eyes locked on Clark's as he crawled. There was nothing submissive about his posture; his back was straight and strong, the placement of his hands deliberate, each movement carefully planned and executed. Because, in the end, Clark was the objective. The prey. The prize.

And he knew it. Color heightened, Clark was fighting back a smile, anticipation in his eyes. He knew that whatever Lex had planned, Clark wasn't the one in control tonight. Not really. No matter that he was always in control; tonight, he was giving that control up. Giving it to Lex.

The tip of Lex's tongue snuck out to wet his lower lip. Clark sighed softly at the sight, his hand tightening on his cock. More fluid leaked out, and he wiped it away with his thumb.

"Stop," Lex said, his voice hoarse. He halted in front of Clark, head raised so he could look up into Clark's eyes.

Clark smirked and deliberately stroked his cock again.

"Hands off, Clark."

"What do you want me to do with them?" he asked as he raised his hands to either side of his body.

So much for control.

Lex rose to his knees and yanked his belt out of the loops. "Turn around."

"Huh?"

Lex cracked the belt in between his hands. "Turn. Around."

Color rose to Clark's cheeks and he complied.

He had to smile. Clark's body was truly breathtaking: all long muscles and tan skin. Whatever he'd been doing recently--moving the debris, or just growing--had added both muscle and definition to his body. Lex just hadn't gotten a chance to see it, since Clark still tended towards baggy shirts (although the layers were all but gone).

Gently, Lex traced his belt down Clark's back. Clark shivered at the touch.

"Like that?" Lex asked softly.

"Yeah."

Lex repeated the movement and then, without warning, sharply cracked the belt across the smooth skin.

Clark jerked forward, falling on his hands, and moaned loudly. "Oh..." he gasped when his body stopped shaking. "Oh fuck."

Caressing the belt in his hand, Lex hesitated, his lower lip caught in his teeth. He'd never really played with stuff like this before--pain, even other people's pain, had always been a big turn off. Yes, he'd dabbled, but only lightly. And, even then, Lex had usually stopped it before it got too far.

This was different, of course. Clark didn't feel pain. It was pleasure to him. Lex could hit him as long and hard as he wanted, and all it was going to do to Clark was make him more aroused.

And yet... Lex was used to rules. Safe words. Permission. And they had none. Well, that wasn't true; there was a safe word, it just usually applied to Lex.

"Lex?" Clark turned his head, gazing at Lex worriedly.

"I'm fine, Clark," Lex said, teasing the leather up Clark's ass.

He inhaled sharply as his head fell back, hanging between his arms. "That feels good," he whispered hoarsely.

"Oh?" Lex teased it back down, then raised it. "And this?"

Crack!

Clark cried out, his fingers clenching in the dirt beneath him.

Lex lowered the belt three times in quick succession, not giving time for the stimulation to fade between each hit.

"Lex!" Clark wailed. Long streams of pre-come were leaking from Clark's cock, gravity pulling them to the blanket.

At the sight, Lex lost interest in what he was doing. He tugged Clark up by the neck, whispering commands as he did.

"Sit back. Now." His voice were breathless with need, hands shaking so badly that it was hard to fasten the belt around Clark's wrists. But he managed to do so, binding them as tightly as he could. "Turn around."

Clark turned. He was sitting on his knees, cock hard and leaking, hands back so his body was displayed proudly. His eyes were dark and smoldering as they gazed down at Lex, and he was chewing on his bottom lip.

"You are so perfect," Lex whispered. He twined his fingers in Clark's hair and kissed him lovingly.

Clark moaned and sucked Lex's tongue into his mouth. He crawled closer to their bodies were flush, his cock trapped against the rough material of Lex's jeans and smooth belly.

"I need..." Clark panted, thrusting slightly. His cock slid up Lex's stomach, leaving a slimy trail.

"I know." Lex pulled away and dropped to his stomach. Opening his mouth wide, he swallowed Clark whole, until the tip of his cock bumped into the back of Lex's throat.

Clark groaned loudly, his hips making an aborted attempt to thrust deeper into Lex's throat. Lex appreciated his restraint, although it was almost maddening. It felt like a long time since he had last gone down on Clark and all he wanted was to feel Clark thrusting in an out of his mouth roughly, fucking him with thinly veiled alien strength.

He shuddered and adjusted his mouth around Clark. The citrus flavor of Clark's semen made his mouth tingle, and he swallowed. He could feel muscles that he hadn't even realized were tense relax as the taste and smell of Clark flooded him, and the driving urgency to be fucked faded minutely.

Sucking hard, Lex moved his mouth up and down Clark's cock, pressing the underside with his tongue. Clark shuddered, falling back. He caught himself on his hands, head thrown back so his neck was bared, whispering rapidly things that sounded like, "Lex," and "Suck me," and "Fuck, right there." Whispering wasn't the right word; chanting was closer.

