SV : Ripley ficlet
6/1/08 02:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
roxyTitle: Ripley ficlet
Pairing: Lex/Clark, Rip/Greg/Irving
Rating: G
*headsmack!*It occurred to me that new folks might not know that this story is based on two other stories I wrote a few years ago. (one an m-preg, the other kind of sort of a kidfic.) The stories are in my tags under Ripley.
Irving leaned back in the wrought iron patio chair, and stretched his legs out under the table. He liked sitting on the balcony, he liked the almost hypnotic sound of water washing against the shore, the dancing glints of sunlight on the ocean's surface…the light and the sound together lulled him into a quiet, emotionless contemplation of his life….
He breathed in the ocean scent, licked at the taste of sea spray, the slightly sticky feel on his lips. He pulled a wine glass towards him, watched the liquid bubble briefly against the sides. with a small sigh, he lifted it to his mouth, took a little sip of the cool, tart liquid. And choked at the sound of an all too familiar and dangerously smooth voice.
"Hello, Irving. Lovely place you've chosen to get away from it all." Lex came around the table and sat across from Irving. He was dressed in linen, shirt and trousers, and just like every single time he saw him, Irving was struck with how handsome Mr. Luthor—Lex—was. And, as usual in Lex's presence, he felt like an gawky and not very bright kid. The man was just so elegant, so cool and controlled…Irving had done his best in the last few years to model himself after Lex. At least, he tried to be as in control as he was, even if it only worked when he wasn't facing Lex or Rip's other dad. Or Rip…shit.
Lex gazed at him, his expression calm, the very picture of composed. "Irving, my daughter is terribly upset. Would you care to explain why?" He leaned back in the chair and traced the bright circular patterns in the table's tiled top and Irving tried to put a bit more space between them without actually moving his body.
"I have no explanation…no reason."
"You left on a…whim? Surely not a conscious desire to hurt Alexandria? Or Gregory? Or…has either one of them done something to hurt you?"
Irving was shocked that Lex seemed to genuinely want to know if one of his—his—one of them had hurt him in some way. He took a long moment, thinking before he spoke. "Mr.—Lex—you have to understand. This thing that we live with…it's always over our heads. It's not enough that Rip and Greg want a baby. They want one with…they want one with me, you understand, and I'm not sure I know what to think about that."
Lex had both elbows on the table now, and he was nodding. When the waiter moved by their table, Lex motioned him over and ordered wine for the both of them. "Irving…what *you* must surely understand is that Lexie thinks it's normal—she's grown up with the idea. She's had twenty some years to live with the idea of what's normal for her. Gregory…well; he's a lot like Clark. He'll do anything for Lexie."
Irving felt bold enough, or had had enough wine, to smile over the rim of his glass. "Does that make me the Lex in the relationship?"
"I doubt it, Irving. How far are you willing to go for them? Not very, from what I can see."
Irving stopped smiling. "You don't understand. No one does. I'm not running from them…I'm giving them a chance for something better—I'm not necessary for them. What does it matter if it's two people or fifteen? It's not going to matter to Lexie's baby."
Lex stood and grabbed Irving's arm. "In your room. The balcony is much too public a place to talk about our business."
Irving staggered a bit when he got to his feet. Must be a combination of the sun, and the wine. He'd had a bit to drink but surely not that much…He carefully extricated his arm from Lex's grip. "Enter freely..." He bowed as Lex passed him with a sardonic smile. Lex was going to rip him a new one and he'd be damned if he'd act like a puss.
*************
Once inside the room, Lex stopped, looked around. "This is nice. Very nice, Irving."
It embarrassed Irving how much it meant that Lex approved of his choice. He tried for nonchalance, and sprawled on the white leather couch facing the glass wall of doors that separated inside from out. Lex raised an eyebrow at his boneless sprawl. "Are you…comfortable?"
He tried to joke, "I make a living…um." He immediately straightened at Lex's loud lack of laughter and quickly moved to the balcony—closed the doors, just to be doing something, anything, to lighten Lex's scrutiny. "You wanted privacy, we have it now." Through a tremendous force of will he didn't say sir.
"Irving…have you and Greg been together, ever?"
"Us, just us, you mean? No. Greg's not gay. Greg is…totally, incredibly in love with Lexie, who for some strange reason seems to love me too, and it's always been that way. We've…never. I mean, we've…with Rip." He turned a deadly shade of red, and Lex's expression told Irving that he wasn't quite as blasé about the conversation as he tried to act. Well, the man was her father after all, he thought, and winced…"To. Um, Rip. Not…oh God, please tell me this conversation can end now?"
