The Memoirs

When Shayla had said that the homework for her wouldn't be a problem, she hadn't been lying. She'd gone to four classes, had homework in each of them, and was halfway through the second class already. Her TV was on in the background, there were sandwiches and coke by her bedside, and her papers were scattered all over the bed.

Too bad she wasn't actually doing her homework. She was sitting on the closed toilet seat, hmming to herself as she ran a sink full of hot water and rummaged around in the cabinet for the last box of pink hair dye she'd brought with her. Finding it, she yelped in victory as she banged her head against the sink, and rubbed it briskly as she peeled off the pretty shirt Megan had sent her. She didn't want to get dye on her new clothes. She peeled the jeans off next, turned off the running water, and slipped into a pair of shorts as she hummed the tune of the Fatboy Slim song Pete had danced her to.

Earrings came out next, safely stowed in a little bathroom cup, and she sat back down, opening the box.

And because, yeah, she was a good friend like that, Chloe was standing in the door frame. Her arms were crossed across her breasts, her feet crossed at the ankle, and a slender, pale brow rose up as she looked at Shayla. "You use that stuff, and I'll never talk to you again shorty."

Shayla dropped the bottle and it bounced on the cold tile floor before rolling under the claw-footed bathtub. "Shouldn't you be in school?" Shayla asked, getting on her hands and knees and rooting under the tub for the bottle.

Yeah. So maybe Chloe’s eyes drifted a minute, but she couldn’t help it. As soon as Shayla had her head under the tub, Chloe kicked her swiftly in the butt with one socked foot.

Shayla's head slammed into the underside of the tub, a loud spew of Gaelic curses came rattling out. "Goddammit, Chloe!! What did you do that for!"

Chloe grinned, quite broadly, at the accent, and settled her bell bottomed tushie onto the closed toilet seat, shining her teeth at the girl. "Because you needed it. Idiot."

Shayla crab-walked until she was out from under the tub, and she glared at her best friend. "I did not need a swift kick in the ass."

"Next time, it'll be harder, and someplace you like even less. Or more, considering what frame of mind you're in."

The glare deepened. "I'm not my brother."

"You're acting like a guy."

"How am I acting like a guy?" Shayla dropped the bottle of hair dye on the sink ledge before lowering herself down to sit on the floor in front of the toilet.

"Because. Okay? Because." She glared at her friend. "First of all, you have the lowest self esteem I’ve ever seen. Ever. Second of all, you're changing your whole image, something which I know you like, because of. An. ARGUMENT. What, Shay, ten years from now when you've got kids with him, every time you fight with him you're going to change yourself?"

Shayla shrugged. "Yeah, I like it. I also liked it when nobody took me seriously, too, so I'm going back to that. It's not just Pete, though... okay. Yeah. It is just Pete. But if I hadn't taken him seriously when he told me from the first... yeah. I took him seriously, and I just... fell head over heels. He's just so great. And then... he started taking me seriously, and that's when shit started falling apart."

"Okay, you lost me. Huh?"

"Okay. That day? With Dick? I left the Talon when Lex and Bruce did? I found Pete outside Dick's place. Brought him back here. Got him booze and food, and he got drunk. Really drunk. Woke up beside me the next morning, hard as a rock and his hand on me. He ended up... he wouldn't fuck me. He just... licked. Down there. And then ran out. Said that I'd want more from him and he couldn't give it. Didn't listen, fell for him anyway. Then he... he came back. We slept together. A lot. He... he fell for me too. Despite Graham and everything else. Then... finally said it yesterday, after shoppin' and stuff. Came back here... finally said he loves me. See? He started takin' me seriously, and that's where things fucked up. We were good as long as he didn't take shit I said seriously, and that's what we're gonna go back to."

"So... because a handsome, sweet, passionate, and admittedly bone-headed guy tells you he loves you... you freak out? Sweetie.." Chloe leaned forward, and grasped her hand tightly in her own. "Let’s try this again. Okay? Think again. He fell in love with you. Not who you are on the outside, or what you wear, or anything. He's going to take you seriously from now on… he just...is. There's no other way to do it, he's gonna and there’s really not anything you can do about it. Changing your hair and putting the piercings on again isn’t going to change that. Get me? He loves you. And you, my darling, made a mistake. So... apologize to him for it, get his head out of his asshole, and be done with it."

She knew she was whining, but she couldn't help it. "Like I told Clark... I tried to, and he said he didn't want to talk to me anymore." She pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them.

"And just cause he said that, you're giving up?" An eyebrow went up.

She shrugged. "Well... until he wants to listen, there's not a lot I can do to make him, you know?"

"Exactly. So you wait until he's licked his wounds and he's ready to talk. Don’t worry, Shay... it'll happen." She let go of her friends hand and rose, sashaying her way to the bathroom. "Oh... and by the way? The makeup sex? Phenomenal." A sweet smile, and she was gone.

Shayla stayed on the floor of the bathroom for a while after her friend left. Then she pulled herself to her feet, dumped the bottle of hair dye in the trash, changed back into her jeans, got back in bed, and went back to her homework.

~ * ~ * ~

The hubbub of Metropolis was, in essence, what Dominic would miss the most. He'd lived here all of his adult life, and it was as much his home as the little cottage in Ireland was his home. But he did what he was good at... said goodbye, and looked forward to brighter, better things. Only this time, he wouldn’t be embarking on life's journey alone. And the single thought cheered him immensely.

They'd stopped on the way home, and Dominic had packed up the few things that were dear to him in his apartment. His paintings, the rest of his clothes. A few precious books, and champagne glasses from his brother’s wedding day. His pillow… that was...his pillow. He loved it, and there was no way anyone was going to take it from him.

His collection of CD's, 400 strong. The art work from his nieces and nephews, and all of his... personal toys, including the gift for Lionel that Dominic would have to plan to use. It all went into the back of the BMW that Lionel was taking back with him, as well as a few personal items of his own, and they got ready to begin, metaphorically... and physically, their life.

Dominic had changed before leaving...no way he could handle a stuffy suit three hours to Smallville. Worn out jeans and a green t-shirt, plus a thick brown suede jacket and boots.

And he was dozing.

Lionel was not at all comfortable behind the wheel of this car. He had moved the seats and mirrors to accommodate his long legs, his height, and his line of sight. He had found comfortable grips on the steering wheel, and the temperature inside the car was just warm enough to be comfortable.

And even though Lionel would not have shown it for the world, he was utterly terrified.

