The Talented Miss Ripley part 14
8/16/06 02:29 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
roxy
A post-mpreg fiction
Fandom: SV
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Rating:pg
what went before
Ripley was extremely put out about spending her Saturday morning working, instead of hanging out. And especially spending it with Dr. Chang, who was almost as big a nudge as Poppa, she complained. “Why can’t Doc Toby do this?”
Clark looked at her and exploded into laughter. “Toby?”
She couldn’t help but grin too. “Okay, maybe not…”
“Really, Rip, if we needed someone to go ‘Oh, cooool maaa-aan’, then yeah, Toby would be the one to call.”
“Dad! He’s not *that* bad, you make him sound like…that Cheech and Chong guy.”
Clark laughed again. “What do you know about Cheech and Chong?” He slung an arm around her shoulders, and guided her into the lab, explained that their abilities worked everyday, not just weekdays, and it really was important to spend more than five minutes after school with Dr.Chang. “You don’t want to be distracted at a bad moment by your eyesight acting up, or your hearing—though you seem to have that pretty much under control.”
“Yes, thank God,” she huffed.
Clark sighed. Having a teen with super enhanced senses meant there was no dissembling about—a lot of natural drives. There was no point in pretending sex didn’t exist. The world pointed it out to her in plenty. Thank God she was able to protect herself now against the storm of other peoples emotions, activities--her two dads included. He remembered going through the same thing. It had been…ghastly. Just…bad. And he couldn’t even *imagine* trying to tell his parents.
They probably all would have committed ritual suicide together.
There was a reason he had a room of his own in the loft, in the barn *away* from the house and it wasn’t just to think, or stare at the stars, or….
There was a reason he called it the Fortress Of Solitude. He’d have called it the Fortress Of Ew, That’s Just Gross As Hell, if he dared.
As for Ripley—she’d been raised to expect the unexpected. She’d always been able to talk to them about anything. Sex was explained, and understood, and not a mystery. Clark grimaced. She may not have suffered a lot of mystery, but her parents--it would have been really nice to have a Kryptonian child-rearing handbook. He and Lex constantly had to make it up on the fly. Other parents didn’t have the worries they’d had—they probably didn’t have terrified all-nighters, freaking out and thinking their baby was dying and not knowing what to do—whom to call.
Thank goodness for Lex. He’d kept him sane back in those days….
“Dad, you ready?”
Clark stared at her for a moment, struck again how much she looked like Lex, to him. He sighed and nodded to Dr. Chang. “Ready as we’ll ever be, I guess.”
******
Dr. Chang made Ripley go through a series of exercises designed to help her purposely change her vision. After a while, she even stopped pouting and making sarcastic comments, becoming as engrossed as Dr. Chang in discovering what she could do.
Clark called out encouragement and suggestions from time to time, but mostly sat and watched Ripley work it out on her own. She was amazing, he thought. Happy, bright, beautiful—they were so lucky.
He watched her red curls bounce as she enthusiastically discussed results with Dr. Chang, who beamed steadily at her as she chattered on. Ripley might as well have been the doctor’s also; he took so much pride in all her accomplishments.
As awful as it had been in the beginning, carrying her, terrified out of his mind—Clark knew he’d do it again in a second, if he knew Ripley would be his reward. He thought about her other father and sighed. Yeah. All of it, he guessed. Even that.
And thinking of Lex…there was something…Lex….oh! Right. Ripley’s boyfriend.
He grinned.
Explode.
*****
After the workout, and lunch, Ripley and Clark strolled into the study, so casually that if Lex had been watching instead of reading, mental alarms would have gone off immediately.
She perched on the arm of the sofa, walked her fingers over his head, and asked Lex casually if it would be all right if some friends came over that evening.
He answered her distractedly, absorbed by what he was reading. “Umm. Sure. Your girlfriends are always welcome here.”
“Boy friend. Boy. Boys.” Clark and Rip said at the same time. It seemed to hang in the air, sort of lingering like…fog. Or smoke, Clark thought.
Lex paused, put a finger against the page he was reading, closed the book and said, “I beg your pardon?” He looked up into Rip’s wide green and above all, innocent eyes. “Boy? You did say…”
She nodded, and Lex opened his mouth once or twice before glaring at Clark.
Clark shrugged and looked solemn, but inside he was thinking, ‘Explode!’
“Pop, the *boy* is my *friend*. Greg. And his friend, Irving.”
The glare Lex leveled at Clark intensified. “And you knew about this and didn’t tell me?”
