This Way to America by soft_princess (Part 1 of 2)

[teot]

Title: This Way to America
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 17,043 total
Cover: Cover #1
Summary: Lex Luthor never considered the possibility that he might fall in love--until he met Clark Kent. Now that he's found love, what will Lex be willing to give up for its sake?
Notes: This is part 1 of 2. Part 2 follows.
Pairings also include past-Chloe/Lex, and a brief mention of Lex/Whitney.
Beta-ed by mireille719. All remaining mistakes are mine.



This Way to America
by soft_princess

Chapter 1

It was barely morning, and already Lionel Luthor was angry. Very angry, if the tone of voice he used when he called out to Lex was any indication. That was never a good way to start the day.

Lex had been up with the sun that morning, as always, but had lain in bed, watching young Whitney sleep. The boy would be gone by the end of the day, his parents having finished their business at the mansion, but he had been fun while he'd lasted, and Lex would be sad to see him go.

He pushed the covers away from his body and stood with a groan. The cold of the room made him shiver, and with one last wistful look at the warm bed and his warmer companion, Lex pulled on his breeches and went into his dressing room. "Father, perhaps you should refrain from yelling quite so loudly in the morning."

"What?" Lionel Luthor growled. "Have I, by any chance, woken up your bed fellow? Perhaps you want me to walk in on your debauchery?" The older man was flushed with barely repressed anger. He paced the room back and forth. "My valet was helping me dress for the day when he told me of your--your--" he waved aimlessly.

Lex picked up an apple from the food tray the servants had brought in, and sat down, biting into the fruit as he watched his father. He was trying very hard not to be amused at his father's antics. This very conversation had happened many times over the years and always with the same result: Lionel would go back to ignoring Lex as soon as he walked out the door.

"I've had quite enough of your proclivities, Lex, I want this boy, and all the others, gone! Do you hear me?"

"Very loudly, Father," Lex replied, containing his smirk as he'd learned to do over the years. Lionel hated to be laughed at, and Lex would rather not risk another crisis of apoplexy. He bit into the apple again. "Will that be all?"

Lex immediately regretted his words. Lionel growled at him this time and gripped both of his shoulders hard. "No! I want you married before the end of spring, Lex. The Luthor estate needs an heir, and it's your duty to provide one. I've indulged you for far too long now!"

Lex rolled his eyes, a short burst of anger swelling in his chest. He wouldn't give in to it; he had far too much control to allow it. Nonetheless, the idea that his father was indulging him was ridiculous in itself. Lex had never done anything but listen to his father's words all his life. He had spent hours charming lords and ladies at Lionel's social gatherings as his father demanded; had followed the path Lionel had traced for him step for step; studied what had been asked of him, and worked for his father once he was old enough, despite feeling no affinity and no passion for either the studies or the work. The only bit of rebellion he allowed himself was in those he chose to grace his bed, that, and his choice not to marry a woman simply as a mean to produce an heir. "I already have a son, Father. You've met him. His name is Lawrence; perhaps you've forgotten?"

"The child of a maid! That bastard is not fit to be raised as a Luthor!" Lionel's face was so red, Lex was suddenly scared his father would die of apoplexy right here. Not that it would be a great loss.

"Lawrence is my son, Father;. the question of his mother is insignificant. And as a matter of fact, might I remind you that Chloe's father is still the youngest son of a viscount, so it becomes that she is our better, and not the other way around." Lex took another bite, reminding himself to visit his child on that day, perhaps after Whitney had gone. He hadn't seen the little rascal in about a week now. That would not do. When Lawrence was born, Lex had made a promise on his own mother's grave to be more of a presence to Lawrie than Lionel had ever been. Lex would have to be better at keeping his word.

"Gabriel fell in disgrace!"

"And whose fault was that?" Lex muttered under his breath. His father had always held a grudge against the Duke of Lang, and Lex remembered well that the rumours that led to the demise of one of Lang's closest friend had started in this very mansion. When the earl of Avon died, the blame fell on Gabriel Sullivan and he and Chloe had been forced to leave the estate destitute and with nowhere to go and no friends to turn to.

And then, of course, when all was said and done, Lionel had jumped in as a 'saviour', offering the destitute widower and his only daughter a home in the Luthor household. It was made to look altruistic, but they sound found out they were expected to act as servants in exchange. Lex knew Lionel had done everything only to put his hand on somebody who knew everything about Lang's activities. And it indebted Gabriel to him, making him that much more easy for Lionel to manipulate.

Lex had always hated politics, and petty revenge schemes even more.

Lionel had obviously not heard--Lex suspected the man's ears were buzzing from how loud he was yelling--and he went on: "He has no claim to the title, he is nothing but a head groom, and not a very good one at that. His daughter is nothing. Her son is nothing but a bastard child, and he will never wear the Luthor name."

“Gabriel Sullivan is still a gentleman, father,” Lex tried to argue.

“With no title, and no money, it’s of no importance to me! He is nothing more than my employee.”

Lex put the apple down and stood. He would not get into that argument for now. He'd had enough of it. "I've had quite enough of your screaming for the morning. So I must marry before summer, conceive yet another child, and let Lawrence know that he isn't worthy of my time. Anything else, Father?"