The last time he'd been behind the wheel in Metropolis, he'd nearly killed himself. But now... now Dominic sat in the car beside him, and one hand gently cupped his beloved husband's cheek as the other steered the car through Metropolis as they headed for the interstate.

The brown jacket was strewn over the back of his seat, and his palms were settled, one on the arm rest between the seats, and the other in his lap. He'd closed his eyes to ward off a looming headache, and was just about rid of it when he felt Lionel’s palm on his cheek.

His eyes flickered open… blearily at first, until he could see his lover. He smiled at him, cupping the hand on his face very gently with his own, and turned a little to press a warm kiss to the center of it.

And found it cold and clammy.

Bells went off in his mind, and he shifted, wiry under the seat belt until he was facing him a little more, and pulled the palm to his heart. "Baby? Lovely one, what’s wrong?"

Lionel's other hand gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were white with the stress, and he shook his head. "Nothing's wrong; I didn't mean to wake you, I'm sorry."

"Don’t be sorry. I wasn’t really asleep... just getting rid of a headache." He gently stroked his lover’s hand… then set his own across the expanse of Lionel’s chest.

And found the heart underneath thumping so hard he could feel it through his palm.

"Lionel... Lionel." Panic and fear now, and he gripped the hand still in his. "Baby, what’s wrong? Tell me what’s wrong. Are you feeling alright? Does your chest feel tight?"

"My chest feels fine," Lionel gritted out carefully, flexing his fingers around the wheel. "I'm still sorry I disturbed you. You were right; we should have let Phillip drive us back, but I wanted my cars in Smallville."

"Lionel, dammit." He shifted himself up higher, and grabbed the steering wheel, tugging it stubbornly so that Lionel had no choice but to pull over on the side of the road. And he was glad--had it been traffic time, they might have hit someone. As it was they pulled over right in front of a Holiday Inn, and Dominic let go of the wheel--and grabbed Lionel’s hand. "What is wrong? Lionel, you're scaring me. Are you feeling strange in any way?"

"Scaring you. That... that is actually quite amusing, Dominic, as I'm having quite a fine time scaring myself." Lionel closed his eyes for a moment, leaning his head back against the headrest of the seat, fingers still flexing around the wheel.

Dominic pushed the car into park and tugged the handbrake up so Lionel could get his feet off the pedals. "You’re in a cold sweat, baby. Please, you're scaring me." His voice cracked, painfully, and his fingers stroked over the pale skin. "Are you feeling alright? Do you feel strange at all, in any way? Do I need to call an ambulance?"

"No. You don't need to call an ambulance. I'm fine." He cracked his eyes open at his lover, and glared. "I'm not dying on you. I'm merely having a panic attack."

Dominic glared, darkly at him... then softened immediately. "A panic attack? What the devil brought on a panic attack, my lovely?"

The glare hardened. "You're joking."

....Light bulb. He blinked... his eyes widened, and he gasped out an "Oh." before reaching forward and grabbing his lover, hard, pulling him into a tight embrace. "Oh, God, I’ve been a thoughtless sod, Lionel, I’m so sorry beloved. Come on, we'll switch places then, lets get you over here, I’m so sorry. I didn’t think, I’m so very sorry."

Lionel's arms tightened around Dominic. "No. We can't change places. I'll not... I'll not allow this to cripple me. I just... wish that you weren't in the car with me. I wouldn't put your life in danger for the world." He didn't let go as he breathed deeply, forcing air into tight lungs.

"Shhh...shhh, breathe now, easy." Dominic gently stroked his hair as mind numbing guilt clawed at the walls of his heart. "Shh....see, there, now. I’m here, darling, I won't let anything happen to you." He kissed his lover’s temple and hair, gently soothing him with a palm running up and down the line of his back. "There, now. Calm down, breathe easy. Darling, you don’t have to fight this now. When you’re driving a shorter distance, and not on the highway. Beloved, I don’t want you frightened."

"But I do. I drive this road every week. This is the road that I nearly died on. And if I do not conquer it today, if I give into the fear today, then I will give into it every day. You have to understand."

"I do, baby." Dominic gently let go, and rubbed his thumb over Lionel’s chin ever so softly, tipping his head. Nightmares had been plaguing him very recently of his lover, of gun shot wounds and falling off high balconies, but he, like Lionel, would do nothing to give in. Fighting the fear is what made you human, and loving someone deeply enough to be so frightened for them was life’s great gift. So Dominic just gently kissed where he'd just rubbed, nodded, and smiled at him with crinkling eyes. "I believe in you."

"Then if you understand, don't ask me to give my keys to you now."

"I won’t, love." He let go gently, and caressed each cheek. "I won’t. Come on, then. I'll be chipper and annoying for you."

"Don't," he said quietly. "Just... be." He squeezed Dominic's hand tightly. "Be here. That's all I need from you, just to know you're here."

"Alright." He squeezed back. "I can do that. I’m good at that. Being here. Looking quite ravishing, in my six year old jeans and ratty t-shirt, wouldn’t you know it."

Lionel released the handbrake on the car, and settled his foot on the brake pedal before looking over at his lover. "I will never understand the allure of denim," he said with a shake of his head. "You look rather like Lex's little friend in those jeans and that jacket." He cranked the car, and merged slowly back onto the highway.

The ice in his stomach refused to melt.

He grinned. Broadly. "If you ever compare me to a farm boy again, Lionel, I'll be forced to make you buy me an actual farm. Are we clear?"

"If you'd like a farm, I will certainly buy you one, in any state or country that you wish. I believe there's some property in lower Texas I own that's not being done anything with at the moment; give the word and I'll begin irrigation of the land in time to have it workable by summer." He kept his eyes straight ahead as he spoke, and his shoulders loosened just a little.

"Texas?" Dominic physically paled, and he scooted as close to his lover as he could without being in his lap. "The actual place, where there are a large amount of cowboys, and horses and such?" Alright, maybe he'd had a little tiny dream once about owning a horse ranch in Texas, but now was not the time to bring it up.

"Yes, Texas. You know, that rather large state that borders Mexico?"

"I’ve heard of it. Vaguely. Our President is from there, isn’t he? Ahh. The smell of freshly charred human flesh surrounds him. I suppose its from his native land."

"When we get home, remind me to make a few phone calls and have that ass done away with," Lionel muttered. "Cheney is at least a little easier to control, what with his heart condition and his shady ties to Enron. We do still have those documents, don't we? That show he's involved?"

