Guardian Devil

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: NO REAL CHOICE

Lex felt an electric current when he and the Arc of Fallen Light touched. If he had hair it would have stood on end, but as it was goose bumps ran up and down his arms and legs. Only the warmth of Clark at his back stopped him from shivering uncontrollably. But still Lex wanted to dive into that cold current, bath in that chill fire, get as close as he possibly could without getting burned to this being who wanted to call him son. Why he should feel such a connection to the Arc was more than disturbing. Why part of his mind, and oddly not the Slither part, seemed to crave this connection was downright terrifying.

“It’s okay, Lex. I’m with you,” Clark breathed in his left ear.

Lex turned his head and kissed Clark’s mouth hard. Only Clark kept him from abandoning himself in the Arc. He could do this, touch the Arc and keep himself intact. He had to do this. There was no way he was going to accept a future wherein Clark and he were enemies and so this touching was necessary. Having no real choice made the fear he had of losing himself manageable. He tightened his grip on Lucien’s hand.

“So how does this work? Will we see the two possible futures like before?” Lex asked as he pointed with his free hand towards the wall where they had watched their other selves battle it out. His voice still sounded raw and wounded to his own ears. The shock of seeing himself in that “film,” insane and hateful, was still affecting him.

Lucien smiled that too white, too sharp smile, but the effect was tempered by the warmth and understanding in his eyes. “No, Lex, this time you must live it.”

With that statement, the room began to swirl. Lex shut his eyes against the dizziness that wrapped around him like a wet blanket. The Arc’s hand was suddenly not holding onto his. Clark’s comforting presence behind him was gone. And he was no longer standing.

Lex opened his eyes and blinked. He wasn’t in the club any more. He was sitting in a chair in a pale gray room. Weak sunlight came in through dusty Venetian blinds a few feet in front of him. ‘Arsay wasn’t kidding that I’m going to live these futures. Everything looks so real. Smells real … gack! Like old sweat socks and antiseptic. I could swear I’m really here. Wherever here is.’

Lex tried to move his head to the side to see the rest of the room, but he couldn’t. He tried to lift his hands from the arms of the chair, but he couldn’t do that either. Nor could he rise from the hard, steel-framed chair. He attempted to call out for help, but his vocal cords were paralyzed as well. He could only move his eyes. Panic had well and fully set in yet his breathing remained steady. He directed his eyes downward to look at his lap. He saw that he was clothed in a light blue hospital gown. That was the only clue he needed to realize where he was. ‘Oh, fucking god, I’m in Belle Reve.’

At that moment, he heard the snick of a lock being turned and the grinding of a heavy door being opened to his right.

“Lex!”

Clark’s sweet voice was like a balm to Lex’s ears. The boy was suddenly in front of him, kneeling on the floor by Lex’s feet. The terrible thrill of having the boy on his knees was there, although Lex felt nothing in his groin, only in his mind. Lex wanted to scream at his lack of physical response even if his arousal at that moment would have been completely inappropriate. Clark’s large hands framed Lex’s face and the boy peppered him with kisses interspersed with nonsense love words.

Lex strained to talk, but nothing came, not even a rusty groan. He thought feverishly, ‘Clark, please help me! Get me out of here!’ The thought that this was only a possible future and that nothing could really hurt him didn’t stem the panic that washed over him like the tide. He wanted to snatch hold of Clark’s broad shoulders, but his limbs remained stubbornly lax on the arms of the chair. Matter of fact, one flopped down onto his lap like a dead fish as Clark pulled him forward so that he was resting against that muscled chest in a firm but gentle embrace. He knew from the way Clark was acting that this wasn’t the Clark he knew, but a future-Clark who had expected to find him in Belle Reve in this exact condition. ‘Is my Clark watching all of this from the safety of the club or is he completely unaware of what’s happening to me in this place?’

“What did you do to him, Luthor?” Future-Clark growled.

Lex internally cringed at the way Clark said his last name. It was spit out in the same tone that film-Clark had used, but this time the disdainful title wasn’t aimed at him. It was aimed at his father.

Lionel came into Lex’s line of sight. He stood about five feet away, blocking Lex’s view of the partially shuttered windows. The pale light from outside backlit him, forming a sickly yellow halo around his father’s head. Lex was trembling inside, even as his body showed no reaction to seeing Lionel. He had never been this helpless before his father even when he had been so high or drunk that he couldn’t stand. The drugs and alcohol had almost been a shield against his father’s anger and disdain for his weakness. This time though there was no blurring of his consciousness, no place to hide. He was like a raw, exposed nerve. What was worse was there was a tiny part of him that wished for one moment that his father would reach out to him and comfort him.

Lionel’s voice was slick like pooling oil as he explained, “I did nothing to him. The doctors on the other hand had to take certain steps in order to treat Lex’s delusions—”

“He wasn’t delusional!” Clark’s grip tightened on Lex’s body. “I was there when you took him, you bastard!”

Lionel continued as if Clark had not just interrupted him, “The doctors had to use shock treatments to treat him.”

“Shock treatments did this?”

Lex’s disbelief matched Clark’s. Shock treatments were bad. Horrible. He’d had them before, after Julian died. But this paralysis was far worse than anything he’d ever experienced.

Lionel straightened the cuffs of his suit as he answered casually, “The shock treatments were … ineffective. So they had to employ more extreme measures.”

“What measures?” Clark’s voice cracked.

Lionel’s gaze, cool and calculating, trailed up Lex’s prone body. His father’s voice sounded almost disinterested as he said, “When it was clear that the shock treatments were not working, they gave him meteor rock injections. They’d had some success using them on others who suffered from hallucinations and they thought … well, they were wrong, but it was a last ditch effort after all.”

Clark gasped and said, “You didn’t … you couldn’t … not even you could … Those rocks are poison! You know that!”

“There was little to lose. His mind was so far gone and there was a chance, a slight chance, that the injections could help him. So I allowed it to be done.”

If Lex had not already been paralyzed, his father’s words would have caused it anyways. Lionel had allowed the doctors to play Russian roulette with his body and mind and apparently they had pulled the trigger on the chamber with the bullet. ‘Little to lose, Father? You bastard! You knew the meteor rocks have never helped anyone in any of the experiments you used them in before. But still you let them inject me!’

Clark’s green eyes shut tight for a moment and Lex knew guilt was assaulting the teen like acid. Of course, Clark would blame himself for any harm the meteor rocks did even though how they were used by men like Lionel Luthor could never be his fault. Clark tenderly put Lex back in the chair, arranging his body in a sitting position like he was a rag doll in danger of losing his stuffing.

Lionel continued airily, “Lex’s mind still works. So they tell me. But he’s a prisoner in his body unable to react to the outside world at all.”

Lex didn’t have time to be further hurt by Lionel’s nonchalance, because Clark suddenly moved. He had Lionel pushed up against the wall, one hand was fastened around Lionel’s throat. He had used his super speed and apparently was using his super strength without regard to Lionel seeing it. ‘Clark, no! He’s not worth it! I’m not worth it!’

“You bastard!” Clark growled, “He wasn’t delusional! He wasn’t sick at all!”

Lionel’s eyes flicked over to Lex then away then over to him again. His father licked his lips and said, “I assure you that—”

“LIAR! I don’t want to hear any more of your lies, Lionel. I know the truth.”

“I have no idea what you’re—”

“You had Lex destroyed, because he left you.”

Lionel tensed under Clark’s grip, his eyes going flinty. “That was just a temporary situation. Lex would have come back to me. He always did. He knew what he was.”

“What he was?” Clark spit out, one eyebrow rising.

Lionel smiled a feral smile. “Mine.”

There was silence in the room for long moments.

Clark laughed. It was strained and broken. “You might have wanted that. But it wasn’t true. Not in the end.”

Clark must have increased the pressure of his hold on Lionel’s throat, because the elder Luthor’s face had turned an alarming shade of purple. Lex could see that tears were spilling down Clark’s face and his lower lip was trembling.

“How could you destroy … destroy Lex? How? He was … was someone so special and you … you just smashed him like he was a toy!”

Lionel let out a strangled yelp as Clark pushed him harder against the wall. Lex would have been enjoying his father’s pain if not for the fact that Clark was the one causing it. And that was wrong. Clark was innocent and good and all those things that Lex believed he had never been or had lost long ago. But if Clark tightened his grip just a fraction more, Lionel’s throat would be crushed; like a broken flower stem. And Clark would be broken, too. Taking a life like this would change his beautiful friend. Lex strove to speak. To make Clark look at him and see that Lex did not want Clark to do this terrible act. But to no avail. He truly was a prisoner in his own body.

“Wwwwaiiittt,” Lionel gurgled out. “Nn … notttt destr… oyed.”

“What did you say?”

