It had been next to impossible to get Clark to sleep the night before, but Lex had finally managed it. For the first time in five years, since Clark had sold himself to Lex to pay off the farm’s debt, his parents wanted to see him.

More accurately, Lex thought wryly, it’s the first time Jonathan could make himself darken my door.

Lex had had to practically sit on Clark in the tub for a half hour before bed, forcing him to be still instead of the flurry of minor panic. Then he’d massaged Clark in their bed and he’d fucked his slave comatose. It had been more than worth it to see the younger man with that somewhat goofy expression as they’d made out until Clark had fallen asleep. Despite all that, it wasn’t a surprise to wake up and find Clark gone in the morning, already at work making sure the already perfect house was still perfect. As if the staff would let anything happen overnight. Clark was paranoid and had been since his father had agreed to the visit the week before.

Martha had been wonderful to them both in the intervening years. Though he was sure that that was because Lex had kept Clark in high school and was sending him to college, something they wouldn’t have been able to do even owning the farm outright. He was also sure that Jonathan would’ve thrown the money back in his face at the time except a debtors’ program was to be avoided at all costs; it would’ve been the whole family tossed in, not just Jonathan. They would’ve had to “work off” the debt by way of the state farms and/or work crews. The problem being that no one ever got free that way, not with the exorbitant “interest” and “fees” tacked on to each family member for “care and feeding.”

So Jonathan had been forced to accept Lex’s money to avoid losing the farm and his family, but hadn’t been shy about snubbing Lex thereafter. And in the curious way of small town human nature, Smallville had sided with Jonathan, even though Lex had rescued the Kents from a brutal future. Really, except for the damage done to Clark’s shy nature by the resulting isolation, Lex hadn’t, and didn’t still care what anyone in Smallville thought, not even Jonathan Kent.

But now it was Christmas and five years later. Clark was twenty-one and a legal adult, albeit still and ever Lex’s slave. His one wish that year had been to have his family together for Christmas Day. Since Martha’s wish had coincided, they’d worked on their respective mates and the gathering had at last been agreed to. Really, Lex had caved the second time Clark had asked, holding out the first time only as a small matter of pride. It wasn’t good to publicly admit to being a pushover, even if they knew he was in private.

In order to take some of the pressure off, Lex had invited Chloe with her new beau Jimmy Olsen and Chloe’s annoying cousin Lois. Lex’s renewed friendship with Oliver Queen by way of Clark’s new friendship with the man had dictated that Oliver be invited as well, and lastly, there was the perennially alone and aggravating Lana that Clark insisted be invited. Lionel had simply shown up late the day before, as he was wont to do, which completed the ‘adult’ portion of invitations.

Lex eyed the expensive bottles of alcohol across the room with serious longing, but Clark would kill him if he ended up even buzzed for the coming ordeal. He was pretty sure because Clark himself couldn’t get buzzed and wanted company for his misery.

“Don’t even think about it,” Clark warned, entering the office.

Lex enjoyed the sight of him in dark jeans, a snug, deep blue sweater, and bare feet. It was just too bad that it was an event that required him covering up at all. Lex loved to see his brand whenever possible. Giving him an innocent look, Lex asked, “Think about what? I was just going over the topics for the coming shareholders meeting.”

Clark made a rude noise and straddled Lex’s lap. Putting his arms over Lex’s shoulder, he announced, “If I have to be sober, so do you,” which confirmed Lex’s earlier hypothesis.

Heaving a sigh, Clark sagged against him, somehow managing to make his massive frame small enough to be cuddled properly, tucking his head under Lex’s chin. Lex didn’t know if it was his exposure to Kryptonite while young enough to absorb it, but something let him hold Clark without much effort despite the differences in their sizes.

Rubbing a hand up and down his slave’s back, Lex promised, “It’s going to be a great day, Clark. Don’t worry so much. I’ll keep my distance from your dad and mine, everyone else will act as a buffer, and we’ll have a wonderful day.”

