In the beginning of their relationship, Clark always thought that Lex would be the one to leave him.  Clark saw Lex as he was.  Someone far more experienced in the ways of the world.  Far more experienced in the ways of love.  Someone who knew himself and thereby knew what he was looking for in a partner.  Looking for in a relationship. 

Lex. 

Strong.  Sexy.  Intelligent.  Bound to become bored with a simple farm boy from a small town.  Even if Lex told him a hundred times in addition to the numerous times he'd vowed his devotion, he knew that someone would eventually come along that could and would offer him more. 

In the same vein, Lex always thought that Clark would be the one to leave him.  Lex saw Clark as he was.  Someone far more experienced in matters of the heart. 

Yes, Clark was younger.  Yes, Clark was far less experienced sexually.  

But Clark had something that Lex never did.  

Clark grew up in a loving, supportive family surrounded by friends who loved and cared for him in ways that he as a Luthor had never come to experience.  Because of this, Lex could not conceive that Clark wouldn't someday find someone better.   Clark would eventually find someone that could be his equal when it came to honesty and love in relationships. 

Even if Clark told him a hundred more times in addition to the numerous times he'd vowed his devotion, he knew that someone would eventually come along that could and would offer him more.

 Clark. 

Strong of character.  Innocent.  Modest and humble almost to a fault. 

Both men entered the relationship with preconceived beliefs and suspected truths concerning the other.  

They entered the relationship believing that one day temptation would insinuate herself in school, work, home or in any combination of places and destroy what they'd unconsciously wanted to come to fruition since their lips had merged and Clark went from being merely different to virtually indestructible and Lex went from throwing away his life to seeing a point in actually trying to make something of it. 

It would be many years later when they finally accepted that what they started out distressing over would be something that would never truly enter the equation. 

And it would be several decades after that that the words of an old quote would come to mind. 

Lionel and Lillian Luthor and Jonathan and Martha Kent had been buried long ago.  Clark and Lex's only child was now grown with almost adult children of his own.  

Time had been kind to both men.  However, neither of them had been promised immortality. 

To Lex, seeing Clark's face now never made him long for the pouty, full lips, the raven colored hair or the warm flush that always seemed to float under the surface of his skin.  

And the same was true for Clark. 

To him, seeing Lex's face now never made him long for the endless miles of creamy, taunt skin or the various gleams of brightness that Lex had never been able to keep his eyes from expressing even though his facial expressions, mostly in public, tended to vary from stern to neutral.  That gleam of mischievousness.  That gleam of 'I've just gotten away with something sinfully naughty'葉hose bright gleams of pain and sadness that Clark would catch when Lex was unaware of being watched. 

Neither man longed for the beauty of youth. 

Neither man missed these insignificant things about the other, because they'd all been long replaced by things of more importance.  

By things that neither man would have ever imagined possessing. 

At least not when the relationship began. 

They now possessed the knowledge that had evaded them in their youth. 

Oh, how youth clouds our knowledge and hinders us from seeing true wisdom. 

Love was not about finding someone who could be your equal.  It was about finding someone who could be what you could not.  Someone who could be the things you could not for whatever reason.  Strength in your moments of weakness.  Intelligence in your moments of sheer stupidity.  An aide and comfort in your moments of pain and suffering.  A guide in finding love within yourself to share with others when you feel you are about to be consumed and destroyed by hatred. 

Temptation never entered the equation.  

To Clark, there was never anything or anyone to be found that could be more appealing to him than Lex.  To Lex, there was never anything or anyone to be found that could be more appealing to him than Clark. 

Temptation was something that they never had to avoid when it came to their love for each other. 

"Tempt not the stars, young man, thou canst not play with the severity of Fate." 

After all of the trials and tribulations they faced, after the countless attempts on both of their lives by various individuals, groups and forces, and after finally realizing their individual self-worth and seeing and knowing without a shadow of doubt how much they actually meant to each other, temptation was completely out of the picture. 

It wasn't something that they had to work to avoid, because in the end, it avoided them.

End