Clark relaxed his grip. Lex would have held his own breath if he could have to hear how he wasn’t destroyed, how maybe there was hope yet. Lionel drew in great lungfuls of air and coughed. His voice was only a whisper when he finally was able to speak again. “Not … not destroyed. I have people working on making him well again.”

“Good. I’ll make sure they keep working on that … after you’re gone,” Clark’s voice was low and cold.

Clark must have begun tightening his grip again, because when Lionel spoke his voice was more a squeal than anything else. “You need me, Clark! Lex needs me!”

“Oh? You’re not a scientist. You’re just a soulless, money-grubbing, backstabbing, child-abusing bastard. So why do Lex or I need you?” Clark punctuated each statement by shaking Lionel like he weighed no more than a kitten.

Lionel managed to spit out his defense even as his head was whipped back and forth. “You both need me because of those qualities!”

Clark stilled the shaking. “Explain yourself.”

Lionel spoke in rapid, staccato bursts to make sure he got his argument across before Clark decided to snap his neck again. “I have connections you don’t, even with the money Lex left you. I can make people do things.”

Clark snorted. “By blackmail? By—”

“By any means necessary. I can make people go beyond the pale. And that’s what Lex is going to need in order to get well.”

“He needs intelligent people working on a cure. He doesn’t need people afraid for their lives or reputations or whatever you would do to make them do your bidding.”

“On the contrary, Clark, with any treatments that could help Lex, we’ll need human experimentation. And that normally takes years to get approval if you play within the rules.”

Clark’s eyes went bleak. “Years?”

“Yes, maybe even a decade. So the question is: do you want to leave Lex in this state for years, Clark? Perhaps a whole decade of being frozen inside that useless body?”

Clark twisted around to look back at Lex. His green eyes had gone so dark they appeared black. Lex could only imagine what he looked like to Clark: a fragile porcelain doll propped up in a chair. ‘Don’t listen to him, Clark! No matter what he says, he’ll twist everything later. We’ll think of another way!’

“I don’t want Lex like this for one minute more.”

“Then let me go and allow me to help you both. I can make sure nothing stops the scientists. Not their morals. Not their qualms. Not anything. I’ll make sure it all gets done, Clark. After all, Lex is my son. I want him well, too.”

Lex could almost smell the lies on Lionel’s breath. He felt nauseous. ‘I might as well be your enemy for all the kindness and consideration you’ve given me, Lionel. I’m certainly not your son. Not anymore.’

Clark released his hold on Lionel. The older man grunted as he slid down several inches to land on his feet, apparently not realizing that Clark had been holding him almost half a foot above the floor. He adjusted his coat and smoothed his hair back. Lionel grimaced as he caught sight of his throat in the window glass, which already showed signs of bruising. He drew the collar of his coat closer around his neck to cover it.

Clark didn’t even glance Lionel’s way. He just stood there, his eyes wounded and huge, staring at Lex as if the older boy were all the world. Lex trained his own gaze on Clark’s face, wishing that telepathy had been one of his super powers. Lex would have told Clark to grab him and run as fast and as far as he could from Lionel Luthor, that nothing good could ever come of trusting him. But even as he screamed and raved in his head those words, Clark only saw the silent, broken doll he had become.

“You know, Clark,” Lionel said and placed a gloved hand on one of the boy’s forearms. “It’s going to be more than just the scientists and myself that will need to break the rules to help Lex.”

Lex howled inside, because here it came. Lionel knew of Clark’s powers obviously and wanted to use him as a way to get Clark to exercise those powers for LuthorCorp.

Lionel pressed closer to Clark’s side. Lex could see the bright flicker of desire in Lionel’s eyes as he squeezed Clark’s arm. “You’re … ah … special gifts … will be very necessary to get those things the scientists may need from government labs and LuthorCorp’s competitors that just simply aren’t for sale.”

Clark looked down at the hand on his arm with a grimace twisting his lips. He turned around in Lionel’s grip. His mouth went close to Lionel’s ear and Lex saw the older man shiver and grin. But that grin faded when Clark spoke, “I will do whatever is necessary to ensure Lex gets well. But know this, Luthor, the minute I believe you or your scientists are stalling helping Lex … I’ll rip you apart with my bare hands. Are we clear?”

Lex felt a coldness that had nothing to do with the room temperature settle in his belly. He caught a glimpse at that moment of the man Clark would become as he tried to rescue Lex from this prison: pitiless, ruthless, willing to kill or destroy anything or anyone that got in his way. ‘And with Lionel manipulating him, Clark could very well destroy the world in his quest to save me.’

And while some part of Lex cheered at the thought that Clark would stop at nothing to free him from this prison and relished the idea that he meant so much to this beautiful boy that Clark would turn from all the values he had been taught and seemed to hold dear, another part of Lex cried out in anguish. The Clark that Lex loved so well would disappear with each evil deed he performed until there was nothing left of him except a lovely shell. And Lex would only be able to watch on in horror, a mind trapped inside a locked case.

This future would become Hell on Earth for Clark, for him and eventually for everyone.

Lionel wetted his lips before speaking. “I understand. So we have a deal?”

“Yes.” Clark suddenly ripped himself away from Lionel. He struggled out of his coat and came towards Lex with it. He lightly lifted Lex from the chair and began wrapping him in the warm woolen material.

“What are you doing, Clark?” Lionel asked.

“Lex is not staying here. He hates hospitals. He’s going to stay with me. Your scientists can come to him or I can bring him to them for treatment, but he’s not going to be rotting away in some mental institution,” Clark answered as he cradled Lex in his arms. Clark rested their foreheads together for a moment. “You don’t have to worry, Lex. I’ll make sure you get well. I’ll do whatever it takes. I love you.”

‘Oh, angel, that’s what Lionel’s counting on.’

Lex felt the press of Clark’s warm lips against his own. He wanted with all his heart to kiss back, but his desire was no match for whatever held him prisoner in his own body. As Clark carried him from the room, Lex caught a glimpse of his father’s face as Lionel followed them out. He was smiling. He was triumphant. Yes, indeed this future was going to be Hell on Earth.

Then the swirling began again.

When it stopped, Lex found himself alone, standing on a high balcony, looking out over the skyline of Metropolis. The sun was just slipping below the horizon casting one final blaze of light over the city, making it appear to be on fire. Lex could hear the muted sounds of a party behind him and the rush of the new night wind passed his ears. He experienced a flash of joy when he felt himself tighten his hands on the balcony railing. He was standing and able to move so he clearly wasn’t paralyzed in this future. And he hoped and prayed that neither he nor Clark was under Lionel’s control.

“Lex! There you are. I wondered where you escaped to.”

“I wanted to see the sunset,” Lex heard himself say as he turned around to face Clark.

The boy looked beautiful. His dark hair hung in waves to his shoulders. He wore a long black suit coat with mandarin collar, a green silk shirt the same color as his eyes, and black trousers just tight enough to show off his long lean legs. Lex glanced down at himself and saw that he was wearing a black suit as well, but with a deep purple shirt and shorter suit coat.

Clark strode over to Lex after he closed the balcony doors behind him. It shut off the overwhelming noise of the hundreds of party-goers Lex could see milling about inside, talking and drinking. That one look into the interior told him that this wasn’t the penthouse he had now. It looked far bigger and more lavish with dark woods and two-story ceilings. Then all his observations of his environment stopped as Clark’s soft full lips descended on his.

The boy smelt of honeysuckle and sunshine. Lex drew back from the kiss and brushed his lips along Clark’s cheek. The slight roughness of stubble tickled his sensitive lips. Lex mouthed the curve of one of the boy’s cheekbones, sucking on the sweet skin. Clark made a muffled pleased noise and began snuffling Lex’s neck just below his ear. Other than kissing Clark senseless, Lex also wanted to ask him a million questions about this place, about this time, but not one came out. He realized then that he was just an observer in his own body. Able to watch but not to act independently. ‘Otherwise I would affect this future instead of seeing what it’s actually going to be. Is this the one where I chose Arsay?’

His future-self slid his hands underneath Clark’s suit coat, framing the narrow waist as he said, “I should leave the room without you more often if I’m going to get that kind of reception when you find me.”

He pulled the boy’s groin tight against his own and shimmied slightly. Heat bloomed between them and Clark huffed softly. “Don’t tease, Lex, unless you intend to take me right here, right now, in front of all the well-wishers and hangers-on.”

“I can’t help it. You tempt me just by walking into the room. And if you recall, you were the one to start the kissing.”

“Yeah, well, you looked so beautiful standing there with the dying light behind you, I couldn’t resist.”

Lex leaned forward and nipped Clark’s lower lip. Clark tipped Lex’s head up until their eyes met. Clark studied his expression. A small frown formed on the boy’s lips.

“Something’s wrong. What is it, Lex?”

Lex pulled away and turned back to watch the cityscape. He felt more than saw Clark join him. With a harsh exhale of breath, Lex said, “The temple. It’s completed. Only the altar stone has to be placed on the topmost level.”

