Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Warning: this has some of that icky het stuff at the beginning.
Author Note: Much thanks to my many betas Wileykit, Rhiannon, Twistie, Minders, Shawn. Any mistakes are my own. And if I missed anyone, I apologize.
They'd seen a Shakespeare in the park that afternoon and had a pizza in Little Italy. Now they were on the sofa in Chloe's cousin's flat. Clark's shirt was open and he knelt on the floor one hand behind Chloe's head bracing her as they kissed, the other between her legs. In the three weeks since their relationship had progressed to this point, he'd learned how much Chloe liked his hands.
His thumb pressed firmly against her clitoris as his teeth teased her ear. He knew just how firm and how to vary the rhythm to keep her on edge.
"Clark," Chloe licked her lips and ran a flat palm over his nipple, "could you, I mean, would you..." She reached her other arm around his neck and pulled him to her lips. When the kiss broke, "Please."
He nuzzled her ear and pressed the heel of his hand to her mound, "Please what?"
"Slip a finger inside me." Clark captured her lips and traced them with his tongue as his thumb pressed her again. Just as he felt her breath hitch, his middle finger slipped inside her. The movement of her hips let Clark know how much Chloe liked what he was doing.
Chloe's eyes were closed as Clark watched her. Her rhythm was beginning to go ragged, and he heard her whisper, "More." Clark's mouth captured her nipple and his tongue vibrated against it like a hummingbird's wing. Chloe arched as her orgasm ripped through her, and Clark captured the sounds she was making in his mouth.
When the last spasm seemed to have passed, he slid his hand away and wiped her juices off on her discarded panties. They kissed for long minutes in the afterglow.
The grin on Chloe's face lit the room. "Wow. That was just... Wow."
"You sure you're going into journalism? I thought it needed a bigger vocabulary."
"Just wait and see how articulate you are when I've finished with you." Chloe tried to take the shirt off him entirely.
"Chloe, that's all right, I'm fine."
"Clark, not to be rude, but I can see that you're hard even through my happy haze and your jeans. It's my turn to make you feel good."
"You don't need to. Really. I like just touching you and watching you. It's beautiful. You're beautiful."
Clark saw something flicker in Chloe's eyes as she sat up completely. "So only Lex gets to touch you?" Her face went pink with anger, "Is that the deal, you have permission to date me as long as you don't do anything more? Are you sure that what you just did won't cross the line? Or has he given you a chart?" Chloe was practically spitting.
"Chloe. I like making out with you. I make my own decisions. And I know you've talked with him, too."
"But I'll bet Lex gets to touch you."
"So do you. I don't remember unbuttoning my own shirt tonight." An edge crept into Clark's voice.
She pressed her hand to his crotch, felt the twitch against her hand. "How many times has he felt this? Does he suck you? Are you afraid that I'm not experienced enough?" Clark couldn't believe the pain and acid in her voice.
He pulled her hand away doing his best to be gentle, and looked her directly in the eyes. "Chloe, whatever happened to 'As long as we can talk and be honest?' These are all questions that you could have asked me without an argument.
"To answer your question, the only difference between what I do with you and what I do with Lex is that Lex's never tried to push me into something I'm not ready to do. I don't know what you've imagined, but he and I are still trying to figure out our relationship."
"Why did you start asking me out?" She tugged her hand out of his grasp, tears, whether of hurt or anger, welling in her eyes.
"Chloe, I like you. I'm attracted to you. I wanted to know if we could be something more. Same as you did."
"But you asked Lex out first." There was the old Chloe, the one who had to get to the bottom of everything. For the first time since the conversation had started, Clark thought he could find his footing.
"This is old ground. I asked Lex out to give me pointers about how to treat a lady on a date. The tone of the evening changed after those guys tried to start a fight in the parking lot."
"You still asked me to the formal. And we've been seeing each other at least once a week since school let out. Why?"
