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Lex, for the lack of a better term, is having a bad day. Two of his labs holding precious and vital experiments exploded without warning, Angela took a last minute leave of absence leaving him without one of his most trusted employees, and to top it all off one of Bruce’s pet convicts decided it was time to try out terrorizing Metropolis. Gazing out his window to see Batman of all heroes swinging around in his city chasing after an enraged Poison Ivy, needless to say, sent his blood pressure skyrocketing.
Of all days! Of all the days, when he has something to look forward to when he returns home… That is the day everything falls apart.
He purses his lips, pinching the bridge of his nose. Nearby, he hears the anxious murmuring of his team. He knows they’re expecting him to blow up. To scream, to start throwing things around, to threaten to fire anyone who got in his way.
Before one Clark Kent walked into his life, that was his solution to his problems.
“Go home.” He commands coolly, taking deep breaths.
“Sir?”
“I said go home. None of us are going to get any productive work done. Our problems will still be here tomorrow for us to solve.”
His employees don’t waste any time scuttling out of the room, unsure if he’s going to take it back. Lex takes a few more deep breathes before following his bodyguards out of the room. He bids Mercy goodbye on his way out.
Once he’s safely outside his building, he rips off his scent blockers, nose scrunching at the sour tone to his scent. His driver says nothing when he tosses his keys towards him, muttering something about “home” underneath his breath.
His fingers drum nervously on the seat as his driver weaves his way through the increased traffic. His mood continues to sour, a tangy awful festering thing invading his scent as they crawl through the streets of Metropolis. While it would be faster for him to walk, he isn’t interested in feeding the paparazzi more than necessary.
His driver, thankfully, is able to maneuver them out of the bulk of the traffic and safely into the garage leading to his residence. He barely murmurs his thanks before beelining to the elevator. The rush of air as he enters the penthouse is a welcome one. Gone are the pungent scents of Metropolis. The scent of home wraps around him deliciously, easing some of the stress in his body. He remains in the kitchen, breathing in slowly, noting the traces of alpha pheromones in the air.
He’s unsurprised when he enters his bedroom to see one Clark Kent on his bed, naked and flushed. They had plans; they were supposed to go on a date, celebrating the third anniversary of the relationship a few weeks early as Clark had an off planet mission to handle near the actual day. Lex had made reservations at an upscale restaurant. Afterwards, Lex had planned to ravish him fully.
Seems like Ivy’s impromptu vacation had done more than just disturb Lex’s plan.
Their relationship continues to surprise Lex. While his bisexuality is an open secret, he never held onto alpha lovers for any longer than a few weeks at a time. The dominance fights usually set in and Lex is uninterested in entertaining a battle of instincts.
Color Lex surprised when he never felt anything close of a typical alpha quarrel he’s come to expect. In fact, Clark tends to have the opposite effect, calming him down far quicker than any omega he’s ever bedded. He never quite believed his father or his coworkers when they spoke of how calming an omega’s pheromones could be. If it’s anything like how he feels when he’s with Clark, he can understand.
And then there’s Superman and their past. Lex remembered nothing of what happened in Smallville while Clark remembered everything. They’ve talked about it over the years, bits and pieces he’s been able to pry out of his partner in the quiet moments they sometimes find in the late night hours.
It’s any wonder that they managed to be cordial with each other, much less frequenting each other’s bed as often as they did.
“Lex…” Clark says, shaking him out of his stupor. “Please…”
Lex exhales, amused, watching Clark seat himself fully on the green dildo, the resin knot teasing at his rim. Clark’s groans are music to his ears, precum spurting out of the tip of his cock.
“Lex,” Clark whines.
“What do you need?” he asks, closing his eyes.
“Need you. Need your knot. ‘Tis not enough,” Clark mumbles.
Lex stripes slowly, watching Clark’s hazy eyes follow his movements. The alpha still manages to look regal and strong, neck and chest bared proudly. He effortlessly slides into bed, pulling Clark into his lap. The alpha moans softly at the dildo shifting against his prostate. He wraps a hand around Clark’s dick, slowly teasing the forming knot in his hand.
“I think you can come from just this,” he murmurs, keeping his pace steady. “I just got here. You know I like to take my time with savoring my presents.”
“Lex please.”