Lex relaxed his mouth and slurped his way up to the tip of Clark's cock. He spent a few moments playing with the foreskin, eliciting a loud scream from Clark. Lex fastened his lips around the weeping head and sucked loudly; as he did, he inserted his finger into his mouth, wetting it. When he felt it was wet enough, he slid it down the underside of Clark's cock, over the overly sensitive balls and to Clark's perineum.

"Yes. Oh, God, yes," Clark shouted as Lex began massaging him, pressing hard into the skin.

Clark was visibly getting closer to his impending orgasm, and Lex could ^feel^ the answering response inside. His stomach had knotted up deliciously, sending electric spikes of pleasure that boarded on the edge of agony in all directions. Despite his resolve not to come in his jeans, Lex was rubbing himself on the ground, the layers of fabric torturing his cock, chafing the delicate skin that surrounded it. And yet, he didn't care. Clark's arousal was so beautiful, so perfect, that even if he hadn't been projecting his feelings over the bond, Lex probably would have been able to come just by watching.

He moved his fingers from Clark's perineum and stroked through the crack of Clark's ass.

Clark began babbling nonsense when the tip of Lex's finger wormed inside him. Most of it definitely wasn't English, and Lex idly wondered where the hell Clark had picked up whatever language was pouring from his lips.

Lex slid his mouth down again, taking Clark into his throat. He moaned softly. The vibrations, as faint as they were, ^zinged^ though Clark and back into Lex, causing his body to burst into flame and breath to catch.

"Lex," Clark whimpered. "I need more."

Lex moved his mouth so he was at the head of Clark's cock and asked, "Wha?" he asked.

"More," Clark said again, this time squeezing around Lex's finger.

The feeling of Clark's strong muscles clamping around his finger shot through Lex like a bolt of electricity.

"Oh." Lex sat up, finger still inside Clark, and licked his lower lip. It tasted sweet like orange juice and made Lex flame hotter.

"Lex, please. I need you," Clark begged, squeezing again.

After a moment's contemplation, Lex bit his lip and slid a second finger inside Clark. It was strange being inside someone without any lubrication. He'd only done it the once with Clark, and yes, Clark had loved it, but it felt... very off to Lex. He had to work to hard to move his fingers, and the slippery/smooth/squishy feeling that he associated with sex was gone. Sex was... slippery and messy and sweaty and left stains on your clothes and bed linens. It shouldn't feel like sandpaper, which was the best analogy Lex could come up with as he painstakingly moved his fingers inside Clark's body.

But Clark was happily incoherent, moving himself up and down on Lex's fingers. He ^opened^ himself just a bit and ^grabbed^ onto Lex's sensory net.

Electricity began to crawl inside his skin, sharp little spikes digging into him from the inside.

"Fuck," Lex ground out through gritted teeth. It was pleasurable, but in a maddening way that bordered on torture.

Sweat broke out over his body and he shook.

"More," Clark demanded hungrily, thrusting down again.

"Clark, I..." Lex bit his lip again as his nails accidentally scraped along the passage. His muscles turned to jelly as he groin tightened. He was going to come any minute now, and all he was doing was fingering Clark; it was insane.

Abruptly, Lex pulled his fingers out.

"No!" Clark whined, head snapping up.

Ignoring him, Lex stepped out of his jeans and boxers.

"Lex!"

"Lie back." Lex didn't look at Clark when he gave the order. Instead, he crossed the blanket to the bag that was lying next to the picnic basket. Inside was lube and massage oil; the lube was for tonight, of course. Clark had requested they take the oil home, just in case one of them got the urge to give the other a massage.

He left the oil where it was and picked up a bottle of lube. "Clark," Lex said, slightly annoyed to find that Clark hadn't listened to him. "I said lie down."

Clark looked unhappy. "I wanted your fingers without the lube," he said softly. "It feels so good."

"I can't take it, Clark," Lex replied. "I'll come all over you."

"Please?" He grinned impishly, but finally obeyed Lex and lay on his back, knees drawn up to his ass.

Lex rolled his eyes as he knelt gracefully between Clark's legs. "Trust me, angel; when this is over, you'll be covered with more than just sweat. But there's something that I want to do to you, and I can't do it without a little help."

"What do you want to do?"

Smiling a small, secretive smile, Lex bend down and kissed the head of Clark's cock, then the inside of his thigh. He wasted a few moments sucking hard and worrying the skin with his teeth, less from any real hope that it would mark than the fact that it had Clark squirming and moaning under him.

"If I tell you," he whispered finally, "then it wouldn't be a surprise." He teasingly trailed the tip of his finger down the underside of Clark's cock, over his balls, across the perineum, and into the crack. "Do you want anything else before I start?"

"Yeah," Clark answered hoarsely. "I want you to put your collar on."

Lex went still. His forehead creased slightly and he frowned, gazing down at Clark in obvious confusion.

