Summary: For the LJ Icon Challenge.

Warnings: Rated NC-17. m/m.

Notes: This is from a challenge that was floating around LJ. People picked one of my icons, and I wrote a short little story about it.

The traditional Kryptonian wedding ceremony took three days to celebrate--three days of excruciatingly detailed rituals and long-winded philosophical orations on the sacred communion of minds, finally culminating in a five-hour dramatic recreation of the story of Omahr-Teh and his wife Alda, who as legend had it were the originators of the doctrine of chaste marriage, preaching to their fellow Kryptonians the superiority of intellectual partnership over the baseness of physical connection.

Kal-El stole a glance at his new husband. From all appearances, the Earthman hung on every word, although the rest of the audience were either fidgeting or half falling asleep. Kal-El himself could not pay attention. He kept getting distracted by the heavy gold band on the finger of his left hand and the thick silver bracelet on his other wrist, Terran and Kryptonian symbols of the irrevocability of what he'd done.

What he'd allowed to be done to him.

When his father had called him to his study that day, he'd known no good would come of it. No good ever did when his father demanded to see him.

"You know that Krypton is negotiating a treaty with the Earth Alliance," his father had said. "We need their ships and weapons to help defend the planet."

"Yes, Father." Kal-El's stomach had clenched into a knot as he waited for the trap. There was always a trap in any conversation with his father.

"In return, their leader has asked for scientific data and medical technology, as well as-- a spouse." Jor-El tried not to show his distaste, but could not quite manage it. Mixing with outsiders violated all the finer Kryptonian sensibilities. "He prefers a male and has accepted my offer of you."

Kal-El had stared at him in disbelief. "Father, please--"

But Jor-El only frowned impatiently. "We must all accept what destiny has in store for us, Kal-El. This is an opportunity for you to serve your people and bring honor to the house of El. I should think you would be very grateful for it."

The accusation was clear in his words, not that Kal-El didn't already know what a disappointment he was to his father. All the things he excelled at--running the fastest, lifting the heaviest burden--were of no value in Kryptonian society.

"I will do as you wish, Father," he'd said very softly.

"Good." It was the first time Kal-El ever remembered hearing approval in his father's voice. "I will send a message to your husband-to-be. His name is Lex Luthor. He is a wealthy and powerful man, and I am sure he will treat you well."

Three days later, and here they were. Kal-El twisted the ring on his finger. There was no escaping his fate now. He was united with this Earthman, this complete stranger, and by Kryptonian law, only death would separate them. He took a deep breath and tried to think of something else. Any unseemly emotional display on his part would shame his father and perhaps anger his new husband.

After the performance concluded, they said their goodbyes, first to the guests and then to Kal-El's parents. For a moment, his mother looked as if she wanted to say something tender, but decorum permitted only that she wish them prosperity and that's what she did. Jor-El's sendoff was one last admonishment to his son to live up to the nobility of his forebears.

Kal-El's cheeks burned with shame as he mumbled "yes, Father" one last time.

"Come, Kal-El," his husband said very gently. "The ship is waiting."

Kal-El nodded and followed, and everything seemed to happen in a blur, boarding the shuttle, launching, docking on the Earthman's ship, being shown to his own quarters. At least, the Earthman was allowing him that privacy.

He was left alone to unpack, and the Earthman--his husband, he had to get used to that--was gone longer than he expected. It gave him too much time to imagine and dread what would come next. Kryptonians and Earthpeople did not have the same marriage customs, to put it mildly.

Finally, his husband returned. "I hope you have everything you need."

Kal-El nodded, distractedly.

His husband looked concerned. "I understand your people's customs, and I'm fully willing to respect them. But I know that you've been informed about our laws, that a marriage isn't valid until it's been consummated. You know what that means?"

"Yes." Kal-El blushed deeply.

"It doesn't have to be done now. We can get to know each other first. Wait until we reach Earth--"

"I'd prefer to get it over with." The dread of waiting would only make it worse.

His husband looked reluctant. "If that's what you wish."

"It is." Kal-El hesitated. "This consummation requires," he felt the heat in his cheeks again, "nudity?"

"Yes," his husband said gently.