Lionel glared at him for a moment, and then turned his back to Lex. Without another word, he left the room, slamming the door shut on his way out as if to make sure he had the last word. Once Lex couldn't hear his father's footsteps anymore, he went back to his bedroom and found Whitney sitting on the bed and already half dressed. "What are you doing?"

"I heard your father. Perhaps I should--"

Lex cupped the young man's face and brushed his thumb over Whitney's lips. "I'm not quite done with you yet," he whispered. With a grin, he pushed Whitney down on his back, and quickly divested him of his breeches and stockings.

"Lex," Whitney moaned, grabbing Lex's backside and pulling him closer. "My parents--"

"This is not the time, Whitney," Lex groaned, pulling back.

"I know, I simply--"

"Father will say nothing to them, I can assure you. He might wish to, to humiliate me, but he cares too much for the family name to do anything that could tarnish it. And flaunting my preferences to his business associates would be certain to do that." Lex kissed the skin below Whitney's collarbone and sucked softly. "Perhaps now we can get back to our own business?"

"Dear Lord, yes, please," Whitney whimpered.

* * *

"If your father thinks you will actually listen to him, well, I'm deeply sorry for him," Chloe Sullivan said, picking up the racing toddler from the floor. "Although, of course I'm not. Your father is--" She waved one arm in the air, holding Lawrence with the other, and then reached for a cloth to wash the boy's face with. They had just finished eating lunch when Lex had arrived.

Chloe was a formidable young woman, and never out of words; it was one of the first things that had drawn Lex to her when she and her father had first arrived at the Luthor estate. Well, no, it hadn't, but Lex still loved her conversation.

What had first drawn Lex to her had been her beauty. She shone amongst the other maids, an air of charismatic innocence drawn on her features. Lex, who hadn’t yet known who she was, hadn't felt so attracted to a woman for several years, and had the idea of introducing himself in the most intimate manner possible. A nice, long, and highly satisfactory meeting later, Lex knew he was in over his head with Chloe, although it wasn't until she announced to him that she was pregnant with his child that he had really started paying attention to her.

Chloe had been schooled, before her father’s destitution, with Lady Lana as a favour to the duke, who didn't want his daughter and only child, to study alone. It left Chloe with a very keen intellect that almost matched Lex's, and he rarely found men, or women, as entertaining as her. Her wit and intelligence had ensured her Lex's undying admiration. And she was a marvellous mother to his son.

Lex had often thought that if circumstances had been different, he could have happily married Chloe. He'd realized early on, however, that it would have been severely unfair to her, because his preferences were for men, and he'd loath to be a cheating husband. Especially to her, since he had a feeling she would not take lightly to it.

That would be the crux of his problem with his father as well. He had dozens of maidens just waiting for him to propose, he simply did not care for them. He'd known of his father's mistresses affairs since he'd been five years old, and he had promised his mother and himself over the years that he would never do the same.

"Perhaps he is going senile," Lex replied, smiling at Chloe. "Although it would be early. All those lies are going to his head."

She laughed, and put the boy down on the floor. "Perhaps you're right, but I'd be careful if I were you."

"Papa!"

"Oh, I intend to be." Lex looked down and smiled at Lawrence, who had come straight to him and was jumping up and down, his arms held up high. "What is it, Lawrie?"

"He wants you to pick him up," Chloe said with a smile, the dishtowel on her shoulder. "How was Whitney?"

Lex picked up the boy, swinging him in his arms with a laugh. "Delightful, if you need to know." Lawrence escaped him quickly the moment Lex stopped bouncing him, and Lex shook his head. "He was a bit too boring for anything more long-term than this visit, but quite enjoyable nonetheless."

"Out, mama!" Lawrence demanded, pushing on the door as hard as his little arms would let him. "Out!"

Chloe smiled, put down the towel and put some order into her hair before opening the door for Lawrence and following him outside. Her eyes never left the toddler as he went down the stairs and started chasing after the chickens. "Sometimes, I think you'll never find your Prince Charming, Lex. You definitely have a finicky nature."

"Who said I'm looking for a prince? A duke would do." Lex sat down on a bench and laughed at Lawrence's antics. The boy tried to grab the chicken, but only managed to pluck a feather. "I'd have married you, you know."

"You've told me before, and I know very well what your father would have said to that. And I also know better." She gave him a short, knowing smile, and sat. "You and I would have torn each other apart in a manner of days, and I'm not made to live in your world. I'm too outspoken and--" She stopped and shrugged, ever modest.

Lex went to continue Chloe's sentence, but another voice interrupted him.

"Intelligent," it said.

Lex looked behind them and gaped. He quickly recovered from the shock, however, and closed his mouth before the stranger could notice it hanging open in the most embarrassing manner possible.

"Clark!" Chloe leapt to her feet and grabbed a hold of the young man's neck. Lex noticed that her head didn't even reach the newcomer's shoulder. "What are you doing here?"

The man, Clark, was perhaps in his early twenties, close in age to Chloe. His hair was shoulder-length, and a beautiful gleaming black in colour. It looked silky to the touch, and Lex felt an urge to run his hand through it. When Clark finally looked his way, Lex was pulled into a sea of green; the greenest eyes he'd ever seen. He couldn't look away, and any greeting he might have said disappeared from his thoughts.

