Lionel did not understand why his son was hovering so close. The first forty-five minutes of the event had passed without catching a whiff of him, but suddenly the boy just wouldn't leave. He suspected a plot. It was a long time in coming. He'd been expecting one since he’d become blind, but Lex had been unusually non-combative with him. If that was because of his disability, then the young man was too soft.

Perhaps he was getting over that though, if he really was planning something for tonight. His uncharacteristic hovering, however, was giving him away, which was something that wouldn't have happened if Lionel had his sight. He scowled in the direction from which his son's brand of cologne was most strongly emanating. He did not care for the tip off. Even while plotting against him, Lex was coddling him because of his handicap. All the blindness did was make the game a little more challenging, and this warning that something untoward was about to happen completely nullified that challenge. It was disappointing.

Even without years of honed skill, Lionel would have known the instant Lex made his play. The boy was being far too obvious. "Dad," Lex's hand took his and guided it to hold a woman's hand, "this is Desiree Atkins." Desiree's hand was petite and finely crafted. A fine specimen of a hand. Lionel imagined she was very beautiful. She smelled very nice as well. "Desiree, this is Lionel Luthor, the richest and most powerful man in Metropolis."

Lionel smiled charmingly in roughly the direction he assumed her head was, based on the orientation of her hand and the proximity of her perfume, but internally he was trying to figure out what the woman had to do with Lex's game. Lex never introduced him like that, and Lionel wasn't sure whether to be pleased with the acknowledgement of his supremacy, or worried that Lex seemed to be chumming the water for someone the boy appeared to consider a shark. "Pleasure, Miss Atkins," he said aloud as he kissed her hand while, simultaneously, he racked his brain for any mention or previous encounter with an Atkins. He came up blank. He had never heard of this woman before.

"Mr. Luthor," she responded, voice low and sultry. Yes, he was certain now that she was a very beautiful young woman. Mediocre women do not sound like that. It was suspicious that Lex was introducing them rather than keeping her for himself. More alarming was that he had put Lionel between himself and the woman. Lex did not do that. Lex flirted. It was a fact of the boy's existence. If he didn't know better, Lionel might have thought Lex was afraid of Desiree Atkins. The thought was ridiculous. Lex hadn't hid behind his father since he was small.

"Lionel, please," he invited, because Lex was not the only Luthor who flirted with exceptional young ladies. (Exceptional young men, unexceptional people of all ages and genders, as well as inanimate objects, yes, there Lex was on his own, but the exceptional young women Lionel was equally committed to charm.)

"Then you must call me Desiree," she returned.

Lex's hand squeezed his arm, though Lionel was at a loss as to how to interpret it. Warning? Support? Imminent leave-taking, as his next words suggested? "I'll leave you two alone then," Lex said, excusing himself. "Dad, Miss Atkins." His cologne faded away as he retreated, his move made. Lionel was baffled. Lex was acting very unusual. Desiree Atkins was clearly a set-up, but he failed to see what Lex could have possibly conned her into doing when he so clearly did not like her.

"Is your son always so shy?" Desiree asked, the tone and quality of her voice suggesting she might have turned her head to watch Lex's retreat. It also lacked any evidence of sarcasm despite the impossibility that she seriously meant what she had asked. Lionel was honestly beginning to worry that perhaps Lex had been kidnapped and replaced by a clone or cyborg wearing his cologne.

"'Shy,'" Lionel repeated the word with clinical distaste, "is the very last word I would use to describe my son. If he convinced you he was, he was playing you." Though to what end, Lionel had no idea. That Lex had intentionally introduced Lionel to her made it clear as day the boy had no intention of getting into her pants. And while the shy ploy worked on some girls, Lionel doubted this was one of them. Actually, he doubted any of the women at tonight's event were among them.

"Hmm," she murmured, moving nearer. Her scent was stronger up close. Not quite cloying, but it made the air seem thicker. She brushed her fingers along his jaw, then tucked a strand of Lionel's hair back behind his ear. She was standing very close. He could feel her breath against his face, tickling through his beard, and riding up into his mouth and through his nose. "What's he up to?" she asked in a voice better suited to the bedroom.

"Setting me up," Lionel answered, not really sure why he was doing it, but it seemed right. He felt so warm. "Foolish boy. He's too soft; he gave it away."

She gave a deep rich chuckle that he found very endearing. Her fingers continued to card through his hair, and she remained standing too close. Lionel wasn't going to complain. He placed his hands on her hips and found that she had as nice a shape as he'd suspected. "Why would he shy away from me like he did?" she asked, again in that same voice.

He hadn't known before, but the answer occurred to him now, and it only seemed reasonable to offer it to Desiree. "He's probably sleeping with that Kent boy. He's always had strange notions about fidelity and those farmers certainly aren't dissuading him." It was crystal clear to Lionel now that Desiree had been seeking some companionship for the night. Lex would have been able to pick up on that in an instant. He'd never been good at turning down offers of sex, so he'd avoided being asked by offering up a sacrificial diversion first. Cowardly, but effective in achieving his goal of not having sex tonight.

No. Lionel shook his head, trying to clear it of the odd fogginess that had invaded. Lex never turned down sex. Never. His fidelity notions were limited to marriage and he certainly wasn't married. More telling, even if Lex opted out of sex - which was next to impossible in and of itself - he would never give his left-overs to Lionel.

"No, that can't be it," he corrected himself.

Desiree leaned in, breathed on him again, and gave him a light but intense kiss that made him curse his tailor for not putting more room in his crotch. "Lex isn't sleeping with the Kent boy?" she questioned, sounding like she expected she was right, and he had to wonder why they were discussing his son's queer taste while they made out in public.

He still corrected her, feeling almost compelled to do so, "No, the fool probably is. It just wouldn't stop him from sleeping with you, too."

"I don't share my men with boys," she stated in a low possessive tone that, coupled with the kiss she next delivered, did nothing to help alleviate Lionel's ire with his tailor. "You still control most of the Luthor fortune?"

"All of it," Lionel corrected. "Lex becomes unmanageable if he has too much freedom. Fortunately, he currently has all of his own resources tied up in that pitiful fledgling company. Soon, that will be mine as well."

She leaned in for another breathy kiss. "I'm glad Lex introduced us, Lionel. Let's get out of here." Lionel readily agreed.

Clark was still feeling horrified and shocked by what had happened a few minutes ago in biology class. He'd shot fire from his eyes. He was lucky he hadn't hurt anyone or burned down the school. As it was, the entire population of Smallville High was now standing outside and watching the firemen move in and out through the front doors.

A car honked and Pete, Clark, and a number of other students turned toward the sound, finding one of Lex's cars pulling up to the curb. The car hadn't even come to a complete stop before the passenger side door opened. Its engine had barely cut out before Lionel Luthor himself pushed out of the low slung vehicle. Lex was only a few moments behind, rushing around the car to grab hold of Lionel's arm just before he tripped over the curb. "Step!" he warned.

Lionel stepped up seamlessly, as if he'd known all along about it. "Where is she?" he demanded impatiently. Lex's eyes searched the crowd, pausing long enough on Clark to offer a shrug, a wordless expression of greeting, and a sidelong glance toward Lionel that tried to absolve himself of responsibility for anything his father might do. Then his eyes focused on something beyond Clark and he tugged at Lionel's elbow. "This way. Ten feet and closing."

Clark turned around and found Ms. Atkins moving toward the two Luthors. Lionel strode purposefully toward her as well, waving off Lex after several steps. "I came as soon as I heard," the elder Luthor declared.

Lex came to stand beside Clark, and spoke under his breath, just loud enough for him and Pete to hear, "Desiree Atkins, soon to be Luthor. She's quite the piece of art, isn't she?"

Clark looked between Lex and his teacher, then Lex's father and his teacher, back to Lex and his teacher, and finally again to Lionel and Ms. Atkins. They were now kissing which was disturbing on any number of levels. "She's marrying your father?" he asked incredulously.

"Oh, gross," Pete offered his opinion on the matter. Clark couldn't help agreeing with him, and by the expression on Lex's face, he didn't think much better about it either.

"I'd call her a gold digging vulture," Lex said, eyes still fixed on the happy couple, "but she's much more proactive than that." His face smiled pleasantly as the kiss ended, and Lionel and Ms. Atkins turned toward them.

