Work Text:
a la carte
by silvina
Standard Disclaimer. How many times do I have to tell you that they're not mine? Please send comments, questions, compliments, and otters to sdelcul@yahoo.com.
DIVINATION
"Here." He said. There was something moving around in his stomach, and it wasn't the most pleasant feeling. Lex took the small box, but he was looking at it with the suspicion normally reserved for his father's actions. "What is it?"
"A present."
"I can see that."
"It's good to know you haven't gone blind, Lex." Clark smirked. "Open it."
Lex laid it on the table as cautiously as he might have placed a bomb. Clark was tempted to rip off the wrapping paper himself just to speed Lex along, but that would be rude, he knew. He held himself back from "helping" as Lex ever so carefully removed the tape and began pulling back the paper.
"Sorry about the wrapping paper. It was the only kind mom had in the house."
"I was wondering if you'd confused me with someone else, perhaps." The "Congratulations it's a girl" paper was folded and laid aside. "You bought me a toaster?" Lex sounded strangely pleased and mostly surprised.
Clark relaxed fully, now. "No genius. I didn't have any gift boxes. The toaster was for the kitchen. Chloe killed the last one trying to toast a frozen bagel. It was the only box I could find that wasn't too small or really big. Open it!"
Lex used the same, slow deliberateness to open the box and pull out the two items nestled inside. When he didn't say anything, Clark had to ask, "What do you think? Do you like them?"
Lex looked at the two lumps of clay, one significantly larger then the other, and replied in the manner of confused parents everywhere. "Of course I like them, Clark. They obviously required a lot of work on your part. Why don't you tell me about them?"
Clark did exactly that. "It was my final project in art this semester. See-"
DIPLOMACY
This time Lex was ready for him. The wrapping paper, elves this time, was dispatched quickly with no regard for tearing. Lionel Luthor was usually just as surprised by Lex's gifts as Lex was, because he left orders for his secretary to buy something age appropriate (appropriate for an idiot of Lex's age mostly). Clark, unlike Lionel, appreciated enthusiasm. Lex appreciated the sheer amount of time that Clark must have spent thinking about him to do this. Even if he couldn't quite tell what it was.
"Merry Christmas, Lex."
"I didn't know you knew how to knit," he murmured, and as he reached into the box he realized that what he'd taken for a random heap of purple knitted yarn could be separated. Gloves. Hat. Scarf.
"Well, home EC, you know? We had to choose a project and mom kinda helped, but only a little, I promise."
Lex made a point of using the scarf, at least, as often as possible that winter when Clark was around. When the weather became too warm for a scarf, he placed the knitted pieces in his bedside table next to the clay figurines Clark had made.
DISTANCE
Privately Lex hated his birthday. Lionel was in one of his 'let's pretend I love you' moments, which always left him slightly out of sorts, and Clark was out of town attending one of those inevitable family things that seemed to be required of those with extended family. On the one hand, he was ever so glad it wasn't him; on the other hand, however, he missed Clark.
"Sir," he was interrupted.
"Yes?"
"This just arrived for you."
A package was placed in front of him before the man slipped out discreetly. As soon as he opened the first layer of paper and saw the box he realized it was from Clark. Taped to the lid was a note written in Clark's semi-sloppy teenage script. He momentarily considered not opening the box until Clark returned, but the note stated explicitly that if he did so, Clark would be highly upset and horrible things might happen.
He was grinning ear to ear as he opened the box to see what was inside, not that he cared in the slightest. The important part was that Clark hadn't forgotten. As the note said, Clark had spent this semester making a pen and paperclip holder in the shape of an L, and then etched 'Happy Birthday, Lex' into it.
DIABOLICAL
After the Luthor Corp Christmas party Clark pulled Lex into a coat closet. For a moment Lex imagined what would follow based on extensive experience ducking out of this type of gathering and into various closets, but Clark reached into one of the coats and pulled out a walkman he must have placed there earlier.
"Merry Christmas, Lex."
"An old walkman?"
"That's not the present. See, this semester was music class. And since no one should be forced to hear me sing, I made you this instead. Listen."
He put on the headphones and hit play, ready to fake smile his way through some kind of top 40 mix tape, but what he heard was nothing like that. At first he heard only static and something that sounded like water running. And then a voice began singing, and instantly he knew why Clark was smirking.
Lex hadn't even known that Lionel Luthor could sing, much less that he knew the Macarena.
DULY
"Happy Birthday, Clark! 18's a big year."
"That's what dad said. Mom convinced him to let you take me to Metropolis with that."
"So what do you want to do first?"
"The Observatory. Come on."
The stars were amazing, and Clark knew that Lex was happy to make him happy. With a deep breath he continued with his plan.
"Happy early birthday, Lex." he said, before leaning in to kiss Lex on the lips. After fully tasting Lex's mouth he pulled away. "Was that okay?" he asked hesitantly.
Lex smiled. "So what class is it this semester?"
Relieved, Clark grinned back. "Sex ed."
"Let's go, Clark?"
Clark played the innocent. "Where? We just got here, Lex."
"The penthouse, Clark. You've got a lot of studying to do."