“You can’t be serious?”

“Yes, I could.”

“Aren’t we suppose to be archenemies or something?” Lex asked, biting the tip of a very expensive pen.

“Hmm, yes. I think so.”

“Well, then?”

“Come on, Lex-don’t be that way.” Clark sighed softly. Green eyes giving Lex the biggest puppy dog eyes in the galaxy.

“Don’t do that. That would have worked when you were sixteen, but now that you’re twenty-five and a super hero it isn’t going to work.”

Clark moved closer to Lex. “Come on, Lex.”

“No. We’re suppose to be enemies. Enemies don’t spend the holidays at each other’s houses.”

“Please Lex? For me?” Clark pleaded.

“No.”

“Have you got something better to do?”

“Not really.”

“Well then, come on.”

“No. And don’t you have someone to go rescue in outer Siberia or a kitten to fetch from a tree in California?” Lex asked Clark, picking up the ever present blue bottle. “If you don’t, you could always just fly around looking cute-I mean all the girls and boys must love you in those really stupid red shorts and blue tights with all your assets displayed for the whole world to see.”

Clark looked down at himself. “Really?”

Lex took a long swallow of his water. “Hmm.”

Green eyes widened in horror. “No.”

“Yup.”

Clark’s big hands came out to cover said assets, cheeks bright red. “Mom, said I looked good.”

“She would, you’re her son. You could look like a real dumb-ass and she’d say you looked really cute. Did you ask your dad?”

“N…no.”

“Well, there you go. Maybe you should have. No proper super hero would go out dressed like that.” Lex got a thoughtful look on his face. “No, wait a second-thinking back at the way Batman dresses or those idiots at the Justice League. You fit right in. Not a brain cell to rub between the lot of you,” Lex shook his bald head. “tis quite sad really.”

“Oh, God, Lex.”

“Oh-I wouldn’t worry about it, Clark. I‘m sure you gave many a girl and boy quite a thrill. Your substantial assets are displayed…” Lex cleared his throat. “very nicely, very nicely indeed. That should give you some comfort as well as quite a bit of popularity amongst the superhero world and their groupies,” Lex added, smiling at the mortified man.

“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” Clark asked, wishing he were dead or at least better covered.

“Hmm, enemies here,” Lex replied, waving a finger between the two of them.

“It didn’t use to be like that,” Clark currently dressed as Superman replied, sadly. Wrapping his cape around his body, extremely self-conscious all of a sudden.

“No,” Lex said, looking over his office. Filled with all the latest expensive equipment. Everything a super villain needed to keep ahead in the super villain game. He looked at the man who had at one time been his best friend wondering if it was enough, if it would ever be enough.

“Where did we go wrong?” Clark asked softly.

“I don’t know. Time. Different life goals.”

Clark smiled. “Yeah, you want to conquer the world. I want to save it?”

“Yes.” Lex smiled back.

Wistfully they looked at one another. Clark was the first to break the silence. “Lex, can you just for this once forget we’re suppose to be enemies and come back to Smallville with me for the holidays?”

“Why? Do you think if I put myself under your Mom and Dad’s influence, I’d see the errors of my villainous ways?”

Clark moved closer to Lex, sitting on the edge of his desk. “Something like that. Mom misses you. She said if I got you to go back to Smallville, she’d bake you a apple pie and she’d have plenty of fresh homemade ice cream to go with it.”

“Oooh, a bribe.”

“If you like. Will you take it?”

Lex met Clark’s eyes. “Well, alright. I haven’t had homemade anything in a while.”

Clark reached out a hand and gently caressed the side of Lex’s face. “Thank you, Lex,” he said softly.

Lex cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Well, don’t get to excited it might be extremely noticeable in that stupid outfit your wearing and I’m not changing my villainously ways for apple pie.” He closed his eyes when a thumb stoked over his lips gently.

“No?”

“Hmm, maybe,” Lex conceded, nibbling carefully on the thumb. Taking it into his mouth he sucked on it for a moment before releasing it. “Well, we better get going if we want to make it to Smallville before the next millennium.” he said standing, noticing the glazed look in Clark’s eyes with a smile.

Lex picked up his car keys. “I thought we were flying?” Clark told him hoarsely.