"Who, Cheney? Of course." Dominic grinned, though it was a little crooked. "Oh, come now, Lionel. Don’t tell me you don’t like Bush. He's cute! And I love how Powell tells him what to say all the time. He's like a little troll, he is." His hand gently set on Lionel’s thigh, giving him whatever courage he could as they spoke.

"He's a puppet, and a useless one at that." Lionel's grip on the wheel eased slightly, and his breath was coming a little easier.

"He's cute." Dominic nodded firmly. "Not at all like Bill. Christ, but the man wasn’t discreet. Thank God the public never found out about the Japanese sisters, the man'd be in four different jails. They’d be sharing his time, I swear it." He rose his voice an octave and flattened his accent, "We get him October through January, you get him March through May, and Andy gets him February and the summer. Deal?"

"Do make sure we keep that videotape; I'm sure Hillary would love to know what her husband has been up to lately." He nodded his head. "Then again, I am not sure that she cares, at this moment, as she is quite busy being a senator."

"And running for office. The Democrats put her up for election, they did."

"That's not surprising at all. However, you and I both know that there are far too many under-the-table machinations going on to keep that woman out of high public office. I'm quite amazed she made it as far as she did." Lionel's entire body tensed up as they rounded the next curve.

The retaining wall was still cracked and broken from where he'd driven into it. Whatever other words he'd meant to say had been choked off in the clutch of terror that wrapped it's icy fingers around his throat and his chest.

Dominic’s hand very discreetly creeped upwards. "I don’t think George W. will be staying long. Much like his pappy, he'll be won out by some snot nosed idiot." A beat. "Thank God it won't be Gore. I do hate the man. Did you see--" He saw the tense fear, and guilt and pain washed through him so hard it made his breath catch and his fingers tighten on Lionel’s thigh. "Its alright, baby. Baby, listen to my voice. Its alright. You hear me? Everything is okay… its over, and you didn’t see it. Its over, my love. You’re fine, you're here, you're married to me. Don’t look... don’t be frightened, my love."

Lionel didn't hear. Couldn't hear. All that he heard was the sound of blood pounding in his ears, the same rush of panicked, terrified rush that had hit him before the car had been wretched out of his grip by the icy patch that had torn the wheels out of his control.

He barely felt the hand on his thigh, and his foot slammed down on the accelerator. Get out, get out, before you kill yourself and take him with you, get out of the goddamned car, Lionel! Eerie voice screeching in his head and they were past it in moments, but he didn't see. Didn't see anything but the next turnoff, into an empty parking lot, and he took it. Laid rubber as his brakes squealed, and he nearly wrenched the handle off the door getting out of the car.

Dominic tore off his own seatbelt, rushing traffic passing them on the left, and nearly skidded on the gravel getting around the car. He reached out and grabbed his lover, hugging him as close to him as he could, fingers digging into Lionel’s back as he dragged him close and squeezed as tightly as he could. "Breathe. Breathe." He let go a moment later, though a hand anchored tightly on his elbow. "Breathe. Lionel, you're pale, come on now my darling, breathe. Sit down a moment...sit, baby. Sit right here, come on, now. I’m here, beloved, I’m here."

Terror was eating him alive in thick gulps. Oh, God. What... what had he done to his lover. "Come on, baby. Sit down, sit down, here."

Lionel burst out of the car, sucking down great gulps of air as deeply as he could, and the in the next second found himself wrapped in Dominic's arms. He held tightly, eyes shut as he breathed in, calming himself and feeling the trip-hammer beat of his heart. "I'm breathing," he said quietly, letting Dominic push him down on the asphalt beside the car. "Lionel Luthor... sitting on his ass in a parking lot... afraid to get in his car. Dear God what you must think of me."

"That you're a beautiful human being who's letting his real emotions show to his husband." Dominic murmured, gently pulling him close as he sat next to him and cuddled him gently. "Keep on breathing… here, rest against me, baby." He pulled him to lay against him, and cuddled him close as they leaned against the ticking of the car still warm from movement. "There...there we are, calm yourself. Oh, beloved," The last word had his voice breaking. "Baby, you're shaking...come here, get closer. Christ, don’t be afraid."

"Toni, the dear woman, warned me about this. But I didn't believe her, as I could ride in cars without a problem. It seems that only driving them sends me into hysterics." He hadn't even realized he was shaking, and he leaned against Dominic, black turtleneck showing the gray dirt from the filthy parking lot, and for once he didn't care. "I'm sorry; I didn't intend for a simple drive back to become a theatrical production."

"Its not. Not at all, and I’m glad you pulled over. Beloved, there’s nothing you can do about fear. Its there, and its a thing to be conquered. You’re not hysterical darling, you're human." Dominic gently cuddled him, stroking fingers through his hair and closing his eyes tightly as he held him. "You went through a horrid ordeal, and I understand, completely, the fear. Baby, I love you so dearly."

"I had to get out of the car," Lionel explained softly. "I knew that if I didn't, I was going to die. Irrational. I know. But I couldn't stay behind the wheel. I had to get out before I killed myself and took you with me. I just... had to." He let himself stay pressed against Dominic. "I love you."

"There’s no other way Id rather go, beloved." He said softly, stroking his hair, his cheeks, his shoulders. "I love you, so much. So very, very much, Lionel." He pressed tender kisses to his hair. "Baby, let me drive home. I want you to go to sleep, just lie back and sleep for a while."

"I do believe sleep is going to be out of the question," Lionel said dryly. His breathing had finally slowed to normal, and so had his heartbeat. "For quite some time."

"Don’t let it, love." His eyes were filled to brimming, but his voice was softly normal, as he rubbed his cheeks into his lovers hair. "Come on, baby. Rest, then. Listen to some Domingo, drink a Dr. Pepper. You'll feel better."

Lionel shook his head. "No. I have to get back behind the wheel." But then he sighed. "Only I can't. The very thought of it makes me feel nauseated."

"I know it. I think though, maybe, I might help you. Would you mind it?"

Lionel rubbed Dominic's hand where it rested on his chest. "Of course you can help me."

"Come on, then, love. Lets get back in... we'll do this slowly, okay? Don’t forget to get the rocks off your butt, they'll ruin your leather." He slowly rose, holding out his hands to help him up.

Lionel took the hands offered to him, dusting himself off and shaking his head at the filthy state of his clothing. "Someone needs to tell Brubaker Furniture to sweep their parking lot once in a while." He stared at the open door of the car, not letting go of his lover's hands.

