It was ridiculous. Completely and utterly ridiculous and it was going to stop. He was a 17 year old boy for God's sake! One simply didn't have a crush, or whatever this was, on a 17 year old boy when one was 23 years old! It was not only ridiculous, it was illegal and wrong.

When has that ever stopped you? a treacherous voice inside whispered.

Shaking his head, Lex got out of bed and headed for the bathroom. If he was going to be up, he might as well get started on the day. Wondering why that voice sounded suspiciously like Jonathan Kent, Lex turned on the shower and stripped out of his boxers, tossing them into the hamper.

The hot water felt good, relaxing tension that had been present for about a week. Six days and twelve hours, to be precise. Ever since he'd dropped by uninvited at the Kent's house and discovered a Greek God had taken Clark's place.

The sun had just been setting, it had been a bitch of a day, heat-wise. Clark had been shirtless and sweaty, throwing bales of hay onto the back of the truck as though they weighed nothing. Muscles that Lex had never even suspected under all that hideous flannel, gleamed, slick and mobile, under the dying rays of sunlight.

Lex had been transfixed. He literally had not been able to do anything but stare at Clark as the other man finished his work. Then, just as Clark had been about to throw the last block up, Lex had moved, just a little, towards his friend.

Somehow, Clark had heard him and lost his grip. The bale had gone flying, slamming into Lex instead of the truck, and knocking him down. In the next instant, Clark had removed the suffocating obstacle and was running his hands over Lex to check for broken bones.

"Are you okay?" Clark had asked anxiously.

And though Lex had nodded and made some inane remark about always being rescued by Clark, he hadn't been okay because his world had just turned upside down.

Groaning, Lex thumped his head on the expensive tile wall. The whole reason their friendship had lasted as long as it had, was because he'd never wanted anything from Clark. Well, aside from answers to some very intriguing questions. But all that was gone now.

He didn't just want something from Clark; he wanted Clark.

Irritation simmered, but he brought it to heel, running his hands over his body and closing his eyes. What would it feel like? To have those stronger-than-they-looked hands running over his body without the barrier of clothes between them? To grip him in all the right places? To stroke him harder...and harder...and harder...

Lex came with a cry, shuddering through a more devastating climax than he'd had in a very long time. Not since Helen, really.

"Fuck."

Rinsing off, Lex got out and dried himself, pointedly not continuing that vein of thought.

* * * *

Don't use your powers for personal gain. Don't use your powers for personal gain. How many times had that been drilled into his head? Not enough, obviously. He hadn't planned to use his strength to impress Lex, hadn't consciously thought about it at all, though now that seemed a hollow point. It almost seemed as though everything had been leading up to this point, since the day he'd fished Lex out of the river.

He'd heard the smooth purr of Lex's car and then the man himself getting out and walking over. Clark had paused to take a quick drink of water and give Lex an opening to start talking, but it hadn't been taken. Then his hearing had alerted him to the quickening of Lex's heart and breath, the flash of arousal, and it had both shocked and excited him.

So he'd gone back to staking the hay, curious as to what, if anything, Lex would do. He'd grown nervous under that steady gaze, though, feeling the eyes upon him like a laser, and just as hot. When Lex finally had moved, and made this soft little sound, it had distracted him at just the wrong time and the hay had slipped from his grip.

It was only maybe two seconds between the hay hitting Lex and Clark ripping it aside, but his heart had been racing with fear that he'd hurt his friend. He'd automatically checked for injuries, relieved beyond measure to find none. Lex had made a joke about the number of times Clark had rescued him and things had seemed to go back to normal.

But if things were back to normal, why hadn't he seen Lex since then?

"Clark? You up there?"

He jumped at Chloe's voice then answered, "Yeah. Come on up."

She jogged up the stairs to the loft and grinned widely and commented, "I was wondering where you'd gotten to."

Clark frowned. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Geeze Clark, does there have to be something wrong aside from someone forgetting something?" Chloe teased.

Staring at the smug expression, Clark knew that someone was him, but was drawing a complete blank. Then it hit him and he groaned. "Oh my God, I forgot!"

Her grin got impossibly bigger. "I figured that when you didn't show up."

"How angry is she?" Clark asked, wincing as he got to his feet.

Lips pursed, Chloe answered, "On a scale of about 1 to 15? I'd say about 20. C'mon, I've got the car."