As they moved closer, Ms. Atkins was saying, "I'm fine. Thanks to this young man right here." They came to a stop close to the trio. "Clark, come here for a second." She didn't seem to notice when he didn't move. The instruction was probably more to accommodate Lionel's blindness than because she wanted him any closer. "Lionel, he was the only one that kept a cool head during the entire thing... He actually put the fire out."

"Clark," Lionel repeated the name with a considering tone. "That wouldn't be Clark Kent, would it?" He didn't wait for confirmation before continuing, "I must say, for this, I am grateful. First you save my son, and now my fiancée."

It could be read from his words that he was not grateful for the saving of his son, and Clark felt more than saw Lex tense at the unspoken but present implication. He put a hand on Lex's arm, reminding him that he shouldn't let Lionel get to him. Lex let his muscles relax again.

He noticed Ms. Atkins narrow her eyes at them, but he was at a loss to explain what that was about. When she stepped closer, he also noticed that Lex stepped back, placing Clark between himself and the biology teacher. Her expression turned to a frown as she regarded Lex. "I'm surprised to see that you came." There was definite hostility there.

"Dad was anxious, and I drive faster than Michaels." If Clark was correct in assuming that 'Michaels' was the Luthor limo driver, then that was something of an understatement.

"Still," Ms. Atkins said, trying to circle around Clark, but Lex moved to keep the current positioning. Lionel was now scowling in roughly Lex's direction, and Pete had stepped back and was watching the confrontation with something approaching Clark's level of bafflement. "I’m surprised you agreed to bring him."

Realizing Lex was using him a shield, even if his reason for needing one was beyond Clark at this point, Clark straightened to his full protective height and kept his back to Lex so he could keep both eyes on Ms. Atkins and watch for hostile action. From that position, he couldn't see Lex's expression or gestures, so the quiet venom of his next statement took Clark aback. "Maybe I wanted to see if you'd gotten burned to a cinder, dearest Mother."

Clark turned just long enough to give Lex a disapproving look and a warning, "Lex," before returning to guarding him. Lionel had angrily snapped the same thing at the same time, and Ms. Atkins appeared furious. It was good he'd turned right back instead of waiting to see how Lex responded to the reprimand because she immediately stepped threateningly closer, trying once more to get around him. Clark sensed Lex quickly duck behind him. Not understanding this dynamic at all (Lex didn't hide from anyone), Clark reached behind him to make sure Lex was secure, then stepped back and turned them, carefully keeping his friend away from his teacher.

"All clear!" a fireman called from the school entrance. Students began to file back toward the building, though the tableau between the Luthors, Clark, and Ms. Atkins remained frozen. Her expression slowly neutralized, and she focused on Clark, "I'll see you in class. Go on inside." There was a note in her voice that made him stay exactly where he was. Irritation crossed her face and she stepped nearer again. Lex's hands closed in fists in his shirt and yanked him backwards. Surprised, Clark stumbled back a few steps, barely managing not to fall and take Lex with him. When he finally stabilized, he could feel Lex's nose against his spine. Then he heard, very quietly, "She's a mutant. If she breathes on you, don't give away yet that her pheromones don't affect you. Also, the heat vision is lust-induced, so try not to look at her or Lana or anyone too much until you can get it under control. If he'd said you were going to almost burn down your school, I would have warned you about that before now. I'm glad you're all right."

It was rather a lot of information to take in all at once. He had no idea what the expression on his face was, but by the odd look Ms. Atkins was giving him, he imagined it was rather interesting. "Excuse us a minute," he said, turned around, grabbed Lex, and marched him away. When they'd gotten a few dozen feet away, he made sure nobody else was close enough to overhear, then turned on his best friend. "A mutant? Pheromones? Heat what? Warned me? And how did you know I started it?"

Lex gave him a small smile, but the look in his eyes was closer to fear. "Your mom was right. It happened again. He told me about your heat vision. He said it would be starting around now and that it was lust-induced and that you'd feel somewhat traumatized this week. He also told me to stay away from Desiree Atkins. She has her eye on marrying into the Luthor fortune, then collecting it black widow style for herself. She's a mutant, and I'm not resistant to her pheromones. But you are."

"And your dad?"

Lex shook his head. "I assume he's not resistant either. He told me yesterday they were engaged, I'm the best man, and the wedding is tonight. So far, she's right on schedule, though I managed to switch dad into my place. Right now, I'm trying to contain the damage until she does something that I can get her arrested for."

Clark nodded slowly. "If you think you can stay out of her range, it's a good plan."

"You'll come to the wedding tonight, make sure she can't corner me? You can be my guest."

Clark didn't have to think about that at all. "I'm there." Then, a belated concern occurred to him, "What should I wear?"

Lex grinned. "I'll get a tailor for you, don't worry." He looked toward the front of the school where the last of the students were disappearing. "You should probably get back to class." Clark checked that Ms. Atkins was gone, and saw her walking back toward the school, with only a final dark look sent in Lex's direction.

"Okay, but later you're going to have to explain why she hates you."

"Clark," Pete called then, hurrying over toward them, cutting off anything else Lex was about to say.

Lex waved, and stepped aside, escaping the hold Clark hadn't remembered he still had on his best friend. "I'll see you tonight, Clark," he promised, then turned and walked back toward his impatiently waiting father.

As Pete demanded to know what the hell just happened, he heard Lionel's raised voice, enough of the words carrying to them on the wind to catch the gist, "Wasting time -- dirt farmer -- beneath your station -- embarrass me." If Lex had a response beyond leading his father back to his car, it was lost to distance.

Pete was still talking, too, as they moved toward the school, though Clark wasn't really listening until he caught, "And then she told him that she saw what he meant when he said the two of you were sleeping together, but she really thought it was you fucking him, not the other way around. Clark, man, tell me there is no sex going on between you and Luthor."

Clark's feet stopped moving, and he stared at Pete like he'd just requested confirmation that the sun was hot because he'd heard a rumor that it was actually pretty chilly up there. The suggestion was so ludicrous that he didn't even need to blush. "Don't be stupid, Pete."

"I have eyes. Luthor Senior doesn't, but Ms. Atkins told him what he needed to know. It looked bad, Clark. Maybe, maybe you should try not to touch him so much? And don't, like, go all Scary Clark on people who get angry with him? Especially teachers."

Clark started walking again, perforce making Pete follow. "She's a mutant, Pete."

"How do you know that?"

"Lex said so."

Pete sighed. "And you believe him, just like that?"

"You believe what Mr. Luthor and Ms. Atkins say, just like that?" Clark countered, starting to get angry.

"They didn't know I was still there," Pete protested. "They have no reason to lie. And I saw it, too."

Exasperated, Clark stopped one last time, grabbing Pete's arm and swinging him around so they were face to face. "Saw what?"

Pete met his eyes, looked away, then looked back as he drew in a deep breath. "It's Lex. I don't know how I missed it before, but with Ms. Atkins pointing out all the signs, it's obvious. He's got it bad for you, Clark."

Clark's eyes narrowed. "What 'signs'?"

"First, he always kept you between him and Ms. Atkins."

That one was easy to counter. "He didn't want her to breath on him. She's got mutant pheromones."

Pete just shook his head. "That's not the point. Clark, he wanted you to protect him."

Clark frowned in confusion. "I saved his life at least twice, Pete. He's entitled to think I'll protect him."

"You don't get it. Guys protect girls and guys protect themselves. They don't hide behind other guys from hot women. He was trying to get your attention. He was making you pick him over her. And he was successful. He's gotta know by now that you're a sucker for a victim."

"I am not a sucker for a-"

Pete interrupted him with derision so complete Clark had to doubt his own non-suckerness, "Give it up, Clark. Anyway, that wasn't all of it. You yelled at him, Clark. And when you did, you turned back around too fast to see his face."

No, Clark hadn't seen his face. But he could imagine what had been there. Clark's stomach curled in guilt for pulling that on him in public. Lex had become incredibly responsive to the positive/negative reinforcement scheme. It scared Clark's mother a little, just how much of an effect a few words had on him.

But there was no way to explain that to Pete. "What else?"

"He let you manhandle him."

Had Lex resisted being practically dragged three dozen feet across school grounds? Had he made any protest while it was happening or directly afterwards? Clark couldn't remember him doing either. He was pretty sure Pete was right. Lex had just gone along with it.

"Okay," Clark admitted, "That one's weird, even for Lex. But I don't think it's because he's got a thing for me."

Pete shook his head. "You'll see I'm right. Just watch him sometime. Or better, ask Chloe what she thinks."

Further conversation was cut short as a teacher stuck his head out the front door and told them to hurry it up.

