Stocking Stuffer #8: Presents for the Giving
Post Christmas and making our way to the New Year! Are we ready for 2015?
Today's stuffer is by elf tallihensia and is for those who still have that little extra something needed to finish off their presents. ^^
Title: Presents for the Giving
Pairing(s): Clex
Rating: G Words: 1119
Warnings/Spoilers: none
--
Apprehensively, Clark gazed at the very, very large present in their family room. It was so large, it was next to the tree instead of under it.
"Lex..."
"Oh, relax," Lex said, walking into the room with a glass of water in one hand and a folder in the other. "It's not extravagant. And who the hell equates size with extravagant anyhow? The smallest things are the most expensive."
Okay, that was true. But still... If it was fifty years ago, it might have been a package with a huge tv. But television nowadays came in rolled filaments that dropped down from the ceiling or wherever you'd like it. It was completely rectangular, no odd protrusions, but somehow Clark got the feeling it wasn't in a box. He prowled around the present, looking for clues.
Lex leaned against the wall and sipped his water. "Remember, no x-ray vision."
"I know, I know." It was easier said than not done - using the x-ray for things unseen was almost instinctual. Yet Clark had a lot of practice in restraint, and this wasn't an emergency. Frustrating, but not an emergency.
"I mean it," Lex said, "I don't want to have to break out the lead-foiled wrapping paper..."
There had actually been a few occasions when Lex really had done that. It had been embarrassing to find that out the hard way. The teasing from Lex and his mom went on for years, and his mom had even asked Lex for some of the paper for her presents too.
"Do you even have that much?" Clark wondered. Four feet tall, six feet across, four in width. It was a large rectangle, but Clark didn't have a clue what he might want or need that was that shape. Of course, knowing Lex, it might not be anywhere close to anything Clark thought he might want or need. Lex was pretty good at getting Clark good things, though. Good as in things that Clark really appreciated and enjoyed. Not even his parents had always gotten gifts right, though all of them had been loved for the thought.
Lex didn't answer in words, just smirked at Clark and finished his glass. Instead of going back to the kitchen for more, he set it down on a coffee table, the folder next to it. Then he sat on the couch and sprawled out to watch his evening entertainment - Clark.
After a few hours of periodic guesses and nothing but 'no' in response, Clark finally gave up. "Okay, okay. Can I open it now?"
With all the games, Lex had been amused and smug. Now that the time was finally there, Lex suddenly looked apprehensive and worried.
Clark raised his eyebrows. Lex didn't normally worry about the gifts. He didn't expect Clark to universally love all of them (even if Clark often did), so he wasn't usually worried. For Lex to be nervous... there was something different about this gift.
With a wave of his hand, Lex gave permission in silence.
Grabbing the edges, Clark tore off the wrapping in a few quick bursts, happily ripping and dropping pieces on the ground everywhere. He loved making a mess of the wrapping paper probably as much as Lex liked carefully wrapping the presents.
When it was off, Clark stopped and stared. And kept staring.
It was a cage. A large wire cage with doors on both the wide side and the narrow side. And inside the cage... More presents. Lots and lots more presents. These weren't wrapped, but Clark still opened up the cage door and slowly pulled them out one by one.
There were toys. Lots and lots of toys. Rawhide chews, catnip mice, balls with bells, a rope knotted for tug-of-war.
There were decorations. Collars with rhinestones, collars in leather, harnesses in different sizes, even a sweater or two.
There were practicals. Kitty litter trays, puppy training pads, doggie bags, scratching posts, room fresheners.
There weren't any actual pets. No cat, no dog. Though Clark did use his x-ray vision to scan through the rest of the home to make sure they weren't somewhere hidden.
When he was done, Clark looked at Lex, overwhelmed.
"We can go visiting groups tomorrow to see who we might like," Lex said, still somewhat anxiously. He handed Clark the folder.
Clark hadn't even suspected the folder. Lex was always wandering around with work in hand. He opened it. Photos and descriptions of rescue pets. There were cats and dogs from various local groups, and even some rescue rats in for the mix.
"You want a pet?" Clark finally asked.
"You want one," Lex replied quietly. "You're lonely when I'm working late." He glanced out the window. "And, yes, so am I. I was thinking at least two - a dog for you, and a cat for me, and them for each other when we're both not around. But they have to be able to get along. It might take awhile to find some we like that like each other."
"Slow introductions," Clark remembered that much from his days on the farm, though pets weren't livestock. "I'm surprised I didn't find them here already."
Lex blushed a little. It had been something he'd trained himself out of for a long, long time, but living with Clark he'd relaxed his defenses enough that some of the tells had come back.
"I'd actually planned to," Lex admitted, "but when I was visiting the rescue groups, I got chewed out by one lady for not involving you in the decision. Said that if they were going to be ours, then they should be picked out by both of us. Too many Christmas pets got returned because they'd been picked out by other people who didn't know what their family really wanted or needed." He shrugged, "Not all the groups said that - they were just happy to have an adoption possibility at all. But... it made sense, what she said."
Clark put down the dog and kitten toys he'd been playing with and walked over to Lex. He got down on his knees on the carpet in front of the sofa and leaned in until he was kissing Lex.
Finally, Lex came up for air. "Does that mean you approve?"
This was a wonderful Christmas present - not only for him, but also for others. Lex was a genius. "That means we'll go down tomorrow... or the next day, and find them. We'll find some pets that need us and want us and won't mind our slightly erratic schedules, and that will be happy to have us and each other, and we'll give them good loving homes in return."