“So I guess that means its official that we’ve won.”

“Yes. This world has been conquered.”

Lex saw the building his future-self was referring to. In the midst of the steel and glass skyscrapers rose a lone stone structure. It looked almost like one of the step pyramids he’d seen in Mexico, yet there was something clearly otherworldly about it. It radiated a bluish glow and the individual sections of the pyramid seemed to float one on top of the other.

“I went inside yesterday.” Clark said as he put his hands around Lex’s waist, palms resting warmly against Lex’s stomach.

“What’s it like?”

“Grand. Imposing. A little frightening. A lot frightening. Like Equinox, there’s this sense that you could lose yourself in there if you’re not careful. Time is different inside, too. I swore I spent a few hours looking around, but when I came out only fifteen minutes had passed.”

Lex leaned back into Clark’s embrace. The boy tightened his hold and Lex sighed in pleasure.

“Arsay … Father wanted to put a statue inside of me. I told him no,” Lex said, then felt Clark shift uncomfortably behind him. “Please tell me he didn’t put one in anyways?”

“No, there’s no statue of you, but there is an alcove that’s dedicated to you. It’s welcoming and warm. It’s done in alabaster and there are all sorts of purple flowers growing there.”

Lex gave an exasperated sigh. “Why did he do that?”

“It wasn’t him. It was the people’s decision. That’s what the high priest told me anyways.”

“The people’s?” Lex heard the disbelief in his own voice.

“You’re their hero, Lex.”

“Hero? I helped to conquer them! Are they insane?”

Clark suddenly drew away from him “No. They are the farthest thing from. They know who they have to be grateful to. And you’re the one. They wanted to honor you. I guess Arsay didn’t discourage them from doing that.”

Lex turned to face his ward. Clark had stuffed his hands in the pockets of his suit coat and wouldn’t look at him.

“Clark … I’ve said something wrong, obviously. What did I say that’s upset you?” Lex gripped Clark’s chin and tried to move the boy’s head so they would be face to face. But it was like trying to move a mountain.

“I hate it when you don’t realize that if it weren’t for you,” Clark swallowed hard, “these people, every single person on this planet, would be dead. Like my people, remember?”

‘Oh, God, Clark’s home was destroyed by the Arcs? Which one, Arsay or the Arc of Ascendant Light?’

Lex leaned his forehead against Clark’s shoulder. “Forgive me, angel. I wasn’t thinking.”

Clark snorted. “Well, even you can’t think all the time.” The tension bled out of Clark and there was a small smile on his lips.

“I just wish I wouldn’t have these unthinking moments when it involves you.” Lex ran his hands over Clark’s back. “I guess I keep forgetting it wasn’t a question of whether this world was going to be conquered or not, but by who. A part of me doesn’t want to accept that.”

Suddenly, Lex was engulfed by warm, strong arms, his body cradled against Clark’s larger one. “I know. Sometimes I can’t accept it either. But one thing I’m sure of is that if Arsay had won, but you weren’t by his side, then things wouldn’t be as good as they are now.”

“It’s hard for me to believe that I’m the cause of anyone acting … better.”

“Your happiness is paramount for him. I know after Lionel that’s difficult to accept, but--”

At that moment, there was a discrete cough behind them. Clark and Lex turned simultaneously. A young man dressed in a simple, Asian-style grey tunic and pants, stood holding a tray of drinks and food out for them. Thin silver bands were wrapped around his slender neck and wrists. His eyes were downcast. His whole demeanor was humble.

“For the masters,” the boy said softly.

“Thank you.” Clark bit his lower lip and his eyes flickered from the bowing boy to Lex then back again. Clark did manage to take the tray from the boy smoothly and set it on a table despite his obvious discomfort with the boy’s obsequiousness. The boy bowed even lower, his eyes never rising from the floor.

“You may go now,” Lex told the boy gently.

The boy quickly backed away, not daring to turn around until the door to the balcony was shut behind him.

“Do you think that he sees me as a hero?” Lex heard the bitterness in his voice. The boy hadn’t been just a servant. Lex knew the boy was a slave and Clark confirmed that by what he said next.

Clark’s eyes were shadowed. “I don’t think everything is perfect here, Lex. Far from it. Slavery is just one of the problems. But if it’s between destruction and this then this wins, hands down. At least there’s hope. There’s no hope for Krypton, but there is here, because the people still exist.”

“I know.” Lex passed a hand over his eyes and was quiet for a moment. “Remember how Martha feared we were going to destroy the world?”

“How could I forget? In a way, her actions caused all this. Self-fulfilling prophecy, I guess. Only we didn’t destroy the world. We saved it, Lex. You have to believe that.”

“I wish I could be certain of that. I wish I didn’t feel so …”

“Frightened?”

Lex snorted. “Lex Luthor was never afraid. How could Lex Lucien be?”

“But you are. What do you fear, Lex?”

Lex threw up his hands. “That I could get used to all this! Worse that next time that Arsay … that Father … asks if he can build a temple where people can worship me I’ll say yes and start drawing up the plans myself. We aren’t going to stay here, Clark. Father already has told me his plans for the next world that’s on the menu in his and the Ascendant’s war. A whole new world to test my character. And there’ll be another after that and another after that. Endless chances to fall.” Lex took the glass of champagne the slave had brought and downed it. Staring at the bottom of the glass he said, “I was never a very good person to begin with, now there’s so much more temptation not to be good at all.”

Clark was suddenly in front of him, grasping his shoulders and forcing Lex to look into his eyes. “But you are good, Lex! You insisted that Arsay be as merciful as possible. You made him keep that promise. Saved billions of lives. Not to mention that you wouldn’t even let me use my powers unless it was to save people from harm.”

“I didn’t want you hurting people. That would have changed you. I didn’t want that.”

Clark’s right hand moved from Lex’s shoulder to cup his cheek and that’s when Lex saw it. The purple ribbon was wound around Clark’s wrist, making the wrist it bound look almost delicate. His future-self grasped Clark’s hand and brought it down so that it was between them. He slid the cuff of Clark’s jacket up so that the ribbon was clear to see.

“Clark, why are you wearing this today?”

The boy blushed and toed the ground. “I wear it every day.”

“What?” Lex’s voice sounded hoarse and his throat seemed to seize up. “You don’t have to wear this, Clark. You’re not a slave like that boy with the tray! You’re free! You don’t--”

“Yes, I am free and I wear it, because I want to. I’m proud to belong with you and to you.” Clark stumbled on, “At first, when I realized that my people change when they mate, I was so afraid of becoming something I wasn’t before. But then I realized that love changes us no matter what and that I liked what I changed into by loving you.”

“Changed into? I don’t understand, Clark.”

The boy blushed deeper. “I know what you like and try to be that. You know … in bed.”

“But we’re not in bed right now!” Lex heard the hysteria in his future-self’s voice and understood it all too well.

“I am aware of that, Lex.” Clark gave him a patented Kent stare. “You need to admit to yourself that you enjoy the thought of me belonging to you. Being … submissive to you. Because I’ve admitted to myself that I do.”

Lex let out a shuddering breath. “I know I like possessing you. That’s the problem. The ribbon … I told you how that all came about. That awful fantasy, dream, whatever, I had when we first were getting together. It showed how far my need to possess you would take me. It sickens me that I could hurt you like that. I have to fight that side of myself.”

“The only reason you thought you would do those things is because you were afraid I would leave you some day. But Lex, I’m never going to leave you. I’m yours. We’re in this together. Forever. The ribbon symbolizes that for me. Not something bad.”

Lex allowed his fingertips to brush the strip of silk. What his future-self was feeling was closed off to him, but Lex’s present-self was stunned by Clark’s view of the ribbon. The boy wanted to be Lex’s. Forever. There were no doubts in the boy’s eyes at all. He was certain of his place with Lex and the good meaning of the ribbon.

“You see this as a symbol that you belong to me, right?” Lex tugged on the ribbon.

“Yes.”

Lex nodded and straightened up. “Then I should wear one, too.”

“What? Why?”

Lex raised his eyes so that he was staring straight into Clark’s green ones. “Because as much as you’re mine, Clark, I’m yours.”

“Lex.” His name on Clark’s lips was like a benediction.

The boy whimpered as Lex lightly brushed their lips together. Lex then broke the kiss and unwound the ribbon from Clark’s wrist. He grabbed a knife from the tray that had been brought by the slave and cut the ribbon in two. Then he took one half and rewrapped it around Clark’s wrist and tied it. He leaned down and kissed the knot. Clark gasped softly and Lex felt the tremor that ran through his ward. Then Lex offered the other half of the ribbon to Clark and held out his wrist for Clark to bind it. With slightly shaking hands, Clark wound the ribbon around Lex’s slim wrist and tied it lightly. Then he leaned down and pressed his lips over the knot and pulse point it covered. Lex shuddered and his eyes slid half-closed. Desire and love rushed through him like liquid fire. He ran his fingers through Clark’s thick, dark hair and pulled the boy’s still bent head up until they were so close that they were breathing in each other’s air.

