Title: "Guess who's coming for Dinner"

Author: Bev

Beta:

Prompt: Christmas Dinner

Rating: NC-17 (though nothing really happens but boy-kissing, just to be on the save side)

Warning: none

Spoilers: none

Summary: Clark brings a surprise guest home

"So ... who is it?"

"If I told you now it wouldn't be a surprise, right?"

Clark turned around, smiling at his mother who was standing in the kitchen, up to her elbows in flour for another of her famous Christmas Pies. Her gaze was open and curious, and Clark simply smirked slightly. His mother had taken leave from her senator's job in DC for the Christmas Holidays, and she'd be here until after New Year's eve. And Clark, though he had his own life now with his work for the Planet, and his occasional jobs every now and then with Oliver and the others of the Justice League, was extremely glad that she was. Christmas without her just wasn't the same. And this year he had promised her a surprise guest. He hadn't been too specific, had just told her it was "Someone I've been seeing for a while now, and yeah, I think it's serious." Nothing more. And now his mother tried to pry details out of him, mostly in the innocent way like asking for a name or something. Sometimes a little trickier, like now, when she tried to catch him by surprise, hoping he might not notice it and blurt everything out.

On one side he enjoyed her curiosity. Hell ... everybody's curiosity. Ever since he had told them that he had invited a surprise guest to this year's Christmas dinner, everybody was grilling him for more information. But Clark remained silent.

Because on the other side he was scared shitless. Scared what his mother and friends would say when he presented the surprise guest. Because with inviting that special person, Clark was at the same time outing himself. In front of his mother and his closest and dearest friends.

Christmas dinner was a big thing in the Kent household. Had always been. Would always be. His mom would work night and day if necessary just so she could fill the table to the brim with delicacies. The house was filled with amazing smells, and just the thought of it made Clark's mouth water.

This year was no different.

Apart from the almost insane amounts of food his mom prepared every year, there was also a short but exlusive guest-list, growing every year. This year Chloe was invited together with Jimmy, Lois with her current boy-toy, Oliver and a nice blonde that would be gone before anybody could even try to remember her name, and of course Clark's mysterious special guest. He continued to peel the potatoes, and remembered with a fond smile last night's discussion with his lover.

"Are you sure? I mean ... really really sure?"

Clark turned around, reaching out and stroking with his fingertips gently over the naked skin of his lover who was resting next to him, sated and a little dazed from their previous love making.

"I am sure. I'm sick of hiding myself. Sick of lying to my mom about why I never have a girlfriend. I *am* in love. Terribly in love. And though I know that you're not quite the shout-it-from-the rooftops kind of guy, I ... "

A warm hand descended on his mouth, silencing him. "Clark ... I love you. And you know that. Keeping our relationship a secret was never *my* idea in the first place. It was your's. And I understand."

The hand was removed, and the man moved closer to Clark, pressing his naked body shamelessly against the equally naked form of his lover. "I *would* shout it from the rooftops if I could," he continued, pressing soft, open mouthed kisses to Clark's chest. "I don't think anyone would be surprised to learn that I'm batting for the home team. Having a misspent youth *has* to have its advantages."

With a deep moan, Clark pulled his lover closer, caressing the silken, hairless body, enjoying the slight tremors that shook the other man, and kissed him passionately.

"I love you, Alexander Luthor," he whispered, right now not caring how corny that sounded, and later denying it categorically.

The soft, almost shy smile he got in return was more than making up for being a bit sappy.

~*~

It was snowing on Christmas eve.

It was wonderful, turning the world into something almost magical. Clark stood at the window, and gazed out into the white world. The barn, his truck, the fence ... everything was covered by a thick fluffy blanket, while the lights from the porch added golden spots. It looked beautiful.

But he was nervous. So nervous. He had talked with the Lex on the phone the night before. Had asked him once more if he was sure. If they should really follow through with this plan. If it was the right decision to come out as lovers. Lex's voice had been soft, loving, and reassuring. "It was your plan in the first place, love. And I think it's a brilliant plan. Let's do it. I'm sick of hiding, too. And that way we don't have to be so careful whenever we meet in Metropolis. So next year – when a reporter wants to make a picture of my handsome male escort – you can show your face."