Clark groaned and said, “It’s going to be a trainwreck. Why did you let me talk you into this?”

Lex wisely kept his mouth shut on the subject, instead continuing the quasi-massage.

“Well, isn’t that sweet. I should take a picture for next year’s holiday newsletter.”

Lionel’s snide comment was like a bucket of cold water. Clark instantly stiffened out of Lex’s arms and then got to his feet. He said quietly, “I’ll see how the food’s going,” before leaving without even looking at Lionel.

It was always a battle to resist the urge to beat his father senseless, preferably with his own gilded cane, but Lex drawled, “And you continue to make yourself at home, I see, entering without knocking.”

Lionel gave him a thin smile as he moved to pour himself a drink. “This is my ancestral home too, Lex.”

“Sure Dad, whatever you say,” Lex replied. If only their antipathy weren’t so well known, he would seriously start looking into ways of assassination. Instead, he asked cheerfully, “But speaking of the future, how is LuthorCorp doing these days?”

Lionel glared at him outright at that. Wayne Enterprises had made a surprise move on LuthorCorp at the start of December, aided by an ‘anonymous’ tip regarding some failed government contracts. “It is your inheritance that you’re destroying, Lex, I do hope that you realize that.”

Shaking his head, Lex stood and countered, “Oh no, Dad, I want nothing to do with your company. LexCorp will not only outlast LuthorCorp, but we’re going to bury you, I mean it, one day. And if Wayne Enterprises can speed that along, well, so much the better.”

“This is all that slut’s fault, turning you against me,” Lionel hissed.

Lex’s jaw tightened in anger, but he controlled himself. Barely. He stood when the doorbell rang and walked over to his father, standing right in his personal space and looking him straight in the eye as he stated in a deadly tone, “If you don’t treat my slave with the respect he deserves, you will regret it. We’ve had this discussion, Father.”

Lionel sniffed disdainfully and walked over to the leather seat by the large Christmas tree, not seeming in the least cowed. The fact that he’d walked away at all, though, told Lex a lot. They’d gone head to head numerous times over the last few years while Lex had built up LexCorp and Lionel hadn’t always come out the winner. Not to mention the few times they’d physically come to blows where Lex had had his father’s life literally in his hands and not taken it. Clark’s influence and his father knew it, likely the only reason a kryptonite based ‘accident’ hadn’t happened to Clark as yet.

“Lex! Hey, there you are!” Chloe exclaimed, unwittingly diffusing the tension.

Turning, Lex didn’t have to fake a smile for Clark’s best friend; especially now that she was engaged to Jimmy. He hugged Chloe, something that Clark had ingrained in him over the years, and greeted, “It’s great to see you, Chloe. And you, Jimmy. Oh, hi Lois.”

He shook hands with Jimmy and managed a brief smile for Lois, who returned it with an equal lack of enthusiasm. It wasn’t that they hated each other, per se, but she thought he was a monster for poaching Clark when he was too young to know better. And Lex knew without a doubt that she was after Clark for herself, despite all protestations to the contrary. Bitter rivals was a better term for what they were, drawn together by Clark’s woeful lack of perception.

Chloe laughed and elbowed him, warning, “Don’t let Clark hear you sound so thrilled.”

Lex didn’t have time to answer because Clark arrived and there was another set of hugs all around. He could see how tightly wound his slave was and mused taking him upstairs to the bedroom for a brief, but hopefully calming, session with the kryptonite pendant and a large, wooden hairbrush. Before he could decide, though, the doorbell rang again and a few moments later, Lana and Oliver walked in together.

It was good that Clark was so wrapped up in making sure that everyone was comfortable and had drinks and snacks, even Lionel. He didn’t notice the time going far beyond that of socially late for the Kents’ arrival. Lex did and mentally got ready to pick up the pieces as soon as everyone left that night. Clark would never besmirch Lex’s position by showing any kind of public disappointment, but he would fall apart once the door closed behind their last guest.