Yes," Lex said and Irving breathed a sigh of relief and was pretty sure Lex did too. He poked about the room's bar, brought out another chilled bottle of wine. "Shall we?"
Irving breathed, "God, yes…"
Several glasses of wine and lots of reminiscing later, they were both feeling rather…pleasantly not sober.
Lex was explaining to Irving just how annoying Clark had been in his youth. He might have been slightly…maudlin. Irving sat across from him, nodding non-stop in sympathy. "I know," he murmured sympathetically, "I know. Greg…he acts like I'm just a—an accessory of Alexandra's. I mean, besides a hug and a kiss in the deepest throes of passion, or a pat on the back on his way out the door…" he trailed off. "Can’t you talk to him, please Lex? No one doesn’t pay attention to you. You're like…the master of the world or something." He reached out and grabbed Lex's wrist. "Please…" he left his hand there waiting for Lex to throw it off. When he didn’t, his fingers came to life, tracing designs on Lex's wrist, his hand, his palm…"Lex…"
"Hmm?" Lex jerked back to awareness, having been miles and miles and years and years away. He looked down at his captured wrist, a puzzled look giving way to amused annoyance. "Irving, are you coming on to me?"
Irving froze—paled. "Y-Yes?" he stammered.
"You're a very attractive young man, but you are a *very* young man who lives with my daughter. And therefore off-limits. Not too mention…"
"I know, I know. Clark would kill me, and Rip would kill what was left. But Lex, you've been my ideal for years. Every person I've ever met I've compared to you."
"What, including Alexandra? Including Greg? Stop comparing, Irving. Look at what you have and think whether you want it and if you do, why? Why don’t you want a child? Why won't you commit to the others—" he held up a hand at Irving's protest "—Why won’t you tell Greg how you feel?"
Irving slumped back in his chair. "I want them to see me. Me, not the third wheel that helps the little trike roll around…"
Lex lifted an eyebrow and Irving snorted, "you know what I mean. God." He grabbed double handfuls of brown hair, pulling at it until it tufted around his head. "And Rip—Lexie—she just steamrolls everyone—if she wants it, they have to want it. And Greg just flows right along, because as far s he's concerned, Rip is god…I love her, I swear but she drives me crazy." He was up pacing, and waving his arms. "She wants a thing and he'll move heaven and earth to make it so. I want a something, and I'm talking to myself. I just—" Lex was in front of him looking so—so—so Lex, and Irving grabbed him, and planted a big sloppy frantic kiss on him—his tongue twisted against Lex's lips, insisting on entrance, and Lex's arms flew up, one hand locked on Irving's collar, the other buried in his hair--and yanked Irving's head back.
"Are you insane, are you—" Irving went for it again, and this time, Lex laughed, muffled by Irving's mouth. Irving pulled his head back himself, affronted, mortified as Lex collapsed into giggles. "Oh my god, that hasn't happened to me since…grade school…" he wheezed, and wiped his eyes, stopped because Irving hadn’t moved an inch, and was in fact, still pressed against him and hard. Very hard.
Lex's eyes narrowed. "Irving…I don’t want to hurt you…"
Irving took a quick couple of steps away, wilting under an emotional tumult of confused lust, fear and embarrassment. Relief seeped in when he realized the hurt Lex meant wasn't physical. "I think you're terribly confused. You need to talk to Alexandra and Greg and sort this out. If this situation can’t be solved, then it might be better if you did move away." He squeezed Irving's shoulder gently, firmly. "Far away."
******
Lex's mind wandered as the jet took off…he thought about Alexandra, holding her…wet, blue, barely moving in his palm those first few minutes of her life. Falling violently in love with her. He thought about Clark and how the young boy he was then had cried the first time he'd reached out to Lex for help. And broken his heart, and saved his life, and made him understand what love really was. He thought too, about a funny looking but sweet little boy who blushed ridiculously bright red whenever he came into the room, and sighed. He hoped sincerely that whatever he decided wouldn't hurt his daughter.
TBC
part three
Pairing: Lex/Clark, Rip/Greg/Irving
Rating: G
*headsmack!*It occurred to me that new folks might not know that this story is based on two other stories I wrote a few years ago. (one an m-preg, the other kind of sort of a kidfic.) The stories are in my tags under Ripley.
Irving leaned back in the wrought iron patio chair, and stretched his legs out under the table. He liked sitting on the balcony, he liked the almost hypnotic sound of water washing against the shore, the dancing glints of sunlight on the ocean's surface…the light and the sound together lulled him into a quiet, emotionless contemplation of his life….