Dominic choked on a giggle he didn’t feel. "Baby, we're parked outside of I-90 on a deserted parking lot. Darling, beloved, they won't be sweeping." Dominic looked at the interior of the warm car, then up at his love. "Come on. I'll walk you through the steps... don’t be frightened. The car will take you where you want to go, you're just the guy who gives it the gas. So... give it less gas. Go 60 instead of seventy for a while, until you get your legs back under you."

"I still affirm the lot needs to be swept." He took a deep breath, and slid into the drivers seat, leaving the door open for a moment. The voice wasn't screaming in his ears and neither was his blood, and he rolled the automatic window and turned up the heat for Dominic. "All right. I think it's safe to get in." Lionel slammed his door shut, and took deep breaths of the cold air that came in the window.

"There we are. Come on, then. Latch your seat belt tight." Dominic went around the car, popping his own door open and slid inside to the warm leather. He gave a little shake of cold from the damn t-shirt he'd put on and rubbed his arms warm, grinning at his lover as he did his own seatbelt. "Come on, this is how I taught Shay. Windows alright? Locks? Have you got enough gas to get us home?"

Lionel nodded and buckled his seat belt. "Do not compare me to that little... girl," he said finally, after sorting through all the possibilities. But he flicked the heat up higher for his lover. "Yes. The windows are fine, the doors are locked, and the gas tank is nearly full."

"Good. One last thing, then." Dominic leaned over, unzipped his lover, and sucked the at the moment limp cock right down his throat. Easy at this angle, and he buried his face in Lionel’s lap as his hands kept him up, one on the seat, one on the arm rest in the center as he sucked.

Lionel sucked in a deep breath. "You... did this... for your sister? Loving... loving family you have." One hand slipped from the wheel to caress Dominic's head and stroke it gently. "But... sit up... I can't... I can't concentrate with you in my lap."

He was still sucking, lapping, and drove his tongue further to lap at the balls who were being neglected. He smiled against them, lapping softly, before glancing up and cocking… heh, a brow. "can't you, now?"

Lionel shook his head. "I--I can't. I will not be able to drive. Please... just let me get out on the road."

"Then, darling, get out on the road." He sat back, palm gently stroking before letting go, and looked up at him with a little smile. "Pull the parking stick up... push the car into drive. Come on, beloved."

Lionel's body shuddered once as he started to respond to the gentle stroking. As he rolled out of the parking lot, a cold gust of wind blew through the driver's side, and he hissed sharply as it cut into the wet flesh of his erection, wilting it slightly before he rolled the window up. Pulling out onto the highway was simple as there were relatively few cars out this time of day, and with a brief push of the accelerator, they were back out on the interstate.

Dominic watched him, gouging reactions as he drove, and quietly kept his fingers moving as he glanced out onto the road, then up at his lover. "There... see? We made it back onto the highway, we're both still alive, though we might not be after I’m finished with you, and the car is driving itself. You’re just steering. See? We're okay, my husband, its okay to let go of the wheel a bit."

"Do not even joke about that," Lionel said seriously, as he glared at his beloved. "Do not." He bit down on the soft moans that his lover's stroking fingers brought out, and he did as Dominic said, loosening his grip on the wheel. "My husband," Lionel repeated thoughtfully, anything to distract himself from the drive. "I do like how that sounds."

Dominic couldn’t help a smile, keeping up the slow strokes as he gazed out the wind shield. "Darling… as long as when that day comes I’m with you, I don’t care how it is we go. You’re everything I am, and everything I need. As long as we're together, there’s nothing that we can't face, or conquer. I'll follow you anywhere, my baby. Remember that. You're never alone… you'll never be alone again."

"Dominic... do not joke. I do not, will not, could not live--or die--knowing that I had caused you to come to harm." His hands tightened on the wheel again, though this time for a different reason. "I don't intend to go anywhere without you."

"I’m not joking, Lionel." Dominic turned to look at him. "I’m very serious, as it were. Lovely… our lives have been written out already. Who we are, what we are, was decreed even before we came to live on this earth. Our births, lives, and deaths have been written into the grand book… we're just reading the chapters. And if the day comes, where its time for us to leave this place for the next, I would rather be at your side, holding your hand, then being alone."

Lionel let one hand fall from the wheel briefly to squeeze Dominic's tightly. "You won't be alone. I promise you that. You and I will always be together, Dominic. You, I, our family. We will always be together, and you will never be alone again." He put his hand back on the wheel.

"That’s not what I’m talking about, and you know it." Dominic murmured gently, giving the cock in his hand one more gentle squeeze before returning it to the fold of his pants for later.

Lionel nodded his head. "And you know what I am saying too." His hands returned to their tight grip of the wheel, though the panic wasn't clamoring at his throat as it had been before. "You mean so much to me."

Dominic grinned crookedly at him, and lay his head back against the seat of the car. "I should imagine, as you're married to me. You wouldn’t marry a lout, after all. Well, that one time in Paris, but that’s was a mistake and annulled in two weeks."

"I do wish you wouldn't ask me to leave you out of my will," Lionel replied quietly. "I'm not at all happy with it, but I've done as you've asked. The lawyers have stopped the addition, and by tomorrow morning, it will be as it was, with Lex and any other offspring I produce being the sole heirs."

"Good." Dominic smiled at him and toed his boots off... and because he was a wiry sort of guy, tugged his legs up Indian style on the seat and sighed softly as he stretched his knees. And changed, very easily, the subject. "Mmm. You know... I feel like some fried chicken."

Lionel let the subject change slide. "Very well; I believe there's a small restaurant off three exits where we can go in and have lunch."

"I’m having a need to go antiquing, you know. We should head out to Richardsonville some weekend and go looking for old treasures."

Lionel raised an eyebrow. "If I remember correctly, I told you that I would gladly hand you my wallet and my checkbook and remain safely at home working while you antiqued to your hearts content. If I am going to antique, then I would prefer to do it from the relative comfort of my own home."

He was smiling as he thought, and having an eye for designing these sorts of things, tipped his head to gaze at his lover. "Wimp. Carolyn’s office. I have this lamp made of a single sea shell I bought a few years ago. It would look lovely to make her entire office something of a sea shell goddess type of thing. You know… the painting, with the naked woman on the sea shell." A heavy sigh, and why the hell had he gotten his lover Grecian styled offices? Good God. "I didn’t pass history, so you'll have to help me."

"The Rise of Aphrodite," Lionel supplied. "She rose on the seashell from the foam of the Cytherian sea, and is attended by the three Graces."