Clark kissed Lex again and this time didn't stop.
===========
Today's stuffer is by elf tallihensia and is for those who still have that little extra something needed to finish off their presents. ^^
Title: Presents for the Giving
Pairing(s): Clex
Rating: G Words: 1119
Warnings/Spoilers: none
--
Apprehensively, Clark gazed at the very, very large present in their family room. It was so large, it was next to the tree instead of under it.
"Lex..."
"Oh, relax," Lex said, walking into the room with a glass of water in one hand and a folder in the other. "It's not extravagant. And who the hell equates size with extravagant anyhow? The smallest things are the most expensive."
Okay, that was true. But still... If it was fifty years ago, it might have been a package with a huge tv. But television nowadays came in rolled filaments that dropped down from the ceiling or wherever you'd like it. It was completely rectangular, no odd protrusions, but somehow Clark got the feeling it wasn't in a box. He prowled around the present, looking for clues.
Lex leaned against the wall and sipped his water. "Remember, no x-ray vision."
"I know, I know." It was easier said than not done - using the x-ray for things unseen was almost instinctual. Yet Clark had a lot of practice in restraint, and this wasn't an emergency. Frustrating, but not an emergency.
"I mean it," Lex said, "I don't want to have to break out the lead-foiled wrapping paper..."
There had actually been a few occasions when Lex really had done that. It had been embarrassing to find that out the hard way. The teasing from Lex and his mom went on for years, and his mom had even asked Lex for some of the paper for her presents too.
"Do you even have that much?" Clark wondered. Four feet tall, six feet across, four in width. It was a large rectangle, but Clark didn't have a clue what he might want or need that was that shape. Of course, knowing Lex, it might not be anywhere close to anything Clark thought he might want or need. Lex was pretty good at getting Clark good things, though. Good as in things that Clark really appreciated and enjoyed. Not even his parents had always gotten gifts right, though all of them had been loved for the thought.
Lex didn't answer in words, just smirked at Clark and finished his glass. Instead of going back to the kitchen for more, he set it down on a coffee table, the folder next to it. Then he sat on the couch and sprawled out to watch his evening entertainment - Clark.
After a few hours of periodic guesses and nothing but 'no' in response, Clark finally gave up. "Okay, okay. Can I open it now?"
With all the games, Lex had been amused and smug. Now that the time was finally there, Lex suddenly looked apprehensive and worried.
Clark raised his eyebrows. Lex didn't normally worry about the gifts. He didn't expect Clark to universally love all of them (even if Clark often did), so he wasn't usually worried. For Lex to be nervous... there was something different about this gift.
With a wave of his hand, Lex gave permission in silence.
Grabbing the edges, Clark tore off the wrapping in a few quick bursts, happily ripping and dropping pieces on the ground everywhere. He loved making a mess of the wrapping paper probably as much as Lex liked carefully wrapping the presents.
When it was off, Clark stopped and stared. And kept staring.
It was a cage. A large wire cage with doors on both the wide side and the narrow side. And inside the cage... More presents. Lots and lots more presents. These weren't wrapped, but Clark still opened up the cage door and slowly pulled them out one by one.
There were toys. Lots and lots of toys. Rawhide chews, catnip mice, balls with bells, a rope knotted for tug-of-war.
There were decorations. Collars with rhinestones, collars in leather, harnesses in different sizes, even a sweater or two.
There were practicals. Kitty litter trays, puppy training pads, doggie bags, scratching posts, room fresheners.
There weren't any actual pets. No cat, no dog. Though Clark did use his x-ray vision to scan through the rest of the home to make sure they weren't somewhere hidden.
When he was done, Clark looked at Lex, overwhelmed.
"We can go visiting groups tomorrow to see who we might like," Lex said, still somewhat anxiously. He handed Clark the folder.
Clark hadn't even suspected the folder. Lex was always wandering around with work in hand. He opened it. Photos and descriptions of rescue pets. There were cats and dogs from various local groups, and even some rescue rats in for the mix.
"You want a pet?" Clark finally asked.
"You want one," Lex replied quietly. "You're lonely when I'm working late." He glanced out the window. "And, yes, so am I. I was thinking at least two - a dog for you, and a cat for me, and them for each other when we're both not around. But they have to be able to get along. It might take awhile to find some we like that like each other."
"Slow introductions," Clark remembered that much from his days on the farm, though pets weren't livestock. "I'm surprised I didn't find them here already."
Lex blushed a little. It had been something he'd trained himself out of for a long, long time, but living with Clark he'd relaxed his defenses enough that some of the tells had come back.
"I'd actually planned to," Lex admitted, "but when I was visiting the rescue groups, I got chewed out by one lady for not involving you in the decision. Said that if they were going to be ours, then they should be picked out by both of us. Too many Christmas pets got returned because they'd been picked out by other people who didn't know what their family really wanted or needed." He shrugged, "Not all the groups said that - they were just happy to have an adoption possibility at all. But... it made sense, what she said."
Clark put down the dog and kitten toys he'd been playing with and walked over to Lex. He got down on his knees on the carpet in front of the sofa and leaned in until he was kissing Lex.
Finally, Lex came up for air. "Does that mean you approve?"
This was a wonderful Christmas present - not only for him, but also for others. Lex was a genius. "That means we'll go down tomorrow... or the next day, and find them. We'll find some pets that need us and want us and won't mind our slightly erratic schedules, and that will be happy to have us and each other, and we'll give them good loving homes in return."
Clark kissed Lex again and this time didn't stop.
===========