The Memoirs

Lex was torn. He truly was. He was torn between laughing his ass off and bellowing for Wally. At the moment, he was doing both, gasping more than bellowing as he yelled for Wally to get his ass in the office right now.

Wally stuck his head in Lex's office as soon as his name was bellowed. He'd been... well, not hiding all morning, but he had been very, very careful not be anywhere near Lex when he read the article.

And when he did hear his name? He cursed loudly, stuck his head in the door, and cringed. "Daily Planet's already on the line for you, Lex, there's been four other people begging for comments--I gave them no comment--and Dominic's on his way down and boy is he not happy."

Lex just waved him in the office anyway. "C'mon, sit... wait for Dom, he'll be here, and you can help us figure out what we're doing."

Dominic grabbed the news paper, pushed his already rolled up sleeves higher up his arms, grabbed Charles by the arm, and stomped out of the office. What he would have given to be back in Ireland. His granny's voice from his phone call was still sweet in his mind, and was the only that that kept him from going completely APE shit. He stuck his head into his lovers office door, jerked his head as his lover was on the phone, and mouthed "Lex's office. Hurry." before stalking out, Charlie still in arm. "Lets go. Walk."

He dialed his sisters phone number from his cell phone on the way, as well. She'd been getting her offices ready here in Smallville, going from Metropolis to Smallville and back again nonstop, and finding her, let alone talking to his beautiful counterpart, was a nightmare, but somehow, he made it happen.

"You've reached Gina, how might I help you?"

"By telling me your baby isn't Lex Luthor's." Dominic snarled, loudly.

"Hallo to you too, ducks." Megan said drolly. She was lounging behind a desk, legs crossed as much as her belly allowed, doing her accounting with her lover sitting beside her. "I've already called the Planet, and giving them an ass chewing. I'm guessing you're going to throw in a bit more?"

"Would I be Morgan Senatori if I didna'?"

Lex was having himself a choking fit as he listened to Dominic stalking down the hall, and he was trying to hold it in. "Wally... just for the record? Megan's baby is not mine."

"Who the fuck is Megan?" Wally asked.

"Megan is Gina's true identity; if the baby is mine, it's a six year retroactive pregnancy, because that's the first, last, and only time I fucked her."

"Megan is my blasted sister." Dominic snarled off the side of the phone, and growled again into it as he dumped Charlie into a chair in Lex's office and slammed the door closed. "Lex, one more word of fucking my sister and I'll have you killed. Capiche?" Dominic glared back into his phone. "You, stop laughing. THIS IS NOT FUNNY!"

Megan couldn't help it. Her brother was so uppity sometimes, and she giggled into the phone as he screamed. "Don't worry, caro. I've talked to Philippe… we're going to come out together in the next few days as a couple. Okay? Don't fret just yet--your step son won't be dishonored."

Lex leaned over and snatched the phone from Dominic. "Megan, congratulations. You've made the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest human pregnancy," he snickered. "How's Philippe taking this?"

"You could imagine." Megan snorted back, and listened to the distinct smack of her brother in the background, bellowing at someone to keep impure thoughts out of their heads. "Whoever my dear brother is smacking on, tell them I'm sorry, from me. He's just so overprotective of his big sister." Megan's eyes flickered to her fiancé warmly, and smiled at him in joy. "We're getting married at the end of May, and I'm hoping you and Clark will come to the ceremony. No one knows, not even mum, so keep a tight lip, aye?" A sigh. "I'll call you back once I see what my lawyers have said, love."

"He's just assaulting his assistant, don't worry." Lex leaned back in the chair and put his feet up. "Of course we'll be there. When and where, and we'll be there." He grinned at the phone. "I don't think they'll be able to do much, because this is still the same bullshit they're always pulling, but if they've gotten credit records or whatever, then we're talking litigation."

"Keep me informed, love. I've got to run, in the middle of the books... tell Dominic I'll call him tonight, once he's calmed, hmm?"

Lex frowned. "Sure. Leave me the hard job of telling him you're hanging up. Take care of yourself, Megan." Lex hung up on her, and then tossed the phone back to Dominic. "Dom!! Stop beating up on Charlie, and pay attention. Megan'll call you back tonight, she said, once you've calmed down and she's finished her books."

Dominic was glaring, darkly, and he sneered at both Wally and Charlie and plunked down in the chair beside Lex's desk, crossing his arms across his chest as he muttered. "Have sex with you, of all bloody hells known, how disgusting do people think she is, a gay man, a gay man, and just because she's a model doesn't mean a thing, goddammit." All under his breath, glowering as he stewed in his own juices.

"What, you mean you wouldn't have sex with me?" Lex asked, eyeing Dominic carefully as he tried not to burst out laughing.

"In a New York minute," Wally said smoothly.

"Nobody asked you, Wally," Lex teased.

"Just buttressing the argument there, Lex. Besides... I'd fuck me, and in case you haven't noticed? There's a bit of a resemblance there."

"Wally? You have hair. I don't."

Charlie's eyes were boggling. Just boggling, and he was so, so thankful that in that moment, he was not only working for Dominic but invisible against the wall.

Dominic. Just. Glared. "Enough talk about my step son fucking other people. I didn't ask for your opinion, Mr. West, so please keep it to yourself." A seething glare. "Its bad enough I have to know Megan's having sex, and Shayla's having sex, and this is *not* a conversation for the office!" Another glare, and he twitched it to the door, which Lionel had yet to walk through. "God, DAMN it. Charlie, go fetch my husband."

"Heel, boy," Wally muttered under his breath. "What's next, Milk Bones for the kid?"

Lex just glared at Wally before transferring his gaze to Dominic. "What's so bad about knowing that Megan and Shay are having sex? At least it's not with each other, because that would be the disturbing part." He laced his fingers behind his head as he kicked back. "Besides, I have to know that you and Dad are having sex, quite frequently too, so if I have to suffer, so do you."

"Lex, man... feel for you, baby. I really do." Wally leaned over for his coffee cup. "If I hadda listen to my old man doin' his honey? I'd have to get the hell outta dodge."

"I'm sorry, Mr. West?" Dominic's voice was deadly calm. He was in no mood to be talked back to, and he fixed him with a cold look that he knew had melted more than a few spines in their day. The same look transferred to his step son. "Be quiet. our affairs are our own." In two words? Stop talking in front of the workers.

Lex didn't exactly brush it off, but he sort of ignored it. "Wally's a friend, Dom, don't worry. He's a friend of Bruce's too."

"No offence to Mr. West, but I don't care if he were the Dalai Llama. My personal affairs aren't aired in front of people we work with, Lex, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't comment on them in your usual surly way, either."

"I'm not surly," Lex protested, scowling.

"No, you're a field of fresh daisies." Dominic muttered, and crossed his arms again. "This is a PR nightmare waiting to happen, you realize. The meetings an hour from now. Christ be."

"Dominic, if the world hasn't figured out yet that the only person I'm fucking lacks tits and a pussy, then that's their problem. It's a gossip column, and as soon as Megan tells the world about Philippe, they're going to know it's his baby anyway. Cat Grant just wrote about Clark and I in the same article. Breathe, Dom. Right now, we're checking to see if she got her hands on my credit records, and if she has, then that's what we're going to prosecute, her and the credit company both."

Dominic was still glaring. Darkly. "No one talks about my sister, dammit. No. One. Talks. About my sister. I shared a womb with her, dammit. I know her better than I know Lionel, and I'll be damned if she's going to be slighted in the public. No one's done it in such a fashion to her before, and I'm mad."

"Oh, so suddenly it's a slight to say she's been sleeping with me?"

"Do calm yourself, Lex," Lionel said as he entered the room. He had no idea what his son was getting worked up about, but he wasn't in the mood for it. "Dominic, I came as soon as I could. I met Charlie in the hallway and sent the young man back to my office to field phone calls. Otherwise he was going to soil the carpet."

"Good." Dominic snarled, and looked up at his lover in both the anger he was feeling and the helplessness. "Newspaper. Says Meggie is having Lex's baby. Spent lots of money on baby things. Etcetera." He offered his fingers up to his lover and squeezed them, as he stood to offer him his chair, as he pulled another one from the wall for himself.

"I did spend a lot of money on baby things. I bought them for Chloe, when Whitney was having his... difficult phase," Lex replied, steepling his fingers in front of his face. "However, I want her name kept out of it. If anyone asks, I bought it for my baby sister to come."

Lionel kissed Dominic's fingers as they squeezed his and Lionel levered himself into the chair. "The woman is trying to fill her column, and she's chosen to, once again, focus on the Luthors, especially Lex since the unfortunate altercation in front of the restaurant last week."

Dominic shifted, crossed his legs, and dared Wally to interrupt with a tossed glare, as he focused his attention on Lex, silently. "Have you talked to them yet?"

Wally picked up the tossed glare and threw it right back to Dominic.

"Define them," Lex said. "I've got calls into both of them, the Planet has been holding twenty minutes for me, and they don't dare hang up because of whatever Wally threatened them with, and the legal department is working as we speak."

He crossed his legs, mind reeling. "When you do talk to them, Lex?" Dominic finally said, at length. "I'd like you to make some… very strongly opinionated comments, on how the persons responsible for all of this mess will be found, and will be dealt with in a proper fashion. And as we do seem to be in a very highly thought of place right now, throw in that though people are trying to tear LuthorCorp and its subsidiaries down with obvious slander in an equally highly thought of newspaper, and that we as a company won't stand for it. Throw in a threat or two of Lionel and myself going to the Inquirer, when our daughter is born, instead of them, as well."