"Aye." He kept going quickly. "Perhaps it would be nice to do her office in that sort of design. Yours is Zeus, so we'll have to find a design that'll go with it. As it is, I have about a hundred painting replicas of different paintings done of the gods and goddesses from that time stored in my brother's attic… I'll have him pack them up before coming here."

"Perhaps we should send movers up to help your brother pack his things?" Lionel offered. "I am sure that we have spare people still sitting about, despite the various projects we have going." He kept his eyes on the road as he tried to distract himself with Dominic's chatter, and it was almost working.

"Oh, no." A firm shame of his head. "He'll ask if he needs help. To be honest, I didn’t expect him to want to move here... there are a great many memories in that house, beloved."

Lionel nodded. "Graham might be your brother, my cricket, but the man is a stubborn old bastard like me. I'm not at all surprised that he wants to move here."

Oh, Dominic had to laugh. He threw his head back, laughing softly at his lover, eyes crinkled in amusement, and despite his thirty five years, the laugh lines had begun to show around his eyes. Signs of a joyous life, and he lived his to the fullest...or did now. Just recently. "I’d disagree, but you are a stubborn bastard, and for it I adore you beyond reasoning." He leaned over to kiss his cheek.

Lionel snorted. "It is a stupid man, Dominic, that does not know his own flaws. I know mine." He turned into the kiss and instead of his cheek, caught his lover's kiss on his lips. "I do adore you so."

Dominic grinned into the lips, kissing him softly, nipping the full lower lip, and settling back into his seat with a heavy sigh. "I love you too, lovely one. So much." He grinned crookedly. "I know my faults, too. Some of them, anyhow."

Lionel sighed heavily. "One of them being this disturbing addiction to fast food. When you said fried chicken... I was hoping to convince you otherwise, but if we must... there is a little place around the next exit if you must have it as fast food."

He grinned, again. Very, very broadly. "I haven’t told you the half of it. I lived off Rocky Road for about four years, in my twenties. McDonalds, Wendy’s, Alberto's. That little sandwich place nearby my apartment. Slimy pizza from Gongito's. See? Healthy diet." To his credit, his face was straight. "I think the only time I cooked was to nuke something, or to fry eggs."

Lionel cringed. "Dear God, it is a testament to your metabolism that you are not a walking greasepit."

"I think its my genes. My sister used to make us pies and cakes and things, all the time. She’s quite the bakers hand, my Lindy, and I don’t remember eating much of anything else when I was a lad."

"You are quite lucky to have such genes," Lionel pointed out. "You shouldn't abuse them."

"And what are they there, but to abuse them? Eh? Might as well enjoy it now. I'll be fat and bald in a few years."

"If you are going to be fat and bald in a few years, then I am the King of Sumatra." Lionel glared as he took the next exit ramp. "I am going for French fries; would you like your fried chicken now? I'll let you out at the front door, and you can run in and get it while I go through the drive through at McDonald's, and then I shall pick you back up if you like."

"McDonalds?" Sudden interest. "Ah... no. Lets get some McDonalds. I think… I feel... like chicken nuggets. Oh, and mustard. Mmmmm."

"You may have all the chicken.... nuggets you like. I will remain quite happy with French fries."

"Chicken nuggets are the most intriguing, lovely things on the face of the planet. Now, darling, as I’ve only led you astray once in expanding your culinary horizons, I say you should try one and see how you like it."

"Are they purely white meat chicken with no other parts interspersed? Or are there all kinds of other parts of the chicken processed into these oddly-shaped nuggets?"

"No, darling, I bite into it and come back with a gooey mess of chicken veins and eyeballs." Dominic stared at him.

"That is an utterly disgusting exaggeration, and I shall not consume anything of the sort."

Dominic grinned, again, flashing all his teeth as his goatee crinkled. "Alright, then." He paused and rubbed his palm over his face. "What do you think about my shaving this thing off again? Did you like it with, or without?"

"If you shave it, I shall be forced to divorce you on the spot," Lionel growled. "I like it with. Definitely... with."

Dominic burst out laughing again. "Whyever for? Don’t you like me sheared?" His lashes fluttered.

"I like you sheared less than I liked myself sheared; thank God it's beginning to grow back properly." He ran his fingertips over the sandpapery feel as he pulled into the McDonald's parking lot. "I will wait for you here."

"Darling, they sell chicken nuggets here." Dominic blinked at his lover, and his face split into a grin again. "Come on, lets go inside." He reached over and snagged his boots, pulling them on and tying them once more, before shrugging into his coat with the wool lining and climbed from the car out into the very, very nippy air.

Lionel looked at his lover from the safety of the heated car. "You must be joking. You seriously expect me, Lionel Luthor, to set foot in this establishment?"

Dominic leaned over, knee on the seat, and planted a hot, passionate, consuming kiss on his lips. His tongue dove, pulling everything back and into his own mouth, and he sucked and nipped at Lionel’s tongue appreciatively for a moment before giving the tip a hard little bite and suck as he let go. "Please?"

"Dominic..." Lionel's voice could be classified as a whine, if you had a death wish.

Dominic bit his own lower lip, tipping his head forward a little and sicking the big puppy eyes on him. Big and green and hopeful. "Please?"

Lionel's sigh was loud enough to have been heard three counties away. "How I let you talk me into things like this is beyond me."

"Because you looove me?"

Lionel shrugged into his duster as he got out of the car. "There is only so much I will do for love, Dominic. This... this is above that." He dug into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet, and rifled quickly through the bills. "I suppose they will be able to make change for a fifty without too much difficulty?"

"Probably not." Though he was sulking. Deeply. "You mean you won't do everything in the world for me?" He sniffled a little, and managed to look crushed.

Lionel leaned over and kissed his lover's nose. "No. I'll do nearly everything, but this man does have his limits."

Sniffle. Sniffle. Sniffle.

"Dominic, I have begun to carry small bills in my wallet, at your request, might I remind you, after that horrid Rocky Road incident, and I am walking into a McDonald's restaurant with you to purchase something that I sincerely doubt is chicken nuggets and French fries."

Another sniffle, and he stuffed his hands in his pockets, gazing at his lover under his lashes.

"What? What would you like me to do now?"

Sniffle. "Kiss me in public." Snufflesniffle.

"Would you prefer the parking lot or inside the restaurant?" Lionel cupped Dominic's cheek in his hand. "That's something I've always been willing to do."