Lex stepped out of the festive conversation to call the Kent farm, ignoring his father’s amused expression. He got no response there, the phone not even going to voicemail. He silently damned Jonathan Kent to hell for not even having the balls to disappoint his son with a phone call instead of taking the coward’s route.

Slipping his cell phone back into his pocket, Lex returned to the study and sat next to Clark, taking his hand and brushing his thumb back and forth over his slave’s palm. It was a private signal to take a breath and slow down. Clark did so after a brief glance his way, offering a small, apologetic grin before returning to the journalistic debate between himself, Chloe, Lois, and Jimmy.

It wasn’t until their housekeeper, Joan, showed up to discreetly signal lunch was ready that Clark seemed to realize the time and who hadn’t yet arrived. There was an awkward silence as everyone figured it out almost all at the same time.

Lex stepped in with a smooth, “I think that the turkey is calling our name, so why don’t we get settled? The Kents called earlier to say they had a minor emergency at the farm. I’m sure they’ll be here as soon as they can.”

There were relieved smiles from everyone except Clark, who probably knew that he was lying. After five years together, they knew each other’s nuances almost too well. Lex tugged Clark to his feet and then slid an arm around his waist, whispering, “It’ll be all right, pretty boy. It’s not the end of the world, I promise.”

Clark nodded, a faint smile lifting his lips at the pet name, but his gaze was haunted as it shifted away.

Lex again mentally consigned Jonathan Kent to the deepest pit of hell as he escorted Clark to the formal dining room. Then the doorbell rang and it was either let go of Clark or be dragged down the hall willy-nilly as the other ran towards the door. Lex followed at a slower pace, not sure what he would find when he got there and also wanting to give the Kents some time alone if it were a favorable outcome. He paused at the hallway corner, looking around it to find Clark buried in a group hug, both parents wrapped around him.

The sight caused him to smile, even though he suspected there would be different pieces to pick up later that night. For the time being, though, Clark had the parental connection he’d been missing for too many years. Clark needed physical contact from those he loved, whether hugs or slaps on the back or, from Lex, laptime and cuddles. Lex had even posited privately that the dearth of parental contact over the last five years had slowed the development of Clark’s powers, though they would never know for sure. Maybe it really did take a year to figure out how to fly or six months to control heat vision.

Lex gave them a good ten minutes before reluctantly interrupting by clearing his throat and stepping into the foyer. The group hug broke up and he was faced with Jonathan Kent’s possessive hand on Clark’s shoulder, something that caused him to stiffen in anger. It was wrong of him, he knew, but Lex didn’t deny being a jealous bastard and never had.

Clark smoothly stepped out from under his father’s touch to face his parents and simultaneously take Lex’s hand as he said, “The food’s already on the table, so how about we just dive in?”

“That sounds like a great idea!” Martha agreed. She stepped forward and gave Lex a tight hug. “Lex, it’s lovely to see you.”

Returning it one-handed, since Clark kept hold of his other, Lex replied, “And you, Martha. Thank you for coming. I hope nothing was wrong?”

“Minor emergency at the farm,” Martha blithely replied.

It might have been a lie, or it might not, he couldn’t tell. Too many men underestimated a woman’s capacity to lie with a straight face, and do so believably; Lex wasn’t one of them. Putting a good face on it, he smiled and nodded, glancing at Jonathan and putting his hand out. “Good of you to come, Jonathan.”

Jonathan’s jaw flexed, but besieged by pleading looks from both Martha and Clark, gave in with ill grace, taking Lex’s hand and replying shortly, “Thanks for having us. Food smells good.”

Lex kept the smile pasted on and considered stabbing himself with a fork upon sitting at the table. He motioned down the hall and suggested, “Let’s eat, then. Oh, and my father dropped in unexpectedly last night, just to let you know.”

It was a necessary warning, thanks to past history between the Kents and Lionel. Jonathan muttered something under his breath that everyone pretended not to hear.