“No way. We’re suppose to be enemies. I don’t want to be flown up to ten thousand feet by you and dropped. I wouldn’t look good as a bald, purple splat.”

“Don’t you trust me, Lex?” Clark asked him, bumping his hip against Lex’s.

Lex bumped back. “No.”

“Come on. I promise not to drop you.”

“And what do I get if I agree to fly with you?”

“You get to soar above the clouds and be one with the universe,” Clark told him, pulling him close.

Lex sighed, rubbing his face against Clark’s warm chest. “Very poetic, but I’m afraid of heights.”

“I’ll take care of you, Lex. I won’t let anything happen.”

Clark was nuzzling the top of his head making it hard to think. “Hmm, okay. Promise not to drop me?”

“I promise,” Clark told him, lifting him carefully into his arms

“Are we still enemies?” Lex asked, in a small voice. Almost as if he were afraid of the answer.

“We were never enemies, Lex. Long lost friends maybe, but never enemies.”

“Okay, I’m glad. Clark?”

Warm, green eyes looked into his. “Yes, Lex?”

“Take me home?”

“Yes, Lex.” Clark replied, holding Lex to him tightly.

“Apple pie?”

“Yes. With homemade ice cream.”

Lex watched the landscape whizzed by dizzyingly. “Nice.” Which it kind of was, in a weird sort of way.

Clark smiled at him kissing his forehead. “Yes, Lex. It is.”

As they flew Clark nuzzled the man in his arms. Lex nuzzled back, offering his lips after a long moment.

Lex pulled away slowly. “C…can you see where were going?”

Clark eyed Lex’s mouth hungrily. “Yup.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want you running us into a tree or something else that might hurt a lot.”

Clark chuckled, licking at those tempting lips inches from his own. “Don’t worry so much I’ll protect you.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“Hmm.”

“You and your family are trying to save me from myself, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Still think I can be saved?”

“There’s nothing to save. Lex. You are just misjudged and misunderstood. Even by you.”

“Huh?”

Clark kissed Lex’s nose. “Yup. You aren’t as bad as you think you are, Lex. You just need someone to show you that.”

“Oh,” Lex replied. “you?”

Clark pulled Lex close. “Yup. Me. Oh, look we’re here.”

Clark landed them gently in front of the Kent family home. He released Lex reluctantly when his mom opened the door.

“Clark. Lex.”

Both receiving happy hugs. Lex’s face was taken into loving hands as Martha kissed his forehead. “I’m glad you’re here, Lex,” she said softly.

Clark smiled when Lex blushed a bright red. “Thank you for having me.”

“There is always a place for you here, Lex.”

Martha frowned when she noticed Clark fidgeting. “What’s wrong, honey?”

Clark wrapped his cape tightly around himself. “Hmm, nothing, Mom.” He glared at Lex when his bald friend snickered. “I think I’ll just go change, okay?”

“Alright.”

Martha and Lex followed Clark into the house leisurely. “Have a seat, Lex. Would you like some coffee?”

“Yes, please.”

“So, Lex-what have you be up to?”

Lex added sugar to his coffee. “Oh, a little bit of this, a little bit of that,” he said vaguely.

“Hmm, okay. Pie?” Martha replied, letting it go.

Lex’s eyes lit up. “What kind?”

“We’ve got apple, cherry and blueberry.”

“Oooh, decisions, decisions. Apple, please. Where’s Mr. Kent?”

“He went into town to get supplies. He’ll be back soon,” Martha replied, placing a large helping of pie in front of Lex.

“Oh, Mrs. Kent this looks great.”

“Mom are you trying to fatten Lex up?” Clark asked as he walked into the kitchen. More comfortably dressed in his favorite flannel and jeans. He might not ever see his Superman uniform the same way again after what Lex had said about it. How the heck was he suppose to patrol now? His cape would only cover so much. Damn Lex.

He looked up to find Lex eyeing him mischievously. “Something wrong, Clark?”

Clark cleared his throat. “Nothing’s wrong, Lex. Mom, can I have some pie, too.”

“You sure can, honey. What kind would you like?” Martha told him from the kitchen counter where she was preparing supper.

“Apple, please,” he replied as he helped himself to a glass of milk. “What’s for dinner?”

Martha placed a large helping of pie in front of Clark as large as Lex’s rapidly disappearing piece. “Fried chicken with all the fixings.”