He breathed in the ocean scent, licked at the taste of sea spray, the slightly sticky feel on his lips. He pulled a wine glass towards him, watched the liquid bubble briefly against the sides. with a small sigh, he lifted it to his mouth, took a little sip of the cool, tart liquid. And choked at the sound of an all too familiar and dangerously smooth voice.
"Hello, Irving. Lovely place you've chosen to get away from it all." Lex came around the table and sat across from Irving. He was dressed in linen, shirt and trousers, and just like every single time he saw him, Irving was struck with how handsome Mr. Luthor—Lex—was. And, as usual in Lex's presence, he felt like an gawky and not very bright kid. The man was just so elegant, so cool and controlled…Irving had done his best in the last few years to model himself after Lex. At least, he tried to be as in control as he was, even if it only worked when he wasn't facing Lex or Rip's other dad. Or Rip…shit.
Lex gazed at him, his expression calm, the very picture of composed. "Irving, my daughter is terribly upset. Would you care to explain why?" He leaned back in the chair and traced the bright circular patterns in the table's tiled top and Irving tried to put a bit more space between them without actually moving his body.
"I have no explanation…no reason."
"You left on a…whim? Surely not a conscious desire to hurt Alexandria? Or Gregory? Or…has either one of them done something to hurt you?"
Irving was shocked that Lex seemed to genuinely want to know if one of his—his—one of them had hurt him in some way. He took a long moment, thinking before he spoke. "Mr.—Lex—you have to understand. This thing that we live with…it's always over our heads. It's not enough that Rip and Greg want a baby. They want one with…they want one with me, you understand, and I'm not sure I know what to think about that."
Lex had both elbows on the table now, and he was nodding. When the waiter moved by their table, Lex motioned him over and ordered wine for the both of them. "Irving…what *you* must surely understand is that Lexie thinks it's normal—she's grown up with the idea. She's had twenty some years to live with the idea of what's normal for her. Gregory…well; he's a lot like Clark. He'll do anything for Lexie."
Irving felt bold enough, or had had enough wine, to smile over the rim of his glass. "Does that make me the Lex in the relationship?"
"I doubt it, Irving. How far are you willing to go for them? Not very, from what I can see."
Irving stopped smiling. "You don't understand. No one does. I'm not running from them…I'm giving them a chance for something better—I'm not necessary for them. What does it matter if it's two people or fifteen? It's not going to matter to Lexie's baby."
Lex stood and grabbed Irving's arm. "In your room. The balcony is much too public a place to talk about our business."
Irving staggered a bit when he got to his feet. Must be a combination of the sun, and the wine. He'd had a bit to drink but surely not that much…He carefully extricated his arm from Lex's grip. "Enter freely..." He bowed as Lex passed him with a sardonic smile. Lex was going to rip him a new one and he'd be damned if he'd act like a puss.
*************
Once inside the room, Lex stopped, looked around. "This is nice. Very nice, Irving."
It embarrassed Irving how much it meant that Lex approved of his choice. He tried for nonchalance, and sprawled on the white leather couch facing the glass wall of doors that separated inside from out. Lex raised an eyebrow at his boneless sprawl. "Are you…comfortable?"
He tried to joke, "I make a living…um." He immediately straightened at Lex's loud lack of laughter and quickly moved to the balcony—closed the doors, just to be doing something, anything, to lighten Lex's scrutiny. "You wanted privacy, we have it now." Through a tremendous force of will he didn't say sir.
"Irving…have you and Greg been together, ever?"
"Us, just us, you mean? No. Greg's not gay. Greg is…totally, incredibly in love with Lexie, who for some strange reason seems to love me too, and it's always been that way. We've…never. I mean, we've…with Rip." He turned a deadly shade of red, and Lex's expression told Irving that he wasn't quite as blasé about the conversation as he tried to act. Well, the man was her father after all, he thought, and winced…"To. Um, Rip. Not…oh God, please tell me this conversation can end now?"
Yes," Lex said and Irving breathed a sigh of relief and was pretty sure Lex did too. He poked about the room's bar, brought out another chilled bottle of wine. "Shall we?"
Irving breathed, "God, yes…"
Several glasses of wine and lots of reminiscing later, they were both feeling rather…pleasantly not sober.
