Summary: Clark has run into more trouble with his heritage and Jor-El/the AI have decided to confront Clark about it. (Hints at possible future Mpreg.)
Disclaimer: They're not mine
Category: Slash, drama
Rating: R, mild mentions of sex but nothing too racy, sorry :o)
Spoilers: Nor sure really, Clark's a Kryptonian and Lex's knows, not much reference to the show or actual episodes otherwise.
Author's Notes: Please read notes for first chapter.
Please excuse any errors as I don't have a Beta.
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Meanwhile, Back At The Farm…
Dinner with the elder Kents was better than either Clark or Lex has expected. There were no recriminations or lectures, just acceptance and understanding. Even with all that the Kents had had to deal with over the years with Clark's alien heritage, Lex thought this had to top them all. And still they were both calm and accepting, if a little nervous about what all the repercussions were to be. They all were.
Lex's mind constantly multi-tasked, working out all possible contingencies all the time, trained at Lionel Luthor's knee to always expect the worst, always calculate the best angles and always put the best spin possible on events. But now Lex was at a loss (he had been projecting calm for Clark but it was false), he had no way to spin this – all he could think about was the people he cared about, Clark, The Kents, Chloe, Laura, his employees – how to protect everyone in the best possible way. Fortunately for Lex – he didn't have to figure this one our alone, he had his family to help. So after a perfectly normal dinner (delicious, as always, but Lex couldn't remember if he'd eaten or what it was) they all sat around the kitchen table sipping coffee and planning.
"Well Clark" Martha began with a tiny smirk, looking up at them from beneath her lashes "if it's truly a parent's prerogative to embarrass their children, I'd say Jor-El takes the prize for this one, nothing we could do could ever hope to beat this."
Lex felt something ease in his chest to see Clark's smile at that and he knew that they would figure it all out.
Looking into Clark's face Johnathan said: "So Clark, I understand you quit the Daily Planet. What are your plans son? I certainly hope you take some time to consider this all carefully. You're especially vulnerable to slipping into your Superman role full-time. And your mother and I believe that would be unwise, for both yourself and your relationship" and here Johnathan nodded at Lex.
Clark looked sheepish "well, that's kinda what I was planning to do – not now though. I don't know really, I guess I'll just help you guys out here at the farm for now and see what comes up."
"You could always write freelance, and you could always come to work at LexCorp – there are plenty of jobs that you're qualified for there" Lex suggested.
"If I may suggest" Martha began tentatively, "due to the outing of your relationship, the necessity for Lex to continue running LexCorp and Jor-El's revelation about your biology – you may need to consider another job – the primary caregiver for your children."
"Ack," Clark retorted "I can't believe you just said that, Mom."
"Now Clark, I know this is hard for you to take in but I've known you were very different for a long time and I've tried to have no preconceived notions about what behaviours I've expected from you. I had a lot of years to expect the unexpected from you and observe you and I've noticed certain traits about that seem to make sense in light of this new information. You were always so tender-hearted, loved kids and babysitting – I mean how many teenage boys enjoy giving up their Friday or Saturday nights to babysit – but you loved it."
"And not just that – there are other things too – Clark, please just think about it. If you really can have kids, you don't want someone else to raise them for you. If I'm right in my assumptions, that's something you can't or won't allow."
Clark looked stunned, but thoughtful after Martha's comments. And once again he was amazed and overwhelmed by how smart and insightful his Mom was, and how much she really loved him, no matter what was "normal" for him.
"Mom, you may be right, I can't say right now whether you are or not but there's not just that, there are a lot of issues to think about. I wouldn't want my children to be the subject of public curiosity. How can I protect them forever, when even I can't always be there."
Clark hung his head down and hunched his shoulders "What are we going to do, this will never work."
"Clark, every parent feels that way. There's never a perfect time to have a child and there's never perfect circumstances. You can never protect your child from everything, you couldn't have even if you grew up on Krypton. But you can't let that stop you.
Think about our situation, Clark, we never regretted for one moment having you in our lives. And we exactly have the best circumstances to start out with. I think we should leave this issue for now, it's something you're going to have to think about and come to terms with. Let's talk about something else for a while."