“We’re bound together.”

“Nothing can ever separate us now.”

“What I’ve always wanted.”

“I’ve wanted it, too. Always.”

“Destiny.”

“Stuff of legends.”

“Yes.”

There was a wash of blue light all around them for a moment. When their eyes adjusted, they could see where the light had come from.

“The temple,” Clark breathed. “Where the altar’s going to be after Arsay does whatever the heck he needs to in order to consecrate it or whatever.”

The topmost portion of the temple was an open-air pavilion. It was surrounded only by columns on the sides and a stone roof. From it a line of blue fire streamed over to them. The flame arced around their entwined bodies. It almost touched their skin, but not quite, leaving a brush of warmth, but no pain.

“I think Father approves of our bonding, Clark.”

Lex watched as the fire circled their bodies again and again, rising up towards their heads. After it reached the crown of their heads, the flame raced back to the temple. The structure’s blue glow tripled as the flame returned and a slight hum could be heard. Lex couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Guess the binding of a god’s son deserves a few fireworks.”

“We’re bonded, aren’t we, Lex?”

“It would seem so.”

“Good.”

Clark smiled at him hugely and caught Lex’s mouth in a sloppy, eager kiss that Lex absolutely loved. He found himself laughing against Clark’s mouth as they kissed. They broke apart just as Enrique came out on the balcony. His posture was as upright as always as if he nailed a board to his back, but a pleased smile crossed his thin lips at the sight of Lex and Clark smiling and laughing. Lex saw no silver bands on his neck or wrists and was relieved that his trusted manservant was not enslaved, but appeared to serve him and Clark voluntarily in this potential-future.

“Sirs,” Enrique said. “Your Father requests the honor of your presence inside.”

“He must know about us,” Clark intuited.

Enrique’s small smile dried up. “Master Lucien informed me that there was a happy event that was to or had occurred between you two, but I do not believe this request for your presence is in regards to that.” The proper servant paused, passing a shaky hand across his brow and then continued, “Master Lex, I feel that you need to be aware that Mr. Lionel is … present.”

Lex felt his future-self freeze. “Oh?”

‘The old man would come and spoil Clark’s and my bonding!’

Enrique looked old and worn for a moment. “I thought only to mention this before you went in and saw him. Saw how he is. I just wanted to prepare you.”

Lex swallowed hard and Clark’s arms tightened around him. ‘Saw how he is? Is he sick or what?’

“Why did Arsay bring him here? Why tonight?”

Lex took in a deep breath. “Well, we won’t know until we go in there and find out.”

“Are you sure you want to go in?”

“I don’t think I have much of a choice about it.”

Lex broke away from Clark’s embrace and smoothed down the front of his shirt. He took one final look at the softly glowing temple as if to remind himself of the good and bad in this world. Enrique held the door open for them. Clark took his hand and laced their fingers together. Lex gave him a grateful smile as they entered the penthouse together.

The crowd of well-dressed people parted before them. Lex heard murmurs of congratulations from the crowd and calls of his name. Whether it was about his bonding with Clark or the win against the Arc of Ascendant Light, Lex didn’t know and he wondered if his future-self was even aware. Lex was conscious only of Clark’s warm, strong hand in his.

The path the crowd made for them lead directly to Lucien. His long, flame-red hair glinted under the subdued lighting. The pale, handsome face broke into a wide smile as Lex met his gaze. Lucien wore his trademark black suit that looked as elegant as ever on his strong, lean form.

“Lex, my child,” Lucien said softly, but it carried over the voices of the crowd or perhaps the other voices just ceased speaking altogether once Lucien opened his mouth.

Lucien extended his arms towards Lex and Lex found himself letting go of Clark’s hand after one last squeeze for comfort. He moved swiftly to stand in front of the Arc. Lucien grasped Lex’s forearms and pulled him close. The peppery scent of the Arc enfolded him. Lex rested his head on Lucien’s strong shoulder. He was surprised how his future-self embraced Lucien back so strongly and the evident comfort he had with the Arc’s touch. The electric current between them was greater than ever. It pulsed through Lex’s body and his skin tingled. Again he felt the desire to let go and drowned in Lucien’s power, but Lex also felt the tie to Clark, which was stronger in this potential-future and that balanced out the desire to fall. He felt the puff of Lucien’s breath as he spoke softly against Lex’s right ear.

“I’m so happy for you and Clark. I promise a proper celebration for that soon, Lex.”

“It was sort of sudden. I didn’t know the effect of what I was doing,” Lex confessed.

“But you do want to be bonded to him?”

“Yes. Most definitely, yes. Clark is … my heart, Father.” Lex internally cringed at being so open with a father-figure, but his future-self seemed secure in telling Lucien this as if they often shared their innermost thoughts. ‘Perhaps we do. Maybe I don’t have to fear he’ll use these things as weapons against me.’

“I understand. I’m glad.” Lucien pulled back from the embrace. “There is one last thing from your past I thought you might want to excise so that you might go forward without any more regrets or hurt. It is my gift to you, Lex.”

Lucien reached behind him and brought forward a thin rectangular box about fourteen inches long made of white stone veined with purple and blue quartz. Lucien held it out on the palms of his hands for Lex to open. Lex realized that the top of the box was hinged. He grasped the top and flipped the top back. Inside on white silk lay a dagger. The hilt was onyx and was polished to be as smooth as glass. It was slick and silky against the palm of his hand. Lex hadn’t even realized that he had picked it up. The blade felt alive in his grasp. He brushed the razor-sharpness of the blade with his thumb. A small wound opened on the pad of his finger and a small drop of blood welled up. ‘Why would he give me a dagger as a gift? And where is Lionel?’

“Turn and see my gift, Lex.”

“This isn’t it?” Lex held up the beautiful blade.

“No, child. But it may be useful to you in regards to the actual gift nonetheless.”

Lucien placed a possessive hand on Lex’s lower back and turned him to where he was to look. The crowd parted once more and revealed behind them, bound and kneeling on a piece of glowing blue-white stone, Lionel Luthor. He was situated on the top part of the missing altar that Clark mentioned Lucien had to consecrate before it took its place on the top of the temple. Lex heard Clark gasp and he turned to look at him. Clark’s beautiful face was marred by a grimace. Even though Clark hated Lionel as much as Lex did, still he seemed to feel the wrongness of this scene. Lex shut his eyes for a moment. He now knew why Enrique looked so ill.

“He was captured this morning. The last of the Ascendant’s foot soldiers. She abandoned him as she fled,” Lucien said with a tight smile.

‘Oh, God, what is this? What does he intend me to do with Lionel and a blade sharp enough to gut a man with one stroke? Please let it not be the obvious.’

The surrealness of the experience was heightened by the fact that Lionel wasn’t wearing one of his trademark business suits, but instead was clothed in a crimson robe. His mane of hair hung long and freshly washed down to his shoulders as if he had been prepared for this moment. His mouth worked on the gag like he was trying to bite through it. His eyes flicked from Lex’s face to the blade in his hands.

“He looks rather … afraid, doesn’t he? Hmmm, finally, he realizes that he will reap what he has sown.” Lucien’s breath was hot against Lex’s neck as he said, “He’s yours, Lex.”

Lex’s voice sounded so small, like a child’s, as he asked, “What do you wish me to do with him?”

“Whatever you want.” Lucien’s hand on his back burned through his clothes.

“In front of all these people?” Lex wished he could back away from the Arc, away from the power streaming off the being that attracted and repulsed him. But he wasn’t in control of this show, his future-self was, and whether he wanted to stay close of his own will or was incapable of moving from Lucien’s side wasn’t clear.

“Yes, right here in front of these people you may do what you will to him. No one will judge you. Nothing is forbidden now that you are my son.”

“Like killing … killing him?” Lex’s voice was softer still.

“I want you to do whatever is in your heart. And who could truly blame you if you took his life after everything he did to you? What sanction, what mercy does he deserve, after all he did to you? After he sold your virginity in a business deal to save his company from his own mismanagement.”

Lex started and turned to Lucien, the words bursting from his mouth like overripe fruit, “What? No, he only made the deals with Riley after—”

“Oh, Lex, they prearranged all of it. Tom Riley got you for an afternoon of uninterrupted pleasure and Lionel got the use of $3 million in loans to cover up some of his losses. The only concession Lionel asked for was that Riley not kill you. Everything else was fair game. And Riley did everything other than kill you, didn’t he?”

Lex was struck mute.

Lionel made some garbled plea. Probably trying to tell Lex he could explain it all away. Lex covered his own mouth and stared at the ground. His future-self apparently felt as sick as he did. Lex knew Lucien was telling the truth. He knew it in his bones.