Lex waited until both doors to his car slammed, enclosing both himself and his father in privacy. He put his key in the slot but only turned it one step, enough to turn on the radio and air conditioning, but not to actually start the engine. The coming conversation was critical enough that he didn't want the distraction of driving. He also muted the radio. The air conditioning he turned up to high, as much for the ventilation as to counter the oppressive heat. "Dad. She's playing you, you know that, right? She's making you think things that aren't real."

His father turned to face him, his unseeing eyes just a little too much to the right to give the impression of meeting Lex's own eyes. He'd have been dead on had Lex been sitting back against the driver's seat rather than bodily turned ninety degrees. Sightless, those eyes might be, but they were not dead. They still flashed in anger. "I knew well before Desiree came into the picture that your fascination with the Kent boy was never platonic. I just thought you had more sense than to demonstrate your inappropriate feelings in such a public venue."

"I don't have inappropriate feelings, so I don't see how I'm publicly demonstrating them. Tell me, Dad, what did she say I did this time?"

"You hid behind him."

There were several ways to respond to that. The first and most obvious was to deny it, but as much as he would like to, he doubted his father would believe him. Telling him he'd needed to get close enough to deliver a secret message had the virtue of being the truth but it also revealed more about his plans for the next several days than he was willing to give. Granted, Clark's reaction rather gave away that he'd said something, but he hoped that would be passed over as just a surprise revelation, rather than recognizing the purpose for Lex's appearance at the school in the first place. "I hid behind you when I introduced the two of you," he pointed out instead. He was sure his father hadn't missed that.

He hadn't. He could see the sudden calculation in his father's narrowed eyes. "You are genuinely afraid of her," Lionel deduced. "Why?"

The air conditioning must be starting to clear his father's mind if he was accepting the possibility that Desiree might be worthy of fear. "Do you know about Smallville, Dad? Do you know what the meteors did to some people here?"

Lionel made an irritated gesture. "Yes, of course. I'm blind, Lex, not stupid."

"She's one of them. Altered, Dad. She can control your thoughts by breathing on you. You don't love her. You don't want to marry her. She's using you, and she's going to kill you once she's in your will."

His eyes narrowed in suspicion and disbelief. "You don't know her."

"And you do? You met her less than two days ago. I'm not asking you to take me at my word. I'm asking you to make contingency plans. To protect yourself. Just in case I'm right."

Lionel frowned, his lips pressed together in thought. "You have distrusted her since you met. Why is that? What did she do to you?" He paused, considered another thought, added, "What did she do to Clark Kent?"

Lex flinched involuntarily. Not because Desiree had done anything to Clark, though that was likely how Lionel would read the miniscule shift of the car, but because Lionel recognized that Lex would respond when Clark was threatened. "She hasn't done anything to either of us, unless you count what she's threatened to do to me since your engagement."

A grand dismissive gesture trivialized the promises of disownment and disinheritance both Lionel and Desiree had given Lex since Desiree realized he wasn't going to let her get close enough to influence. She had to suspect he knew about her. This recent implication that Lex was waving his ass for Clark's enjoyment was clearly her latest attempt to discredit him. "Then why, Lex?" his father was starting to sound impatient, "How do you know? What's your evidence?"

He'd been too busy keeping track of both of them to do the necessary background research on her. Besides which, the only crimes he knew of for certain were never going to happen now. There might not be any evidence to be had. But his father needed something, anything, or he was going to dismiss this as another of Lex's ploys. After his next encounter with Desiree, it was entirely possible he wouldn't even remember it.

He hated to do it. Giving this up went against every fiber of self-preservation he had, and he apparently didn't have as many such fibers as normal people did. But he lacked any other option. "I'm one, too. You didn't think losing my hair was the only effect being that close to impact had, did you? I knew what she was the minute I saw her walk into that party."

Lionel's eyes seemed almost to sharpen. Still sightless, but they went suddenly hungry, predatory. "You can recognize a mutant on sight?"

"Sometimes," Lex qualified his 'gift'. He wasn't even entirely lying either. Ones that walked through walls, had meat cleavers for hands, opened their mouths wide enough to suck fat, were ice encrusted, or otherwise displayed their powers upon first contact were able to be recognized on sight. Any person attempting to kidnap/mate with/kill/impersonate or otherwise harm himself or Lana had a better than 75% chance of being a mutant (the other 25% could usually be directly linked back to Lionel and were generally directed at Lex). Anyone thrown into a wall by Clark Kent almost had to be a mutant, at least temporarily. "Usually only the ones that directly threaten me, though." There, that gave him a fairly useless power which explained the current situation but one that he didn't see how his father could possibly exploit.

"Hmm," Lionel hummed, "a danger sense." He nodded slowly. "So why did you introduce her to me? This is clearly what you wanted her to attempt, so why are you undermining it now? Second thoughts?" Lex found it remarkable, the amount of disdain his father could put into those words. As if he found it disgraceful that his son would want to help him.

Tired of the conversation now that he'd made Lionel see his point, Lex settled back against his seat, reached forward, and brought his car to life. "No, Dad," he said in conclusion, "I'm the referee. She won round one; I'm just waking you up for round two. You've got seven hours before your wedding, assuming you still want to have one."

"Tell me again your aversion to air conditioning?" Martha asked dryly as Jonathan crossed the kitchen then stuck his head in the fridge.

He straightened, pulling a pitcher of lemonade out after him and closing the refrigerator door again, to Martha's secret dismay as the cool air had been flowing in her direction. "Two words," Jonathan answered. "Electric bill."

Martha shook her head, rolled her eyes, and continued to fan herself. It was times like these that the idea of suggesting they take Lex up on his offer to refinance was really tempting. At this point, she suspected not accepting it had more to do with Kent pride than Luthor distrust. She was on the verge of broaching the subject when the kitchen door swung open and Clark breezed into the room. "Hi, Clark," she greeted, instead. "How was school?" Jonathan took down a second glass from the cabinet.

"It was different," Clark answered wryly, pulling a face.

Jonathan poured the two glasses of lemonade, asking with a sideways look, "Do we like different?"

Clark expanded, "There was a fire in biology class." Martha's fan slowed as she looked at him in concern, checking his clothes for burns. "It's okay," Clark hurried to assure, "nobody was hurt. I stopped it before it spread."

She smiled, "Well, it sounds like we should be proud of you." Except there was something in what he wasn't saying that suggested there was more to the story.

He leaned back against the sink, "Except I think I started it." Yes, that would be what he wasn't saying.

"Wait, you want to explain that? Please?" Jonathan prompted when Clark didn't immediately clarify such a statement.

"Lex said it's my 'heat vision'. All I know is that I started to feel hot. And my eyes started to burn. All of a sudden, the spot I was staring at burst into flames."

"Lex said?" Martha repeated. "When—- how--" she didn't even know what she wanted to ask. "When did you see him?"

Clark shook his head. "He came to the school while we were waiting for the firemen to make sure it was safe. He apparently knew that 'my heat vision was going to start this week, but if he'd known I was going to try to burn down my school he'd have warned me sooner'. Whatever that means." The air quotes suggested he was paraphrasing something Lex had said. "He said it's, well, there's a specific trigger for it."

"Did he say what that trigger was?" Jonathan prodded.

By the speed and intensity of the blush that spread over Clark's face, Martha assumed he had. She also assumed that Clark wouldn't be telling them in as few words. "What exactly were you doing when the fire started?"

The blush deepened, but he answered, "We had just met our new biology teacher, and we were watching a film."

"An educational film?" she prodded, because that didn't seem very embarrassing.

"A sex education film," Clark admitted, a little miserably.

Martha saw the realization dawn on Jonathan's face. "This could get very complicated."

"It already is," a voice said from the other side of the screen door, followed by a double knock. She turned in surprise to find Lex opening the door and stepping into the kitchen. "Sorry to eavesdrop and barge in, but I'm kind of short on time and the tailor will be here any minute."

"The tailor?" Jonathan repeated, confused, rather than angry, as he would have been last spring. There was definite progress being made.

"Tailor," Lex repeated. "Didn't Clark tell you? My father is getting remarried tonight." A significant look was sent in Martha's direction. "To Desiree Atkins."

"Oh," Martha said, feeling like she should recognized that name. Then she did, and she repeated, "Oh!"

Lex nodded confirmation. "Exactly. I'm trying to run interference, but they're alone together right now, if you don't count staff and wedding planners, and I need to get back to the mansion as quickly as possible. They were talking prenups when I left, but I don't think it'll last."

