Ficlet: Keep It Simple (Clex, G)
Title: Keep It Simple
Category: Ficlet
Pairing: Clex
Rating: G
Word Count: 710 words
Spoilers: None
Bingo: Clex bingo/clexmas
Prompt: "I love you"
Notes: I wasn't thinking too seriously about the idea, since I was trying to sleep, but it started to play out and I knew if I didn't get up and write it, it'd be gone by morning.
Summary: Clark is not the one who makes grand gestures.
"But say you've been dancing around it for a while," Clark said, missing 'casual' by a mile despite his attempt to focus on cutting his steak. Or perhaps because of that split of attention. He put his fork and knife down and tried again. "I mean, if you put it off even though you've been pretty certain about it-"
"You still just say it," Lex repeated, gentle and insistent. He'd stopped paying any attention to their the meal the moment Clark had broached the topic. If it weren't for the fact that Lex always had a laser-like focus when Clark asked for his advice, Clark would think he'd let something slip, given some hint that they weren't talking about Lana or some other theoretical person but Lex himself.
"Okay, then. Using the traditional methods? Flowers and chocolate and-" He cut off abruptly as he realized Lex was trying hard not to laugh at him. "No chocolates?"
"No chocolates, Clark. If it's sincerely meant, there's no need for seduction or deceit. Just say the words. the weight of them should carry themselves better than any gimmick or well-intentioned romantic cliche."
"Is that how you do it?" he asked, then wished he hadn't. He didn't want to know about Lex's many confessions of love to Helen or Desiree or Victoria.
Lex did laugh, though it had that bitter lilt that followed self-mockery. "No. I don't think I've ever meant it sincerely enough to forego the flowers and the typical wine and dine."
Clark picked up his fork and stabbed a piece of his steak with it. He imagined the food was as good as it always was, but he hadn't tasted anything after the first bite of green beans.
"But that doesn't mean that my advice isn't sound."
"Just that you've never taken it yourself," Clark countered. Lex tipped his head in acknowledgement, then leaned forward for his own silverware as if the conversation was done. And perhaps it was. Question asked, answer received, optional bitterness delivered medium rare. "I love you."
There was the briefest stutter in Lex's movements, less a freezing and more a shutter or shiver. There and gone again as Lex pushed forward. "Those are the words," he agreed, not looking at Clark across the table. "The simple, concise version. No flowery praise, no forever promises until after those are said and accepted."
"And if they're not heard?" Clark asked, wincing at how whiny that had sounded. Frustrated he could handle, but the plaintive note made him feel like he was fifteen again.
Lex looked at him again. "I suppose if the words aren't enough, that would be the time for flowers. The presentation of a bouquet-" Clark missed out on the next few syllables while he tore through the mansion to the garden, "-against."
"I love you," Clark said again, presenting the rose he'd picked. It wasn't a bouquet, but he'd lost the thread of whatever Lex had been about to say and he figured a single flower must have been weighty enough. Lex had stopped giving him advice in order to stare at the rose. "So you can stop with the wining and dining."
"Clark," Lex said, sounding shaky and shaken.
Clark dropped down to his knees and concentrated on not crushing the flower in a fit of nerves. "You're wonderful and I'd really like to date you."
Lex reached out, the pads of his fingers brushing softly over the back of Clark's hand before they circled the stem of the rose. He didn't take it from Clark, though, merely rested his hand there in a half-caress.
"I know it's not a grand gesture, but I don't think you believe in those."
There was no response for a moment, just Lex staring down at his face. Then Lex let go of the rose and closed his hand over Clark's. "I believe in a lot of things because of you, Clark. I... like you a lot. And I'd love to go out with you."
"Yeah?" Clark asked, relieved. He leaned up, angling his head and hoping for a kiss. Their lips did meet, and there was a brush of mouths that could have been a kiss, but then Lex was drawing back.
"Where did the rose come from?"
Category: Ficlet
Pairing: Clex
Rating: G
Word Count: 710 words
Spoilers: None
Bingo: Clex bingo/clexmas
Prompt: "I love you"
Notes: I wasn't thinking too seriously about the idea, since I was trying to sleep, but it started to play out and I knew if I didn't get up and write it, it'd be gone by morning.
Summary: Clark is not the one who makes grand gestures.
"But say you've been dancing around it for a while," Clark said, missing 'casual' by a mile despite his attempt to focus on cutting his steak. Or perhaps because of that split of attention. He put his fork and knife down and tried again. "I mean, if you put it off even though you've been pretty certain about it-"
"You still just say it," Lex repeated, gentle and insistent. He'd stopped paying any attention to their the meal the moment Clark had broached the topic. If it weren't for the fact that Lex always had a laser-like focus when Clark asked for his advice, Clark would think he'd let something slip, given some hint that they weren't talking about Lana or some other theoretical person but Lex himself.
"Okay, then. Using the traditional methods? Flowers and chocolate and-" He cut off abruptly as he realized Lex was trying hard not to laugh at him. "No chocolates?"
"No chocolates, Clark. If it's sincerely meant, there's no need for seduction or deceit. Just say the words. the weight of them should carry themselves better than any gimmick or well-intentioned romantic cliche."
"Is that how you do it?" he asked, then wished he hadn't. He didn't want to know about Lex's many confessions of love to Helen or Desiree or Victoria.
Lex did laugh, though it had that bitter lilt that followed self-mockery. "No. I don't think I've ever meant it sincerely enough to forego the flowers and the typical wine and dine."
Clark picked up his fork and stabbed a piece of his steak with it. He imagined the food was as good as it always was, but he hadn't tasted anything after the first bite of green beans.
"But that doesn't mean that my advice isn't sound."
"Just that you've never taken it yourself," Clark countered. Lex tipped his head in acknowledgement, then leaned forward for his own silverware as if the conversation was done. And perhaps it was. Question asked, answer received, optional bitterness delivered medium rare. "I love you."
There was the briefest stutter in Lex's movements, less a freezing and more a shutter or shiver. There and gone again as Lex pushed forward. "Those are the words," he agreed, not looking at Clark across the table. "The simple, concise version. No flowery praise, no forever promises until after those are said and accepted."
"And if they're not heard?" Clark asked, wincing at how whiny that had sounded. Frustrated he could handle, but the plaintive note made him feel like he was fifteen again.
Lex looked at him again. "I suppose if the words aren't enough, that would be the time for flowers. The presentation of a bouquet-" Clark missed out on the next few syllables while he tore through the mansion to the garden, "-against."
"I love you," Clark said again, presenting the rose he'd picked. It wasn't a bouquet, but he'd lost the thread of whatever Lex had been about to say and he figured a single flower must have been weighty enough. Lex had stopped giving him advice in order to stare at the rose. "So you can stop with the wining and dining."
"Clark," Lex said, sounding shaky and shaken.
Clark dropped down to his knees and concentrated on not crushing the flower in a fit of nerves. "You're wonderful and I'd really like to date you."
Lex reached out, the pads of his fingers brushing softly over the back of Clark's hand before they circled the stem of the rose. He didn't take it from Clark, though, merely rested his hand there in a half-caress.
"I know it's not a grand gesture, but I don't think you believe in those."
There was no response for a moment, just Lex staring down at his face. Then Lex let go of the rose and closed his hand over Clark's. "I believe in a lot of things because of you, Clark. I... like you a lot. And I'd love to go out with you."
"Yeah?" Clark asked, relieved. He leaned up, angling his head and hoping for a kiss. Their lips did meet, and there was a brush of mouths that could have been a kiss, but then Lex was drawing back.
"Where did the rose come from?"