Summary: Fourth in series following "Night and Day." (Can be
found here: http://www.geocities.com/makolane2001/) Lex discovers
that honesty has its price.

TRUTH OR DARE by mako
([email protected] )

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There were many things Lex Luthor wanted to see when he came home
after sharing a kiss with a distraught Clark Kent by the side of
some forsaken Smallville dirt road. The inside of his shower, the
bottom of a whiskey glass, his bedroom ceiling ...

His father's corporate uber-drone, Dominic Latrell, wasn't one of
them.

"Mr. Luthor." The usual cold tone and Lex noted with disdain that
Dom's tie was perfectly knotted at almost midnight, bespeaking of
a man who was either psychotically ambitious or purely psychotic.

Or maybe masochistic. "My God, Dom. Don't you have a video-
conference to haunt?" Lex shrugged out of his leather jacket and
threw it against the wall where it landed with a satisfying
splat. "What the hell does Father want now?"

"I'm not coming from your father ... sir." Bitterly said, and Lex
perked up.

Dom didn't interest him anymore on any level but this was
something new. Something almost intriguing.

"No?" Lex sat down in the wing chair behind his desk. "You came
here all on your lonesome?" Secretive smile. "Do tell."

Dom's hand went his tie knot and loosened it nervously. "I came
here to tell you that your father is planning to push the payroll
cuts at your plant up to twenty-percent. He's not going to take
no for an answer and is even planning a visit here in the near
future to make sure his orders are carried out." The man drew
himself up stiffly. "I thought it would be prudent to warn you in
advance."

A tingle along Lex's spine as he tried to imagine his father
storming through the Luthor castle doors, sword in hand. Horror
of horrors, and Lex was torn between dread and the faint hopeful
anticipation his father's arrivals, rumored or otherwise, always
brought. Daddy's coming home versus lock the doors and hide the
foils -- Father's visits were never an easy occasion.

He'd have to make sure to do his part to add to that uneasiness.

A stilted cough brought him back to reality and Lex noted that Dom
was still standing in front of him as if waiting for something.
Some reward for crossing the Rubicon that was Lionel Luthor no
doubt and Lex lazily debated ratting him out to daddy dearest,
just to see where the body parts would land.

Or, it might be more prudent find out what the silly bastard
wanted. "Always explore your traitors before exposing them" he
was taught, for they might end up either harmless, or useful, or
both. "Thank you, Dom," Lex said softly. "Although I have to say
I'm a bit surprised you went over Father's head with this. That
was quite, um ... brave of you."

Dom paled slightly and loosened his tie another notch. "I thought
it was only fair, considering ..." A pause. "Considering that you
and I were once friends, sir."

Friends. Lex almost bit his lip through with held-in hilarity.
Friends? If that's what Dom wanted to call six straight months of
mindless fucking, well, Lex wasn't going to be the one to tell him
otherwise.

It was a fun affair in its day, especially considering he was
sleeping with Dom's sister at the same time, bringing them
together one night for an aborted threesome, just to see the looks
on their faces when they realized who the "other man" actually
was.

Oh, those were the days, but Lex wasn't in the mood to relive the
happy lechery.

There were other, more pressing, things on his mind.

Like Father and plotting and beautiful boys left crying by the
side of the road.

Of course, that didn't mean that Dom wasn't in the mood to trip
down memory lane. Indeed, perhaps that's what all this intrigue
was boiling down to. Theory testing time, and Lex leaned back with
a decidedly seductive smile. "That was incredibly loyal of you,
Dom. Considering how much time has passed and all."

He steepled his fingers beneath his chin and spread his legs
slightly, the hard-on he'd gotten from kissing Clark still
outlined beneath his pants. Watched as Dom swallowed hard, eyes
glued to his crotch, and Lex could practically hear the man's
saliva glands drying out.

Ah, theory proved correct. "But, I have to tell you that this
doesn't change anything between us ... Mr. Latrell," continued
Lex, his tone suddenly, and brutally, crisp. He rose and eyed the
other man with distinct contempt. "And frankly, I don't need
warnings about my father from you or anyone else. Let him do what
he pleases, I'm more than ready for him." A sharp smile. "So,
good-bye, my 'friend'. Say hi to your sister for me."

