Something Different

She walked through the mansion with trepidation, even though Lex was close at her side. The last time she'd been here Lionel was lurking about, and something about him just made her incredibly uneasy. Lex had assured her, however, that he was in Metropolis for the week.

Three months. She still couldn't believe they had actually been dating that long. It was a miracle that with her insane schedule at the hospital and his incredible responsibilities at the plant they had found any meaningful time to spend together. Now it was their one-quarter year anniversary. If there was such a thing.

He'd told her what he had wanted them to try later in the evening. He'd prepared her for it days ago and now was the time. She was still exceptionally nervous, though, having never done it, well that way, in all her years of dating. Though she was older than Lex by six years, she still felt younger than him in many ways. He was an incredibly worldly man who almost deserved an overachievement medal for trying to keep from intimidating her with his experience. And she trusted him. He would take his time and if there was any pain, she knew he would guide her through it.

When they went into his bedroom, she was pleased at what she saw. Lots of candles, already lit and strategically placed, had prevented the necessity of other light sources. He hadn't minded their rather traditional lovemaking in her own bed, but since this particular night was going to involve new...tactics, she knew he would prefer to be in his own environment. The castle really wasn't so bad when narrowed down to this one room. This one place that seemed to belong only to him.

He closed the door softly and came up behind her, taking her hair in his hands and placing it over one shoulder to ghost a kiss on the nape of her neck. She really liked that. His patience and attentiveness as a lover were slowly becoming familiar to her. Her past boyfriends had sometimes approached her with all the finesse of football players at a tackling dummy. It had always been rushed and frenzied with them and she invariably ended up feeling used and hostile. With Lex she felt appreciated for qualities she'd never even considered she might possess. Sexy? Come on, Helen Bryce? But Lex never hesitated in telling her she was and the way he looked at her, she had no problem believing it.

Like the way he came around in front of her now, memorizing her face as if he were going to write an epic poem about it later.

"You've got the most beautiful lips. Did you know that?" His voice was a low, resonant whisper barely audible over her thundering heartbeat. She smiled at the compliment, not sure how else to respond.

"And your teeth." He passed the tip of his forefinger over them. "White and sharp. I bet they could do some real damage if you lost enough control." She took his finger in her mouth and rolled her tongue over it.

He leaned towards her and put his mouth to her ear. "I've got something for you." As he started to walk off, his finger popped out of her mouth and she followed his movements with a surprised expression, slightly disappointed.

He went to the other side of the bed and slid something out from under it. A large box with a red bow on it. He placed it almost reverently on the bed and gestured at it.

"For you."

She tilted her head and then came up next to him. "I didn't get you anything."

"It's okay," he reassured. "Just open it."

She felt like a kid at Christmas as she tore off the bow and removed the lid with both hands. She saw the white tissue covering the present and threw the lid on the floor to peel the thin sheets back. When she saw what the gift was, she was pleased but confused.

"Take them out."

She pulled the jeans out and placed them in front of her legs. They went down just below her ankles. She looked up at him and lifted her brows. "I'm sure they'll fit perfectly. Thank you, Lex." So it wasn't jewelry. It wasn't even perfume. She scolded herself for expecting too much too soon.

He moved the box aside and stretched out on the bed. "Put them on."

"Now?" she asked incredulously. She thought the point was for them to get undressed and stay that way. When he nodded his head in agreement she slowly undid her skirt and slipped her heels off. She eased on the soft denim.

"Better?"

"Hmm. There's another box under the bed."

She was starting to get a little nervous. What was this leading to? Lex had certainly never claimed to be predictable and she had to admit that was part of his appeal. She decided to just go with whatever he had planned. She bent down and after a few seconds of feeling under the bed frame, she pulled out another box that was identical to the first. She looked over to see his expression and there was no change. Just quiet expectation.

The bow came off easily enough and she dramatically removed the lid, threw it on the floor, and oohed and aahed while removing the tissue to reveal...

"Flannel?" she asked, total shock taking over her extremely confused brain. What the hell? "Is it a nightgown?" Please let it be a nightgown, she thought. Or a mistake.

"Not a nightgown. A shirt." He smiled then, easy and calculating, and she knew this was just a game. Fun for him, slightly strange for her, but harmless enough. She went to the foot of the bed and shrugged. His lidded eyes were making no attempt to hide their absorption of every movement. She unbuttoned her silk shirt, sliding it easily off of her shoulders and letting it hit the floor. She took the shirt out of the box and dangled it in front of him.