This must be what falling in love felt like.

Clark didn't seem to be in a much different state, but he still managed to answer Chloe. "Father and I finished sowing the crop early this year, and so I've decided to pay my old friend a visit. I've yet to meet your child, you know."

"Well, here he is," she said.

Lex looked down, noticing with a smile that Lawrence had come up to them the moment Clark had appeared.

"Lawrence, this is my friend, Clark," Chloe told the toddler, whose only response was to hide further in his mother's skirts.

"He is a bit shy," Lex found himself saying, drawing the attention to him.

"Oh, Clark, meet Lex Luthor." Chloe introduced them, and Lex was happy to notice that she hadn't used the title. He was technically a noble on his mother's side, but had decided early on that he would use the title for fear that his father would use it against him. Maybe, one day, Lex would use it, but until then, he was no lord.

"My lord," Clark said, softly, and bowed.

Except, of course, Clark had to use it and make it sound unbelievably attractive. Perhaps he'd have to change his mind and claim his mother's family title after all.

Lex had never seen a more perfect bow, nor heard a more arousing voice. It was a low rumble that raced across his skin and made him shiver. "Kent," he finally managed to say, remembering that he did have manners after all. "Any relation to the baroness?"

Lex had never felt anything like this. It was as if he was drowning, further and further down, and unable to come up for air. He must have this boy in his bed. It was a matter of life or death.

"No," Clark answered him, a smile on his face as if he'd been asked that question a thousand times before. And he must have. "My family owns a small patch of land near the Lang estate, we have no family ties to Lady Kent, unless you trace our ancestors back several generations."

"Ah, the duke! That would be where you've met Chloe. Were you schooled with the girls?" It only after he'd asked the question that Lex realized how it could be heard, and he wasn't surprised when Clark coughed. It was, definitely, a strange question to ask, as boys and girls would normally have been given a very different education, but Lex knew of the duke’s many eccentricities and he wouldn’t be surprised if this also figured amongst the many societal norms he was known for breaking.

"My lord?" the young man asked, cheeks burning.

The colour looked good on him.

"He means nothing by it, Clark," Chloe said.

"No, I don't," Lex added. "My father has often said that women were not to be schooled at all, but least of all in the same classroom as men. I've always thought it was a very backward way of thinking, myself."

"Oh. Yes, then, I was. It was a matter of great concern to my father," Clark added, “but it was the only opportunity for me to receive any sort of education, and so he agreed to it.”

"Have you learned Latin?" Lex asked, curious and trying to divert his own attention from Clark's body. They started walking down back to Chloe's home, Lawrence running before them.

"Yes--"

"Clark has a thing for languages."

"Chloe!"

"No, it's true, he learned Latin and ancient Greek both in a matter of days."

"You must be exaggerating," Lex said, his mouth curving into a smile. He'd been considered a very intelligent young man himself, but he'd taken at least a year before he'd mastered Latin and Greek enough to read or write either.

"No, I'm not." Chloe was laughing and Lex joined in, her laugh always contagious.

"Yes, she is."

"All right, perhaps a month. But he's horrible at stitching." Clark went to tickle Chloe at that, but she moved out of the way, laughing.

Lex watched their exchange, fascinated by their easy banter. It wasn't something you saw much of in the world he grew up in. It made him miss his mother more acutely than ever.

"No," Chloe finally said, still laughing. "While Lady Lana and I were learning the most boring of all women's tasks, Clark was in the courtyard, learning how to handle a sword. Ah, how I wished I could have been down there with him on some days."

Lex looked at her, frowning. "That is a scary thought."

"What?" Chloe asked, immediately on the defensive, as Lex had known she would be. It made his smile widen. "Women learning how to fight is frightening? Perhaps it hurts your manliness?"

He shook his head at her, and she seemed to calm down when she saw his lips curved into a grin. "No, Chloe, you know me better than that by now, or have those two years been all for nothing? No, the scary thought is not women learning how to fight," Lex countered. "It's you with a sword." Clark laughed at that. Lex had never heard a sweeter laugh, and, wishing he could hear it yet again, wondered what it would sound like if Clark laughed in the intimacy of his bedroom. He gulped, trying to steer clear of those thoughts, and instead focused on what the young man was saying.

"My Lord Lex is right, Chloe, you would be terrifying with a sword."

"You are saying that only because I'd best the both of you in a fight." Chloe made it sound like a challenge, and Lex, not for the first time, thought she really ought to have been born a man. She would have accomplished great things.

"Well, of course you would," he said. "I wouldn't even dare to challenge you." They had reached Chloe's small house, having taken the long way back, and Lawrence was once again chasing the chickens.

Clark's cart had been left close to the entrance, and Lex could see it was old, but well cared for. The wood wasn't chipped or broken. The horses also looked well, despite not being of the calibre Lex was used to from his father's stables. While the Kents may have owned their land, they clearly weren't wealthy. There was something odd about the Duke of Lang and his habit of getting involved with poorer families. He was from one of the oldest and wealthiest families of England, and yet, people like Clark and Chloe shared his only daughter's education. He was an eccentric, to say the least.