He sighed, rolling over onto his stomach, looked through the walls and everything else until he could see Lex in the castle where the other man was currently lying on *his* bed, the covers pulled up to his chin, curled around the pillow that a few nights earlier Clark had rested on. He knew that his smell still lingered on it, and it was touching to see his lover hold on to something that smelled of him.

"I miss you," Clark murmured wistful, "I know I'll see you tomorrow but I *still* miss you."

Lex rolled onto his back, the pillow still clutched to his side. "I miss you, too. This bed is simply too big without my covers-stealing alien in it."

Clark laughed slightly. "I could speed over ... you know ... just for a moment."

Clark could see the little shudder that ran over his lover's body. Then Lex shook his head. "No, love. You know and I know that just a moment isn't enough. For neither of us. If you come over I want you to stay. Maybe tomorrow ... after dinner."

The 'If your friends and family kicks you out.' hung unspoken between them. They were silent after that, just listening to the other one's breathing.

"You should sleep now, love," Lex murmured after a few more moments. "I can almost see you falling asleep."

Clark smiled with closed eyes, and mumbled, "Who's the one with the super vision?"

"You are," Les whispered, "and now rest. See you tomorrow."

And with that he hung up.

A car horn tore Clark out of his thoughts back into the reality of Christmas Eve. Chloe and Jimmy had just arrived, with Lois and her company only seconds behind them.

They greeted each other with laughter, shouts of joy, and friendly words. When Clark got a snowball thrown into his face it was the start of a big snowball fight. It ended with the arrivel of a sleek, black sportscar. Wet with snow, the cheeks red from the cold they all looked over as Oliver Queen got out of the car, walked quickly around it, and opened the passenger's door. A breathtakingly beautiful woman climbed out. Long white-blond hair, ice-blue eyes, and the slender figure of a topmodell.

She wore tight fitting blue jeans, white high-heeled boots, a white turtleneck, and an equally white jacket with fur. She really looked amazing.

"This is Genevieve," Oliver said with something like affection in his voice. "She's the daughter of a business associate, and currently visting her father's law firm in Metropolis. Her parents are in Hong Kong so I thought she might enjoy not being alone tonight."

Martha was the first to go to Genevieve, and shake her hand. "It's a pleasure having you here, sweetie. Of course you're welcome."

Genevieve smiled sweetly, and Clark swallowed.

Oh wow. This was getting better every second. Involuntarily, his gaze drifted to the castle. 'Oh Lex,' he thought, 'what did we get ourselves into tonight?'

~*~

Right at this moment, Lex was fuming with rage, and close to losing his good mood. Ten minutes ago he should have been at Clark's place ... and instead of sitting in the dining room of the Kent's, surrounded by warmth, love and – hopefully – peace, he found himself on the phone with his father, discussing his latest business.

"It is *none* of your concern, father," he said, his voice as cold as the ice outside his window. "The contract with Archer Enterprises is my concern and mine alone. And why the hell are you bothering me with this stuff like that today of all days."

He knew it was the mistake the moment the words left his mouth. Helplessly, he stared after them, wishing with all his heart he could take them back.

"It's Christmas, father," he replied when the expected question of his father about why tonight was so special came, "and even if this means nothing to you ... to me it does as you might well remember. So if there is nothing more ... no, there is no need to discuss this, and ... father, it can wait."

Lex rolled his eyes when his father started the whole discussion again. Without bothering to reply, he simply put the phone down, and cut the connection. Then he took a deep breath, counted silently to twenty before he walked upstairs to get dressed.

Twenty minutes later he was sitting in his car in front of the Kent house, looking at the golden light, spreading its shine out onto the snow with a promise of warmth, and didn't dare to go in.

~*~

"So ... where is your special guest now?"