When Dominic glanced up, however, his eyes were dancing with wicked glee, and his lips were curved in complete innocence. "We've only been married for twenty four hours. You need to learn to become immune to my pout. Don’t you know its how I use you to my own devious, wicked ends?"

Lionel growled, and kissed his beloved anyway. "I will not be immune to that pout until the day that I am put in my coffin and buried in the ground, Jiminy."

Dominic laughed, though it was soft, and kissed him right back, cupping Lionel’s face with one hand while the other rested on his chest. "Mmmm. Cold outside kisses." A little lick at his lower lip, and a happy, throaty sigh. "See? Was that so hard?"

"No, it wasn't. But if you breathe a word of this to anyone, I will have to kill you."

He raised a hand. "Scouts honor. Your gooey, smores middle stays with me to the end."

Lionel's reply of "Good" was lost in a deep, menacing growl as he held the smudged, greasy door open with the least amount of touching possible. "Apparently public sanitation is a lost cause."

The two check out girls at the counter were staring at them. Or had been, as the very sexy, very classy men had kissed in the parking lot. Lucy May was a senior in high school, and sure, she'd heard these types of things happening, but seeing it. Wow. Queers were hot. She nudged her slightly pudgy counterpart, Annie Sue, and blinked once.

Dominic slipped his fingers through Lionel, grinning crookedly at him as they stopped in front the menu. Dominic had been in McDonalds such as these his entire adult life, but it amused him, endlessly that Lionel was getting the first taste. The place was, thankfully, mostly empty, and he bit his lip as he gazed at the menu. "Hmmm."

Lionel glared balefully around at the entire restaurant as though the power of his gaze alone could cause the place to magically transform. Sadly, it didn't work, and Lionel transferred his stare to the backlit boards above the heads of the two slightly... dumpy women.

And barely held in the gag. There was nothing--outside of French fries, Dr. Pepper, and a possible apple turnover--that he would even consider letting past his palate.

"They come super sized, baby." Dominic nodded, winked, and stepped forward, deliberately sliding his accent to a thicker brogue. "'ullo, ladies."

Lucy May sighed softly. Oh. Dreamy. She smiled at him, then at the extremely handsome older gentleman, and could have stared all day. "Hi." A beat. "Oh. Welcome to… uh... McDonalds! Yes, that’s it. Hi. What would you all like'ta order?"

"Well...let us see."

Lionel's smile was just on this side of civil. "Hello, ladies. I would like... an order of French fries... what is it, Dominic? Super sized, you said? And a large soft drink--Dr. Pepper if you have it."

"Sure." Lucy’s hands were shaking as she dialed it on in, for the boys in the back. "An...anything else?"

"Aye-"

"::squeak::"

Dominic choked the grin back. "A number 'leven, please. Also Dr Pepper, and super size it, darling."

"S...sure. It'll be ready in just a sec."

Lionel glared at Dominic. "What can you tell me about these apple turnovers that you have? How, exactly, are they prepared?"

"Darling, they come in a box. They’re from some god forsaken place, Dover or something. They don’t make them here... at least I don’t think, as I've never had one in my life." Dominic squeezed Lionel’s fingers gently, and pulled his lovers hand into his coat pocket.

And rubbed their fingers together, so the rings moved gently against one another.

"Ah. I do believe I'll skip those things then, as they sound as appetizing as a brick." He looked back at the young lady behind the register and raised an eyebrow, waiting for their total. His fingers squeezed Dominic's hand gently, and then leaned against his lover, rubbing their shoulders together and kissing his mouth softly while waiting.

Oh. They did it again. Lucy's mouth dropped, fingers poised above the key pad. Annie elbowed her swiftly and Lucy quickly rang the total up, swallowing against the lump in her throat. "S... s... sex fifty. Six. Six, six fifty three."

Dominic kissed back just as softly, his fingertips of his free hand skimming softly over Lionel’s jaw, before... well, the check-out girl had to go and mention sex.

Then he was trying really hard not to embarrass the poor child. "Ah, thank you love. You’ve got it, Lionel?" To Lucy. "If you've not got change for a fifty, I’ve got a ten floating. But he's a proud thing, you know."

Lionel pulled out his wallet, and pulled out a twenty. "Just for you." Lionel showed the bill to his lover, and then handed it to the girl behind the register. "There, you see? I'm not totally socially inept."

The girl blinked. Twice. Took it... got the change. Handed it back. Swallowed.

"You aren’t socially inept, darling, just... well, lets try not to repeat the fiasco at the grocery store again. I’m sure that poor darling still has nightmares over you." But he was grinning. "By the by, I got an email from Chancellor Pierre earlier this morning. He wanted to know if the visit during the presidents inaugural party is still on, beloved."

Lionel pocketed the change, and rolled his eyes. "Only if it's unavoidable," Lionel growled. Though hopefully now he will stop throwing that dumb cow of a daughter at me." His arm slid snugly around Dominic's waist. "Speaking of Chancellors, do call the chair at Metropolis university, and find out what the status of their biochemical doctorate program is."

"Alright. I'll do it soon as we get back to Smallville, baby." He grinned, crookedly. "His daughter was actually wed about a month ago.. .and you should see the lump she’s trying to hide. Quite the scandal, love." He yawned a little, and lay his head on Lionel’s shoulder as the girls rushed in front of them. "Why do you want to know?"

Lionel was quiet for a long moment. "Because I'd like to push Lex into enrollment. His young man is going to be at the university in a year anyway, and there's no reason now why he can't complete the degrees he attempted before I pulled him away."

Dominic glanced up... and finally, finally, grinned. Softly, and it reached his eyes, as he gazed upwards. He was about to speak, however, when he was rudely interrupted.

"Oh… my, God. I so knew I knew you from somewhere. You’re the guy! The dad! Of Lex Luthor! Lionel Luthor!!!!" So maybe Lucy had posters everywhere. "Can… can I have... like, your autograph, sir?" It was blushed, as she pushed their food towards them.

Lionel savagely pinched his lover's ass for this. "Of course, my dear," Lionel said smoothly, trying hard to keep the condescension out of his voice. He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a pen, and smiled again. "Where would you like me to sign?"

"Anywhere. Oh. Not on my boob, cause my mom would flip." She... she rooted around a minute, and pulled out a closed bag for McDonalds food. "Right here, please sir. Thank you, sosososososo much! The girls are so gonna flip tomorrow."

"My dear girl, I do not sign body parts. For anyone. Your mother would be quite right to be angry." He took the bag from her. "And what is your name?"