“Go ahead,” he whispers. “I’ll hold you.”
Clark’s strangled cry fills his ears, cock twitching violently in his hands, swelling to an almost unnatural size. Cums shoots out, covering his hands and their chests.
It's surreal, he thinks, placing a hand flat against Clark’s abs, smearing some of the cum. Not that Lex thinks he can feel anything through Clark's stomach; such things were best reserved for the raunchy fanfictions he caught Mercy reading sometimes.
But the trust Clark has in him at that moment... An alpha was at its most vulnerable when knotted to someone and arguably even more so when being knotted by another alpha. Clark's back is arched beautifully, neck bared, eyes closed, resting in his lap. Knotting dildo shoved as deep as it could go, Lex's hand wrapped around Clark's knot in a mimicry of another person’s body.
Despite all he had done. Despite all the suffering he had inflicted on Clark, the betrayals, the lies… the alpha is his lap is content in his submission. In the lack of control he has. Knowing Lex will know when to let up the pressure. To slide the toy out of him. To bathe him and let him rest.
The words spill out of his mouth before he can stop them. "Change of plans. I want you to fuck me tonight."
Clark's eyes are full of wonder as they snap open, unfocused with that farm boy devotion that always brings Lex to his knees.
"Lex....?"
"Please. I will only ask once," he says, pressing his nose between Clark's pecs. Unlike humans, Clark doesn't have many scent glands, making his scent less prominent even up close. The proximity is still comforting, the alien's strong heartbeat calming Lionel's voice inside his head.
"I'm... Not sure if you could take me," Clark rests his lips against the top of his head, kissing him softly. "Literally. I'm bigger than most humans."
"I measured you. Had some toys made to train myself," Lex whispers. "If...."
"If?"
"If you hold me when you knot me, I think I'll be okay," The weight of the confession lifts off of his chest as it leaves his lips.
He wanted Clark. He wanted Clark to fuck him. To feel Clark’ knot in him.
“Okay,” Clark says, kissing the top of his forehead. “Let’s wait for my knot to go down. Unless you want to do it next time…?”
Lex shakes his head. “Tonight. If you please.”
Clark’s beaming smile fills him with anticipation. He ghosts his free hand across Clark’s side absentmindedly, keeping his hand firm until he finally feels the knot start to diminish in his hands. Clark sags onto his body, allowing him to slide the dildo out of him easily. He gently maneuvers the alpha onto his back, wiping away the semen off their chests and the excess lube leaking out of his entrance.
Clark takes a healthy gulp of water, wiping the excess away on his arm. Lex climbs effortlessly onto Clark’s lap, pulling the alpha forward by his shoulders. Beneath him, he feels the slight twitch of Clark’s cock, already ready for round two.
Their lips meet. The need to fight, to dominate, is strangely absent as Clark takes control of the kiss, tongue worming its way into his mouth. He thinks, vaguely, he should be feeling something. Be doing something so that he’s not handing Clark everything on a silver platter.
But then again, isn’t that what Clark has been doing the entire time? His submission, freely given with no reservations? No struggle, no internal battle?
Lex moans as Clark slips his tongue in, hands gently cupping the sides of his face, fingernails grazing the tips of his mating glands. He shivers, gasping as the alpha does his best to devour him. Clark peppers open mouthed kisses along his jaw and down his throat, teeth tickling his skin. He arches into the touch, hoping Clark will give him more, but the alpha simply holds him down.
“Patience,” Clark murmurs into his collarbone, showing a hint of more pressure with his teeth. “I want to take my time with you.”
“You’re such a tease,” he says.
“You love it,” Curious fingers trace down his sides, thumbing briefly over his areolas, before pinching abruptly. He keens, the sharp pain adding to the buzzing arousal lurking beneath his skin.
More kisses trail down his torso, tongue tracing over every scar and mark on his skin. Clark’s fingers ghost across his sides, rubbing out any tension that they find.
Before Clark can lean down, Lex grabs a fistful of his hair and pulls. “As much as I like your mouth, I don’t have Kryptonian stamina.”
“Fair enough,” Clark says, flipping him over. Before Lex can protest the action, Clark’s tongue is already running along his rim. He stifles the startled moan before it escape but he knows that Clark can smell the changes in his pheromones.