Clark looked as horrorstruck as he could. “What makes you think I knew?” He figured a hand on his chest might be overkill, so he just stared back, knowing his eyes automatically widened in befuddled innocence.
“Clark.”
Okay, he thought, he’s not going for the ‘who, me?’ anymore than he ever did… “We meant to tell you yesterday. Because I only found out yesterday. I met him. He seems a nice boy. And Irving…Irving.” Clark’s brows knotted. “…he’s…clean.” He blushed and shrugged again when Rip cast him a look.
What?
Lex closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. “ Well, Alexandra, I know you don’t need to be told--”
“Oh please, Pop. We’re getting together to watch movies—here. It’s not like it’s a date. He’ll be watching movies and eating popcorn, is all.”
Nope, not a date, Clark thought, he’ll be watching movies, and you’ll be watching him. Sitting on the far end of the couch, eating popcorn and trying to remember to watch the movie, and not him. Memorizing every little mole and freckle, every little bump on his head…He looked back at Lex and smiled.
Whatever expression he wore, it seemed to surprise Lex looked a little, and warmth filled his eyes, so completely, Clark felt like floating.
And just as quickly, it was gone. He turned his full attention on Ripley. “This boy—these boys. I’d like to meet their parents.”
“POPPA! Nobody does that anymore—it’s so grade school. They’re just going to be dropped off at the door. Come on. I go to *school* with them…” Clark heard, for God’s sake don’t make me want to kill myself under her words.
He looked at Lex and raised his eyebrows. Please, Lex…
Lex looked at him, back at Rip. He huffed. “Fine,” he said. “I’m sure they’re decent boys.” And Clark could see the shift in his eyes, like a shutter closing and opening. He would know everything about those decent boys by the end of the day, because that was Lex
Clark glanced back at Ripley, but she was smiling, looking satisfied, as though she’d won. Did she not see it, couldn’t she tell…she caught his eyes and he saw the laughter in hers. Clark was startled. She knew—and she didn’t care…expected it, maybe?
He walked back to his room, shut the door and lit his work area. He sat in front of the spread pages of his book, and thought.
This Alexandra was different than the Alexandra he knew, it seemed. She knew Lex, expected, and seemed to find amusing, the very things that had made him question Lex. She tolerated him. The same way she tolerated *his* endless ‘boyfriends’, the sudden disappearances his job demanded of him.
Did he give her enough time, he wondered. Lex was always there, it seemed. Maybe…he was a better parent. Maybe, she cared about him more. Not that he faulted her if she did, after all, Lex was...yes, he was always there.
******
“Poppa, why do you have to scare Dad like that?”
“What? Whatever are you talking about Lexie? I didn’t say a word.”
She slid down the arm and dropped next to him. “You don’t have to. He’s not a dummy, you know.”
“Alexandra, first of all, I refuse to be lectured by a child,” he held up his hand, “no matter how mature she *seems* to be. And second, I never under estimate your father. I know full well he’s an intelligent, and very observant man.” He went on in a softer tone, “The only fault your dad really has is he’s too trusting. He believes the best of everyone.”
Ripley nodded. That was *so* true.
“There is something about him, that seeks out even the tiniest bit of good in a person, and fans the flame. People *want to be good, work hard to be…to avoid disappointing him.” He gave her a crooked smile. “Tell your friends, they’re…more than welcome.”
“What, just like that? Without even—okay! Thanks Pop!” She leaped up from the sofa, and smeared a wet kiss on the very top of his head.”
“Alexandra--”
“I love you too, Pop!”
She heard him whisper, “I love you, so much…” as she ran towards Dad’s room.
******
She knocked on his door, and looked in. he was bent over the desk, doing something with one of the photographs stacked on the tabletop.
“Dad…are you okay?”
He looked up, startled. “Of course…why?”
“I don’t know...” She walked over to him and looped her arm around his neck. “You looked a little sad, or…something.”
He smiled. “No, no, just thinking about, you know.” He gestured at table covered with paper and photos.
She squeezed him. “Love you, Dad. Please don’t worry, it will all be okay. Promise.”
“Oh. Lexie,” he sighed. “I hope so. I really do.”
She ruffled his hair, and scratched his scalp. “Go help Poppa get ready. You know, make snacks, lay out barbwire…”
Dad raised an eyebrow at her.
“Or, you know…frisk him--make sure he’s not strapped.”
“Out.”
“But Daa-aad…”
“Out!”
She left the room with a huge grin. He’ll think about that for a while, she thought.
******
“Um…I’m supposed to help you get ready.”
Lex looked blankly at him for a moment, before handing him a bag of chips and a bowl.