"Who's Desiree Atkins?" Jonathan asked, clearly feeling like he'd missed something significant.

"She's a meteor mutant," Lex said at the same time Clark answered, "My new biology teacher," and Martha said, "One of the two women Lex is not supposed to marry."

Martha stared at Clark, repeating, "Your biology teacher?" while Clark turned on Lex and repeated, "A woman you're not supposed to marry?" while Jonathan stared at all three of them like he couldn't understand when they'd all learned so much about this woman and asked, "What kind of mutant?"

Lex held up his hands, "Let me go through this once, from the beginning, before Antonio gets here. I talked to the Future. He said not to marry Desiree because she was going to try to kill me and inherit my money. I saw Desiree at a social function in Metropolis this past weekend. I tried to c- I talked to the Future again. I found out she has pheromones that control a man's mind if she breathes too close to him. I found out she won't affect Clark. I found out - well, not a lot else about Desiree. Oh, except that at some point she went after you, Mr. Kent. Keep at least four feet between you at all times, and try not to breathe too deeply when she's around.

"Otherwise, I also found out that Clark's heat vision starts up around this time, though that was more an aside than anything else. I'd almost forgotten about that until I heard about the fire at Smallville High. Fortunately, Dad wanted me to drive him there to check on Desiree so I had an excuse to be there and tell Clark about it. It's lust-induced and traumatizing, and that's all I know. He didn't really go into it. Anyway, we talked and argued and eventually decided the best thing to do would be to set up Desiree and my father. So I did. And I swear, that's the last time I talk a pseudo-Kent into letting me do what I want over their initial gut reaction. I feel like the single parent of a set of twin homicidal toddlers. I haven't slept in over two days. And that must be Antonio." Martha had heard the car door close, but hadn't registered it until he said that. The knock on the front door followed moments later.

"The tailor?" Jonathan asked, as Martha got up to answer the door. "Why's he here again?"

"Oh, because I invited Clark to be my guest and bodyguard at the wedding."

The fitting passed in a blur and soon both the tailor and Lex were gone, and there was a promise of a finished tuxedo at the mansion an hour before the wedding. Clark was requested to come over then.

Left alone in the calm following the chaos of Lex's departure, Clark fiddled with his now empty glass. Martha's eyes were drawn to him as part of a maternal sixth sense. As Jonathan was also looking at him, she guessed he was also sensing whatever nervousness had drawn her attention. "What is it?" she prompted when Clark only continued to fidget.

"Something else happened at school today."

"Busy day," Martha couldn't stop herself from saying.

Clark laughed humorlessly. "Yeah. This one's a little more mundane though." Then he frowned, "Relatively." Martha supposed anything would be relatively mundane compared to fire starting powers and Lex's not-wife marrying his father. "Pete thinks something completely ridiculous and won't believe me when I tell him he's totally off base."

"What does he think?" Jonathan asked reasonably.

"He thinks Lex likes me. Like, gay-likes me."

Martha was glad she was sitting down. She had no idea what was on her face. She hoped it was blank, neutral, or just quietly shocked.

Jonathan chuckled, but it sounded forced. "Why would he think that?"

"Because apparently Mr. Luthor and Ms. Atkins think he does, and Pete overheard them talking," Clark answered, sounding increasingly unhappy. "And Lex was acting a little strange at the school today, but that was probably just because he was exhausted and under a lot of stress."

"A little strange, how?" Martha asked faintly.

"Well, Pete said it's not normal for guys to seek protection from other guys. But Lex had a valid reason to hide behind me from Ms. Atkins. And it's totally not his fault that he responded badly when I yelled at him for insulting Ms. Atkins. You both get the same look from him when you do that, too, so it's not just me. And, well, he was probably too tired to protest being dragged across the school yard when I needed to talk to him privately. You heard him say he hasn't slept in over two days."

No, none of those things were positively indicative of romantic feelings on Lex's part. Victimized and barely-hanging-in-there feelings, perhaps, but not romantic. She relaxed. "I'm sure if you explain to Pete the stress Lex is under right now, he'll understand it's just a combination of exhaustion and trust. Especially since this last spring, you’ve been like a brother to Lex, Clark."

Clark nodded, looking relieved. "Yes! That's exactly it. We adopted him, and he's my brother."

There was, perhaps, just a little too much relief. Martha let it drop though, not wanting to raise Jonathan's suspicions in case it was, as she hoped, nothing.

Lionel moved through the party guests that occupied the large garden on the east side of the mansion. A dance floor had been constructed and put down inside an open square of hedges. The live band played something slow and the floor was full of couples. He couldn't see them, but he could hear them. Laughing, moving, breathing. Leaving the dancing area, he moved over to where the food was. An open buffet should still be available, though he expected most of guests here were eating second or third slices of the huge wedding cake. The click of a camera, a familiar voice, and a more familiar scent told him his wife was here, having her picture taken, perhaps with the half-demolished cake, perhaps with some of the guests. He moved on.

Inside, in the room currently acting as the bar, he tapped his cane across the floor, reaching the bar without running into anyone or anything. The stink of alcohol and smoke was heavy here. "Have you seen my son?" he asked Julio, the bartender, recognizable by the distinctive clicking of his earrings.

"Over on the couch," the Hispanic accent answered, "Esound esleep, he es. Only had the one drink, too."

Lionel turned his head toward where he knew the couch was before he remembered that wouldn't help him distinguish what was going on over there. Some habits of a lifetime were difficult to break. "Is Kent with him?"

"Tall boy, out of place in an esuit, dark curly hair?"

"That's him," Lionel agreed.

"He makes good pillow. Your eson looks very comfortable."

Lionel frowned. "Thank you, Julio." He turned around and tapped his way across the room to the couch pushed up against the wall on the far side. The smell of alcohol and smoke was still present but significantly less over here. He could just make out the scent of his son's cologne - twice as strong as it should have been for the distance between them. He'd apparently let Kent borrow some for the evening. "Lex," Kent's voice, urgent and worried, apparently trying to wake the boy.

"Mm," a waking groan, recognizable from the hundreds of times Lionel had needed to wake his son over the years. "Clark?" Lionel wasn't certain whether he should be concerned that the first word Lex had upon waking was Clark's name, or reassured that it was a question.

"Your dad's here."

There was the sound of scrabbling, probably Lex sitting up. Lionel looked down sternly at him. Or that was the impression he was trying to engender. "Desiree?" Lex asked, sounding like he was still trying to reorient himself. Had he been more awake, he would have not given away how concerned he was about not knowing her precise whereabouts when he knew Lionel was right there.

There was a moment's pause, possibly while Kent looked out the window, "Just outside. She's with the photographers."

A shorter, more anticipatory pause. Then, "Hi, Dad. Why aren't you with Mother?"

Lionel's scowl deepened. "She asked that you not address her as such, Lex."

"Or what this time? Disinheritance again? Or will she send me away to boarding school?"

Lionel did not understand where this petulance was coming from. If he didn't know better, he would have thought he'd somehow hurt Lex's sometimes fragile and oftentimes inexplicable feelings. But Lex had introduced him to Desiree. This animosity he had for his stepmother was mystifying. She had been nothing but understanding towards him and she was met in return with nothing but defiance and hatred. "If you can't behave around her, perhaps you should return to Princeton to finish your Masters." He turned his head in what would have been a derisive look at Kent if only he'd been able to see the boy, "Though I fear your taste in companionship would only continue to decline."

The leather cushions hissed and creaked as Lex surged to his feet. Lionel could smell the wave of cologne that rose up with him. "Fuck you, Dad. Check your pocket. Come on, Clark." Then he was stalking away, Kent no doubt in tow. Lionel tried to stare after them, but the lack of eyesight made it difficult. Check his pocket? What the hell did that mean?

He slipped a hand into his pocket and found a small sheet of Braille paper. It had two words, followed by two initials. En guarde DA. Each corner held the Braille mark for "L", in the style he'd begun to mark all his notes-to-self in. It was difficult to recognize handwriting in Braille, but he was as sure as he could be that he'd written this himself. He just couldn't recall having done so. The message, however, was clear, if disturbing. It was a declaration of war against his wife.