To his credit, Dominic didn’t scream. Oh, but Lionel would have some kissing up to do for it... literally.

"Lucy. Lucy May Prescott. Oh, thank you, sir. I’ve been in love with your son since ever and ever. He's way cooler then Prince William."

"Sometimes." Dominic chimed in, though he grinned.

"And I just think its so cool that you have a boyfriend, and like, he's way hot and accenty and stuff, and oh, I’m so grateful thank you!"

Lionel almost reminded the young girl that Lex had a boyfriend too, but bit his tongue. "Thank you, Ms. Prescott." Lionel shook his head briefly, gathering his thoughts, and then scrawled across the bag he'd been given. To Ms. Lucy M. Prescott. Best wishes for a successful life. Underneath that, he scrawled his signature, thought a moment, and scrawled an address as well and passed it back to her. "If you'd like to get in touch with Lex... write him at that address. He's quite a busy man so I can't guarantee an answer, but I do know that he will get the letters there."

She nearly squealed. Nearly. But she clamped a hand over her mouth, nodded and tears filled her eyes. "I am like, so thankful I work here, and thank you, Mr. Luthor, you are so very much the coolest and thank you, thank you! I have totally loved him since, like, ever, and maybe he can send me something autographed!" This had just made her day. Her week. Her month. HER YEAR. She beamed at Lionel, hard, and pressed the bag to her chest. "Thank you, like, soo much."

Alright. Aweeee! Big grin from Dommie and he winked at the girl, gathering the food up.

"You're welcome, Ms. Prescott." Lionel left his hand around Dominic's waist as he looked around. "Booth, there in the corner."

Lionel was going to eat here? Dominic had expected to get it and leave, but his eyebrows shot up, he gave the teary girl another gentle smile, and carried their things over to the tiny booth.

Slid in… his pinched butt gave a squeal, and it sent it to his cock, and his nipples, and his brain all but tingled. He sighed, murmured something to no one, and gazed at his lover.

Lionel slid in across from him. "Yank those eyebrows back down, Dominic. It would be in very bad taste for us to leave after that show," he said lightly. "Which, by the way, I completely blame you for."

"You made a seventeen year old cry." He said calmly, and restrained the laughter. "You just made a seventeen year old girl from Smalltown America squeal and cry and ask you to sign her boob."

"Which I refused to do; I am not some out-of-my-head celebrity, and I refuse to sign body parts." He glared. "And if you hadn't insisted on coming in here, we would not have had this entire crying and breast-signing episode."

"But, look." Dominic was so warmed inside, because yes, Lionel didn’t have to give anything to the girl and he did. "Look at her. You’ve made her very day, Lionel. Doesn’t that make you feel good inside knowing you made some teenaged girl happy, even for a moment?"

"If a signature on a brown paper bag is all that it took to make her day, then she is in need of serious assistance."

"Oh, come on. Didn’t you have a favorite celebrity, growing up?"

Lionel took a long drink of his soft drink before answering the question. "I did have a particular actor that I liked a great deal, as did my mother. Though after his history was revealed, my father forbid either of us to bring his films into the house."

"Really?" Dominic tipped his head. "You mean you didn’t have bands and actors and such papered all over your wall?"

"Phillip Luthor wouldn't have stood for it." Lionel put his cup down entirely for the moment. "Anything that I listened to or watched was strictly controlled by my father or my tutors. Several of them, thankfully, believed in the diversity of music as part of a cultural education or else I'd have had no exposure to groups that I ended up having a secret liking for."

"Really? Aerosmith, The Police? Jon Bon Jovi... Oh, Christ, the Rolling Stones." He snickered. "They’re older than dirt now."

"No. Something a bit heavier, and something that I have all but grown out of, thankfully. Black Sabbath. Quite an obnoxious band, they were, but oh, how I dearly loved listening to them when I could."

He tipped his head, set a palm under his chin. "Didn’t you tell me once you liked your tutors? I know your first was one--" He choked. "Black Sabbath? You?" And it seemed so strange, as he gazed at his lover, to think of him at all involved in any type of pop music, let alone rock. Hard rock. He grinned crookedly, rose a brow at him, and reached forward to stroke his knuckles. "Just when I thought I knew you."

"I did like them. I just liked some more than others." Lionel mirrored his lover's stance so that they were nose to nose. "Yes. Me. Black Sabbath." He crinkled his brow gently. "I haven't always had a stick lodged up my ass, you know."

He grinned. Broadly. "No, its just... Black Sabbath? Don’t take this the wrong way, but they were my brother's favorite band. Older, not younger. He liked them a lot, for a very long time… when they came to play in Dublin, he took Riley and I to go see. Mama walloped our asses good for it, too, but oh, we had fun. ‘Twas a good band, it was." A low chuckle, and he was close enough to peck quick, soft kisses. "You haven’t always had me up your ass, either."

Lionel's brow elevated. "You see? I told you that Graham and I were quite a bit more alike than either of us cared a bit to admit." He leaned a little more forward across the table to kiss him deeply. "And no, I haven't," he said between nibbles to Dominic's lower lip. "But I intend to have it soon."

"Got a taste, Lionel." Dominic kissed again, softer, murmuring quietly. "Going to have to ravish you, darling. But not in public, because not even I would have sex on one of these tables." Another big smile and he let go to get their food out. He handed over the massive box of fries to his lover, and huge Dr. Pepper they were going to share, and Dominic took out his steamy, yummy, deliciously scented chicken nuggets.

"Those things... smell disgusting," Lionel said cheerfully, taking two of the fries out of the box and crunching them before wiping his fingers delicately on one of the paper napkins.

Dominic cocked a brow, and popped one in his mouth, glaring and daring him to make a disgusted face.

Lionel merely shook his head and chose another small handful of fries, watching as Dominic consumed God only knew what parts of the chicken that had been processed into those nuggets.

And their they sat, eating silently, though not uncomfortably. It was the easy, quiet silence of lovers who were completely at ease with one another, and when Dominic was finally finished he sat back, sighed softly, and took a sip of the soda from Lionel’s cup, and looked outside. A family had come in, a bit ago, with five squabbling children, but now they were playing in the big plastic thing he was going to have a ball getting their child in someday, and watched the children, fighting moments ago, laughing and playing.

Lionel slid his foot up the outside of Dominic's leg as they sat there. His back was to the playground, thankfully, but he could hear the piercing shrieks and wails of the bratty children fighting one another. "Make you remember your own family?" he asked his lover quietly.

