Archive of Our Own ^beta

Summary: Clark finally admits, with a little prodding, that his over-the-top reaction to Lex's sexual indiscretions may be due to his more-than-platonic feelings for his friend. Then, he decides to do something about it.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters herein (only the plot). The characters of Clark Kent, Superman and Lex Luthor are the property of their creators and DC Comics. Smallville is owned by Gough/Millar Inc and the WB Network TV. I am publishing my fanfiction writings only for my own selfish desire to be a part of their world and receive nothing but fuzzy, warm feelings in return.

Author's Note: Thanks to the wonderful Sev1970 for betaing for me yet again.

Clark had been doing a lot of thinking over the last few weeks, and two things had become exceedingly clear to him. The first was, that despite a strong desire not to follow the plan his birth father had set out for him since he was a child, Clark had slowly been becoming exactly the son Jor-El had wanted him to be. Already, he was attempting to make someone from his adoptive world conform to his own personal beliefs and platitudes, and that person was the man who he considered his best friend. It was frighteningly easy to recognize that it wouldn't have taken much of a leap for Clark to begin trying to make over the world in his own image.

Clark's second realization was equally important and perhaps more so even. He had finally concluded that he was upset about finding out about how promiscuous Lex had been recently, not because he felt protective of all of the young women Lex had apparently used for sex, but for a completely different reason altogether. Clark was mightily jealous that after all those years of flirting, coy looks, and gifts, that Lex had never made a move on him.

Somewhere deep down, Clark had always hoped that Lex's take on the cave drawings had been right, and that they did mean something completely different than what the Kawatchee tribesmen thought. Maybe Segeeth and Naman were meant to balance each other, not to be mortal enemies. With a bit of luck, after tonight, maybe he and Lex could be a whole lot more.

Clark smoothed down his hair, giving himself a final once-over in the mirror before he headed down the steps. He snorted to himself in amusement. The worst part of it was that his mother had figured it all out before him. Clark thought back to the night his mother had confronted him about his attitudes, and the depths of his feelings for Lex. He had heard her voice calling out to him not ten minutes after Lex had left the loft after begging Clark not to give up on him yet...

Flashback...

"Clark, are you up here?" Martha questioned as she ascended the steps.

"Yes, Mom. Do you need something?" Clark didn't even bother turning around; he continued staring out the window at the sun slowly slipping beyond the horizon.

Martha moved to stand by Clark, wrapping her arm around his waist. "I just wanted to check and see how you were."

"I'm all right." He shrugged his shoulder slightly. "I guess I'm still a little disappointed in Lex."

Martha shook her head and sighed. "Clark, I wanted to talk to you about that. Why don't you come sit down with me?" She moved to sit on one of the bales of hay and patted the spot next to her.

"What's up, Mom?" Clark asked, sitting down next to his mother.

"I think that you might have rushed into judging Lex a little too quickly on this one," Martha stated honestly, meeting Clark's gaze.

"I never thought he actually killed that girl, Mom," Clark protested.

"I know that, sweetie," Martha continued, gently squeezing Clark's leg reassuringly. "But you do think that Lex was wrong for treating those girls the way he did."

"Don't YOU?" Clark asked incredulously, disbelief plainly written on his face. "You and Dad practically skinned me alive when you found Alicia in my room."

Martha frowned. "Clark, we raised you with a certain set of values and expectations. Lionel's idea of ethics includes sleeping with his son's lover in order to manipulate her into helping him. As far as I can tell, Clark, the women Lex slept with were all of age and their sexual encounters with him were all consensual. I'm afraid I don't see the problem."

"He wouldn't take their calls," Clark protested hotly. "He offered a pair of diamond earrings as some sort of concession prize."