Clark gazed steadily back, forcing himself not to thrust down onto the finger that was maddeningly poised at his opening. His heart thudded in his chest, and he wondered if Lex would honor his request without question, or be himself.

As always, Lex was true to himself. Uncertainty glimmered in his eyes and he said, "I... But I thought..."

"You're in control," Clark assured him; that was no problem. Clark was thrilled to be in any position Lex asked of him, and submit to anything Lex needed him to submit to. And it'd been awhile since Lex had really taken charge of their lovemaking like this, so Clark had no intention of taking any of that away.

And yet...

"You just look so fucking hot wearing the collar. I just thought... since you've got me at your mercy, it might be, I don't know. Different."

Lex pulled his finger away and reached for Clark's jeans. "Are you sure you don't want to wear it?" His voice trembled just a bit.

Damn. Not what he wanted; Clark just wanted to explore the kink. "Naw. You know what, forget it. Just do what you were going to do."

One of Lex's pale eyebrows quirked and he pulled the collar from the pocket of Clark's jeans. "I think I'll go for it," Lex assured him. He ^opened^ himself, and Clark realized it wasn't that Lex didn't want to wear it, it was just that he'd been afraid that, deep down, Clark had wanted to try it on for size.

The idea gave Clark pause. He'd always thought of it as _Lex's_ collar. Clark might be the happy submissive at times, willing to let Lex do anything he wanted to him, but the collar just didn't... fit who Clark was. Who he saw himself as being. It was Lex's, and Clark had no interest in taking it.

Lex sent a wave of reassurance over the bond, letting Clark know he felt the same way. He tried to fasten the collar around his throat; Clark noticed that Lex's hands were trembling slightly and he was having trouble.

Immediately, Clark sat up and pulled Lex to him with his legs. "Want me to help?" he asked, his voice low.

Instead of answering, Lex reached around Clark's body and undid the belt. When Clark's hands were free, he placed the collar in them, gazing into Clark's eyes.

Almost reverently, Clark brought his hands from behind his back. His heart was fluttering in his chest as he slowly fastened the collar around Lex's neck. He rested their foreheads against one another's, breathing softly.

"Beautiful," Clark whispered.

Lex caught the word in his mouth as he brought their lips together. As they kissed, Lex pushed Clark's hands back again and rebound his wrists, slowly wrapping the leather length around him until Clark was bound tightly once more.

"Lie back, angel," Lex breathed when he was done.

Clark bit above the collar gently, then lay back. He drew his heels to his ass once more, ready to wait patiently for what his lover had in store for him.

"Close your eyes," Lex ordered.

Clark frowned and bit his lip, but he closed them. He heard Lex pop open the cap to the lubricant.

"Can you see through your eyelids?" Lex asked.

Trying not to sigh, Clark shrugged. "Dunno. Never tried." And then he did try. "No. I can't."

"Just wondering." He was making some noises as he moved, but Clark couldn't tell what he was doing. It was a little exciting, and Clark could feel himself growing aroused once more. At the same time, he'd wanted to see Lex with the collar on, not look at the darkness behind his eyelids.

What the fuck was going on?

But, Clark didn't ask. If he were running the show, so to speak, and Lex kept trying to control it by asking questions, Clark knew he'd be annoyed. And the point was to let Lex be in charge, so...

He gave up trying to figure out his lover's intentions by having him close his eyes and tried to relax. He could hear Lex flicking the cap of the lubricant back and forth with his thumb, as if he weren't sure what he was going to do. As if he were deep in thought. Or... or maybe he knew exactly what he was doing, and was simply trying to torture Clark.

Arousal washed over him again, stronger this time. His skin grew hot and moist in the too-hot evening air, and heat seemed to pool in his groin. Lex's eyes were almost tangible as they took Clark in, and Clark didn't even need to see where they were to feel their imprint on his skin.

He shivered slightly, skin warming in the heated air of the evening. His muscles were tense in anticipation, waiting to feel Lex again, any part of Lex. Wondering what he would do now that Lex had Clark bound, blind, and at his mercy.

The air shifted and compressed around Clark. It was his only warning that Lex had moved before Clark's cock was engulfed once more in the hot wetness of Lex's mouth.

Clark moaned softly as pleasure emanated through his body until even the tips of his toes tingled.

So caught up with the feel of Lex's ever so slightly chapped lips wrapped around the head of his cock, Clark almost missed it when Lex slid two fingers inside him.

And then the two fingers ghosted over his prostate, and yellow stars sparkled from behind Clark's closed lids. He stiffened at the onslaught of pleasure, toes curling and digging into the quilt beneath him.

"More," he sighed, squeezing around Lex.

A loud slurp and tug to his cock was Clark's only answer. No more fingers were added.

Clark forced himself to be patient, but it was hard as Lex continued to suck him like he was the world's tastiest lollipop. His fingers were twisting over each other inside Clark, not stretching or really moving deeply inside him. Just, very tantalizingly, and very slowly twirling around each other, gently caressing Clark from the inside.