And here she paused for a moment to let everyone adjust, then she let loose another zinger, "Now Clark, tell us more about this Kryptonian marriage ceremony."
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That night Clark flopped down on their bed in utter exhaustion, not so much physical as emotional. It had been quite a day.
He and Lex had been outed to the world as lovers, and he had been outed as Superman, both by the Kryptonian A.I. that believed it was Jor-El and ruled his fortress in Antarctica.
He and Lex had been married in a Kryptonian ceremony by the AI and that had involved a bit more than he had thought it would. He might have thought twice about it if he had known all the details and that made him feel guilty. Guiltily happy they had naively (yes, it was probably a first for Lex) initiated the ceremony without asking the full details.
The A.I. had surprised them both by immobilizing them after completing the ceremony and branding them both between the shoulder blades. The marks had faded quickly and now they only appeared when they were touching each other, shimmering on their skin in silver and black with an almost iridescent glow.
And all he could feel was GLAD about that. He had thought he felt complete with Lex before but that didn't compare with how complete and just right he felt now, like he'd come home for good!
Lex entered from the bathroom and Clark shot straight up to attend to him, "Lex, how are you feeling? Are you okay?"
"Clark, I'm fine, really. I've already assured you several times that I'm okay. I was just a little shaky after it happened but I'm fine now. You know the A.I. healing matrix fixed me up right away so there's not even any pain, not that my own healing wouldn't have kicked in pretty soon anyways."
"I think I was just shaky afterwards because I wasn't expecting anything like that. Were you?"
"Noooo Lex, I've told you and told you, I never would have agreed to it if I'd have known he'd brand you too."
Clark put his hands gently on Lex's shoulders and turned Lex to face away from him. He tried to tamp down on the surge of joy he felt as he looked at his family crest slowly appeared between Lex's shoulder blades.
He carefully and very tentatively ran his fingertips around the edge, slowly tracing the design.
"Come on Clark, it's not a brand, it's a ceremonial and deeply symbolic tattoo, they're both very tasteful I must say, and as long as you don't touch me in public while I'm naked, no-one else even needs to know they're there."
With that Lex turned around and took Clark's shoulders and turned him to face away from Lex. Lex proudly ran his fingertips around the design that appeared between Clark's shoulder blades. The action caused a shiver to run down Clark's spine, so Lex repeated it.
"I like it" Lex said. "I like them both, a lot. You must admit it's pretty strange how similar they are."
"Everything in our lives is strange Lex, especially today. Why should this be any less so? You've seen the House of El symbol on my chest enough times on my uniform and I know you well enough to guess you've always considered Alexander's breastplate to be your own personal symbol, at least in your mind. And considering the similarity between the two, it's no wonder we both have some stylized version of an "S" tattooed on our backs.
But truthfully Lex, tell me, you're not disappointed that my tattoo isn't an "LL" or the LexCorp logo, are you?"
"No Clark, I'm not disappointed in anything that happened today. Not our "outing," not our Kryptonian marriage, and certainly not our tattoos. To be honest I sort of like it, it might sound barbaric but it's like I was finally able to mark you as mine, since I can't mark you in any other way. And I like that's is private, between us."
"Of course I'm yours Lex, only yours. And I like them too, I just feel guilty because I didn't know the A.I. was going to hurt you. When it held us both still and branded us, Lex, I almost went crazy."
"I know Clark, I was there. But it was over and healed very quickly and the pain was worth it on the whole, so no more feeling guilty about it."
"Right, okay, got it. I'm happy with mine, you're happy with yours and we'll forget the issue."
"I never said forget the issue entirely, in fact, I have a few questions for you on the issue of the tattoos while we're talking about them."
"Oh goody," Clark said sarcastically, "let's hear them."
"Really Clark, there's no need to be petulant. Just a question or two is perfectly reasonable, don't you think?
These tattoos, are they just a ritual part of the Kryptonian marriage ceremony or do they perform any other function?"
"Another function like what?" Clark asked baffled.
"Oh, I don't know, it does seem kind of primitive for such an advanced race to be practicing. To be marked as each others. I wondered if it fulfilled some ancient biological need to claim and be claimed? After all, my touching your mark makes you practically shiver with arousal, but that could just be your normal reaction to my touch after all" Lex finished with a wink.