"What brings you here?" Lex asked Clark when he figured that the silence had gone on too long. Chloe was picking up Lawrence and scolding him for plucking yet another feather off of an unsuspecting chicken. He might make a good hunter one of these days; Lex would have to teach him when he was of age.

"We've heard that the harvest on your lands was poor," Clark replied, his smile gone. "We've had a good year."

"You thought you could do business?"

"No, actually, your father asked it of the duke. My father wouldn't have agreed if his Grace hadn't made it a personal request."

"It's the classic story," Chloe said, coming into the conversation, her arms full of a wriggling toddler. "My father hates your father..."

"Ah, I see." Lex had heard this many times before, especially when in the presence of nobles. "The Luthors are not in everyone's good graces; of that I am all too aware."

"It has nothing to do with you personally, my lord," Clark added.

"Of course not, but my father's ways have not endeared him to others."

"No, they haven't." Clark looked away, as if debating whether to say more or not. He obviously settled on not, because the silence stretched between them again. They all watched as Lawrence wriggled his way out of his mother's grasp--eliciting a sigh of resignation from her--and then ran around again, this time with nothing particular in mind, since the chickens had all run away.

Lex hadn't spent much time around children before Lawrence was born, and it always amazed him how much energy he had to spare. While the boy played, Lex stole a glance at Clark and found him staring back. Their eyes met for a brief moment before Clark looked away, blushing furiously.

"I should go," Clark said sounding at least a little bit disappointed at the prospect. "I sent Pete ahead to announce my arrival, and Luthor will be expecting me." He hugged Chloe, tightly, saying something into her ear that Lex couldn't hear--he was too busy noticing how Clark had called Lionel 'Luthor', and yet referred to Lex as 'my lord'--and ruffled Lawrence's hair before bowing to Lex. "It was a pleasure meeting you, my lord."

"The pleasure was all mine, I assure you." Lex gave him a smile and watch him as he climbed into his carriage and clucked at the horses. Clark was blushing again, and Lex felt himself wistful as the carriage moved away on the road. They would see each other again; Lex would make sure of that.

The carriage was barely out of sight when Lex felt Chloe smack his arm sharply.

"Oh, no, you won't!" she said vehemently. Lex had never seen that expression on her face before. She'd been angry at him, once or twice--or a dozen times--but this was fierce determination mixed in with a form of anger Lex couldn't yet identify.

"What do you mean?" he asked, even though he knew full well that while she couldn't read his thoughts, she knew him well enough to know what he'd been thinking.

"You will not break his heart, Lex. I won't let you!" She shook her head when he went to speak. "No, I see it in your eyes; you want to bed him. I won't let that happen."

"Perhaps--"

"No, Lex," she countered again, not letting him put one more word in. "You'll bed him and then discard him like the dozen other boys that have shared your bed. You'll charm him, make sure he falls for you, and then break his heart when you are done with him, and reject him. No." Her voice was as cold as Lex had ever heard it and her eyes hard--it was a very good thing that she didn't know how to handle a sword. Lex suspected she would have taken his and killed him with it then, if only to protect her friend's virtue. "He's my friend, possibly the only one I have left since my father's destitution, and I will not let you hurt him. You do not deserve him."

"You love him." It made the most sense, really, that she would be forgetting herself thus for a man that she loved. Lex had never seen Chloe this intense before.

"Yes."

"Then why haven't you married him?"

She sighed, and walked into the house with Lawrence in tow. "I am not dense enough to believe that he shares my feelings." When Lex protested--he had seen how Clark had looked at Chloe and even embraced her--she held up her hand to stop him. "He is fond of me, but his preferences lay elsewhere. He had been pining after Lady Lana--"

"The duke's daughter?" Lex frowned. Well, that would be a twist: the son of a commoner falling for the daughter of a duke.

"Yes, but he realized he'd only idolized her because she was, after all, completely unattainable. I was the one he poured his heart to once he'd figured out that he had different--preferences."

"And?"

This time, her sigh was one of resignation. She looked up at Lex, and he knew he'd been right after all. "His preferences lay in the same direction yours do," she said almost defiantly. "But Lex, please--"

He shook his head, but still read the despair in her eyes quite clearly. While her love for Kent was totally unrequited, it was still obvious that he meant the world to her. "I will not hurt him," Lex found himself promising. "But if he shares my interest..."

"Lex--" Her voice was like a whine, reaching out and tugging Lex's strings.

He closed his eyes. "I've never felt love," he admitted. "But this is more than a fleeting attraction, I can promise you this much."

With a shake of her head, Chloe let it go. Lex knew it sounded a bit odd coming from him--he'd never cared much, or at all, for the boys he bedded, discarding them the moment he became bored with them. There had been the occasional one he'd actually liked the company of, like young Whitney, who hadn't been nearly as boring as he'd let Chloe think, but Lex had never cared about love one way or the other. However, there was something in the Kent boy's eyes that Lex knew could very easily make him rethink that.

Perhaps he'd even let it.

* * *

Chapter 2

Two hours later, Lex hurried back to the mansion, fearful of the thick clouds that seemed to be coming over fast. He'd rather not be stuck outside in the rain. He quickly stopped by the kitchen on his way to ask that a freshly cooked chicken be sent to Chloe's house by dinnertime before making his way upstairs. He passed by his father's study, and the sound of voices made him stop.