"May I open my eyes?" Clark begged as he began to pump very slowly into Lex's mouth, trying to bury himself further in the warmth.

"Mmmhmmm," Lex replied.

Clark frowned, ^feeling^ to see if it had been a negative or positive response.

All he could get was the equivalent of a mental smirk as Lex left him on his own to figure it out.

"You. Suck. You... Lex!" Clark yelped as Lex shoved two more fingers inside of Clark. His hips rose off the blanket and his eyes flew open for a moment before sliding shut again.

Lex pulled his mouth off Clark's cock. "You were saying?"

Clark didn't reply. After slamming back down to the blanket, Clark had frozen his lower body. Hell, he was as still as he possibly could get, hardly daring to breath. If he concentrated hard enough, he could feel each of Lex's fingers pressed against the walls of his passage. He could also feel his body adjust and move around Lex, giving way to his lover, opening very slowly.

"Clark?"

The voice saying his name sounded distant. Echo-ey, as if Lex was at the end of a very long tunnel. All of Clark's attention was focused on the fingers inside him, with nothing left to spare for anything else.

/Clark!/

Panic. Lex was panicked. Worse, he was pulling his fingers away.

"No!" Clark exclaimed. He opened his eyes again and he lifted his head. "Don't leave me." He squeezed around Lex's fingers, trying not to sound like he was begging. Then he didn't care; he needed Lex inside him, and he was willing to beg all he had to.

Lex narrowed his eyes slightly and stopped withdrawing his fingers. Now only three remained inside Clark, Lex's pinky resting against the sensitive skin at the opening and the thumb pressed above. "What happened?" Lex's sounded as if he were trying to keep his voice steady; he almost succeeded.

Clark smiled, his body relaxing as he propped himself on his elbows. "It feels so good."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Keeping his eyes on Clark, Lex slid his fingers back inside Clark, as far as they would go. His eyes were calculating, almost. Cold only if you didn't know that blue meant the fire was even hotter. But he was trying to gauge Clark's reaction without participating in it, and he'd ^pulled^ himself back to watch.

Clark didn't give a flying fuck what Lex was going through at that precise moment. Maybe it made him an ungenerous lover, or maybe it make him a world class prick. But he had four of Lex's fingers buried inside him as deep as they could go at the moment, and he was in heaven.

"What do you feel, Clark?" Lex asked.

Clark inhaled sharply. "Uh... your fingers. Inside me. You're... oh God. You're moving them. Twisting your hand, and I can feel it. Your fingers. Pressed and they're slippery, Lex." Clark broke off as Lex twisted in such as way that brushed all four fingers over his prostate one at a time.

His throat closed and full body shudders racked Clark's body.

"Did you like that?"

Clark couldn't answer verbally. The best he could do was nod.

"Good." Lex licked his lower lip and slid his fingers back to Clark's entrance.

Clark whined, squeezing and thrusting down onto Lex's fingers.

"Trust me," Lex soothed, stroking Clark's stomach gently.

"Lex." Clark rolled his head back and forth, a high pitch noise escaping his throat every time he inhaled.

"Shhhh." Lex brushed his free hand over Clark's chest, kneading his nipples between too-gentle fingers. He knew how hard it was on Clark when Lex was gentle. The pleasure was so faint, so... tantalizing. Clark preferred the hard, fast pleasure that bites and pinches afforded. Not this gentle, loving, tender, faint stuff.

"Fuck, Lex!" Clark practically screamed in frustration as Lex began covering his chest with light kitten licks.

"Patience," Lex breathed. He nipped Clark lightly between his teeth, and the resumed the tongue bath.

"This is torture," Clark moaned, even as Lex slid his hand back inside him.

"I know."

Clark bit his lip, exhaling hard when Lex captured his nipple. He sucked it gently, flicking his tongue over the sensitive nub after each suck.

Clark was on fire, insides tied in knots, cock throbbing with need.

"How do you feel, Clark?" Lex asked.

"Hot. Insane. Empty."

"Empty. How can you be empty with me inside you?" As if to emphasize where Lex was, he spread his fingers as wide as they could go, forcing Clark's passage opened wider than Clark could remember it being.

Clark didn't scream, although the pleasure was that intense. He bit his lip hard, keening.

"Still feel empty?"

"No. Yes. No, I... I..." He couldn't breath and tears of frustration built behind his eyelids.

"Shhhh. It's ok, Clark."

Clark forced his eyes open.

The detached expression Lex had been wearing was gone. His cheeks were flushed and damp with sweat. He looked excited, his eyes bright with lust and desire.

A drop of sweat rolled from his temple down his face, over his jaw until it met the collar.

Clark couldn't help it. He sat up carefully, contracting his abdomen so he could curl his upper body off the ground without dislodging Lex.

