Chapter 18

"You look beautiful," Lex said to Diana as she twirled in her new red dress to show off, the A-line skirt fluttering as she moved while the fitted top highlighted her curves.

"Thank you for encouraging me to go buy some clothes," Diana said to him with a big smile, bouncing up to him to wrap him up in an equally big kiss as they stood together in the living room of Lex's sleekly designed penthouse. Which was now, apparently, Diana's penthouse too, as Lex had given her a carbine clip full of access keys to the elevators, his office, and his home at the top of the LexCorp Tower as well as one of his credit cards to use freely.

"You needed some clothes to keep here," Lex said with a warm crinkle at the corner of his eyes. "So I had not entirely selfish motives," he said as he raked her over appreciatively. "But I must confess, I am looking forward to the rest of the fashion show later." His intimate smile only grew warmer as Diana peppered his cheek with kisses while she hung happily off of his neck.

"Shopping is more fun when I have someone to dress up for," Diana said to him as he snuggled his arms around her waist and held her as tenderly as if she was one of the Ming vases in the foyer.

"Money is more fun when I have someone to spend it on," Lex said back, and his dark eyes had never looked so happy, because while he found that he loved showering Diana with gifts, he also loved the motivation that it gave him to earn even more money to spoil her even further.

And, if spoiling Diana meant pouring some of that excess wealth into charities and food banks and GreenPeace instead of into houses and cars and jewelry, what did he care? The more money he had to save the world with, the happier she'd be and therefore the more satisfied he'd be, so life was looking good indeed for Lex Luthor and his relentless ambition.

On that thought, the intercom buzzed and Lex gave Diana a knowing look.

"Are you ready for Hurricane Lois?" he asked her and she giggled.

"I have faith in you," she said to Lex. "At least," she amended, "I know you'll do your best, even if you can't win her over." Lex winked and walked over to the call box. "Yes?" he said.

"Mr. Luthor, I have Clark Kent and Lois Lane here for dinner," they heard one of the lobby receptionists say.

"Please send them up, Yesica," Lex said. "Thank you."

"Of course, Mr. Luthor," she said, and Diana could hear the smile in Yesica's voice.

"And you say you're not kind," Diana said to him.

"Because I said please and thank you?" he said with amusement. "That's just good manners, Diana."

"No," Diana said, shaking her head. "You recognized her voice and knew her name, Lex." She looked at the clock. "It's seven-thirty p.m. on a Thursday and you knew the voice and name of one of the night shift lobby employees."

"Well, of course I know her name and can recognize her voice," Lex said in surprise.

"Kind," Diana said with a smile and Lex gave her a slightly embarrassed one back.

"You think too highly of me," he murmured but Diana gave him a hug.

"You don't think highly enough of yourself," she contradicted and Lex laughed out loud as she kissed his cheek.

"You are the first person in existence to accuse Lex Luthor of having too low an opinion of himself," he chuckled, still laughing as the elevator doors opened and Clark stepped out, hand in hand with a grimly determined Lois.

"Clark! Lois," Diana said happily, releasing Lex to go give her friends hugs. "I'm so glad you came tonight," she said. Lois gently patted her back but Diana could feel all of the tension in her friend's posture.

"Clark, I'm so sorry for how I acted earlier," Diana said contritely as she released Lois and turned to face him. "It was inexcusable," she said but Clark smiled at her.

"I know you were upset," he said kindly. "Bruce dating Shayera must have been quite a shock."

"Yes," Diana agreed, leaning forward gratefully to hug him and appreciating the tight squeeze she got back. Superman never held back on his hugs with Diana since she was one of the few people he didn't have to worry about squishing to death and Diana felt the same way about her Kryptonian friend. Sometimes it was so nice to be able to really hug someone like she wanted to, even more so when she'd wronged him.

"I was upset, but I still acted terribly," she said. "And I'm so very sorry, Clark. You and J'onn have had your hands full with me and everyone else this week," she said.

"Everyone except Wally," Clark chuckled. "J'onn and I should bake him a cake. But I forgive you, Diana," he said and Diana smiled in relief.

"Thank you," she said. "So, I guess you know Lex," she smiled.

"Clark Kent, so good to see you again," Lex intoned formally, reaching out for a handshake. "It was such a pleasure to meet you the other night at the charity ball," he said and Clark actually laughed out loud.