A wicked turn of the knife and Dom reeled back, as if punched. He
recovered with impressive speed and glowered mightily in Lex's
direction. "Goodnight, Mr. Luthor," he snapped and stormed out in
a huff.

"Nighty-night Dommy," said Lex to the empty room, rubbing his
temples with a sigh.

Ambushes weren't pretty but they certainly were effective.

Of course, his father knew all about those. He'd been planning
one all along.

That old bastard, thought Lex, anger bubbling through him like
acid. I can't even be banished properly, no, the Emperor himself
has to come by to taunt me on a regular basis, while I have to sit
here and smile and pretend that I'm daddy's obedient little clone.

To hell with that.

Lex threw himself back into his desk chair, simmering with ideas
of vengeance, petty and otherwise. To his surprise a different
train of thought entered his mind in the midst of all his rage,
pushing the anger aside, making it seem just as insignificant as
everything else he'd ever despised.

Thoughts of Clark and his shy smile. Of his kisses, two of them,
with promises of more.

Slowly, Lex began to ache again, not unpleasantly and he wondered
what he was going to do about his mystery boy, how he was going to
take someone who deserved so much better than he, perhaps so much
better than anyone on the planet.

Lex wondered if he was actually worthy of the attempt.

Of course, there was only one way to find out. And nothing was
going to stop him from trying.

[][][][][][]

Lex spent the next morning plotting on how to get Clark back into
the house, even if for a minute, when Clark surprised him by
showing up at precisely 3:02 in the afternoon in his office, pale
from an obviously sleepless night.

"I brought back your keys." Clark stared at the floor, reddening.
"To the observatory."

"Why?" Lex asked sincerely, hiding his happiness at Clark's
unexpected appearance. "You're welcome here anytime."

"I ... I don't think I'll be using it anymore."

"Really? Did your Dad build you one then?" Lex tried to smile
but found it hard in the face of Clark's honest distress. He was
beautiful, even more so while suffering, and Lex tried to shut out
the images of Clark that had been seared onto his mind for days on
end.

Clark. Hair and cheeks wet by the river bank. Tied to a cross in
the cornfields.

Reaching for one last kiss before dying.

Deep breath time and Lex took one, shrugging helplessly. "Look,
Clark. I know you won't believe me but I don't hold anything
against you. In fact ... " Admission time, and Christ, honesty
was hard. "It's not my feelings I'm worried about. It's you."

Clark glanced up at him curiously. "Why are you worried about
me?"

Innocent and perfect, and it was all Lex could do not to jump him
where he stood. "Isn't it obvious?" His voice softened. "I'm
older than you, Clark. I'm ... I wasn't raised like you were and
much to my late mother's distress I'm not boy scout material. I
never was, I never will be."

Understatement of the year but Clark didn't seem to notice. "You'd
look pretty silly as a boy scout," grinned Clark. "That yellow
scarf is definitely not you."

"Very funny." Suddenly serious then, and it was as if a foreign
voice was coming from Lex's mouth, saying words he'd never thought
he'd utter, ever. "I like you, Clark. Very much and I ... I don't
want to ever lose your friendship or respect. Can you
understand... no, scratch that. Can you believe that? I like you
too much to ever let you down."

Unbidden memory of Dom's sorrowful face at midnight and Lex felt
the color drain from his cheeks, his fists clenching at his side.

"Clark, I want to be someone you feel you can count on. Because I
know I can count on you. Always, and it's not fair for it to be
any other way. The problem is, I don't know if I can be that
person. The person who won't let you down, will never disappoint
or offend. I just don't know if I'm capable of that."

God, the truth does hurt, Lex thought, his gut knotting. Hurts
so badly, and he could see how close he was, close to losing Clark
forever with his honesty, but he had no choice.

Lex's life was always a truth or dare, and eventually, truth will
have its day.

Besides, maybe that would be the better way, to let Clark go. Let
him live his life and never be tainted by someone who would lead
him down paths better left not taken.