Kal-El swallowed hard. "Very well." His hands moved to the fastenings of his robes.

"Wait." His husband brushed his fingers lightly along Kal-El's cheek. The sensation of his touch was odd, but not unpleasant. "Before we do anything, I just want you to know that I realize this marriage was not your choice. But from the first moment I saw you, I knew we had a destiny together, and I promise that I will always treat you with the respect you deserve."

His husband's assurances warmed Kal-El, although he couldn't think what to say in answer, ill versed as he was in responding to kindness. So he showed his gratitude the only he could figure, slipping out of his clothes and going to lie down on the bed, surrendering himself to his husband.

His husband's gaze traveled over his bare skin, making him ache in ways he didn't understand. "You're very beautiful," the Earthman whispered.

Kal-El tried to find somewhere else to look as he undressed, but curiosity got the better of him. He had never seen another person naked before, so he wasn't prepared for the unsettling heat that curled in his belly as he watched. His husband's skin looked so soft it made his fingers curl with the foreign desire to touch, but the rest of his husband's body was aggressively masculine, hard jut of hipbone, lean muscles, long, thick sex, swollen with arousal.

His husband knelt on the bed beside him, and Kal-El spread his legs compliantly. "Go ahead."

"I don't want to just take you and not give you any pleasure in return."

Kal-El must have looked as panicked as he felt, because his husband smiled gently, bent his head and pressed a soft kiss to his belly.

Kal-El sucked in his breath. "Oh, God!" It wasn't supposed to be like this. He wasn't supposed to feel anything.

His husband stroked his side tenderly. "I know this is wrong on your world, but here, there's no dishonor in letting your husband make you feel good."

"I don't know how," he whispered.

His husband smiled. "Then I'll show you." He leaned over, and the first surprising touch of their lips made Kal-El feel like a flower opening up to the sun. He sighed, and his husband lightly traced his lips with his finger before deepening the kiss, the touch of their tongues a more delicious thrill than he possibly could have imagined.

His body's responses took him by surprise, the ache low in his belly, heavy feeling between his legs, and he started to shake.

"It's okay," his husband murmured, stringing kisses along his jaw.

The initial shock soon passed, and it was surprisingly easy to give in to the sensations and let himself be carried away. His husband explored him with soft kisses, caresses that made him gasp out loud, and when he found his courage, he touched back, fingers shaking as he traced the curve of his husband's spine, ran a tender hand over his bare head.

"Mmm, so good," his husband said. "Touch me. Touch me just like that."

Kal-El had read descriptions of this act, trying to make himself ready for it, but nothing could have prepared him for the hot shock of Lex's mouth on his cock, slick fingers pressing inside him, opening him up. When his husband entered him at last, he realized; there were no words that could capture the breathtaking intensity, the heart-stopping beauty of being this close to another person.

His husband began to move inside him, reached around to stroke his sex in time to his thrusts.

"Please!" Kal-El begged, only half understanding what he was begging for.

"God, yes. Kal." His husband murmured his name like a promise, and he had the sudden vision of a life that would be all his own, free from the suffocating restraints of custom and family expectations.

"Lex!" he moaned.

Lex moved more urgently inside him, stroking Kal's sex harder and faster, hot puff of breath against Kal's ear as he whispered, "I'll protect you and cherish you and love you for the rest of our lives, if you'll only let me."

Kal squeezed his eyes tightly shut and cried out as he came in his husband's hand, the first orgasm he'd ever had. Lex's climax soon followed, and afterwards he slumped against Kal, breathing heavily, arm flung across his body. For the first time that Kal could remember, he felt he was exactly where he belonged.

Lex stroked a hand along his arm and pressed a kiss to his shoulder. "Thank you."

He started to move away, and all the air went out of Kal's lungs, as if this new person he was just learning to be would be snatched away if Lex weren't there beside him. He grabbed for his husband's hand and pulled him back down.

"Are you sure you want me to say?"

Kal nodded, and Lex settled against his back, pulling him into his arms. Kal let out his breath, but he didn't let go of his husband's hand. Lex rested his cheek against his shoulder and held him even tighter.

As Kal was drifting off to sleep, it occurred to him that perhaps destiny was not so harsh a taskmaster as he'd feared.