“Sounds good. Hmm, Mom this pie is great.”

Martha smoothed her son’s soft hair watching the way Lex followed the move. “I’m glad you like it,” she replied, going over to lay a gentle kiss on Lex’s bald head. “How about you, Lex-do you like the pie?”

Lex blushed a bright red again at the gentle, loving caress. “It’s very good, Mrs. Kent. Thank you.”

Clark smiled at his friend, earning a small scowl. “Mom makes the best pies in two states, huh-Mom?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that, but I do thank you for the compliment. Once you’re done with the pie you boys could go to the fortress till dinner’s done.”

Clark smiled at Lex. “I think Mom’s trying to get rid of us so she can concentrate on dinner. Ready to go, Lex?”

Lex rose from the dining room chair quickly grabbing the last little bite of pie. “Yes, I’m ready. Wait, wait I want another drink of coffee. Okay, now I’m ready.”

Martha watched them leave shaking her head. Smiling at the way Clark gently urged Lex down the steps with a big hand in the middle of his back. She knew her son loved Lex. Had always known. That was the whole reason she had urged Clark to bring Lex over for the holidays.

She’d watched Clark mope and worry after Lex for years. Seen how Clark had skirted the law to keep Lex from getting into to much trouble with his antics. Had watched when Clark picked up a newspaper or magazine with a picture of Lex running a careful finger over Lex’s face.

She wanted Clark happy and if having Lex in his life did it then so be it. She just hoped they’d be able to finally acknowledge their feeling to one another. She signed softly as she began peeling potatoes.

***

“Well, this hasn’t changed very much,” Lex said as he climbed the stairs leading to Clark’s fortress

.

“No, not much,” Clark agreed.

“I like the Christmas tree you have in the living room.”

Clark sat on his worn couch. Patting it gently to encourage Lex to sit. “Yeah, it’s cool. I bet yours is a lot bigger.”

“Yes, it is. It reaches all the way to the ceiling, but it’s not really the same. Not quite as homey as yours.”

“Lex, where did we go wrong?” Clark asked, for the second time today.

“I don’t really know,” Lex answered, as he sat.

“I miss you.”

Lex turned to look at Clark. “Do you?”

“Yes, a lot.”

“I miss you, too.”

Clark moved closer. “Can I kiss you?”

Lex eyes Clark’s sensual mouth inches from his own. “Well, I don’t know. What are you offering? Considering that I’m not really that kinda boy.”

Clark chuckled softly laying his forehead against Lex’s. “I have to offer something just to kiss you?”

“Yup.”

“Okay. I guess this has been coming for some time. How about if I offer you a sense of permanency. Someone you can always come to for warmth and love.”

Lex wrapped his arms around Clark. “You?”

“Yes.”

“Clark, that’s asking for trouble. Because of who I am you’ll always doubt my intentions no matter what I do to alleviate your doubts. That’s been our trouble before.”

“I know, Lex. But this time I’m offering you something else.”

“What?”

“My love. I love you, Lex. I hadn’t realized that until it was to late.”

Lex pulled away slightly. “That doesn’t solve our problem. You’ll still doubt me.”

“Lex, I’m sorry I caused you to feel this way. What if I promised to never doubt you again?”

Lex snorted gracelessly. “Right.”

“No. No, Lex. I swear I’ll never doubt you again.”

“Okay, then here’s a scenario-I’ve just bought a factory in let’s say Japan. I close it down to put a high rise parking lot, putting ten thousand people out of work. What do you say to that?”

Clark’s green eyes widened. “You did that?”

“Clark, it hypothetical. What do you say?”

“I, huh-nothing. I say nothing,” Clark replied, not wanting to jeopardize their growing closeness.

Lex pulled away from Clark, walking away to stand by the open window. “Right. That’s the whole reason it’ll never work. You’d question me about the factory closing without asking to see what I have planned for those ten thousand people who just lost their job.”

“Like what?”

Lex turned to face Clark. “The fact that I’d just bought the four factories right next to it and incorporated those ten thousand into those factories as well as hired another five thousand. I tore down the factory to make room for the extra employees.”

“Oh.”

“Do you see now what I mean? You will always doubt my motivations no matter what. I will never be able to win where you’re concerned.”

Clark felt his eyes fill with tears. “What do we do then?”