“Get on with it,” he grumbles, grabbing fistfuls of sheets beneath his fingers.
The cap on the lube opening makes him shiver, as a slick finger prods at his rim alongside Clark’s tongue. This, at least, is familiar. Lex had never been an alpha to shy away from a finger or a tongue at his entrance. He arches his back, whining when Clark changes the angle to deliberately avoid his prostate.
“Tease,” he bites out, huffing as another finger pushes past his entrance. Steadily, he feels himself start to relax into the touches, his arousal simmering in the background. As much as he wants to rush into it, Lex’s grateful at Clark’s attentiveness to his body. He knows from experience that any tension made it infinitely more difficult to enjoy. Especially as everything in him screams at him to run.
It gets better with time but Lex wishes his instincts would take a fucking hint.
“Feel comfortable?” Clark whispers into the inside of his thigh.
“As ever,” Lex says, eyes flashing with impatience. “Wait much longer and I’ll ride you instead.”
Clark snorts, shaking his head. He frowns when Clark doesn’t move to touch him; instead, he hears an unfamiliar rummaging followed by a crinkling sound he hasn’t heard since they started sleeping together regularly.
“Don’t you even think about it,” Lex hisses, swatting the condom away. It falls harmlessly on the floor, gold foil glimmering in the dim lights of the room.
“Was just going to suggest it. Not everyone likes it-"
“Clark.” A command with no instructions yet Clark understands all the same.
“Alright,” Clark chuckles, putting his hand up in faux surrender. “Message received.”
Lex watches as Clark slowly lubes up his cock, pressing the head at his entrance. Their eyes meet and Lex can see the unspoken question in his eyes. He nods once, arching his back, baring his neck. As much submission as the instincts screaming at him will allow him to muster.
Thankfully, Clark doesn’t baby him like he expects, pushing in and bottoming out in the same motion. The force is gentle but nonetheless knocks the breath out of him. It’s one thing practicing with a dildo molded after him; its entirely another to have the real, pulsing thing. He squeezes his eyes shut, regulating his breathing and trying not to let the panic take over.
“You’re doing so well,” Clark whispers, peppering cool kisses over his shoulder, moving Lex’s legs to wrap around his body. “Breath for me.”
The touches are grounding, allowing him to relax around the biggest thing he’s ever taken before. Clark’s comforting presence and calm pheromones help too.
“You can move now,” he says, wrapping his arms around Clark’s shoulders. Clark slowly drags himself out, teasing the head against his walls, almost slipping out, before slamming back in, punching the breath out of him. His grip would be bruising on anyone other than Clark, who couldn’t be injured unless under the influence of Kryptonite.
“Fuck,” he murmurs underneath his breath.
“You feel so good around me,” Clark grunts, arms sliding underneath him, pulling their chests flush against one another. “So tight, so warm.”
“Finally get to breed me?” Lex whispers in his ear. Clark freezes. “It’s alright. It’s hard to miss the ways your eyes dilate whenever someone mentions your harem. Fucking every willing omega you come across, impregnating them with the next generation of Kryptonians.”
“Lex…”
“But they’re wrong, of course. There’s no omega harem. Only me,” he says softly. “Your alpha partner. You did so well, presenting yourself and letting me fuck you all these years when all you want is to see me round with your pups.” He licks the shell of Clark’s ear. “You deserve a reward, don’t you think? A chance to make that desire come true?”
Lex thought he was prepared for the brute force of Clark’s strength. The sudden increase in force makes his eyes roll to the back of his head, pleasure overwhelming his senses as his prostate is constantly stimulated by Clark’s cock. He couldn’t form words even if he wanted to, mouth parted to gulp in air to his tired lungs between the Kryptonian’s thrusts.
He groans as Clark’s knot starts to catch every other thrust on his rim. The man thankfully slows down, azure gaze clearing slightly.
“Last chance,” Clark grunts.
“Knot me, you big oaf,” he bites out. Clark’s rhythm stutters as the knot swells past his entrance, locking the two together. Hot come spatters his insides in wave after wave, marking him from the inside as Clark’s.
The teeth puncturing the mating gland on his neck should send him into orbit. They hadn’t talked about it. Not in any depth. It should be setting off every alarm bell in his head. He now belongs to the person he used to consider his greatest enemy. Forever bound until death.