Then they were in the dining room and taking advantage of the carefully planned seating chart. Lionel found himself wedged between Oliver and Lois, which gave Lex a mean and petty, but thorough satisfaction, while Martha and Jonathan had Clark on one side and Lana on the other. With Chloe as Lionel’s direct opposite and the Kents down the far side of the long table, there wasn’t much trouble he could cause until after dinner. And, as anticipated, Oliver and Lois were vituperative enough to keep Lionel silent if looking like he had a case of indigestion.

So it was that the meal passed in a pleasant manner, a far cry from what Lex had honestly expected at the start of the day. Conversation stayed witty and yet neutral, the food was excellent, and best of all, Clark kept giving him adoring looks that made him feel about ten feet tall. Drinks and dessert continued to be mellow once his father’s limo showed up to whisk him to some party in Metropolis. Oliver was the first to leave, followed soon after by Lana, and then the rest left in a clump, Chloe, Jimmy, and Lois.

Not wanting to get in the way of family bonding, Lex returned from seeing their guests out and announced, “Clark, I’m going to finish up some work upstairs. Why don’t you visit with your parents until they’re ready to leave?”

Clark looked torn as he replied, “You don’t have to…”

“No, I know,” he interrupted with a smile. “I really do need to get that Nelson deal closed for New Year’s if we’re going to take a real vacation before you head back to school.”

Martha smiled at him while Jonathan carefully didn’t look at him while nodding either agreement or a goodbye. It was just as well since Lex still wanted to bang the other man’s head against the wall for arriving late like he had.

He waved vaguely to them all and headed upstairs to the bedroom. After a shower, he dressed in one of Clark’s more comfortable pairs of sweatpants before climbing into bed. Lex turned the flatscreen television into splits of CNN, MSNBC, and C-Span, and his laptop open to reports that really did need to get done, if not the Nelson deal. As an old ‘friend’ of his fathers, Terrence Nelson could go screw if he didn’t want to wait for Lex; it wasn’t Lex facing a debtors’ program, after all.

There was a woosh of displaced air and suddenly the television and lights were all out. Lex automatically lifted an arm when Clark draped over him a second later, cheek resting on Lex’s midriff in competition with the laptop. Smiling, he stroked a hand over the slave’s soft hair and asked, “How’d it go?”

Clark let out a long, deep sigh before answering honestly, and with the sound of wonder, “Better than I thought it would.”

They’d learned a long time ago that honesty, no matter how painful, was the best policy between them. Thankfully this time, honesty didn’t seem that hard. Kissing the top of Clark’s head, Lex closed the laptop and reached over to push it onto the bedside table. Clark got comfortable on him again, nuzzling at his throat as his hand roamed over Lex’s body. Grinning, Lex questioned, “Looking for more presents?”

Clark chuckled and replied, “No, but you might be getting one.”

“You will never hear me turning down anything from you, but how about some details?” Lex prompted.

Clark paused and then just seemed to deflate. It was a few minutes before he finally said slowly, “Mom cried a little, which kind of made me cry a little, and Dad looked like he wanted to, but didn’t. They’re...well, Mom’s always kept us up to date with what’s going on, but Dad seems older, you know? I mean, I know he is, it’s been five years, but...And they’re hoping…could I maybe spend the rest of the weekend at the farm?”

Thus it begins, he thought, only a little ironic. After all the years of having Clark to himself, the reward of mending fences was having to share his slave when he didn’t want to; especially not with a man who’d hurt Clark so very deeply. But that was as it should be, he knew. Clark needed his parents and he would just have to deal.

Stroking a hand down Clark’s back, he agreed, “Of course you can. I’ll change the hotel reservations in the morning. We’ll head out on Monday instead.”

Clark shifted up to kiss him, slow and sweet. When he broke it off, he rested his forehead against Lex’s and murmured, “Thank you, Master.”

Lex shivered a little, knowing he would never get used to hearing that word from Clark’s lips. Hugging him a little tighter, foregoing sex for contact of a more intimate nature, that of real love, he replied, “It’s my pleasure, pretty boy. Merry Christmas.”

Clark settled over him again and echoed softly, “Merry Christmas, Lex.”