"Lex," he said teasingly, shaking Lex's hand firmly, and Diana didn't see Lex wince even though she was watching his face intently.

"And this is Lois," Diana said to Lex with a lot more nerves swirling around in her belly.

"Lois," Lex said to her in a much more serious tone without presuming to hold his hand out to her. "I cannot tell you how much I appreciate you being willing to give me a chance for Diana's sake," he said. Lois glared at him.

"Only for Diana's sake," she grumbled.

"I know," Lex said honestly. "If I were in your shoes, I'd feel the same way that you do," he said.

"If you were in my shoes," Lois said to him, "you'd be dead by now." Lex let out a hearty laugh.

"Lois, Lois, it's a shame you never went into villainy," he said to her. "You could have gone far." She sniffed.

"I prefer saving the world to destroying it," she said as Lex smiled easily.

"And now I do, too," he said, placing his hand on Diana's back as he led them all into the living room. "What can I get you to drink? Gin and tonic, Lois?" he asked her.

"Yes," she said, slightly surprised. Lex winked at her and she snorted and looked away with an eye roll.

"Clark?" Lex asked him. "Root beer?"

"Yes, thank you," Clark said, looking much less surprised but a hell of a lot more amused than Lois had been. Lois sighed as she settled onto the antique but pristine formal white velvet sofa next to Clark while Diana took the coordinating loveseat, not minding at all the added proximity to Lex that the smaller seat would provide.

Lex came back to hand Lois and Clark their drinks before returning to fill glasses of white wine for him and Diana, who smiled at him as he settled himself in close beside her.

"We ordered Thai food," Diana said. "I've never had it before," she said happily and even Lois had to smile a tiny bit at Diana's childlike enthusiasm. "It should be here soon," Diana said.

"I visited Thailand once," Lois remarked after taking a hefty swallow of her gin and tonic.

"Were you on assignment there?" Lex asked her with interest, but Lois shook her head.

"No, it was as a child when my father was in the military," she said. "He was stationed in the Philippines and we took a family vacation to Thailand since it wasn't too far. Of course he dragged us all to see the bridge over the river Kwai, which was so incredibly boring to children," she pouted. "I mean, it was a bridge. That's it," she huffed. "My sister and I didn't give a crap about the military history associated with it," she said. "We were six and eight," she laughed.

"But we really loved visiting Monkey Beach on Koh Phi Phi. The monkeys came right up to us," she said. "My mother was terrified, though," she said with a smile, looking a little wistful for a rare moment. Clark slid his arm around her waist and Diana bit her lip, knowing that Lois's mother had died when Lois was young.

"Well, you'll have to tell us if tonight's dinner lives up to your memories of what you ate when you were there," Lex said, smoothly steering the conversation back to safer ground.

"Oh, I'm sure I'll enjoy dinner much more than anything I ate back then," Lois said. "Kids have terrible palates," she grimaced.

"Yes, your adult palate is much more refined," Clark teased her. "Day old coffee, straight black," he said. Lois looked at him very seriously.

"It was still good," she said. He raised his eyebrow at her and glanced over at Lex and Diana with a twinkle in his eye. "It gets stronger on the second day," Lois insisted.

"You say that like it's a good thing," Clark said.

"It is," Lois grinned up at him as Lex and Diana laughed.

"That reminds me, Lois," Lex said. "I spoke to the Joker this week and he agreed to do a series of interviews with you." Lois whipped her head around to stare at him, her jaw dropping open slightly as Clark started to frown.

"Why did Lois's coffee story remind you of that?" Diana said, playfully poking his side.

"Because she's apparently as crazy as old Jokes," Lex said dryly, although his eyes were full of humor for Diana. "Day old coffee, Lois. Really," he scoffed, glancing back to the reporter. Lois paid no mind at all to his jab.

"Joker never gives interviews," she said, her eyes still wide as saucers. "Ever," she said. "He's fundamentally against them. Reporters hound him every time he's in Arkham and he always turns them down. Says he's above pandering to the masses."

"Well, he's not above pandering to Lex Luthor," Lex drawled. "I cashed in a favor," he said with a little shrug.

"Oh, my God, Clark," Lois said with growing excitement, turning to face him. "The Joker!" she said, tugging on his sleeve and practically starting to bounce in her seat. "Perry is going to lose his mind," she crowed, pushing her hair back out of her face.