He had long surmised that Lionel knew of Riley’s proclivities and had arranged an opportunity for the man to fall prey to them so he could blackmail him later. But Lex told himself that things must have gotten out of Lionel’s control that day. That Lionel really hadn’t meant for Lex to be hurt as much as he had been. That theory had been horrible enough to torment him, but to know that Lionel had sold him for a set sum and knew in advance just what would happen to him was unbearable.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lex saw Clark try to come over to him, but Lucien waved him back. Clark was glaring at the Arc, but it had no effect. Lucien wanted this scene played out a certain way and Clark wasn’t going to be allowed to interfere it seemed. That Clark was physically stopped from acting told Lex that Lucien’s power was probably absolute in this future. One of Lucien’s hands curled around the hand Lex held the knife in. Power pulsed from Lucien to him and blue fire ignited around Lex’s hand and the blade.

“I give you my blessing and my strength to sanctify this altar, to signify the end of the battle for Earth, my beloved son.”

Then Lucien released him. Lex tottered for a moment as if only Lucien’s touch had been holding him up. Finally, he managed to walk over to Lionel stiffly. His body didn’t feel like his own. The hand that held the blade was numb as fire raced along it. Tears actually began to fall from Lionel’s eyes as Lex stood over him. Lionel was begging again, but the words were muffled.

How often had Lex wanted to see his father like this? Completely in his power, at his mercy, begging for Lex not to hurt him as Lex so often had begged. Even though Lex had never been bound and gagged before Lionel, his whole life had been a sacrifice to him. His virginity, his innocence, his sense of self-worth. All of it Lex had given to his father-god, but it had gotten him nothing in return, but more disdain. And now … now Lionel was no longer his father and Lex realized having met a god that Lionel was nowhere near as powerful.

Lex thought he heard Clark call his name, but he couldn’t look at his beloved. All he could do was stare into Lionel Luthor’s eyes. They reflected the fire in Lex’s hand and a plea for forgiveness. Lex grabbed Lionel’s hair and jerked his head back so that the man’s throat was exposed. He thought of how Lionel had whored him out for years, no matter his cries for help with drugs and alcohol, he thought of the leer Lionel had given Clark and the promise of corruption and pain that was in that look in the other possible-future, and he thought of all the people that had been harmed by Lionel’s acts. And finally he thought of the fact that no more would be harmed … if Lionel were dead.

He placed the knife against Lionel’s white throat and the world began to swirl.

“NO!” Lex screamed the one word into the darkness of the club. He was back and he didn’t know whether he killed Lionel or not. He didn’t know if he became a person who could slit another’s throat.

“Lex, my god, what is it?” Clark asked from behind him.

“Didn’t you see it?”

It was clear from Clark’s blank expression that he had experienced none of what Lex had.

“I was there, Clark. In the future or futures! I was there.”

“But you just touched Lucien’s hand a second ago. You didn’t go anywhere, Lex.”

Lex stared at his and Lucien’s hands. They were still joined. His eyes went up from their handclasp to meet Lucien’s gaze. The Arc was smiling softly. There was understanding in his expression.

“Why, Fath … Arsay, why did you break it off there?”

“You have enough knowledge to make your decision, Lex.”

“No! I need to know whether I … I …” Lex’s hand went up to his throat. It was constricting the more he tried to talk about what he had seen. “Why can’t I speak of it?”

“No one but you and me will ever know what you saw until it actually happens. And after you make your final choice, the memory of what you saw, will leave you as well,” Lucien explained and brushed his thumb over the back of Lex’s hand. “In the end, it will be a surprise to even you.”

“I have to tell Clark—”

Arsay shook his head. “No, Lex. You can’t. These are the only two futures left to you. One or the other will occur. The only variable is whether you are my son or Lionel Luthor’s. So you won’t be allowed to tell anyone anything about either future otherwise they could change and that just simply can’t happen.”

Lex sagged against Clark. The one person he needed to talk this out with and he couldn’t. ‘I’m used to relying on my own judgment, why can’t I do that now? Because it’s a moral choice and that’s not my strong point. In the one future, my own life is hell: I’m paralyzed and at Lionel’s mercy, while I have to watch Clark become corrupted. In the other, I’m with Clark, but the world is messed up: slavery, human sacrifice … well, potential human sacrifice, and unlimited power and corruption for the taking. And then there’s the problem that no matter what I chose, Earth apparently is going to be conquered by one of the Arcs. Clark’s planet was destroyed by one of them. Can I risk Earth’s existence? If I’m with Arsay, then he wins for sure. The Earth exists, at least for a time. If I’m not with Arsay, does the other Arc win? Is the Earth destroyed if that happens?’ Lex clutched his head with both hands. His migraine was back.

“How much time do I have to decide?” Lex asked as Clark pillowed his head against his broad shoulder.

“As much time as you have,” Lucien said.

“What does that mean?” Lex glared at him, but with the migraine sloshing around behind his eyes, his glare was water-weak.

“That you’ll know the moment you have to make the decision when it comes.”

Clark piped in, “So that could be in a day, a week, a month or several years down the road?”

Lucien was silent.

Lex asked wearily, “Or it could be when we step out the doors of the club, right?”

“I’ve given you all I can. It’s up to you now.”

Lex closed his eyes, too tired and hurting to keep them open any more. “I can’t imagine you’d let me see all this if the choice I have to make isn’t relatively imminent. Maybe not when we step out the door, but soon?”

Lucien gave nothing away, but Lex knew he was right. He swayed slightly as he tried to straighten up. Clark tightened his hold to steady him.

“We have to go home now. Lex is hurting and he needs to rest. He can’t handle dinner tonight with you.”

Clark’s chin jutted out defiantly. Lex couldn’t help but smile at how protective his ward was of him. ‘He’d take on the gods themselves to protect me.’ But Lex also felt a burst of pain, because it reminded him all too clearly of how Clark had behaved with Lionel in the first potential-future. ‘What the hell am I going to do? Which path should I chose?’

“You are free to leave,” Lucien said.

Lex nodded wearily then stopped as the migraine pain intensified. He clutched onto Clark’s shirt. He tried to stop the soft moan he let out, but it slipped through.

“Oh, God, Lex! I’m taking him out of here now.”

“We shall see each other soon, I hope, Lex,” Lucien said.

Lex didn’t answer. Clark hoisted him up into his arms and took off. It felt like they were flying through the air. When he opened his eyes, all was a blur except Clark’s torso. Clark was using his super speed. The wind soon buffeted his eyes closed and he remained that way for the few minutes it took for Clark to get them back to the Castle.

“You left your truck at the penthouse,” Lex remarked softly as Clark gently placed Lex down on his bed.

Clark shrugged. “I’ll get it later. You needed to be home. And a three hour car drive would have been too long.”

“Funny, this place only became home yesterday when you started living here.”

Lex settled against the pillows. His body relaxing slightly as it felt that familiar mattress beneath it. Clark took off Lex’s shoes and placed them by the side of the bed neatly. Lex reached out and caught Clark’s chin as he began tugging on Lex’s belt. Clark sat on the edge of the bed beside him, allowing Lex to look at his face more easily.

“I wish I could tell you what I saw. I could really use your help with this.”

Clark took the hand that held his chin and moved it to his mouth. He kissed the back of it. “You’ll make the right decision, Lex. I have faith in you.”

“But it’s not black and white, Clark. There’s bad and good either way.”

Clark chewed on his lower lip for a moment. “Was there anything in either of the futures that was purely good? Something that you know is a good thing? Above all else?”

Lex didn’t have to think hard at all to remember something purely good. He reached into his right pants’ pocket and found what he was looking for. He pulled the purple ribbon out that had adorned Clark’s neck at the club. Lucien had said it was a gift, a sign that he wouldn’t do as he feared. And Lucien hadn’t been lying. In the second potential-future, Clark didn’t see the ribbon as a sign of enslavement, but of belonging. And it had become something even more beautiful and precious than that when they had shared the ribbon. Bound themselves to each other.

“Hey, you’re crying.” Clark gently wiped tears off his face. “I thought I told you to think of a good thing.”

“It is a good thing. The best thing. The only problem is that it might not be the best for the world. I just don’t know.”

Clark leaned in and kissed Lex softly on the lips. “You need to rest. You can’t make any decisions when you’re in pain like this.”

Clark super speeded Lex out of his clothes down to his boxers then did the same for himself. He got into bed beside Lex and curled around him. Lex had never felt so loved or so safe.

“Sleep, Lex.” Clark kissed his temple. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Lex shut his eyes.

He didn’t dream. His sleep was long and dark and deep. Clark was not beside him when he woke, but there was a note saying he had gone down to get some food for them out of the kitchen. Lex glanced over at the clock. It was 8 at night. His head felt marginally better and his thought processes were clearer. He realized that there were things he needed to do. He picked up the bedside phone.