Lex gave a little laugh. "The Enquirer and the Inquisitor both are trash rags and the Planet knows it. Sadly, however, they're the only reputable paper in Metropolis, and they know that too. No, what I intend to do is make it clear that I have controlling interest in the Inquisitor--which isn't a lie, I bought it before I started dealing with Roger--and if they don't put their bitch on a leash, they're going to have a little competition as we build the Inquisitor into a powerhouse."

Dominic nodded his head graciously, and glared at his lover, though there was hurt in his eyes. "They said she was sleeping with Lex. Lex!"

Lionel leaned forward and shook his head gently. "Would you rather they have said she was sleeping with you and I?" he asked dryly. "Dominic, it's not a personal attack against you. They know Megan is pregnant, they know Lex and she had a past history together, and to their small minds, I'm sure it's a logical explanation, especially considering the lack of male presence in her life."

He growled, low, in his throat. "I don't care. And you're damn right its a personal attack--that is my darling sister, and that is my stupid step son, goddammit. I plan on taking it personally until both parties are formally apologized to." Another little growl, and he crossed his arms... then slammed up and started stalking the office.

"Hey!" Lex yelled. "I am not stupid!"

Wally sighed. "Look, the paper's only gonna stay on the phone so long, so if you want me to get rid of 'em, lemme know."

Dominic pointed. "Lex. Talk to them. If they give you lip, tell me. I swear on all that is holy, I'm feeling fabulous to give those bastards a piece of my mind."

"Stay'n listen," Wally suggested with a shrug. "Phone this fancy's bound to have speakerphone on it."

"See? Knew there was a reason I kept you around." He picked up the receiver, picked up the line that was holding, and switched it to the speakerphone. "This is Lex Luthor; who am I speaking with again?"

About fucking time. Perry White ground his cigar out on the desk and slammed his hand down. "I got a paper to run here, kid. I don't got all morning to sit on my thumb and wait for you."

Lex's eyebrow elevated. "Of course not, sir. I just wanted to have a little talk with you about one of your columnists, Catherine Grant."

Perry ground his teeth. Of course. "What's the problem with Cat, Mr. Luthor?"

"I don't like that she's putting lies about me and my friends in your newspaper, Mr. White."

Dominic wondered if his teeth were audibly gritting. He was still stalking back and forth, anger bright on his face, and snarled as he did so, stomping back and forth.

Lois just... rolled her eyes all over her head, and settled back with her nail file again. Perry had bellowed for her to come into the office not fifteen minutes ago, and she had waited... and waited... and waited. Got reprimanded for doing her nails in his office but she wasn't doing anything else, was she? Just left another message on Kent's stupid answering machine. Dumb farm hick ass.

Perry just rolled his eyes, and used a rolled-up newspaper to slap against Lois' nail file as she rolled her eyes. "Look, kid, you know you're not in bed with Gina, and I know you're not in bed with Gina, and so does the rest of the free world. If Grant wants to get her panties in a twist over some damn cash register receipts from Baby Gap, let 'er. I'm not stoppin' her from writin' the damn column."

Dominic all but bit through his fist, to keep from bellowing and giving the man a very nice, beautiful piece of his Goodman MIND. He just kept stalking, grinding his teeth all the more, and tried not to go postal on the bastard.

Lois glared at her boss, sniffed, and kept right on filing her nails, blowing on them just a step out of Perry's reach. "Grant's a bitch. She's doing it cause she's got some personal vendetta against Lionel Luthor." Was all she said, innocently, as she blew on her ring finger.

Lex growled into the phone, and pushed it towards his father.

"Mr. White? This is Lionel Luthor. Could you ask the young lady in the office with you to speak up and kindly tell me what I have done to Ms. Grant?"

Lois picked up the receiver after Perry all but chunked it at her, and re-crossed her legs, setting her nail file back into her purse. "Hello, Mr. Luthor. Lois Lane, here." All balls. She had nerve, and she loved herself for it. "Ms. Grant is the daughter of the late Mr. Grant, who you fired a few years back. Can't stand you. Can't stand your kid, either. Don't take it too personally." And handed it back to Perry, with a smile. "My work here is done."

Perry snatched the receiver back. "Go get me that Kent kid on the phone before I send your ass to Smallville, Lane!" he bellowed, and then cleared his throat. "I'm sorry about that, Mr. Luthor."

Lionel shook his head as he pushed the phone back to Dominic. "I don't remember firing anyone named Grant, but it's entirely possible. I fire quite a few people."

Lex leaned forward. "Sir? Can I ask what it is you want with Mr. Kent?"

Dominic took the receiver from his lover, shook his head, and put the receiver to his ear. "Perry? Hello, Dominic here. Sorry about all of this... I would have talked to you myself, but I was a bit angry a bit ago, indeed. How's Marge?"

Lois walked off, with a snicker, tossing her long black hair over her shoulder. She sashayed to her desk, pumping the little kid...Olson or some such, from beside her. "What do you want, Jimmy? I thought I already told you that those photos aren't going to work for the new spread? They're too blurry."

Christ, finally. A rational man to talk to. "She's doing fine, Dominic, thanks for asking. How's the shoulder? Bothering you still when it gets rainy? Marge has this great liniment she makes, for aches and such."

Lex drummed his fingers impatiently, waiting to hear. "Dominic! Ask what the hell he wants with Clark!" he hissed.

Dominic glared at Lex and sat down once again, comfortably, and sighed. "Yes, quite unfortunately. Still aches like a bitch in heat in the humidity, and thanks for asking, indeed. Though Perry, we've got a bit of a mess over here. Ms. Grant couldn't have written such a thing at a more terrible time--we're just getting over some tabloid things talking about Clark and Lex, and all such things." But he smiled, now, a little. "A way to come back from vacation. Now I feel like I'm back in the real world for it." He shifted. "Might I implore though, what Ms. Lanes interest has been in Clark? Is it about the article he wrote?"

"Yeah, it is. Kid's got a load of talent, and Jimmy couldn't stop readin' the thing when he got it from his kid brother. I confiscated it at lunch last week when he was ignoring me, and I wanna reprint it in the local section of the paper. But I gotta have the kid's permission first, and I've been tryin' like hell to get it."

"Gotcha." Dominic's lips twitched. "I'll be letting his somewhat grievously angry boyfriend know. Though, Perry, you know how it is... we're going to have to file complaints and such against your Ms. Grant." A wince. "We hate to do it, but we have LuthorCorp's best interests, as well as our own personal lives, at heart."

Perry shrugged. "Do what you gotta, Mr. Luthor. Cat's not gonna stop writin' her column, I'm not gonna make her. She's doin' her job; nobody ever said she had to prove the crap she's spewin' out."

"I know it, Perry. I just wanted to let you know our grievances over here in left field, despite it." Dominic said, as gently as possible. "Regardless, just so you're knowing, Lex was buying baby things for one of his best friends, who's due in November. She's a good friend of both he and Clark, and he helped her with a few things for her new nursery a month and some ago. My sister is not involved in the equation whatsoever."

"Like I told Lex, I don't think anybody believes that Lex is gettin' horizontal with anybody but the Kent kid."

"I don't think so either." Dominic thought for a moment. "I'll let Lex know to tell Clark to give you a call. The numbers still the same?"

Perry growled. "Kid don't need my damn number, he just needs to check his damned messages! I've been leavin' them all weekend!"

"He's been away." Was all Dominic said, and offered a smile. "Its been wonderful talking to you, Perry. Give Marge my love."

"Sure enough." Perry hung up and seriously considered throwing the phone through the wall. Instead, he picked it up again, and scowled as he got the switchboard. "Yeah. Put me through to Cat Grant. And tell her I don't wanna hear this, she's not at her desk bull."

Lex glared. "You'll tell me what about Clark?"

Lionel just sighed. "Lex... calm down. Do let Dominic finish the phone call first, why don't you."

Dominic smiled. Broadly. Hung up, innocently, and blinkblinked at the two of them. "Sometimes, ladies, its fabulous to me, don't you know it." He crossed his legs. "Nothing else will be printed about us from the Daily Planet. I assure you." Dominic turned his eyes on Lex. "Perry wants to talk to Clark about getting his article posted in the Planet, as an editorial piece. Clark's just been discovered, Lex."

Lex's hackles went down almost instantly. "Of course he wants it. It's a damn fine piece of journalism. Probably better than most of what White's got in the staff now." as long as nobody was trying to hurt Clark, he was fine. "I'll call Clark and tell him to check the messages and get back in touch with Perry. And to call me if Perry sends a contract or anything to be signed, because I want our legal to go over with it."

Dominic nodded, smiled, and looked up at his lover. Alright. He felt better. "Nothing will be posted about Meggie again. Don't be surprised that an apology is published tomorrow." He rose, then, and offered his hand. "Come on, lets go to our meeting. Mr. West, Lex? I'm assured you'll be on time?"

Lex just cackled lightly. "Of course I'll be there on time. I don't have Clark to distract me." He paused. "Although, that's not actually a bad thought, having him come over today, so we can get this newspaper situation dealt with..."

Lionel cleared his throat. "Absolutely not," he said firmly. "Clark needs to spend the time getting... ah, acquainted with his... new relative."

Dominic just nodded, carefully sliding his eyes to Wally, and ever so slightly shaking his head at Lex, almost without moving his head. "Come on, Lionel. Lex, we'll be with our financer for the next hour. If you need anything, just call."