Lois' dark eyes were shining, and if Clark wasn't so nervous he would smile at her curiosity. He could feel the eyes of the other people in the room on him, cleared his throat and was just about to excuse himself to quickly speed over to the castle to fetch Lex himself if necessary when the sound of a car outside made him look at the door. Then he smiled.

"Right at this moment ... outside the door. Excuse me for a second."

He practically ran to the door, opened it, and frowned, when he saw his lover sitting silently and motionless in the car. Suddenly a jolt seemed to go through Lex. He opened the door, got out, and locked his car behind him before he finally walked over to Clark.

~*~

The door opened, and Clark stepped out. Of course ... superhearing. He must have heard him the moment the car pulled up into the driveway. It was the sight of his lover, his tense posture, his strain in every muscle, visible even at this distance that startled Lex. Never ever had he wanted to put his lover through such an emotional trouble, so he took another deep breath, and finally left the car. He locked it, walked slowly over to the open door, closer to his lover and the promise of warmth, light, and love. When he stood in front of Clark, he stopped.

"Hi, Clark," he said quietly.

The blinding smile he got made his knees weak and another – highly inappropriate – part of his body hard.

"You're here," Clark said happily, and Lex hated his father even more.

"I ... had a call from my father," he said, taking one step closer so he almost touched Clark. "It lasted longer than I thought it would. I'm sorry for being late."

"You're here now," Clark repeated, "that's all that counts. Come on in. The others are already at the table, and I can promise you ... they're dying to meet you."

Lex bowed his head, a little gesture of shyness. A shyness he never showed to anyone else but Clark.

"I just wish I could share your confidence, Clark," he murmured.

"CLARK!!! YOU'RE STAYING OUTSIDE ON THE PORCH THE WHOLE NIGHT OR WHAT? COME ON! SHOW US YOUR LADY!"

With a groan, Clark rolled his eyes, and Lex laughed out loudly. Lois. It was weird but somehow this yell from the inside gave Lex his strength back. He put one hand in Clark's neck, pulled him down for a tender kiss, and murmured against his mouth, "Yes, Clark ... show them your lady."

Clark sighed softly into the kiss, and for a moment they stood like that, with their foreheads pressed together. Then Clark seemed to pull himself together, grabbed Lex's hand, and pulled him forward.

"Come on, my lady ... the folk is waiting to meet you."

~*~

Martha was used to a lot of things.

Her job in DC certainly proved to her on a daily basis that almost everything was possible.

When Clark had told her that he was seeing someone – for almost a year now – and that he had invited that special someone to their annual Christmas Dinner she had been extremely happy. Because when she was honest with herself ... she never had been too fond of that little Lang-girl. She was too self-centered, too much of an egomaniac to truly care for someone else. She hadn't been sad when Clark had told her that she had left him. For good this time. On the contrary. The smile on her face had been almost as big as Clarks – she had been sure about that.

And now there was someone new in Clark's life. Thinking back she realized that there had been little signs that should have told her that something had changed. Clark had returned to the farm to live here again. He dressed better lately – not that there was something wrong with the flannel shirts he'd worn before but as a reporter he had to wear a suit. And it really suited him.

But nothing ... really nothing could have prepared her for the sight that greeted her when she came out of the kitchen into the dining area. She could almost feel her chin drop to the floor, and only her good education prevented her from saying something inappropriate.

~*~

Oliver Queen decided spontaneously that this was the best Christmas Dinner ever! To see Lois Lane speechless was amazing, and the look on her companion's face was simply hilarious.

Martha Kent looked like she was about to faint.

Jimmy Olson gaped open mouthed at the couple in the door.

Chloe's smile was so wide that for a moment Oliver was sure that she might hurt herself.

Genevieve just murmured in his ear, "They look amazing together." Which – to be honest – surprised him the most.

A big grin spread over his face, and he raised his glas in a silent toast.

Well done, Kent, he thought, very well done.