"Hey," he whispered. He nuzzled Lex below the collar, and licked him lightly, tasting sweat, leather, and Lex.

Lex bent his head, nuzzling Clark. "Hey," he replied. Then he inhaled deeply and pulled his fingers to Clark's entrance.

"What are you doing?" Clark whispered, feeling Lex's excitement center in his stomach.

"You'll see." He brushed his lips over Clark's temple.

And then Clark felt Lex start to curl his fingers. The tips scraped gently along the top of his passage before being tucked into his palm.

"Oh, shit," Clark breathed when he realized what Lex was doing. His body tensed.

"Clark!" Lex's voice was strangled. "Don't... relax. I mean, do relax. Too... I won't be able to."

Clark lay back and exhaled hard, turning his attention inward once more. "Doesn't hurt," he assured Lex as he breathed deeply. "Feels so good."

"I know, but..." Lex trailed off, shaking his head.

He was scared, Clark realized. Scared he'd do something wrong and hurt Clark somehow. Scared that Clark might somehow hurt him.

"I'm fine, Lex," he said. Slowly, he managed to relax himself, allowing the tension to leave his muscles until he wasn't clamped around Lex quite so tightly. "I'm fine," he repeated.

Lex nodded, his lower lip caught by his upper teeth. Keeping eye contact with Clark, Lex folded his fingers tighter, then eased his thumb inside Clark.

"Oh," Clark breathed, his cock twitching hard. He fought to keep from coming, but he was so close. Lex had his entire fist inside him. The idea alone had caused Clark to come quite a few nights of playing by himself in his room. And to have it actually happen...

"Breathe, Clark," Lex said softly, his free hand caressing Clark's stomach in small circles again.

Clark complied without thinking. Once more, all his attention was focused on the feel of Lex's fist inside him. He felt full. Complete. Whole. Ready to burst.

"Lex," he whispered. No sound came out, so he swallowed and tried again. "Lex, you feel so good. It's... amazing, just..."

Lex smiled, looking pleased. "Good." He inched his fist further inside until his wrist disappeared. Then his forearm.

The static feeling of electricity returned. Lex's hadn't put lubrication on his upper wrist or forearm. Sharp, hot jags radiated from Clark's full passage to his cock, down his legs, up to his brain and heart. Pressure built behind his eyes until they felt hot; he closed them as if they would start shooting flames. He wouldn't be surprised if they did, he felt so hot. So on fire.

So fucking alive.

"Faster," he begged, sob in his voice.

Lex complied. He pushed harder, moving his fist in and out. Clark could feel his passage stretch and expand, accommodating the foreign object that was too big.

His throat constricted as his orgasm drew near. Lex's knuckles were bumping into his prostate; each time it did, the darkness behind Clark's eyelids turned red. He was beyond speech, only able to make small mewls now, every muscle, every portion of his being straining for his orgasm.

Suddenly, he realized it was going to be too much for him. When he came, it was going to be hard and he wouldn't be able to control himself.

He ^opened^ himself fully, allowing his pleasure to flow into Lex.

Lex groaned, falling forward slightly. The hand that had been stroking Clark's stomach stilled and became Lex's support.

"Clark," he said, voice low and desperate. Inside Clark's body, Lex rotated his fist as he withdrew and then, with the smooth tops of his fingernails brushing along the top of the passage, slammed it back in.

"Lex!" Clark screamed, arching off the blanket. The belt binding his wrists snapped as he yanked them apart, caught up in ecstasy. He came, his cock spurting unevenly as his body shuddered in completion. As he did, he ^threw^ any excess energy out of him, aiming it towards Lex.

He could barely hear Lex's reaction over the pounding in his ears, but the warmth on his chest told him that Lex had come too. And, as he had promised, Lex had come on Clark.

Darkness clouded Clark's vision as he continued to ride out his orgasm. He was exhausted and limp, but pleasure still quivered through his muscles and over his skin.

Lex collapsed on top of him, panting harshly. He was shaking, gasping for air, sounding almost as if he were having an asthma attack.

Clark roused himself. /You okay?/

"Y-yes," Lex gasped out loud. "Just... give me a moment."

"Okay." He wrapped his arms around Lex and closed his eyes. He felt tired, but happy. Extremely happy. All in all, it had been the best day he'd had in a very long time.

Minutes floated by and Clark drifted somewhere between sleep and wakefulness. The sun had set while he and Lex had been making love, and the air was cooler. Not much cooler, but comfortable. The few times Clark opened his eyes, he could see the moon bathing the world around him and Lex with gentle light.

He smiled and held Lex tighter, happier than he could remember being in months.

Some time later, Lex stirred and lifted his head, yawning. He blinked sleepily, looking around him.

"Welcome back," Clark whispered.

Lex's groggy eyes found his. "Hey."

Clark kissed his hand, then touched his cheek gently. "Did you have a good nap?"