"Kent," Lex heard his father say in a curious tone of voice that Lex rarely heard him use. "Any relation to Martha Kent?"

"Yes, she is my mother, sir." Clark's voice was tight, as if he was struggling not to say more. It picked Lex’s curiosity and he wondered what else Clark wished he could say.

"I was not aware that Martha had any children," Lionel mused. "But even more so, I'm disappointed that such a woman as her hasn't deigned to teach you manners. As I remember it, she was quite the lady before she married outside of her class. She would never have refused a man his rightful title."

The tone of Lionel's voice as he spoke of Clark's mother made Lex's skin tighten in disgust. Lex had seen his father obsessed with women before, and this sounded worse than anything Lex might have witnessed in the past. And he couldn't even remember ever hearing about this woman.

"Oh, pardon me," Clark said, unfazed by Lionel's comments. Lex would have been at his father's throat by now. The words weren't that hurtful, but his tone... "Perhaps you would prefer I call you 'Mr. Luthor', since 'sir' is not right either. I was being polite, as my mother taught me."

Oh, what courage, what bravery. Lex really did like that boy. He'd be sad to see him die. It would undoubtedly happen right after Lionel had had the chance to tell his story, once again. It was a completely made up tale of how he was the rightful heir of the duchy of Gotham, and had been refused his title by a bunch of ignorant aristocrats. Lex had heard the story more than once before; had heard of men dying for having the audacity of claiming otherwise in his father's presence.

Lionel had thought to reduce the number of nobles opposing his claim by marrying one. Lillian had been charmed by Lionel and had married him against her own father's wishes. She had thought it was love, but soon realized that Lionel only married her because she was of noble blood and had a title of her own. Money was negligible for Lionel; he had been a successful factory owner before he'd met and wedded Lillian. He'd made his business with textiles, and managed to end up with more money than most of the nobles put together. But before his marriage to her, he had never managed to be so close to the nobility.

Perhaps this was why Clark had used the title to address Lex earlier; he could know about Lillian, it was no secret, and believe Lex to be the rightful heir of that title, since the line had ended with Lillian's death. Lex preferred not to use it, but he was a noble by decent.

Lost in his thoughts, he hadn't heard what his father had been saying, but he decided to intervene nonetheless and walked into the room. It was, he realized quickly, a very good idea. Clark was blushing furiously, although from shame or anger, Lex couldn't tell. Lionel, on the other hand, was clearly fuming and had the air he always had when he was about to launch himself into a tirade about his family's history.

"Now, now, father," Lex said, trying to keep himself calm. "Perhaps you should spare the boy a lecture about your past? I'm sure he didn't mean what he's said, whatever it was." Lex glanced at Clark, and the boy looked relieved.

"Don't taunt me, son," Lionel growled.

Lex recognized the threat underlying those words, and decided it was sound advice not to push the issue further. He would not let himself be scared by his father anymore, but it didn't mean he was thick enough to goad him in the presence of a stranger. "Of course not, father," he responded, sounding and seeming as courteous as he could manage. "I'm merely stating--"

He was interrupted in the middle of his sentence by the arrival of one of Lionel's servants. Lex couldn't care less what Hubert had to say, so he kept his eyes on Clark, until the younger man blushed and looked down. He had the most incredible lashes, Lex noted. He'd always had a thing for long lashes.

"This interview is not over," Lionel said, warningly, making Lex look up. His father was looking pointedly at Clark, but Lex also knew he'd receive a stern talking-to later. "I've got to attend to some more pressing affairs, but you and I will talk again before you leave, Kent." He gave Lex a warning look, and stormed out.

"Oh, we'll meet again," Clark said after Lionel had disappeared, sounding none too pleased at the prospect. He gave a short laugh when Lex looked at him. "He hasn't paid me yet, and I'm on strict orders not to come home without the money he owes us."

Lex shared his laugh, and touched Clark's arm lightly. "It's been a while since I've been this entertained," he countered, taking his hand away, all too aware of the awkwardness of the touch. "Share my meal?"

"With you alone? Ah, stories of what you do to boys have reached the country, my lord. I'm not sure it would be wise." It was said with a smile and a teasing tone.

Lex laughed. "I promise to keep my hands to myself, if you are so worried about your virtue."

"Then I accept," Clark said, chuckling. "I've been warned to stay away from you by many, but you are certainly not what I'd expected."

"I tend to surprise people when they give me the chance. Ask Chloe when you can; she could tell you much about it."

Clark's smile widened at that, and Lex waved at him to follow. They climbed the stairs to his floor, following labyrinthine corridors until they finally reached the large wooden door that led to Lex's quarters. Jacob, Lex's manservant, opened it for them, and they walked in.

"Would you have a meal brought up for us, please, Jacob?"

"Of course, sir."

"Thank you."

The door closed behind Jacob, and Lex turned back to Clark, who was staring around with wide eyes. It should have been aggravating, as it usually was, but Lex found it pleasant.

"Our whole home could fit in this room alone," Clark murmured. "Even the duke's castle isn't as big as this mansion."

"My father only ever has the best money can buy," Lex replied a bit tightly. The mansion had been built to prove to the nobility that Lionel had power; it had never been meant to be a home. Lex hated it.