It should scare him.
Yet, the only thing it brings relief.
His eye flicker open, peering into Clark’s wide eyes. Terrified. Regretful.
That wouldn’t do.
“Lex I-“
“Thank you,” he whispers, nuzzling against Clark’s own mating gland, untouched and unmarked.
“Lex…?”
“Would have appreciated a warning but… thank you,” Lex kisses Clark, his alpha, slowly. Taking his time. “Would you… be willing to let me bite you?”
“Of course but Lex… I swear I didn’t mean to do it,”
His heart falls. “You don’t want to be with me…?”
“That’s not… don’t hear what I didn’t say. I just wanted it to be more romantic,” Clark mumbles under his breath. “And with… your blessing. After a conversation preferably.”
“You have it,” Lex says. “My blessing. I wanted it.”
“Lex-“
“Didn’t think it would be a breeding kink that would bring that side of you out, though,” Lex muses, smirking at the flush rising to Clark’s cheeks. “I wonder what other kinks you’re hiding that will shatter your self control like that?”
“Lex.”
He opts to give Clark an out, the flush extending down his neck. “I have some Kryptonite cream in the lab. Low concentration so it shouldn’t cause you to vomit all over me but should weaken your skin enough to allow me to bite you. Would you be-“
“Yes, Rao, please,” Clark says, kissing him over and over. “Yes.”
He sighs fondly, shaking his head at the fresh trail of hickey’s Clark is leaving down his torso. “You’re lucky I heal quickly. The things the tabloids would say if they could see these...”
Clark’s voice is quiet, muffled against the skin of his collarbone. “If you ever find any Blue Kryptonite, you can leave as many marks on me too as you like.”
He raises an eyebrow. “And what does Blue do?”
“Effectively makes me human. No superpowers, no superstrength…”
“No super impenetrable skin,” Lex surmises. “Shame you don’t have any. The cream is a diluted form of the green variation.”
“I’ll live,” Clark says, a small grimace passing over his face, body relaxing against his, the steady weight a familiar comfort. “Thank you.”
“For?”
“Trusting me with this. Even if I could have had better timing,”
“Of course,” he says. “I think I always have.”
An easy silence falls between them as they wait for Clark’s knot to dissipate. The bite tingles pleasantly in a way he never thought possible. Clark’s tongue laps at it absentmindedly, making Lex shiver in pleasure. He runs his fingers through Clark’s hair, scratching his scalp in such a way that has the hero tilting his head towards him like a dog begging for attention.
Clark cleans him up as best as he can before Lex makes the trip down to his lab. The elevator feels like it takes forever and he can feel more cum start to dribble out of him. He grabs the stash of Kryptonite cream as quickly as he can and returns to his room. Clark is sitting on the bed, sinfully long legs extended, eyes closed. Breathing relaxed. Some part of Lex purrs at the sight of his alpha so comfy in his bed, on his sheets with his pillows.
“That didn’t take long,” Clark replies. “I didn’t even feel the Kryptonite until you entered the room.”
“I had all the rooms in my buildings fully encased in lead. The walls, the ceilings, the floors… Including the glass.”
Clark stares at him, head titled slightly to the side. “So I wouldn’t spy on you?”
“No,” he says, climbing onto the alien’s lap. “So no one could harm you if you chose to stay.”
“Oh,” Clark says, wincing as the cream is spread on his neck.
“Too much?”
“No. Just a little nauseous.” Clark says with thin smile. They sit in silence as the kryptonite breaks down the barrier of Clark’s skin just enough for him to put a claim on the gland. He wipes away the residual cream, testing the give of the skin with his thumb, humming approvingly.
“You ready?”
“Mhmm,” Clark says, whimpering when Lex’s fangs puncture his skin. The restlessness beneath his skin settles as the bond between them fully unfurls. A soft, feathered thing that is so familiar it hurts. The moment is interrupted when he feels warm liquid drip down his side, Clark looking at him sheepishly.
“Sorry. I thought I could handle it but-“
“In sickness and in death,” Lex waves it off. “Nothing a change of sheets and bath can’t fix. I’ve experienced worse for far less gains.”
