Locus Classicus

Ahem! I know it's late in Chicago, but hopefully you're still up. The nuns don't have you going to bed early, surely??? I'm posting from work, like the wannabe supervillain I am.

Anyway, talitha78, best of good buddies, a very happy birthday to you and many happy returns. This is a first installment of what I'm calling Twelve Several Days of Christmas Talitha's Birthday. I thought I'd take a whirlwind tour of your current fandoms, but some things never change so I started with your oldest, the one where we met.

( Clark/Lex Ficlet )

[I don't know where this came from, or where it fits in the timeline. Consider it a happy post-S3 AU future fic. IDEK. Wibbly wobbly, timey wimey.]

For maudlinrose. Prompt #72 Fixed. The robot had a quirk. Clark/Lex.

( Apparently robot shenanigans are not as inherently amusing as I thought. Or maybe that's just Lex and Clark these days. )

Thanks so much to everyone who commiserated over my hair trauma. It really helped, and I feel a lot better today, though I must say I have a whole new understanding of silver age Lex Luthor, and how losing one's hair can lead to a life of supervillainy.

Attempting to find a silver lining, however, I spent the day in bed and wrote fic! It's the next installment in my Lex and Clark go to Metropolis (aka the Lois & Clark AU) series.

This one's inspired by the Season 3 episode Ultrawoman. As usual, the setting's L&C Metropolis, Lois is from L&C, and Clark and Lex are from Smallville. Enjoy!

Prior parts here:

Cleaning Up is Hard to Do

World Enough and Time

And the new one:

( I, Superhero )

I know laurab1 also has a story inspired by this episode, but it was coincidence. I toyed with cutting this bit out, but it was integral to the overall arc of the universe.

For digitalwave. Prompt #31 Sunrise. Clark discovers something important while watching Lex stare at an amazing sunrise.

You had me stumped for a while with this one. Sorry about the delay, but it's twice as long to make up for it. I hope it's what you wanted!

*****

Clark wakes with a start, hand reaching out automatically to the space beside him. It's empty, sheets already cold. He flings back the covers and climbs out of bed, stepping gingerly between the piles of textbooks, an abandoned pizza box, and oh, god, is that underwear? Not the underwear he was wearing last night, that would be okay, but a pair of inside-out boxer shorts that have somehow escaped the hamper. His mother told him to keep his apartment tidy, You never know when you'll have visitors, she said, but did he listen?

It's not so much that he's gotten lazy, just that he's barely had time to breathe recently, between interning at the Planet, and studying for exams, and hitting the streets as Superman in a blur of red and blue and a storm of publicity. He's also gotten used to cleaning up at light speed when he hears his mother climbing the three flights of stairs to his place. The last thing in the world he expected was a hammering fit to wake the dead at three in the morning, and opening the door to find Lex Luthor standing in his hall, wild eyed and strangely dishevelled, brandishing a copy of the Daily Planet and Lois Lane's Superman exclusive.

"You have one chance!" Lex had shouted. "One! We haven't spoken in three years, and I said awful things the last time I saw you, and so did you, but I will forgive everything if you tell me now."

And Clark had stared in disbelief for almost a minute, unable to say a word, till Lex's face hardened and he started to turn away, and then he'd grabbed Lex by the arm, fingers digging into his biceps, pulling him into the apartment and kicking the door shut hard enough to rattle the hinges.

"I'm Superman," he'd blurted. "I'm from Krypton. You hit me with your car. It wasn't junk mail. It was never adrenaline. Meteor rocks can hurt me. I've missed you every single day."

And Lex had breathed out, and like that he'd looked five years younger and happier than Clark could remember seeing him.

"I've called in auditors. And the EPA. I'm closing the weapons division. And reining in the bio-researchers. I want Lexcorp to be more than a dirty word. You were the best friend I've ever had."

"I had a ridiculous crush on you in Smallville."

"I think I was in love with you."

"I think I still am."

And in light of secrets shared, it had seemed appropriate to float Lex into the bedroom, bypassing the debris, and in the dark it hadn't looked quite such a bombsite, and Clark had resolved, with his last coherent thought, to wake up first and speed-clean before making breakfast. Well that was one more brilliant plan shot to hell.

There's no sign of Lex, and his clothes are gone too. Probably to be deloused and burnt. Typical that slovenliness can put him off when lies and betrayal can't. Clark stomps out into the lounge, ready to phone in sick for the first time ever. The ugly seventies disco print curtains that came with the apartment are billowing madly, and he crosses the room to close the window.

"Hey," Lex says softly from his perch on the fire escape.

"Hey!" Clark gasps, giddy with relief. "You're here."

Lex smiles. "I'm watching the sunrise. Where did you think I was?"

Clark looks up. Pinky orange tendrils are licking round the sides of the buildings, making their dull, battered grey look warm and new. The sun itself is breaking through the omnipresent cloud cover, casting its light over the world and ushering in a brand new day. It's nothing on Smallville sunrises from the barn, and at the same time the most beautiful thing Clark has ever seen, full of new beginnings and untold promise. He climbs out the window and wraps his arms around Lex, who leans into him, eyes still transfixed.

"I always watch it," Lex whispers. "It makes me feel like it's not too late. No matter what happens, the sun still comes up, and I still get up, and…"

The similarity to his own thoughts makes Clark shiver, and he hugs Lex tighter.

"It's not too late," he says fiercely.

"No." Lex's thumbs rub against the backs of Clark's hands. "But it would have been one day. One day it would have just been me, standing on the balcony, thinking of all the things I'd always wanted and never got to have."