“I don’t know, Clark. I just don’t know,” Lex told him sadly.

“I love you, Lex.”

“I know you do, Clark. I love you, too. In this case, I just don’t think it’ll be enough. Maybe you should just take me back to the penthouse.”

“No, Lex. You just got here,” Clark protested, tearfully.

“I don’t belong here, Clark. Our conversation just proved that.”

“No, Lex,” Clark told him, getting up to wrap his arms around Lex from behind. “no.” He whispered against his ear. “No.”

“Please, Clark-don’t make this any harder than it has to be. Let me go.”

“No. Never.”

“You have to.”

“Says who?”

Lex tried to pull free. “I do.” Unable to do so as Clark tightened his hold.

“No.”

“Please, Clark. Let me go.”

He felt Clark’s warm tears against the back of his neck. If he’d know this was going to happen he never would have agreed to come with Clark.

“I love you, Lex.”

“Sometimes love is not enough.”

“It can be the building block to something stronger if you allow it, Lex.”

“What do you mean?”

Clark pulled Lex to face him. “Stay. Let me love you. No jumping off the handle, no condemnations. Just understanding and unconditional love.”

“You can’t do that, Clark. It’s not in your nature, where I’m concerned.”

Clark cupped Lex’s face in gentle hands. “I can. I swear to you I can. Please, Lex. Please?” he said, laying butterfly kisses all over Lex’s unhappy face.

“Clark.”

“Please, Lex,” Clark whispered, opening his mouth wide as he took Lex’s lips hungrily, desperately.

Lex responded in kind, wanting it. Wanted Clark with everything in his heart and soul. Slowly he pulled away.

“Clark.”

“You want me, Lex. I know you do.”

“That’s never been in question,” Lex told him, gently running his hands over Clark’s tear-streaked face.

“Then stay with me,” Clark begged.

“Clark.”

“Please, Lex.”

“For the holidays?”

Clark gathered Lex to him. “For always, Lex. For always.”

Lex sighed heavily. “You don’t know what your asking.”

“Please, Lex. Give me a chance. Give us a chance, please.”

Lex looked in to Clark’s pleading green eyes. “Alright, Clark. Alright. Just don’t cry any more,” he said, unable to stand the hurt in those beautiful eyes.

“Oh, Lex.”

Lex smiled as he was picked up and swung around. “Careful. I’m only flesh and blood.”

He was given another open-mouthed, hungry kiss. “You’re a lot more than that, Lex. A lot more.” Clark told him when he pulled away. “You’ll stay?”

Lex wiped the tears that had not stopped. “Yes, Clark.”

“For always.”

“If that’s what you want.”

Clark pulled him into a bear hug. “That’s what I want. Lex?”

“Yes, Clark?”

“Did you really mean what you said about my Superman uniform?”

“Huh?”

“About it showing all my hmm-assets?”

“Yup.”

“Oh, God. Will you help me come up with another uniform?”

“Nope,” Lex replied, nibbling Clark’s neck.

Clark shivered. “But why?” That felt good.

“They’re my assets now too-aren’t they?” Lex said, cupping Clark possessively.

“Y…yes,” Clark said, shivering. Lex’s touch felt good.

“Then I don’t mind them out for the whole world to see because that’s all they can do. They can’t touch ‘cause their mine. All mine.”

Clark laughed. “Now that’s just wrong, Lex.”

“Why?”

Clark thought about it for a moment. “Hmm. I don’t know.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“These holidays are going to be the best ever,” Clark told him, happily.

“Really?” Lex asked, pulling Clark’s flannel shirt free from his jeans.

“Oh, yeah. Wanna know why?”

“Because even reformed super villains need to celebrate the holidays?”

“Oh, yeah,” Clark replied, tossing the shirt off to the side. “and because one certain super villain finally admitted to loving a certain super hero. Isn’t that right, Lex?”

Lex’s very expensive shirt flew off to join Clark’s flannel. “Yes, loves him very much.”

Clark’s green eyes were sparkling in happiness. “I love you, Lex,” He said softly.

“Good. Now let’s have the super hero show the super villain just how much,” Lex said, opening his arms wide.

Clark went. These were really going to be the best holidays ever. Lex was here and Lex loved him. What else could a super hero or even a super villain want?