“Don’t we have people to do this?” Clark struggled not to crush the chips to powder as he ripped open the bag.
Lex glanced over at him, before cutting precisely uniform slices of apples and cheese, and layering them on a tray. “Don’t be a snob, Clark, we’re perfectly capable of doing for ourselves occasionally.” He tilted his head, considered the arrangement of fruit and cheese and asked, “Didn’t Lexie tell you that weekends, there is no staff?”
He shook his head, and watched Lex garnish the tray. Oh gosh… “Ah—middle schoolers tend to be a lot bigger on M&M’s and popcorn and coke than apples and cheese…”
Lex sighed and turned to face Clark, leaned against the counter, the movement pulling his shirt tight across his chest and shoulders, emphasizing the long lean stretch of his body. Clark fought the impulse to lick his lips, and had to lean back away from him. He felt himself kind of… slow motion toppling towards Lex. He took a step away and rearranged the apples left on the counter. Several times.
“Clark…” Lex hesitated, “Clark, you have to talk to Lexie. Explain to her that this little…plan of hers isn’t going to work.”
Clark blinked. “Plan? What plan? It’s not?”
Lex licked his lip slowly and said, “It’s not…”
Clark watched the path of the little moist, pink tip sweep across Lex’s lip, hesitate at the thin scar, and travel on. It took him a moment to answer—Lex tilted his head at him, considered him now….
“It’s not.” Clark said firmly, but couldn’t help it—he felt his eyebrows crawling upwards, and Lex’s own eyebrows rose.
“It’s really not…anyway, why don’t you tell me about this boy, this Greg, since you’ve already met him.”instead of me
Clark swallowed. “Well, he’s in her class…polite, seems thoughtful…cute…”
Lex raised an eyebrow impossibly higher and Clark blushed. “Well, our daughter should have good taste.”
Lex said sharply, “Yes, well, hopefully an appreciation of good looks is all she inherited from you.”
Clark didn’t protest, he just looked away, and flushed deeper. It was a little comment, but it hurt. Clark nodded, though. He would *never* wish his lifestyle on his child.
“Clark, Clark—that was uncalled for. I apologize, it’s nerves maybe, it’s been stressful at work lately, I’m—I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. Popcorn?”
“Excuse me?
“Do you have popcorn?”
Lex looked a little lost, so they searched the pantry together, and found microwave popcorn tucked away on a shelf. Lex eyes it dubiously until Clark eased it from his hand.
As he opened the bag to microwave it, he said, “The other little boy is Irving. He’s very…”
“Clean?” Lex smirked.
“Odd.” Clark said emphatically. “Very odd. I’m not even sure if he can speak. He just sort of stares.”
“Maybe he was afraid of you—you’re very large. You tend to loom a bit.”
“I did my very best,”, he said with a grin, and Lex grinned back.
It was like being punched in the chest—but in a good way, like being punched with big soft gooey marshmallows. He tried not to grin even wider, happy that he made Lex lighten up again, and managed—just—from frisking about Lex’s ankles.
They headed out to the entertainment room, and Lex was pointedly putting the cheese tray on the coffee table, glancing at Clark smugly, and Clark was setting out the bowls of snacks, when his cell phone rang. He had an endless moment in which to regret his choice of ring tone for this particular type of call. It'd seemed clever at the time....
Lex glanced over, and the smile they’d shared earlier iced over slightly. “Clark, I had no idea you were a fan of Motown…”
Clark blushed, “Yeah, I–I like the oldies…”
Lex stared right into his eyes. “Interesting tune…”
“Ah….”
“I’ve always enjoyed Marvin Gaye…” Slow. Gray. Blink.
“Uh-hunh.” He had the phone out, trying to shut it off. His face was about to explode into flames, the phone kept ringing and he briefly considered just crushing the damn thing.
“Sexual Healing, isn’t it? Catchy.”
“Yeah,” Clark laughed, afraid he was about to burst into hysterical giggles.
“I thought I recognized it.”
“Can we talk about this sometime in the very distant future?”
“Your ‘friend’ is waiting for you, Clark.”
Lex left the room, and Clark shivered. The air around him was frigid. Fuck. And it had been going fairly well. He looked at the phone. Gosh. Colin. Colin was awfully…well hung, actually. Really hung. And it didn’t matter. He made a decision, right at that moment, with the strains of Sexual Healing in his ears. Rip was right. He needed Lex back. Lex needed him. All he had to do was convince Lex it was a good idea to take him back.
Sure. Easy.
Like for every step forward, he wasn’t taking two steps back.