"Yes, another rumour I've heard."

"Oh, it's more than mere gossip." Lex waved at Clark to sit down and did the same. "My father tries to prove his worth by buying the best and most expensive things he can get his hands on. He believes that possession is what makes a noble." Lex sneered. "He is, of course, wrong. He'll never be accepted by the nobility, but he is too stubborn to stop."

Clark nodded, his head hung low and his hands held between his knees. "I've heard that. My mother is from a small noble family. You may have heard of the viscount Clark? He is my grandfather. I've never met him."

"Your mother married out of her class?"

Clark smiled. "Yes, for love. My father is poor and has no claims to nobility, but he is a good, honest man, and his family has owned their land for generations. They've struggled, but they own it."

"It's more than most families can claim," Lex added, softly.

There was a silence that stretched in the room as it took a moment for Clark to be comfortable. He even apologized for his quietness, putting it on the count of still being slightly awed by such splendour. He did relax after a while, and Lex found himself captivated by the young man's conversation. They spoke of the weather, the crops, Chloe--all subjects Lex would have expected. The unexpected came when they breached politics, sciences, even literature. There wasn't a subject that Clark could not debate. He had what Lex quickly realized most of his acquaintances lacked: passion.

"Were you kidnapped at birth?" Lex asked at one point in the conversation. "You are more interesting than anyone I've ever met. Much more interesting, in fact, than I would have given you credit for."

"Why? Because my parents are farmers?" Clark sounded mildly offended.

"Far be it from me to insult you or your family, Clark," Lex immediately apologized, hoping his honesty would shine through. He'd only made the comment in jest and had meant nothing by it. "I've simply never met anyone as passionate as you before."

Clark blushed at the compliment. All through their little tête-à-tête, Lex had managed to keep his thoughts civilized. To be honest, he hadn't needed to make any conscious effort for it, since he'd been too captivated to think of anything but the subjects they were chatting about. Now, on the other hand, with Clark's reddened skin, and the way his eyes lowered to the floor, Lex couldn't help but wonder if the young man's passion would also carry on in bed. He had no doubt that it would.

He was drawn away from those thoughts again when Clark spoke.

"My parents found me when I was a toddler," he whispered, as if admitting to a long hidden secret.

Lex leaned closer.

"I've no idea where I come from, only that I am--" He hesitated. "Different. Not that it matters, since my parents were nothing but loving to me."

"They've treated you like their own?"

"All my life. I didn't even know I wasn't until just a few years ago." He went on, and Lex listened to his story, captivated again, but this time more by the movement of Clark's lips than the actual words.

Their discussion turned personal, and Lex even found himself opening up and telling Clark about his mother. He'd never talked about Lillian to any of his conquests before. She had died when he'd been fairly young, but she was still a sore subject for him to breach. For some reason, Clark appeared safe.

They talked all through their meal and the evening, and even a part of the night. They edged closer as they talked, until their sides touched, Clark's skin burning Lex through their clothing. Lex even put his hand on Clark's knee, felt the young man leaning into his touch, but didn't push it further than that all night.

Sunrise mustn't have been very far off when Lex finally decided that this would be enough teasing for the day, and stood. When he said his goodnight and asked Jacob to accompany Clark back to the guest quarters, he could see Clark's slight disappointment, but also the relief on his face, and Lex knew he had been right to keep his word.

* * *

The next evening found them in almost the same position on either end of Lex's couch after a quick, but satisfactory meal. They were both exhausted, and neither of them spoke for a long time, to the point where Lex thought they might very well fall asleep in their seats without having said a word.

The morning had started in a panic. Quite a few of the untrained horses had been let loose by accident, and the whole stable was in shambles. Two stable boys had been severely injured and several others were also hurt. Gabriel Sullivan had heard the men's cries for help and had tried to come to the rescue himself. He had ended up under a horse's hooves. Frightened beyond anything Lex had ever seen, Chloe had bolted into Lex's apartments, hair dishevelled, dress askew, with a crying Lawrence in her arms, and had asked him, out of despair, to care for the boy while she tended to her father.

Lex still didn't know what had stirred him to accept instead of sending for a servant.

He'd ended up showing Lawrence around his apartment, and then taking him for a tour of the mansion. Clark had seen them in the gardens and joined them for their tour. Lawrence had still been scared from having heard everyone shouting and seen his grandfather hurt, and he'd held on to Lex's hand tightly all through their walk. Clark suggested they get away from the mansion for the day to help Lawrence calm down, and Lex decided to take them out on the hills for a picnic. The kitchen staff had been more than happy to prepare them a meal, and they spent all day up there, admiring the view. Lex had never been so grateful that the weather was still warm and clear for fall.

"I can't believe you told a toddler about his destiny," Clark said, laughing yet again at the memory.

"He has to know that he's destined to great things," Lex quipped, a smile playing on his lips. The day had made them friends, if nothing else, and Lex was constantly surprised at the easiness that had built between them in such a short time. "Lawrence will be heir to the Luthor fortune, if not my mother’s title, no matter what my father might say; the money will be mine to do with as I please."

"Your father will hate you."

Lex shrugged and sighed. "He already does, what difference does it make if I defy him on this as well? Lawrence is my son, and possibly the only one I'll ever have, since I've no desire to marry or even bed another woman. Besides, he'll be dead when the situation arises."