Diana's eyes were softly glowing as she pulled Lex's face down to look at her.

"You did that for Lois?" she asked him and he nodded, his eyes getting softer as he took in Diana's happy approval.

"This doesn't make us even," Lois cautioned him, but she couldn't achieve nearly the level of sharp rudeness that she was aiming for. "And I still don't forgive you for trying to kill Clark. Multiple times," she said, even though she couldn't wipe the huge smile off of her face.

"Of course you don't," Lex said regally. "You wouldn't be Lois Lane if you forgave me," he said calmly. "Still, I thought perhaps a grand gesture was in order," he said, looking quite pleased with himself.

"Lois, I don't know if this is such a good idea," Clark said to her, his unhappiness becoming more and more evident.

"Clark, you cannot be serious," Lois said impatiently. "It's a fabulous idea. It's the scoop of the century. Holy shit," she said, almost giddy now.

"You can go with her, Clark," Lex said comfortingly. "To take photographs like the good little mild-mannered reporter you are. Joker doesn't know what happens when you take your clothes off," he said. "Unless there's something that Lois and I both don't know," he smirked. Clark rolled his eyes a little bit but the tension started to leave his face.

"Joker won't mind someone else in the room?" Lois asked Lex anxiously. Diana could see her reporter brain whirring twenty-two million miles an hour, already covering angles and planning her attack.

"No, I told him you'd be bringing your photographer boyfriend," Lex said. "He fussed a little but after what he did to Harley, well, he didn't have much room to argue with me."

"He really must owe you," Lois said in wonder and Lex gave a mysterious smile.

"We won't discuss the particulars," he said. "I'm a changed man, now," he said majestically, lifting his arm up to wrap it around Diana's shoulders as she snuggled into him.

"Yeah, right," Lois couldn't help saying. "You can't seriously expect me to buy that, Lex," she said as she downed more of her drink.

"Lois," Diana protested but Lex said, "No, Lois makes a fair point. I'm not fundamentally changed, of course," he said. "But my priorities have shifted and I am adjusting my strategies accordingly."

"And your priority now is Diana?" Lois confirmed, searching his face carefully to see if he would tell her the truth.

"Obviously," Lex said. "And her happiness. Not that I don't hate to disappoint you, Clark," he said, glancing over to Superman. "I know your Boy Scout heart yearns for every villain's eager reform. But, alas," he said with mock sadness, "if it were not for my beloved Diana, I fear that I would still be trying to kill you," he said even though Diana groaned a little bit and buried her face in his shoulder.

"There's the Lex I know," Lois muttered into her drink.

"You'd miss me too much if you ever succeeded, Lex," Clark said with a smile.

"Perhaps I would," Lex said more seriously, actually considering Superman's words. "I can't deny that I am looking forward to a lifetime of being a cheerfully helpful thorn in your side as Mr. Diana Prince," he said with a twinkle in his eye and even Lois giggled at that, although the alcohol may have been partially to blame.

"At least he's a feminist," she said and Diana laughed, too.

"It would be quite a feat for an Amazon to marry a man who wasn't a feminist," she said and Lois met her eye and smiled back at her.

Diana sighed inwardly with relief. Things weren't going nearly as badly as she'd feared they might. Lois was sincerely trying and that touched Diana's heart. Plus, Lex getting Joker's interview for Lois - that was such a sweet and thoughtful gesture and something that clearly meant the world to her friend. Kind, indeed, Diana thought to herself, happiness flooding her.

This, this was what she'd longed for. Family. Spending time together in a home and not the cold steel walls of the outer space Watchtower. Laughing together and teasing each other and feeling the warmth of their shared love and affection filling them all up. Diana loved people; she had grown up living life surrounded by dozens upon dozens of her Amazon sisters who she did everything with.

And Lex was so sociable. He loved people, too, and he was good with them. Diana thought with pleasure that this would be the first of many evenings that she shared with her Justice League family in her penthouse with Lex at her side, partaking in every moment. He would truly enjoy playing host and diving into bantering conversations and forging deeper connections with her friends.