Lex nodded. Despite the fact he liked Wally, he wasn't about to have this reported back to Bruce until he was damned good and ready to do it himself. "I will. Wally and I are going to be working through the weekend's backlog of messages and such, and we'll meet you in the boardroom."

"Alright." Dominic nodded and slid his fingers into Lionel's for a quick squeeze, before they began back up the steps. "You know, Lionel, the craziest amount of politeness will get just what one wants. I think I guilted him into some serious action, you know. That bitch. I can't believe she had the audacity to write such a thing about us, such complete crap."

Lionel kept his lover's fingers tightly in his as they started up the stairs. "I can. Because it is just that, Dominic. It is crap. An annoyance, surely, but still... crap." Both times he said it, Lionel's lip curled. "And as such, it's worth only routine action, and nothing more." He sighed. "And I will endeavor to find out about this Grant man and find out what the situation of his termination was."

"Don't even remember a Grant." Dominic admitted, as they stepped back out onto their floor. Lex was working in the floor below them, until the final touches were done in the Hercules building, and Dominic felt oddly comforted to have him close, even as they walked up into their own offices. "Has Lindy called?"

"She did earlier this morning, and she should be here. She's going to drop Eleanor off with Shayla at the mansion, because the day care won't be open for another three weeks; one of the inspectors has delayed his tour." He sighed. "Were he not the only one in the county, I would send for another."

"Of course." Dominic soothed, even as he sighed himself. "I owe Charlie an apology. Charlie!"

"SHIT!" The loud bellow came from Dominic's office, as well as the loud thunk of a chair hitting the floor, and the metallic skitter of paper clips and pens flying all over the desk.

"I owe him two apologies." Dominic sighed, deeply, and let go of Lionel's hand to push open the door of his office. "Calm yourself." He muttered, and motioned to his lover. "Go on, then, I'll be in in a moment. Lindy's in your office," He could see a blond head through the crack of Lionel's half open door, and sighed again as he turned his attention to Charlie. "I'm sorry, laddie. Come now, lets get this cleaned." He crouched down and started picking up paper clips from the floor."

Charlie was already on his hands and knees, scurrying around the desk and picking up the paper clips and pens that had scattered. "You startled me, sir. It was so quiet, and then bellowing, and I jumped, and when I jumped, my elbow slammed the blotter and everything went flying."

"I know. Hush, lad." He piled the paperclips in his hand, as he did it, carefully grouping them, scooping them up, and set them on Charles's desk. "I'm sorry for yelling at you, before. It was out of hand."

He just shrugged. "I-it's okay, sir. I'm used to it by now. If you were really mad, you've have ripped my balls off already."

That Charles was used to it made something in Dominic's heart kick. "I'm not going to do it anymore, Charlie. You're a good person, and I shouldn't demean you so... even if its a very fun sport." A little smile, as he reached out and squeezed his shoulder. "Come on... I need you to get some of this filing done. Lionel and I have an appointment with a finance advisor for... right now." He motioned. "That pile over there?" He motioned to a small stack of folders. "File them where they're to be. Call Elizabeth Pomfrey, and have the basket of fruit sent to her. Get the appointments with the secretary pool done by the time I get back. Alright?"

Charlie pointed to a bright blue folder on his desk. "The pool is already scheduled over the next three days, starting tomorrow morning at eleven, because I wasn't sure how busy you'd be today, just getting back and all. Felicia is over in Personnel with Carolyn cause Felicia finished her training last week, and Carolyn's getting her set up for the front desk." He dumped the last handful of paper clips into the little holder, and then started on the pens, putting them back on Dominic's desk in the same colorized order they'd been in before they were knocked off.

"Alright, then." He stood up with a soft sigh, looked over all the telephone calls he had to make in the log… and looked back at Charlie. "Charles, you know how to run this office, I'm correct to assume?"

"Yes, sir, I do."

Another glance at the list of calls. "How would you feel about making these phone calls?" he lifted the roster that Carolyn had carefully kept over the week long vacation, and noted they were his normal contacts.

"I can do it with no problem, sir. And if there's anything I can't handle, I won't make that call. I'll leave it for you." Charlie nodded. "I can do it, Mr. Senatori."

"Well, then." He handed him the roster and fixed his tie a bit, making sure that it was crisply set, and unrolled his sleeves, buttoning them quickly. "I'll be back within a half hour, I hope. If I'm not, please buzz us and let us know we're running over schedule." He didn't wait for a response, just walking confidently across the hall, and knocked on the door politely.

Charlie just nodded firmly and picked up the phone.

Lionel paused in mid-sentence, and smiled at Lindy. "Ah, speak of the Devil, and he appears. Come in, Dominic."

Dominic pushed the door open and smiled, both at his sister and his husband. "Sorry about that. I've got Charlie doing some of the phone calls... easing him into being our assistant, indeed. Lindy, darling." He pressed a kiss to her cheek as she half rose, and motioned for her to sit down as he took the one beside her. "You've seen Mr. Bun-Bun, I presume?" A big smile on his face as he rose a brow at the cage sitting on Lionel's beautifully finished coffee table, in front of the lush leather couches by the window.

"Yes, I did, and he's absolutely adorable. I was just telling Lionel you're going to spoil Ellie rotten. I'm glad now she didn't come along, because you'd be hearing nothing but, look at the bunny Unca Ommie! for the next hour." Lindy returned the kiss and then cocked her head to the side. "You picked up weight in Ireland. Gran's cooking, I assume?"

"It shows?" Dominic made a face. "I'm going to have to go shopping for bloody pants, now. Gran, of course, she sends kisses and treats. I'm going on my rounds this afternoon, I'll drop off the billion things she packed for you then." A grin at her, and a kiss to her cheek again. "I missed you, ducks. Being home was distinctly odd without the entire brood there, but lovely nonetheless." A motion at the papers. "Though some things never change." A sweet smile at her. "You really care to bring on such a venture such as our finances, love?"

"Are you kidding?" Lindy made a little scoffing noise. "I'd love to. I was two steps away from pestering Graham into hiring me as his accountant, and he hasn't even started yet!" Her eyes softened. "He really wants to ask you to work with him, but he's too busy being angry. He's making a good deal with the Fordman boy to get supplies from his store, and he's to have a little office there too, a desk at the back, where he can work from when people come in the store looking for him."

"Sounds lovely." And it did. In every way possible, but he was just so upset about the whole situation that he motioned a hand. "Anyway, Lionel, love, have you got your paperwork?" Dominic climbed up and went to his briefcase sitting on one of the couches, picking up the thick ledger from inside of it, and plunked back down beside his sister.

"I've got more paperwork than you can shake a shredder at." But first, he passed over a thin sheaf of no more than four sheets in an envelope. "Lindy, those are for you. I need those filled out tonight and returned in the morning, all right?"

Lindy pulled one leg up and tucked it under her, much like her brother sat when he wasn't thinking about it. She pulled the papers out of the envelope, gave a little shriek as soon as she saw what they were and hugged her brother tightly. "You didn't tell me!!!"

"Bloody--" He didn't know what the hell he hadn't told her about, just getting smushed and kissed in the process, and though he never said no to hugs from his big sister... wow. "What's this for?" he asked, laughing as he squeezed her back. "Dumbbell, what am I being hugged for?"

"THIS!" She waved the reimbursement forms around as she squeezed. "I can go back to school! I can finally get my CPA certification!!" She hugged him all the tighter for it, and bounced in her chair. "You guys... you're so great."

Lionel gave a little dismissive cough. "It's more than time for that program to benefit someone who can benefit from it."

Dominic got smushed again, though he met his lover's eyes over her shoulder even as he squeezed her, and could Lionel be any more beautiful in his eyes? "Lindy, my angel, twasn't I who did it. It was my darling husband, indeed. Isn't he wonderful? Christ I love him."

Lindy gave another little squeal, and when she looked up, her eyes were bright. "Lionel... you have done so much for us. For me, for Ellie, for our family... and you haven't killed my mother yet." She got up and walked around the desk, but instead of the exuberant hugs she'd given her brother, she gave this elegant, stately man a kiss on the cheek and a gentle embrace. "How can I ever thank you?"

Lionel returned the hug carefully, as though he were afraid he might break her. "Would you really like to know the answer to that?"

"Of course," Lindy said, nodding as she perched on the corner of Lionel's desk.

"Teach that darling Eleanor that my name is not Mufasa, Mr. Weirdy Lion, or Mr. Weirdy Pants. Teach her how to say Uncle Lionel, and the debt is paid in full."

Lindy couldn't help it. She laughed, and gave Lionel another kiss on the cheek. "I'll try."

Dominic grinned, broadly, and let his cheeks pink softly. "I should say, you are a Uncle Mufasa, after all. Though be glad she isn't calling you Mr. Lion-Lion, as the poor rabbit has been named." A motion over at the little gray bunny, who was sucking on its water bottle. "Come now, ducks. Lindy, you might be playing another tune when you see the disgrace our books are in."

"Mr. Lion-Lion would actually give me some hope of her realizing that the next step would then be Mr. Lionel. Unca Mufasa, on the other hand, merely makes me grit my teeth." He passed a second ledger over to Lindy, and opened one of the folders on his desk. "There are misfiled expense reports from the department heads, there are missing tax forms, and I don't even want to think about the mismatched accounts and the possible embezzling that has been going on. These books have been doctored, cooked, baked, fried, and thrown through the garbage compactor for all their accuracy. Dominic, on the other hand, has been in charge of our personal accounts, and the stocks and such, and I believe those to be in fairly good shape."