“Alfred, its Lex, is Bruce available?” He said into the handset.

“Yes, one moment, Master Lex.”

Bruce was on the phone in a moment. “So Lex, are you and Clark coming to Gotham this weekend?”

He still hadn’t asked Clark, but Lex knew the boy would be agreeable and with what he had in mind, it would be a good idea to let Clark and Bruce get to know each other better. “Yes, but I’m calling about more than that, Bruce.”

“Oh? Your meeting with Arsay, perhaps?”

Lex laughed. He couldn’t help it and then he couldn’t seem to stop it either. Bruce gave a muffled swear over the phone as Lex’s laugh turned to hysterical giggling.

“Lex, are you all right? Do you need me to come get both of you? I could be there in a few hours with the ‘copter.”

Lex forced the laughter down. He hiccupped a few times. “Sorry, Bruce. No, don’t come. A lot’s happened. Most of which I can’t tell you or anyone. I wish I could. You’re another person whose advice I could really use. But I do need to ask you something very important.”

“Anything, Lex. Name it.”

“If something were to happen to me … would you be Clark’s guardian? Would you do that, Bruce? Please?”

Lex Luthor had never sounded like this with Bruce. He knew the Bat would pick up on it and question him extensively. He wondered how much he’d be able to say.

Bruce was quiet for a moment as if he were contemplating whether Lex really was alright and whether he really shouldn’t be readying the Bat ‘copter. “I would be honored to be Clark’s guardian, to have your trust like that. But Lex do you have any reason, any reason at all, to believe that something is going to happen to you?”

The dark edge to Bruce’s words wasn’t lost on Lex. He realized his friend was quite capable of taking the law into his own hands and dealing permanently with people he believed were a threat to Lex. However, the Arcs were outside of even Batman’s reach.

“Something very well could happen to me. I … I can’t tell you more than that. I’m going to call my lawyers now for them to ready the papers tonight and get them faxed to you for your signature.”

“Lex, tell me who is going to hurt you.”

Lex felt the tensing of his throat muscles and knew that he wouldn’t be able to tell his friend any more. “I can’t, Bruce.”

“Damnit, Lex! Don’t do this. Let me help you! Let me protect you!”

Lex closed his eyes tight. “You are helping me by agreeing to protect Clark. If I could tell you more I would.”

“Arsay has done something, hasn’t he? Or is it your father?”

Lex almost laughed again when he heard father and Arsay as two different people. Somehow it sounded strange to his own ears after that last potential-future.

“Please, Bruce, I have to hang up now and call the lawyers. Clark and I will come to Gotham tomorrow. You can grill me then. I just don’t know that I’ll be able to tell you any more than I have.”

Lex’s plans to get Clark back into school immediately went to the wayside. He simply didn’t know how much time he had to make a decision and he wanted every moment he could with his ward.

Bruce allowed one of his famous silences descend on the line. “You will be here tomorrow, Lex, or the Bat will come and drag you and Clark back to Gotham. Understand?”

“Perfectly, my friend.”

“Then I will see you tomorrow.”

Bruce hung up the phone without saying goodbye or allowing Lex to do so as was his usual course. Lex then dialed his lawyers and set his first plan in motion. He didn’t know if it was true that he couldn’t change the two futures that were supposedly set out in front of him, but he could try. If Bruce were Clark’s guardian and Lex was incapacitated like he was in the first potential-future, perhaps Bruce could stop Clark from falling into Lionel’s clutches. ‘Now to put the second plan into action.’ He needed to ascertain if at least one of the things that he had learned in the futures was true and the way to do that was presently resting in one of the flowerbeds. ‘It’s one thing to know in my gut that what Arsay is telling me the truth and another to have some solid proof of it.’

He slipped out of bed and went over to his closet. He put on a pair of soft black pants then he grabbed one of his favorite ribbed sweaters. As the sweater came into the light, Lex couldn’t help but laugh.

“Clark’s right, I do own something lavender.”

He slipped the lavender sweater on, deciding to leave his feet bare as Clark seemed to enjoy him like that. He wondered where his ward was as he left his room and meandered down the stairs to the first floor. Lex froze when he saw Enrique working in the foyer. It wasn’t that his manservant was doing anything unusual, just dusting, but seeing him for the first time after “seeing” him in the potential-future was disquieting nonetheless.

“Enrique, do you know where Clark is?”

“He’s with Mabel in the kitchen planning a meal for the two of you.”

“Thank you.” Lex turned to go into the kitchen then stopped and turned back to Enrique. “Enrique?”

“Yes, sir?” The formal manservant cocked one eyebrow up inquisitively.

“I just wanted to … thank you.”

“Sir? You …”

“I don’t mean for telling me where Clark is. I mean … for everything. You’ve been with me through all the … well, all the crap I’ve gotten myself into and I hope you’ll be there in the future. I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate it. I don’t think I’ve ever told you that.”

Lex stood there awkwardly for a moment while his normally unflappable manservant collected himself.

“You’re … very welcome, Sir. I’ve always thought that … that you were a good, young man no matter what others tried to turn you into.”

Lex cleared his throat, feeling the weight of emotion settle over him for a moment. He really did appreciate the man. Enrique, as always, gave him a gracious way to exit.

“I believe Master Clark is anxious to see you.”

Lex nodded and clasped Enrique’s shoulder gently as he took his leave. The man was shocked by the touch as Lex was known to avoid most physical contact. Recognizing the importance of Lex’s gesture he gave Lex a genuine smile. ‘If I chose the second potential-future, I’ll be glad you’re there with us, Enrique.’

As Lex entered the kitchen, he heard Clark’s happy voice chattering away to Mabel. “So you think that this soup would help with his headache?”

“My sister swears by it and she gets migraines horrible enough to bring the house down.”

“Well, then I’ll have to try some,” Lex said as he leaned against the doorway.

“Lex!” Clark bounded over to him, but stopped just short of giving him the hug and kiss he could feel the boy wanted to bestow upon him. Clark settled for bouncing on his toes and actually wrapped his arms around his own back to keep from grabbing Lex. “You’re up! How are you feeling?”

“Much better. Do you like my sweater?”

The apparent non-sequitor made Clark open and close his mouth like a fish several times in confusion then his green eyes brightened. “Nice manly-colored sweater there, Lex. Lavender, right?”

“Yes. I feel very masculine wearing it despite what some have called its girly tones.”

Mabel, a pleasant-faced plump woman, gave both men a quizzical look, but smiled at them indulgently anyways as they were clearly enjoying their private joke.

“How long before dinner, Mabel?”

“About 45 minutes, Mr. Luthor. I hope that’s all right. I can always fix something quick for you to eat now if you’re too hungry to wait.”

“No, 45 minutes is perfect. Oh, and can you set up dinner in the formal dining room? Candles and flowers? The whole bit?”

It was Clark’s turn again to look at Lex strangely. But Mabel, thankfully, didn’t question him just said she could prepare everything just he way he liked it. Lex grabbed Clark’s arm and lead him out of the kitchen and deeper into the mansion. He was taking them to the Room.

“Where are we going, Lex?” Clark glanced around and when he saw no one was there he took Lex’s hand.

“I’m going to need you to bring in your ship tonight before dinner. I need to ask the A.I. some things about ... about why you were sent here."

"Oh, well, I can tell you that."

Lex's steps stuttered to a halt. "What?"

"Krypton ... my home planet was destroyed. And my parents sent me away just before it happened. I ... I was the only one to survive."

Lex just swallowed and closed his eyes. He had confirmation now that Clark's people were gone. But perhaps the A.I. would know something about the Arcs and if they had played any role in the planet's destruction.

"Lex, are you okay?" Clark was petting his face and Lex felt the tension in him bleed away with that touch.

"I'm okay. I still want to speak to the A.I. about Krypton's destruction. And there’s one room in the Castle that would be the perfect place for that discussion."

"Somewhere I've never been before?"

"Yes, somewhere you've never been."

Lex resisted the urge to take Clark and kiss him. He hoped the kissing would come later and a whole lot more. But first he had to pray that Clark wouldn’t freak when he saw Lex’s “collection” of him in the Room.

“Are you sure you’re recovered enough to be walking around? You seem … I don’t know, tense or something.”

“I’m all right.” Lex guided them to the door of the Room. His eyes were shadowed and his hand trembled a little in Clark’s. “I’m not very proud of what’s in here. I can only explain it by saying that I can get a little obsessive at times and with you that obsessiveness just took over. I hope you can … well, I hope you aren’t too angry with me.”

Clark eyed the door. “I can’t see inside with my x-ray vision. You lined the room with lead?”

Lex swallowed and nodded. “I wanted to make it as secure as possible and lead was a good choice.”

Lex entered the code into a recessed keypad to unlock the door. The snick of the lock being disengaged sounded like a gunshot in the silence of the hallway. Lex reached for the handle when Clark’s hand covered his.