"Lex has a flannel kink," she sang teasingly.

"Just put it on." His voice had a definite edge that caused her smile to fade and her arm to stiffen abruptly. She wasn't sure she liked this particular game.

"Please," he corrected gently. She tried on a smile that didn't quite fit and put each arm into its proper sleeve.

"Buttoned or unbuttoned?" It was a little difficult to keep her tone light. The levity of the situation seemed to have disappeared surprisingly fast.

"Buttoned," he answered without hesitation.

"Oookay." She worked her way adeptly from the top of the shirt to the hem and slapped her hands on her thighs when she was done.

"Turn around," he suggested, the words frighteningly level, and she complied.

"Almost perfect. Almost." He turned over on the bed and picked up the phone, punching a series of numbers. "Yes, we're ready for you now."

Her uncertainty about the scenario changed into white panic. "Lex, who did you just invite up here?"

He leaned back into the pillows and folded his arms behind his head. "Don't want to spoil the surprise."

It was only moments before there was a soft knock at the door. A simple, "Come," from Lex and an attractive, dark-haired young woman entered the room with a small case in her hand. Helen couldn't make out her features distinctly but felt sure she'd never met this person before.

"Helen, this is Michelle. She can work wonders with women who put themselves in her more than capable hands." He moved off the bed in one graceful motion and put his arm around the stranger. "Right, Michelle?"

"Yes, Mr. Luthor. If you say so," she answered simply and without hint of discomfort.

Helen, in contrast, was completely thrown by this unexpected presence. If Lex thought this was supposed to turn her on, he couldn't have been more mistaken. And he should have known that by now. What in God's name was he up to?

"I have our place set up in the wash room if you ladies will please follow me," he announced smoothly. The woman simply followed but Helen stood her ground, crossing her arms and wanting to cry.

"Lex, I want to know what all this means."

He stopped and turned his head to look at her, responding with a sharp laugh. "You'll love it, Helen. It's something...different. Come on. A little backbone from the fearless doctor?"

She sighed and followed them into the large area, not sure anymore why she was complying. The whole thing was weird, too weird. She had the helpless feeling of falling out of time and into a place that was dark and without boundaries.

Lex stood behind a chair that looked oddly out of place and patted it lightly. "Please, Helen. Have a seat."

The walk from the door to the chair felt like the longest of her life. When she finally sat down, Lex pulled her hair out from behind her back and stroked it absently, like she was a favored pet. She was almost thankful she felt absolutely no arousal and desperately wanted this to stop.

"Lex, I would really like to know what's going on here. You better tell me or I'm going to have to leave."

"No, Helen. You'll miss the best part if you go now." She had never heard him sound so distant.

Her attention turned towards the young woman as she opened her case, pulled out a picture, and glanced from it to Helen. "Like this, Mr. Luthor?" She turned the picture around and Helen took in a sharp breath to see a picture of...Clark? Clark Kent?

"Yes, Michelle. Like that exactly."

The woman then unfolded her case completely and removed a comb and a pair of scissors. "No problem, Mr. Luthor."

"Fuck! You sick bastard!" Helen screamed as she leapt from the chair, rounding it to let her palm strike his face with a resounding smack.

She tore the now vile shirt and pants from her body as she stomped into the bedroom to grab her own clothes and leave the mocking costume on the floor.

"Helen..." came an eerie echo from the room not far enough behind her. Her skin crawled at the sound.

"Just...stay the fuck away from me, Luthor!" she managed before ripping the door open and slamming it behind her.

She put the scissors and comb down but held onto the picture. "That's a shame, sir. It would've been a flattering cut on the young lady."

Lex took a few steps back to the counter and leaned against it, fingers gripping the marble. "Yes, I agree."

His eyes measured her lazily and she felt a flush at the unexpected gaze. She'd heard things about Lex Luthor and what a hot number he was but had never fully believed it herself. The pictures she'd seen of him were intriguing, although she'd always thought a full head of hair would be an improvement. That look he was giving her was definitely causing reconsideration.

"So, Michelle," he began.

"Yes, Mr. Luthor?"

"How do you feel about flannel?"

End