Dominic...winced. "Lionel... that's what she's looking at, today. Our personal accounts. Because I can't do it alone anymore, my brains addled. There's so much going on between the two of us, not to mention our combined salaries and what that means for our stocks and bonds, that I've lost track. She's going to help us get everything back in order, love."

Lindy's eyes boggled a moment, and then she put on a no-nonsense face. "Well, we'll take care of the personal accounts this week--hopefully it won't take more than a week to get it straightened out--and once that's done, we can start on the corporate accounts and the expense reports." She flipped through the ledger she took from her brother. "Christ, Morgan. There are reasons the book has columns in it! This is chicken scratch!" She smiled at him. "You've a great brain with numbers, but you can't organize them for shite. Lionel, do you have a blank book?"

Dominic winced again, and hit from her glare even as it turned into a smile. "I know it. I've got it mostly in my head, and.. .well, there, indeed. Its a misery, Lindy. I really hope you don't mind, love."

Lionel nodded. "I don't have one close at hand, but I can have one sent to you from the accounting department."

Lindy nodded as she kept flipping through. "Have them send... a box. About a dozen or so, should do it all. I'll need... one for yours, for Morgan's, for your combined assets and..." she kept flipping. "It looks like you have at least eight or ten accounts for stock dividends and such and each of those will be fairly simple; I should be able to keep them all in the same book."

A little beam. "Really?" Someone to do the accounts. Oh, Jesus, and joy. He smiled at her, broadly, and kissed her cheek. "You're a peach. With myself it won't be too difficult... I can tell you what I've got where, up front, simply because I don't have as much as Lionel does, and can keep better track of those things."

"Yes, really, and don't think you're going anywhere, Morgan Dominic Senatori." She glared. "Lionel, you're free and clear. Morgan, you are going to have to translate half of this for me."

"Damn." Dominic muttered, and glared at her even as he shifted in his chair and sighed. "Its what I've kept up on our combined assets. Lionel's is in another book, and mine is in this one." He offered the second book, which was in an even worse state of affairs, and shifted. "Sorry for the mushy way it looks."

"Mushy isn't the word for it. Holy Christ, I'm going to have to start from the end of last fiscal year and go from there, and please tell me somebody in this damn department kept tax records?"

Lionel blinked. "With the move, the papers were filed with an extension, but yes, I believe we have copies of the appropriate documentation."

Dominic winced again, and gave Lionel a look. "Sorry, love. I have been keeping track of it though. Its all in there. Just in a way only I understand." He reached forward to press a kiss to his lips.

Lionel returned the kiss gently, stroking over his lover's goatee with his fingertips. "You've done a fine job."

Lindy glared. "You're going to have to make me understand it, brother mine. Not only that? I'm taking you to a stats class, and you're GOING to learn the difference between the deposit column and the debit column."

"But its all there! You know what it is!" Dominic wailed it, hardly before he'd pulled away from his lover, and managed to look guilty as hell while doing it. "Dunna glare at me so, Lindy. I like my way better."

"Yeah, well, let's just hope nobody asks to see these things, or you'll be stuck all day explaining them." She grinned. "Okay, okay. Just... give me somewhere quiet I can puzzle through these things, and I'll start reorganizing."

Lionel nodded. "Of course; your office is right down the hall, three doors past the board room on the left. Your computer is ready with the appropriate software, but you'll have to call the IT department yourself and establish an intranet connection and password."

Dominic threw in a big smile and a beam, plus fluttered lashes, so she wouldn't yell at him, and he rose up. "Come on, I'll show you. Then I'm coming back for a snog with my lover, before we're off to the board meeting." He gave Lionel an evil grin over Lindy's shoulder, before helping her heft all the ledgers up.

Lionel just returned the evil grin with a wolfish one of his own, and settled back in his chair. He emailed the accounting department immediately, demanding that an unopened box of ledgers be brought to the office immediately, then emailed the IT department and instructed them to contact Lindy immediately about establishing her intranet. His last email went to the head of accounting, and told him that Belinda Senatori was the most recent addition to LuthorCorp as his private financier, and she was to be given access to anything she wanted, all her demands answered, and accorded respect.

Lindy hefted the other half of the books, and followed her brother out of the room. "Is he for real?" she asked in a shocked whisper. "A job? An office? The classes? The money? And holy Christ, Morgan, you should SEE the salary he offered me!"

Dominic winked at her as he took some of the books from her pile, setting them in his own as he motioned for her to follow. "He's for real, baby. In every way, my love. And why shouldn't? You've a sharp mind, one that he appreciates I know, and this way not only will you be close, but you're further cementing that this business is a family one. If Graham wanted a job here, Lionel would find a way to make it happen. He loves you all, as he loves me, and I know you're his favorite." Grumped, even as he grinned and opened the door with his hip.

The room was done in soft rose and cream and he breathed in the scent of cleanliness coming from the room as he set the books on the floor beside the enormous mahogany desk.

"I'm not his favorite," she scoffed, but she grinned at the grouchy tone in her brother's voice. "He didn't marry me." She plunked her books down on the desk itself and then looked around. "This is a beautiful office." She went to sit down behind the desk, and the chair was comfortable, the telephone was working, the computer ready to go, and the color of the office was perfect. "I couldn't have decorated it better myself."

"Of course you couldn't have. We're gay men, ducks. We've got a gene for this." He grinned at her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Or, rather, the decorators from Christian Dior do. I wanted to make it purple and green, but someone told me that would be a bad idea." Another smile at her. "The books aren't all that bad, are they?"

"Purple and green? You've been around Lex too long. Next thing I know you'll be wanting purple plaid." She snickered. "Honestly, I don't think that they are. Everything looks like it's been entered, and once I get the paperwork to code in and back up the entries, it shouldn't be that hard to do at all. The trouble is going to be the combined ones." Then she paused. "Morgan... is Lionel doing anything illegal in these books that I need to know about? Because I don't want to get him in trouble by screwing up something."

Dominic shook his head quickly. "Nothing illegal. Just... bendy. He enjoys bending the laws to his whim." A little smile at her. "One thing I ask you, Lindy. Don't... flip out when you see the figures, mm?"

"Bendy I can work with." Then she blinked. "Flip out? Flip out how?"

Another wince. "You...you'll see. Love... between the two of us we could buy four small nations. Most of it Lionel won't ever touch. What I myself have in bonds I put there for you all on the time of my death. You'll have Lionel's will, as well as myself, so you can understand why money is where. I'm not on Lionel's will--its not a mistake, just a long story. I didn't ask to be put on it." A shift. "Lindy...I've got about fifteen million dollars in stocks and bonds, another fifteen in the bank, and about ten in my personal purchases. Most of it antiques. Lionel? Has billions."

"I don't believe it. You're exaggerating." She picked up one of the books and flipped to the last page. And then squeaked. Let the book fall to the desk, and squeaked again, making little strangled noises instead of speaking. "There's... there's... there's NINE ZEROES ON THE END OF THAT NUMBER!" she shrieked shrilly.

Dominic winced at the shriek, and nodded, still wincing. "The job we've given you isn't anything to be taken lightly. So don't count your blessings just yet, darling. Mine is easier to manage, because my influx isn't that much. I put in about fifty thousand every month, and take... mmm... twenty five hundred for my flat, a thousand for my car, and whatever spending money and such I use. Oh, and this last month I organized the Quilting Bee Craft fair, which was nice, and the party for the children's library in two weeks. So, that's not that difficult. Lionel's, on the other hand?" Another wince. "He's got billions, baby. In every corner of the world."

"YOU'RE GIVING ME ELEVEN DIGIT NUMBERS TO JUGGLE?" Another shriek. "Why in the hell do you HAVE so much of this lying around?" Her hands fluttered. "Jesus Christ, you need to keep them coded like this, in case anyone finds the books. Jesus, Mary and Joseph."

Dominic squeezed her hand in his, and winced again. "See why I can't do it alone anymore?"

She sighed, and nodded. "Tell Lex I'll do his, too." Then she shook her head again. "Let me guess? He's got in the billions too?"

"Not quite. Much too young yet... I don't know the exact figure, but its in the low millions. Less than myself, I think."

"Oh, that's just dandy. He's got less than thirty million dollars to his name. Poor little destitute boy."

Dominic winced again, eyebrow furrowing, and looked at her for a moment. "Lindy, is this going to be a problem for you?" He hated talking about money. Had he mentioned he hated talking about money? "If it is, tell me now."

"A problem? No." She sank back into the cushy chair behind the desk. "A shock? Definitely. Holy shit Morgan. I knew, I knew you were doing well for yourself, but I didn't know it was this well. I didn't have any clue that when they called Lionel billionaire that it wasn't an exaggeration. They're just a few extra zeroes to juggle, that's no problem, and I sincerely don't care about it. It's just... okay, how would you feel if I suddenly popped up with an assload of rubies and told you to hock 'em?"

He winced again, harder, and looked down. "Lindy, I'm sorry. Its just... its just money." He didn't know how else to explain it. "I don't ever spend it. It just sort of sits there." He looked up. "And like I told you, I didn't marry him for the money. I don't touch it. Half of my paycheck goes into the account he and I opened for ourselves, and he matches what I put in. We live on that."