“Going from wanting to end my life, sleeping with me, and now wanting to marry me in a couple of years? That’s rather strange, even for you, Lex,”
“When have we ever been normal, you and I?” he asks, yawning. “Besides, isn’t that what the claims are for? A sign we’ll stay together forever.”
“Forever,” Clark echoes. “That sounds nice.”
“Like I’d ever let you out of my sights now,” he yawns. “I’ve always been a bit obsessed with you.”
Clark snorts. “A bit?”
“If the stories I’ve been told are to be believed, you have no leg to stand on, either,” Lex says.
Clark nuzzles against the newly formed mating gland, an answer in and of itself.
The next morning, Lex wakes up feeling unusually groggy. While he’s sore in all the usual places, the ache in his neck is somehow the worst of it all, pulsing and angry. He winces, stumbling into the bathroom, examining the mating mark.
On the surface, it appears to be healing nicely. Clark had applied some anti bacterial cream to it before they went to bed properly, to minimize any chance of infection. It is still a flushed pink but it wasn’t the bloody mess that it was yesterday. Poking it, however, Lex confirms that it does feel much worse than the previous day.
Theories race through his mind, from some internal damage from Clark’s teeth to it being as a result of mating with a Kryptonian. His eyes flicker to the door as sunlight hits the floor. That train of thought would have to wait.
When he reemerges in the bedroom, his eyes can’t help but soften. Clark had shifted towards his side of the bed, arms wrapped around one of his pillows, face buried in it. His sheets are wrapped around his lower half with his upper body bare, Adonis muscles on perfect display.
He lets out a small, pleased noise, feet carrying him to the bed where his mate rests. Clark’s eyes flutter open as he sits, fingers running through Clark’s hair.
“You’re up early,” Clark rasps, hand moving to rest on his thigh. He overlays his own over Clark’s, feeling along the knuckles.
“Neck hurts worse than when you bit me last night,” Lex says. “Is that normal with Kryptonians?”
“I wouldn’t know,” Clark admits, squeezing his thigh. “Jor-El mentioned something about being careful when taking a human mate. Don’t think it was related to a bite though.”
Clark pulls himself up, reaching to gently tilt his head to the side. He allows the motion, swallowing the lump in his throat as gentle fingers brush over the mating mark.
Their mating mark.
“It doesn’t look infected,” Clark notes. “It’s not fully healed yet internally. Some of the capillaries are still bleeding.”
“You do have quite the bite force,” he says, pausing. “Not that I’m complaining.”
Clark snorts, hands falling to his side. “Trust me; you wouldn’t let me hear the end of it if you really were complaining.”
“How is yours?” he asks quietly.
“See for yourself,” Clark says, tilting his head to the side. Lex reaches up to thumb over the completely healed mark, the indent of his own bite permanently marring Clark’s skin.
To think at one point he wanted to scar Superman. To leave evidence of their fighting, of his victory, when all he had to do was give into the feelings he thought he could keep locked away.
“It’s beautiful,” Lex murmurs, tracing the mark until he cupped the side of his face. “You’re beautiful.”
“You are too,” Clark replies softly, hand wrapping lightly around his wrist. His eyes slowly droop, leaning into the embrace.
“I…”
“Hmm?”
“I wish I found it as easy as you to… relax,” Lex whispers. “To think I could have had this sooner if I hadn’t denied myself for so long.”
“The one advantage to being a Kryptonian alpha is that a lot of the… more problematic traits were modified out of existence,” Clark says. “Not that Krypton really used sex for reproduction, in the end.”
“Oh…?”
“Next time I take you to the Fortress, I'll let you look over the archives. It can explain it better than I can,” Clark says. “But… even if I was human, I don’t think I would ever have a problem around you. You’ve always made me feel grounded in a way that others haven’t. I don’t have to prove myself to you. Never had to pretend around you.”
Lex closes his eyes. It was largely the same for him, too, but…
“I also didn’t have Lionel in my ear speaking poison for most of my life,” Clark says, resting their foreheads against each other. “Give yourself time. I’m fine with the way we are now.”
“Good,” Lex whispers, allowing himself to be pulled back onto the mattress. He burrows close to Clark, letting the feel of the alien’s heartbeat chase away his racing thoughts.