He grinned, crookedly, not taking his eyes off the beautiful kids as they screamed and ran. "Mmm. Mama only took us to restaurants such as these when she was truly exhausted. Which you can imagine wasn’t often, as she’s got the stamina of six wild elephants. But every once in a while, we would... it was always so much fun. Broke me arm twice in the jungle gym, though."

Lionel shook his head. "Thankfully, I was never subjected to things such as this. I was rarely sent out to play with other children, and as a result, I made it through nearly my entire life without broken bones."

"Ah, but its fun." Dominic snickered at his lover. "I’ve broken me ankle twice, my leg, my shoulder, my clavicle--that was Riley, fat bastard sat on me wrong, and my arm. Oh, and tis not counting fingers and such." A shift. "I think I had weak bones as a lad. It seems to have gone away, though, as I’ve gotten older."

"Or you've broken away from a family intent on breaking every bone you possess," Lionel pointed out.

He snickered again, but he shook his head. "Maybe. They were the most fun wounds I’ve ever had, though, that I'll tell you. Oh! And one summer, we put Riley in a body cast." He burst out laughing. "He was such a twit growing up, and Graham and I ended up hanging him upside down from a tree for an hour. He chewed his way through the rope, and the bloody idiot didn’t realize he'd fall when he did. And fall....fall he did. Mama wailed my ass out but good. Couldn’t sit for a week."

"It's a wonder any of you survived your childhood. And it's no wonder Shayla's gone and dyed her hair pink; there are no younger siblings for her to terrorize."

"You'd think. She’s a tough little bitch, she is." Dominic tipped his head and set it back on his palm. "We didn’t have money...we had to make our own fun. At the time, we weren’t aware we didn’t have money. We always had food on the table, there was always new shoes to be passed down the line. Graham and I wore my Da's old clothes for years, way into the upper grades. So… we didn’t have it very hard, you know? It was my mama that suffered, and she's an amazing lady she is."

Lionel murmured softly. "I was constantly made aware that I did have money and there were certain behaviors that did and did not go along with that responsibility." He rubbed his finger quietly over his lips as he remembered. "But as I've said before, my father did quite well by my mother and I, and I've really no complaint."

"Your father, from what I’ve read of him, was a wonderful man." Dominic smiled at him and gently played with Lionel’s free fingers. "I remember my mama working at a factory...she packaged spoons. The fancy ones, you know, with the chiseled embroid'ry and such. Then she'd come home, around four and a quarter, change her clothes, and waitress down at Gallaghers. And on the weekends, she'd do seamstress things, with Lindy and Megan. Tis where our Meggie got her passion for clothes, I think." A shake of his head. "Is it strange to miss those types of times?"

"No, Jiminy. It's not strange to miss those times at all. Not when things were so much simpler, so much less complex, and there was so much less you were responsible for."

"I don’t know." He gazed up at him. "Life feels like that again. It feels simple… it feels... like everything finally clicked, and what’s here is what’s here. The family we have...even if they aren’t family. Clark, and the..." A growl. "And Martha, and Toni. Ms. Bird, and Bruce. They are our family, you know?"

"Yes, I know what you mean." His hand stroked Dominic's gently. "They've become our family because we've let them into our lives."

"Tell me about where you went to college."

Lionel snickered softly. "Which would you like to hear about, Princeton or Yale?"

"Oh, dear." Dominic gave a silly eyebrow wriggle. "Start with whatever one you left first."

"I didn't exactly leave either of them," Lionel pointed out. "I graduated from Princeton with my Bachelor of Science in chemistry. I started the undergraduate programs at Yale, and I ended up with two doctorates from Yale; biochemical engineering and macroeconomics." He suddenly smirked. "Be glad I don't ask you to call me Dr. Luthor."

"Ooo." He gave an involuntary little shiver... and blushed, from the roots of his hair right down his neck. "I... em." A light cough.

"Yes, little cricket?" Lionel fixed Dominic with an intensely questioning stare.

"Nothing. I.." A moment. "Later. Public, now." And he continued speaking anyway. "You liked science since you were a boy?"

"Strangely enough, I did. I found the complexities of molecular structure and chemical equations quite the interesting challenge, and there was never a finite end to it; there was always another compound to create or uncreate, another molecule chain to unravel, new atomic structures to be studied."

"See? Right then? All that that you said? Completely flew by me." He whooshed a palm over the top of his head. "Whoooosh. Gone." A sad sigh. "Math, science, and Dominic Senatori never quite took hold. Tis why I went into business, actually. Bachelor of the Arts, in advertising."

"Absolute crap, Dominic. If you'd been even a quarter as inept as you believe yourself to be, I'd never have pulled you out of the mailroom, much less promoted you and given you the assistant position, nor would I be making you my second in command now."

Bright. Grin. "I liked the mail room. I used to flirt with Carolyn in the mail room. It was dank, dusty. Quite booky, actually." But he tipped his head. "I’m not inept, but I’m not what you think me to be. I’ve just got a good memory."

Lionel's face darkened as he scowled. "If you say one more word about your incapability... I shall... fire you this moment."

A moment. A raised brow.

"All right. So I'm terminally unable to follow through on my threat of firing you."

"Its why I find you so darling." A wink, as he settled back and took another sip of the Dr. Pepper. "You try, and try, but you just can’t get rid of my very pretty ass."

"I will kick your very pretty ass if you do not cease underestimating yourself."

"You couldn’t." But Dominic smiled and rose, tugging his jacket back on and fixing the color so the wool was around his neck, and began to pick up wrappers and such. He stuffed all the garbage into a bag and offered his hand to his lover, motioning with his neck. "Lets go home."

Lionel's hand pulled the car keys out of his pocket, and held them out to his lover. "You drive, Dominic."

"I'll drive." He took the keys gently. "Lionel?"

"When we get home, promise me you'll fuck me through the mattress using your doctor speak. Kay?"

Lionel laughed softly. "I promise you that, Dominic."

"No... I’m serious." He tossed his garbage into the basket. "I want you inside of me, and whispering about polynomials and chemical compounds. Kay?"

"I know you're serious." Lionel leaned over behind Dominic as he tossed the garbage away, rubbing ever so slightly against him before letting his lover straighten.

"...Mean. Y." Sharp glare, before he tugged Lionel’s hand back into his pocket and pulled him back towards the door.

"Me? Mean? I have no idea what you're talking about." But Lionel let himself be tugged out of the filthy restaurant, and back into the cold.

-fin-

go on to the next part