"He didn't even have to do that," Martha stated quietly. "Any woman foolish enough to accompany a man back to a hotel after barely exchanging pleasantries at a party deserves a share in the responsibility for how things turn out. In my opinion, they're lucky they got the earrings. Most women would merely wake up to an empty bed. You can't just expect everyone to conform to your personal belief system, Clark. I thought I raised you to be more open-minded and accepting. That sounds like Jor-El talking, or your father, not you."

"Mom!"

"I'm serious, Clark. I was raised with good values, but when you grow up in Metropolis you see things from a much different perspective. Sex is precious and wonderful. However, not every sexual encounter is about love, Clark. Sometimes, it's merely a physical connection that makes you feel alive. Sometimes, a person is striving to fill a void in their life, and the only way they can is through sex."

"That can't be fulfilling," Clark argued.

"It's not," Martha supplied knowingly, her gaze meeting Clark's unflinchingly.

Clark's eyes widened. "You sound like you're talking from experience."

Martha smiled wryly. "Clark, I was already nineteen when I met your father. Don't kid yourself into thinking that I had been the perfect angel before I met him."

Clark cringed, his face flushing scarlet red. "I don't want to know," he murmured, looking anywhere but at his mother.

Martha chuckled. "Somehow I doubted you would want to. I got lucky, though. I met a wonderful man, and fell in love. And trust me, I never looked back."

Clark sighed, resting his head back against the barn wall, and closing his eyes. "Do you think that Lex even trusts love to exist in a world where every woman he gets close to tries to kill him? Do you think that he'll ever have anything other than these meaningless one night stands or failed marriages?" Clark asked, not even realizing at the time how much longing was in his voice as he questioned his mother.

"Well, that all depends," Martha remarked, hesitating a moment before continuing. "When are you going to be ready to admit to yourself that you're in love with Lex?"

Clark's eyes shot open, his mouth opening and closing in shock several times before he could reply. "Mom?"

"Clark, nobody affects you the way Lex does," Martha offered wisely. "Certainly not Lana."

The silence stretched between them for a few minutes until Clark was able to force himself to respond. Clark truly hadn't considered until that moment that Martha's suggestion could be true, but now that the words had been spoken, all sorts of things began making sense to him in a way they hadn't before. Instead of dealing with his current feelings though, he focused on Martha. "And, if that were true, you'd be okay with it?" he inquired, somewhat dazed at the direction this already-bizarre conversation had taken.

"That you are attracted to both males and females? Or that you're in love with Lex?" Martha questioned gently.

Clark nodded stiffly. "Both, I guess."

"Oh, honey. Of course I'm okay with it," Martha answered, gently squeezing Clark's arm. "I've had my suspicions from the first moment I watched you interact with Lex. I wondered initially if it was just my imagination, so I started observing you more closely, and I noticed that he wasn't the only male you paid attention to. You spent just as much time watching both Whitney and Jason as you did watching Lana, Alicia, or Chloe." Martha reached up and reassuringly caressed Clark's cheek, smiling tenderly. "But the way you looked at any of them, well it doesn't even hold a candle to the way you look at Lex."

"This is possibly the oddest conversation we've ever had, and considering my origins and abilities, that's saying something," Clark murmured.

Martha shrugged. "You don't choose who you love, Clark. I'm not a bigot. Remember what we were talking about earlier? About me growing up in Metropolis? The 'Leave It to Beaver' nuclear family with the two-point-five children really doesn't exactly apply in the city. Besides, after dealing with x-ray vision, heat vision, and you floating off your bed, I pretty much figure that anything goes when it comes to you." Martha chuckled softly, slid her hand down to link her fingers with Clark's, and squeezed his hand gently. "I don't care who you love, as long as that person makes you happy."

"Even if I did feel that way, it would never work, Mom. We're too different," Clark stated sadly. "And it's not like I've ever seen Lex with another guy before."

"Then you haven't looked in the right places. Why do you think Lionel sent Lex here? The last straw was when Lex got caught with his pants down in the back room of a gay club in Gotham."