"Yeah." Lex yawned and stretched before resting his head on Clark's chest. "Fireworks start yet?"

"Any minute."

He yawned again and kissed Clark's chest. "Thanks for today, Clark. I mean everything. I... I had a lot of fun."

Clark grinned and kissed the top of Lex's head. "I told you that you would."

Lex lifted his head and smiled. "And you're never wrong." He leaned forward so they could kiss. As they did, the fireworks started in the distance. When they pulled apart, Lex smiled softly and said, "Happy Fourth of July, Clark."

"Yeah, Lex," Clark whispered, tracing Lex's cheek with his finger. "You too."

Dominic walked into his bedroom quietly, trying not to make any noise. When he closed the door, he left it open just a crack; he didn't want the light to disturb Damien, but he was afraid that Damien would be woken by the noise of the door closing. He tended to sleep lightly these days, even with his medication. Dominic didn't want to be the one to disturb what little sleep he got, and Damien very much needed to rest.

For the infinite time, Dominic sighed to himself and wondered why he ever thought Damien moving in with him was a good idea. Not that Dominic was sorry that his lover was there, he hastened to reassure himself as the customary guilt at the thought flooded him. It was just that Dominic was so busy running Luthor Corp he felt as if he were neglecting Damien. Worse, when Dominic was home, he always seemed to be interrupting Damien's sleep. Any day now, Damien was going to tell Dominic he was leaving, going somewhere where he could be left in peace. Alone. Out of the annoying company that was Dominic.

Dominic bit back another sigh and slipped out of his blazer. He was tired, that was all. There was no need for these thoughts; Damien hadn't once given any indication that he was annoyed by Dominic's presence. It was just the effects of the day that were wearing on him.

He'd spent most of the day on the phone, making calls to their overseas clients. That had actually gone fairly smoothly, and Dominic had enjoyed flexing his language skills. He could, after all, speak six languages, and it wasn't often that he got to practice them.

But then, the day had gone from mildly pleasant to terrible. The party he'd been forced to attend was horrible. Not only did Dominic hate parties, but this one...

He'd worked it as well as he could, talking to board members, complimenting people, currying favor, and making connections. He'd done everything Damien would have wanted him to and had hated every minute of it. Not that Dominic's enjoyment was important. Being seen and doing business was.

Of course, he'd left at the earliest opportunity, and then only after five other people had left. And, even then, he'd waited until the entertainment had shifted from the string quartet and the drinks to some form of recreational drug that was being discreetly administered in a back room. Only then had he fled.

Dominic opened the closet and hung up his blazer All he wanted to do right now was pour himself a drink, take a long shower, and go to bed. He needed to put the day behind him and look to the new.

"You're home early," Damien said suddenly breaking the silence.

Dominic's breath caught in his throat. He turned, heart beating hard. "I... I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you."

Damien shook his head and turned on the lamp next to the bed. "I've been drifting in and out of sleep; the light was hurting my eyes earlier, so I turned it off."

Dominic frowned and toed off his shoes before crossing the room. "What's wrong with your eyes?"

"Nothing. Light sensitivity is a side effect of one of the medications, remember?"

"Ah, yes." Dominic turned off the light, then went to the window to open the curtains. "Don't aggravate it, Damien; I don't want you going blind."

Damien sighed. "I'm not going to go blind. They feel fine now."

"Even so, why don't we keep the light off for now? I can see just fine by moonlight." He walked back to the bed and sat in the chair next to it.

Damien's eyes were half lidded and his lips were curved into a smile. "Yes. I've always preferred moonlight as well. Join me on the bed." He rubbed the comforter next to him.

"Damien..."

"Sit next to me, Dominic."

When Damien used that tone, Dominic was helpless to refuse. Biting back his trepidation, Dominic walked to the other side of the bed and climbed on gingerly. He slid over until he could feel Damien's body heat, and rested back against the headboard.

Satisfaction and something Dominic couldn't identify crossed Damien's face. He ran his hand up Dominic's leg. "How was the party?"

"Dismal. The music wasn't bad, and there was some good conversation over dinner. Most people drank too much, but that's expected."

"Then why was the party dismal?"

"Ah," Dominic swallowed. "Um, someone... brought something. Intravenous, I believe, although I did see some evidence of, well, snorting." He tensed at the memory.

"Ah. Yes, I see." Damien tugged on Dominic's shirt, trying to get him to lie down.

After a moment, Dominic unbuttoned his shirt part way before stretching out in Damien's embrace. He wasn't that heavy; it wasn't like he was going to injure Damien by lying in his arms. "They'd all disappear into a room, and come back with their eyes unfocused and cloudy. I was terribly uncomfortable; three women started pawing me, and trying to get me to go back. I... I extracted myself as gracefully as I could, but I'm afraid I may have done something wrong."

Damien petted his hair. "I'm sure you were fine," he said soothingly. "You always make a larger deal out of things than is necessary."