He looked at the phone and sighed. Good-bye Colin…Geez, he had a cock like—he erased number after number--good-bye, Mike, Ace, Harry, Robert, Frank, Jimmy, Alf, Brandon, Ewald…oh God, he did this great thing with his tongue and fingers…good-bye, Chris, Rick, Maurice, Luis—good-bye all, he thought firmly.
tbc!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
8/16/06 06:57 am (UTC)This story continues to be so cool! I'm really enjoying it!
(no subject)
8/16/06 11:45 pm (UTC)HAHAHAHA!!
8/16/06 06:59 am (UTC)...He remembered going through the same thing. It had been...ghastly. Just...bad. And he couldn't even *imagine* trying to tell his parents.
They probably all would have committed ritual suicide together.
- Ahhh, there it is - the trauma that only Clark feels. Hee!
...She knew Lex, expected, and seemed to find amusing, the very things that had made him question Lex. She tolerated him. The same way she tolerated *his* endless 'boyfriends', the sudden disappearances his job demanded of him.
Did he give her enough time, he wondered. Lex was always there, it seemed. Maybe...he was a better parent. Maybe, she cared about him more. Not that he faulted her if she did, after all, Lex was...yes, he was always there.
******
"Poppa, why do you have to scare Dad like that?"
"What? Whatever are you talking about Lexie? I didn't say a word."
She slid down the arm and dropped next to him. "You don't have to. He's not a dummy, you know."
- Poor Clark - he still seems so unsure of his place in his family. That's so sad - he needs hugs (and maybe to be there more...)
- But Clark is right, there was never that air of danger around Lex for Rip - for her Lex has always just been Poppa (and Poppa never try to do anything but protect.)
...Clark was setting out the bowls of snacks, when his cell phone rang. He had an endless moment in which to regret his choice of ring tone for this particular type of call. It'd seemed clever at the time....
Lex glanced over, and the smile they'd shared earlier iced over slightly. "Clark, I had no idea you were a fan of Motown..."
...
Lex left the room, and Clark shivered. The air around him was frigid. Fuck. And it had been going fairly well. He looked at the phone. Gosh. Colin. Colin was awfully...well hung, actually. Really hung. And it didn't matter. He made a decision, right at that moment, with the strains of Sexual Healing in his ears. Rip was right. He needed Lex back. Lex needed him. All he had to do was convince Lex it was a good idea to take him back.
...
He looked at the phone and sighed. Good-bye Colin...Geez, he had a cock like-he erased number after number--good-bye, Mike, Ace, Harry, Robert, Frank, Jimmy, Alf, Brandon, Ewald...oh God, he did this great thing with his tongue and fingers...good-bye, Chris, Rick, Maurice, Luis-good-bye all, he thought firmly.
- YAY, Clark - you're trying to change your slutty ways - huh.
- Ah, Hello Jealous!Lex, and how are you today. Actually I find it a hoot that, Lex didn't get some kind of aneurysm or brain tumor from suppressing all his rage at the men that Clark dated - must be that Kryptonite healing...
That wasn't too silly it was cute.
Re: HAHAHAHA!!
8/16/06 11:49 pm (UTC)(no subject)
8/16/06 10:50 am (UTC)(no subject)
8/16/06 11:51 pm (UTC)(no subject)
8/16/06 11:54 pm (UTC)*HUG*
good to see you back, all is okay now?
(no subject)
8/16/06 11:29 am (UTC)Really looking forward to more of this wonderful story.
(no subject)
8/16/06 11:56 pm (UTC)Um, yes, yes, all of that...how do you *do* that?
*loves* you!
(no subject)
8/16/06 01:56 pm (UTC)(no subject)
8/16/06 11:56 pm (UTC)(no subject)
8/16/06 02:04 pm (UTC)Lex said sharply, “Yes, well, hopefully an appreciation of good looks is all she inherited from you.”
Clark didn’t protest, he just looked away, and flushed deeper. It was a little comment, but it hurt. Clark nodded, though. He would *never* wish his lifestyle on his child.
Ahhh, that part just hit me, I was like whooooooooa, Lex, that was messed. up. I really do love the idea of Clark the slut, but I'm happy to see him deleting his booty call numbers, trying to move away from that. Yay!
