Carol

[nonotthatone]

Pairing: Clex
Genre: Drama, Romance, AU/Holiday fic
Rating: PG
Word Count: 8,981
Summary: After an argument with Clark on Christmas Eve, Lex is visited by a series of spirits who show him what he has to lose. With great apologies to Charles Dickens.
A/N: This is set in a somewhat AU S4, I think. I've fudged the series timeline in places to

Comments

[jlvsclrk]

Wow. Just wow.

I knew about 4 paragraphs in that I was going to love this story. Something about the WAY Clark and Lex were arguing, where both sides have a balanced POV so the viewer can understand how hard it is for each of them to change their position. And that creates the tension that drives the story forward.

Love that Lana is the ghost of Christmas Past. Who else given her obsession with the past and dead parents. I was really moved though when she explained why she didn't want to talk to Santa. Poor thing! And how adorable that young Lana's first crush was on Lex even if she can't remember it.

Chloe makes a great ghost of Christmas Present. I love this exchange:

"So I suppose it's meant as a dire warning? Beware of becoming your father? Don't worry; the thought never leaves my mind."

"If that's true," she said sadly, "then why doesn't it influence your actions?"

She really hit the nail on the head with that. It's the thing that drives me CRAZY about Lex - that he genuinely cannot see where his actions are leading.

And Lionel made an utterly chilling Yet to Be. Brrrr. I can well imagine Lex killing himself if he ever succeeded in killing Clark/the Blur/Superman. His entire raison d'être would be gone.

And yay for the final act! Lex takes action and talks it out with Clark. Oh, so brilliant, my heart rejoiced to hear his words. Not so much I'm sorry as I'll keep trying if you will.

"It isn't easy to be your friend," Lex continued. "You're ... the sort of person one wants to hold closer than most others, to give everything to without reserve." The honesty was cold and frightening in his mouth, but he pressed on. "I never feel that way for anyone - but I feel it for you. And it terrifies me."

Honesty giving way to honesty and finally for Clark, telling the truth doesn't seem like such a risk after all. Happiness!

[nonotthatone]

I could do a dance of joy over this comment, srsly :) Thank you so much.

I think the voice in this story turned out different than it usually does for me; something about having so much do to made me narrate more tightly. I think I have to work on this :) I talk too much usually. I'm glad it kept the story moving for you.

Chloe is so fricking wise. I really loved letting her give it to Lex there; she didn't enjoy it, like she told him - it was going to hurt, and she was sorry, but he needed to see.

Re: future, a screenwriting professor told me once that the only possibilities for a satisfying crisis are sex or death :) I don't know exactly how true I think this is, but sometimes they can be interchangeable from a metaphorical perspective. Clark and Lex are just like that, I think: utter possession is their endgame, regardless of whether it's physical oneness or murder. And you're right about Lex: without Clark, there's nothing left for him.

My ultimate happy Clex ending is Clark telling Lex the truth. It's just such a tough impasse to break through though: Clark wants Lex to change in order to deserve it, and Lex needs it in order to change. But if they could just meet in the middle ... it could work. :)

I'm so happy you enjoyed. Merry Christmas :)