If he had written it, he would have provided an explanation somewhere. His study most likely. He made his way up there, finding the stack of Braille print-outs in the second drawer. He read through them quickly, the memory coming back slowly as he did so. Mutants, both Lex and Desiree. Results of DNA tests on both of them. Desiree's mutation focused in two chromosomes, Lex's scattered through all twenty six. His suspicions that hers were more immediately useful, but that Lex's were far more pervasive and not limited to the simple danger sense that he'd admitted to. Notes that he had ordered his Kryptonite researchers to find a way to block the pheromones that so frightened Lex. Notes that he ordered a study of the relevant parts of the genome to determine what other gifts his son might have.

He put the pages away and was just decanting a brandy when he heard and smelled her arrival. "I found Lex asleep in Kent's arms," he stated, not caring whether or not he was being accurate. The location of Kent's arms had blessedly been left out of Julio's description. He could pretend they had not been around Lex. God. In the bar room. At his wedding. Everyone who was anyone in Metropolis or Wall Street had been out here tonight. "He can't be allowed out of Smallville until he learns discretion. Princeton is out of the question."

Lionel needed the boy here. Here where he could remind Lionel to look in his pocket. Here where Lionel could study him.

She moved nearer, he could smell her perfume wafting towards him. Lex had already given away that he knew her secret. It was why she wanted him gone. He dared not let on he knew or she might move up the timetable. She already had her wedding. "Mm," she murmured, closing for a kiss, and he met it, breathing in her scent, breathing in the pheromones. It was not an unpleasant thing, to be held in her thrall. It was temporary, and there would be sex. Not a bad way to wait for the counteragent. "Perhaps a more obscure college?"

Lionel kissed back, breaking away only long enough to protest, "He is a Luthor. Luthors attend only the best."

She kissed him again, and breathed heavily as she began to unbutton his shirt. "Perhaps he should cease to be a Luthor."

The boy was nothing but trouble and disgrace. "Perhaps."

Entering into the Talon, Clark saw Lana take one look at the suit he was still wearing and raise her eyebrows. "Nice. So how was the big exclusive gala up at the mansion?" Lana asked curiously with a wave in the vague direction of the Luthor estate. "How'd you get invited anyway?"

"Expensive. Expansive. Exhausting. Lex fell asleep. And I got in because I was Lex's guest."

"Ah," Lana said. "No Metropolis socialite on his arm?"

Clark's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What did Pete tell you?"

"Pete?" Lana repeated in confusion. "Nothing. I just thought weddings were something you brought a date to."

Clark shrugged uncomfortably. "I guess he needed a friend more. It was his dad getting remarried to a woman only a little bit older than Lex. One he really doesn't like."

Lana nodded slowly. "I guess that could be rough. Were he and his mother close?"

"Very," Clark confirmed absolutely.

There were a few awkward moments, then Lana lifted the hand camera she was using to record Whitney's video letter. "So, want to get started?"

It took a few takes, but eventually he managed to get out pretty much what he wanted to say. Lana pressed the off button and put the camera aside, saying, "That was great. Thanks so much for doing this." Rearranging the strap on a nearby table so nobody passing by would knock it onto the floor, she asked, "So, what did you and Whitney talk about?"

It seemed like forever ago, and he internally cringed a bit in guilt at how little he'd been fulfilling the request lately. "Uh, just that he wanted me to keep an eye on you."

She turned and just looked at him. Clark flushed and stammered out something, but she took pity on him. "It's hot. Do you want an iced coffee? I... I'm gonna go make an iced coffee." Then she moved to the counter, putting actions to words.

They continued to talk while she made the cappuccinos, mostly about Whitney which was a fairly safe, if irritating, topic as far as Clark was concerned. For one thing, it reminded him she already had a boyfriend, which accounted for both 'safe' and 'irritating'. For another, there weren't any Luthor or Meteor secret mines around him which was all about 'safe'.

Then Lana said, "Besides, I do have you to look out for me, don't I?" Which wasn't really a safe comment at all.

Clark shrugged guiltily, "Well, I know I haven't been around much this summer," she handed him his iced coffee, and he accepted it gratefully, "but ever since the storm, the farm has just been a disaster. And there was Lex, too."

She looked at him in confusion, "Lex?"

Not knowing how much he was allowed to say and how much Lex counted as privileged information, he just spread his hands. "He was pretty shaken by how close his Dad came to dying and by shooting Nixon to save mine. I guess he wanted something familiar. He came over the farm a lot this summer."

"Seems like we're all trying to find our way back from that day."

Clark nodded agreement. "Except for Mr. Luthor. His blindness doesn't seem to be slowing him down at all."

"It's kinda weird."

"What, that someone as young and, um, as young as Ms. Atkins would agree to marry him?"

"It seems kind of sudden, doesn't it? I guess they both learned to just go for what they want, never hold anything back. I wonder if we'll ever be able to do the same?"

They locked eyes, and Clark felt a smile grow on his face as the implication that Lana might want to go for him occurred to him, but then the burning and pressure behind his eyes started again and he squeezed them shut immediately, panic flowing through him.

"Clark, what's wrong?" Lana sounded concerned.

Clark just shook his head, waving his hands in front of him, trying to find the exit. "Call Lex."

"Lex?" she repeated, obviously confused, but he could hear her dialing. He wasn't sure how much longer he could hold it off. "Hello, this is Lana Lang from the Talon. Is Lex available?" A pause, and her voice became more worried, urgent, "They're putting me through to him now. What should I say?"

He held out his hand. "Phone." The plastic handset was passed over and he held it up to his ear just as Lex said Lana's name. "It's me. It's happening. The eye thing." Clark said, panic carrying through clearly in his voice.

"Think of my dad naked, Clark. All skinny and wrinkly and old." Clark didn't want to know how or why that was the first image Lex thought to offer to him, but it helped. He'd need a brainscrub later, but the pressure lessened somewhat. "Now think of manure, piles and piles of cow shit, just sitting there, the stench all pervasive," Lex's voice had gone into a slow, deep measure, hypnotic almost. "Think of all the worms and bugs living in it. Long shiny creatures with hundreds of legs, too. Thousands of them. Crawling everywhere. And maggots. Whitely translucent and slimy. They're all over the place. All over you."

The roiling feeling moved from behind his eyes to his stomach. "That is really gross."

"Feeling better?" His voice was normal again, smug and amused.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." He really did. The only time his stomach had been this mutinous before was around the green rocks.

"Glad I could help."

But he could safely open his eyes again. He did so carefully, but nothing burst into flame and nothing had that terrible red haze around it. "Thanks, Lex."

"Anything for a friend. If you need any more traumatizing images, you know where to find me."

"I worry about you sometimes," Clark told him, intending it to be a joke, but it came out a little too serious.

Lex seemed not to hear him. "Good-night, Clark. I'll let you get back to Lana, but I wouldn't recommend staying around too long."

"Bye, Lex," Clark replied, returning the handset to its cradle only after he heard Lex hang up. He looked cautiously over at Lana.

She appeared equal parts worried and baffled, "What was that all about?"

He thought fast and came up with one of his better lies ever, "I've been getting these really sharp migraine headaches right behind my eyes lately. Lex said they're mostly psychological and told me next time I had one that I should call him and he could talk it away." Clark shrugged, "He did, too, I just didn't think he meant he'd scare them away with descriptions of gross bugs."

Lana laughed. "Remind me never to have Lex talk away one of my headaches. I hope you feel better soon."

Clark nodded, "Thanks, I should," he pointed a thumb toward the door, "I probably ought to get back home. Rest."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow, if you make it to school."

"Clark?" Dad's voice. Clark didn't look up, but blinked against the sudden brightness the open barn doors brought into the gloom. "I thought you'd be in school already."

"I'm not going." He could almost hear his father frown. "It almost happened again," he admitted. "At the Talon last night. And I don't think... Mrs. Luthor would look kindly on me calling Lex during her class if it happens again."

"Lex stopped it?"

"He talked about maggots," Clark said, his expression and stomach twisting against the memory.

Beside him, the step creaked and sagged as his father joined him. "Clark, look at me." Reluctantly, Clark did so. "Son, I think I have a pretty good idea what's triggering this thing." So did Clark, but that wasn't really helping anything. "Come with me." Dad stood again, trying to pull Clark up with him. Clark followed, still dubious, but willing to give his father's idea a shot, whatever it was.

He was still dubious as they stood out in the field, facing a post and scarecrow that Clark had been told to plant in the ground. "Alright. Rule number one," his father began in a lecturing tone of voice, "Always practice away from the barn."

That made sense, except, "Dad, I don't get it. I thought the whole point was to stop this from happening."