“Lex, no matter what, I love you.”

“Wait to say that until after you see what’s inside.”

“I already know what’s inside.”

“What? ” Lex stumbled back a step.

“It’s stuff … evidence about me, right? My powers? You didn’t stop investigating me when you said you did. Am I close?”

Lex gasped. “Yes." He started speaking quickly, wanting to get out the explanation for his actions. "I needed to understand what happened that day on the bridge. All the inconsistencies and … I loved you and thought I could never have you so I … did this.”

“You wrote about this room in your journal, right?”

“Yes.” Lex trembled slightly. It was one thing to read about what he’d put together in the room, but another to see it in all its stalkerish glory. If Clark ever wanted to understand Lex’s twisted, darker side the room would be its poster child.

“Well, let’s go in then. It’ll be okay, Lex. I promise.”

Lex nodded and turned the door handle. The bright glow of fluorescent lights that automatically turned on when the door opened made him blink a few times and there was a flare of migraine pain, but it quieted. Lex held the door for Clark to precede him. The boy stepped inside. Lex followed after. The large green meteorite was sitting in the center of the lighted glass table, which itself was sitting in the center of the room, but the lead cover was over meteor case so thankfully Clark wouldn’t feel its effects. ‘I have to destroy it and all the other meteorites to keep Clark safe as soon as possible.’

Clark’s gaze passed over the huge picture of him that dominated one whole wall over to the remains of the Porsche. There were other “exhibits” in the room, but Lex found he didn’t want to look at any of them any more even though he had spent hours upon hours studying them before. He stared at the computer monitor that showed a bouncing icon that read, ‘Trust No One.’ If the screen saver was turned off Clark would have been able to see the recreation of the accident played over and over and over again. Showing him hitting Clark. ‘I wasn’t crazy. That did happen.’ He clenched his hands into fists. This whole room was a physical representation of the Slither. He saw how he could have tipped into madness like he had in the foreclosed future if he had continued on this way. How his obsession with Clark could have changed his love into hate for the boy.

Clark hadn’t said a word since entering the room. He trailed around the outside of it. His fingers brushed over the twisted wreckage of the Porsche and traced the line of his own jaw on the photograph.

“And you thought my knowing your school schedule was stalkerish, huh?” Lex said, but his voice fell so flat that any joke quality of the statement was squashed.

Clark turned around to face him. Lex stared at his feet, not able to meet Clark’s gaze. He didn’t want to see the horror there or … the hate. ‘Please don’t hate me, Clark. Don’t fear me. Never hurt you now. Never.’

“I should have told you the truth,” Clark said softly.

Lex’s head jerked up. “What are you talking about?”

Clark gestured at the room. “I should have known with the mind you’ve got that you’d never be able to live with the … bullshit answers I gave you. It was driving you crazy, wasn’t it?”

Lex opened his mouth to protest then shut it again. He gave a weak smile at the boy, stuffing his hands in his pockets as they seemed to want to go around Clark’s waist of their own accord and Lex wasn’t sure he was allowed that yet. Though it appeared Clark wasn’t horrified. Just sad.

Clark continued, “You knew you hit me, but I kept telling you that you hadn’t. But what it must have seemed like I was saying was that I didn’t trust you enough to tell you the truth. That probably made you feel like you had no choice but to do this.”

Clark ran his hands through his hair, pulling it away from his skull as if he could pull it out by the roots. His eyes were bright with tears that started to fall. Lex was suddenly across the room, his arms around the boy, pulling him close. Clark sobbed suddenly and pressed his head into Lex’s neck just under his chin.

“Shhh, angel, don’t cry! You were right not to tell me.”

“No, I should have. You were my best friend. I wanted you to know.”

“If I had learned your secret without … without the relationship that we have now eventually I would have … betrayed you,” Lex whispered the last.

“Lex, you never would have done that!”

“You’re right about the man I am now, but not about the man I was becoming before. The Slither would have eaten you alive, Clark. I’m scared shitless at what I would have done if I’d found out about you under other circumstances.”

Clark sniffled loudly. “There were so many secrets and lies between us. I felt like I was drowning in them sometimes. I’d go home after seeing you and Jonathan was waiting for me and … I couldn’t bear it sometimes. Even though Lucien scares me, I’m really glad he came into our lives just so that we’re together like this. No more secrets. No more lies. Just us.”

“I’m with you 100 percent on that one.” Lex kissed the top of Clark’s head and the boy sighed happily. He finally drew back from Lex’s chest, his face red from crying, but it didn’t detract from Clark’s looks one iota in Lex’s eyes. “God, Clark, you’re so beautiful.”

Clark blushed and looked down. “Glad you think so.”

“I … I love you so much. You know that, right?”

Clark nodded. He reached forward and framed Lex’s face with his hands. “I love you, too, Lex. Like I said outside, this room doesn’t change that one bit.”

A heavy weight lifted from Lex’s chest. He was forgiven. It was all right. The night he had hoped they’d have suddenly seemed possible. Because after he was done with plan number 2, interrogating the A.I. about the downfall of Krypton, he intended to go full force into plan number 3, seducing Clark. After all, he’d lost the bet at the club and had to pay on his debt to take his ward’s virginity that week. Why not take it tonight? Why wait when the choice of which future could be upon him at a moment’s notice? Best be safe and live life to its fullest while he had the chance. Settled on his course of action, Lex said, “So I was thinking that the table would be a perfect place to put the ship for us to examine it. We just have to move the meteorite container.” Lex gestured to the table and the lead box on top.

“Meteorite container? Is there one inside there?”

“Yes. I plan to destroy it and all the other meteorites out there, but since we’ve had quite a full schedule since Saturday …”

“Gee, maybe you haven’t had the chance?”

“Well, I can multi-task with the best of them, but even I’ve been a bit overwhelmed.”

Clark bumped their shoulders together, a genuine happy smile brightening his features. It felt like they were exorcising this room by teasing each other in it. Already the oppressive, clinical atmosphere seemed lessened.

“So do you want me to get the ship? I can easily super speed it in here without anyone seeing.”

“Yeah, but first better clear the table.”

Lex grasped the edge of the container to move it out of the way. He knew it would be heavy, but he could hardly move it an inch. He strained, but the damned thing wouldn’t budge. Clark was by his side and lifting it easily off the table and down to the floor.

“You’re very useful, you know that?” Lex elbowed Clark gently in the ribs.

Clark grinned at him. “So I’ve been told. Just wait until you need something lit on fire and you don’t have matches. Then I’m really useful.”

“I’ll bet.” Lex reached up and moved a lock of hair that had fallen on Clark’s forehead. Clark’s eyes shut as Lex traced his face with his fingertips.

“Don’t stop, Lex. Touch me more. It’s been forever since you’ve touched me.”

The boy’s cheeks flushed as Lex ran his hands over all the exposed skin of Clark’s face and neck. Suddenly, Clark moved. His hands were on Lex’s waist and he was hoisting the older man onto the top of the table. Lex’s legs fell open naturally and Clark stepped between them. Clark’s large hands cradled the back of Lex’s head as he held the older man in place while he devoured his lips. Lex couldn’t help but respond as Clark ground their pelvises together while sucking on Lex’s tongue like it was a lolly pop. His hands fisted in Clark’s sweater as he pulled the younger boy up against his chest. Finally, they broke apart for air.

“Wait, Clark. We have to talk to the A.I. and then we can mmmphg—”

Another breath stealing kiss left Lex slightly dazed.

“I know what you’re planning to do to me tonight, Lex. The fancy dinner, candles, romantic and all that. You want to take me after dinner, right? Make me non-virginal?”

“Damn, I guess I wasn’t very subtle earlier, was I? But that’s why we can’t do this now. We need to stick to the plan so I have time to properly seduce you.”

“But I need you right now, Lex. Just a taste. Please, I need … oh, god, I need you so bad.” Clark’s pupils were huge and his breathing was quick and sharp as he placed light butterfly kisses over Lex’s face.

“Whatever you need, Clark, I’ll give it to you,” Lex answered him softly. He remembered what future-Clark said about how his people change once they mate. Perhaps this was part of that. Even if it wasn’t, Lex didn’t want to refuse the boy in any case.

“I need you bare. On the table, completely bare,” Clark said.

Lex felt a flash of heat in his groin. Two days ago he would have never believed that he would be making out with Clark at all let alone in this room, on this table. “All right. Do you want to undress me or should I do it myself?”

Suddenly there was a rush of wind and Lex was completely naked on the table. He laughed at Clark’s sheepish expression.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t wait.”

“It’s okay. Makes things a lot easier. So aren’t you going to undress, too?”

Clark shook his head. “No, too distracting. I want to just focus on you. Your body. God, your beautiful body.”

