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They were the two forces battling for Lex's soul. One sweet, kind, shy but not at all innocent. The other, tawny instead of dark but just as sinister, in every other respect as fierce as the lion that was his namesake.
Lionel Luthor and Clark Kent faced each other with heated glares. Neither one wanted physical conflict, but they were drawn together, over and over again. House, office, school, dark alleys, and finally alone in the caves beneath Smallville's outskirts.
Opening gambit. "Hello, Clark."
Riposte. "What are you doing here?"
Thrust. "These beautiful, mysterious caves are now under my jurisdiction, Clark. Didn't Lex tell you?" Clark flinched; Lionel mentally chalked up a hit. "Perhaps he's been too busy with his upcoming wedding to... fit you in." Another flinch, and Lionel added another hit to the tally. "What are you doing here?"
Parry. "I found these caves, I'm always curious about what's being done to them."
Lunge. "Well, dear boy, Lex is no longer in control here. I am. And you, Clark, are trespassing. I neither know nor care what your relationship with my son was--" Flinch, and Lionel marked up his third hit as he proceeded smoothly "--but these little unauthorized visits will cease."
The last flinch, combined with his potential expulsion from the caves caused Clark to deflate. "You can't keep me out," but it sounded more like a whine than the protest it was.
Lionel felt his grip on Lex's future tighten as he walked over to Clark. "Why do you insist on fighting me, Clark? We both know... you don't *really* want to." As he spoke, Lionel's fingers stroked over Clark's chest and ignored the boy's downcast face. "I know why, even if you don't," Lionel continued. "There's no one else who can beat you. Not even Lex." He started opening Clark's shirt, button by button. "Nobody else who can take the responsibility of a single person off your shoulders but me."
"No," Clark whispered hoarsely, but he didn't stop Lionel's fingers.
Lionel said the same thing every time, and he said it now. "Lex isn't your responsibility, Clark. He's mine, and there's nothing you can do." He pushed Clark's shirt off entirely as he spoke.
Clark kicked off his shoes as Lionel undressed him, dropping to his knees. Bare-chested and barefoot, Clark wrapped his arms around Lionel's waist and sobbed. No tears, just great, wrenching sobs that shook his shoulders.
Lionel was used to it; his hand gently carded through the silky strands resting against his stomach. "The responsibility isn't yours, Clark."
The day that Clark no longer needed Lionel's absolution would be the day that Lex's fate was decided. Lionel sincerely hoped that Clark was up to the challenge.
The End