They raced down the stairs to her car and got in. The car started easily and Chloe drove towards the road, saying, "You've been in a fog all week. You want to let your best friend in on the problem?"

Uncomfortable, Clark denied, "It's nothing."

"Right. A nothing that makes you forget promised help to Lana on one of the Talon's busiest nights of the year," Chloe said scornfully.

"Chloe..."

"C'mon, Clark, you know that you'll spill eventually. Save yourself the nagging and tell me now."

How do you tell someone that you were in love with a man six years older than yourself? Forget the age difference, just that he loved Lex at all was something he could never reveal. And it was the only conclusion that Clark had reached after thinking it to death all week.

"All right, but don't say I didn't warn you," Chloe threatened with a grin.

He half-grinned in response and answered, "I wouldn't dare."

* * * *

Am I the moth, or the flame? Lex wondered with dark amusement, watching Clark on the other side of the Talon.

They'd been dancing around each other all night and Lex was as keyed up now as when he'd arrived a half-hour ago. The Talon was busy, so he supposed that it was possible that Clark wasn't avoiding him, just really busy.

Busy helping Lana out, Lex amended meanly to himself.

They looked good together, there was no doubt about that. Far better than he and Clark would look together. He was too...stark for Clark's farm boy wholesomeness. But Lana had that same small town quality that complemented the young man in ways that Lex never would. Then again, put Clark in a silk shirt, black maybe, to accentuate that astonishingly hidden build and incredible skin, and a nice set of slacks, and who knows. Maybe Lex wouldn't seem so fucking out of place.

Not for the first time, he wondered why he was still there, in Smallville. Of course, he knew the answer as instantly and intimately as he always did: Clark and his family. They were the only real reason he was still at the manor.

In a contest between pissing off his father and the torture of country living, his father lost every time. Nothing new there.

Getting abruptly to his feet, Lex was almost to the door when, suddenly, Clark was beside him, a hand on Lex's arm. Arching an eyebrow, he questioned, "Did you want something, Clark?"

"No. Well, yes. I think."

"Which is it?" Lex asked impatiently. He had to leave before he did something ridiculous and illegal and wrong.

Taken aback, Clark withdrew his hand. "Nothing. It's nothing, sorry."

Lex cursed himself as Clark turned away. It was one of those instant, yet life altering decisions, he knew. He could let Clark go, retreat behind their friendship and they would eventually grow distant as Clark went on to fulfill his destiny, whatever that might be. Or he could stop Clark, maybe take his hand and...take more than that? What, his heart? A Luthor had as yet to do that without destroying the person in question.

The last thing he wanted was to hurt Clark, but self-denial just wasn't in his nature.

"Clark, wait."

* * * *

Turning back almost immediately when Lex called him, Clark found the eyes staring at him to be the most intense thing he'd ever encountered. It took a moment before he could remember that he was supposed to respond. "Yeah?"

Lex didn't say anything at first, as though waging some kind of internal battle, then he said, "My place. When you're done here. I'll be up."

Clark backed up when Lex stepped into his personal space, almost pressing against him. He backed up all the way to the wall, until there was nowhere else to go. Staring into the blue-gray eyes that seemed to burn into him, Clark licked dry lips. Lex's eyes flickered down to follow the gesture, his own lips shifting into a slow, wicked curve that weakened Clark all over.

Looking again into Clark's eyes, Lex repeated softly, "I'll be up."

All Clark could do was nod, unable to find his voice. When Lex left, Clark just stood there, trying to gather enough strength to walk without falling over. Then he realized that some parts of his body had no trouble standing up and flushed as he moved the tray he'd been carrying in front of his groin.

* * * *

No. Fucking. Way.

Chloe spun sharply on her heel, away from the vision of Clark and Lex. The vision that screamed of heat and lust and maybe something deeper than she'd ever felt in her life. That single moment of Clark licking his lips and Lex eyeing him like a last meal was etched into her brain.

As often as she'd fantasized about Clark, she'd never pictured that look of naked longing on his face. Never even suspected that he was capable of feeling something so vital, so incredibly deadly.

"Chloe? Are you all right?"

Realizing that she must look like she'd seen a ghost, Chloe forced a smile for Pete and answered, "Yeah, sure. What's up?"

"Nothing," Pete answered, leaning against the counter. "Just wondering if you wanted to hang out tomorrow. I was going to burn some new mixes and figured Clark would be busy with farm stuff."