His muscles relaxed, and Dominic let out a silent sigh of relief.

Perhaps it wasn't as silent as he wished it to be, for Damien asked, "Did you think I would be displeased?"

"It crossed my mind. You were so adamant about my going, that I was afraid you'd be cross if I left early."

A light kiss was dropped on his head. "Not at all. You have strong feelings about drugs, and I would never want you to feel uncomfortable in a situation like that." There was another kiss, lingering this time, and to Dominic's temple.

Dominic felt the last bit of tension melt away and he pressed himself into Damien. "I can't help the way I feel."

"I know." Damien laughed softly. "It must be hard being around me right now."

"Not at all." Dominic turned so he could run his hand over Damien's stomach and hold him in a loose caress. "You're on medication, which you allow Anne to monitor carefully. And it isn't as if I've never been on medication."

"I know. I was teasing you."

"Oh. I'm sorry." Dominic licked his bottom lip. "Uh, I did make a few new connections at the party, before the drugs. I..."

"Dominic, I don't care right now. Quiet." He tugged Dominic up to him.

Obediently, Dominic stopped talking and allowed Damien to plunder his mouth. He was careful to move his hand from Damien's back to the bed, not wanting to crush the admittedly larger man. But Damien had lost so much weight and muscle since his accident, and Dominic was in constant fear of injuring him.

"Relax," Damien whispered, running his fingers behind Dominic's ears down to the hinges of his jaw. Damien pressed against them, forcing Dominic's mouth open, and slid his tongue slowly inside.

He shivered as Damien's tongue sinuously worked its way around his mouth, biting back a moan. The pressure Damien had been exerting on him eased and became a caress, and his mouth worked easily and languidly against his own, as if all Damien wanted to do was enjoy the moment. They weren't going anywhere.

"Lie back."

Dominic blinked, confused by the words.

Damien pushed him away, eyes amused. "Lie back," he said again. He pushed at Dominic's shoulder, urging him to lie on the bed.

"Damien, what..."

"Love, do as I say, and don't question me."

He nodded and lay back next to Damien, resting his head on the carefully plumped pillow next to the one Damien's. Dominic didn't sleep in the bed, hadn't been in it since Damien had moved in; he was too afraid of hurting Damien, who, despite his pain medication, was constantly uncomfortable. Not wanting to be too far from Damien, Dominic had bought an air mattress which was set in the corner of the room.

"What are you going to do?" Dominic asked as Damien finished unbuttoning Dominic's shirt and laying his chest bare.

The only response was a sharp twist to his nipple, causing Dominic to inhale sharply.

Dominic licked his lips and swallowed, mouth suddenly dry. "May I... May I have some water?" he asked, ashamed that his voice was trembling.

"Of course." Damien sat up and twisted. On his night stand was a pitcher of ice water and glass. He poured a glass and turned back, helping Dominic sit up. "Drink."

Head supported by Damien as if he were the invalid, Dominic gulped the cold water down gratefully. "Thank you."

"Lie back."

He did, heart fluttering in his chest. Since the tornado, Dominic and Damien had not made love. It was impossible, of course; Damien still didn't have use of his legs, although he could finally feel them again. But they hadn't touched below the waist, and Dominic kept their kisses light, almost chaste, in deference to Damien's injury.

And it had been fine. Dominic had been content to care for Damien, had taken pleasure in it, in fact. Caring for Damien had been enough. It hat been more than enough, and this... This was more frightening than Dominic had thought it would be. It hadn't even been two months since the tornado, and Damien still had at least one more surgery before he would really start to heal. He didn't want to make a mistake.

"Are you sure..." He started, but Damien silenced him with his lips.

Damien's hand slid down Dominic's stomach, massaging him. Warmth spread wherever Damien touched, and Dominic's muscles relaxed until he felt as if he were melting into the bed.

"Don't talk," Damien said almost conversationally as he unbuckled Dominic's belt and undid his fly. "Don't think. Don't question. You know I would never do anything to harm myself, and I know my limits quite well. Trust me."

"I do," Dominic whispered, breaking the first command.

Damien didn't seem to mind, for once. Instead of the punishment Dominic readied himself for, all he received was another slow and smoldering kiss.

He felt himself growing hard, stomach churning in anticipation.

Damien sat back up and reached for his nightstand. "I hope you don't mind, but I did have to bring Anne in on this," he said as he pulled out a bottle of lubricant. "To my dismay, I discovered the necessities had been moved from the drawer and replaced with my medical supplies."

Dominic started to speak, but stopped himself at the last moment.

As Damien squeezed some of the lubricant onto his hand, he smiled. "Very good, Dom." He spent a few seconds warming the lubricant. "Please take off your trousers."

He complied right away. For a moment, he hesitated, wondering if he was allowed to get up and place his clothes in the laundry hamper, but the sharp shake of Damien's head told him he was not. Instead, he folded his trousers and dropped them on the floor, closely followed by his underwear. Then he lay back once more.