She almost leaned forward and smacked him in the back of the head. Almost. She stopped herself, and then leaned forward and did it anyway. "Idiot. Am I complaining? No. Do I care? No. Am I going to make you more of it? If possible, yes. Morgan, my brother... I don't care about your money. I care about you. My point is? This is a little shocking, to go from handling a two hundred dollar paycheck to eighty thousand a year, and that's just me. It's even MORE shocking to be put in charge of BILLIONS of dollars, and I mean that in the literal sense. Because I'll be writing checks, balancing your checkbooks, and seriously? I never dreamed of holding that kind of money in my hands." She just shook her head. "I mean, I looked in the ledgers, and there's what, three quarters of a billion in charity donations last year alone? Did I read that right?"

He nodded, and smiled a little crookedly at her, even if it was a small smile. "Yes. That's charity." He leaned forward and turned the page to the third in the first book. "And this is what we gave to foundations. For the homeless, for AIDS, for cancer, for orphans, and after the bombing three years ago, Lionel gave a hundred million to the families of the deceased. Lionel says its for the tax break, but that's a load of rubbish if I ever saw. He loves giving money to people."

Lindy murmured softly. "I'll have to get the receipts and tax records to look at this, but based on what you've got entered here, you should be getting at least half of it back in breaks and refunds."

"Or something like that." He motioned a hand. "I'll be helping you with this, as the financial department falls under my responsibility. I'll be helping you with this every afternoon, from two until four thirty, alright? I'll also have the head of the tax department, Ms. Felding, and the finance department, the man that will be working directly under you, Mr. Hood."

Lindy nodded. "That's--whoa, hold it, wait. I've got people under me???"

He grinned. "Yes. You're to be my second hand in charge of finance, love."

Her eyes were huge as saucers. "I have absolutely NO experience in managing people."

"Darling, you've Ellie. You'll be fine." He squeezed her hand tightly. "Lionel is confident in your abilities, and was very wary on hiring anyone up into the position, simply because he doesn't trust anyone but family to handle manners such as these. From the money Lionel makes is where all the gala's come from, as well as upkeep of the general grounds, hiring of companies for maintenance, so on and so on and so on. He also pays for two rented flats, four houses here in the states, and 7, no 9, properties abroad. A fleet of ships, forty some odd cars, and his plane." A heaved sigh. "My husband is a lush."

"Managing a five year old is NOT the same bloody thing as telling grown adults what to do!" Her chest heaved as she panted for breath. "What have I gotten myself into. I love my job. Really. NINE OVERSEAS PROPERTIES? Dear God. I can do this."

"Of course. One in Ireland, one in France, a flat in London, a beautiful home in Japan, a vacation house in the Philippines one in the south of Spain. and He also owns... mmm... three islands I should think." Dominic smiled at her. "Most of this, love, is from his family. Old money. He inherited it, on his father's death. I used to do it all alone, love." Dominic shifted, and set his chin on his hand. "But with all my new responsibilities, and Charlie's incompetence, its too much. I can't get it done in time, and stress myself out."

She was still panting. "Yeah. Right. Old money. Okay." She grinned up at him. "I'll be fine, don't worry. Just a bit of culture shock." A little sigh. "I better get used to it--Morgan, eighty bloody thousand dollars a year, and that's less than he wanted to offer me!!" She leaned forward and put her chin on her hand. "Morgan? The kid's not incompetent. Just because he's not as good as you doesn't mean he's incompetent. He fixed a snag in Felicia's paperwork in two hours, he got one of the computer sets re-routed when Dell came to fix the viruses while you guys were gone, had half the office doing some kind of remote log-ins from laptops so they could work during the de-bugging, and makes a damn good cup of coffee."

"And leaves pink bra's in my couch while I'm away."

"Right, and I suppose you've never had sex in the office, hmm?" Her eyes twinkled as she watched him.

He blushed. Crimson. "What I do in my office is my own state of affairs." Though he couldn't meet her eyes. "Alright. He's not incompetent. He ran the office swimmingly all the time we were gone, and I appreciate that. Everything was in order when I got in this morning." Grunted, because did he hate admitting he was wrong, when said wrongness was about Charlie? Of course.

"And, just for the record, isn't your office, his office too? So really, what he does in his office is his affair, yes?" She kissed him on the tip of the nose. "Charlie's not all that bad."

"Right. And Lionel's not a total git at the core." But his eyes opened and he grinned up at her. "I'm going to go kiss that git for a while. We're having a staff meeting in about… thirty minutes. You'll join us, I presume?"

She nodded. "Yessir. I'm staff now, I suppose, so that means I'm in on all the staff meetings." She sighed. "As soon as my first paycheck comes in, I'm going shopping. Cause these clothes just ain't gonna cut it here."

He blinked, and looked over her. "You look beautiful, Lindy." Another blink. "What the bloody hell is wrong with what you've got on? Has anyone made any lip at you?" A snarl. "I've had just about enough of all this sister bashing!"

"No, Morgan, calm down. Nobody has. And yes, I do look beautiful." She preened a moment. "However? This is also NOT LuthorCorp material. And I don't want to look like a slob in a room full of three-piece suits and designer dresses!"

At that his glare softened, and he gave a little smile. "That, indeed. That's my indulgence, love, I'm sad to say. You and Carolyn should go sometime, she's a daughter just about Ellie's age, as well." A warm smile at her. "She's wonderful. Carolyn is fourth sister. She's always taken care of me, and I her."

Lindy sighed. "I'll just take you." She grinned. 'You've got a better eye for it than I do. Or oh!! Felicia and I could go!! I know she's going too, because she's going to be looking for something that's non-maternity soon."

Dominic smiled. "Take it up with them. I've got to tell Fellie to meet me at Toni's in a bit, as well, I'm dropping off the wedding dress today for them. But, regardless." he stood. "If you need anything Lindy, just give a scream."

"I will, I promise." She blinked as a young kid about twenty years old brought in a huge filing cabinet and a box strapped on top of it. "Can... can I help you?"

The scrawny little kid shook his head. "You're Belinda Senatori?" AT the confused nod, he thudded the hand trucks down. "Here you go. Mr. Luthor's orders. Brand new cabinet, and a box of blank accounting ledgers."

Dominic nodded, curtly, at the young man, turned and gave Lindy a wink, and walked out of the office and down the hall. He opened his husbands door, after a brief knock, and slipped in, closing, and locking, the door behind him.

Lionel inclined his head to the chair he'd put behind his desk, and tapped his fingers on the wooden surface as he finished on the telephone. "Yes. Yes, Mr. Case. I'm glad you see it my way, thank you." He paused. "Of course. The exchange will happen tomorrow, you'll sign the company and the stock over to me, I'll pay you handsomely for it, and we'll start replacing the servers and equipment immediately. Yes, thank you too. Goodbye." He grinned at his husband. "You are looking at the new owner of America Online and it's subsidiaries."

Dominic grinned, broadly, and instead of sliding into the chair by his lovers desk, he slid gracefully to the floor, and gently began to kiss along his lovers thighs. "Really? How long have you said you wanted it?" He asked, as he reached up for a long, quiet kiss, before he leaned back down to nuzzle and rub his lips against cloth covered genitals.

"For... ah... quite some time," Lionel said softly, letting his fingers run lightly through his lover's hair. "I was persistent enough... to get what I wanted."

"Did you use your normal methods?" He murmured, as he scooted in closer, hidden behind his lovers desk, and carefully unzipped his trousers. "Or were you more firm than is usual?"

"Much more firm... firm than usual," he murmured softly, sliding his hand down to tighten his fingers in Dominic's hair.

"Did they settle, or did they put up a fight?" He said, as he squeezed Lionel's cock in his palm and stroked it into full hardness, even as his mouth began to explore. He licked over lovely balls, sucking softly at them even as his mouth began to trace upwards, towards the head. Even as he gripped the base he teased and licked, kissed and nibbled, right under the head, where it met the shaft, blowing softly on the little area with quiet, warm breaths.

Lionel gave soft little pants. "They settled... surprisingly quickly... after a brief struggle." Another little pant. "Slightly disappointing... as I was expecting... more of a fight."

"More of a fight? Why should they fight with you when you've got such a strong grip.." He squeezed the base again, sucked the head into his mouth, and let it slide free again. "On things?"

Lionel gave another little moan, and thrust his hips forward gently in the chair. "I always... like a fight." He twitched his hips in the chair to get them more comfortable and make it easier on himself to push forward into his lover's teasing grip. "It makes life interesting, if things are a challenge."

"Of course it does." Said right before he slid his lips around the head, rose himself up a bit on his knees, and brought his lover down his throat. His mouth hit the base and he licked around it, even as his lips stretched around the base, and he swallowed, hard, around his lovers cock in his throat before bringing him out. Another slow, heavy slide in, all tongue and sucking, swallowing again and again around him.

Lionel's fingers tightened hard in Dominic's hair and he thrust forward, just a little, rubbing the head of his cock against the back of Dominic's throat, giving short little moans as he thrust, pulling his lover's head back with his grip and he started to fuck Dominic's face with heavy, long strokes.

Dominic held on, tightly, to his lovers thigh, as his lover began to move. He could still remember the first time his lover had lost control and fucked his face, and he gave a little smile around his lovers cock even as he drove up and down, with him. Hard sucks, strokes of his balls, then up, his free hand sliding over his lovers linen shirt to stroke tense nipples under cloth. Over and over, sucking hard and fast, and he murmured around his lovers cock even as he did.