Chloe bit back a slightly hysterical laugh. Oh, Clark was going to be busy tomorrow, all right, but it wasn't going to have anything to do with farm work.

"Chloe?"

Shaking her head to clear it, Chloe sighed at both her wayward thoughts and the bizarre thing that was her life. At Pete's disappointed look, she smiled and was about to correct him, that she hadn't been saying no, when she realized something. Pete was looking at her like Clark used to look at Lana. Shocked that she'd never seen it before, Chloe hesitated then kissed him on the cheek and said, "I'd love to."

Shocked, but obviously thrilled, Pete's grin was ear to ear. "Great! Come on over about one and we can have lunch, how's that?"

"Sounds good," she agreed.

Chloe took one last look at Clark, who was still standing by the door and staring at it like it was a gateway to heaven or hell but he couldn't tell which. People who lived like that...with unrestrained passion and the ability to be made or destroyed with a single word...Chloe knew it wasn't her.

She wasn't sure whether to be disappointed in herself to discover that or not.

* * * *

He'd moved on from ridiculous to wrong and illegal, but Lex wasn't all that sure it was a better thing. The only real consolation was that Clark wanted this, too. He wasn't projecting and he wasn't coercing. The look in Clark's eyes had been a heady mix of want, need, and innocence. Clark wanted, though Lex was pretty sure Clark didn't know what it was that he did want.

Lex eyed the bottle of cognac, but that was all he did. This was definitely a night to be clear-headed. He wanted to remember everything.

"Lex?"

It didn't surprise him that Clark had been able to sneak up on him. What did surprise him was how quick his friend had shown up. He must have left the Talon shortly after Lex had. Looking over at Clark, he found the other man standing uncertainly at the door to the study. Getting to his feet, Lex greeted, "You made good time."

Clark shrugged. "I guess."

"Come in," Lex said softly, finishing in his mind, Said the spider to the fly.

After another brief hesitation, Clark crossed the threshold and walked to Lex.

An all too appropriate metaphor, Lex thought. Crossing the threshold into adulthood, losing his innocence to someone who hadn't been so himself in a very long time, regardless of actual age. Clark stopped about a foot away, seeming unsure of what to do next. With a faint smile, Lex offered, "Would you like something to drink?"

Clark echoed the smile. "Planning to get me drunk and have your wicked way with me?"

Appreciating the humor, Lex replied, "I was thinking more along the lines of a soda, or a glass of water."

"Oh. Ah, no thanks."

Lex stepped closer and stared at Clark, trying to memorize the face exactly as it was right then: open, earnest, and trusting. "You know this is a bad idea, right?"

"No, it's not," Clark answered firmly.

Pulling back a little, Lex countered, just as firmly, "Yes, it is. For so many reasons, not the least of which is the age thing. This is, technically, illegal."

Humor glinted again in Clark's eyes as he returned, "I won't tell, if you don't."

Irritated, Lex warned, "Clark, be serious."

Clark moved closer and stated, "I'm not a kid, Lex."

"Yeah, Clark, you are."

"No, I'm not. All the kids at school worry about is college, and, and biology tests. Me? I worry about train wrecks, or plane crashes, or some other disaster I do- can't stop," Clark informed him. "My parents don't know how old I am, Lex. All I know is...I don't feel seventeen. Sometimes...I feel old."

Seeing how upset Clark was getting, and that he was utterly serious, Lex cupped the back of his friend's neck and ordered softly, "Take a breath, Clark, relax. I'm not saying no."

Clark did take a breath and seemed the better for it. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying," and here Lex paused. "You need to be very sure of this. You might not think so, but this changes everything. You'll never look at the world in the same way again."

Staring back at Lex, Clark challenged, "Maybe I need a new perspective."

Lex's hand tightened briefly, tugging Clark nearer. When their lips were achingly close together, but not yet touching, he murmured, "Maybe you do."

The first touch of their lips was hesitant...for about .5 seconds. Then Lex found himself on the receiving end of a surprisingly dominating kiss. Clark seemed determined to devour him, sliding an agile tongue into Lex's mouth to stroke his own. Heat slammed through him and Lex grew dizzy at the feel of being completely surrounded by his best friend.

Clark's arms were around his waist, his hands resting on Lex's ass as they slowly rubbed against him. The hot, wet mouth on his was insistent and artless, demanding everything Lex had to give, nothing less.