And Bruce? Bruce wouldn't. No matter how happy Diana had thought that Bruce could become as her lover, even she knew better than to think that Batman would enjoy having the Justice League over to hang out at Wayne Manor. It had been months before he had even consented to officially join the League, for Hera's sake, because he was, in his own words, 'not a people person.' But here was Lex, truly enjoying himself with her friends, and the warmth that filled Diana's heart made her lean a little closer into his side.

He kissed her temple absent-mindely as he continued to listen to Clark describe one of his latest fluffy reporting assignments, on luxury pet parent hotels, and Diana saw that Lois noticed Lex's affection and looked thoughtful. A few minutes later the intercom buzzed again and Lex stood to answer it and have Yesica send the food delivery up while Diana refilled drinks and ushered Lois and Clark to the dining room whose tall windows looked out over the sparkling lights of the night view of Metropolis.

"That's real gold on these, isn't it," Lois said, picking up a black onyx plate edged with gold filigree from the large marble dining table so that she could examine the gold under the light of the elaborate crystal and diamond chandelier suspended over their heads.

"I don't know," Diana said in surprise. Clark chuckled.

"I guarantee it is," he said. "Lex is all about luxe."

"I'm learning that," Diana said. "I suppose I could have guessed, if I'd thought about it beforehand," she said. "But this penthouse is like a museum."

"A comfortable museum, I hope," Lex said as he came into the room carrying the bags of food. "But if you don't like it, Diana, we can redecorate however you want."

"I do like it," Diana said with a smile. "It's beautiful. I might want to add some Grecian elements, though, to remind me of Themyscira."

"Whatever you want, love," Lex said, giving her a tender kiss as his heart swelled with the thought of Diana moving in and making his home theirs. And Lois couldn't help but reach over to squeeze Clark's hand as the couple's sweet moment moved her against her stubborn will. Clark bent down and kissed the top of Lois's head and she sighed as she leaned into him.

Lex and Diana began dishing the carry-out into serving bowls and rebuffed Lois and Clark's offers to help, and soon the quartet was seated and passing the food around the table.

"Can we speak about Justice League matters in front of Lois?" Lex asked Clark partway through the meal. The two reporters glanced at each other.

"Not everything…" Clark said cautiously. "Not that Lois would ever betray something I asked her not to, but the burning desire to publish a scoop would eat her alive."

"I'd be a pile of ash within hours," Lois said, shaking her head sadly.

"A pile of coffee grounds, you mean," Diana said with a giggle and Clark roared with laughter while Lex chuckled quietly.

"Concerning the date and time of the matter we discussed yesterday?" Lex asked Clark as Superman caught his breath and wiped some tears from his eyes.

"That's fine," Lois said, waving her hand. "I won't pry beyond that."

"Sunday night, 10 p.m." Lex said and Clark nodded sharply, immediately pulling his phone out to text J'onn, Diana presumed. "That gives you enough time to do what you need to do with the League beforehand?" Lex asked him and Clark nodded again.

"That should be fine. Bruce and Shayera have probably finished with the strategic planning by now so we can start team meetings tomorrow," Clark said, not thinking of Diana's feelings as he spoke, although Lois glanced over at her sympathetically. Diana looked down at her lap for a minute to gather her emotions back in which were suddenly running helter-skelter through her body.

She was surprised to feel Lex's hand reaching out to find hers under the table and gripping it tightly as he responded to Clark in a neutral voice that gave nothing away. Diana blinked a little bit and clung to Lex's strong hand gratefully, a lump now filling her throat that had absolutely nothing to do with Bruce and Shayera and everything to do with the fact that Lex was caring enough to comfort her over a situation that caused him distress, too.

Diana pressed a kiss to Lex's shoulder as she raised her head back up and the kindness and love in his eyes as she met them made her insides melt into a happy puddle of strawberry ice cream flavored joy.

"You'll wear some kevlar under your suit for the operation?" Diana asked him, but Lex frowned.

"I think that might be too obvious to some of my colleagues," he said and it was Diana's turn to frown.

"I don't want you getting hurt," she said. "It's too dangerous not to wear any armor."

"Bruce can probably give you something thin enough that it wouldn't show," Clark said. "I'll ask him," he said and Lex sighed when he saw the pleading look in Diana's worried eyes.

"Well, I'll try on what he has and we'll see," he said.

"You could wear a three-piece suit," Lois said reluctantly and Diana stared at her. "Well," Lois said grouchily, "the vest would do a better job of hiding the armor. Stop looking at me like that," she said as Clark and Lex's amazed eyes joined Diana's in surprised regard. Lois groaned and gulped down the rest of her second gin and tonic.