He nodded. "Well, in order to find the off switch, first we need to find the on switch, right? Alright," he aimed Clark toward the scarecrow and pointed at it, "Now, I want you to remember exactly what you thinking about the first time it happened." Clark tried, he really did, but, well, his dad was right there. "Come on." The encouragement really didn't help either.

"Dad," he hesitated uncomfortably, now wanting to sound ungrateful, but well, "this might be easier if I was..."

Fortunately, he caught on right away. "Alone. Yeah. Sorry." Thank God.

"Thanks."

His next few tries didn't work so well, either. He hoped that was because Mrs. Luthor's appearance just wasn't good enough anymore now that he knew what she was really like. "Lana," he whispered, trying a new tact. The scarecrow burst into a fireball of flame.

"Five scarecrows, two water barrels, and our mailbox later..." Jonathan trailed off, sounding vastly amused despite the property damage. Lex looked over at Clark who was microwaving some popcorn without the use of a microwave oven.

"Dad was right," Clark picked up the tale of his mastery, "Once I understood what triggered the heat, I was able to control it without thinking about... sex." Well, apparently not completely because the bag of popcorn exploded on the last word.

"Sure about that?" Lex asked, just barely beating Jonathan to the question.

Clark sounded confident, "Trust me. Next time I have a date, I'll be able to take her out without setting her on fire."

"Well, that's a relief," Jonathan remarked, sounding more relieved than the uncertain look he'd just shared with Martha implied he was actually feeling.

Clark just grinned. "I'll be fine. Coming, Lex?" He picked up his backpack and headed towards the door. Lex got up and followed him out to the barn. Once they were settled, Clark began an impressive demonstration of lighting a whole slew of candles placed all around the loft. "So, how are things on the Lionel and Desiree front?"

Lex leaned back against the cushions of the old battered couch. "I'm not disinherited yet, which I'm counting as a victory in my father's favor. He's not dead yet, either, which is also promising, though I'm not sure when or how she's planning to make a move on him. I wouldn't have come out here tonight, but he's working late on something at the plant, so I thought it would be all right to leave her alone for a little while."

"What's your plan?" Clark asked, as he moved around, snuffing out each of the candles he had just lit.

Lex shrugged. "Right now, I'm just waiting for one of them to make the first move. I can't imagine she'll wait very long. Dad instills homicidal rages in everybody with whom he has extended contact, plus she intended to kill him from the beginning anyway."

All candles now out, Clark sat down on the couch beside Lex, and started lighting them again, this time from a distance.

"Are you sure that's wise, Clark? This barn isn't exactly fireproof."

Clark tucked his hands under his legs as if that would help stop him from lighting candles with his eyes. "Sorry."

Lex shook his head, "I wasn't telling you to stop. It's fascinating to watch. As long as you rescue me before the place collapses in flames, I'll even pay for the cost of rebuilding."

Clark smacked him. "I don't think so. Dad'll kill me first, then you when you make that offer."

Smirking, Lex shook his head, "No, Clark, I think I've won him over enough that he won't try to kill me for that anymore. He talked about your powers with me in the room today. It's a giant step. I think I finally graduated to full Kent in his eyes."

Clark grinned, "Well, you were a huge help with the heat vision, especially last night. You deserve it. We're all really proud of you."

Lex had to drop his head and look at the floor to hide the enormity of the swelling rush of emotions he was feeling. He felt warm all over and there was no way to hide that from Clark. Not that there was any point. All three of the Kents were perfectly well aware of how absurdly susceptible he was to their experiment. It would be demeaning except he knew they genuinely meant every reinforcement they made.

The sound of the barn door opening interrupted his Pavlovian moment. His eyes narrowed, and his lips turned down at the timing. These episodes might be embarrassing and beyond his rational control, but they were his and he didn't appreciate them being cut short. Whichever of Clark's friends had come by bearing homework had better make it fast.

But the footsteps climbing the loft stairs were familiar in a way that did not belong to Chloe, Pete, or Lana. "Hey, Clark," the voice was none of theirs either, and Lex felt all his muscles clench at once. Clark tensed as well, shifting to the edge of his cushion and placing himself between Lex and the woman now appearing at the top of the stairs. "You up he- oh. You're here, too." The last part was directed at Lex in a far more hostile voice than the first part.

Lex sneered at her around Clark. "I'm visiting my friend. What are you doing here?"

"Frankly, Lex, your father is a little old for my taste, and I saw your 'friend' looking at me in class the other day."

Lex was on his feet and would have been in her face if Clark hadn't grabbed him and held him safely away. "He's sixteen!" he snarled at the woman, furious at what she was suggesting, but not fighting Clark's grip. He didn't trust his own restraint right now, but he recognized the stupidity of getting within range of her pheromones.

She laughed. "That's rich, coming from you. I picked him because it’s so obvious he's not a virgin."

Clark's hands tightened around Lex's wrists, reaffirming once more that Clark had superstrength. At least he had the vision thing under control. "It is?" the teen asked, squeaking slightly and clearly stumped about where she came up with her conclusion. Lex was going to kill her.

"Don't play coy, Clark," she said, her voice going abruptly seductive. "If you want, we can make it a threesome. Lex is an ass, but I'm sure that's the part of him you like best. If you gag his mouth, I'm not against using his dick while you fuck him."

And fuck, he should not be hard, he should not be hard, he should not be hard. Clark was sixteen and he hated Desiree. And he'd lost feeling in his hands. If Clark didn't loosen up soon, he wasn't sure even his freakish healing would fix it. And Desiree was advancing. Lex pressed back against Clark, hoping to jar him back to the present. And fuck, Clark was hard, too.

She was getting closer. Panic and adrenaline surged through him. As arousing as her plan was, it wasn't worth losing his autonomy. "Clark!" He turned, buried his face in Clark's chest and held his breath.

Clark snapped out of it. The tingling in his fingers told him blood circulation had been restored. One arm wrapped around his back and the other cradled his head as they turned and moved away. Clark's left hand still held him close against Clark's t-shirt, which he took to mean that it wasn't safe to breathe yet. His lungs were already starting to burn, but he could hold on for possibly another thirty seconds. Clark's right hand was stretched out in front of Clark, possibly holding some sort of weapon because his voice was threatening, "Stay back."

"Or you'll what? Burn down the barn with your candle?" Lex preferred the letter opener his imagination had provided for Clark's weapon. But he really needed to breathe. Right now. Unable to care at the moment about things like propriety, he untucked Clark's shirt and snaked both hands up under it. He heard the surprised gasp and the rapid pounding of Clark's heart, but he was more concerned with pressing the fabric of the t-shirt around his nose and breathing in through the improvised filter. The crash, the screech, and the curse were a little more worrisome. There were running footsteps in heels, going in the direction of away, and there was a growing heat from very close by. Clark's arms and torso left him, the t-shirt escaping with the rest of him, and Lex dared to open his eyes.

He wasn't terribly surprised to find Clark trying to put out a fire that was spreading across the floor of the loft. Unable to do anything but be burned or get in Clark's way with the uncontrolled fire, he opted to start blowing out the remaining candles. "Sorry," he said, realizing that he'd probably caused Clark to drop the candle by his unanticipated actions. "I needed to breathe. I was using your shirt as a filter. I couldn't tell how close she was."

"Don't worry about it," Clark dismissed his culpability, but his blush gave away his embarrassment.

Finding a thick blanket in the clutter beside Clark's desk, he grabbed it and tossed it to Clark. "Use this to smother the flames." Clark caught it and his progress in putting out the fire was much faster after that. When it was out, Lex took a moment to stare at the singed blanket and charred floorboards. "Clark," he began seriously. When Clark looked up at him, he wetted his lips, "What Desiree said. And what Dad made a veiled hint at during the reception."

"Pete thinks it, too," Clark said, which only compounded the problem Lex thought they were facing. If people besides his father were coming up with this conclusion, Lex was doing something seriously wrong.

"Shit. He thinks I'm bi or he thinks we're having sex?"

Clark blushed brilliantly. "Um, he doesn't think we've done anything, but thinks you want to?" A pause, hiding a Herculean effort on Clark's part, but he lost the battle to not ask, "Do you?"

That would have been a far easier question to answer before Desiree's visit. "Let me put it this way, and try not to take offense, okay?" Clark nodded warily. "You're sixteen. Sixteen is way too young for me. That said, in two, three years, if you take it into your head to say, just as an example, 'Hey, Lex, instead of playing pool today, would you like to strip and bend over the table for me?' I can't imagine that I'd say no." Clark turned his head and lit three candles in quick succession. Not quite complete control on the lust trigger yet, then. They were really lucky it hadn't gone off while Desiree was here.