"How do you know these things?" Clark asked, eyes wide in amazement at seeing a side of his mother he had never even considered before.

"Chloe's not the only one who can do research, Clark," Martha answered smugly.

Clark started to smile, but then he sobered, letting out a shuddering breath before he continued. "Even if that is true though, that doesn't mean he'd be interested in me. Besides, one of the main problems that comes between us even as friends is all the lies I have to tell him."

"So, you stop lying. Tell him the truth... about everything."

Clark stood suddenly and faced his mother. The suggestion she seemed to be making seemed almost implausible after all the years of hiding and lying. "You and Dad are the ones who said not to trust..."

Martha stood as well, capturing both of Clark's hands, her touch calming. "Clark, if anyone is in a position to protect your secrets, it's Lex. You convinced us of his loyalty, but lately, it's you who has been questioning his motivations."

"He's been obsessed with finding out the truth about me, Mom."

"I don't think so, Clark, or at least not in the way you think. Lex is obsessed with finding out everything he can about you because of the way he feels about you. He wants to know the truth because he loves you too. If you let these ill feelings continue between the two of you, that love could turn into hate, and one day he could wind up being your greatest enemy," Martha offered sagely. "Only you have the power to change that, to make it right between the two of you. In doing so, you might get a chance at something really wonderful."

Clark wrapped his arms around Martha's waist, embracing her tenderly, still unsure about everything, still not willing to admit his own newly discovered feelings out loud, yet desperately needing Martha's reassurance that Lex was indeed interested in him. "Do you really think Lex could want me?"

Martha snorted, hugging Clark tightly. "Lex Luthor has wanted you from the first moment he saw you, and I'm sure he fell in love with you shortly afterward."

Clark released his mother, and allowed himself a smile. "You really think so?"

Martha patted Clark's cheek before heading for the loft stairs. "Yep, and I'm not the only one," she said in a sing-song voice.

"Dad?" Clark squeaked, clearing his throat at Martha's giggle, and attempting to speak again in a more dignified letter. "I mean... um... Dad?"

"Why do you think he was so insistent that truck go back to Lex?" Martha tossed back casually even as she descended the stairs and out of sight.

...End Flashback

Their discussion, especially his mother's apparent approval should Clark decide to pursue a relationship with Lex, had been on Clark's mind ever since that day, and after nearly a week of conversations with Martha, and eventually Jonathan, Clark had finally had some insights about the depth of his feelings for Lex. During that time, Clark had also been seeing Lex frequently, encouraging his friend to engage in the casual banter and flirtation that had been so much a part of the early days of their friendship. The result was that he had realized with absolute alacrity that his mother was right - it was far more than brotherly hero worship, or even simple attraction - he was completely and unconditionally in love with his best friend.

With that knowledge in mind, Clark developed a plan for admitting both of his secrets to Lex. Tonight, the night of Lex's birthday, he would put that plan into action. Hopefully, after all was said and done, Clark would be able to call Lex much more than just his best friend.

Lex pushed open the door to the Talon, surprised at the darkness that greeted him. He shrugged and started toward the light switch on the wall, his tall, dark-haired companion on his heels. "I'm sorry for this, Bruce. Martha said that it was imperative she speak to me. She must be in the back. I'll be done in five minutes, and then we can..."

"SURPRISE!"

Lex whipped around in shock, backing up automatically into the other man's arms. He could feel Bruce Wayne's chest vibrating with suppressed laughter behind him even as he took in the sight of at least half the town in front of him, bearing gaudily wrapped presents. Front and center in the group was a decidedly anxious looking Clark Kent, whose eyes, if Lex wasn't mistaken, flashed with a surge of longing before he quickly schooled his emotions away.

Lex didn't have much time to consider his friend's rather odd reaction. Almost immediately, Clark stepped forward shyly to his still-stunned friend, and thrust a package into Lex's hands. "Happy birthday, Lex."