Overwhelmed, both by the physical and emotional, Lex tried to pull back, but found that he couldn't. Clark was too strong for him, a sensation that both turned on and frightened him. The mouth attacking his was so relentless that Lex didn't have more than a second here and there to draw in a quick breath. All he could do was struggle and make protesting noises into Clark's mouth.

He was released so suddenly that he would have fallen on his ass if Clark hadn't grabbed and steadied him. The hands let go right after Lex had his feet under him.

Clark looked guilty, ashamed, and miserable as he stammered, "God, Lex, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to lose control like that! Are you all right?"

Feeling a sense of wonder, Lex questioned, "Just how strong are you, Clark?"

"Uh, really strong," Clark answered uncomfortably. "I'm sorry. You're right, this was a bad idea."

Lex grabbed Clark's arm. "Don't go. You just...took me by surprise."

Uncertain, Clark didn't leave, but didn't make any move towards Lex, either.

The sense of panic that had gripped him at Clark's threatened departure receded a little. This was far, far worse than Helen. Clark already knew all his faults and still wanted him; wanted all of him from the way he'd sought to dominate Lex just then. And the funniest thing was, that Lex knew Clark didn't have a clue. The younger man was just acting on his feelings, not consciously doing anything except kissing.

And if that was the way he kissed...

Shaking that delicious thought from his mind, Lex knew, in a flash of insight, that he'd met his match. Clark was not his equal; he was superior to Lex in every way: strength, both moral and physical, everything.

This was the turning point. This was where he found his destiny and it came down to how he treated Clark right now, and from here on out. He could take from Clark what he wanted, make them both happy in the short term. Have an incredible affair that eventually burned out because it was just too hot to last. When that happened, he would lose the friendship that meant so much to him, that meant more to him than pretty much anything, even beating his father.

"Lex?"

Closing his eyes, Lex whispered, "Come here."

He felt the heat from Clark as the other man came over. Not knowing his future was almost as terrifying as knowing it. Reaching out blindly, Lex's hands were taken gently by Clark. Their fingers laced together and the back of each hand kissed with a reverence that Lex felt to the bottom of his soul. His eyes snapped open, locking onto Clark's as he whispered in shock, "You love me!"

Clark nodded, staring back at him, sadness entering his eyes. "You don't love me."

Though his mouth opened,, Lex couldn't speak the lie to Clark, not about this, not about anything. Finally, he just shook his head.

A bittersweet smile crossed Clark's face as he whispered, "It's all right, Lex. I'll take what you have to give. I know how badly you've been hurt, how hard it is for you to trust anyone with your heart, even me. I can wait. If there's one thing my parents taught me well, it's patience."

"Clark, you shouldn't settle," Lex protested, tired. This whole night had gone completely awry and was taking a toll. "You deserve so much more. I'm not good for you, can't give you what you need."

The smile this time was gentle, the bitterness fading. "Why don't you let me be the judge of what I need.

Cupping Clark's face, Lex pulled him in for a short kiss. "All right, I will."

"It's getting late, I should probably go home."

"Probably a good idea," Lex agreed, taking his hands away.

Clark hauled him forward, kissing him desperately, lustfully, and Lex opened his mouth to the onslaught, holding on to the broad shoulders for dear life. His body felt on fire as something hummed between them, forcing him to admit to himself, just how right it all felt. The kiss gentled unexpectedly and Lex nearly melted with the teasing press of Clark's lips on his. Shortly thereafter, Clark pulled away. Dazed, Lex just stared at Clark, a little fuzzy on his own name, let alone why he was saying no.

Grinning suddenly, Clark said, "This is going to be fun."

Pulling himself together with an effort, Lex cleared his throat and asked, "What is?"

"Winning your heart. You know me, I'm stubborn about the things I really believe in. And I do believe in you, Lex, in us," Clark answered. He walked to the door, then turned back and asked, "See you later?"

Still in the process of figuring out what had just happened, Lex answered, "Yeah."

The door closed behind Clark, but Lex stayed rooted to the spot, thinking, What the fuck just happened?

Aloud, he answered himself, "Clark just declared his intentions is what just happened. Oh God. I'm a dead man."

Shaking his head, Lex headed for the beckoning bottle of cognac; he definitely needed a drink.

* * * *

Clark heard Lex's comment about being a dead man, then the rattle of a glass and the pouring of liquid, expensive alcohol most likely. Which meant that Lex was seriously rattled. Clark grinned broadly and continued down the hall, whistling cheerfully to himself.

This was definitely going to be fun.