Clark had been preoccupied during this conversation so when he looked around he was surprised to see that Lex has positioned them sitting beside each other on the bed with his back to Lex, facing a mirror above a bureau, and that he had been meeting Lex's eyes in the mirror and talking to him that way, all the while Lex had continued to stroke the tattoo now emblazoned on Clark's back between his shoulder blades.
"Lex," he whined, "you distracted me, and also, maybe I am just automatically aroused by you stroking me anywhere Lex. It's your touch that does it to me" but Clark's eyes twinkled when he said it so Lex could tell he was being teased.
"Come on, Clark. Hard facts, information, that's what I'm looking for here. And some honest answers from you."
"Alright Lex, don't get upset. I'll answer truthfully, but it's all just feelings and sensations I'm experiencing here. I've no hard facts for you, for that we'd have to go back to ask the A.I." Clark supplied reluctantly.
"Which is an issue that we'll get back to, believe me. Knowledge is power and I really believe it's in both our best interests learning all we can about your biology and your planet. I, for one, would like to be included in those lessons, if possible. I definitely want to learn to speak, read, and write your language."
"But why Lex? I don't even really speak it, what good will it do you, the A.I. can translate anything we need."
"Knowledge is its own reward Clark, but we'll leave that discussion until later. Back to the issue at hand, tell me your impressions about the tattoos Clark."
Clark sighed. "Okay, bear with me here if it's all a little vague at first. Alright, here goes… um… they make me feel complete somehow. Like some part of our life together has been missing all along and I didn't know it, but now we've been made complete. I feel completely at peace when I touch you and the tattoo appears look on your back, but I also feel hugely protective and proprietary. As if I want everyone to see my mark on you. Display it for the world to see. But I also want to keep it our secret too, not for public consumption, just for me and you.
When I see it I don't want anyone else to touch you Lex, ever. I think I might go a little out of control if anyone were to touch you there especially. And that feeling scares me a lot. I learned from a very young age to control myself and my body, otherwise people could get hurt. To have that control potentially taken away from me if someone were to touch you there accidentally or on purpose – that loss of control terrifies me.
I also feel guilty, not that it happened as I'd expect (after all you were hurt, even if the A.I. healed you afterwards), but I feel guilty because I'm glad my ignorance of Kryptonian customs allowed this to happen whereas if I'd known I'd have had to stop it. I never want you hurt Lex, especially by that piece of piece-of-crap A.I."
"Hmmm", Lex said noncommittally, "much of this I already expected, to tell you the truth Clark. You can't seem to hide the look of pride and possession in your eyes whenever you look at my tattoo, I could see it in your eyes in the mirror. As for the violent tendencies towards anyone who touches it, I don't think it will be too much of an issue. I do have a personal space issue which you may not have noticed, as you seemed to be the exception to it Clark."
"Ha ha, Lex. I've noticed, believe me the whole world has noticed. I'm surprised you still shake hands with business people you meet. You have a personal space bubble around you of about four feet, which will hopefully be enough of a buffer for me, especially with your new bodyguards Faith and Mercy, just don't let them touch you either, okay?"
"I don't think that will be a problem, Clark."
"By the way, thanks for hiring them Lex, and for letting me be a part of the interview process. I think they'll be needed even more now that we've been "outed." I have great confidence in them, you just have to let them do their jobs Lex. I can't be around all the time to protect you from the crazy people who obsess over you. I swear sometimes you're more of a crazy-magnet than even Lana was."
Lex snorted "no-one could be Lana on that score Clark."
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Lex and Clark hosted a press conference and gave the planned story. Then they hid out from the public as much as they could, hoping the fervour would die down a little bit, but not really too hopeful.
And now that Clark had no reason to avoid the A.I. they started to spend a lot more time at The Fortress, also it was a good place to hide out.
Clark and Lex were going through its database looking for technology that they could slowly, over many years, introduce to the public, through LexCorp, of course, and their first priority was anything of a medical nature (after all, the healing matrix was amazing, but they weren't sure if it would only work on Krytonians, or meteor mutants, like Lex). Needless to say, they had a lot of work searching the database, but they were enjoying themselves (especially Lex!).