“I don’t want this to be a secret,” Lex says slowly, testing the syllables on his tongue. He hears Clark turn his head towards him. “Not that would it be possible to keep a secret, given how much we’re in the public eye…”
“But…?” Clark urges, hopeful.
“I… feel no reason to hide it,” Lex says, closing his eyes. “Feels like there has been one too many secrets between us. There’s no need to create another.”
“I don’t want it to be secret either,” Clark whispers. “But Superman is one thing. As Clark Kent…”
That is the conundrum. “Do you want Clark to be a secret?”
“I’m not ashamed of you Lex-“
“That’s not what I’m saying,” he says, turning over to face Clark. “Do you want to keep Clark separate from Kal-El? Metropolis separate from Smallville?”
“I… don’t know,” Clark says. “It would be nice to not have to hide but I would be the only one with an identity that isn’t hidden. And my parents…”
“I’ve… been lobbying the government,” Lex says. Clark’s eyes focus on him, slightly suspicious. “Don’t give me that look! I’ve noticed how many metahumans are coming into existence. While most have chosen to join your little justice gang, there are some that eventually may not. And they deserve privacy just like every other citizen.”
“You want something to protect our identities,” Clark surmises.
“I want your activities as a private citizen to be protected,” Lex clarifies. “Superman’s actions will always be public. Clark Kent’s do not need to be.”
“I don’t want to hide. But I’ve never covered my mating gland as Superman. If I start now and your relationship with me as Clark Kent is revealed…”
“They’ll notice eventually,” Lex says. “It would be better to do it sooner rather than later. On our own terms and not the terms of someone else.”
“Yeah…” Clark murmurs. “But I also like the peace I have as Clark. It would change everything if everyone knew who I was.”
Lex understood. Batman and his menagerie of Robin’s were sort of an open secret with the citizen’s of Gotham. They all knew who were behind the masks, complained about it behind closed doors, but refuse staunchly to give up any information to the press or police.
Metropolis is not the same. Clark had too many close calls to count when it came to the press trying to ascertain his secret identity. Really, at this point, it was only a matter of time before he got unlucky enough for there not to be plausible deniability.
Kansas is not the same, either. Many southern states tried to pass laws that were downright archaic, only struck down when it hit the Supreme Count. Even without the laws in place, the fundamental culture of the people would never allow Martha and Jonathan Kent any sort of peace. Any of the former meteor mutants that remained would also be in danger.
“I don’t think we have to have all the answers now,” he answers eventually, squeezing his hands gently. “We’ll figure something out. We always do.”
They compromise. Superman will be publicly revealed as Lex’s mate while Clark will wear a gland cover, citing that he had a one night stand and it ended in a bite he didn’t want. It would last for a while but Clark knew that questions would pop up when he eventually got it “removed” yet still had the cover.
For now, though, it’s a solution while they figure out what to do with themselves. First things first, Lex calls in sick. He leaves Mercy in charge with his phone on vibrate in case anything related to the labs or other secret projects comes up. Part of him doesn’t believe it will.
Clark, also, calls in sick. They spend the morning and most of the afternoon letting the bond between them settle. He fucks Lex over the counter and the couch after breakfast, stretching his sore rim over and over. Lex fucks him later after they wake from a nap, fascinated by how easily Clark lets him push him around. Watches Clark fuck himself on the green dildo before promptly removing it and riding him until Clark saw stars.
They scent each other frequently, too, as their scents begin to change. Begin to become something that is a combination of them both.
As the sun begins to set, Clark speeds them to Smallville, scarf wrapped tightly around his neck. Lois would be livid when she finds out but his parents would be inconsolable if they found out about Clark’s mate from the news rather than his own words.
His arm feels weighted with Kryptonite as he raises his fist to knock. Lex remains a steady presence behind him, equal parts encouraging and nervous. Eventually, he does work up the courage, timidly knocking three times at the front door.
The scent of apple pie and home rushes around Clark as Ma opens the door. Her eyes are wide with surprise, likely due to the time of day, especially when he gaze falls to Lex.
“Clark!” she says, bringing him into a firm hug. He holds her tight, breathing in her light beta scent. “We weren’t expecting to see you so soon!”
“I know. I should have called but I figured it would be best to just simply visit,” he says, glancing back. “It’s a bit of a long story.”