"More to drink?" Lex asked with a teasing lilt to his voice.

"Yes, please," Lois grumbled, holding her glass out to him while doing her best Oscar the Grouch scowl as she tried to ignore the blush that had started to stain her cheeks at Clark's loving admiration. Somebody was going to be visited by the Kryptonian sex god tonight, Diana thought with glee.

Lois was more than a little sloshed by the time dinner ended, although she denied it when Clark laughed at her, but it had seemed to help her become a little looser instead of more acerbic which was a relief to Diana, who had only experienced Lois after too much coffee and not too much alcohol.

"Will you join us again sometime?" Diana asked her as she hugged her tipsy friend good-bye in front of the penthouse elevator.

"I suppose," Lois said, and her face was soft despite her half-hearted words. "Especially if Lex keeps feeling the need to repay me," she said with a grin over to Mr. Luthor himself.

"Oh, no," Clark said immediately. "One interview is enough of an amends. This is how the devil ensnares people, Lois," he scolded her and Lex laughed but didn't deny it.

"I'm pleased you think so highly of me, Clark," he said instead and Clark chuckled.

"Lex, Lex, Lex," he said, shaking his head. "I suppose I don't need to warn you what will happen if you ever hurt Diana," he said, going big brother on him.

"J'onn already threatened him with a vegetable brain," Diana piped up but Lex met Clark's eyes with an intensity that made Clark snap to.

"I suppose," Lex said deliberately, "that I don't need to tell you that I'm not the one who you need to warn about hurting Diana." He scorched Clark with a meaningful look and Clark actually flushed a little bit as Diana bit her lip.

"We asked him to work things out with her," Clark said, rubbing his head. "And, he did. I don't think he's going to deliberately try to antagonize her anymore," he said. "The dating situation is unfortunate timing but it wasn't malicious." Lex grunted.

"Keep an eye on him," he said sharply. Lois tipped her head and assessed him with the merest measure of respect before smiling a tiny bit and winking at Diana. Who was already glowing over Lex's protectiveness but she broke into a full bubbly smile at Lois's smidgen of approval.

"I suppose that's one good thing about dating a villain," Lois said a little drunkenly. "He's always got your back."

"I have your back!" Clark protested to her.

"I know, honey," Lois said soothingly as she fell into his chest a little harder than she meant to. "But Lex will cut a bitch," she said as she floppily wrapped her arms around Clark and gave him a sloppy kiss. "And then he'll hide the pieces," she continued, "in a meat locker in Queens."

"And that's better than me protecting you?" Clark asked doubtfully, looking a little hurt.

"Against Batman?" Lois laughed. "Hell, yeah, honey," she said. "You know Bruce keeps kryptonite hidden away for a dark and dire day." And Clark snorted.

"Go home, Lois," Lex said with a laugh. "You're drunk."

"Ehhhh," she said as Clark laughed, too, and steadied her to enter the elevator.

"Founders meeting tomorrow morning at ten," Clark said to Diana over his shoulder. "And all hands on deck at one." Diana nodded.

"I'll be there," she said. "Thanks for coming tonight," she said with a warm smile that Lex shared. Clark nodded.

"We'll come again," he promised, even though he glanced down with amusement at Lois, who was slumped comfortably against him. "See you tomorrow, Diana," he said and she nodded as the elevator doors closed.

"Well," Lex said with contentment once they were alone. "I think that was a resounding success," he said. Diana reached up to caress the planes of his head.

"I can't believe you got Joker to agree to an interview for Lois," she said, her blue eyes burning with love. "That was so sweet of you, Lex."

"I did it for you," he said and a happy whimper escaped Diana's throat as Lex's lips found hers and he swept her into a passionate kiss.

"We have some time before we need to meet Aquaman," Diana said after a few minutes when her breathing was coming fast and heavy and Lex's hands were having trouble staying in one place. "I could give you a fashion show with the rest of the clothes I bought this afternoon."

Lex smiled at her, his dark eyes shining.

"I love you, Diana," he said to her.

"I love you, too, Lex," she said back to him.

And even though she would be sleeping in the spare room for awhile, the sense that Diana had when she went to go change outfits was that she had come home.