Lionel's free hand moved over and brought Dominic's hand to his pierced nipple, rubbing his lover's fingertips over the little hoop as he grabbed harder with the hand in Dominic's hair and kept thrusting. His eyes were closed and his head had fallen back, hair falling over his back as his throat arched with his moans. Each little moan caused him to thrust forward, and he slid deeply into his lover's mouth.

His cock was so hard. Dominic rubbed it against the inside of his pants, barely able to get any sensation against it as he sucked and moved against his lovers cock. He wanted pleasure for him, something bright and delicious, and he kept sucking, adding a little bit of teeth grazing lightly along the sensitive bottom as he did it. His fingers stroked over the nipple ring, his other hand stroking and massaging heavy balls as he did so.

Lionel's entire body shuddered at the scrape of teeth, and he pushed harder into Dominic's mouth, his cock deliberately scraping over his lover's teeth as he thrust in. His fingers were knotted tightly in his lover's hair, almost too hard, and his other free hand braced on his thigh, helping him keep his balance as he kept rocking on his heels. Wanted to come, wanted to come fast and hard, knew Dominic was just as hard as he was and wanted to help take care of it, and he shuddered again.

Dominic sucked, all the harder, letting Lionel use his mouth as hard as he wanted to. He was a big boy, he could take it just fine. He sucked, licked, over and over, grazing his teeth harder though still gentle, to make sure his lover wouldn't get frightened by the scrape of teeth on sensitive organs. He licked and sucked, moistening his finger with the saliva on his lovers cock, and tugged forward, making Lionel get at an angle, so he could easily, slowly, stroke his thumb into his lovers tight passage and press in as deeply as he could.

He wasn't frightened; he liked it. The pace of his thrusting increased, and then suddenly, he stopped, squeezing his eyes shut. Just barely held himself back as he reached under the desk, pulling Dominic to his feet and then sitting down in the chair, wiggling his lap and his bared cock against Dominic's ass in pleading, as he nibbled at the back of Dominic's neck.

Dominic whimpered, softly, when his lover tugged him up. His mouth was red and bruised with pleasure, his eyes bright and slit, and he rose up enough to yank his slacks and underwear down to his knees, pushing his dress shirt out of the way as he loosened his tie, and reached into his lovers drawer. The lube was opened a moment later, fingers slicked, and he pressed his fingers into himself, quickly, the familiarity of his own fingers becoming, a moment later, the long, hot, blunt length of his lovers cock, which he sank down onto with a low moan.

Lionel pulled his lover's back against his chest, kissing him hard as his hand reached around, finding Dominic's hard length and started stroking as he raised and lowered his hips, bouncing lightly in the well-padded chair as he thrust deep into his lover.

"Yes, baby, oh yes." He whispered, softly, stamping his palm on the buttons on Lionel's desk... made sure the doors were locked, even as he set his head against his lovers shoulder and moved. He whimpered, softly, raising and falling, helping where he could, even as his eyes closed tightly and sweat slid down his temples. "Yes, yes, yes."

Lionel's mouth sucked at his lover's throat, his neck, any skin that he could reach as his teeth tugged at an earlobe, murmuring softly. "I love you," he whispered softly, thrusting up and burying his length with every stroke. His balls rubbed against the curve of Dominic's ass, and his fist stroked harder over Dominic's cock as he fucked harder. "I want to see you come for me."

Didn't think, really didn't think, that he'd have his pants down around his ankles with Lionel fucking him, but Dominic didn't care. "Fuck me, over your desk." He gasped it, hard, because they weren't getting the hard pound he wanted, knew Lionel wanted, even as his lover tugged at his ear, and his entire body seized with pleasure when his lovers thumb rubbed right against the right spot on his cock.

Lionel rose at once, moving both their weights with his thighs and bending Dominic over the desk. He kept his grip tight on his lover's cock, rubbing his thumb over the same spot over and over again, making sure that he ground against it every time he thrust into Dominic. His free hand came to brace on the desk and he was pressed tightly against his lover, chest to Dominic's back as he started to pound harder.

Dominic meowled like a certain kitten he knew, and rubbed his chest against the desk. His lover was stroking over that little spot that made white lights dance in front of his eyes, and he reached out to hang on tightly to the desk. A hard wail as his lover fucked him, hard and quick, jarring his senses and making him sob out in pleasure. "More, yes! More!"

Lionel's grip tightened on Dominic's cock, jacking it almost savagely in time to the hard thrusts in his ass. Lionel grunted with each one, feeling the stinging slap of his groin against Dominic's cheeks, the bounce of his balls off his lover's, and he kept his hand on the desk, pulling against it and using the additional force to drive himself into the hilt every time, gritting his teeth and fighting his orgasm until his lover was coming.

Yeah, right. Like it took long. One more jab right there and Dominic was painting his lovers fingers and the underside of the desk white as he clamped on his wail, back arched up hard, as his orgasm rocked his body. Quickies were so fun, had he mentioned? he was clenched tight around his lover, holding him in as he erupted, and he gave quiet, long keens of pleasure as his orgasm bounced off of his insides.

He collapsed a moment later, eyesight fuzzy, hearing fuzzy, teeth grit tightly as he trembled.

Lionel's body leaned forward as he felt Dominic's body clenching around his cock and he shuddered. He let go of Dominic's cock, wrapping his hand around his lover's bare waist instead and hauling him back against Lionel as he came, his cock jerking as he came inside of his lover, with Dominic held tightly against him. Lionel's mouth was gently worrying his lover's earlobe as he came, sucking and whispering.

With his lover whispering obscenities and pleasures in his ear, a hot ache filling him as his lover came, and their half naked bodies pressed tight and sweaty...Dominic was in heaven. He purred, loudly, then moaned in quiet pleasure as he trembled and rubbed his ass back into his lovers hips. "Ughn."

Lionel rolled his hips, pushing with little thrusts even as he started to pull out of his lover, and once he was free, he turned Dominic around to face him. His hands rose to cup Dominic's cheeks gently, and he kissed his lover very, very deeply.

When Lionel's mouth came to his Dominic took it, gently, and kissed back as much as he could. Christ, he loved his lover. He bumped up to sit on his lovers desk and tugged him close with arms and his legs, hooked around Lionel's knees, gently coaxing him closer even as they kissed. He was trembling with soft moans, he felt hollowed out and achey, and uuuhn. He kissed him, again and again, licking his lovers lips gently. "Love you, my beloved lovely one."

Lionel gave a little grin. "And I adore you, my little cricket." He rubbed his cheek against Dominic's. "But... we have work to do."

Work? no work. Nope. He just closed his eyes and licked his lovers lips, then his ear, and purred softly, snuggling in against him and letting his eyes rest just for a moment. "Yep."

Lionel reached between them and tucked his cock away, and then backed into his chair, sitting down so that Dominic curled carefully in his lap, and Lionel rested his chin on Dominic's temple, cradling him close.

Dominic slid off his lovers desk... wincing at the mess he'd left on the wood of lube and sperm, and bit his lip as he tugged his trousers up, buttoned and zipped them, then snuggled in close. "I'll go clean up before the meeting, baby." He muttered, though hello, saying no to snuggles? Yeah right.

"Mmmhmm," Lionel murmured softly, keeping Dominic cradled in his arms. "Rest. We've got..." He looked at the clock. "Ten minutes until the meeting. Catch a catnap; you didn't sleep well last night."

Dominic shook his head. "I'm okay, love. I promise. There'll be time to sleep tonight." Not that he wanted to. "I'm going to go see Toni and Fellie later this afternoon, alright? Maybe go and try and talk to my brother. Gran sent home tons of things for everyone as you know, as well as the things we've gotten them, so locating everyone will be a difficult chore, indeed. I'll go after the meeting, alright?"

"You won't sleep tonight," Lionel protested softly, but he didn't say anything else. "I think that'd be an excellent idea. Do give the bride my regards and regrets."

"Don't you know it. I'm sure the next person to announce their engagement will be Toni and Graham, and if nothing, I'm glad she'll be a part of the family." A shake of his head, and he kissed his lovers cheek as he rose up to his feet. "Let me go clean myself up a bit." Truth, he didn't want to. He loved being filled with his lover, but he didn't say that, as he smiled. "Want to go to an early dinner with me, tonight?"

Lionel sighed. "He doesn't deserve her. Nevertheless, I will be glad if he makes her happy, because she does deserve it. And more. I don't think I'll ever be able to repay her for what she is doing for us."

"Indeed." Dominic smiled, even though his lover hadn't answered the other part, and kissed his nose. "The laptop's in the board room, waiting for you, love." Another kiss and off he went, slipping out of the room quickly and across the hall. He had his own washroom now, executive washroom as it were, and he'd already decorated it in greens and silver. He stepped in there, then, and washed his hands, unbuttoning his trousers once more to clean himself up, because as fun as it might have sounded, squishing and sliding all day wasn't quite the pleasant feeling.

Lionel followed him across the hallway, and instead of following him into the washroom, he leaned against the doorway into Dominic's office, and hooked a silent thumb over his shoulder, so Charlie would scurry away. And scurry he did, squeezing past Lionel and bolting for the board room like a scared rabbit. "Where are we going for dinner, by the way? You escaped me before I had a chance to even agree."

"I'm squishy." Dominic said through the door, as he tugged down one of the towels on the shelf. "I don't want to walk and squish in front of the board." Snickered, even if it warmed him to know his lover had followed him. He glanced at the closed bathroom door, rolled his eyes, and stuck a bit of the towel under the running water. "Wherever you want. I miss my nana. We need some good American food, so I won't mope and cry about."