"The answer hasn't changed. I like you. I'm attracted to you. I want to know if we can have something more."
"And you're attracted to Lex, too." Flatly, all emotion gone.
"Yes." Clark's voice was infinitely gentle, "And you knew that, we'd discussed it before I asked you out. I'm pretty sure you knew I might be attracted to Lex before I did."
"I want more from you, Clark."
"I'm sorry, Chloe. I'm not ready for more with you yet. With anyone. Not that it's any of your business."
"Don't you feel used? Like you're just warmer than most sex toys?"
Clark started to laugh at the image, but saw something in Chloe's eyes that made him stop. "Chloe, everything we do together, I do willingly. You're sexy. I like kissing you and touching you and making ... making you come."
"Would you be willing to go steady with me? Stop seeing Lex as anything other than a friend? See exactly where we can take whatever it is between us?"
"No. I can't, Chloe. You're one of the people I care about most, but no. We've only been going out five weeks."
"Yeah, but we've known each other a lot longer than that. I guess I'd hoped that once we saw each other alone a few times, you'd see that I was the girl for you. Maybe I am. But you're not interested in just girls. And I want to be treated like I'm more than half the puzzle you're trying to solve."
"Chloe, if I've treated you that way, I'm sorry. You're one of my closest friends. I care about you."
"No, you haven't treated me with anything other than caring and respect." She gave a rueful chuckle. "Dammit. Look Clark, leave now. And the next time you come into Metropolis to see a movie, bring Pete."
Clark looked puzzled, "I don't want to date Pete."
Chloe gave a small snort of laughter. "I meant we'd all go to the movie together. The three of us. I'm not mad at you, Clark. Not anymore. Hurt, a little mad at myself for trying to push you. And you're right, it's not like Lex and I haven't talked about it."
"Yeah, I know. You've both told me. It's kind of weird."
"I'd have run an expose in the Torch if I'd found some jock pressuring his date the way I just did with you. Maybe when the school year begins, you'll have figured out that Lex Luthor's not good enough for you, and we can try this again. But for right now, just go."
Clark buttoned his shirt and found the light jacket he'd brought in case the night turned chilly. "Chloe, I..." He started out the door, came back, kissed her on the forehead, and went to find his mother's car.
Lex was out of town, had been since the previous Monday. Here it was Tuesday afternoon, and he couldn't see Lex again until tomorrow, maybe Thursday. He and Pete were discussing Pete's summer job and all the pretty girls who were sharing his office.
"Clark, I just wanted to say, I'm sorry about you and Chloe."
"She called you."
"Yeah, I mean, we're all friends. Don't worry, no details."
"It's OK, Pete. I only hope that I didn't hurt Chloe." Clark caught the look Pete was giving him and added, "At least, not too badly."
"Well, I'm hoping that when school starts, she'll let me help her pick up the pieces." Pete could almost see the lightbulb over Clark's head.
"Pete, don't worry. I'll do everything I can to encourage it."
"Thanks, man." Pete checked his watch. "Damn. I'm late. Mom wanted me to go shopping with her this afternoon. I should've left ten minutes ago." He was frantically trying to find his money.
"Next time coffee's on you; run and maybe you'll get to her office in time." Pete smiled his thanks and gave a small wave as he left the Talon.
He had another hour before he had to go home for chores, so Clark ordered another iced coffee and found a copy of that week's Economist in one of the magazine racks.
He knew Lex had arrived even before the door opened. How long had that been going on? Clark was watching as Lex entered the caf and smiled when Lex found him.
"You're back early."
Lex laid out the Go board as he sat down and held out the bag for Clark to pick a color. "I have to leave soon too. I'll be gone tomorrow through Friday, but I should be back in time to go out on Saturday. Or do you already have plans with Chloe?" The waitress brought his summer usual and a refill for Clark.
"No, no plans. She decided that we should go back to just friends."
Lex looked up from the game, very aware of Clark's foot resting just inside his own. "How do you feel about that?"