"Thank you," Lex answered sincerely, a smile playing around his lips, as he regained his composure. "And thank you, everyone." Suddenly realizing that he was still leaning against Bruce, Lex took a couple of steps forward, flashing Bruce a self-conscious smile. "Sorry about that."

Bruce waved off Lex's apology. "Not a problem, Lex. Why don't I call the pilot and tell him to power down the jet? We can go to the symphony any night. I have a feeling you have other plans."

"It seems like I do." Lex turned back toward Clark. "Clark, this is my business associate, Bruce Wayne. Bruce, this is Clark Kent."

Bruce extended his hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Clark. Lex talks about you constantly."

Clark glanced at Lex, raising an eyebrow, then shook Bruce's hand, offering the man a tight smile. "Nice to meet you, too."

Bruce excused himself almost immediately and faded into the background, already taking out his cell phone to cancel their plans, while Lex turned to greet his other guests. Chloe, Lana, Lois, and most of his staff from the plant greeted him enthusiastically, but he was most amazed at the affectionate greetings and good wishes he received from both of Clark's parents, especially Martha.

Clark could obviously tell how overwhelmed Lex was becoming, so he quickly dispersed the crowd, plucking the present he had given Lex earlier from his friend's hand and passing it to Chloe. "Chloe, can you and Lana get everyone to set their presents over there?" Chloe saluted sarcastically, and headed off to her appointed task as Clark turned to address the other partygoers. "Hey, guys. Give Lex some space. You've got all night to wish him a happy birthday. There's a table full of food over there, Mom's got drinks set up at the counter, and Lois is going to turn up the music for us."

Amazingly, the others followed Clark's instructions almost immediately, and Clark and Lex found themselves with a few private moments.

Clark sighed, and smiled ruefully. "Lex, I'm sorry for ruining your evening. But you said you didn't have plans tonight, so I thought..."

"You thought you'd throw me a surprise birthday party," Lex finished. "Don't you dare apologize for that, Clark. That's probably the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me," Lex stated sincerely before his lips curved into a smirk. "What did you have to bribe them all with to get them to attend?"

"Nothing Lex. I just told them that it was your birthday. You mean a lot more to us than you realize," Clark murmured.

"This means a lot to me that you'd organize all of this. Just the fact that we've been spending time together again lately has been more than enough of a birthday present for me."

"I'm still sorry you had to cancel though. You guys were obviously all dressed up." Clark brushed his fingers along the lapel of Lex's tuxedo, gently smoothing out a non-existent wrinkle.

Lex swallowed back a moan, wondering for the millionth time why he did this to himself. Why he kept hoping that one day Clark's touches wouldn't be so platonic. Carefully hiding his emotions behind his usual cool mask, Lex smirked up at his friend. "Clark, don't sweat it. Believe me when I say that it was not the social event of the century."

Clark grinned and nodded toward the table in front of him, now laden with a large pile of gifts. "You got a lot of presents."

"Let me guess. A table full of purple ties?" Lex whispered conspiratorially.

"Asshole," Clark chided gently, earning a chuckle from Lex. "No, I had everybody bring you some kind of kid's toy. You get to have the fun of opening them all, pick out a couple that you really want to keep to remember this night by, and you can donate the rest to the Metropolis Children's Foundation," he said proudly.

"Wow. That's a great idea, Clark," Lex stated sincerely.

He was about to ask what Clark had gotten him when the two were distracted from their conversation by Jonathan's bark of laughter. They turned and saw that Jonathan was currently chatting amiably with Bruce, laughing heartily at something the other man had said.

Clark barely suppressed a growl when Bruce winked at Lex and raised his glass in a mock toast. "Bruce seems nice," he bit out.

Lex's gaze whipped around to meet Clark's, surprised at his friend's unusual reaction, especially after how amiably they had been getting along lately. "He is. We attended boarding school together, and we've remained pretty close friends. His girlfriend is out of the country right now, so when he heard I'd be spending my birthday alone, he invited me to accompany him to the symphony."