"So," Clark concluded, trying to sound calm and rational, like this was something that happened every night, "You are bi, then."

Lex nodded. "Yes." He was surprised when Clark's fingers brushed lightly across face. His breath caught in his chest when Clark dropped a feather-soft kiss on the top of his scalp.

"Do you mind me doing that?" Clark asked quietly.

Lex shook his head despite every neuron of sense telling him he should stop this right now.

Clark beamed down at him, placing one hand on each side of Lex's waist. "Good." Lex felt a chill of anticipation slide down his spine. He lifted his chin up and closed his eyes, but Clark's lips only brushed against his forehead again. He was not disappointed by that. He was not. God, he was so easy. Even right after saying Clark should wait a few years, he was doing nothing but encouraging behavior that could easily lead to exactly what he'd just said Clark wasn't ready for.

He pulled away. Clark was going to be disappointed, but Martha and Jonathan, once they got over the circumstances, would be proud of him. "What about Lana?"

Clark blinked in confusion and disorientation. Lex supposed that was to be expected from any sixteen year old virgin faced with the promise of a guaranteed future sex partner, even if that person wasn't the expected gender, especially so close on the heels of a seduction attempt by Desiree Luthor. "Um. She has Whitney?"

Lex drew in a slow breath. "Clark, I imagine tonight is the first you've ever remotely considered the possibility that you might not be straight. Don't let Desiree-"

"Lex," Clark interrupted, and Lex stopped talking, "I've been thinking about it since Pete said you liked me."

Oh. "What did you conclude?"

Clark shrugged, "Jury was still out. I was a little preoccupied with getting the heat vision under control." Lex nodded, that made sense. "After tonight, I don't think it's really a question anymore."

"Clark, she's an attractive woman and exudes sex. It's perfectly reasonable for you to be confused." Lex fell silent as Clark touched him again. Even with his sleeve as a barrier, he could feel Clark's heat spreading into and through him. Damn Desiree. Clark used to be able to touch him without causing a sexual reaction. This wasn't platonic anymore.

"Lex, I wasn't hard until she said I could fuck you." Oh God, his skin went simultaneously hot and cold. He shifted his weight and rearranged the fall of his clothing. He pretended not to hear the hitch in Clark's breathing or notice the direction of his gaze. The next two years were going to be Hell.

Lex was acutely aware that Clark's hand was still on his arm, acutely aware of Clark's body, acutely aware of his proximity, and, most significantly, acutely aware that Clark wanted to fuck him. His own breathing was quick and shallow. This was going to be between them now. This knowledge, this incompleteness. Nothing was going to be the same. Damn Desiree, damn her to the deepest darkest level of Hell. "Two years, Clark," he found himself saying, his voice tight. "I'll let you do it in two years."

There was literally fire in Clark's eyes as he nodded, but he did not light any more candles as he stepped away. Lex was left feeling cold and empty. "I should go back," he said. "Make sure they're not killing each other. I broke Dad free of her influence at the plant this morning. God knows what he's been planning in the meantime."

Lionel had been preparing to return home to his wife and child all day and much of the evening. This had been far easier when his wife had been Lillian and his son had been small. Then, he could just go home, lecture Lex, kiss Lillian, and be relieved that she had lasted another day. Now his wife was planning to kill him, his child was grown and of dubious allegiance, and both were mutants and therefore subject to unpredictable homicidal rages if past mutant behavior was anything to go by. He hoped neither had killed the other during his absence, if only because he wanted to defeat Desiree himself and Lex, well, Lex was still his son.

Just before leaving the limo, he drank the vial that his researchers had created at his request. If they weren't mistaken, it would counteract the effect of Desiree's pheromones for six hours. If they were mistaken, they had best destroy all his notes on the topic and hope Desiree wiped his memory very well.

The driver escorted him inside, to where Desiree was waiting for him in the foyer. They kissed, and Lionel realized for the first time just how fuzzy his mind had gotten every time she was near. The difference was startling. He made a mental note to give his people raises. "Lionel," she breathed, the scent as strong as ever, but this time his head remained clear. "Your son has been acting very inappropriately while you were away."

He recognized now that one of her primary objectives was to turn him against Lex. That meant she felt as threatened by his son as his son felt threatened by her. Interesting. Lex was not an idiot. For all his cowering, he must realize she wants him gone for a reason. So why wasn't he flaunting the extent of his information instead of just showing his hand when she moved too close? Was he really that intimidated by her power, or was he playing her somehow? Most importantly, Lionel wished he knew the boy's endgame. He claimed to be the 'referee', but was he really that impartial or did he have a particular winner in mind? If the latter, could Lionel even be sure that it was him? Certainly, they appeared to despise each other, but could that just be a hoax meant to deceive him and draw his attention away from the fact that Lex had intentionally introduced them in the first place?

"He came on to me," Desiree continued, "Him and Clark both."

Could she honestly expect him to buy that, even under her influence? Lex was terrified of being within five feet of her. The only verified report of the boy even sleeping in the last four days had been at the wedding reception, though he suspected there wasn't much work getting done in Lex's office at the plant. Had he not been busy with his LuthorCorp researchers in the borrowed lab, he probably could have suborned the management back into his company while Lex napped.

His current course of action had clearly been the right one, if she honestly believed he would have accepted this ludicrous accusation. He could not even comprehend the possibility, never mind determine how he otherwise would have reacted to it. Even had Desiree not been a mutant with mind altering pheromones that kept him at a distance from her, Lex believed in marriage to an absurd extent. He would have made his move before yesterday or never. "I told you his shyness was feigned," he said instead, frowning. "You turned them down, of course." More likely, Lex had turned her down, the slut. He could only hope that Kent hadn't actually been involved. It was bad enough his son was sleeping with the farmboy, Lionel did not need his wife making passes as well.

"Yes, of course," she agreed, her voice going sultry as she ran her hands over him then leaned in for a breathy kiss. "But I don't think he should live here any longer."

He wondered how Lex had remained a part of the household this long. No doubt the boy was monitoring them and being very careful not to enter the room while the compulsion to throw him out was still strong. "Mm," he agreed, "Perhaps not." Making him move out might not be a bad short-term idea anyway. If Desiree continued to be thwarted in her attempts to get him out of the mansion, she might start looking for a more permanent solution to deal with him. "I'll tell him so now."

He pulled out his cell phone, found the dot on the number five, and pressed speed dial one. Behind him, through the still open front door, he heard the mechanized notes of a full orchestra march tune made into a ringtone. There was a moment's pause, then Lex's voice came from the phone speaker and the driveway, "Looking for me, Dad?" He was startled, more because he hadn't heard any of Lex's engines arrive than because he hadn't heard the boy himself. Had Lex been just sitting out there all this time?

He didn't show his surprise. He merely ended the call and turned toward the voice. "Desiree and I have decided that it is time for you to find a place of your own to live."

"What? The Scottish castle isn't big enough for three? I think you found an inferior ancestral home." It really should have occurred to him that Lex would completely disregard the announcement. "Would you two move out of the doorway, so I can get inside?" He wasn't moving any closer at the moment. There was currently at least fifteen feet between him and Desiree. Lionel would have loved to be able to see Lex's expression right now, if only to watch the nonverbal confrontation his son must be having with his wife.

Assuming, of course, they weren't working together in some intricate plot, though Lionel doubted that possibility.

"Lex," he stated, going for a tone of impatience. "Do you honestly believe I'd let you back into my home after you and your young Mr. Kent tried to seduce my wife?"

"What?" Lex asked, sounding shocked and incredulous. An honest reaction, no doubt, one of the few such he'd ever gotten from Lex. "Dad, she's my stepmother." This, Lionel was sure, was intended as a dig at Desiree rather than an admission of any familial bonding with her. Lex had discovered very quickly that Desiree hated the idea of having a grown child, even by marriage. It was pettier than anything else, but he rarely missed a chance to use that information against her. Further consideration about whether or not Lex would have reacted similarly had Lionel tried to remarry when he was still a teen was interrupted when Lex added, "She came on to us."

Dammit, why did the two people Lionel counted as his have to go throw themselves at a hick farmer's son? Desiree might be his enemy, but she was also his wife. Was it so much to ask that she not cheat on him for one whole day after their wedding? Hell, the woman wanted him dead, couldn't she at least wait until he'd been killed? Lex, he admitted, was beyond hope.