Damien wrapped his slick had around Dominic's cock and bent forward. He exhaled hard as he did, but wrapped his lips around the head of Dominic's cock and sucked until Dominic was fully hard. When he sat back, there were creases around his eyes.

Dominic didn't mention it; Damien was right. He knew his own limits, and even if he'd just passed one of them, it had been his decision.

And then, none of it mattered, because Damien was stroking his length, teasing the very sensitive head of Dominic's cock, pressing in all the right places, all the while murmuring softly to him.

"You've been doing a wonderful job with the company, Dominic," Damien said softly as his fingertips probed Dominic's sac gently. "I've been very impressed with the confidence and style with which you've composed yourself with every day. I especially like the way you look when you call me on the video phone every afternoon. Do you know how attractive you are?" He pressed his fingers into Dominic's perineum.

Dominic inhaled sharply, his hips thrusting involuntarily off the bed. His cheeks grew warm as Damien continued to massage that spot, heat clawing at him from the inside.

"When you call me," Damien continued as if unaware of Dominic's arousal, "your hair is all mussed. You must run your hand through it a hundred times, because it's soft and blond and falls over you eyes charmingly. It reminds me how young you are sometimes, how it is so easy to take you in my arms and tell you what to do. How much you need me to do tell you what to do. And there you are, in charge of a multi-million dollar corporation, and you are under my control. You're mine. I could tell you to jack off for me in Lionel's office during your lunch and you would do it, wouldn't you, Dominic?" He tugged Dominic's weeping cock, expecting an answer.

He swallowed and nodded. "Yes. Anything you asked me to, Damien. I am yours." His voice was breathless and needy, hips rolling as Damien's stroked faster.

"Very good. Very, very good, Dominic." His slick fingers gathered pre-come from the tip of Dominic's cock, then slid down the underside, over Dominic's balls, pressing hard again over the perineum, until they were resting at Dominic's entrance. "When you come home," Damien whispered, his voice rough, "you're collar is undone, and your tie is hanging down your chest. That lock of hair is in your eyes, and you looked rumpled." The tip of his finger slid inside Dominic, causing his breath to catch. "All I want to do is rumple you further, but you don't allow me to."

"I-I'm s-sorry," Dominic ground out, moaning as Damien slid his fingers in and out of him. "Don't want to hurt you."

"Are you hurting me now? Look at me, Dominic."

Dominic forced his eyes open and met his master's eyes. "No," he answered, almost sobbing as Damien's other hand took hold of his cock once more.

Damien shook his head and slid another finger inside. "No. My body is not ready to be touched by anything more intimate than your kiss, but I can pleasure you. I want to pleasure you, and you will no longer hold yourself from me in a misguided attempt to keep me well." His fingers were buried inside Dominic, not moving, and his other hand was squeezing the tip of Dominic's cock head hard enough for pain to rack his body, but not enough pain to allow Dominic release.

A tear slid out of Dominic's eye. "I love you. C-can't..."

"And I love you, and I can."

The shock of Damien's words was enough to send Dominic over the edge without any further caress. He came, mouth falling open in a soundless scream, eyes caught in Damien's dark eyes.

Damien eased his grip on Dominic, catching his semen as it flowed from him, and milking Dominic until he was dry. When Dominic was trembling, tears flowing down his cheeks, but empty, Damien pulled both hands away and reached back into the night stand.

He produced some wipes and a towel. First he cleaned his own hands, then proceeded to wipe the semen off Dominic. When they were both clean, Damien tugged the comforter down.

"Sleep with me from now on. If it's too much, I'll tell you, but I think I'll sleep better with you here."

Without a word, Dominic climbed under the covers. He was sleepy and in shock. He didn't know what to say.

Damien seemed to understand. Instead of talking, he simply petted Dominic's hair, gazing down at him fondly.

About half an hour passed before Dominic finally asked hoarsely, "Do you really?"

"When have I lied to you?" was the quiet response.

"I don't know. You may have thousands of times and I..."

Damien cut him off by covering his mouth with his hand. "I've cared for you for quite some time. My feelings for you have grown stronger the longer we have been together. I've discovered, since moving in with you, that not only do I enjoy your company, but I enjoy your company daily. I take pleasure in watching you sleep, eat, walk around the apartment. I find little things you do utterly charming whereas before they would have annoyed the hell out of me. When I am better, I will have to move back to Smallville to be with Lex, but that won't change my feelings for you."

"Say it again?"

Damien sighed. "I love you, Dominic Senatori. Are you happy now?"

Outside, the city's fireworks show started. The room glowed red for an instant, then purple, then a myriad of colors too numerous to describe.

Inside the room, Dominic smiled sleepily, a fireworks show of his own happening inside his body. He snuggled against Damien further. "Yes, Damien," he replied. "I am very happy."