Lex was explaining to Irving just how annoying Clark had been in his youth. He might have been slightly…maudlin. Irving sat across from him, nodding non-stop in sympathy. "I know," he murmured sympathetically, "I know. Greg…he acts like I'm just a—an accessory of Alexandra's. I mean, besides a hug and a kiss in the deepest throes of passion, or a pat on the back on his way out the door…" he trailed off. "Can’t you talk to him, please Lex? No one doesn’t pay attention to you. You're like…the master of the world or something." He reached out and grabbed Lex's wrist. "Please…" he left his hand there waiting for Lex to throw it off. When he didn’t, his fingers came to life, tracing designs on Lex's wrist, his hand, his palm…"Lex…"
"Hmm?" Lex jerked back to awareness, having been miles and miles and years and years away. He looked down at his captured wrist, a puzzled look giving way to amused annoyance. "Irving, are you coming on to me?"
Irving froze—paled. "Y-Yes?" he stammered.
"You're a very attractive young man, but you are a *very* young man who lives with my daughter. And therefore off-limits. Not too mention…"
"I know, I know. Clark would kill me, and Rip would kill what was left. But Lex, you've been my ideal for years. Every person I've ever met I've compared to you."
"What, including Alexandra? Including Greg? Stop comparing, Irving. Look at what you have and think whether you want it and if you do, why? Why don’t you want a child? Why won't you commit to the others—" he held up a hand at Irving's protest "—Why won’t you tell Greg how you feel?"
Irving slumped back in his chair. "I want them to see me. Me, not the third wheel that helps the little trike roll around…"
Lex lifted an eyebrow and Irving snorted, "you know what I mean. God." He grabbed double handfuls of brown hair, pulling at it until it tufted around his head. "And Rip—Lexie—she just steamrolls everyone—if she wants it, they have to want it. And Greg just flows right along, because as far s he's concerned, Rip is god…I love her, I swear but she drives me crazy." He was up pacing, and waving his arms. "She wants a thing and he'll move heaven and earth to make it so. I want a something, and I'm talking to myself. I just—" Lex was in front of him looking so—so—so Lex, and Irving grabbed him, and planted a big sloppy frantic kiss on him—his tongue twisted against Lex's lips, insisting on entrance, and Lex's arms flew up, one hand locked on Irving's collar, the other buried in his hair--and yanked Irving's head back.
"Are you insane, are you—" Irving went for it again, and this time, Lex laughed, muffled by Irving's mouth. Irving pulled his head back himself, affronted, mortified as Lex collapsed into giggles. "Oh my god, that hasn't happened to me since…grade school…" he wheezed, and wiped his eyes, stopped because Irving hadn’t moved an inch, and was in fact, still pressed against him and hard. Very hard.
Lex's eyes narrowed. "Irving…I don’t want to hurt you…"
Irving took a quick couple of steps away, wilting under an emotional tumult of confused lust, fear and embarrassment. Relief seeped in when he realized the hurt Lex meant wasn't physical. "I think you're terribly confused. You need to talk to Alexandra and Greg and sort this out. If this situation can’t be solved, then it might be better if you did move away." He squeezed Irving's shoulder gently, firmly. "Far away."
******
Lex's mind wandered as the jet took off…he thought about Alexandra, holding her…wet, blue, barely moving in his palm those first few minutes of her life. Falling violently in love with her. He thought about Clark and how the young boy he was then had cried the first time he'd reached out to Lex for help. And broken his heart, and saved his life, and made him understand what love really was. He thought too, about a funny looking but sweet little boy who blushed ridiculously bright red whenever he came into the room, and sighed. He hoped sincerely that whatever he decided wouldn't hurt his daughter.
TBC
part three
(no subject)
6/1/08 12:32 pm (UTC)This one is no different for me but I may be reading with a different slant than the other readers.I know in the end there will be a happy resolution to the latest fic but these two chapters have really made me angry. Irving has become the bad guy for upsetting Ripley and not going along with the baby idea. I also have no sympathy for Ripley this time because she comes across as a spoiled child(more than being a Luthor)wanting her dads to make Irving come back home because she wants it not because it's best for Irving.
I understand Lex and Clark being overprotective of their only child and doing all that is possible to ensure Ripley's happiness but I do not like how Ripley,Greg,Clark and especially Lex are steam rolling Irving into returning home/having a baby without regard to Irving's feelings in the situation. He left home to think about the relationship and about the child which Irving should be given without coercion,threats or intimidation.
It's automatically assumed because Ripley wants a child that all involved want it also. Where's the incentive to return home to the relationship? Neither talk with Clark or Lex gave Irving a true sense he was loved an missd greatly by Ripey and Greg. No,instead both dads were concerned Ripley was upset and therefore it is Irving's responsibiity to not make her so by returning home. Irving feels like a third wheel in the relationship with Ripley and Greg and like Greg gives into Ripley's wants and desires to make her happy at cost to himself. Greg doesn't regard himself as gay nor is there intimacy between the two men unless Ripley is involved. Irving thinks he is an accessory and a child added to their family in his view will not help change the situation.