"It's not too late," Clark repeats, and he knows it's true. "It won't be easy, we're both going to have to work at it, but you came, and I let you in, and we have a chance. I want this to work."

Lex turns in Clark's arms. "I want that too."

He's thinner than Clark remembers, and there are faint violet shadows under his eyes. Clark rubs a thumb along one sharp cheekbone, and smiles when Lex leans into his hand, eyes fluttering closed. His lips are cool as Clark presses his own against them, but his mouth when it opens is hot. The kiss changes quickly from sweet to passionate, and Clark finds himself climbing back through the window, dragging Lex after.

"Aren't you going to offer me breakfast before you ravage me?" Lex laughs weakly, panting against Clark's neck.

Clark pulls back and stares in surprise. "I didn't think you'd want anything, now you've seen the kitchen."

Lex glances round, taking in the experiment in penicillin production that used to be hot chocolate, sitting abandoned on the table, and the mountain of dishes piled in the sink.

"I must be slipping," he says. "I hadn't noticed. But you can't poison me with toast and coffee. I'll have it in bed."

Clark feels the grin splitting his own face. He never should have worried.

"I'll tell your mother, though, if you haven't cleaned up by next time."

Perhaps he should worry. A lot.

For talitha78, who started the madness by sending me the *best* gift for Christmas.

( Even Action Figures Need Love )

Thanks so much hon! The holiday season was less than perfect around here, but you brightened up my entire day. Your generosity and thoughtfulness means so much. I love the little guys!

For lapetite_kiki. Prompt #28 Children. Sleepover at the Kent-Luthors' house.

Some things just come naturally...

*****

The mansion has twenty bedrooms. Naturally Lara Lillian Kent-Luthor insists on having her first official birthday party at the penthouse, which has six.

Lara has red curly hair that already reaches her waist when braided, and big green eyes with very long lashes. Naturally her fathers think she is the smartest and most beautiful girl in the world, and give in.

She and Daddy make a list of twenty-seven boys and girls from grade one to invite. Naturally Papa panics and invites another fifty from the creche at work.

Luthor pessimism insists they will all come down with chickenpox, break their ankles, or go to visit their grandparents. Naturally Kent charm prevails and the entire ravening horde descends, clutching overnight bags and elaborately wrapped gifts.

Seventy-seven five year olds with very high pitched voices eat cake and chips and pizza, and play pin the tail on the donkey and musical chairs. Naturally raspberry cordial spills on the carpet, tomato sauce fingerprints trail the walls, and three vases break.

One was Lex's favourite, extremely rare and very valuable. Naturally when Lara promises to buy him a new one out of her allowance he says it was ugly and he's glad to be rid of it.

Clark kisses him on the temple and says he's the best dad in the world. Naturally Lex demurs, and says he learned everything he knows from Clark.

The children shriek and giggle and stay awake all night. Naturally Lex and Clark keep their door open in case of mishap, and lie sleepless in heavy pyjamas.

It's hot and uncomfortable, and even Clark has a headache. Naturally when Lara abandons her friends to come crawl into bed with them, whispering that this is the best sleepover ever, they both know they've never been happier in their lives.

Eeek. For a moment there, I really thought I'd lost my Smallville mojo. I've been reading nothing but Atlantis for the last fortnight, and despite an excruciating six hours at my desk yesterday, I just couldn't finish any of the clex pieces I had open (all of which are so damn close). Out of duty more than joy, I decided to spend this morning archiving all the new (read last two months worth) fic at sv_fanfic. And what do you know, I'm on the road to recovery. I think it was a simply a case of absence making the heart grow less fond. SV hasn't been on tv here for at least two years, and I've been too busy recently to download. But, no more!

Help me kickstart the block. I'll write drabbles ficlets for everyone who comments to this post. Absolutely everyone, friends or lurkers. Here's the catch: you have to match your scenario to one of the prompts from my fanfic100 table, here. That's all. I called general series, so it doesn't have to be clex: it can be character exploration, fix it, missing scene, back story, you name it. I'll also take mpreg, crack, harlequin, deathfic, whatever. It's open slather, just this once.

First in first served with regard to prompts, and I'll do them in the order I get them. One prompt to a comment please, so I can keep track. I'll do at least one or two every day, this is all about speed and regaining momentum. So hit me! Now! [Example comment: Prompt 16 - Purple. Lex buys a new shirt.]

*****

ETA: Okay. So none of them so far have turned out to be drabbles. Let's call them ficlets, huh?

*****

For those of you who were away over Christmas, I did post my undermistletoe story. My prompt was "Ghosts of Christmas show up..."

Clex, PG, non-specific angst warning.

Past, Present, Future.

Written for svmadelyn's Flash Fiction Challenge. For dolimir_k, who wanted college fic.

This is set in the same universe as Met U Blues, though you don't need to have read that first.

( Social History )

Tidying up various entries, and it occurred to me I never posted this here. It was written for sv_undercover last year. The challenge was to write something to do with a proposition. I wanted to avoid all the obvious marriage, sexual and business connations and come up with something else.

( Met U Blues )

Sometimes, I swear, the Devil *does* make me do it. I am *powerless* against him. He makes me read porn, he makes me dream dirty wrong dreams, and he made me write *this*.

For nerodi, whose uncontrollable squeeing helped convert me to the Leto-lust; for Patroklos_Ghost, to whom I owe email (it’s coming, I promise, I just want to make it a good’un); for everyone who loves both Alexander *and* Lex. And, y’know, Hephaistion and Clark too...

So... Lex and Clark went to see Alexander...

( When Worlds Collide )