When Lex and Clark finally finished planting Martha's new flower garden, they were hot, sweaty and filthy. Lex paused to retrieve a gym bag from the trunk of his car, and they headed into the house to get cleaned up. Martha was sitting on the porch shucking beans, and she smiled when she saw them approach.

She showed them a design she'd sketched out for the rose trellis, a curving arch of natural wood with a two-person bench underneath. Clark couldn't help but smile. Although he knew his mother meant it for her and Dad, he hoped it would also be a place for him and Lex to sit and watch the stars during the long Kansas summer evenings, when it was too hot to sleep until the wee hours of the morning.

"It's beautiful, mom. I'll get started on it as soon as I can," Clark said, handing the sketch back.

"Don't you mean 'we', farm boy?" Lex asked, leaning casually against the porch railing. "I believe I'm supposed to be assisting in this project."

Clark's eyes widened. Lex had done his fair share of work today, true, but Clark wasn't at all sure about shepherding the idle rich through complicated carpentry. "Um, yeah. We. But, I know you're, um, busy, so I'll get it started and you can just, y'know, jump in whenever you have time." If he worked fast, Clark could make sure that there was nothing left but the weather treatment by the time Lex had a free moment to work on it.

"Well, gee, Clark, I could probably start on it tomorrow with you, if you've got the wood on hand."

Busted. Clark sighed in defeat. He could only hope Lex didn't end up killing himself with the table saw. "All right, Lex, let's get cleaned up for dinner, and we can go see what we've got on hand afterwards."

Martha watched the whole exchange with a bemused half-smile. "Right. You boys take your showers. And try not to get too dirty looking for wood. I wouldn't want Lex to mess up his nice clean car on the ride home, and I somehow doubt he brought an extra change of clothing." She turned back to her beans, and Clark opened the door, motioning for Lex to precede him.

Lex colored slightly, and Clark shot him an inquiring glance. When he shook his head imperceptibly, Clark grinned and winked. Lex blushed further, only confirming Clark's suspicion that a small part of him had been hoping for an overnight invitation.

When they got upstairs, Clark whispered, "Not that it's not a wonderful thought, Lex, but I don't think my Dad is ready for me to have Lex Luthor, my gay boyfriend, sleep over."

Lex just blushed deeper. "I know, I know. But you know the Boy Scout motto: be prepared."

Clark grinned evilly. "Do I want to know what else you've got in there, Lex?"

"No. Now show me the shower, so I can get the back forty of your farm washed off my tender pink skin."

Clark peered into the bag. Three sets of clothing, including extra underwear and socks, shoes, pajamas, towels, lube, condoms... Clark's mouth responded before his brain had time to process the implications. "Wow, Lex, you really did come prepared."

Lex whirled. "What... how?"

It was Clark's turn to blush now. "I... it's one of my... powers. I can see through things, sometimes like an x-ray, sometimes just like normal only, y'know, through them."

"So you could, for instance, just stand here and watch me shower?" Lex's expression was a little shocked, but there was a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Well, yeah. Although I hadn't thought of that." It was true; it wasn't like anyone else Clark might want to see naked had come over to shower. Although there was that time with the girl's locker room, in the end he'd had to face the fact that the sight of a room full of naked girls just wasn't as appealing to him as it should have been.

Lex had made a strategic retreat into the bathroom while Clark was thinking, and Clark pulled himself together and concentrated on looking through the door. He was greeted with the sight of Lex bending over, still fully clothed, to untie his new boots. Tight, soft jeans that seemed like just about the sexiest piece of clothing ever at that moment, the smudges of dirt on them somehow adding to the allure.

Clark could feel himself starting to hyperventilate, and he decided that perhaps it was time to make a strategic retreat out of the highly visible hallway and into his room. He sat at his desk chair, trying to minimize the spread of dirt, and focused his vision once again.