Yes, all three must talk about their feelings, fears and expectations from a relationship with one another as a threesome,one-on-one and with the proposed child. Ripley and Greg must make Irving more of priority and an equal partner in the relationship acknowledging his feelings,wants and desires and less of an invisible third wheel.
It was wrong of Irving to hit on his father-in-law but Irving is confused,desperate to have someone love him for himself and gave in to a moment of vunerability with a man he's had a crush on for some time. Lex laughing at Irving's attempt was cruel. Lex doesn't see Irving as anything but a weird kid certainly not as a son-in-law and treats him accordingly. Lex doesn't see Irving as willing to give Ripley and Greg whatever they wish and doesn't understand why he's reluctant to have a child with his beloved daughter but Lex should ask what are Ripley and Greg willing to sacrifice to make Irving happy.
Ripley should not yield all the power in the triad relationship they have. Irving should not be unhappy in the relationship or himself soley to make others happy. There should be compromises from all involved and honest communication is a good beginning.
Looking forward to the next chapter and how te relationship issues are resolved.
(no subject)
6/1/08 01:33 pm (UTC)Cool.
I do hope you realise that those issues are placed there on purpose. That's exactly what is being payed out in the fic.
(no subject)
6/1/08 04:44 pm (UTC)(no subject)
6/2/08 12:41 am (UTC)I didn’t want to give the impression that they considered Irving the bad guy…well, maybe Lex felt that way, but not the others. Unfortunately, you're right they're not considering Irving's feelings—yet.
I also have no sympathy for Ripley this time because she comes across as a spoiled child(more than being a Luthor)
I completely agree with you here—she is being rather bratty. Even the best person acts badly from time to time and Rip is definitely no angel—she was willing to try and toss Jordan on the fire until he called her on it. But she's under stress and sometimes, it makes you act less than nice. She's really
I understand Lex and Clark being overprotective of their only child
but I do not like how Ripley,Greg,Clark and especially Lex are steam rolling Irving into returning home/having a baby without regard to Irving's feelings in the situation
I think in this instance we can see Irving as the only one who is somewhat clear about what he wants—or doesn’t want at least. I think it makes him the one emotionally in charge, and smart enough to step out.
Irving feels like a third wheel in the relationship with Ripley and Greg and like Greg gives into Ripley's wants and desires to make her happy at cost to himself.
Irving thinks he is an accessory and a child added to their family in his view will not help change the situation.
Oh, absolutely, you hit Irving's motivation right on the head! And in a situation like that, adding a kid would be the worst thing. Irving feels this, but so far, we're not sure what Greg feels.
The Dad's on the other hand—she's their baby. They only know one thing—fix it for their baby. And when your parents are two of the most powerful men in the world, things get weird. Lex isn’t really steam-rolling Irving, but he might have some issues with him leaving. Has he really listened to Irving? Not so much. He's still seeing it from Rip's pov.
Yes, all three must talk about their feelings, fears and expectations from a relationship with one another as a threesome,one-on-one and with the proposed child. Ripley and Greg must make Irving more of priority and an equal partner in the relationship
Again, yes, very much yes, those two need to step up and really let him know in some way just how important he is. You know her personality—she's probably certain that he knows how much she loves him simply because she does, if that makes sense.
It was wrong of Irving to hit on his father-in-law but Irving is confused,desperate to have someone love him for himself and gave in to a moment of vunerability with a man he's had a crush on for some time. Lex laughing at Irving's attempt was cruel.
We can forgive Irving that mistake because he was confused, has had a major crush on Lex since day one, and is not entirely sober. And Lex understood what Irving was going through in that moment. Was he cruel to have laughed? Maybe…but he really didn't want to hurt him. He's fond of him. And is not entirely sober, because I don't think he'd have talked about Clark unless he was feeling a bit mellow, and trusted the person he was talking to.
Ripley should not yield all the power in the triad relationship they have. Irving should not be unhappy in the relationship or himself soley to make others happy.
She definitely shouldn't—too much power is a bad thing for her and for Poppa. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that all that will become apparent as the story goes on. Like you say, these stories are all about completely happy endings, and that's what I'm shooting for. I want to lay any echoes of doubt to rest. I want to see what happens when Irving steps up to the plate, and how the characters respond to it. And I hope it will be interesting.
Thanks a million for your comment—I *really* appreciate that you took the time to voice your opinion and concerns. You gave me a great boost, creativity-wise! I hope I won't disappoint you!