"I see your point." Clark fell silent again.

When they'd come home, Lionel had Clark meet with him again. Lex had stayed away this time; he'd brought Lawrence back to Chloe. She looked more put together and calm compared to the state she'd been in that the morning. Gabriel's condition was stable, and he was expected to recover fully with a few weeks' rest. His wounds hadn't been as dreadful as they had first looked.

Lex had returned to his apartments to find Clark already sitting on the couch, and had purposefully refused to give in to the curious side of him that demanded to know what Lionel had told Clark.

"I'm going home tomorrow," Clark said, again breaking the silence.

Lex sat up and frowned at him. "Why?"

"Your father paid me my due, and has ordered me to leave. I wasn't as polite as I should have been, I'm afraid." Clark bit his lip, eyes cast down in that attractive way of his. "My parents will be waiting for me to finish preparing for winter."

With a nod, Lex stood, going to the fireplace and adding a log. "Will you come back some day?"

They'd had a wonderful day. Lex had found himself wishing many times that it could happen again, and had already planned to go riding with Clark the next morning. It seemed that it would not happen after all.

"I'm--I don't think so." Clark shook his head and walked to the hearth, standing close enough to Lex that he could feel the warmth emanating from him. "Unless--unless I have sufficient reason to."

When Lex turned to face him, he found himself pulled into Clark's gaze. He sighed, giving in to his urge to touch Clark, and cupped his face. "What kind of reason are you looking for? Perhaps I can find one for you."

"I'm sure you could," Clark whispered, tilting his head slightly to the side.

Lex felt as if fire was coursing through him from the moment their lips met. Clark was inexperienced, his movements clumsy and unsure, but Lex hadn't been wrong when he'd thought that Clark would be as passionate in this as he'd been the night before, discussing subjects he found interesting. Passion was definitely there in every move Clark made, and Lex drank from it, pulling the young man closer and teaching him how to kiss.

"No."

The word barely registered in Lex's mind, but Clark pulled away, and that made Lex stop. His hands had been wandering, and he groaned when he realized where they'd been. "I'm sorry."

"No," Clark said again. "No need for apologies. I let myself be carried away as well." He sighed and refastened his belt. "I should go."

He was almost out of the apartment when Lex remembered how to speak. "Clark," he managed to say, his voice tight and his throat dry. Clark stopped walking, and Lex licked his lips. "Don't go."

Clark turned around and shook his head. "I can't stay after this."

"I'll--I promise to keep my hands to myself, please, at least let me have the pleasure of your conversation again." He knew he couldn't ask for more, and while he wanted to bed Clark more than any of the other men he'd bedded before, he found he would miss the company infinitely more.

Clark acquiesced after a slight hesitation, and sat in a chair far from Lex. It took them a moment to get over the awkwardness, but they never quite reached their earlier easiness, hindered by the tension that settled. They kissed once more, just before Clark left at dawn--a brief kiss, merely long enough for Lex to wish for more.

"Will I see you again?"

"I--" Clark wavered, looking away from Lex. "I hope so."

And then he was gone.

* * *

"Master Lex." The words were spoken softly, but they still pulled Lex from sleep and he opened his eyes to see Jacob hovering over him. "Master Lex, your father wishes to see you."

Lex sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "What time is it?"

"Just a little after eleven, Sir, your father is really adamant that you meet him in his quarters immediately." Jacob looked scared. He was trembling as he held Lex's robe for him to slip into, and Lex was certain he could hear the man's heart beating hard. It was a small miracle that Lionel hadn't simply erupted into the room like he'd had two mornings before.

Had it really been only two days? It felt more like a lifetime. Sighing, Lex stood and let Jacob help him dress. "Has he said anything else, Jacob?"

"No, but he was--forceful."

That explained it then. Jacob hated to be yelled at or manhandled in any way. Lionel had been about to throw him out for his incompetence when Lex had decided to take him as his manservant. He had soon found out that if you treated the man gently, he was an irreplaceable ally in more things than his position asked of him. It also helped that Lex had never felt the tiniest urge to bed Jacob in all the years the man had worked for him. "Have breakfast ready for me when I come back."

"Yes, sir, I will."

"Thank you, Jacob."

Lex wished he could have dressed, but his nightshirt would have to do. When Lionel was in one of his moods, it was much better for all involved that he not be left waiting. Lex walked quickly in the bustling corridors and found Lionel's doors open. He'd obviously been waiting for Lex.

"What is it, Father?"

"You've disobeyed me yet again!"

"What have I done, this time?"

"Don't use this attitude with me, son! The Kent boy was in your room until dawn!"

Lex winced, his thoughts going to the poor servants who were forced to hear his father bellowing with such strength. "And how is that disobeying you? You've told me not to bed another boy, and I haven't."

Lionel snickered, shaking his head in dismay. "You want me to believe that you've had that--that attractive young commoner--" he said the word as if spitting it out, "--in your rooms all night, and you haven't touched him? I do not believe you. Nobody here does!" He looked at his secretary and Dominic nodded his agreement, clearly only doing so for Lionel's benefit.

"I know you, Lex," Lionel continued. "You've disobeyed me, and I've had more than enough of this!"