Lex was barefoot in the jeans, pulling the shirt up and over his head. It landed in a heap on the floor, but Clark's attention was riveted on the creamy skin that its absence revealed. The smooth, pale skin was stretched taut over well-defined muscles, and surprisingly sprinkled with red hair. He had a light touch of wispy curls on his chest, in the center and surrounding the cinnamon-pink nipples, and a red-blonde trail lead down from his belly button to the top button of his jeans.

Clark's breath was coming in gasps now, as Lex ran his hands over his chest. Lex had a small smile on his face, catching his lower lip between even white teeth as one finger brushed over a nipple. That same slender hand trailed down to the waist of his jeans, fingers dipping teasingly below before unbuttoning the top button. Clark was blessing the Levi's people as the next button went, revealing the damp head of Lex's cock.

Amazing that Clark had watched that ass all day and never once realized Lex was going commando. His own fingers had strayed to his pants, cupping himself through the fabric of his jeans as Lex undid the next two buttons, then turned around to present Clark with an unobstructed view of the ass in question.

Perfect round globes, with a light dusting of red hair leading up from the balls just visible between them. More hair down the long, muscular legs, and then Lex was naked and turning to face him again. Clark wondered what Lex was thinking while doing his strip tease. If he thought for a moment that Clark might not look. If he felt sexy, or foolish, or a little of both.

Lex had the water turned on, and was waiting impatiently for it to warm up. He looked like he wanted to stroke himself, hands ghosting his length once before spotting the dirt embedded under his normally pristine fingernails. He pulled a face, and turned to glare at 'Clark' in a way that said, "I'm going to get you for this," more clearly than words.

The room was filling with steam, and it was a challenge to look at but not through Lex as he stepped into the tub and pulled the curtain closed. First a thorough and efficient soaping to remove the dirt, including grabbing his mom's nail brush from next to the sink and getting under his fingernails. Then a more leisurely re-soaping of his entire body, lingering at the nipples, balls, cock and ass.

Clark groaned for him, a soft, helpless sound in the quiet room. He just barely remembered that he was alone, that Lex couldn't really see him but his mom might walk in at any moment, and only that reminder kept him from unzipping and finishing himself off right there. Lex was teasing himself with a finger now, circling the puckered opening. As he slowly worked the soapy fingertip inside himself, Clark's vision switched involuntarily to true x-ray. He never thought he'd find finger bones sexy, but that was before he got to watch them moving in and out of the shadow of Lex's body.

Clark's vision cleared again, just as Lex's hips started bucking, seemingly of their own accord. His head was arching back in unmistakable ecstasy when he suddenly stopped. One last quick wash and rinse, and he turned off the shower. Lex dried off quickly, then efficiently dressed. Soft black slacks, warm grey turtleneck, and, rather than commando, a pair of snug-fitting boxer-briefs in an unlikely shade of lavender. They trapped his still-hard cock against his belly, effectively disguising his erection.

The dirty clothes went into a smaller bag evidently brought just for that purpose, shoes and all. Lex tucked everything away and moved to the door, still barefoot. Clark barely had the presence of mind to speed out into the hallway, so he was lounging in the same spot Lex had left him. When Lex emerged, Clark was leaning against the wall, face flushed with desire and cock throbbing. Lex looked totally composed, the only sign of his activities a slight flush that could be attributed to his shower.

Clark peered through the house, locating his parents easily. Neither of them seemed to be in any danger of coming upstairs, so he decided to take a risk. Clark swept Lex into his arms and kissed him passionately, pressing his body to Lex's and trying to convey just how hot Lex's little display had gotten him.

Lex moaned, one hand moving down to rub Clark through his jeans. "God, Clark, you're so hard." He cut himself short and stepped away, hand lingering. "I know you need to go slow, so I think we'd better back off with things. I'm not used to having all the foreplay and none of the play, and I don't want you to ever feel like I'm pressuring you."

He squeezed Clark's cock once when he said 'pressuring,' and then released it.