"Kryptonians mature in a similar manner to humans during childhood, however, after puberty the two species differ somewhat. Kryptonians rely much more on instinct. A Kryptonian will only ever have one mate and they will recognize their mate instinctively. A Kryptonian will recognize their mate with every cell of their body."
Lex snorted at that, "That's a bit melodramatic isn't it, Clark? 'with every cell in their body.' Ha. Clark, did you recognize me as your mate with every cell in your body?"
Clark squirmed, "I don't know."
Suddenly Lex got a whole lot more serious, "what do you mean you don't know? I thought this 'mate stuff' was all on an instinctual level?"
Lex paled suddenly, "or maybe…" he paused, "Clark, am I really your mate?"
Clark felt bad about his reticent answer now (although Lex had kinda been mocking this instinctive stuff so he'd felt embarrassed) and rushed in to say, "Of course you're my mate Lex, of course you are."
"How do you know that Clark, maybe I'm just the fill-in until you find your real mate. Or maybe only a Kryptonian coud be your real mate."
"Lex, calm down. First of all, you're my mate, Jor-El even said so in case you forgot, secondly, the marriage ceremony wouldn't have worked and you wouldn't have gotten my family crest seared into you if you weren't my mate. And lastly, I know it instinctively," he said decisively.
Lex quirked an eyebrow at him, "really? How do you know it instinctively Clark?"
"With every cell in my body, Lex" he replied saucily.
"What happened to 'I don't know'?"
"I was embarrassed, alright Lex. Also I didn't really want to disgust you. All this talk about instinct and mating drives makes me feel more less-than-human than I usually do and also animalistic somehow. It's not really a side of myself I really want to explore, more like ignore."
"Clark, this is what got us into trouble in the first place, you ignoring the Kryptonian part of yourself."
"I know," Clark mumbled morosely.
"So from now on Clark, you've got to be honest with me about all of this Kryptonian stuff. No being embarrassed and trying to keep things from me. I love you and I need you to be open with me, especially about your heritage and anything unusual that goes on with you. For all you know, Clark, you could do yourself some permanent damage here, and that's just not acceptable to me."
"I know, I know Lex, I get it. I'll be honest with you from now on, okay?"
"Okay," Lex sighed. "Now first off, tell me how you know that I'm your mate, what does it feel like?"
"Well," Clark paused, he looked like he was really trying to think about it. "I've told you before that you make me tingle, Lex."
Lex gave the expected smirk at that and Clark just rolled his eyes.
"Like I said before, when I'm near you my body thrums like a low level vibration that only I can feel. Like the feel of the base vibrating through your body at a dance club. It feels like nervous energy when I'm around you, but in a good way.
Now it feels more settled, more at peace after the marriage and tattoos, like my body was waiting for that all along. And now when I touch you it's not just all over and in my muscles, now it's in my head somehow too. It's hard to explain it, and at first I didn't realize what it meant. I just knew I felt good being around you, but as I got older I somehow just knew what it meant, that you were for me, mine. And now it feels complete since we claimed each other and were marked.
But now I also think that maybe… I might NEED to be around you. Like a physical need, not a sex thing but a need for physical contact with you. Like maybe I can't live without it. How co-dependant and needy is that?
And I don't know why but for some reason I didn't want you to know about this… or about the other thing" he mumbled out that last bit.
"What other thing? The Ponn-farr-going-into-heat thing that you neglected to tell me about? Or the fact that you can get pregnant? That 'other thing'?" Lex pressed, just to make the point again.
"Yes" Clark bit out "and it's not Ponn-farr, more like going into heat for possible impregnation. Ponn-far was a fight or fk situation. I may be an alien but there's no need to compare me to a Vulcan – that's just mean, Lex" he said, as though the distinction between going into an "animalistic heat" as opposed to going through a Vulcan Ponn-farr was the better distinction.
And don't think I haven't seen your collection of Star Trek dolls hidden away Lex, x-ray vision remember?"
"They're action figures" Lex retorted huffily.
"Riiiiight" Clark drawled back. One of his favorite things to tease Lex about was his collection of Warrior Angel, Star Trek and an assortment of other action figures – Clark always called them dolls just to rile him up.
TBC