"I am telling you, father, nothing happened between the Kent boy and me! We talked. That's all we did! Ask Jacob."

"I already have, and he can't even utter two words together without stuttering like a madman." Lionel waved at Dominic to shut the doors and then hovered over Lex. "You will not, and I repeat for your thick brain, you will not bed another boy, again, is that clear?"

"I did not bed Clark!" Lex said once more, vehemently. He had nothing against goading his father on, but if he was going to be yelled at for something, he'd rather it be something he had actually done, and not another of his father's made up tales. "We spoke of literature, science, and politics! We did not even go further than my dressing room!"

"Many things can happen between two people without ever laying on a bed! You have to know that! Do you truly want me to believe that a--a farmer would be literate enough to converse with you? Are you mad, Lex? Perhaps I should have you locked up somewhere instead of--"

Lex didn't want to know what Lionel was planning to do with him, and so he interrupted his father. "He was schooled with the Duke of Lang's daughter, just like Chloe was."

"The duke!" Every bit of the hatred Lionel felt for the man went into that single word, so much that Lex recoiled from it. "The duke," Lionel said again, more carefully this time, "truly ought to know better than to educate the lower class--"

Never mind that Lionel Luthor himself was of common birth, Lex thought spitefully to himself.

"--but I do not think even an eccentric such as him would go as far as to accept a boy like Kent to be schooled with his own daughter. Stop your lies, Lex, they are not helping you at all."

Lex said nothing to that. What could he say that his father would believe? Nothing, nothing at all, and so he kept quiet. Silence was often a wiser choice than words when Lionel was concerned.

"I will say it again, Lex, and this is your last warning. I've had more than enough of your little mishaps, more than enough," Lionel repeated, this time speaking as if he was pushing every word into Lex's memory, trying to impress the severity of what he was saying.

Lex sighed, and hung his head. He wanted this interview done, wanted to go back to his bed where he'd been sleeping and dreaming--dreaming of the very thing his father was scolding him, yet again, for. Only, it had been just that, dreams. "Yes, Father," he finally said, trying to sound as contrite as he could manage. He could still feel the anger boiling inside him, but he quenched it before it could get a hold of him.

"You will not bed another boy again." Lionel put both of his hands on Lex's shoulders, forcing him to look up. "And I expect you to find a bride within the next six months, or I will choose one for you."

"Better yet," Lex muttered. He hadn't meant to speak it out loud, but Lionel had obviously heard, and the look on the man's face was such that Lex felt unable to reign in his frustration any longer. "You should have me killed like you did Julian," he said more distinctly. "Instate Lucas as your heir, since he seems more interested in listening to you than I ever will be. Perhaps he would like to marry some heiress of your choosing."

Once he got going, Lex could not stop. He knew he should; Julian had been only a few months old when he'd died, and there had been no proof that Lionel had anything to do with it; and Lucas was just as unstable as his mother had been. Lex knew all that, and yet-- "Oh, but I forget, Lucas is nothing but the son of a whore, a bastard of no consequence. Of course he can't be your heir, no matter how much you wish he could be. He does your dirty work, but doesn't reap the benefits of it. He has no ties to the nobility, and there is no way he could serve your purpose now, could he!"

The slap came as a surprise. As much as Lionel liked to shout and never seemed to let Lex do as he wished without scolding him for one thing or another, he never used brute force. It didn't fit the image he wished to present to the world. Lex could remember having been hit by his father on only two occasions before this, and both had happened a very long time ago, when he'd been a young child, and Lillian had still been alive to care for Lex afterwards.

His cheek stung, and he reeled back from the blow, shocked.

"That is enough, Lex. You will do as I say, and no more of your games. I expect full obedience from this day forth, or I will have you shipped to America."

"Exiled, Father?" He would not dare. Lionel would not dare send his own heir to America like they used to do for criminals over two hundred years ago. The Dark Ages were over. Lex had to be thankful Lionel wasn’t sending him to Jamaica or India; there were worse places to be exiled to than America after, but it still didn’t make the idea of exile any less frightening.

"Yes, exactly, exiled. The work would be beneficial for you. It's a wonder I hadn't thought of it before." The smile on Lionel's face was spiteful, gleaming.

Lex did not blame him. If he had found the one thing that terrified his father most, he would bear the exact same expression on his face. "You can't--"

"I very well can, Lex, and I will. You listen to me, or I will put you on a boat bound for America. It will not be a vacation, I can assure you. I have business there that you would be expected to report on regularly. My holdings in Georgia need a firm hand, and I'm sure you'd appreciate working on the plantation."

The idea was repulsive, to say the least, but what did it matter anyway? Clark was gone, and while Lex might dream of a different outcome to their brief encounter, there was every chance that the young man would never be back. At this moment, Lex could not even begin to imagine wanting another man in his bed, after he'd even just as much as kissed Clark's lips. He had been delightful, much more so than any of the other boys Lex had ever touched.

And since there would never be another man for Lex, he might as well save himself from exile.

"Yes, Father," he whispered, hanging his head. He wrapped his robe tightly around his body, an armour against his father's triumphant look.

There would be other ways to defy Lionel, Lex was sure. His father might take his will, but he could not rob Lex of his dreams.

PART TWO