"So you two aren't on a date tonight?" Clark asked pointedly.

Lex's eyes narrowed, wondering exactly where Clark was going with this line of questioning, but not wanting to immediately assume the worst. "Planning to judge me again, Clark? I don't necessarily sleep with everyone you know," he snapped out, a little more sharply than he had intended before taking a breath to calm his nerves. "I'll admit, I've had male lovers in the past, but no, Bruce is not one of them."

Clark had the grace to blush at Lex's accusation. "I totally deserved that, and I should have apologized to you already. I was an ass. I shouldn't have been so judgmental. You have the right to sleep with whomever you choose. Those women knew what they were getting into. It wasn't your fault that they reacted badly to being dumped. It's not like you ever made promises to any of them." Clark shrugged. "I've been thinking a lot lately about why I reacted so strongly to finding out that you had a string of one night stands," his gaze flicked over to Bruce, "or the thought that you were on a date with Bruce tonight. I guess what it comes down to is that I just don't like thinking about you with other people. It makes me very jealous," he finished quietly.

Lex glanced nervously around the room before leaning in close to his younger friend. "Clark you do realize what it sounds like you're saying?"

Clark nodded, closing even more of the remaining distance between them and leaning in to whisper into Lex's ear. "I know exactly what it sounds like, and that's just how I mean it. I'm saying that I've finally figured out what's wrong with our friendship. I don't want to be just your friend, and before you start wondering, this is not some experiment for me. I want it all, and I'm hoping that you want that too."

To anyone else observing, except of course Clark's rather smug mother, his rather resigned father, and Bruce, who was privy to Lex's hidden feelings for the younger man, the action looked like something they had seen Clark take with Lex a thousand times before - a casual intimacy, an invasion of the young billionaire's personal space - something that only Clark, not even Lex's two ex-wives or his many lovers had been allowed in public. This time, however, there was a noticeable shudder through Lex's slim frame as Clark's breath ghosted across his ear.

Eyes hooded with undisguised lust slowly moved upwards to meet with Clark's gaze. Apparently shocked by the range of emotion he saw there, Lex's breath hitched and he had to fist his hands at his sides to prevent himself from wrapping his fingers in Clark's hair and pulling the younger man in for their first kiss. "I have wanted you since the moment I met you," he finally managed to choke out, shocking them both for a moment with how honest his reply had been. "But I never thought..." he hurried to add, trying to regain some semblance of control. "Why Clark? Why now? You'd better be sure, because if we start this..."

"I'm very sure," Clark assured. "And as to why..." Clark suddenly grinned and blushed, causing Lex's eyebrows to rise in question. "Mom kinda made me see things from a different perspective."

At the mention of Martha, Lex's ardor immediately cooled, and he took a couple of steps backward, putting a bit of distance between him and Clark. He wasn't sure what exactly he expected to see when his questioning gaze sought out Martha's, but it certainly wasn't a gentle smile and a nod of acceptance. Lex turned back to face Clark, opening his mouth several times to respond, before finally forming an appropriate reply. "Would it be entirely inappropriate to state unequivocally that I love your mother?"

Clark chuckled, gently bumping his shoulder against Lex's. "You're such a dork."

"Only you would get away with calling me that and live, farm boy," Lex chided, his goofy grin taking away the sting of his threat. "You couldn't wait to do this until we were alone?"

"Nope, too much time wasted on waiting already." Clark couldn't resist any longer, and he pulled Lex into a reassuring embrace. It took only a moment before he felt Lex melt against him. "I promise this isn't a dream, Lex," he whispered. "It's all going to still be real after these people go home tonight."

"And they won't go home until you open those presents, young man," came a gentle feminine voice. Clark and Lex sprung apart to see Martha smugly holding out cups of frothy cappuccino to both of them, effectively reminding the two, as had been her intention, that they had a room full of party guests that they could no longer ignore.