Clark trapped Lex's hand against his erection and grinned, panting. "How about I leave it like this for you while I shower? You can think about that while you wait for me in my room."

Lex whimpered a little, then leaned up to kiss Clark. "I've created a monster!" he said, just before their lips met.

Clark grinned evilly as he pulled away. "Well, you are officially dating a tabloid headline."

That startled a laugh out of Lex, but the jolt of Clark's hand on his ass was enough to cut off the laughter with an adorably undignified squeak. Clark went into the bathroom, pulling his shirt off and winking at Lex just before he shut the door.

As soon as the lock clicked, Clark super-sped through his shower, knowing that only that kind of concentration was going to keep him from jacking off then and there. Especially when he realized he was standing in the exact same spot Lex had been just a few minutes ago. When his mind replayed the image of that one soapy finger moving in and out. Of the expression on Lex's face as he'd pulled away in the hall. Of the blush that had colored Lex's cheeks when he'd talked about all the ways men could pleasure one another last night.

God, was that only last night? So much had happened in the 48 hours since his first declaration, he felt like he'd gone from hell to heaven and was stuck now in a some bizarre gay purgatory, with only himself to blame for his unfulfilled state. Clark moaned in frustration and dried himself off roughly. Dinner was going to take forever, and he'd have to leave his shirt untucked. Boxers didn't hide anything, and he was definitely seeing the appeal of Lex's more form-fitting underwear. He got dressed and emerged in record time, speeding into his room to find Lex.

Stopping short when he saw Lex sitting on his bed, holding Clark's pillow pressed to his face and using his free hand to stroke his cock through his pants. Lex inhaled deeply, squeezing himself, and Clark moaned.

Lex dropped the pillow and looked up, startled and guilty. "I... I was just..." He trailed off as Clark stalked over to him, pinning him to the bed.

"Just what, Lex?" he said, grinding his hips into Lex's, all his fears forgotten in the heat of the moment.

"God, Clark! Just... smelling you." Lex cupped Clark's face in his hands, pulling him down slowly.

Clark allowed himself to be guided, coaxed. The unfamiliar feel of someone beneath him, someone pressing their undeniable maleness into his own was taking his breath away. He couldn't think straight. He knew there were important reasons he shouldn't ravage Lex on his bed right then and there, but none of them were coming to mind right now.

Their lips met. A low groan escaped him as his tongue slid into his boyfriend's -- boyfriend's! -- mouth, and he twitched his hips again, rubbing his erection awkwardly over Lex's. Lex tasted like water and himself, softly organic and sweet, with just a hint of cherry Chapstick left on his lips to tantalize. Clark moved a hand up to cup Lex's head, feeling the soft skin. Taking utmost care as he lightly caressed, trying not to bruise the delicate flesh or break the fragile bone.

The other he used to hold himself up just enough to grind his hips into Lex's. Lex moaned and arched beneath him, eyes going wide and then fluttering closed in ecstatic supplication. Lex's voice was rough with desire as he moaned, "God, yes. Clark."

Clark leaned in to recapture those lips, feeling himself starting to drown in the sensation, feeling the edges of his control starting to unravel as his hips made helpless little circles against Lex's.

"Clark! Lex! Time for dinner!"

Martha's call shattered their mood, and Clark leapt away, guiltily. "I... Lex, I... I know you said you wanted to back off, I didn't mean..."

Lex was smiling, looking dazed and faintly rumpled for once. "Clark, it's ok. Really. In fact, it's gratifying to know you feel enough passion to..."

Clark silenced him with a kiss. "Of course, Lex. Now, let's get down to dinner before Mom figures out what we've been up to."

Lex grinned. "I'll bet you she figures it out anyway."

Clark was already headed down the stairs, and he shot his reply over his shoulder. "No way, Lex, I don't take sucker bets!"

continued in Out, Chapter 7: Dinner with the Kents