"She was right. It probably would have taken me another week or more to realize it. I apparently fall into habits really easily and don't think about why I'm doing things."
"And this made you think."
"Hey, you said you're leaving again tomorrow. I guess that means we won't be going to the Mudhens game?"
"If your Dad will accept it, he can have my ticket. Or if you'd like, offer it to Chloe, since Pete will be there."
"I'll try Dad first. It's been awhile since he's done anything with Pete and me."
"Before you start looking too disappointed, I stopped by the farm before I came here. Your mom said that you could have dinner with me tonight as long as you were in by curfew. Oh, and call her to let her know if you accept."
"Of course I accept." He took the proffered cell phone and dialled his mother. As he hung up, "Thanks for taking the time, Lex."
"No problem, so want to go out to a movie or drive into Metropolis for dinner?"
Clark studied the board before placing his piece. "Could we just have dinner at your place?"
Lex looked at Clark's bowed head. "Sure, Clark. We'll get take out and have a picnic in the den. I gave the staff the week off. Pizza?" Lex very carefully placed his next piece.
"How about wings?" Clark's grin lit the caf.
They'd left soon after and gotten a huge assortment of different types of wings from Jo's All Purpose Take-Out down the street. Lex had always been relieved that Clark never wanted Chinese from them. Still, the pizza wasn't bad for a small town, and the wings were the best of bad junk foods.
Lex and Clark had rummaged through the kitchen. Clark had made a huge salad; Lex had made the dressing. And, as promised, they were picnicing in the den. Amazing that silence was comfortable between the two of them. Amazing that he was hard from watching Clark eat pterodactyl wings very messily.
It was too much to resist, Lex leaned in and licked the sauce from Clark's mouth. In return, Clark slowly began to suck Lex's fingers clean.
"Clark, we need to put the food away." Instead of stopping, Clark began to mouth Lex's palm, sucking on the sensitive skin and teasing it. "Or not." Lex leaned down and began to trace the whorls of Clark's ear with his tongue.
"Wait, Lex." Everything stopped as Clark took Lex's face between his hands and just looked into silver blue eyes. "I wanted to talk to you before we started messing around." He slid his hands down Lex's arms, and turned to sit beside him, back propped against the sofa.
"I'm listening."
"You asked me earlier about this thing with Chloe. About thinking things through after it." Lex made a little sound of acknowledgement and twined his fingers through Clark's. "When we first started all of this, I said that people kept telling me it was about risk. And that's when I decided to take risks about Chloe which brought me to you. But there were things I wasn't ready for.
"And this change with Chloe...I saw that I was ready. I'm putting this badly. My body responds. To you. To Chloe. Some days it feels like it responds to the sound of the corn in the fields..."
"After being the scarecrow? Clark, you may have some serious kinks." Lex's mouth quirked a little as he smiled.
Clark started to lean in to lick the little scar that made Lex's mouth so compelling, but pulled back. "Maybe. Probably. What I realized is that it responds differently. With Chloe, it was new, and she's really beautiful, Lex."
"Yes, all that life. I like her much better than I like Lana."
"Exactly. But that was it. Aesthetic attraction."
"And a teenager's hormones wired to a teenager's nerve endings."
"Yeah. When I'm with you...Lex, did you know that you're beautiful?"
"The last guy who called me beautiful had way too much E in his system for me to respect his judgment."
"You are. That book I got about drawing and ideas of beauty helped me to see it. But that's not what I'm trying to say." Lex brushed his lips over Clark's. The kiss deepened. Warmth spread through Clark's body and he pushed Lex sideways onto the floor. They lay there, bodies moving against each other without a thought as they explored each other's mouths. Clark had pinned Lex's arms above his head and begun nipping down that pure white throat, when he remembered that there was supposed to be a point to this discussion.
Clark pulled back, weight braced on his elbows. "You're a distraction, you know."