Lex started to speak, but Martha motioned for him to stop. "Later, Lex. Right now you've got a party to attend."

Lex smiled, and impulsively leaned down to kiss Martha's cheek before inclining his head toward the present table. "Come on, Clark, why don't you help me get this party started?"

Several hours later, everyone had left the Talon except for Clark, Lex, Martha and Jonathan. Clark's parents were finishing cleaning up the coffee shop, while Lex and Clark ferried the gifts to the storeroom where they would be kept until the charity could retrieve them tomorrow. Carefully tucked away on a side table were three gifts: a Harry Potter LEGO set from the Kents; a rare copy of a Warrior Angel comic book that Chloe had excitedly described finding on E-bay; and a plastic modeling kit of the Batmobile from Sheriff Adams. Lex had only kept this last gift because the fierce scowl on Bruce's face when he had opened it had been so delightfully entertaining.

The two boys dropped tiredly onto one of the couches in the corner, having finally completed their task.

"I never thought we'd finish that," Lex muttered, leaning his head back against the couch and his eyes sliding closed. They suddenly shot open again when he felt Clark's hand tentatively caress his cheek.

"I've wanted to do that all night," Clark admitted shyly. "Of course I've wanted to do this too." As he was speaking, he leaned in, intending to press his lips against Lex's. Surprisingly though, Lex pulled back.

"Clark," he hissed. "Your parents are watching."

"I know," Clark admitted dismissively. "It's not like they've never seen me kiss someone before." Suddenly Clark's brow furrowed. "You didn't think I was planning on hiding you away like some deep, dark secret. Did you?"

"I wasn't sure," Lex answered honestly. He glanced nervously toward Clark's parents. "Are you sure your father's shotgun is at home?"

"Lex," Clark chided. "They both knew that I was planning on telling you how I felt tonight. Do they seriously look like they're objecting?"

"No, but I keep waiting for them to suddenly glow green and start attacking me or something." At Clark's incredulous look, Lex grinned and shrugged. "This is Smallville, those kinds of things are prone to happening."

Clark suddenly pulled back nervously. "Well, actually, speaking of that... You're not quite done opening your gifts; you do have one more to open."

Lex looked at Clark curiously before glancing over at the table where the gifts had been, his brow furrowed. "Where?"

"Right here," Clark replied, removing a small square package from his pocket. "I have another present for you."

"Clark, you shouldn't have done that. You and your parents didn't even need to give me the first gift. The party was more than present enough. And then finding out that you..."

"No, it wasn't," Clark insisted. "None of that is even close to enough." Clark thrust the box into Lex's hands, and licked his lips nervously. He shot a worried glance toward his mother and father, before turning his attention back to Lex and nodding towards the gift. "Open it."

Lex hadn't missed the interchange between the Kents, and could see that both Jonathan and Martha had stopped what they were doing, waiting apprehensively for Lex to open the small box.

Lex started carefully separating the paper, but at Clark's eye roll, he began ripping apart the wrappings, smirking at the look of delight on Clark's face at his antics. His smirk disappeared instantly when he saw what was cradled in the nest of cotton. Reverently, he reached inside the box and withdrew the octagonal disc that had been one day, not too long ago, his favorite paperweight.

"Why?" Lex barely whispered.

"Because I thought for your birthday that I'd gift you with two truths that go hand in hand... first, how I really feel about you, and second, the truth about my heritage. I'm not exactly..."

Clark's admission was cut off by Lex suddenly pressing him back against the sofa cushions and claiming his mouth in their first kiss. Though his actions were aggressive, his kiss was anything but. Their lips met in a soft and tender meeting, stroking against one another as gently as butterfly wings, Lex barely sweeping his tongue out for a swipe against Clark's lips before pulling back.