~*~

Lois Lane was speechless, indeed. But just for a few moments, then she asked, "Clark, what's this? Is this some sort of joke? What is Luthor ..."

She grew silent when she heard someone snickering. She threw a glare at the people at the table before she turned back to Clark. And Lex.

As a reporter, the unusal was her daily bread so to speak. She lived for the descoveries of secrets, for the unnatural amongst people, for the revealing of the things that were meant to stay hidden.

To find out that her clumsy, hick farmboy-aka-friend reporter had managed to keep a secret this big from her hurt to be honest.

And now he was standing there ... with Lex Luthor of all people beside him, standing there as if he belonged.

As if he belonged ... her eyes widened, and she gasped, "Oh my God ... he is your surprise guest!"

Clark blushed slightly, and nodded. "Yes, he is. He is also," he swallowed. This seemed to be really hard for him, "is also the man I've been with for almost a year now."

~*~

Silence followed.

An almost deafening silence.

'He is your surprise guest.'

Lois' words were ringing in his ears. Without thinking he reached blindly for Lex' hand, and gripped it tightly. It was a soft sigh that brought him back to awareness. A sigh from Genevieve. A sigh and the words, "Damn ... why are the best men always gay or taken?"

Realizing her mistake, she put one hand on Oliver's arm the second she finished the sentence, "No offence, Oliver."

Oliver simply smiled, and took a sip from his glass. "No offence taken, Gen."

But somehow these words – spoken with her beguiling accent – broke the tension. Jimmy closed his mouth with an audible 'clack', Chloe started giggling, and Lois murmured, "I really really need a drink now."

His mother walked over to them, and – to his and Lex' surprise – she simply took him in her arms, and said, "Merry Christmas, Lex. It's wonderful to have you here."

She moved back slightly, and gestured at the table. "Dinner is ready. Why don't you sit down so we can start? Your place is next to Clark."

Once they were seated, everything seemed to return to normal. Something Clark had hoped with all his heart but never dared to anticipate. Everyone treated Lex like he had always been the man at Clark's side, and no foul comment or mean gaze could be heard or seen.

It was indeed a very Merry Christmas.

~*~

It sounded so cliché ... but right now – at this moment – in his lover's home, surrounded by people who knew him but didn't judge him ... he felt happy. Clark's leg brushed ever so slightly against his, he could feel an occasional touch on his back whenever Clark reached for something on the table, and had to lean over.

Lex just sat there, ate, made conversation, and enjoyed the happiness he could feel. Of course he had to answer questions about when and how long. Mostly those questions came from Genevieve who seemed to be fascinated by the fact that he and Clark were lovers. She practically grilled him for answers, and he found out that talking to her was fun.

Lois cast every now and then a quick glance at him, probably thinking if an interview with him could be worth a front page.

Chloe beamed at him and Clark, so obviously happy for her old childhood friend that Lex felt bad for ever thinking that she might have difficulties with Clark being gay.

It was Clark's mother though that made him really feel welcome. And at home. She treated him the way she treated everyone else. He, and his relationship with Clark ... the fact that they were both men ... this was something that was simply comfortably ignored. It was nothing special. He was Clark's boyfriend, and in that he was treated the same way Jimmy was treated.

Later, much later, lying next to Clark in his lover's bedroom, he pinched himself lightly, mouthing "Ow!" when he felt the pain.

A soft kiss on his shoulder made him smile. "You alright, Lex?"

"Don't you think this was almost kind of ... surreal?" he asked back, turning slightly so he could face Clark. In the darkness he could barely make out his lover's features but he didn't have to ... he knew them already by heart.

"No ... I don't think so. You're now officially a member of the Kent household." Lex could hear the pride in his lover's voice, and involuntarily he had to laugh.

"And that is a good thing?" he murmured teasingly.

Clark rolled over, pinning his lover down on the bed, kissing him deep and passionate. "A very good thing," he whispered between two kisses.

And feeling Clark above him, the love surrrounding him, and the warmth deep in his heart ... he didn't find it in him to disagree.

The end