Let him love someone who would never tear him apart.

Clark took a step closer. "If I told you not to worry about me,
would you trust me?"

Sincere blue eyes met his, and Lex struggled against their spell.
"I ... yes, I would."

"They why don't you?" he asked before closing the space between
them and taking Lex's mouth beneath his own.

No more thinking, and Lex returned the kiss with a whimper of
surprise.

Sometimes, it seemed, the truth wins out.

So good, Clark's mouth against his and Lex wanted to take his
time. He wanted it to be good and yanking Clark upstairs to the
bedroom, breaking the mood, was too much of a risk. The den's
black leather sofa was only a few feet away and like everything
else in the Luthor mansion it was big enough for two -- three, if
inspired.

Trembling hands snuck under Clark's layers of clothing, smoothing
over satin skin. More kisses, a slow tango-walk backwards and
Clark gracefully tumbled onto the sofa, pulling Lex down atop him.
He drew away from Lex's mouth and tilted his head back, revealing
his neck as in offering -- a willing sacrifice.

No vampire ever had it so good, thought Lex, scraping his teeth
along the lightly stubbled skin, licking along a throbbing pulse.
Strong smell of Ivory soap from Clark's warm skin, ninety-nine-
point-nine percent pure and Lex silently thanked God for the point
one percent that wasn't.

Nothing good should be this good.

Questing fingers tugged ineffectively at Lex's clothes, and he
arched up impatiently, yanking his shirt over his head, struggling
with a cuff that refused to slip off. Light laughter as Clark
popped the wrist button open and Lex dove down capturing Clark's
mouth, silencing him.

There wasn't going to be any laughter here, not this time.

He scraped his tongue against the top of Clark's mouth, rocked
against the strong thigh between his legs and felt the struggle
start. The struggle of Clark trying to hold back, maybe even
thinking about changing his mind, then relaxing into the rhythm of
touch ... of take.

He wanted it. Lex knew he wanted it by the way he moved, the
near-lifting up of both their bodies from the couch as Clark
scrabbled for more contact. He snatched at Lex's belt and Luthor
was vaguely surprised to hear the buckle clank to the floor, torn
right off the leather.

So much for Italian workmanship.

Two hands skimmed along his belly, pushing down the front of his
pants, teasing at his cock and Lex nearly jumped up in surprise.
Desire does funny things to virgin farmboys and there he was,
getting outdone at a game he should have mastered by now --getting
outdone even while on top.

Breathless, he pulled away and stared into Clark's eyes, heavy
lidded with desire. "Too much?" Clark whispered and Lex could
practically hear the tease in his voice.

Why the little ... "Not nearly enough," he replied and with one
long satisfying rip, tore Clark's T-shirt straight down the
middle. My farmboy is wearing his plaid buttoned-up tonight,
thought Lex with a smirk bending his head to capture a hard nipple
between his lips.

Salt-sugar taste of clean skin and he lapped hungrily, then bit,
enjoying the shudders that passed through the body beneath him.
"God, Lex ... "

Moaning, and Luthor smiled at the sound. He slid up the long body
and licked the whorl of Clark's ear. "And to think, it gets
better."

"Oh, God." Ragged sound of sweat-slicked skin sliding over
leather, and Clark's hands were down Lex's pants again, this time
getting them to somewhere around his knees.

Practice makes perfect, and Lex shimmied out of them completely
without getting up, Clark's jeans rasping against his flesh,
making him feel his nudity all the more. Nothing more honest than
naked skin, he thought, biting at Clark's neck again.

Clark made a pleased sound. "I like this," he said, smoothing
caresses over flushed skin.

Lex allowed him to touch, bypassing his own personal preference
that he stayed somewhat dressed while his bed partners were buck
naked, exposing themselves to him, allowing him the luxury of
concealment. It was part of the control, part of the game but at
that moment the game suddenly didn't mean quite as much as it used
to.

"I'm glad. But still ... don't you think you're wearing too
much?"

Breathtaking smile, and Clark arched out of his jeans, one button
at a time with Lex still on top, the rag that was once his T-shirt
slipping off in the process. All that fresh milk made a strong
lad certainly, and Lex held on, as if riding something wild, a
creature nothing like he'd expected to discover.