"Good American food. Yes, well, that means nowhere in Smallville, sadly. We have standing reservations at Sandine's, if you'd like to go there, and if not, I'm sure I could spring for a pair of Big Macs for you."

"Mmm. Greasy." Dominic muttered, and then hissed as the cool water touched his skin. "Lionel? What think you of Jor?"

Lionel straightened his jacket as he thought. "I think... that it's a remarkable bit of technological magic to make it happen," he finally said. "Lex doesn't seem to be threatened or upset by his appearance here, so while I am less than thrilled with his apparent... touchiness, I feel I can rely on Lex's temperament here, and feel that he is relatively safe."

"I, as well. Even if...well, you know. A bit on the creepy side. I hate to say it, but we should keep a bit of a--" Yelp. "Cold! Anyway, keep a bit of an eye on him, don't you think?" He shifted and set the dirty towel in the LuthorCorp hamper, and tugged his slacks back up, tucking his shirt back in.

"I've already had that taken care of this morning. The house security feeds are being fed into the satellite link to my computer, and I've been watching him all morning. Since breakfast, he has stayed in the library, reading inhumanly fast. Clark's been in and out several times, having conversations and departing none the worse for wear."

He nodded, quietly to himself, and looked in the mirror. Sighed. Ran his fingers through his impossible hair. Looked down, smoothed his pale green shirt, his almost black it was so dark green tie, and smoothed the front of his slacks as he opened the door again. "I'm still worried, Lionel."

"I know you are. And I am too, in my own fashion, but..." He sighed. "Perhaps it's just me, but... I don't think that Jor-El is out to harm Clark. Nevertheless, I am being cautious."

He nodded, ran his fingers through his hair again, then took Lionel's in his hands, trying to smooth it down to its majestic waves again, and he smiled while doing it, smoothing out the curls. "You look so handsome, you know." But his throat tightened uncontrollably and he cleared it, quietly. "I really miss Gran."

"Yes, I do know," he said with a rakish grin. "I know you miss her. And you can fly back over any time you want to see her. The jet's fueled and at your disposal."

Sigh. "I know. But my life is here. I just wish I had Gran. The rest of it they can keep." A little grin up at his lover, as he rose to kiss those curved lips. "I love you, my beloved. Lets get on with work, mm?"

"Then give her a call," Lionel said softly. "Convince her that you need her here more than those hordes of relatives do."

Snort. "Right. Like she'd ever leave the homeland." But he grinned anyway, and kissed his cheek. "But, lets not talk of it, or I'll be sad again. Indeed, they're waiting for us, beloved. You go first... do I need my suit jacket?"

"No, not at all. You look excellent without it. Would I could shed mine, and yet." He gave a little grin. "Lindy will be joining us, as will Lex?"

"Of course." Another kiss. "Come on, lets go look professional and commandeering."

"Are you joking?" Lionel gave a little snort. "When I'm standing beside you? I look like nothing more than a tamed lion. But? This lion answers only to you." A playful bite to Dominic's nose before entering his office. "What, you think we're going in the common way?"

"Of course not." Dominic grinned up at him, and gave his back and butt a little, gentle rub. "A tamed lion, indeed, and they respect me for being the lion tamer." A little purr up at him. "God, you're so sexy, you know that?"

Lionel snorted. "They respect you for being YOURSELF," Lionel stressed, as he picked up the stack of papers sitting in his top drawer. "These are all the issues we have to deal with, and if Lex hasn't gotten Bruce's proxy, then there's going to be hell to pay."

"Proxy?" Dominic asked as he took the stack from his lover, absently scratching a bug bite on the back of his ankle with his opposite foot, realized it was a very ungentlemanly thing to do and stopped... alright, one more little scratch, before motioning his lover on before him.

"Yes, his proxy vote, so that he can vote for Bruce's shares in the meeting," Lionel recited from memory.

"Ah, I understand." He shifted and piled his calculator on top of the stack of folders, as well as patting his pocket to make sure his Jiminy pen was in there.

Lionel just smiled at his lover as he opened the door to the room. Lex was already sitting at the table, with the blue signed proxy envelope in hand, and Lionel breathed a short sigh of relief. Reynold Coffings was there, as usual falling asleep, and Charles was sitting at the end of the table. The rest of the faces were new faces, and most of them were scared. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming. There are a few issues we have to deal with today, and let's hope it won't take up too much of your time."

"Hallo." Dominic waved a hand from under his pile of papers and quickly set it on the table, as he took his seat in the vice presidents chair. "Nice to have you all here, welcome."

Lionel gave a small nod as he watched Dominic settle himself in the chair, and then sat down himself. "This meeting is officially called to order. Are there any challenges to the minutes of the previous meeting?" He paused, waiting for challenges. When none rose, he nodded his head sharply. "All right. The minutes are accepted into the record as are, and we are ready to proceed to new business. If you'll look in front of you, you'll all find copies of the Wayne Foundation's Educational Referendum to fund schools in the area. They're desperately needed, and my son has proposed that we match the Wayne Foundation's contributions to the referendum as a gesture of goodwill towards the area. That's the first vote before us today."

"Those in favor, say aye." Dominic looked up and counted the aye's quickly, doing a tally on his laptop. "Nay?" No one. Good. "Fabulous. Let the record show that the fourteen sitting before us, including Lex, myself, and Lionel, have all agreed on matching Wayne Foundations contributions towards the building of schools in the area." A smile up at his lover. "And now that that's done, hallo everyone." A wave. "To the new faces here, and there are many, I'm Dominic Senatori-Luthor, vice president and VP CEO for LuthorCorp. I'll be happy to get to know you all, and we welcome you to LuthorCorp."

As Lex stood up, he slid Bruce's proxy information down to Dominic to be entered into the record. "I'm sure you all know my face, I'm Lex Luthor, my fathers own and run LuthorCorp, and I am a stockholder as well as proxy for Bruce Wayne. I own LexCorp, which is a LuthorCorp subsidiary, and I'll be working in the Hercules building as soon as it's ready."

"Lex also runs two of our biggest contracts, and does a fine job with them." Dominic added, as he put the record and dictate program on and sat back against his chair comfortably.

"Lex is also involved with the research and development arm of our company, which is at the moment focused mainly on Cadmus Labs which is owned by LexCorp." A little bow. "I, of course, am Lionel Luthor, head of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of LuthorCorp. My office is right through that door, so that I am always accessible."

Dominic grinned at him, lovingly, and looked back at the group of people and smiled warmly. "After our meeting is through we'd like to get to know all of you, and explain to you some of what we expect from our board directors. For now, I'd like to call for any other orders of business?"

Lex rose to his feet again. "I have a new order," he said softly.

Dominic looked up. "Please then, state your order."

Lionel's head rose sharply and his eyes locked onto his son.

Lex slid a packet of papers forward. "I am tendering my resignation from the fertilizer plant in Smallville, effective this week. My last day as plant manager will be Friday, and as my replacement, I have nominated Gabe Sullivan. I have also contacted Mr. Sullivan, and he is willing to accept the promotion pending approval of the board."

Oh. Fuck. Dominic plunked forward from his comfortable seat, and stared. Lex... had done it. Without. Talking. To Lionel. He was sure that under his skin he went pale, and his mouth dropped for a moment before he could gain composure of himself. CRAP. "All in favor of Gabe Sullivan, please say aye."

Everyone else in the room voted aye, except for Bruce, who had agreed to abstain since Lex was his proxy and wanted to keep appearances proper and not make it seem like Lex was trying to throw the vote to his choice for replacement.

"Nay," Lionel said softly, his spine ramrod straight as he glared at his son. The word echoed like a gunshot in the quiet room.

Lex rapped his papers on the edge of the table and slid them down to Dominic without a word.

Dominic hadn't said anything, just taking the papers and wincing again. Christ. So much for a calm and civil night. Fucking hell. He nodded at Lex, though in his heart he was so, so proud of the young man for finally starting to put his life together, and give himself the happiness he'd told Dominic in the cottage he didn't feel. And for that Dominic looked at him kindly and set the papers on top of the others, to be filed and done later. "Ah... any other pertinent business?"

Lex gave a little smile, and when no other business was forthcoming, Lex flipped the look to his father.

"Meeting adjourned," Lionel said, without bothering with the niceties of closing the meeting. "Lex, might I see you in my office, please?"

Dominic winced again, and stood up, smiling at the group, though the smile was strained. "I think we might move our introductions till next week. Thank you all greatly for coming, and in your folders you will find the paperwork needed by the end of the week. Good day, gentlemen, ladies."

There was a quiet murmuring as everyone filed out of the board room, and Lionel carefully didn't look at his son until the room was empty, and only then did Lionel open the door to his office. He didn't say a word as he stalked in, and ripped his jacket off first thing. He rolled up his sleeves as he approached the liquor cabinet, and without the nicety of a glass, Lionel all but poured the scotch down his throat.

Lex followed after him, picking up the discarded jacket and hanging it over the back of Lionel's desk chair. He went behind him to the liquor cabinet, took the bottle out of Lionel's hand, and filled three glasses with it.

Lionel snatched the bottle back and slammed it down, making the amber liquid inside slosh over the lip of the decanter and onto Lionel's hand. "What was that, Lex?"

Dominic followed, quietly, wincing all the while, eyebrows furrowed. Fuck, and, fuck. FUCK. He carefully took the decanter from his lovers hands and set it on the desktop, so that it wouldn't break, and tried to stay out of the conversation as much as possible. "Lex, would you like to be alone with your father?"