(no subject)
8/17/06 12:00 am (UTC)(no subject)
8/16/06 02:15 pm (UTC)Yea! Clark... finally getting a clue and realizing how much he and Lex need each other. Helps to see Lex through his daughter's eyes too. :)
(no subject)
8/17/06 12:02 am (UTC)(no subject)
8/16/06 03:15 pm (UTC)(no subject)
8/17/06 12:03 am (UTC)(no subject)
8/17/06 12:17 am (UTC)Ok, maybe not quite the right TONE for what I was trying to convey. :D
(no subject)
8/17/06 12:31 am (UTC)(no subject)
8/16/06 04:09 pm (UTC)(no subject)
8/17/06 12:05 am (UTC)I'm overjoyed this bit didn't come off as self-indulgent--I guess if working on a part of the fic doesn't make me cry in frustration, I think I'm doing it wrong. *G*
(no subject)
8/16/06 04:32 pm (UTC)Loved the line about Clark looming over Greg and Irving, it gave me Batman vibes (can you imagine Bruce meeting a daughter's boyfriend? The kid would pee his pants).
Just love Lexie and the way she interacts with her dads! And they're going to stop being dense and realize they need to be together! At least, they better. Before Lexie has a family of her own would be good.
(no subject)
8/17/06 12:06 am (UTC)LOL!!!! So true!!
(no subject)
8/16/06 06:51 pm (UTC)Dude.
*bounce*
There was a reason he called it the Fortress Of Solitude. He’d have called it the Fortress Of Ew, That’s Just Gross As Hell, if he dared.
Yes! Love it.
*smooooch*
(no subject)
8/17/06 12:07 am (UTC)(no subject)
8/16/06 11:02 pm (UTC)(no subject)
8/17/06 12:08 am (UTC)THANK YOU!!
I'm lookinng forward to it myself! :)
(no subject)
8/17/06 02:23 am (UTC)(no subject)
8/17/06 02:34 am (UTC)(no subject)
8/17/06 12:49 pm (UTC)I was amused about Lex's reaction to the boys in Rip's life. He is behaving just like my dad.
WOW, but Clark's sexual life was hectic....about fourteen lovers!!!!
Looking forward to the fireworks between him and Lex...for Lex is so jealous and keeping his possessive nature under wraps for so many years must be taking a hell of a lot out of him.
Update soon.
(no subject)
8/19/06 02:45 pm (UTC)OOO, that makes me happy!
Oh, Clark's been a busy boy! :)
And I think that Lex has just about had it. *grin*
(no subject)
8/17/06 08:17 pm (UTC)Last I read, he had just given birth to Ripley and only had eyes for Lex. This part was really good but I was just lost. Then I had a light-bulb moment. Wait, there's a link that says "what went before" hahahaha. I'm so glad. Now I can catch up.
Hmmm. Sexual Healing as a ringer eh? Yeah, can Clark really give up such an interesting group of "boyfriends"? :-)
(no subject)
8/19/06 02:47 pm (UTC)Yay, you got caught up! *grins*
WEeeeeell, we'll see...*G*
My random thoughts
8/18/06 02:08 pm (UTC)Re: My random thoughts
8/19/06 02:48 pm (UTC)*whack*
*smooch*
(no subject)
8/19/06 10:18 am (UTC)And maybe just maybe he's always a topper so he can keep the sanctity of his ass just for Lex.
(no subject)
8/19/06 02:49 pm (UTC)Oh, yes, and very much yes!
*beams*
THANK YOU AGAIN!!!!!!
*HUGHUG*
(no subject)
8/20/06 08:53 am (UTC)Tell me you're going to have this beautiful, epic, gut-wrenching reunion scene? I need more, dammit! *weeps softly*
(no subject)
8/20/06 04:35 pm (UTC)*pats you*
I'm famous for my happy endings, ask anyone! *wink*
(no subject)
8/20/06 01:00 pm (UTC)(no subject)
8/20/06 04:35 pm (UTC)(no subject)
8/20/06 09:06 pm (UTC)(no subject)
9/3/06 01:30 am (UTC)I about choked, as I could see Clark trying to dissemble in front of Lex, knowing that it never works. But he does it anyway, and it's just cute.
Lex, needing to be number one in Lexie's life and seeing green that this once he's not the one she told. And Clark gets a clue that he's just a dorky guy and Lex is just uber, because Rip just knows both her dads foibles and accepts them without reservation. She's better than him, in that way -and I loved, loved that he would not wish 'his job' on her for anything.
THANK YOU! YES! The end of Jonathan Kent's hypocritical judgemental crap. And Clark knows it, that he has this... and yet, the flip side. He's got HOW many numbers on his phone? And the ringtone? *dies*
Icy bitter Lex, oh yes. He should be.
However, I am glad he's not so bitter that Clark's hope for resurrecting their relationship dies stillborn. Hope. Such hope, here, in this bit. Especially with the deleting of the phone numbers. :)
(no subject)
9/3/06 03:21 am (UTC)