Lex felt an unaccustomed blush heat his face. Clark was staring at him, just staring and staring. His eyes were almost black with desire. For the first time, Clark seemed like the alien he was and Lex was so hot for it he felt himself getting hard at the thought. Clark’s hands opened and closed at his sides as if aching to reach out and touch him.

“I may be as pale as china, but I’m not made of it. You can touch me, Clark.”

“I’m imagining how it will feel to run my hands all over you,” Clark said softly, his voice hoarse.

Lex shivered. “Well, I assure you the real thing will feel better.”

Lex laid back so that he was completely prone on the table. He slid his hand along his naked thigh. He allowed his other hand to hover for a moment over his erect sex, but didn’t touch it. Instead he let his fingers move to the soft skin just around the base of his cock. He had noticed that Clark was rather obsessed with that area when he gave Lex a blow job in the club. He allowed his fingers to slide behind his balls, shifting them slightly. Clark groaned. Then the boy was there, his face pressed to the spot where Lex’s fingers had been, his tongue bathing the skin around Lex’s balls.

“So soft … so sweet …” Clark murmured between licks and sucks.

“Jesus, Clark!”

Clark grasped Lex’s hips and raised them. The back of Lex’s calves rested over Clark’s shoulders as the boy lifted Lex’s pelvis to his face like a bowl. Clark began to lick and kiss the skin farther back from his aching cock. ‘Oh, God, does he know about rimming? Christ, please let him know about it! Let him do it!’ The boy’s tongue touched the space between Lex’s ass cheeks and Lex gave out a low moan.

“Farther back, angel. Taste me farther back.”

“Yes, yes, want to do that.”

Suddenly, Lex found himself on all fours on the table. Clark’s hands were gently parting his butt cheeks. Lex shivered as cool air hit his tiny pucker. ‘Oh, to have Clark’s mouth there sucking. His tongue probing. Please!’ He didn’t have to wait long. Clark’s licked a strip down his backbone until his tongue touched the beginning of the crease then he began kissing down the crease itself until he reached Lex’s opening. Almost reverently, he felt Clark’s tongue twirl against the pucker. Lex practically shot his load from that touch. As it was, drops of precum spattered on the glass table below him.

“Please more, Clark. Your tongue … in me.”

The boy framed the small opening with his thumbs then he probed it with his tongue. Lex gasped and his arms shook as Clark’s hot breath and saliva coated his opening. The slight pressure of the tongue against the pucker increased and Lex cried out softly as it pushed inside.

“Taste so good, Lex. So pure,” the boy hissed.

“Oh, angel, devour me.”

Like a switch was flipped, Clark dove into Lex’s body with his tongue. His opening was licked and sucked and stretched. When Clark’s tongue touched the interior of his anus beyond the first ring of muscle, Lex’s arms gave out on him and he rested his forehead against the glass.

“Fuck, Clark, yes, yes, yes!”

Lex’s hands scrabbled against the slick glass as he was tongue-fucked by his ward. Precum was flowing copiously out of the slit of his dick. Lex was lifting his ass upwards to give Clark more access to his interior, but at the same time he ached to rub himself to orgasm against something. Then one of Clark’s hands slid around to grasp Lex’s cock. His hand was so warm and strong. He formed a sheath for Lex’s sex and began to stroke him long and hard from tip to root. Lex was practically screaming from these twin sensations. Clark’s tongue went deeply inside of him and Clark’s hand gave him one extra hard stroke and Lex was coming and coming and coming.

He laid there afterwards like a dead thing, unable to move at all. His muscles spent until he heard the sound of licking. He turned his head slightly to look over his shoulder only to see the most erotic sight he could imagine: Clark licking his cum off his fingers like it was whipped cream. The boy’s expression was rapturous. When he caught Lex watching him, he smiled dreamily.

“So pure.”

“Let me have a taste then,” Lex whispered and grabbed Clark for a hard kiss. He tasted his cum and the darker musk of his interior in Clark’s mouth and he moaned. His dick twitched, but couldn’t rise again just yet. Lex could feel that Clark was still hard in his pants. “I need to taste you now, angel.”

Clark whimpered. Lex grabbed his sweater and used it to wipe off the few drops of his cum from the table’s surface.

“Get up on the table now, Clark, and lay down on your back.”

The boy complied quickly. Lex looked at his ward. His crotch full and swollen with need for him. The eyes heavy-lidded with desire. The cheeks flushed. The lips red and pouty from kisses.

“Perfect. Now lift your hips and take your pants and boxers down to mid-thigh. No farther.”

Clark complied. The boy was a vision. The creamy skin of his sex, part of his thighs, and a strip of naked stomach were revealed to him. The mixture of the innocence of Clark’s features with the debauched picture he presented made Lex shudder with lust.

“You’re like this for me, only me, Clark.”

“Yes, Lex. Only you.”

“No one else gets to know fucking lovely your cock is. How thick and long and cherry sweet.”

The boy nodded eagerly.

Lex could see just a hint of darkness between Clark’s legs that he knew lead back to the boy’s virgin pucker.

“I’m going to fuck you tonight, Clark. So hard and so long. Invincible or not you’ll never stop feeling me inside of you after that.”

“I won’t want to stop feeling it. I’m yours, Lex. My mind knows it. I want my body to know it, too.”

“It will.”

He prowled over to Clark’s side. His brushed the back of his hands against the tops of Clark’s exposed thighs. Clark quivered below him. A bead of precum broke the surface of the slit. Lex scooped up the tiny bead with one finger and raised the pearly drop to his lips. Clark’s taste was so clean. Untouched. Unplumbed. Like a pure spring. Lex had to take a drink.

He leaned down and sucked on the head of Clark’s dick gently. The boy cried out. The tip became an ever rosier red as Lex pulled off. More fluid wept from the slit that demanded Lex lick it up. He ran his fingers through the dark curls at the base of Clark’s cock. The boy shifted his hips at the touches. He placed open-mouthed kisses against the interior of Clark’s thighs.

“Don’t tease, Lex. Gonna come. Can’t hold back much longer.”

“You’ll only come in my mouth, Clark, and only when I’m ready for you to. Do you understand?”

Clark banged his head lightly against the table and gave a pained, “Yes. But please be ready soon.”

“I see I have to teach you patience, angel.” With a wicked smile at Clark’s whimpered protest, he added, “But not today.”

He engulfed Clark’s hot organ. His throat opened for Clark easily this time. He swallowed so that Clark felt the ripples around his turgid flesh. The boy shrieked and arched up, driving his cock even deeper into Lex’s mouth and throat. The hot spurts of come that flowed down Lex’s esophagus seconds later were hardly a surprise, but very welcome. He’d sucked Clark off two times already that day, but Lex couldn’t get enough of the boy’s essence. He slowly drew off the soft, sensitive organ. Clark’s eyes were completely closed and his breathing had slowed.

“What a sight you are, Clark.”

The boy’s eyes cracked open, dark green framed by black lashes. “Love you, Lex.”

“You too, beloved.” Lex pressed a soft kiss to the boy’s swollen lips.

“But I take it that doesn’t save me from getting off this table?”

Lex shook his head while he went to slide on his pants. “Afraid not. We do have a schedule and we’re behind here.”

“It was worth it, wasn’t it? Even if it messed with your grand plan?” Clark breathed into his ear.

“Yes, more than worth it. Now bring in the space ship. We need to have a little talk with the A.I.”

“No problem.”

With a whoosh of air, Clark was gone. Lex just had time to pick up his now soiled lavender sweater and give a groan at its ruined state before Clark was back and the ship was placed on the table along with a metal object. ‘Well, better my sweater than his since the clothes on his back are the only ones we have here that fit him until the stuff from Maxime’s arrives.’ So Lex tugged on the stained sweater and turned to the ship.

“This is the key.”

“Looks suspiciously like a paper weight I used to own that disappeared.” Lex couldn’t help the smirk he gave Clark.

Clark hung his head. “Um, I sorta took it.”

“It looks like it was yours in the first place.” Lex petted Clark’s shoulder and the boy instantly brightened. “So how does this work?”

“Pretty simple. Watch.”

With a small uncertain smile, Clark placed the key into the slot. It morphed into the metal of the ship surrounding it, leaving no trace of its separate existence. Lex knew he Clark was afraid of the A.I., but the boy gamely stood his ground as the ship began to glow and rise off the table until it was hovering six inches above the glass.

A voice, booming in the way that old-testament prophets boomed, began to speak, “Ah, Kal-El, good, you have brought us to Lex, son of Artek Naleth Falrea.”

Clark turned to look at Lex’s face after the A.I. spoke. He took Lex’s hand in his as if to steady him. Lex wondered for a moment what his expression was like that he looked to need such steadying. But then again he was sure it was bad, because even before he asked the A.I. the first question he already knew the answer.

“Son of who?” Lex asked softly.

“Translated loosely into English it means son of the Arc of Fallen Light.”