"Dominic, stay right where you are," Lionel growled.

Lex remained calm, handing one of the full glasses to Dominic and taking the other for himself. "Thanks, Dad, for backing me up in there," Lex said softly. "It really meant a lot to me that you stood behind me, supported the decision that was best for me."

Dominic took the glass, fidgeted, and downed the whole thing in one gulp before he settled himself on the edge of Lionel's desk, and listened to them begin one hell of a row.

Lionel's glare didn't lessen, though it switched from lover to son. "You didn't speak to me about this, Lex, not a word of it. I was blindsided by it, in that boardroom, in front of people who's respect I am to command."

Lex just kept looking at his glass, but didn't drink from it. "Of course, I forgot it's all about you, isn't it, Dad? All about you looking bad? It couldn't possibly be about me, could it? Couldn't possibly be the fact that I know Clark is going to college in a year, probably in Metropolis, and that I couldn't stay in Smallville and work at the plant while he's there. It couldn't possibly be the fact that Gabe actually deserves the position because he knows what the fuck he's doing while I got it for being the big man's son. It couldn't possibly be the fact that it's better for the change to happen now, while we can still step in and help Gabe's transition, than throw something in at the last minute?" He swallowed hard. "It couldn't possibly be that, because it's all about you."

Dominic spoke up, quietly, half wincing as he did. "Lex. It isn't like that at all, ducks. Your father worries for you, and you know it." Shifted the glass to the other hand as he winced at his lover, and didn't dare say he knew about this, just... sighing, quietly. "Come, now."

"Yeah, Dom, I know it," Lex said softly. "But you couldn't prove it by what he just said." Then he looked up at Lionel. "Go ahead. Destroy my argument point by point, then tell me what a faithless, craptastic son I am, and how could you have ever produced a child like me from the great Luthor loins."

"Now that was an image I needed." Dominic muttered down into his glass, as he finished off the refill.

Lionel glared at his son again. "How dare you?" he asked softly. "How dare you do this, Lex? This is not the way things are done, and you KNOW it. You do not simply waltz into a meeting and broadside your allies with new information and--" Lionel stopped in mid-thought. "This is your petty idea of revenge, isn't it, Lex? For all the times you've accused Dominic and I of leaving you out of decisions."

Fuck. FUCK! Fuck. "Lionel." Dominic rose his voice, then, to catch his lovers attention. "Lex has been unhappy for a while. He told me, when we were in Ireland, after his big fight with Clark. He's been planning this for quite some time, so he might find a place where he is happy."

Lionel whirled on his lover. "You knew about this and didn't tell me?" he thundered. "You let me walk in there today knowing that this was going to happen?"

"No!" Lex yelled. "Jesus, Dad, get over yourself!"

"No. I didn't." Dominic said, very calmly. "I didn't know anything of what was going to happen. Don't yell at me, Lionel. Don't yell at all, in fact."

"Don't tell me not to yell, Dominic," Lionel said calmly. "Just don't do it." He turned back to his son. "Get over myself? You, Lex, need to get over yourself. Not everything in this world comes down to your petty, childish games."

Lex was fed up. "I'm not you, Dad!" he yelled back. "I'm not going to work in a shit factory all my life and then step up when you get tired of being the businessman and take over! I'm not going to do it! I like running LexCorp. It's small. It's reasonable. I have Cadmus Labs, I get... Dad, I get to do something I'm good at. I get to do something I like on top of that. Don't be angry at me because I'm getting to do something good for a change." He sighed. "You might as well know; when Clark goes to Metropolis--or wherever he goes to college--I'm going with him. And I'm going to be finishing my degrees. The molecular chemistry, the bioengineering, the advanced biochemistry."

Dominic felt the whopper of all headaches coming on. He rubbed his eyes behind his glasses softly, wincing at each sharp word traded, and wondered if they noticed if he got comfortable. Decided to risk it, and rose from his perch on his lovers desk to the chair in front of the desk itself, and watched them go at it. Ankle on the opposite knee, refilling his glass again.

Lionel snarled at his son. "Ignorant boy." He dug through his filing cabinet and threw a manila envelope at his son. "Your acceptance has been assured to every college where the Luthor family holds a chair." He hurled another envelope after the first. "Your tuition has been taken care of, transferred to an escrow account in your name, waiting to be activated when you decide on your enrollment." A third envelope landed beside the other two. "There's half a dozen letters of recommendation there, as well as agreements from every Ivy League institution stating their willingness to provide satellite classes at the instruction of your choice." He snarled again. "I never intended for you to stay at the plant forever, but you couldn't have come to me first?"

That's what Dominic had been saying ALL ALONG, but did anyone ever listen to him? No. Goddammit. He sipped his drink casually, watching the two of them… ducking an envelope when it was hurled, and continued to watch, silently, shaking his head and sighing every once in a while. Didn't dare tell his lover to calm down lest he get yelled at again so he just watched. And sighed. And watched some more.

Lex just watched as the envelopes fell at his feet, one after the other. "Stop throwing things; you almost hit Dominic," Lex said calmly. "And this? This is why I didn't come to you, this spectacular fit that you're pitching. Clark and I talked about this and we agreed that the best way to do this was to bite the bullet and do it before you could throw the mother of all fits and decide to block my resignation."

Lionel picked up the little decorative pillow that was sitting on top of his filing cabinet. Serenity had been hand stitched across it, and Lionel hurled it at his son. "You fool of a boy. I wouldn't have been throwing a fit, as you say, if you hadn't blindsided me with it! Had you come to me like a rational human being, we could have worked this out between us beforehand and there wouldn't be a confrontation!"

"Well that's a bit of horse shit, now isn't it? Not just a bit, I'd say." Dominic shifted and crossed his legs the other way. "You'd have gone ape bloody hell and done exactly what you're doing now, only with all the board members sitting in the next room. Of course, less blood would have been spilled." Another duck as a pillow was hurled, and Dominic just sighed. "You aimed wrong. Throw lower, love, a sock to the belly puts the other person out when you're throwing objects."

"Shut up, Dominic!"

"Shut up, Dominic!"

Both voices yelled it together.

He didn't dare grin. Just rose a brow, and took another drink. "I'm right, aren't I?"

Lionel sighed, and sat down behind his desk with the scotch bottle. "About my aim or my fit?"

"A bit of both." Dominic refilled his own glass and handed it to his husband, carefully motioning his eyes to the chair beside his for Lex. "Your row would have been truly spectacular had he told you before hand. Something I'm sure Charlie doesn't need to see again, though I think he's toilet trained now. Scotch, Lex?"

"My aim is fine." Lionel left his sleeves rolled up to the bicep as he sat in his chair, and glared at the ceiling.

"No, thanks, Dom. I have to drive back to the house for lunch with Clark, and then I've a few more errands to do. I need to be sober to drive."

"No, you don't, a bloody lie, but I'll take it at face value." Another glance. "Are we ready to talk like mature adults, children?"

"No, you're right, I don't have to be sober to drive, but I do have to be sober to make it home in one piece. Clark gets so testy when I drink and drive."

Lionel flat out ignored both his son's sarcasm and Dominic's gentle question in favor of lighting a cigar.

"Lionel? Are we in the first grade again? What have I told you about listening?" Dominic reached a finger out and gently turned his lovers head towards him. "Instead of sulking, why don't you listen to your son, and why he did what he did today, mmm?"

Lionel made as if to bite Dominic's fingers off. "I have not been a first grader in fifty years, Dominic, do not presume to treat me like one."

"Then don't act like one," Lex shot in.

"Fifty three, my love, but it would do you good to understand. Lex is very sad, my love. Can't you see his unhappiness in his eyes?" Dominic motioned at his stepson, and rose a brow even as he gently slipped his fingertips over his lovers lips, and let them fall away.

"Sometimes, Dominic, being an adult means that we do things that make us unhappy. That is rather the point of it, so I understand." He took a deep inhalation of his cigar, blew the smoke out despite the clear and prominent no smoking signs in the building, and then washed the bitter taste of his words away with a swallow of scotch.

"Don't waste your time, Dominic," Lex said softly. "He couldn't see when I was unhappy years ago as a kid, why should things change now? Let it go; it's done, Gabe's going to be the new plant manager, and... just let it go. It's not worth fighting over."

Dominic glared at his lover, and turned his eyes on Lex. "I'm your step father. Until your great lout of a father realizes his error, I myself will help you with anything you want to accomplish, mm?" He sipped his drink and set it down, as he rose to his feet and looked into his husband's eyes. "Being an adult does mean we do things that make us unhappy, yes. But for those who have lived a life of unhappiness and touched what could be true joy, I'll tell you--the joy far outweighs the unhappiness." He stood, then. "I'll be with Lindy, working on the finances." And he turned and left.

Lex just stared at his father for a long moment. "I wish you could understand this, Dad. But I don't think it's in you. But you're still my father." He sighed. "I'm going to have lunch with Clark, make a few phone calls, and then I'll be back in my office in a couple hours." He looked down. "I'll make arrangements for the movers to start moving my things over to the Hercules building; they're done with the floor where my office will be."

Lionel let Lex get almost to the door before speaking. "You don't have to move your office. I know Dominic likes having you so close; only a few floors down."

Lex just nodded. "I know, Dad. But I don't think you really want me here anymore. I think it's better I go ahead and move." He walked out the door at that.

 

-fin-

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