He was careful not to tense as she draped an arm around him as she (probably) continued to glare out at Lex. She breathed at him again, and Lionel checked a sneer at her overdependence on her power. "He's lying. Clark missed school today so I went out there to give him his assignment. Imagine my surprise when I get up into his loft and find the two of them entwined together on the couch." Lionel was not surprised and doubted the scene had taken her off guard either.

"We were not entwined," Lex denied sullenly, speaking just loud enough to be understood. Had Lionel's hearing not become sharper with the loss of his sight, he doubted he would have heard it at all. Was Lex speaking the truth, or had he already gauged Lionel's hearing that well?

Desiree missed the rebuttal and carried on without pause. "Kent had romantically lit the place with candlelight and they were both already naked when I got there." Lex said nothing, but there was a strange quality to his silence that Lionel didn't care for. "Kent was on his back on the couch, and Lex was atop him." Thank God Lex at least was doing that much right. Except... Lex still hadn't said anything. And now Lionel could hear his breathing, short and ragged. Desiree paused, and when she spoke again there was a sneer in her voice that was unmistakable. "Kent's dick was up his ass and he was riding it, enjoying himself immensely."

"Fuck," Lex whispered, sounding strained and aroused.

"Even now, he's touching himself at the memory." But it wasn't a memory. Lionel was beginning to understand what was going on right now in front of him. Whatever she had walked in on, it hadn't been sex. In fact, he was beginning to suspect that perhaps Lex hadn't yet had sex with Clark Kent at all so far. He dearly wished for sight, just for a minute, just to see Lex's face right now. That would tell him if his suspicions were true. It would tell him if she was succeeding in what she had failed at earlier. Whatever had happened in Kent's barn, she had discovered they hadn't consummated Lex's desire yet. And now she was seducing his son by using Clark.

"I don't think I need these details," Lionel stated abruptly, not needing to fake his disgust. "I am aware of what my son does with his body; the play-by-play can be left for the tabloids."

Her arm dropped lower, snaking around his back and curling in to cup his groin. She breathed heavily beside him. Even with the pheromone blocker, the effect was arousing. "It's important, Lionel. Listen." As she spoke, she guided him down the stairs, closing in on where Lex had been. It was difficult to determine if he was still there, but he hadn't heard any footsteps that heralded a retreat. When they were about five feet from where he estimated Lex's previous position had been, gravel crunched as Lex took a step back. Then they all stopped where they were. Lionel could just make out Lex's heartbeat in the sudden quiet of the driveway. Rapid, erratic. More scared than his expression was probably letting on. He knew as well as Lionel did, if not more so, that Desiree was a homicidal mutant. And Lex had done nothing but provoke her since they met.

"Kent's large farm hands were wrapped around Lex's hips as they rutted," she continued, a thread of viciousness laced through her words now. Lex's breath faltered. Lionel wanted the visual cues. Was he touching himself as she had said? Were his pupils blown wide? Or was he scowling, defiant, bored, or even amused? Never had his blindness frustrated him so much as it did right now.

"So intent were they on what they were doing, they didn't even notice me at first. Lex's back was to me and he was preoccupied with fucking himself on Kent. Clark saw me first and flipped them over, pressing deeply into Lex's body even as he draped himself protectively over him." There was a smugness to the last part, like she thought she scored a point by describing it that way. Lionel couldn't decide if the victory was because, if true, Lionel would deem Lex weak and submissive and therefore unworthy of being a Luthor, or if she thought that Lex would get off on being protected. Even if it was the latter, that would just make the former more true.

Lex drew a sharp intake of breath and released it slowly. The gravel of the drive crunched as he retreated another step. "Thank you, Mother, for that lovely but entirely inaccurate recap of the evening," Lex interrupted her then. "Dad, I'll be up in my room." He tried to walk around them, but Desiree moved to get between him and the door, so he turned and walked off to the side, apparently deciding to go in through the kitchen entrance instead.

"Lex!" Lionel called after him, "I told you to get off the property!"

Lex kept walking, with even more disregard for Lionel's wishes and orders than when he had been a teen. Back then, he would have at least acknowledged that Lionel had said something by telling him to go screw himself. Lionel wasn't sure if this was an improvement or not.

To distract Desiree from trying to refute Lex's denial, Lionel turned on his heel and marched back into the mansion as he planned aloud, "I'm going to call my lawyers to get an injunction against Lex being here. Once that's finalized, I can get the police involved to force him out of the house if he won't voluntarily leave."

"Excellent plan," Desiree approved huskily with a squeeze, a kiss, and a breath full of pheromones. "You go do that, and when you're done, meet me out by the pool."

"Mmm," Lionel agreed, "sounds good."

As it was his own plan, he felt no need to change it just because Desiree seemed to like it. He got things squared away with the lawyers, both his and Lex's, then went to inform his son of his imminent change in living arrangements. He saw no reason to involve the police unless Lex became intractable in the face of being outmaneuvered. This part proved more difficult than expected as Lex was not in his room. Of course, that was where he had said he was going so Lionel should have realized that was the last place he'd actually be.

His usual other haunts around the castle were equally absent of his presence. None of his cars were missing, judging by the key rack in the garage, but if Lionel couldn't find where he'd hidden himself, he was sure Desiree couldn't and that was the important part for now. Returning to the pool, he announced his success with assurance, "Lex appears to have left," he told his wife as she made small quiet splashes as she cut smoothly through the water. "His lawyer must have told him about the legal order before I found him." His phrasing was perfect, implying that Lex was gone yet leaving himself protected should Lex show himself at some later point. Lionel would be guilty of only poor assumptions rather than blatant lies.

"Good," she congratulated, rising out of the water if the amount of dripping coming from the shallow end's stairs was anything to go by. He imagined she looked like some goddess rising out of the sea because with the amount of trouble she was causing, she had better look divine.

With all the splashing and dripping, he almost didn't hear the person behind him until it was too late. He ducked and felt a whoosh of air pass where his head had just been. Then Lex's voice shouted out, "Dive, Dad!" Lionel threw himself into the pool, staying underwater for as long as he could hold his breath. Another person splashed in. Lionel rose up to the surface and stole another deep breath before hearing Lex, "All clear, Dad!"

He aborted his next submersion and turned toward his son's voice. "What happened?" he snapped.

"Desiree manipulated the groundskeeper to try to kill you. Tony, you all right?"

There was splashing beside him, then the midwestern accent of the groundskeeper. "What am I doing in the pool?"

"I pushed you," Lex said. "Are both of you clear-headed now?"

"What of Desiree?" Lionel asked, believing it perfectly apparent that they were both fine since the groundskeeper wasn't trying to drown him.

"Unconscious. I'm going to call the police now. We've got three witnesses who will say she tried to kill you, right, Tony?"

The man hesitated a moment, but he came to the right decision quickly enough, "Sure thing, boss."

They both got out of the pool and dried off as best they could. The police arrived while he was still arguing with Lex about whether or not he should change into a different suit before they came. Lex insisted it looked better for him this way and given the speed of their appearance, it looked like he was going to get his way.

They secured Desiree and asked questions. They'd worked out a story beforehand and even Tony kept to it. The truth would have worked just as well, but this way put Tony in their debt, not that Lionel could immediately think of a use for a gardener other than as a gardener. Besides, he'd rather not admit that he'd been held under sway for any of the last few days either.

Once the police and Desiree were gone and Tony was sent home, Lionel cornered his son. "So, I assume you reached you endgame tonight. Satisfy my curiosity, Lex. Was this all to make some obscure point to me? Because I can tell you right now, I still don't know what it was."

Lex took a few steps away and sighed. "It had very little to do with you, Dad. I just needed a reason to get her arrested." He started to leave, but paused at the door, "And I hope the document my lawyer called me about an hour ago is no longer necessary?"

"I'll void it," Lionel agreed. "I was just worried that she’d try to kill you, too, if you kept antagonizing her at every turn. It was for your own good, son."

"Good night, Dad," Lex said without acknowledging Lionel's words.

When he was sure he was alone, Lionel took out his cell phone and made two calls. One was to his lawyers and cleared up Lex's residency issues as well as arranging annulment papers and dissolution of the marriage contract. The other arranged transport of Desiree Luthor/Atkins to a secure LuthorCorp lab and made sure that anyone coming into contact with her was first dosed with the pheromone antidote. Lex might have achieved his endgame against her but Lionel hadn't even begun.