Not in Smallville at any rate.

Lex looked down and his mouth turned dry at the sight of Clark's
naked body against the leather, long and lean, oddly perfect, as
if sculpted by an otherworldly artist. His cock nearly betrayed
him, jumping a little too close to orgasm, but he held back with a
monumental effort -- Luthor pride was at stake after all.

"Good?" Clark asked shyly, his hands still touching, not stopping
for a moment.

"Good." He licked at the sweat dripping down Clark's abdomen.
"Better than good."

More licks downward and the ride took over. Clark writhed beneath
him, crying out when Lex took his cock between his lips, teasing
at the slit then swallowing whole. Easy did it then, and he took
his time, surprised at how Clark stiffened, as if holding back
some immense reaction, something that might have consumed them
both.

No more touches; Clark's fingers were actually driving holes
through the leather and Lex slowed down even more, lazily
suckling, then swallowing again, until finally hearing Clark's
sobbing shout as he came.

Lex stopped holding back, letting himself slide against the slick
leather until he too went over the edge, biting Clark's thigh to
muffle his cries.

Waves of pleasure followed, and Lex closed his eyes tightly,
holding onto control. It wasn't like this usually, it was always
the others who'd lost themselves in Lex, not the other way around.

There's a first time for everything, he thought, as Clark slid up
slowly into a sitting position beside him, a tiny twinge of
disappointment marring otherwise gorgeous features.

Worried, Lex crept up next to him, and kissed Clark deeply. "Hey."
Another kiss. "You okay?"

Clark nodded. "Yeah, I'm great. But ... " He looked down at his
hands. "You should have let me ... you know ... take care of
you."

Earnest voice, and Lex had to hide his smile. If this got any
better, he'd be dead before long. "Sorry. Had a little trouble
controlling myself." A lie, more or less, for explaining his
issues, to anyone, was not an option. He ran a finger along
Clark's jaw. "Next time, I'll behave."

Slow spread of a smile, and Clark blushed. "Sorry. I'm ... " He
bit his lip. "I just want to make you, you know, feel good." He
sighed deeply, shaking his head. "Jeez, I must sound like a
moron."

Lex regarded him closely. "Let's see. You want to touch me and
make me feel good. Yep, that's a mental deficiency all right."

Clark rolled his eyes. "Never mind." He hung his head and
laughed. "And I thought you didn't want to see me anymore."

He took Clark's face between his hands, holding him there, not
letting his eyes wander. "Didn't you hear me the first time, Kent?
You and I have a destiny together ... and nothing is going to
stand in its way."

"Right," Clark replied, smiling senselessly. "It's got to be
destiny."

"Damned right," Lex replied before kissing him again and letting
the world, with its lies and its complacency fade for the time
being.

There was happiness enough to live on now, in the moment, and Lex
was going to take it for all it was worth.

[][][][][][][]

Two days later, Lionel Luther was standing in his den, plant
proposal in hand.

Lex looked at him with a smugness he just couldn't help. How
sweet it had been to hand Father Dearest his comeuppance, in the
form of logic and honest concern for his fellow man. No more
cruelty ... no more deception ... a new day had come for the
Luthor dynasty. Finally.

Our Father, who art in Metropolis, how far you have fallen.

Lex brandished the epee with a triumphant flourish. "I don't think
you know what I'm capable of, Father."

"Probably not," Lionel admitted. "But I have an idea -- and some
advice" A shark's smile and Lex felt his stomach plunge to
somewhere around his feet.

He knew that smile ...

Lionel Luther never looked more like the Devil. "Stop screwing the
Kent's teenage son before you get hauled away," he said with quiet
malevolence.

A threat hidden inside a warning, and Lex gaped at his father,
shocked to the core.

"Unless you like to dare fate," finished Lionel, his eyes bright
with some ungodly fire. "Good-bye, Lex. I look forward to our
next match."

He was gone then, and the epee clattered from Lex's hand onto the
floor, rolling away ...

Far from his reach.

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end

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