Lex pressed his lips against Clark's, sliding a hand up over the blue shirt that covered muscles so perfect a Greek sculptor could have carved them. Unlike sculpted marble though, they trembled under his touch. Clark's eyes fluttered shut, long dark lashes sweeping across his perfect cheeks—like a painting of an angel.

Raising his head, Lex glanced at where Clark clutched the cushions in an iron grip. One side of his mouth lifted. "There. Perfectly safe." He skimmed his fingertips over Clark's shirt, drawing random patterns on the blue fabric.

Clark's eyes slid halfway open, shuttered stormclouds peering up at Lex from where he lay back on the couch. "What?"

Lex's smile grew wider. Clark really was adorable like this, his eyes a clouded sky, his lips swollen from kissing. "The cushions."

"Oh." Clark turned his head toward his death grip on the cushions and nodded. "Right." Lex bent and kissed the corner of his mouth, then the edge of his jaw. Clark tipped his head back and a sound that was nearly a squeak escaped him.

Closing his own eyes for a few seconds, Lex took a few deep breaths. Seeing and hearing Clark's reactions was doing some new and interesting things to him, and he needed to get himself under control. He was used to taking the lead in this sort of situation.

Clark chose that moment to lift his hips. It might have been a spontaneous reaction, or it could have been purposeful: either way, all thoughts of keeping a tight rein on himself vanished like clouds rushing away with the wind. Clark grinding against him was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

Closing his eyes, Lex pressed down, meeting Clark halfway. A groan escaped his throat. "God, Clark," he breathed, his voice rough.

Somehow, Clark's hands were on Lex's shoulders. He must have released the pillows without noticing. His grip, while likely leaving bruises, was nothing Lex couldn't handle. In fact, he had weathered worse. It was exciting, to be honest—hands that could snap his bones resting so close to his spine. It was like pushing a powerful car to its limits and trusting that it would hold together, that it would stay on the road.

Straddling Clark's hips, Lex bent and brushed his lips across Clark's mouth again. A shiver rippled through both as if they were one. Lex straightened, sliding his hands under Clark's shirt. Finding his nipples, Lex pinched them between his fingers, and gasped when Clark's hips lurched up again, nearly knocking him off.

Clark's hands dropped from Lex's shoulders to grip his hips and hold him in place. "Lex," he whispered, his voice cracking, a note of pleading threaded through it.

Bracing himself with his hands on Clark's chest, Lex rocked his hips against him. His grip tightening on Lex's hips, Clark opened his eyes and held his gaze as he moved with him, unevenly until they found a rhythm, their bodies moving together faster and more desperately until Clark went still, eyes wide, every muscle tense—then he fell into a shuddering mass, his body twitching, a lightning storm raging in eyes that fought to hold Lex's.

Watching Clark fall apart pushed Lex over the edge himself, and he threw his head back, riding the waves until he collapsed onto Clark's chest, letting his eyes fall shut. Stars burst on the backs of his eyelids and he clutched at Clark's arms, his hands shaking. "Clark," he managed, his voice barely a whisper, reflecting the wonder that filled him. "That was…"

Eyes like the sun after the storm smiled up at him. "Yeah. It was."

Laying his head down on Clark's chest, Lex closed his eyes, focusing on slowing his breathing. He had never lost control like that before, and it was a bit terrifying while simultaneously exhilarating. And yet, he felt safer in Clark's arms than anywhere else. And wasn't that a maudlin idea?

"Clark! Clark?" Jonathan's voice floated up from outside, moving toward the barn, and Lex's eyes flew open, every muscle in his body tensing.

Raising his head, he met Clark's wide eyes. "Clark," he hissed, barely moving his lips, "your father is going to kill me."

"No." Clark lifted a hand and laid it along the side of Lex's face, his swollen lips turning down a bit at the corners. "We… won't tell him."

A choked laugh slipped between Lex's lips. "He'll know."

Clark frowned and bit his lip, his teeth very white against the red. "How?"

Closing his eyes, Lex rested his head against Clark's chest for a few seconds, trying not to succumb to the hysteria bubbling up inside him. Then he pushed himself up and off of Clark, and ran a shaky hand over his face. "You need to look in a mirror, Clark. Hell, I probably look almost as bad. Only 'almost' because your hair is a glorious mess."

Clark sat up beside Lex and smiled at him. "You look amazing."

Lex's lips curled up of their own accord. "So do you, Clark. But you also look—and smell—like you just had a roll in the hay. Which you did. We did. " He stood up as the barn door below rolled open and Jonathan's footsteps sounded across the floor. His voice fell back into a hissed whisper. "Shit, Clark, your father is going to murder me!"

"Clark?" The sound of Jonathan's boots on the lower stairs sent Lex stumbling backward to fall gracelessly on the couch, his chest tight. Jonathan might actually literally kill him.

"No." There was a steely resolve in Clark's voice that brought Lex's head up in surprise. Then Clark was sliding his arms under Lex and lifting him as if he weighed nothing.

"What?" Lex gaped up at Clark. He probably looked like an idiot with his mouth open in shock, but then Clark was carrying him like some damsel in distress or something, so he didn't really have much dignity left to lose.

"Hold on," Clark said, and Lex wrapped his arms around Clark's neck because why not? And then he had to turn his face into Clark's shoulder because they were moving so fast the wind was slashing at him like whips flaying his skin.

Seconds later, Clark stopped, and Lex raised his head and stared. "Is this… Crater Lake?" He slid down and stood on shaky legs, keeping a hand on Clark's shoulder for balance. "How did you…"

Clark shrugged, his expression sheepish. "I'm not just strong. I have several… abilities."

"Well." His balance returning quickly, Lex took a step toward the lake, letting his hand fall to his side. He looked back at Clark over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow. "Fancy a dip then?"

Clark grinned. "Yeah."

Striding toward the lake, Lex could feel Clark's gaze on him as he pulled his shirt off over his head and tossed it on the ground. Grinning, he stripped off his slacks and stepped out of them without breaking stride. As he reached the end of the dock, he slipped out of his briefs, and dove into the clear water naked.

When he surfaced, flicking water out of his eyes, he spotted Clark's jeans and bright blue t-shirt lying discarded on the shore and he turned a slow circle while treading water. Clark was nowhere to be seen, but then something brushed against his leg. Contrasting with the cool water, warm hands slid up his thighs and over his hips as Clark surfaced facing him.

Meeting Clark's laughing sun-drenched eyes, Lex did not think about the rest of Clark's body, underwater, inches from his own. Possibly—probably?—as naked as he was. Those hands were so distracting, thumbs moving in little circles on his hipbones. How was Clark staying above the surface without treading water anyway? Annoying alien.

Unable to use his own hands—they were busy keeping him afloat, since he couldn't ignore physics like Clark could—Lex used his lips instead, leaning forward and brushing them across Clark's. He smirked at the ripples that betrayed Clark's shudder, delighted that he had such power over someone so powerful. Then Clark suddenly pulled Lex close, and he grabbed at broad shoulders to keep his head above water.

"Are you trying to drown me, Clark?" And yet, to his surprise, even with Lex's added weight, Clark didn't sink; he just bobbed a bit and grinned, his eyes sparkling. He really was annoying.

"Relax, Lex. I wouldn't let you drown." Clark's warm hands pulled Lex even closer, and—oh. Clark was naked. And hard. As naked and hard as Lex was. "Hey, Lex?" Clark whispered.

Lex swallowed. "Yeah?"

"Thanks for corrupting me." Clark's grin was devilish, his eyes bright.

"Anytime, Clark." Lex chuckled, a bit breathlessly. "Anytime."