“And Lex! I haven’t seen you in ages,” she says, staggering forward to hug him. “You look like a ghost! When was the last time you ate?”
“This morning,” Lex replies coolly, accepting her embrace. “I would have eaten before we came but I have learned from experience that my stomach doesn’t do well when Clark flies me somewhere.”
She tuts. “Now that won’t do. Come in. I already have dinner ready.”
He meanders a bit around his childhood home as Lex and his mom chat. She’s added more pictures to the family scrapbook; A recent photo of him after saving a child from a bridge collapse. An embarrassing shot of him getting answers about government embezzlement from a notoriously reclusive Senator. A picture he had texted Ma after a night out with Lois and her friends.
“Jonathan is out with some friends this evening. I keep telling him he’s getting lonely just hanging around me all day,” Ma says.
“He does strike me as the type to become lonely easily,” Lex replies smoothly, helping her set up the dinner table.
"Will he be home tonight?" he asks,
"Not until late this evening," she responds. He sends a questioning look towards Lex, who shrugs his shoulders as if to say 'Up to you'.
“Dinner time! Clark!”
“Coming,” he says, closing the book, walking to the kitchen. After he washes his hands, he serves himself a heaping portion of stew, sitting down at the table.
“Would you like to say grace Clark?”
Lex’s hand join his and his mothers and he mumbles the words that have been drilled into him since his childhood. When they’re done, Martha’s curious gaze is on him.
“While I’m not complaining, I have to ask something: The last time you two were in the same building as each other, it ended up on the news and not for a good reason. What changed?”
Clark shyly brought his hand up to his scarf, pulling it down to reveal the mating mark. Martha’s eyes filled with understanding, not an ounce of judgment clouding them. “I see. And this is recent?”
“Last night. Or I suppose early this morning,” Lex supplies quietly. “We thought it would be best if you heard it from us before anything is announced to the news.”
“I see,” Martha says.
“Officially, Superman will be my mate,” Lex says. “Until we can find a solution that lets Clark have his peace, it won’t be official with Clark Kent.”
“But this… this is not new. We’ve been seeing each other for years now.” Clark mumbles.
“I know,”
He blinks. “You do?”
“I’ve known since you were a teen. Jonathan will deny it until his dying breath but even he couldn’t ignore the thing that was developing between you two. He had hoped your alpha presentation would make it go away but I knew it would take a lot more than that to dampen it.”
“And you were okay with me hanging around your son, knowing that?”
Martha closes her eyes. “Would we have preferred you didn’t interact with him until he was eighteen? Of course. But I always had a feeling that if I attempted to step between you, it likely wouldn’t have ended well for either of you.”
“Nothing happened between us-“
“I know,” she says softly. “Neither of you were ready yet. And I knew it wouldn’t. So I let you both continue as you did.”
Lex looks away. “It didn’t matter much in the end,”
“I think it did,” Martha says. “I think you both could have gone a lot of different ways after what’s happened over the years.”
Her gaze turn to him, smiling. “I’m glad, finally, that you’ve found yourselves together once again. Hopefully for a while, I take? I’ve always wanted grandchildren-“
“MA!”
Lex looks thoughtful. “It’s possible, though I would have to spend a little time in my personal lab. And willingly get a sample of Clark’s-”
“Adoption, Lex,” he mumbles, interrupting before his face could look any more like a cherry tomato. “We could always adopt.”
Lex raises an eyebrow. “Why not both?”
Ma chuckles as he buries his face in his hands. "Now, now. Don't overwhelm the poor man. Did he ever share with you what it was like developing his powers?"
Lex smirks, which send a mild dread through Clark. "I don't believe he ever did."
"Well, he was not born with his..." Clark tunes the conversation out, opting instead to wrap his arms around Lex, resting his chin atop his head. It's surreal to know that one of his biggest fantasies as a teenager ended up becoming reality. He remember, on the eve of his eighteenth birthday, thinking about this very thing. Sitting around in his childhood dining room with Lex by his side, mating bites adorning their necks, in full view of his parents as they put the finishing touches on dinner. As his relationship with Lex deteriorated, the weight of their secrets becoming too much for their fragile friendship to bear as it shattered little by little, that fantasy became further and further out of reach. By the time Clark made the decision to become Superman, he wrote it off entirely and threw himself into his work as a vigilante. The thought of a relationship with anyone else never even crossed his mind, his heart set on the one person who saw him for who he was all those years ago.