"No, not yet, Clark," he begged, his breath ragged. "Don't tell me yet. I don't want you to think back to this day in the future and believe that there is anything more important to me than the way you feel about me. Any other truths can wait until tomorrow. Tonight I just want you."

Clark's face lit up with a megawatt smile, any of his remaining fears surrounding confiding in Lex about his origins dissolving at Lex's reaction to his gift. "How about tomorrow?"

"I'm afraid you're not exactly the diamond earring type, so I suppose I'll just have to keep you," Lex teased, then sobered a bit. "And in the light of day, if you still want me to know about the origins of that disc, and you, I'll be more than happy to listen."

This time it was Clark who initiated the kiss, and it was anything but chaste. Clark took advantage of Lex's slightly parted lips, his tongue darting inside to explore, crushing their lips together. Kissing Lex felt so much more perfect than kissing Lana, Chloe, Alicia, or anyone else he ever had. He could have happily continued kissing Lex forever, but suddenly he heard his father clearing his throat.

Instinctively, Lex stiffened against Clark, and Clark sighed as Lex automatically moved back, breaking the kiss. Both boys turned toward the origin of the sound, finding both Jonathan and Martha standing nearby.

Even though Clark had discussed his feelings for Lex at length with his father, Lex's fears and expectations of Jonathan's reaction were so tangible that Clark found himself beginning to worry as well. "Dad?"

Jonathan took a moment to reply, suddenly startled into speaking by a jab from Martha to his ribcage. "Ouch. Um, sorry to interrupt boys, but um, we're all done here, so your mother and I wanted to let you know that we were heading home."

It was obvious that the farmer was trying hard to deal with this newest development in his son's life, but the fact that his son was attracted to another man, that said man was Lex, and that the Kent family secret was being revealed to someone who could potentially hurt his son, were still apparently difficult pills for him to swallow. "I suppose we won't expect you home tonight," he said somewhat bitterly.

Before Clark could answer, Lex placed a hand gently on his arm. "Actually, if Clark doesn't mind, I think we'll follow you to the farm."

"Lex?" Clark questioned.

"I'm not going to mess this up, Clark," Lex promised, reaching up to twist a lock of Clark's hair through his fingers. "You're too important."

"But you said that after tonight..." Clark whispered, starting to panic. "You said you wanted me..."

"And I do, Clark. That doesn't necessarily mean you have to end up in my bed tonight, however. We've skipped a lot of the traditional steps to get to this point, so I think maybe we need to take things slowly. Having you in my life is much more important to me than having you in my bed right now," he explained quietly, emotion choking his voice. "I want you, so badly, but not before I'm one hundred percent sure that we've gotten past everything that's been wrong between us lately."

Lex turned towards the Kents again, pausing to gain control of himself before he spoke. "If it's all right with you both, I'd like your permission to stay over at the farm tonight. We can both sleep down in the living room," he assured. Smiling wryly, he continued. "If we get to sleep that is. I have a feeling we'll be up most of the night talking. Then tomorrow, if Clark's still determined to tell me his secrets, I think it's only right that you two be there as well."

Jonathan's voice was suspiciously tight as he reached out a hand to Lex. "That sounds like a good plan to me, son. We'll see you boys at home." Automatically, the younger man extended his hand as well, shaking Jonathan's hand firmly.

Lex stared at his hand, and then up at the retreating Martha and Jonathan, a goofy grin spreading once again across his face. "I suppose it really would be all sorts of wrong if I admitted that I think I love your father too, right?"

Clark chuckled, tackling Lex back against the sofa, and leaning in to steal another kiss. "Utterly, badly wrong."

Hours later, Clark and Lex sat cocooned in a blanket, in each other's arms, sipping coffee on the Kents' front porch swing, watching the sunrise.

"I have one more thing to admit to you, Clark. Remember when I told you once that I don't think I've ever been in love?" Lex murmured sleepily.

"Yes, I do," Clark answered, pressing a kiss against Lex's temple.

"I lied."