"A very frustrated one, but what else is new?" Lex softened his words with one of his rare full smiles.
"That's what's new. What I feel when I touch you is frightening because it's overwhelming. I want so much, crave the smallest caress as long as it's you who's touching." Clark unbuttoned Lex's shirt and rubbed his face against the smooth chest, listening to the heartbeat. "And your skin begs to be stroked. I, I want more. Everything. I want to taste..." Clark ran one hand over Lex's hip and drifted to the erection that tented the raw silk trousers. "I want to drink you down. And I want you to do the same to me."
"Clark?"
Clark pressed into the hardness under his fingers. "Please, will you go steady with me?"
"You're absolutely certain? You won't feel too vulnerable?"
"That's what all the thinking's been about. I may feel exposed and vulnerable and, and, I don't know what all, but I won't regret it. I can't. I trust you. With all of me."
Lex pulled the other man up his body and kissed Clark's collarbone, suckling at the notch in the center and began to ease Clark over. They lay side by side, heads pillowed on each other's arms, searching each other's eyes.
Finally, Lex nodded as if he'd found something. "Yes, I'll -- I can't believe I'm saying this -- 'go steady' with you, Clark. No one else."
Clark moved closer and pressed their whole lengths together.
Once the confessions were over, there was no need to rush. Lex was glad he'd turned off the airconditioning and opened the french doors, the warm summer air soothed them, heightened the passion, gave him a reason to lick sweat from Clark's navel.
Clark was always responsive. No matter how many times they'd kissed or touched, it was new. Lex found different spots that drove Clark to his limits every time. This time Lex wanted to make certain the build was slow. As his hand dipped under Clark's waistband and slicked the sweat at the small of his back, Lex mouthed his way up to Clark's ear. "I want to see all of you. Stroke all of you."
In answer, Clark scraped his teeth down Lex's throat and ribcage then stood up. After throwing a couple of pillows down from the sofa, he finished what Lex had started, peeling off the shirt that clung to his back. Then he removed his jeans and shorts.
Lying back down beside Lex, Clark moved forward for a gentle kiss. "Your turn, Lex."
Lex stood beside Clark and took off his clothes quickly. Seeing Clark's erection strengthened his own. He crouched by Clark's feet and began nibbling his way up those endless legs. He was paying serious attention to the backs of Clark's knees when Clark sat up and pulled Lex into a kiss. The groan as their arousals brushed together was mutual.
When Lex started to make his way down Clark's body, Clark stopped him. Punctuating his words with licks and nibbles, "Lex, I'm already so close and ... and I want to see you, know that you're here with me."
"How can I refuse?" Lex slid Clark's cock under his own and tightened his legs. His hands were fascinated with the arch of Clark's back and he pressed and slipped his finger into the dimple he found there.
Taking the hint Clark began to thrust. Each movement pressed Lex's erection tighter between their bodies, and the friction from feeling himself pressed tight between Lex's velvety thighs made Clark keen low in his throat.
Tongues tangled and hands roamed. The sounds between them were more and more frantic as Clark's rhythm sped up and became more ragged. Clark braced his hand at the base of Lex's skull and locked their eyes. Lex's hand pressed tightly at the small of Clark's back.
"It's OK, Clark, I'm here."
Only Lex's eyes held Clark together when he shattered.
When Clark finally stilled and lay back, he pulled Lex over on top of him. "I...it's different with someone. And I'm glad that it was you," which earned him a smiling kiss from Lex. Lots of kisses. After a moment, Clark realized he could still feel Lex's cock trapped between them.
He moved quickly, flipping Lex onto his back. The wide blade of Clark's tongue swiped over Lex's chest in a ragged zig-zag, lapping up the sweat between the muscles, connecting scars and nerve endings in patterns of increasing arousal.
When the head of Lex's cock bobbed against Clark's chin, Clark dipped his head and kissed the tip. Sliding his body down between Lex's legs, Clark mouthed and nuzzled at the other man's sac teasing it with his tongue and groaning at the taste.