And now he has it. Far later than he thought, admittedly, but he has it.
"-And, even if Mr. Kent puts aside his differences with my father and I, will he be able to overlook the fact that I am an alpha?"
"My father is an omega," he interrupts quietly, kissing the top of Lex's head.
"That's right," Ma says, an amused twinkle in her eye. "And a female beta leaving a cushy city job to join an male omega breadwinner when we got married was rather unheard of."
Lex pauses. "But he doesn't..."
"A side effect of being infertile," he supplies quietly. "Sometimes it prevents a scent gland from producing much of anything."
"I see..."
“If he does say anything, I'll make sure to remind him of just what he said when his own parents made comments about me after we made our vows,” Ma says, opening her arms. He lets go of Lex, smiling when the man accepts the embrace without a word of protest. “You’ve always been family, Lex. Even when you and Clark’s friendship fell apart. You might not remember it anymore but I meant what I said then; this is your home too.”
Lex says nothing but Clark doesn’t even need their bond to feel the gratitude Lex feels. They stay embraced for a long time and Clark’s smile softens. It’s like they were before, in Smallville without the weight of the world on their shoulders. Before he was Superman and before Lex took over his father's company.
“As much as I would love to stay for longer, we have an interview to prep for with Lois tomorrow morning,” Lex says, reluctantly parting from Ma.
“She going to be the one to break the news I take?”
Clark nods. “So that when I’m revealed as Clark Kent, it won’t be viewed as a conflict of interest.”
“Ever the boy scout, that one,” Lex jokes.
“Damn straight he is,” Ma says, grinning. “When’s the wedding?”
“That hasn’t been a conversation we’ve had just yet,” he says, catching Lex’s eye. “After the reveal and everything settles down, we might do a public one. Just to appease everyone.”
“Well, sounds like you both have a lot to think about in the coming days. Don’t let me keep you,” Ma says, grasping his shoulder. “I’ll let Jonathan know that you both stopped by this evening.”
“I was hoping to tell him myself,” he says quietly.
“We both were,”
“You can always drop by after your interview tomorrow,” Ma says. “He’s… mellowed out over the years. I think you’ll be surprised by his reaction.”
“I hope so,” Lex says. “The last thing I want is to come between-“
“I’ll stop you right there,” Ma says. “I won’t say his opinion of you is… favorable. But I will say he’s a lot more rational than he used to be. Far less easy to set off than he was when Clark was a teen. Part of the therapy he’s going through to keep his heart in good shape.”
“Martha…”
“It’s Ma,” she says gently. “Please, come by soon. I won't speak a word of what you both shared with me until you've had a chance to tell him yourselves."
"Thanks Ma," he says quietly, bringing them both into a lopsided hug.
It was supposed to be a joint speech with Superman. But inevitably, the superhero got called to rescue someone halfway across the world leaving Lex to speak to the rather impressive crowd by himself.
“What’s taking you so long, you big oaf…” he murmurs under his breath, shaking hands with the nth politician that wanted his attention. The chatter around him is nervous, curious; the interview with Lois wouldn’t hit the presses until the next morning and the newly acquired mating bite had not gone unnoticed, despite his makeup team’s best attempts at disguising it.
He’s just about to call it quits and request Mercy take his place when a harsh gust of winds swirls around him, a sheepish Clark floating beside him.
“Sorry it took so long,” Clark says, rubbing the back of his neck. “Bridge collapse. Had to make sure everyone got out safely.”
“You missed it,” he deadpans before sighing. “But I’m sure the citizen’s of whatever country are grateful for your assistance. Try not to miss the next one.”
“No promises,” Clark says, grasping his hand, placing a gentle kiss over his knuckles. Lights flash around him but Lex ignores them, focusing solely on his mate. Clark offers him a hand. “Say… I know a place we can grab lunch at, if you’re done here.”
“If we’re done here, you mean,” he corrects, smirking, clasping their hands together. “But somewhere that has the personal approval of Metropolis’ favorite hero? Well, color me intrigued.”
They’re off into the sky in less than a second, though it doesn’t stop the gossip and photos of their interaction hitting social media in the coming hours.