Lex had never been with anyone so inexperienced, so devoid of finesse, so eager and hot and wet and sloppy and God... Clark was just licking up and down the center ridge with a flat tongue making those greedy noises. When Clark's lips surrounded the weeping head and he began to suck, Lex yelled out Clark's name and came.
Swallowing and choking a little Clark crawled up Lex with white cream dripping from his lips and chin. Clark's tongue kept flicking out trying to catch more of the flavor, more of Lex as he was pulled down into a long and sweaty kiss.
The second time was easier. And in the afterglow, Lex reached for his watch. Clark tried to distract him, but Lex saw that it was already 11 p.m.
"Clark, if you go home freshly showered your parents are going to suspect something's up. If you go home without showering, they'll know something's up. So, shower?"
Clark shook his head against Lex's chest. "Swimming pool. Chlorine will cover the scent of sex -- dammit -- and I'll have an excuse for having showered."
"You have unexpected depths."
"Unplumbed depths. But you're welcome to plumb them anytime."
Lex stilled. "No, Clark."
Clark's head came up so quickly, Lex thought he heard a snap. "Don't you want to? Or was this...?"
Lex stopped his mouth with a kiss. "Nothing like that. It was wonderful. I look forward to doing it again. And again. But, you asked me to wait until you were ready for this, right?" Clark nodded. "I'm asking you to wait until I'm ready for the next stage." At Clark's puzzlement, "I want you in me; I want to feel myself inside you; I want to wake up in my lover's arms."
Clark sighed. "We're lovers."
"And that's what we can't have right now. I hate the fact that I have to plan time for you to look presentable to get back to your parents. I hate having to let you go with one fairly chaste kiss at 12:29 precisely. So, I'm asking you to wait until we really can have it all to make love."
Clark burrowed into Lex's stomach for a moment and looked up at him. "I get it. I want all those things, too. In the meantime though, we can have more of this, right?"
"Are you kidding? I'm already trying to figure out what kinds of odd jobs I can call you out to do so we have time to do this a lot. How are you with computers? Maybe you could fix my cable modem, or hook up my printer."
"Under your desk? Very funny, Lex." Clark cuffed his shoulder and then kissed the spot he'd hit.
"Swimming pool. Now."
The drive to the Kent farm was quiet. Clark's hand rested on Lex's gearshift and Lex's hand was on top of Clark's.
"If you keep grinning like that, I won't need my headlights."
Clark turned the full wattage on Lex.
"C'mon, spill."
"Did that earlier."
"Clark?!"
"Pull over, we have a couple of minutes." Lex did as he was asked.
"If you don't stop grinning ... Hell, when you smile like that, I can't even think up a good threat."
"I was just thinking. I'm a cocksucker." The wattage increased. "When we had that soda together, one of those idiots called you, me, I don't know, one of us, *'cocksucker'* like it was the worst thing he could think of. Dirtier than 'shit,' you know. But it wasn't like that. It was... right. When I had your cock in my mouth, I felt like I could taste heaven."
Lex leaned over and kissed Clark's cheek. Clark turned his head and they spent a few minutes necking.
"Clark, we have to stop now. If you're grounded, we'll lose this."
"Damn."
Lex pulled back out and headed straight for Kent farms. He angled in to let Clark out and to make the U-turn to take him home.
Clark started to get out and bent to give Lex a quick peck on the lips. Instead, Lex held his face close and kissed him thoroughly. "I just wanted to let you know; I'm glad about tonight."
"Lovers. We're lovers." Lex never tired of hearing wonder in Clark's voice.
Clark bent in and kissed Lex once more. Hard. "Have a safe trip and I'll meet you at the airport on Saturday."
"I'll have my chauffer pick you up at the market, and we can go see 'Men in Black II'"
Lex watched in the rear-view mirror until Clark got into the house. He smiled all the way home.